January in the Pass

Well January is acting up again turning things here into a deep freeze. The previous couple of weeks though (because of a little wind) saw gorgeous weather. Chinooks make Crowsnest Pass the best place in Alberta to live. We invariably get warm breezy breaks from winter. The best way to take advantage of those welcome respites from frost bite is to get out with fly rods in hand to exercise some of the local trout and get out we did. It is an incredible feeling breaking trail through virgin snow, knowing you are going to be the first person to fish the water this year.
Even Susan was able to escape her Crowsnest Cafe and Fly Shop, in Coleman, a couple times to beat the winter doldrums with some well caught rainbows. Sunny days and co-operative trout can't be beat. Susan got a much bigger one this day, a real lunker, but unfortunately I was a ways away and didn't get a pic. Here she is though playing with a nice 17" rainbow.
Kirby and I got out quite a bit while the weather held. We picked up a few nice bulls and some good rainbows including one I caught that was bigger than any rainbow (with one uninspiring exception) I got all last season. Kirby (being a dryfly purist and all) doesn't get too many big bulls a year but this year he is hammering them constantly. No, not on dries! Here he is fighting a good one. He is so happy fishing sub-surface now that he can not help but give his award winning smile for the camera while showing off one of his good bulls.
No matter how long one fishes an area he can still be surprised by what is pulled out of the water. This fish was not just a surprise it was a bit of a shock.
It is not very often one catches a lake trout in Southern Alberta on a fly in flowing water. Matter of fact this one is my first.

Great weather in January. Another super reason to live here in Crowsnest Pass!