Why Throw 80 When All You Need is 40....aka Less is More

Theres very few things that feel as satisfying to a fly angler than picking 25 feet of line up off the water, snapping it back quickly to load up the rod and then double hauling 70 feet of tight looped heaven onto the water.  You feel pretty good and marvel at your self taught mastery of the fly cast.  That "ya my guide just saw me shoot that shit" feeling overwhelms you and you are enraptured by the sheer magnitude of your awesomeness and angling prowess.

Meanwhile 3 fish have fed inches off the bank within 40 feet of the boat  and your guide is building yet more callous on his hands as he tries to put the brakes on at 10,000 cfs with a downstream wind that aided in that 70 footer  you lorded over while screaming "fish feeding a 3 o clock 30 feet from the boat!" 

At this point you realize you can't pick up line quick enough to get at that fish unless your guide can somehow reverse the currents of the river, which he seemingly does.  It's your day and you see a chance so you figure what the fuck despite the fact you're not ready.   You pick up the remains of the fly line which is now a coiled loose mess on the water, make a hail mary load and send the tangled mess straight into the back of the boat where your patient and focussed fishing partner is about to lay that perfect 30 foot shot down tight to the bank to jaw snag that large trout doing pushups.

It's at this point you realize the guide's given up on you and your long bomb casts a long time ago and  is not actually guiding you into that fish.  It's also at this point that you notice both guide and companion looking at you with disgust as a tangle ala Charlotte's Web is wrapped around both of them and it's off to the other side of the river to unravel the results of your greatness.

We see this time and time again as guides and there's reasonable explanation for it.  One it feels good to shoot line quick and far and two it's nice to give your boat partner in the back some room to work.  In reality most of your work is going to get done within 40 feet, especially when your fishing from a drift boat.  Save that distance stuff for the salt and get down to the subtlety of a shorter length cast that will enable you to pick apart the structure on the bank or in myriad mid river seam collections.  In the end you will hook up with more fish.

Tim Rajeff has some great analogies and videos on this that I thought I would include below.  Some fodder for the upcoming season.   I encourage all of you to have a look and listen and join the growing population of trout anglers who are dropping their hyper fast action 5 weights for some mid flex, medium fast line managers that are more suitable for most fishing applications.  We will be carrying Echo Rods in the boat this year for the first time if you want to test them out.  They're  great rods with great engineering and make a lot of sense, especially for the price and the line matching.

The Dry Rod       Accuracy Casting PT. 1     Accuracy Casting PT. 2      Reach Cast From a Drift Boat

Look forward to rowing all of you this season.  Runoff is likely this year due to good snow pack in the East Kootenay so hold off on early bookings in the Elk Valley.  The Columbia will be on in June and early July as usual for the massive caddis hatch and is where we'll be early season.  Squidbeak Fly Co. is alive and well and had a very successful winter campaign in SE ASIA.  Lots of new flies to take for a swim.

EPHEMERA DANICA :)

AKA  THE GREEN DRAKE

MATT WAGNER,  DAVE FOWLER, GENEVIEVE HEADED HIGH A FEW DAYS AGO IN THE MIDST OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT WAS BEARING REASONABLE OVERNITE TEMPERATURES.  I WAS HOPING THE LOW WOULD GET THE GREEN DRAKES MOVING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FREESTONE A LITTLE EARLIER THAN USUAL DUE TO THE LOW PRESSURE AND THE WARMER OVERNITE TEMPS.

THAT WISH AND DIAGNOSTIC WASN'T EXACTLY SPOT ON AS WE ENDED UP WADING, WAITING AND NYMPHING AS THE BUGS LAYED BACK WAITING FOR ?.  CADDIS WERE BOUNCING AROUND BUT OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE  TO THE TROUT.  PERHAPS ANOTHER STREAM WITH LESS FOOD WOULD HAVE HAD THE TROUT EAGER TO CHASE THE BOUNCY CRITTERS BUT WHEN THERE'S DRAKES IN ABUNDANCE, THE FISH WILL WAIT.....AND THEY DID.

ANYONE WHO HAS HAD THE PLEASURE OF HANGING OUT ON A CLEAR AND COLD FREESTONE RIVER IN THE ROCKIES WHILE GREEN DRAKES TUMBLE DOWN RUNS WITH THEIR DARK WINGS FLUTTERING IN DESPERATION WILL UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO FIND THESE PRECIOUS BUGS.  THEY ARE STUNNING IN APPEARANCE; GENEVIEVE LIKES TO CALL THEM LITTLE FAIRIES, AND THEY REALLY DO BRING A SENSE OF MAGIC TO THE RIVER.

