http://www.fiftynorth.ca

…is a good day.

Got away from the house on Sunday for a much needed break. I picked up Jeff and we headed to Calgary to fish the Bow River in town at Fish Creek park.

Not huge fish – but when you get to fish for brown trout, on dry flies, at -10c in a Snowstorm – nothing is wrong.

The Summary of Events:

Wow… what a ridiculous way to spend an afternoon…

11:00 AM Need to go fishing.
11:06 AM Call buddy 120km south… Wanna Go fishin? Leave Edmonton.
12:40 PM Arrive at buddies house… Pack gear, Leave Ponoka.
2:25 PM Arrive at Fish Tales Fly Shop in Calgary! Say Hi to Buddy Aaron….
2:55 PM Quit BS-in at the Fly Shop… leave for Bow Bottom Trail.
3:15 PM First cast on the Bow River in 2007….
3:19 PM Switch to dry fly in snowstorm… just for a laugh.
3:20 PM Release first Brown Trout of the day…

5:24 PM Leave snowstorm for HELL on HIGHWAY… 65km for 3 hours…
9:00 PM Drop off buddy in Ponoka.
10:01 PM Arrive home.
10:17 PM Drink tequila.

Ahhhhhh….

LT and I headed out at 9am for the Red Deer River at Dickson Dam just west of Red Deer Alberta. We decided for a laugh to go via Innisfail and pick up Subway sandwiches along the way and yes folks – if you go through Innisfail – there IS a Subway on the main drag. We didn’t believe it – so we stopped at the SLOWEST Tim Hortons this side of the Rockies.

I (being uber-nerd) Googled up the regulations on the Red Deer (as I always do before wetting a line – and dammit… Closed to fishing March 1.

Doh. Shock and surprise. Alternate plans picked up quick and we were headed 20km west to the North Raven river. Along the way however, a quick detour into Caroline introduced the Ranger to “Caroline Supplies” a rural hardware / camping / grocery / gun and fishing shop. Neat product selections for a small shop – and we both dropped a few unexpected dollars for goodies.

Lance says that it’s ‘Spring’ when Barry Mitchell’s Alberta Fishing Guide comes out. Well – we both got our copies. It’s Spring baby!

We hauled ass off to Stauffer Creek (which I wrote about in Fly Fusion Magazine in 2005) for a little creeping in the willows.

Spring fishing in Alberta isn’t a sure-thing by any stretch, and on Stauffer – it’s not a sure-thing when the fish invite you personally. So the 3 hours on stream interrupted by a single hook-up and lost fish a solitary rise was quite acceptable.

Funny thing about fishing with friends. It isn’t all about fish. Friends allow you to vent about things your spouse will find you crazy for. We talked all afternoon about some crazy concepts and as usual – a little clarity followed for the drive home.

Good day – and sometimes the surprises come from the journey, and not the destination.

Originally uploaded by ‘Scratch’.

It’s been a while. Coming up on 10 months in fact since our last getaway to Dolberg Lake. Hard to picture it now mind you – with 3 feet of new snow on the ground, and sub-zero days to come.

Last year – ice retreated off the lakes in the second week of April, skies cleared – and the sun began warming my desolate prairies into the color rich and full of life environment I’ve come to love. The ‘Dolberg Klave’ in May – with a bit of chill in the air – is the beginning of our eastern slopes season. Athabasca tributaries open up and the most wonderful clean cold pure water decends from mountain glaciers filling small creeks with native Rainbow, and Brook trout, as well as the Whitefish, Grayling and coarse species that fill my summers with enchantment.

Bring it on baby. Bring it on…

This is my annual birthday trip. The weekend after Victoria day – 3 days – fishing, sleeping, eating. This years trip will be my first trip as a non-smoker. It will be my first trip as a published writer. It will be special for many reasons, and I am thankful for them all.

Bring it on baby. Bring it on.

I love firsts. I loved my first fish, my first green in regulation (though I no longer golf), opening my first house’s door for the first time.

I received today my ‘writers package’ from FlyFusion Magazine.

I’m awed. Having read my words in print for the first time – I’m amazed and astounded. First – that my words had enough value for a real publication, and secondly – for being permitted to be a part of that publication in it’s first quarterly season.

Reading articles and stories by Phil Rowley and Jim McLennan, Clive Shaupmyer and Paul Marriner – I can’t help but feel like an imposter. Sharing pages with these great writers and anglers is a dream come true – and at the same time – just a beginning. Just one of a million firsts.

Thank you Chris and Derek – for the opportunity for a wonderful first. Thank you Phil for your devotion to educating anglers. Thank you Jim, for your efforts to educate – and introducing me to stream fishing (by way of Iron Blue). Thanks to Clive – for providing me reading over the last few years that I enjoy over and over – and thank you Darren, Jeff, and Lance for your support.

Lastly – I’d like to offer special thanks to to Mike Dell for his tireless devotion to a sport / lifestyle that has come to mean so much to me. More importantly – I need to thank him (and Lance) for introducing me to the most beautiful stream I could ever imagine, and for teaching me just enough on that day to keep me coming back – and trying to contribute to it’s long term success.

- Greg

Yes – The new issue is out on shelves. I still haven’t seen a copy – though I know what copy I sent. Expect it to filter to your shop over the next week. Listed on the cover – Small Stream Fusion. The article is a piece talking about putting things together. Using smells, sounds, light, shadow, friends and solitude to find fusion – the culmination of insignificant events – leading to a single moment of completion.

Yeah. That sounded silly. But true. I know it’s not everywhere just yet – but theres the cover. If you don’t already subscribe – visit the guys at http://www.flyfusionmag.com

Jack is an extraordinarily generous gentleman – and I am glad to have had the opportunity to spend a little time with him at the show. Thanks to the library of books and DVD’s I now have – hopefully I’ll be able to step up my tying too.

On other fronts – the FFE was fantastic. Spent a bit of time with my publisher Chris Bird – and the crew at FlyFusion. Most enjoyable indeed. The Global interview went really well – as did the tying theatre presentation. That I’ll do again next year.