reevesr1

Nice conversation so far everyone, thanks. The name of my post is a little misleading (my mistake). It should have been called Fisherman Management instead of Fishery Management. While I certainly believe we can impact the latter, in this case I'm more interested in the former.

Knotlikely, I don't disagree with you. So let's assume that we all stop posting any reference to location, and clean up our pictures. The reports would still exist, anyone with half a brain will know it has to be somewhere between the weir and say Policemans (this time of year). If you want to find fish, all you have to do then is spend a small amount of time on the water and prospect the same way many used to do it in the days before the internet (at least where I'm from), by looking for bent rods. I know of a yellow one that is bent quite often (except when I'm around you for some reason!!) Lots of people combined with limited fishing space guarantee some crowding, doesn't it? (and I agree with what many have said, crowding is a relative term when discussing the Bow in Calgary).

It is still, at the end of the day, an oilfield town. Many (certainly not all, but enough) of the people moving here spent some time in the oil patch, and as such, tend to be outdoorsy types. So I would expect the increasing population numbers to include a significant portion of people inclined to take up fishing here. But I base that on deduction, not fact. I fully realize I could be the one out to lunch.

Thanks Chris. Edit: Let me clarify what I'm asking: Is this board contributing to the number of fishermen in Calgary (in my mind it contributes not so much to the number of fishermen, but to their success, which will keep them coming back-so indirectly it does contribute to numbers)? If so, is that in itself a bad thing? Aren't we supposed to promote the thing we love? How can we better promote the activity? Some things to talk about (or at least I think) 1. Moving through the runs(I would add this could be difficult in winter due to limited runs which hold fish. I would add "invite other fishermen in") 2. Should we include locations, other than generalities, in a fishing post? I think the post should be only to inform how, not where. But I know not everyone feels the same. This river will continue to get more crowded regardless of how this site evolves. But I think this site could help in that evolution but teaching etiquette, handling, etc. Sorry if this is all too touchy feely!!

This post has almost no chance of staying civil, but I want to try. Something Tako said on the wide ranging discussion on the Reports page got me thinking: How does this website deal with the fact that we have a world class fishery here? This city has 1 million people, many of whom have some money and time on their hands. Running through the middle of it is a river full of fish and more and more people are learning of it. In my mind, this website does nothing (or very, very little) to alert people to the fact that there is a river full of fish. But once they learn of it from other sources, and/or discover fly fishing, they have a good chance of stumbling on this site. And in reading it they will learn that if they pay attention, they will learn how to catch them. I don't think the where is as important. This site will naturally evolve to include very little in the way of visual indicators or descriptions of exactly where the fish are caught. That is almost a guarantee. But as more and more people fish, the whole river will become more crowded. This website can have an impact on etiquette, environmentalism, fish handling practices, etc. But we can't continue to snipe at each other when we see someone doing it in a manner we think is incorrect. You can point out what you think is correct without making the other person feel stupid (and I certainly do not always practice that trait). Anyway, I'm having a hard time expressing myself on this, probably because I don't know what form this website should take, or if it should just stay the way it is and evolve naturally. My fear is that almost invariably, these sites die due to infighting and inability to adapt as they become more popular (or in this case as the River itself becomes more popular) On a personal note, I may have lost a fishing partner over the popularity of this site. Which is a damn shame. Finally, try to be constructive. It would be great if some ideas come out of this before the admins have to shut it down. (the post I mean)

What he said!

Hey Jared, I'd shave my head as well, but really, what is that worth? I'm in.

Dang man, all I did was get a rod and reel!

Is a 10 footer a "long rod"?

I fished with Dee my first fly fishing trip on the Bow. I really enjoyed his company. Also, if noone has mentioned young Maxwell, let me be the first. He will teach you how to catch fish on the bow. Edit: OK, the second to mention Maxwell.

If someone were truly interested in poaching as a means of feeding the family or making money I can pretty much guarantee they are not using fly gear because: 1. Too expensive 2. Can't cover enough water (this is the biggie) 3. Easier to loose fish 4. There are FAR more effective ways to catch big fish, day in, day out At my house is my saltwater rig. A Shimano Chronarch SuperFree on a 7 ft med-fast Castaway rod. If I put on a Buzzbomb, I could probably cast it 60-70 yds (more if the wind is at my back). With a barbed (hell I'm poaching, why would I pinch?) treble hook, my hookup to catch ratio would be in the 80%+ range. If I swung that bad boy at night in the summer, it would be a fish fest. I also bet I could be pretty effective with a count down rapala as well. ((Please in no way infer that I have anything against the above methods of fishing-assuming you pinch the barbs and change the treble to a single)) LS, Mealworms and herring would be too boring for me!!

Clive, I'll bring it to the Crow one day and let you have a whirl if you allow me to fish within shoutin' distance of ya! Look on their website. Some sweet sounding Pike rods are on it.

I was going to get the TX2, but I knew you had one. So I wanted to get something different to review it. (though I'd rather have the TX2, that thing looks really cool!)

