Levis photo shoot at the JBFC

I found this ad that was part of a photo shoot at last years Jim Beam Fishing Classic. This ad drove the ladies crazy when published in Chatelaine during the dentures addition.

Barrie is still alive!

I talked to Barrie yesterday and all is well with him. He is busy with work and will be going to Vancouver before heading to Asia in May. I just thought I'd let everyone know the man is still alive and VERY excited for June 20th!!!

Last email I got from Barrie said, "I might just catch the biggest fish and win the biggest Texas Holden hands!!".

JBFC Ninja's

Why do I drink rum?

Roxbury Video

In 2004 The Jim Beam Fishing Classic went to Roxbury New York for the second time. The Roxbury trips are always a blast with super host Max always treating the boys to some good old Redneck fun!


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5520369496632917472&hl=en

Trip Costs

Here is what I see things costing once we hit the ground in Calgary. Please comment and add what ever I may be forgetting.

Fishing Licences + WIN card = $32.33
Accommodations cabin $26/night = $103.14
Accommodations last night $120/5 = $24
Fuel = $15
Food = $20
Gambling - NO MONEY
Drinks $100
Flies $1.50 - 2.50 each STOCK UP BEFORE HAND!

includes free: entertainment, personal cooks, night alone with mark, a photo with little shawn, and more!

TOTAL = $294.47

'OR'

TAKE YOU PICK!
RAM RIVER TROUT ADVENTURES
Daily walk and wade trips to the Ram River drainage are available. The Ram is a 2 hour drive from our Red Deer base and there is some travel cost to appreciate. You may wish to book 2 days or more to maximize your time and money as the river is a special place.
Walk and wade rates are currently set at $550 Canadian/day, including all travel, meals, drinks, and guide for the day. $550 x 4 = $2200 for four days!
Time on the water is spent at prime time for cutthroat trout, from about 11 am through 7 pm, though some days will be longer.
We guide wade trips from limited access locations and we will do our best to take you to light fishing pressure reaches, where we are likely to see no other anglers, if only 1 or 2 through the day on the water.
http://www.ramriveralberta.com/ramriverflyfishing.htm

Has anyone been thinking about or confirmed any prizes or gifts for this year? I've been picking up a few things and have decided on a couple of "everyone gets one" gifts to remember this year's JBFC.

It would be nice if we did hats or t-shirts as we have in the past. Only issue is the extra cost this year coming to AB. Any ideas?

I think we should stick to the no money Texas Hold em again this year. Hopefully if everyone can contribute one of two prizes we'll have something to play for. Paul, Shawn, and Shaun....that means corporate stuff. Brentagg, GE, Husky. Start putting some business stuff to the side for prizes. A fly pack prize would be nice from Jason. What about the winner gets a photo taken with Phil's nice digital camera and we can have it framed?

Please respond to all above and let me know what you think you can do. Poker, prizes, gifts, songs, food, and drink is as important to me as the fishing. I know where the fish are, let's figure out the rest in the next 88 days. I've mailed off a $100 deposit to hold the 2 cabins and have re-confirmed that they are reserved for us.

Can't wait and horny for the trouts!

Shawn

A little preview

Cutthroat Fishing Techniques

The cutthroat trout has become regarded as one of the best species to target with a fly rod. Nestled away in astonishing landscapes and in some of the most spectacular rivers in North America the cutthroat trout entices all who love to fly fish. The real beauty of cutthroat trout is that they are a working-man's fish. Whereas browns and brookies tend to disappear in blue bird days with high sun, cutthroat trout are never too weary to come out and play. Additionally, if you are fishing for cutthroats, than there is no real need for those extra-early sunrise starts, which is very convenient for those of you working full time jobs. Nymph flies are a good place for anglers to start if they are fishing a new body of water, or fishing ahead of oncoming storms. Cutthroat for some reason or other seem to key in on these subsurface presentations and strike nymphs greedily with the coming of inclement weather. Most often cutthroat are fished for and caught with dry fly patterns emulating stoneflies, caddis flies and mayflies. Anglers should look for typical holding cover as cutthroats are ambush predators. Good cover for cutthroat comes in the form of as eddies, log jams, large boulders, transitions between fast and slow water and oxygenated riffles. Over the last few years in heavily fished areas such as the Yellowstone National Park, cutthroat on certain days appear to become quite finicky, and tough to fool. Whether it is the years of catch & release, or just general malaise the large cutthroat will turn up their noses to everything you have to offer. Fortunately for anglers just as quick as this stubborn behavior had set in, it will depart and these large cutthroats for no reason will be attacking flies faster then you can cast them in the water.

