Harps

There are varing method, how well each works is dependant on the type of fish. Scales are excellent for aging trout (even long lived Ferox trout of Scotland can be aged with scales). Easy to collect!! You have to be familiar with fish in an area to be good at aging scales... Fin rays (cut like trees and viewed like rings) are non leathal for spiny rayed fish like walleye and perch. Odoliths are very great and lethal... very common aging technique. They have to be dried properly and then split... can be frustrating to get them perfect. Vertabrae collections are also lethal to fish. Cleithrum are used for pike and Opercular bones are good for pike. The trouble is sorting out the real annuli from the false annuli (bad summers of no growth, etc). Scales and operclum both have flase annuli that cn be confusing, even to experienced viewers. Ladystrange, If you have a scale sample, try scanning it and blowing it up (or take a picture through a dissecting scope) and posting a picture online. You could also take the scale to a F&W office to look through their dissecting scope (if you ask nice).

There is another discussion on them right now at FAOL http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/showthread.php?t=26172

Very nice type of boat... I'd like one. There are only a few that I know of: The WaterStrider Very good Rating!! ~$1600 USD The Access EXP (Wilderness Access) ~$1200 USD and the WaterMaster from Big Sky Inflatables (New website since I last looked). ~$1400 USD

I think every company is jumping on the band wagon... Canon D10, Panasonic, Fuji, Rollei New Olympus (Tough 8000)... nothing new yet for Pentax (there is a new 12mp optio coming out... but not waterproof), but I still think they're the best.

From a recent discussion on Sexyloops and FAOL... http://www.sexyloops.co.uk/cgi-bin/theboar...ST;f=12;t=10171 Tungsten is the way to go!! There used to be tungsten wrap at golf stores for adding weight to clubs, but I haven't seen it lately (it was discussed on this board some time back). The other option is to buy weighted hooks shaped like nymphs (Boss Tin), or use the heavy metal wrap from the neck of a wine bottle>> Wolfblass (sp) is where I got my last wrap from. The best weight for streamers would be weight on the line (sink tip/full sink), split shot or putty, or a sinking leader (airflo and snowbee have some good sinking poly-leaders). The line pulls the fly down and there is still movement. You shoiuld be able to find something online that talks about the differences of a heavy line vs a heavy fly (different actions). Cheers,

Yeah, my wife and the cat came to the river one day... The cat enjoyed it, the wife had a good walk, and I caught fish. Can't ask for more.

Ahh, but protection of Navigation doesn't cover bank work now... what do they care if you pile rocks on the stream vegetation? What's in the floodplain at 507 bridge? Plus, it will still be illegal to block navigation (fence across the river, etc). I just means that Nav Waters won't review a bridge replacement... (I think, I'm still reading up on this)

I don't think it will be an issue (in Alberta)... more of a time concern. It only applies to works in those waters and I don't think it will change what is considered Navigable, but I haven't really heard much about this before now. One thing to think of... putting logs in the river is bad for navigation, but can be very good for fish and the environment. I don't think that protecting rivers for navigation has any bearing on protecting the environment in those rivers. For the best navigation we should mow down all the bankside veg and remove all the instream stuff like boulders and logs (except where kayaking is king... there you just turn the river up and down... like the Kananaskis). Of course I don't think I agree with the gov't shedding responsibilities, either. Somebody has to look out for the good of the public, we obviously don't look out for ourselves.

I like cats...

Since Access seems to be an issue at the moment... anybody see this? http://www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca/ More at website... also http://www.yccc.ca/node/7920 and http://newsociety.com/blogs/index.php/2009...-protection-act

http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/ Oh and check out Donald's Site... He's around 80 and has some of the most amazing flies and wonderful history.

I love fishing soft hackles!!! Fished down and across... on the swing and they imitate an emerging caddis. In the film (greased), its a crippled mayfly. Bottom bounced- dead drift and its and attractor nymph. Dap them on the surface for emerging diptera. They are my go to fly during a hatch I can't seem to match. They are excellent for drifting towards cover on a small stream... Check out this site for more on the history of soft hackled flies. http://www.flymph.com/ I've been a member of the IBF since we (flyfishermen.com) started it in 2005, although I haven't paid much attention in the past couple years...).

Monger, I see more in Alberta... but I live here. I do see alot along some of the Montana backroads too... I have no real clue... I was just being disagreeable. I'm not really keyed into pheasants short of my friends that go out and bring me back skins and feathers. I have followed some of the discussion on alberta outdoorsmen, but find it hard to sift through fact and fiction. Pheseants are an introduced bird, and heavily stocked... and I don't know if the habitat is enough for them here...

