Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Fishing can be relaxing, it can be exciting, it can be a great way to grab a meal.
Just ask Joey Ambrosi, who wrote, “Fishing the Canadian Rockies,” a comprehensive angler’s guide to lakes, rivers and streams on both sides of the Continental Divide.
This is the second edition of the book. The first was released in 2001, and considering it was 20 years ago, Ambrosi said it was time for a new book.
“One day, I just decided to do it,” he said.
“Doing it” wasn’t just sitting in front of a computer and pulling research together. Ambrosi checked out the lakes, rivers and streams himself.
“One summer, in 2018, I went to about 400 lakes. In 2019, I went to 300 lakes.”
Fishing and hiking have been a part of Ambrosi’s life since he can remember, all the way back to about age three or four.
“My family did a lot of fishing and camping, spring through fall, in the Invermere area. In my spare time fishing and hiking, I’ve hiked 22,000 kilometers in the Rockies.”
Ambrosi works as a facility supervisor at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre in Blairmore, Alta.
“There’s about 1,200 creeks and lakes (in the second edition), and I’ve been to about 90 per cent of them.”
That’s not to say gathering information and organizing it wasn’t part of it.
In fact, Ambrosi did most of the work—getting the geo-locations of lakes, names of the fish, what size that could be caught out at that lake. He even did the maps and layout himself.
Ambrosi also pulled in help from others.
“I got a number of the photos from fishing guides in both publications,” he said, “and new photos from other people.”
Ambrosi has a couple of favorite lakes in the Jasper area: Amethyst Lake in the Tonquin Valley and Maligne Lake.
“Because they’ve got big fish,” he joked.
Both are in supply of rainbow trout and brook trout. He said cutthroat trout are his favorite fish to eat.
Ambrosi described fishing itself as a “wonderful getaway.”
“The one thing I’ve always thought, (when) you’re fly fishing, you’re concentrating on every little motion you’re doing. You go out there for three, four hours. You’re so concentrated on that you forget about the rest of the world.
“I just love the Canadian Rockies. Since I was a teenager on up, I find a lake on a map and see if there’s any fish in them.”
Logan Urie, who lives in Jasper part of the year, is one of the contributors to the book.
“It was mostly a bit of information and pictures of lakes.” Urie said.
Ambrosi knows Urie is an avid fisherman through his dad, Joe. Urie started working at On-Line Sport & Tackle Ltd. and started fishing at age 14.
“It’s a rush catching a fish—it’s pure joy,” Urie said.
“It’s a thrill and you’re competing with nature, with the natural elements. Especially with fly fishing. You create your own fly—what looks like the insect you saw floating around last time you went fishing. I like fly fishing the best. Even when it’s a slow day, you’re still doing something. It’s quite satisfying.”
Amethyst Lake in the Tonquin Valley is one of Urie’s favorite spots to fish.
“It’s nice. It’s untouched, raw, beautiful nature.”
Fishing the Canadian Rockies is available in Jasper at Online Sports & Tackle, Jasper Source for Sports, Everest Outdoors, Home Hardware and the Parks Canada gift shop.