Hatcher and B.Reid are away

Preparing for the big June JBFC, Phil Hatcher and Barrie Reid like to take some time to relax. They find the best way to do this is to soak-up some sun on a tropical beach, enjoy a fine Caribbean rum and an ice cold beer. Surrounded by emerald blue waters, sand and extra small bikinis, the boys prepare them selves and all their senses.

I'll have a rum for you all!

Nathan Smith Memorial Trophy

The following are past winners of the Nathan Smith Memorial Trophy.

2000 Mike Shoeman - Trout Lake, NS
2001 Mark Smith - Trout Lake, NS
2002 Ryan Horning - Trout Lake, NS
2003 Jason Tremblay - Catskills, NY
2004 Phil Hatcher - Catskills, NY
2005 Mike Reid, Jason Tremblay - Mersey River, NS
2006 Shawn Christiansen - Mersey River, NS

Alberta's Trout Highway. Fishing the Forestry Trunk Road. Barry Mitchell.

Recommended flies for this part of Alberta and at each river outlined in the book above. I recommend this book for a read before the trip. If not before, the book will be available in my vehicle while fishing and to read for $1/minute at the cabin in the evenings. No, it won't be put in the pot!

Blue-Winged Olives - Hatch late April through Mid June - Back Mid August to October- Artificials: Adams, Parachute Adams, Bastard Adams, Grey Comparadun, Blue Winged Olive, Blue Dun, Grey Wulff, H&L, Variant - sizes 14-20.

Pale Morning Duns - Hatch mid June after BWO hatch - Artificials: Light Cahill, Parachute Light Cahill, White Wulff, Cream Comparadun, Adams, Bastard Adams - sizes 14-20.

Tricos - August to late October - Artificials: Parachute Adams, Griffith's Gnat, Renegade, Flying Ant (black or red), Black Comparadun - sizes 18-20.

Midges - Year round - Artificials: Griffith's Gnat - sizes 16-20.

Green Drakes - 20-30 per afternoon is a peak hatch - Artificials: Paradrake (green), H&L Varainat, Royal Wulff, Grey Wulff, Humpy (green or yellow), Adams Irresistable, Western Coachman - sizes 10-12.

Brown Drakes - June 8 - 20. Sunset - all night hatch. Artificials: Paradrake (brown), H&L Variant, Royal Wulff, Wulff (brown or black), Hump (black), Troutsman's Brown Drake - sizes 8-12.

Salmonflies - May - middle of June - some years never! Artificials: Improved Sofa Pillow, Stimulator (orange), LeTort Hopper (orange body) - sizes 4-10.

Golden Stones (willow flies) - end July to 1st week in August (North Ram), June 20 in Crowsnest. 2 week hatch. Artificials: Stimulator (yellow or green), LeTort Hopper (yellow body), Joe's Hopper, Trude, Western Coachman - sizes 6-12.

Caddis Flies - Every stream and all year long. Artificials: Elk-Wing Caddis, Goddard Caddis, King River Special, Parachute Caddis, Western Coachman, Humpy - sizes 12-18.

Backswimmers - Artificials: Sirley's Brown Backswimmer, Peacock Backswimmer, Hump (wings and bottom hackle clipped off), Tom Thumb - sizes 10-14.

Nymphs - Temperature from 5-10. 18-30 inches down. Artificials: Brooks Montana Stone, Alberta Stone, Crowsnest Stone, Bitch Creek Nymph, sizes 4-10. Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, Prince Nymph, Zug Bug - sizes 10-16.

North Saskatchewan River Drainage.

Bighorn River - Bulls, browns, cutts, and rockies below Crescent Falls. Cutts above. #10 Stimulator or #12 H&L Variant.

Blackstone River - Cutts, bulls, and rockies. #10, #12, and #14 Bastard Adams, H&L Variants and Humpies, or #8 and #10 Stimulators all day. Start mornings out with #12 or #14 bead head Pheasant Tail, G.R. Hare's Ear or Prince Nymph on a dropper about 18-24 inches below the dry. Cut off after 1st hour when trout go for dry.

Prairie Creek - Cutts, bulls, browns, and brookies. Royal Wulffs, Adams Irresistables, Hoppers in various colours. Small black Wooly Bugger, all big like #8-#10.

North Ram River - Cutts. H&L Variant, Stimulator, and a Bitch Creek Nymph. That's it. Alright, you can also use Royal Trudes, Bastard Adams, Humpies, or big harry Hoppers. But why bother?

Red Deer River Drainage

Raven River - Browns, brookies, and pike - Big Wulff, H&L, Western Coachman, or Caddis of some sort.