GREEN DRAKE WON THIS BAD BOY OVER

TROUT EAT THE SHIT OUT OF DRAKES.  LOVE THEM!!  LIKE JONNY LOVES MUSTARD OR ME CRAFT BEER AND RIPENED CHEESE.  THEY ARE THE T BONES OF THE THE TROUT WORLD AND THERE IS NO STOPPING A CUTTHROAT FROM FEEDING ON THESE BEAUTIES WITH IMPUNITY WHEN THE HATCH IS ON.

THE WINDOW OPENED AND STAYED AJAR FOR ABOUT 2 AND A HALF HOURS AND I WATCHED LARGE HAPPY CUTTS  CLEARING THE SURFACE TO GRAB THE DRAKES MID AIR AS THEY EMERGED FROM THE GRAVEL RIFFLES ABOVE THE DEEPER RUNS. 

IT WAS A LOVELY DAY FOR BOTH ANGLERS AND FISH.  SUCH A GENEROUS BUG.

HUNTING DRAKE HATCHES IS WHAT THE GOOD WALK AND WADE GUIDES ARE DOING NOW AND DEAN RICHARDS HAS BEEN TRACKING THEM FOR THE LAST LITTLE WITH GREAT SUCCESS.  SOME DRAINAGES ARE WARM ENOUGH TO GET DANICA MOVING DURING THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WHILE OTHERS ARE SO COLD THAT WITHOUT THE PENETRATION OF THE SUN TO WARM THEIR WATERS, THE DUNS WON'T SHOW THEMSELVES AS THEIR PREFERRED HATCHING TEMPS ARE BETWEEN 50 AND 54 DEGREES.

THESE COLDER STREAMS WILL GIVE US DRAKE DUNS DURING AUGUST WHILE THE MID TO LOWER ELK WILL HAVE  LITTLE TO NONE LEFT WHICH MAKES FOR SOME EXCELLENT WALK AND WADE CONDITIONS FOR THE BLUE BIRD DAYS.  THEY ARE NOT SMALL BUGS, WEIGHING IN AS HEAVYWEIGHTS IN SIZES 8-14 WITH THICK BODIES AND LARGE WINGS.  OUR DRAKES TEND TO BE MORE GRAY IN COLOUR WITH PURPLE HUES THEY ARE NOT HOWEVER GRAY DRAKES WHICH ARE BURROWER NYMPHS THAT INHABIT SLOWER, SILTIER WATER.  GREEN DRAKES LOVE THE COBBLY BOTTOMED COLD ROCKY MOUNTAIN FREESTONES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN BC AND ALBERTA AND ARE DEFINITELY MY FAVOURITE HATCH IN THE EAST KOOTENAYS.  

THE HUNT FOR THE HATCH WILL CONTINUE AND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW OFF THE BEATEN PATH LITTLE GEMS DIALLED IN, IT'S GREAT TIME TO GET OUT THE BOOTS AND HIKE.

ROSEY CHEEK IN CLEAN CLEAR ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER

Welcome Back.

It's been a pretty amazing start on the Elk this year after the June 15th opening.  Lots of bugs, big fish and good flows.  An early and steady runoff that began in April allowed fish to feed throughout most of the freshet and the beasts got... beastier (word???).  Most of my pets from last fall were still out in their lairs rounding out their waistlines and putting on some heft.  Really nice to see that they wintered so well.

Happy Ending

The flows on the Elk and surrounding East Kootenay and Alberta streams has been excellent if not perfect in some cases and we may run into some low water conditions by mid August if we don't continue to get the rains we've been getting....who knows for sure and only time will tell.  For now we have it good.....really good.

Golden Stoneflies, caddis, sallies and even some ants on the bright sunny days and the mayfly buffet of drakes, pmd's and bwo's on the cloudy low pressure/rain/stormy/shitty days.  Hard to keep them out of the net really and many of my regulars have felt it's some of the best days they've seen on the Elk.

