How often have you heard about a rainfall warning for our area lately?
The weather forecasters have been right for a change this May and I have been feeling the effects while working outside for M.D.L. Landscaping.
One of our contracts is in a small community called Crawford Ranch in Cochrane. It is a cool spot, especially if you are a fisherman, because you have the Bow River just below you and Jumpingpound Creek a short walk away.
During work, I couldn’t help but notice how high and dirty the creek was flowing from runoff. I met a fly fisherman while I was mowing some grass and he asked me what the fishing was like here. I told him it is usually good, but not right now. When the rivers are high and fast I find that it is better to fish the lakes.
Most of my time has been spent bouncing between Lake Minnewanka and the Lower Kananaskis Lakes. I have a few fishing friends who like fly fishing pike reservoirs during the month of June, but I prefer trout and the mountains.
I have a lake rod that I like to use that is 10’ and is a six weight. I had a TFO rod for a couple years and then upgraded to a G. Loomis rod. You might want to go lighter or heavier with your rod depending on the size of the fish, but a six weight is a good all-around rod. If it can break down into four pieces that is a great option if you like hiking into mountain lakes. It’s just easier; you can put it in a tube and attach it to the side of your pack.
Most of the lake waters I fly fish are no deeper than 12 feet, and I am usually fishing from shore. I like keeping things simple, so a floating fly line covers most of my bases. My leaders are generally nine or 10 feet long, and I use six or eight-pound monofilament line. The RIO Powerflex line in a 3X or 4X is nice to attach to the last couple feet. I will use weighted flys or one small split shot to get my leader down. I also like to fish as close to the bottom as I can because I find that is where most of the fish like to be. To do this, I will use a countdown method to figure it out, but sometimes it costs me a fly or two in the process.
I fish a lot of #10 woolly bugger patterns and strip them slowly along the lake bottom. Patterns like a prince nymph, flashback pheasant tail and dark coloured chironomids are amongst my favourites. If you like, fishing all of this under a strike indicator can be very effective if you know the right depth you are fishing.
