Whitefish on the Red Deer River

[scel]

Where is the best place to fish for whitefish on the Red Deer river, upstream of Red Deer. I have tried by the dam. There were a couple of good pools, but nothing extraordinary.

My inclination is to try around the Innisfail bridge.

Does anyone else have any advice on a good spot?

[scel]

Seriously? 60 views and nobody has an opinion?

[boroumand8]

Try penhold bridge.

[scel]

Originally Posted by boroumand8

Try penhold bridge.

Cheers. Do you mean the crossing of highway 592?

[Sundancefisher]

Does anyone have any anecdotal on whitefish populations...catch rates...are there lots relative to 20 years ago?

[bobalong]

I have not fished by the dam in a few years but we used to do fairly well from the boat launch and east around the first bend.

[scel]

25 years ago, 3 of us could each catch 10-12 whitefish in a few hours upstream from Taylor bridge, by Bower Ponds in the middle of July. We used teeny panther martin spinners or a fly bouncing along the bottom.

By Dickson Dam, there was a single day in September of about 10 whites in 3 hours, using a standard nymph fly fishing rig, It have been back twice, catching about 4 fish in 3 hours using the same techniques and flies.

So, either their tastes have changed, or they are not there. Or, it could just be luck. That is why I would like to try a fresh new spot.

[Don Andersen]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Does anyone have any anecdotal on whitefish populations...catch rates...are there lots relative to 20 years ago?

Sun...

The number of whitefish has dropped like a stone. The flood of 2005 nearly finished them off. No more can catches of 30+/day be done. Damn lucky to get 2.
A single species management philosophy didn't much help either. Walleye, walleye and more walleye.


regards,


Don

[parfleche]

Have you tried directly south of the road that goes into the Red deer country club golf course?That is drive by the entrance to Bower ponds and then straight to the river?

[boroumand8]

Originally Posted by scel

Cheers. Do you mean the crossing of highway 592?

Yup. That's the place. Catch a few whitefish everytime I go there. Never been skunked

[scel]

So, I met a friend at the Innisfail bridge. We covered a kilometre up and downstream (i.e 2km). Not a single bite.

We gathered up our stuff and headed to Dickson. Within an hour, we landed 3 whitefish, one good one.

On one of the last casts of the night, I landed a 24" brown trout on a size 16 hare's ear. When it jumped out the water, I felt like I had run into a Bow River rainbow.

I have caught quite a few browns on the Bow River. This was prettiest brown trout that I have ever caught. I can see the potential as a brown trout fishery in the Red Deer River.

Tomorrow...Penhold Bridge.

[Full Curl]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

Sun...

The number of whitefish has dropped like a stone. The flood of 2005 nearly finished them off. No more can catches of 30+/day be done. Damn lucky to get 2.
A single species management philosophy didn't much help either. Walleye, walleye and more walleye.


regards,


Don

Not sure if your post is serious or not? Only went twice this Sept. with my 6 yr. old son and caught more than 2 both tomes. (Alot more.) Second trip out, I would say 30 in 2 hours. No foolin'.

[BGSH]

Originally Posted by Full Curl

Not sure if your post is serious or not? Only went twice this Sept. with my 6 yr. old son and caught more than 2 both tomes. (Alot more.) Second trip out, I would say 30 in 2 hours. No foolin'.

thats still not good for a river system, but every run off and flood kills so many fish from all river systems, nothing you can do about the run off ice flow.