A Nice Elk River Cuttie Resting in the Brodin Net

I got back to the Columbia which fished tough in late May and early June due to poor weather and heavy pushes of water from the dam.....like 50,000 cfs on the weekends.  Fish were looking a bit haggard but all is good since my return.  Healthy, hot and plentiful fish on top as the caddis drape the water like a brown mist.  It's my favourite fishery at this time of year and still remains limited on pressure.  Always amazes me how many times I'm one of a few or simply the only angler out there.  People really need to see it to understand how good it can be.  Could be one of the best rainbow tailwaters in the country.

Columbia River Redband Adiposing

The Slocan has also been good although still a bit high...pretty much there though...really a gorgeous stream with some incredibly beautiful assortment of water and fish.  About to go on a guiding marathon in Fernie and Alberta starting Thursday.  July still has a few openings as does August, particularly late August.   September pretty much full for the first half and then quite open.

Looking forward to an excellent season after such a great start

Looking Upstream on the Elk River

Bull Ride on the Kootenay With "Belafonte"

It was a pretty sweet October for us.  Lots of sunshine and warm temps made October on our rivers a more pleasant than usual place to be.   After replacing the prop engine for a new jet outboard we were set to attack the Kootenay River and it's abundance of resident and migrating bull trout.  It's a beautiful river that finally begins to clear up after a spring and summer of silty brown.  The predominating colour of the river is an almost turquoise blue tinted from glacial silt.  The contrasting evergreens and rocky banks makes for a gorgeous backdrop to this stellar late season fishery.

A lot of factors come together to make this fishery happen.  The clearing of the water, the massive runs of kokanee from Koocanusa Lake into the countless spawning tributaries of the Kootenay River and the spawning run of the Bull Trout themselves out of the massive cross boundary reservoir.

Jack Gets Some Love on the Skookumchuck Run

When the kokanee finish their spawn they, like their ancestral sockeye parents; die and load the Kootenay River with a massive source of protein.  The Bull Trout which have spent most of the summer making there way high into the Rocky Mountain streams seeking the coldest, cleanest water they can find.  Once they finish their business they begin their descent down river, back into the big reservoir.  Some remain in the river as year round residents switching their diets over to the abundant whitefish in the system.  The clearing of the water aids in the pursuit of these fish and although the big bulls have to work harder to catch the lively whitefish in that cold water, they have a lot of energy reserved from the gorging on kokanee.  This is what makes late September and October the prime months to fish this gem.

Spencer Schey With a Friend

The eager post spawn bulls are hungry and the flesh of the dead and part dead kokanee is the perfect meal for the tired bulls to capitalize on and build up there strength and weight for the upcoming winter months when the food gets more scarce.  As the fish gorge on the kokanee they regain their fighting weight and the stomachs of these beasts begin to sag from the buffet of rotting flesh.  

Once the kokanee are done and flushed out, the whitefish that reside in the river and who have also been feeding on the eggs etc. of the kokanee are in spawn mode and become the targets of these predacious giants.  Due to the variance of prey choices, the method of presentation varies and once you find the right combination of retrieve, colour and habitat, the fishing can really light up and some epic battles ensue.  30 + inch fish are not uncommon and are quite frequent.  Combine that with their big drooping guts and your dream of landing a 20 pound plus trout on a river can become a reality on this system.  It's truly one of the best trophy fly angling fisheries out there.  

Jonny Taking a Break from Slingshotting

The jet boat (Belafonte) was the right tool for the job and is a lot of fun to run up the river.  Had a great time with that system this year and look forward to doing it again next fall.  Now for some time on the Columbia.....

"The Belafonte"on the Kootenay

Fall Outlook :)

It's been a busy summer so far and we've had a lot of smiling faces coming and going.  It's been a pretty epic summer for fishing here in the Elk Valley and somehow we've been able to get down river without grounding out....something I did not anticipate earlier in the year when water conditions were looking low.

Some brief but heavy rains kept the river up over the last few weeks and the cooler nights kept the water temps down enough to avoid closure on most of the rivers over here.  They did close the Michel and it was something I was happy to see as the river gets beaten up on a regular basis by anglers and the water is low with fish stacked to tight in the dwindling pools.

Some Elk River Meat

According the new Angling Management Plan being put forth, the Michel will become a separate class 2 waters with limited angler use days both for guided and non guided anglers.  I'm happy to see this happen as the creek definitely needs some special attention.  The Wigwam will also see new limitations placed on non guided anglers which will help control traffic on this classic stream.

