[Hook Set]

Well I think that it is time for me aswell to start my holiday report while it is still very fresh in my mind.

After planning long and hard during the winter and spring months it was finally time to head off with the family up to the Kootneys for some world class fishing. After a quick over nighter and many hours of driving we arrived at our destination in Fernie. As soon as we arrived I wanted to go swing flies through the beautiful rivers I had been watching the whole drive up. But unfortunetly after the long drive and set up the parents wanted to take a break. : ;D Luckily I knew there was a creek that bordered our camp ground. So as soon as I could I was off with rod in hand to find the water. When I arrived it was a creek that I could almost jump over but oh well there has to be fish in there. After a couple hours of tossing dries the creek turned up half a dozen decent trout. Unfortunetly in my hast I left the camera back at camp. I headed back to camp when it started to get dark knowing that the next morning I would be drifting the elk.
My dad and I went and met up with our guide the next morning and we were off.

We started drifting and the first cast was a nice way to start the day.

After catching and releasing many more fish we stopped for lunch on the shore line. After eating quickly I hoped out and started fishing along the shore while I waited and was able to hook into 4 or five more fish including this one.

After floating through some amazing scenery for a couple more miles our day was done. The most suprising thing from the day was that we had our liscense and hook checked twice, what a change from our local rivers. We then headed back to a warm fire to discuss tomorrows plan.

The following day we headed out to explore the river shore on our own. We walked and waded for a couple hours turning up many good fish. Each fish was differant when they took the dry, some would come and destroy it and others I could watch slowly rise from the bottom and just sip the fly down.

The other thing that was so amazing everywhere we went was the spectacular scenery and lack of anglers.

Then it was back once again to the campground to plan the next days adventure.
Thats all I have time for right now I'll post more soon.

 

[professori]

great report H S. Yeah, the lack of other anglers on the water was sure nice. Classifying the waters really cut back on the Albertan and American anglers who were swarming there a couple of years back.

 

[bluesteele]

Absolutely Beautiful cutties...

Way to go!

Bluesteele

 

[Pat AV]

Good start to your report Hook Set, I am looking forward to hearing about the rest. You are fortunate to have experienced quiet conditions.

Last time we were there Ab and Montana both were under extreme fire hazard backcountry closures.The resulting gong show in the East Koots was unbelievable. It really cramps your style fishing behind a couple groups on those systems.

Like Proff said thank god for the classified waters! I hope the money is making it to the right place though!

 

[King Fisher]

excellent report hook set! glad you had a good time and got into nice fish!

 

[11th Warrior]

Excellent report HS! You're lucky to experience such great fishing and beautiful scenery with your family. I'm sure these will be memories that you'll never forget. I'm looking forward to hearing part II.

 

[Hook Set]

Part II
Sorry for the delay but a lot came up in the past few days.

Over the next few days we explored the river and its tributaries in and around Fernie. It was amazing walking down beautiful rivers, surroounded by excellent scenery and casting dries to aggressive cutties. The lack of anglers again was a bonus. Fishing in this area is unlike anything I have expirienced anywhere else and I miss it already. We explored differant sections everyday and had excellent success. The hot weather made wading very comfortable and actually hard to resist taking a swim through the nice looking water.

There was only one day the entire trip that was cool enough to make me wear a jacket. But it was still warm enough for shorts. ;D

On day 7 of our trip it was time for the second day of guiding. We headed up river to launch at a beautiful spot and after the second cast the day was off to a good start.

The section of river we drifted was absolutly beautiful and there was only one other drift boat that we saw once and a while. Fishing was pretty good for the first part of the day but the fish seemed to be very picky. We were getting lots of fish that would come right up to the fly and at the last second reject it. After lunch this would change drastically. We pulled into a nice looking spot where two current seams came together and the fish were going nuts. Everywhere we looked there were nice cutties gorging on flies. Quickly we noticed that there was a huge green drake hatch going on, the first one of the season our guide had seen. We slipped over to the bank and hoped out. We changed flies as quickly as we could and first cast a nice fish rose and slurped down the fly. The action was fast and furious with a fish taking the fly every couple of casts. It was absolutley amazing watching and casting to fish like this, I have never expirienced anything like it.

After about 25 minutes the feeding had stopped so we hopped back into the boat and continued drifting. For thge rest of the day the action was pretty good and we landed quite a few more fish to end an excellent day of on the right note.

After drifting many miles of river and enjoying many nice fish and even more nice views our day ended. This was the end of the day view from the take out.

