Dec. 22, 2005

River is busy today with fishers taking advantage of mild temps, (8C@3pm) overcast skies and very light drizzle. And best of all, no wind. Ideal midge weather.

River running clear and healthy with good flow after unprecedented moisture last fall. Today's high mountain snow pack is below average.

A year end up-date and outlook (best guesses) will be posted shortly. Happy Holidays

Sept. 20, 05

The river continues to recede very slowly following an all-time record breaking 24-hour downpour of rain and wet snow one week ago.

Between 5 and 7.6 inches of precipitation were recorded in various parts of the watershed.

It marks the second year in a row that unusually wet and high conditions prevailed during late summer. Angling remains poor due to murky conditions. Numerous October Caddis hatches have been observed.
Hopper numbers have been knocked back by the cold, rainy weather.

Overall, angling pressure and success appears down considerably this year with many small fish, but relatively few 16 to 20 inch rainbows, netted.

Preliminary results of a TU sponsored creel survey should be available soon. The last survey of its kind was taken in 1994. Early results indicate angler numbers have been more than halved since then. A number of reasons have been cited. They will be outlined when results are available.

July 25, 2005

The Crow continues to fish sluggishly, especially during midday. Flows remain colder and higher than those usually found at this time of year. Some runs are still forming.

Crossings are easy at regular spots. A fair number of golden stones and yellow sallies during the hottest part of the day, but for the most part, trout aren't looking up. That, with the exception of numerous,¬Ý nuisance fingerlings.

Evening angling has been fair for larger trout,¬Ý with sporadic hatches of grey drakes, light cahills and other mayflies. Some caddis after dark.

June 20, 2005

The Crow remains high and swift after another two inches of rain. A total of nine during the past week and a half.

The river, though, is slowly returning to its greenish, summer color, ¬Ýand visibility has improved to knee depth.

Still uncrossable. Water temp 3C. The forecast calls for the year's hottest temperatures, ¬Ý30C or better with sun the next several days.

Since zilch snow-pack remains, expect decent dryfly fishing by week's end.

Unless, of course, ¬Ýhot weather is followed by large thunderstorms.

June 8, 2005

The Crow has begun to recede following a week-long system that left 8 inches or rain and more than a foot of fresh snow at higher elevations.

The river is running very dirty with lots of debris and a temperature of 2 C. Uncrossable and unsafe for some.

The June moisture will undoubtedly prolong the season, but don't expect clearing any time soon. Do, however, expect salmon flies to begin shucking any day now. Rainbows will be ravenous when the flow settles down.

June 2, 2005

After two days of rain, The Crow remains high, fast and dirty. Any illusions of fishing salmon flies dry are dead in the water. Nymphing and streamers may still produce in some back eddies and oxbows.

Forecast calls for more rain the next four days. Looking for clearing, dropping flows towards the end of next week.

May 6, 2005

The river continues to run a bit cold and silty,but visibility is good to three feet or so.

Overcast, drizzle and no wind. Awesome weather for nymph fishers. Dry fly activity has slowed, but will likely correct itself with a forecast of mild temps and increasing drizzle.

A large percentage of Crowsnest River trout spawn within the main stem, and redds, which were quite visible a few days ago, are now difficult to see. Cloudy water and a lack of polarized glasses makes them tough to avoid. Try and skip around graveled areas and any ovals scoured in the river. Or better yet, fish from shore and avoid crossing back and forth. Modest flows makes shoreline casting easy.

April 30, 2005

River remains clear with a moderate spring flow after a few days of cold north wind and a few inches of snow. Airborne bug activity has slowed.

Nymphing is okay. Cool weather expected to continue for a few days.

Numerous redds can be seen in usual spots. Anglers are being reminded to avoid obvious graveled areas. Fish from shore as much as possible.

Or...go to nearby Lee Lake, where 200 -- five to eight pound Brookies from the Allison Brood Station were released earlier this spring.

April 13, 2005

The Crow today flows very clear with a water temp of 4C and an air temp of 12C at 3 p.m. The air is alive with midges and BWO's. Trout are actively feeding on both emergers and dries. Small is the word. With overcast skies and cool temperatures in the forecast, bugs and fish should remain active this week. Angler pressure has been light to moderate. Very easy wading.

Anticipate yet another early season with little run-off this year. Much of the snow pack, which was well below normal to begin with, sent the murky river to it's annual high water mark about 10 days ago. It has continued to recede since then. Expect fluctuating periods of rising and falling flows between now and mid-June.

Jan. 29, 2005

Air temp at 2 p.m. 5.7C. Water temp O.7C. Yes, the water is frigid. But it’Äôs clear and free of ice. Has been for several days now. Fish are sluggish. Obviously. So too are a dozen or so souls plying the river this Saturday. Lotsa guys just wanna say they got out and cast a fly during winter’Äôs longest month. Good for them.

The Crow’Äôs ice jams blew out on Jan 19 when 16C temps and heavy rain brought the river up to the annual high water mark. Another unheard of event during a two year span of whacky weather.

Happy New year to all