Come on Rick... everybody wants to be my friend, I'm just so popular it's hard to give everybody the Attention they deserve. We haven't had a good "discussion" in a long time. Plus all my friends are great... you'd be greater... guilty by association, right? The link is to our Big Club Meeting tonight at 7: http://goneflyfishin.ca/flyclub.html

Keith, I always though pheasant hunting was better in S. Alberta (Lethbridg Area), and largely because of the tons of habitat available... there are just more guns and shooters in Montana. In terms of hunting, there is no public access that is applicable, short of going to crownland, which I'd think most hunters use anyways. This Pay to Play mentality is a direct result in Alberta's urban population boom, and the gov'ts lack of management (keeping up with the pressure). I'd suspect that the majority of hunters in Alberta are landowners also and would support this, even if they own land that isn't condusive to their type of hunting (sheep/elk/antelope). Like I said, most folks likely hunt on Crown Land. If this does affect fishing... expect everything to go the way of the Palmer Ranch... pay for something that we already pay for in our taxes (even though we don't pay enough). Luckily the highwater mark isn't just a law... It's titled land that the province owns. To return it to the landowner, I think would be a tough process.

JMasson Feds, through Transportation (Navigable Waters Protection Act), can only ensure clear boating on waters deemed navigable. The Provinces are in charge of land ownership/ lease issues... If the landowners got riparian rights... Touching the bed of the river would be considered trespassing. Boating would be okay. Expect to pay to use the river and access through township road leases if the gov't moved this way. *************************** Realistically, Traditional access routes should be protected by the gov't. I'm a landowner, I know many of the issues... we now allow walking only access through our property, but we, at least, still allow access. Hunting is a different matter... many landowners I know can't get enough hunters to help with nussiance deer/elk. The issue is letting somebody you don't know on the property (nobody wants to ask)... you don't know if they'll chase livestock, leave garbage, wreak gates/fences, rutt up the land. There needs to be better education about respecting the land (proper ATV use, garbage, ethics, etc)... paying landowners is a bandaid for a much bigger problem, and I don't think it will encourage young hunter and fisher. People need to start treating the land and landowners right... knowing landowners get paid is not going to encourage good use.

I think its a shame that this freak trout is considered a record... It's like raising deer then letting them go to be shot once they have gained max growth. The fish is obviously a farm escapee, bred to be big, fed pellets most of its life, then big enough to not worry about predators when the storms wreaked the nets and released the fish. Big fish, great catch, disgrace to call it a sportfishing record.

This is the second step... First we bend over for BC, Then we take it from our own gov't. Next Albertans will have to pay to walk along rivers... and they'll charge us more than "outsiders". I will be taking advantage of all township line right of ways and highwater marks... it is our public right. **Fishing, not hunting**

I hate facebook... But I'm really bad at staying in touch (I avoid it). Facebook lets me keep up with friends and family I'd otherwise not know, let alone talk to. Plus we put our Flyfishing club up on facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=5926...gid=65374606211 Chinook Waters Fly Fishing Club

I found that going through the casting motion with both arms at the same time helped me learn to cast left handed... not much help to you, I'm afraid.

Nice pattern A couple of ideas: I'd go for a smaller hook and tie the body shorter (2/3rds the wing). Also add a dubbed thorax (seal fur, antron, etc) with picked out fibers to imitate legs. I've used the furled foam... love the look, but can get chewed pretty fast (good thing)!

Oh and for the reel... get something with a good drag. Unlike most trout fishing, you'll need the drag. A longer rod will help with line management and mending, which you will do alot of. If I went back to Ontario I would get a 8-9wt switch rod, with a decent reel able to be used in saltwater. A floating line standard, but I'd also bring a full sink to get down to the bottom in the bigger water. Various sinking leaders can handle the rest of the situations. I don't know when you're out there, but check this out... some excellent casters and very knowledgable local stealheaders http://www.grandriverspey.ca/ All this is assuming you're going to fish the Canadian side of the Lakes.

I used a 9wt while there for the Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Huron runs... never know when you'll get into chinooks, big lakers (Niagara), or "fresh" steelhead. There are also lake run browns which are fun if you can find them. You can also use the 9wt for carp, drum and cats, as well as pike and musky if you've got the chance. All those species within a couple hours drive of southern Ontario. Contact some of the flyshops out that way for info... Grindstone Angling was a great place in Waterdown and Grand River Troutfitters was good in Fergus. There are shops more dedicated to migratory fish too.

Headhunter... It looks like I'll be in Vancouver next week, so I'll miss the B&F. But I will take you up on the offer later Then I'll buy the next round. Did the students like the green drinks idea?