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  #1  
Old 05-13-2019, 10:34 AM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is online now
 
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Default Report - Red Deer, James, Raven, Tay, North Raven, and Fiesta Lake

On Saturday, I took a drive down to the Snake Head Natural Area, just outside of Sundre. The river was little murky with limited visibility. A long hike between pools but still a nice place to fish. I had fished this stretch 30 years ago and forgot about it until I pulled up on the gravel bars on the East side. I will be back later this summer, in the fall for sure.

Checked out the James and a few different locations, pretty muddy, fast and un-fishable in my opinion. Checked out Fiesta lake, and dam I wish I had brought the inflatable along. I will be back to fish the QSTF. I poked around the Raven for a bit, didn't see anything. Booted it down the road to the Tay, it too was high and mucky. Decided I'd go and give the NRR a try.

Went to the old buck for wild life site, one group just leaving another pulling in and two more already fishing the stretch. Headed over to Coulson's and there was 3 more vehicles parked there. Grabbed the rod and head to fish a few holes that have held fish before, but it was obvious they had been fished hard this day.

Headed home from there. 650Km day, no fish, my dog got to be a dog for the day, beautiful weather, beautiful country...priceless.

I'll be heading to the potholes with the inflatable now until late June!

BW
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Old 05-13-2019, 12:46 PM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is online now
 
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Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman View Post
On Saturday, I took a drive down to the Snake Head Natural Area, just outside of Sundre. The river was little murky with limited visibility. A long hike between pools but still a nice place to fish. I had fished this stretch 30 years ago and forgot about it until I pulled up on the gravel bars on the East side. I will be back later this summer, in the fall for sure.

Checked out the James and a few different locations, pretty muddy, fast and un-fishable in my opinion. Checked out Fiesta lake, and dam I wish I had brought the inflatable along. I will be back to fish the QSTF. I poked around the Raven for a bit, didn't see anything. Booted it down the road to the Tay, it too was high and mucky. Decided I'd go and give the NRR a try.

Went to the old buck for wild life site, one group just leaving another pulling in and two more already fishing the stretch. Headed over to Coulson's and there was 3 more vehicles parked there. Grabbed the rod and head to fish a few holes that have held fish before, but it was obvious they had been fished hard this day.

Headed home from there. 650Km day, no fish, my dog got to be a dog for the day, beautiful weather, beautiful country...priceless.

I'll be heading to the potholes with the inflatable now until late June!

BW
Nice! I had a similar Saturday with a buddy. We went to the Big Horn dam to check out the NSR there and before the hordes show starting the long weekend. Nice looking water for sure. Didn't get a sniff and didn't see any activity. Decided to head to Ironside Pond by Rocky after that. Didn't catch anything but stockers about 6-8 inches. But, did get them on the dry so my buddy and I had fun at least that way. Put on close to 650 kms for the day.

We did think hard about the Stauffer including the buck for wildlife area so we came close to crossing paths

I echo the same sentiments about the trip. Good to just be out there. The mountains in the Nordegg area look amazing with all the new snow. Here comes the run off!
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  #3  
Old 05-13-2019, 01:30 PM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is online now
 
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Nice! I had a similar Saturday with a buddy. We went to the Big Horn dam to check out the NSR there and before the hordes show starting the long weekend. Nice looking water for sure. Didn't get a sniff and didn't see any activity. Decided to head to Ironside Pond by Rocky after that. Didn't catch anything but stockers about 6-8 inches. But, did get them on the dry so my buddy and I had fun at least that way. Put on close to 650 kms for the day.

We did think hard about the Stauffer including the buck for wildlife area so we came close to crossing paths

I echo the same sentiments about the trip. Good to just be out there. The mountains in the Nordegg area look amazing with all the new snow. Here comes the run off!
Forgot to mention, the NRR has signs of Otters, saw lots of tracks in the mud, and a few scat piles with fish bones and scales and such. I'll head back to this stream once more in mid June and then again in the fall before freeze up.

Glad to hear you had a great day as well.

BW
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Old 05-13-2019, 06:40 PM
goggin goggin is offline
 
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Went to try prairie creek today, milk chocolate colour, so tried north raven river at buck for wildlife, walked between 2 to 3 km downstream, then fish on way back, fished what I thought would be holding fish, obviously got a lot to learn about this place, tried a small streamer and then a pheasant tail nymph, no success, didn’t see any rising fish, then fell down a beaver run and snapped my rod, so not a good day, think I’ll pay for a guide
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  #5  
Old 05-18-2019, 09:22 PM
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keeks keeks is offline
 
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Thanks for the update BWM. I've never had luck on the James. Maybe I didn't get far enough from the easy access.
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Old 05-18-2019, 11:29 PM
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kmacisaac kmacisaac is offline
 
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Great thread folk! This will be my first season fishing North of Calgary and it seems info is limited. Always interested in how others are fishing new to me areas.
Cheers
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  #7  
Old 05-19-2019, 10:03 AM
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Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
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Thanks you for the great info on conditions.

