Bull Trout and Rainbows

Steve and I took a trek to Kananaskis Country to try to catch a big rainbow and also to possibly shake hands with a large lake bull trout! Well we accomplished both. I did learn that large bull trout like balanced flies. Where we were was not a big numbers game but with persistance, you have a shot a biggie. I also learned to dress for the weather because mountain weather changes every few minutes.

Another Step Up in Tying Balanced Flies

I just finished tying several balanced flies and I realized that that the evolution of development and design just went up a few notches. Balanced minnows are a that include a lateral line and eyes have certainly "kicked it up a notch!" Take a look at Phil Rowley tying the Balanced Punk Perch Minnow and the Balanced Fat Head Minnow. Both excellent imitations of forage fish. You could certainly modify these patterns to match the forage in your local lakes.

What is Happening at Sylvan Lake is Disgusting

It was a beautiful day to get to Sylvan Lake to fly fish. Everybody knows that we enjoy getting out on the lake for catch and release fly fishing. Not everybody is a catch and release fisherman and that is ok but what is currently happening on the lake is wrong!

What we saw on the lake yesterday was quite discouraging. The poaching on the lake is out of control. There were so many boats out on the water, many of them could hardly even be considered a safe watercraft to be out on such a large windy lake. Many were overloaded with fisherman. They were mostly loading up their coolers with walleye and whitefish. The pressure on the fish is extreme and so many fish are leaving the lake. I suspect that the walleye population will be destroyed in a few months. 

The area in Marina Bay needs to be closed because of the spawning walleye. There are literally dozens of fishermen there everyday trying to kill fish. This area has a very vulnerable population of post spawn fish. I have fished out front of this area once and I will not be doing that ever again, it is wrong.

Unfortunately our three Fish and Wildlife officers for Central Alberta cannot possibly keep up with enforcement on Sylvan Lake let alone the enormous area they have to cover. Two of our Fish and Wildlife Officers along with the RCMP were out at Sunbreakers Boat Launch yesterday. There were a ridiculous number of poaching violations.

I sat and watched several boats heading to the boat launch quickly veer off when they saw the Fish and Wildlife Officers and and RCMP at the boat launch.

SRD needs to quickly rethink what is happening on Sylvan Lake. Succumbing to public pressure to allow walleye to be retained has brought 100s of fisherman on a daily basis. The fisherman also retain whitefish. Way too many fish are leaving the lake. There is no sense of balance at all.

It took almost 25 years to bring Sylvan Lake back to a wonderful place to fish. It will take a few short months to destroy it.

SRD needs to immediately rethink what is happening at Sylvan Lake. It is so disappointing to see this.

I saw frustrated Fish and Wildlife Officers yesterday. The RCMP  were at the boat launch supporting our local Fish and Wildlife Officers. SRD needs to be proactive and protect this fishery immediately. I suspect that this will be a problem at Pine Lake and Gull Lake. I am not sure slot limits will work at Gull Lake.

I certainly hope that this problem is addressed quickly. We have to severely change what can be retained on Sylvan Lake and enforce it as well as close off the Marina Bay area to fishing. It is the right thing to do.