September is a day away and some focus will be shifted to the West where we will be hitting the Slocan and Columbia Rivers as well as the Pend O'reille.  The Slocan will reopen on the first of the month after it's annual summer closure and usually fishes extremely well and the Columbia should be showing more of it's underwater features as the water has been lower this year.  Will keep you updated on how that goes.

Phil Dupuis Back in Slabtown BC

The Elk is still fishing incredibly well on most days although some of the heavier fronts have put some fish down. Had wet snow falling on my windshield a week ago Friday as I  pulled the boat out after a heavy push out of an upper Elk float.  Another front  yesterday saw only the strong survive but we were rewarded an epic hatch of BWO's, PMD's and few Drakes.  I hope that was a foreshadowing of what's to come in September here as I've seen lots of nymphs on the rocks but have not seen such a massive hatch of mayflies like that since earlier this season.   Ants have been the staple on the warmer days and the fish remain strong, fat and healthy.

A Team Effort Taekout

Our bull trout trips are filling up as we only have one jet boat to handle that fishery and dates are limited.  The bulls showed up in the lower Bull River this year along with the Kokanee in really big numbers according to some of the recent counts on the river.  The latter part of September remains open as do a few days in October.  This runs well into November if your willing to brave the cold.  We decided Fairmont Hot Springs resort is a good option for accommodation  due to it's proximity to the angling and warmth and comfort of the springs at a days end of fishing.  There are some good dining options within the resort and around the town itself.

We have lots of openings in September for the Elk and by all accounts and estimations the great fishing on the river will remain, if you have the time get on the line and plan a trip.  Clear water, small flies, light tippett and soft sipping heavy fish are a seasoned anglers dream....come live it.

The Elk River Valley From the Lens of Jeff Webb

Poo Brown....Beyond the Elk

We prayed for rain and we got it.  What we didn't pray for was 2 landslides in the Line Creek Canyon and we got that as a side salad to our wishes.  After an epic start to the season with Golden Stoneflies and Drakes generously feeding fish, the Elk suffered a set back when 2 natural slides came down the steep canyon and dirtied the river quite badly.  'Shit Brown" was the term used to describe the Elk to me as I'm currently enjoying the clean waters of the Columbia in the West Kootenay.

The fortunate part is that the slide is on Teck (mine) property and is blocking the access to their mine so remediation work is in full swing and the expect to have the road operational by early August.  That may not mean the end of the siltation but it will lilkey be greatly reduced.  Left on it's own it may take weeks if not months to clean up as it is holding water back and damming the river.   The diversion of the water will hopefully provide some relief from the silt but we won't know how things will turn out and will have to update as it progresses.

It will give the fish a break although crowds were not much of an issue and really we needed some rain to help fill the aquifers in the valley and cool down the temps.  These cutts have shown their ability to handle the muddiest and siltiest of conditions so I'm not too concerned about their situation as the population was extremely healthy this year.  The higher water temps present a great risk to the fish and that warming trend has been somewhat alleviated by the cool rains and we have cold nights in the forecast which should keep the Elk in the safe zone as far as temps.

So it's time to explore  as most of you have done over the years here and as those who have been here before know there is a lot more to this fishery than the Elk.  So hello Elk tribs, St. Mary's, Bull, Wigwam, Flathead, St. Mary's AB, Oldman, Waterton, Columbia etc..  I prefer guiding many of  these rivers myself as it's a bit more of a challenge and in some cases provides a completely different angling experience.

Water levels are good, bugs are good, fish are  good, Elk is poo.  Other than the poo factor it's game on.

Everything's Right and Ready

The hot weather and low snow pack has the Elk in prime shape right now.  The riffles are showing and Green Drakes and PMD's are rolling off with some regularity.  We had an unexpected low move in and drop a bit of moisture which encouraged a push of the big green mayflies.  The cutts; fat from three weeks of steady stonefly hatches, appreciated the change in diet and hammered the drakes with impunity.

The rocks on the riffles are still holding lots of drake nymphs but the numbers and size range of PMD's and BWO's indicates that it's going to be a good mayfly season on the Elk.

The tributaries are running clear and  in great shape.  The Bulls have already migrated high up into these drainages  and in some cases have begun to spawn.  Hatch periods are a little more concentrated  on the tribs but when time comes huge green drakes have been tumbling down the runs and getting hammered.

It hasn't been very crowded here despite the ideal conditions and we have a pretty slow week here in Fernie if anyone is interested in getting out there.  You won't be disappointed.