duanec

huh....avoid those big mid-stream rocks too...

ya...i cast right reel right. someone told me that was 'british style'. huh. old skool? it's just what i learned to do and i have tried the 'other ways' but i find i am able to pick line on the reel up much more quickly & better line control with my dominant hand. once i'm on the reel the rod arm doesn't do a whole lot, so it makes sense to me. stripping streamers though...sometimes switching arms can be interesting with a fish on but i seem to do it without thinking & without issues. my preference got reinforced with me as my experience has been without exception that mooching reels for salmon fishing reel right. i did a bit of that just as i was picking up a fly rod the first time and sometimes you gotta be steve austin fast on the reel with a salmon in the ocean. though as i wee lad started out as a gear chucker and cast right reeled left [i think that's pretty standard], have not chucked gear in a loooooooooong time though...

that's actually a question i've been burning to ask yall [and trying to figure out the poll thing] for some time...how many people out there reel on the "wrong side"? has anyone started out reeling on one side and switched over later?

i'll start at $100 for tungsten's jet boat trip. will pay extra if all we do is annoy drift & pontoon boats all day...

the single biggest factor for me increasing my landing rate has been a hook sharpener.

...only in europe...i hope.

that's a topic that's been left on the riverbank gasping for air several times over... http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?...licenced+guides

look forward to reading that! i think if i had fewer 'commitments' i'd get schooled up proper & try working in the biz for real in some way/somewhere. i've taken completely green people down the river and we've had, for the most part, tremendously fun/successful days and i've truly had a blast 'pretending' to be a guide of sorts. but it's usually someone i know, friends of friends, etc. and there's no $$ in it [so i don't do that to put bread on the table]. and i realize that is a very different deal with very very different expectations.

i still get jealous every time i see someone who spends every day on the water. i think if you got the right head for it could be a dream job. pretty nice office for starters....

second that

re: Canadian Fly Fishing Mag team(Puget and Vokey) appearance @ b.p.s, that was almost enough to get me to go to the opening, as that's something i support no matter what shop ...sigh...

i always wondered who dude was & what his deal is. have seen him many times...he's very patient & methodical...good person to watch & learn from. cool story thanks

good to meet ya too. nice fish glad to see you had better success than i did, my 3 hrs on the water this morning were pretty quiet. cheers

*bump* someone said something re: 1000 posts before break up ya better get at it.

mc d's generally =

annoying yes. you can buy a stock 300 hp 5-8 yr old nissan or toyota with less than 50k on the odom. for under $5k landed cost. then you have instant import muscle car to compete with the tuners. but i digress. here's a good starting point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuC6jeKjTdg

spey. rhymes with...

sorry about your loss. great photo and a great memory, thanks for sharing.

that is awesome bug porn!

i'll be in hawaii in 2 weeks, on the kona coast of the big island. i'll suck it up till then.

wow...that's some good material there, way better than the shacknasties thread for a slow day at work. thanks!

i have a scotty fly rod holder that's intended to be a deck or side mount...i fashioned a 'mounting plate' & added some straps and use it whenever i boat. i think berkely makes a similar one too. haven't seen it myself. last night at wholesale sports i saw another one that has straps and a curved base that's designed specifically for tubes/pontoons. like 30 bucks. the scotty has a strap that prevents the rod from escaping...it's a pain sometimes but i had a close call once while fiddling w/ something/not paying attention and had a 'truck like' strike. those get the blood pumping for sure. now always bring my holder and use the strap for those 'just gonna set my rod down for a minute' moments as a result.

well spoke. if you wish you can have these kinds of useless debates over anything - fishing with or without an indy, dries only vs. nymphs/streamers, one fly vs. two... i have cast a spey rod, and i've seen it used to it's potential. i absolutely get it. if i fished the skeena every day i'd be all over that program i'm sure...but that's not to say it's not a useful or fun method to use on the bow either. same thing with a 3wt. 'fill yer boots' if that's what you like to use. thanks for the original post...pretty sure someday when i've figured out the singlehanded thing to my satisfaction i'll have a spey rod in my regular arsenal. probably own a 3 wt too.

wow, that's a big feesh. shame it died, but been there too.

many many things i like about sw oilberta, but it's getting too busy and i've had it with the winters. can't see myself retiring here. like fernie & other spots in the e/cent. kootenay rockies. kelowna's on the list [depends on your perspective i guess], nice climate, not too much stellar fishing right there but very very close to some fantastic waters. bit of a transient pop in the summer. crystal meth probs. there too. like vanc. island somewhere, also the sunshine or chilcoot coast. if i keep going west eventually new zealand. i'd head back to the other coast on da rock but winters bad there too...summers not much better.