North Raven - Browns, brookies, pike and rockies. Green Drakes June 3-12, Brown Drakes June 5-15, BWO's in Spring and early summer, and in Fall, PMD's in June and early July, Caddis alomost after 1st week in September. All large #10-#8. H&L or Bastard Adams. BWO's. Caddis #20-#12.

All Drainages and Water on the Forestry Trunk Road

Smokey River Drainage - Kakwa River, Little Smoky River, Muskeg River, Sheep Creek, Torrens River.

Athabasca River Drainage - Athabasca River, Berland River, Little Berland River, Wildhay River, McLeod River, Gregg River, Embarras River, and Pembina River.

North Saskatchewan River Drainage - North Saskatchewan River, Bighorn River, Brazeau River, Blackstone River, Cardinal River, Nordegg River, Clearwater River, Elk Creek, Prairie Creek, Cline River, Shunda Creek, South Ram River, North ram River.

Red Deer River Drainage - Red Deer River, Fallentimber Creek, James River, Little Red Deer River, Dogpound Creek, Panther River, Raven River, North raven River.

Bow River Drainage - Bow River, Upper Bow, Lower Bow, Elbow River, Ghost River, Waiparous Creek, Highwood River, Cataract Creek, Sheep River, Jumpingpound Creek, Kananaskis River, Smuts Creek.

Oldman River Drainage - Oldman River, Belly River, Waterton river, Castle River, Carbondale River, South Castle River, West Castle River, Crowsnest River, Livingstone River, St. Mary River.

Plus many many more rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, criks (as Max calls them), etc......

All the way from Porter's Lake...

Joining us again for the JBFC will be "Bucksaw Smitty and Hatcher". Sponsored and provoked by Alexander Keith's and Old Sam Rum. Known for they're hits "Lonely in the Tundra" and "Headin down the shore". This year with the largest song list ever!

For my Princess!!!

Hey ladies! What's up pan cake! Biggest fish winner right here!

Hog Farmer

Accomodations on the Blackstone River

Chungo Creek Outfitters base camp is located NW of the town of Nordegg Alberta. The camp is situated overlooking the junction of the Blackstone and the Wapiabi Rivers. This is a rustic camp with log cabins nestled in tall pine trees. The cabins come complete with pots, pans, dishes, stoves, BBQ, fire pit, etc.
We will be staying here from June 21st to the 24th. We have two cabins rented. This will be our basecamp for Texas Hold'em and the nightly entertainment

TOPOMAP of the Blackstone

Video of Shawn and Phil 2006

Here is a video I put together of when Shawn and I were fishing last year.
This year I will be bringing my video camera to make the first JBFC DVD. Don't forget to do your hair and make-up and suck those guts in!

Videos from the Red Deer

Check out these videos of some monster brown trout on the Red Deer River.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/westerncanada/FF1high.wmv
http://www.flyfisherman.com/westerncanada/FF2.wmv
http://www.flyfisherman.com/westerncanada/FF3.wmv
http://www.flyfisherman.com/westerncanada/FF4.wmv
http://www.flyfisherman.com/westerncanada/FF5.wmv

Note you may need.

Shawn or should I say Dr. Christiansen sent this in.

Canadian Fly Fishing Article

This article is from Canadian Fly Fishing Magazine. It features Rocky Mountain House and Nordegg.

http://www.flyfishalberta.com/guide/articles/CANFF06.pdf

more to come...

2007 Trip info

(Shawn Christiansen's Cutthroat from the Blackstone 2006)

Date: June 21st to June 26th 2007

The 2007 JBFC will be held in Nordegg. This area is known as Central Alberta's David Thompson Corridor between Rocky Mountain House and Nordegg. The famous forestry trunk road also known as Alberta's Trout Highway wiggles through this area hitting all the major rivers.

Rivers:

- North and South Ram

- Blackstone

- Bighorn

- Stauffer Creek

- South Raven

- Prairie Creek

- Trout Creek

- The Clearwater

- ...and more

Current Attendees:

- Shawn Christiansen
- Barrie Reid
- Mark Smith
- Jason Tremblay
- Paul Plaquin
- Phil Hatcher

Photos from past classics.

The JBFC 2007

The time has come for the 2007 Jim Beam Fishing Classic. Founded in 1999 the JBFC has annual brought together a group of fly fisherman from all over Canada and the US. Past Years have taken the group to Roxbury NY, Trout Lake ,Sheet Harbour, Mersey River NS. For the 8th annual JBFC the group will be heading to Nordegg Alberta.