When the water is dirty in these streams and rivers I have caught fish using black rubbertails. Instead of getting skunked with flies take along some hardware tackle when the water is dirty.
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  #8  
Old 05-20-2019, 12:15 PM
ecsuplander ecsuplander is offline
 
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Goggin Stauffer can be very frustrating. I have had several days like you described. No fish, hung up in brush, fell in a run, beaver dams wreaking havoc on the stream. Yep I feel your pain.
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Old 05-23-2019, 04:47 PM
goggin goggin is offline
 
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Whenever I see the word “ stauffer “ I start dribbling and develop a nasty tic in my left eye, but am going to stick at it, must be a masochist lol
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  #10  
Old 05-23-2019, 06:19 PM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is online now
 
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Whenever I see the word “ stauffer “ I start dribbling and develop a nasty tic in my left eye, but am going to stick at it, must be a masochist lol
Yes and I have a 3 hour trip just to get to this stream! It envelopes you into it’s willow arms and sucks you into it’s muddy bottom. The abuse one takes but what if that 20 plus inch brown slurps my offering. What if......

BW
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  #11  
Old 06-01-2019, 07:27 AM
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dangerranger5143 dangerranger5143 is offline
 
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Great thread guys.

Does anyone have an update in the Sundre area? Was thinking about maybe trying the Fallentimber tomorrow. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks

DR
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  #12  
Old 06-01-2019, 10:13 AM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is online now
 
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Great thread guys.

Does anyone have an update in the Sundre area? Was thinking about maybe trying the Fallentimber tomorrow. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks

DR
Nothing recent. Was down that way last Sunday and Red Deer was blown out near Sundre.

BW
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  #13  
Old 06-03-2019, 12:20 PM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is online now
 
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Nothing recent. Was down that way last Sunday and Red Deer was blown out near Sundre.

BW
Thanks for the update. It sounded blown our from the AB Rivers app so it is nice to hear that you are seeing what the app is telling.

Made it to Jasper this weekend. Lots of snow yet in general to melt onto the slopes. AthB was as dirty as I can recall. Normally it is bad but this is something else. The flood plain by Talbot is high and muddy. I think even some of the old trees in the middle have been moved out.
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Old 06-03-2019, 12:47 PM
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dangerranger5143 dangerranger5143 is offline
 
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Made it out to Sundre yesterday. The James and the Red Deer we’re both blown out. We spent a couple hours fishing FallenTimber. It was a little dirty but fishable. Didn’t have any luck but it was still good to get out.

Drove over the Stauffer creek on the way home. It looked nice and clear. Contemplated trying it but decided to save the frustration for another day.

DR
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  #15  
Old 06-03-2019, 01:41 PM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is online now
 
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Originally Posted by dangerranger5143 View Post
Made it out to Sundre yesterday. The James and the Red Deer we’re both blown out. We spent a couple hours fishing FallenTimber. It was a little dirty but fishable. Didn’t have any luck but it was still good to get out.

Drove over the Stauffer creek on the way home. It looked nice and clear. Contemplated trying it but decided to save the frustration for another day.

DR
You'll find Stauffer will usually be clear, and always frustrating! Thanks for the report!

BW
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  #16  
Old 06-16-2019, 08:07 AM
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Soiler Soiler is offline
 
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Drove over the Clearwater at Rocky & Caroline crossing yesterday, high & dirty.
Fished the Prairie, fairly high and a little coloured but still fishable ish.
Spent the afternoon fishing Stauffer
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Old 06-17-2019, 11:21 AM
skain11 skain11 is offline
 
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Just back from a couple nights camping beside the James River straight north of Sundre. Water was somewhat high and visibility was less than a foot so never got my gear out. More rain coming.
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  #18  
Old 06-18-2019, 07:35 AM
ecsuplander ecsuplander is offline
 
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Spoiler, how was Stauffer? Is it still in rough shape from all the beaverdams?
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  #19  
Old 06-18-2019, 12:26 PM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is online now
 
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Spoiler, how was Stauffer? Is it still in rough shape from all the beaverdams?
I've been on Stauffer a few times at Coulson and the old buck for wildlife site.

Haven't seen a beaver dam.

BW
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  #20  
Old 06-19-2019, 07:37 AM
ecsuplander ecsuplander is offline
 
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Wow, last year there was a huge dam upstream from the Buck for Wildlife parking lot just downstream of the big deep bend. Flooded water high up in the willows. It was a real mess. Maybe it has been dealt with.
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