So I hit Birch then Beaver today

[Calgaryguy1977]

I hit Birch this morning around 9 am and caught around 8 or 9 very tiny brookies. The sign there said they are stocking rainbows and browns too but I didn't see one. I tried a few different wet flies....leechs, chironies, etc and no bites. Slapped on a PMD and whammo...hit after hit (many missed...little buggers). Brookies seem to love this fly. It was the only fly they would bite for me on Elbow lake and I also had a lot of luck with it on Cataract creek so I thought what the hell. Sure enough, it worked there too.

After a few hours I decided to hit Beaver and landed 2 ok sized rainbows (maybe 15-17 inch) in about an hour. Question for you guys about beaver though, does anyone else's hands get severly dry and almost peeling after putting your hands in the water and handling fish there? It's happened to me twice in the past 2 weeks at Beaver.

On a side note, I really wanted to hit upper and lower K but that storm was being miserable so headed north after watching the doppler radar showing the storm going more west than north. Isn't technology great? lol

[fish gunner]

Never had an issue at beaver with the water?? Washed my hands ,dipped my hat many times. Buddy landed a good 14"+brown from birch he claims. Lol

[Calgaryguy1977]

Originally Posted by fish gunner

Never had an issue at beaver with the water?? Washed my hands ,dipped my hat many times. Buddy landed a good 14"+brown from birch he claims. Lol

I don't doubt there are some big fish in Birch, it's a big lake. That said, I hear some ice fisherman go pretty hard on it. Not sure if there's any truth to that.

Ya, it's almost as though my hands have this weird reaction to the water there. I can't explain it very well...lol. Maybe the water is harder, as they say?

[Calgaryguy1977]

Do you live in the area?

[chriscosta]

Whats a pmd if ya dont mind me askin

[Chief16]

Originally Posted by chriscosta

Whats a pmd if ya dont mind me askin

Pale morning dun, it's a type of mayfly.

[JReed]

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

I hit Birch this morning around 9 am and caught around 8 or 9 very tiny brookies. The sign there said they are stocking rainbows and browns too but I didn't see one. I tried a few different wet flies....leechs, chironies, etc and no bites. Slapped on a PMD and whammo...hit after hit (many missed...little buggers). Brookies seem to love this fly. It was the only fly they would bite for me on Elbow lake and I also had a lot of luck with it on Cataract creek so I thought what the hell. Sure enough, it worked there too.

After a few hours I decided to hit Beaver and landed 2 ok sized rainbows (maybe 15-17 inch) in about an hour. Question for you guys about beaver though, does anyone else's hands get severly dry and almost peeling after putting your hands in the water and handling fish there? It's happened to me twice in the past 2 weeks at Beaver.

On a side note, I really wanted to hit upper and lower K but that storm was being miserable so headed north after watching the doppler radar showing the storm going more west than north. Isn't technology great? lol

They just recently stocked it again, I went out on the pontoon to Birch before the stocking a couple weeks ago and still managed 4 Brookies and a nice rainbow. Because of the aeration during winter, a lot of fish overwinter. I've saw a couple browns in there during ice fishing season as well, its a nice little pothole lake

[fish gunner]

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

Do you live in the area?

I weekend in sundre and points west. Hit birch and beaver regular till the run off peters out.