I made my way down to the Bow River earlier in the week to try my luck at some trout fishing. I arrived and viewed the splendid colors of fall here in Alberta. The leaves are turning a golden yellow mixed in with warm reds. The leaves are slowly dropping from the trees as the north wind is pushing them off their branches. I still cannot believe summer has come and gone once again. What a summer I had fishing the Bow River! I would like to thank my fantastic clients I was able to guide this spring and into the summer months. I sure hope you had as much fun as I did!

When I decide to fish the banks of the Bow River I usually pick a slow deep spot in the river, so I drove down to a hole which usually holds big browns at this time of the year. I walked out into the clearing and stood beside the river in total shock. I saw back hoes, earth movers and likes damming up one side of the river. “So much for catching any fish in that place today” I mumbled to myself. I was in the same location in the summer and ran into two guys surveying the river. I asked them what they were doing and they informed me they were planning to put some sewage piping from one side of the river to the other under ground. I spitted out some words I cannot repeat here and left the river thinking “there goes another good spot to fish the Bow”.

There was a time not so long ago that a fisherman could leave Calgary and take a short drive into seclusion. Not anymore! As this city grows and grows it infringes on the once private sections of the river. Pretty soon I will need to drive an hour to escape the commotion of the concrete jungle. Those secret spots on the river are no longer secrets, but I still remain grateful we have the river here. It sure has been good to me over the years!

I left the river with my head hung a little lower than usual. Destruction of the river never gets me into a good mood. I never hooked into any trout that day, wonder if all the construction had anything to do with that? I stopped to daydream of the past and shoot a few pictures of the fall colors. A playful duck was hammering away at the larva which was all along the shore line. The wind picked up and sent chills down my back, a little reminder from Mother Nature that winter is just around the corner.

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