There is something very special about belonging to a community and this can’t be more true than about belonging to the fishing community of your local homewaters! There is certainly some sadness saying good bye to that community when you relocate across the country but there is also great responsibility that helps focus you in a positive way. The responsibility … learn the fishing opportunities quickly and always be available to host when your people travel west! Needless to say I was ready and eager to reconnect with fellow Ontario anglers when I received the call from Nick Groves. It would seem that not only did he find an amazing woman to be his wife … he was also able to spend an afternoon fishing in my new home waters… on his honeymoon! Here I thought I was one of the few lucky men that found this domestic paradise!
Considering all options and conditions it was decided to spend some time on the Crowsnest River. This would give us the maximum amount of time on the water with the best chance of success! I arrived at the pre-established access point and encountered Nick already casting into one of the pools I had found in my previous outings and I knew there were great fish to be had. We reunited warmly and quickly so as not to interrupt the fishing. As I tied on a small pheasant tail wet I watched Nick hook and lose one good rainbow and then hook and land another beauty. Feeling I had given him enough of a head start, I high-sticked the soft hackle through a slot on the outside of the pool and hooked up on a great rainbow that leapt repeatedly around the small pool. Having hooked and landed quite a few more rainbow from the pool and with the notorious winds of the Crowsnest area picking up we decided to try one other access point that I had fished further downstream.
Encountering another angler who had set himself up to walk and fish upstream towards his car, Nick and I opted to continue our fishing downstream. Battling near gale force winds by this point, we spent the rest of the afternoon walking, catching up and fishing as the Crowsnest gave up a few more fish to add to our tally sheet. With our fishing window closing we shared a drink and spent a few more minutes looking at the river before parting ways.
Thank you Nick Groves and thank you very much Katy Groves for making this adventure possible!
I should mention that I stopped at the Oldman on the way home and happened upon a pool full of big Rainbow and Cutthroat feeding with reckless abandon on the surface! … but shhhhh don’t tell Nick …
Exploring Alberta 