The Central Alberta Fly Tying Club meets during winter months. Weekly tying sessions begin at 7pm. Call Bob Vanderwater 403. 347. 3802 or email rdvanderwater@gmail.com
Last night was the open house hosted by Border Paving at the Butte Hall to hear about the proposed gravel extraction below the water line near the headwaters of Stauffer Creek.
Over 125 people attended. Farmers, land owners, fly fishers, staff from Trout Unlimited Canada, media and concerned citizens attended the presentation. Four consultants hired by Border Paving and staff from Border Paving were there including several members of the ownership group from Border Paving!
It was quite apparent that the vast majority of the individuals in the Butte Hall were against this proposal. The consultants did very little to convince the individuals who attended that this is a good idea. The ecologically sensitive area that includes springs should not be touch or altered in any way. Any gravel extraction that would happen almost 30 feet below the water line has the potential to just that!
There was a lot of expertise in the Butte Hall who spoke against this proposal. I hope that this proposal does not move forward!
What an amazing turn out for our first Fly Tying Monday session for the 2109-2020 season. To see our tying space jammed to capacity was fantastic! West River Fly Shop was a great place to be!
Sylvan Lake is a popular fishery but not usually with a fly rod. Over the years my wife, Karen, and I have spent lots of fantastic days enjoying the fly fishing. We target lake whitefish, walleye and pike. We have discovered that Sylvan Lake's bug life is very similar to our Central Alberta pot hole trout lakes. From blood worms, chironomids, hexagenia, dragons and damsels; Sylvan Lake is definitely a bug factory. All species of fish in Sylvan lake love to eat these bugs. Sylvan Lake is a great place to learn to fly fish a lake.
Remember that there is an open house hosted by Border Paving this Thursday night at Butte Hall from 5 pm to 8 pm about an application for a wet gravel pit right across from Stainbrook Springs. the headwaters of Stauffer Creek (North Raven River). This is an application that cannot happen. Please come and help us ensure this application is not approved.
Adjoining the lands of Border Paving, the proponent of the gravel pit, and within 50 yards on both the east side and north side are lands held under title by the Alberta Conservation Assoc., Trout Unlimited Canada, Alberta Fish and Game Assoc..
These lands were purchased by the above authorities with additional contributions of Central Alberta Trout unlimited Chapter.
If you purchased a fishing or hunting license and or are dues paying members of one or more of those organizations, these lands belong to you and you must have standing in any decision rendered.
These lands held by the above groups have management plans developed by the owners whose decisions reflect any similar owner decisions. Examples of these decisions include land use, access, grazing and the like.
Please address all comments about the application of Border Paving to:
Planning Dept.
Country of Clearwater,
4340 47 Ave, Rocky Mountain House, AB T4T 1A4
Please write a letter as letters have much more “weight” than emails or online petitions.
Next Week, Ralf Kuntzman is our guest tyer. Ralf is one of the most creative fly tyers I have ever meet. Be sure to be at West River Fly Shop next Monday!
A throat sample which has told us to tie on bloodworm patterns.
Seal Blood Worm- John Kent Originator
Hook: C49S size 12-16
Bead: Red, 3/32nd
Thread: UTC Red, 8/0
Tail: Marabou, red
Body: Seal, red
Rib: Largartun Mini Flat Braid, gold (just one strand)
Well here we go. Another season of Fly Tying Mondays! See you tomorrow night at West River Fly Shop! You need red 8/0 thread and your tying tools! If you are new to fly tying, take a look RIGHT HERE for what you will need for the season!
This image is thanks to Michael Short from Let's Go Out doors. Please attend the open house on Thursday November 28th at 5 pm to 8 pm to express your concerns!
Adjoining the lands of Border Paving, the proponent of the gravel pit, and within 50 yards on both the east side and north side are lands held under title by the Alberta Conservation Assoc., Trout Unlimited Canada, Alberta Fish and Game Assoc..
These lands were purchased by the above authorities with additional contributions of Central Alberta Trout unlimited Chapter.
If you purchased a fishing or hunting license and or are dues paying members of one or more of those organizations, these lands belong to you and you must have standing in any decision rendered.
These lands held by the above groups have management plans developed by the owners whose decisions reflect any similar owner decisions. Examples of these decisions include land use, access, grazing and the like.
Please address all comments about the application of Border Paving to:
Planning Dept.
Country of Clearwater,
4340 47 Ave, Rocky Mountain House, AB T4T 1A4
Please write a letter as letters have much more “weight” than emails or online petitions.
The first meeting organized by the ACA, Alberta Conservation Association, occurred last night at Lazy M Ranch near Stauffer, Alberta. A number of our executive of the Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited attended the session. This was an information session lead by Kevin Gardner of the ACA. Land owners, lease holders, fly fishermen and concerned citizens attended the gathering.
This wet pit extraction will be happening right across the road from Stainbrook Springs, the headwaters of Stauffer Creek, of one of the best brown trout fisheries in Alberta.
This wet pit could potentially change the entire ecology of the underground water that feeds the springs and the entire creek system.
There is a lot at stake here. Please come to the open house scheduled for this Thursday, November 28th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Butte Hall that is just off of Arbutus Road. Take a look at the map below. When travelling west on Hwy 11 from Red Deer, turn left and travel south about 17 km on the Arbutus Road. You will go around the big bend in the highway. Shortly after passing by the big bend, you will see a sign for the Butte Hall. Turn left and travel east 2-3 km to Butte and you will see the left hand turn to the community hall. Please come and express your concerns.
Karen and I knew that Sunday had to include winterizing the 1756 G3 Yamaha and then with neighbour Colin's help, store the big boat in the backyard. It is a hastle because we have to move our travel trailer twice in order to park the boat in its spot for the winter.
Yesterday maybe was the last day to get out and fly fish until a chinook rolls in. My hands were cold but I did enjoy the two hours I had on the water.
This morning, the snow was flying, my grass was covered in those little white treasures and the roads were nasty. It is time to shift gears.
The fly tying vice is set up and it is time to start filling boxes for next year and our late winter trip to Belize. Dust off that tying vice, take stock of your tying materials and start getting those spaces in your fly boxes filled up!
When I got up this morning, my lawn was covered in the the white stuff! Luckily I winterized my boat and got it nicely stored in the backyard with lots of help from Karen and my neighbour Colin yesterday! Perfect timing!
Well the snow steadily fell and I was hoping to get out on the Red Deer River for a few hours. I talked myself out of it a few times but then I reminded myself that our winter is long. I bundled up and headed out with Pepper right at my heels. He was not going to miss out on the opportunity of catching a few mice for a mid day snack!
We lasted two hours. The snow squalls came and went. My hands were definitely a bit cold. Luckily the walleye were willing to bit a Vampire Leech, a Candy Corn and an Ice Minnow.
It sure felt dark around 4 pm. Wait a minute, we back to standard time, sigh!