Part III to come soon.

 

[dereke]

Wow those are some pigs, keep the pics coming...... :thumbup: :thumbup:

good job

 

[Hook Set]

Part III

Our next stop was the coal mining town of Elkford. Elkforod was a very small town with little more than the coal mine going for it there but that was ok because all we cared about was the rivers. The first day we got there I took my dog for a walk to explore and find out where the nearest access to the river was. Well as soon as we got two steps out of the campground it felt like bear country so back we go to get the bear spray. The first evening of fishing started out by myself which had me looking over my shoulder quite a bit and talking to myself continuosly. ;D But once I arrived at my destination everything was ok, and there was quite a few fish rising. So I watched for a minute to see where they were sitting and then started casting just as my dad came over the hill to snap a few pics.

Fishing was pretty good there for a little bit but then the thunder storm came in so back to the campsite to wait it out. The next morning we decided to go and check out Michel creek. Michel is a beautiful little creek that showed great potential right from the start. We arrived at a nice looking spot and started our day there. It was not long before we saw fish rising and were able to bring a few to hand. Unfortunetly tis one was camera shy and kicked free from my hand.

As it is a small creek and you can work through spots very quickly my dad and I went different directions. He started fishing his way upstream while I worked my way down. We both had good success as this little creek held many willing fish. It was a nice change of pace from the bigger rivers we had been fishing. It felt more like I was stalking the fish on this small flow.

It was then back to the campground and time to head out bymyself for one final evening on the Elk of the trip. Fishing was fairly slow for the evening but I was able to bring a few to hand. Heres a couple final scenery shots from the Elk.

Part IV to come soon.......

 

[Rib]

Part IV...!!! Great reads Hook Set...Looking forward to the next one... :thumbup:

 

[HOOK]

he sure is pulling a Ribwart with this post isnt he or perhaps a Pat AV with the multiple sections.

come on man were all waiting for part IV !!

 

[Hook Set]

Part IV- The last part

After fishing the rivers near Fernie for a while it was time to start heading home, but luckily we still had a few more days to fish the St. Mary's. After a couple hour drive we arrived in Kimberly and set up. The following morning we headed down to the river to see what we could find. The St. Mary's is an absolutley gorgeous river with a few nice fish too. As we came around the first corner a beautiful spot opened up infront of us. So down to the river we went and set up our rods. The first fly of choice was a stimulator and first cast into some faster water at the top it was fish on.

The fishing continued to be pretty good until a very large group of rafters and kayakers came through and things kind of died. Oh well theres plenty more river to explore. So we left that area and started to work our way back up river and the scenery was just beautiful. The fishing had kind of slowed down since the start of the day and most of the fish we managed we smaller but it was still fun fishing in these conditions. We continued working our way back up pulling a few fish out of the odd riffle our pocket but the feeding had definetly slowed. But it was hard to complain when your working your way through areas like these.

My dad then headed back to camp to help start dinner and I stayed out a little bit longer. Fishing did pick up a little bit more in the evening which was nice, it also made me stay out well past dinner time but it all worked out ok. Then as the sun started to fade behid the mountains it was time for me to head in as well. One more shot of the river and my day was done.

The next day my dad and I headed up to a different spot. Access on the St. Mary's is very limited but we had gotten a tip at one of the fishing stores. After a bumpy ride down a one way dirt road we arrived at the river much to our delight. The did a quick walk around to see if we wanted to head up or down river first and agreed on going up. So back to the truck quickly to grab the gear and day 2 on the St. Marys was underway. As we worked our way up we got a few rises here and there but it was definetly a slower start to the day. We fished our way up another beautiful stretch of river and managed to hook into a few fish all around this size.

Before heading back to camp we stopped to take a couple more pictures of our surroundings.

And that was the last day of fishing on the trip and as we sat around the fire that evening I wished we had fihsing like this back home. The local rivers just wouldn't satisfy anymore. ;D

A WARNING
If you are heading up that way be careful filling up your vehicle around Yak. There is a gas station called the Hummer Gas and Diesle. There was 3 or 4 gas stations all near each other all with posted signs of 138.9, except for the Hummer station. It didn't have a posted price and when we got to the pump we noticed this.

No your not seeing things that say 169.9. We talked to a lady at a different gas station and she said hes been doing it for a long time. So if your going through be aware of that.

Well thats the story of my summer trip. Hope you enjoyed reading it.

 

[oakey]

Thank-you Thank-you Thank-you

Great reports and very well done

hope you have not started a stampede

Oakey