Saturday March 8, 1997 Red Deer River

Tar and I check out the tailwater at the dam…river looks fine, low and clear – I flog nymphs for a couple of hours in the 37° water: no luck…at about 2:30 I do see a couple of rises, including one leaping trout (?), on the south bank, below the “bells” – no apparent bugs on the water…later see another rise in the deep pool just below the generating station…

Saturday March 15, 1997 Red Deer River

Ken Graham and I check out the dam – we learn from the old fella at the power generating station that this section of the river is closed until May 16!!

Sunday April 13, 1997 Upper Bow River

Ken Short and I float the stretch from the hwy. bridge east of Canmore down to the campground at Deadman’s Flats. It’s a sunny, breezy 10°, the river is low and clear. Still lots of snow and ice on the banks. Pretty slow going, as expected. Ken gets a RMW, an 18” brown, and another whitefish. I land a whitefish so
-2 for the day. Ken somehow picks the brown out of a pod of whitefish! There’s a few canoeists and local fish bonkers out – bait is legal up here. Leave at 10:00, pull in about 5:30. The setting is still spectacular.

Saturday April 26, 1997 Lower Bow River

Me n’ Tar, Mac & Janzen’s – on the river about noon; river is pretty low and “relatively” clear; lots of loose material drifting in the 48° water. Fine 19°Gusty day. Still lots of ice chunks along the edge. Get into some good action on side channel at first island. Get a nice fish on SJW, then see some risers on the other bank. Half fall in while crossing. Attempts with #18 Adams, #20 Guffion’s gnat etc. don’t work – switch to #12 Royal Wulff. 1st cast – bang! Get a pair of big ‘bows from this pocket – later notice fair numbers of big dark stoneflies on the water…Later on I hook two more, land a 2 #’er, with Royal Wulff. Fish are in the usual spots – the quiet water at the tailouts on outside bends, side channels. Mental note: don’t leave the boat with out the landing net. Only a couple other fishermen on the river. Pull into Janzen’s about 8:00.