I recently got an email about a refinery explosion in Texas this month. Got me thinking about home, and a big explosion in my hometown. Most of you probably remember the news stories about the BP explosion in Texas City (where I'm from) back in 2005. Not to downplay that disaster, but that's nothing compared to this, back in 1947: The Texas City Disaster Texas City is essentially one big Chemical Refinery. We've been supplying North America and the world with gasoline, kerosene, plastic, antifreeze, etc, etc, for 70 or 80 yrs now. It's also a recovering, albeit slowly enviornmental wasteland. But that's not the story. Read the link, and then read a bit more personal (or at least my dad's personal) account. My dad was in 4th grade when the ship blew up. His school was a couple of miles away. When the ship went, it blew the plate glass window into his teacher's back. It did not kill her, but it took more than one surgery to remove it all. Dad, like everyone else, ran like mad out of the school. My dad went straight to the bike rack to race home, but he sees my uncle Bill's bike at the rack. He waits for a bit, but when Billy does not show up, he races back into the school to look. He gets to the stairs to go to Billy's class, but they were collapsed. So he climbs up what is left and runs to my uncles class. But it is empty. He then starts going through class after class looking, afraid Billy might be hiding somewhere (and probably horrified himself as he's only 10). He can't find him anywhere. As he makes in back down to the 1st level, he comes across one of his classmates with a paper bag, filling it with pencils. The friend says "come on Richard, help. We'll never need to buy pencils again." Dad said he had a hard time liking that kid for a long time afterwards before he finally came to the realization that he was just in shock, like everyone else. Anyway, dad finally gives up and goes to get on his bike to ride home. He said when he got outside it just looked like everything was on fire. At this point no one really knew what was going on. And remember this is not that long after the war. Could we have been attacked. Anyway, more afraid than ever dad pedals like mad (away from the fire) home. There he finds Billy with my grandma. Billy said he ran out of school and just kept running until he got home. One question I never asked my dad, and I don't know why, was how did it feel waiting for his dad to come home? Can you imagine? But come home he did. Everyone from Texas City has a story like that. My grandfather lost a lot of friends in the disaster. ALL the firemen were killed. I grew up in a place with a Memorial that was full of unidentified body parts. Not many of those around. A couple of pieces of trivia: The Anchor from one of the ships ended up almost a mile from the ship. (a FREAKING SHIP ANCHOR FLEW A MILE!) The Blast was measured on the seismic scale in Denver (estimated at 0.8 of the Hiroshima bomb) Windows were broken in Houston, 50 miles away And even more interesting, the biggest natural disaster in the US was the 1900 Galveston Hurricane (same county, just across the bay): 1900 Galveston Hurricane Nice safe place I come from. If you google The Texas City Disaster or the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, there is tons of pretty interesting reading.

I don't think 10' is really all that long! I want to try it for some high sticking pre and post runoff. I have a very, very specific spot in mind! I had my choice of pretty much anything I wanted to test. So here was the thought process: Rods I have now: 7'6" TFO Finess 3 wt 9' TFO TiCR 5 wt 9' Milano 8 wt (which I really like by the way) So it was between and 4 and a 6 to test. I decided that since I would fish it mostly on the bow, I'd try the 6. I went with 10' just to try.

Who likes Mango anyway? If you've seen one tropical paradise, you've seen em all. Which one of those emoticon's represent envy?

I am getting one of these in the next several weeks to test. Scierra Rod I remember LoneFisher talking about wanting a 10' rod. So I decided to go with a 10' 6/7 with the reel shown, which is a Scierra XDR. I should get it in time for the Spring. Can't wait, and will post opinions later.

Hawg, Do you truly believe that, or is there a bit of sarcasm there? Let me ask a question: You are about to be born. God (or whatever infinite being you believe in) asks you: OK, you can be born in any country and be any race and any gender. What do you pick? If you don't say: "I'll take White Male in North America (or Northern Europe, or Australia, etc.) please", then you are not paying attention. There are certainly issues, but if you are a white male, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

And.........

Actually LF, I drive an old Saturn, but just between us, it's a diversionary tactic.

So if I'm a White, Male, Middle Class, Catholic, American (ie, from a land with different rules), and my father was a commercial fisherman, the odds of me poaching are what 95% or so? Since I fish with a lot of people on this site, I would recommend you all commit the RAP number to memory.

Whatever shall I do. The Humanity, the humanity.........

Lynn, So sorry to hear about your friend. Wish I could say something meaningful to make it seem better, but as you know, nothing will really help right now. I do know why you twp get along so well. You are certainly kindred spirits. When describing her outlook on life, you could be describing yourself. It is very telling of your character that you are getting on a plane to go see someone you have never met face to face. It will be a blessing to both of you to actually meet, albeit under brutal circumstances. Prayers sent for you, her and her children. This should be a lesson to all of us to enjoy it while we can. You truly never know.

I just want to know where Birchy's pal caught what looks to be a 40" or so rainbow.

Left work at 4:00. In the water at 5 PM. 1 18" brown, 1 19" brown. Off water at 5:45. Home at 6. To my home in the suburbs (Chaparral) which I love. I'm sure it was nicer back in the day. Wish I had been here then. Its pretty great now. I don't mean a drop of disrespect, but don't let your desire for a past which is gone and never coming back ruin your enjoyment which is still a pretty good place.