Conor

SilverDoctor- let me know how they cast for you. I don't really have a rod for mine, since the diameters were off a bit (maybe due to the heavy varnish), so I might just wait to refinish them some time soon. What do you use to varnish them? I use a turp/linseed/spar mix, but it has a very slow drying time. Kind of a pain.

A quick update on my Sylk opinion: I tried dressing the line with musilin, as recommended by SilverDoctor. It solved both of my main issues with the line (stickyness and sinking). It will now be my main backup for my silks. Thanks for the tip; I get to use the other side of that DT now! SilverDoctor- did you have a chance to try out those Chinese silks yet? I ordered a few from Zhu's (Ebay) and I guess I got what I paid for. Rough, stiff and inconsistent/mislabeled tapers. I haven't really gotten around to trying to work them in, but I am thinking I might just strip them down and refinish.

I usually try to avoid a floro to mono connection. I try to go the swivel route when possible (nymphing, chironomiding etc). When I do, I have had luck with a 3-4 turn surgeons with A LOT of spit to lube the knot while tightening. Always lube your knots, but be especially careful with floro. I remember a similar post on this topic, and pretty well everyone recommended the surgeons. I have had good luck with Rio Floroflex and Frog Hair Floro. Frog hair is quite a bit more expensive, but much higher strength for diameter.

Bah. I think leaving this section for only "pros" to respond will scare off a lot of people with real knowledge and experience in our sport. No one wants to feel obligated to sign in every now and then to check the section of their local forum that only they and a few other members of the board are allowed to reply to. I think if you are confident you know the answer, or can contribute to the thread, respond. Maybe people should be candid about their actual level of experience, or who they learned the content of their post from. I also thinks it depends on the question. If someone asks a specific question about the Bow River, who would he rather get a response from, Brian Chan or someone who has been fishing the Bow for 2-3 years and has logged >500 days?

I'd like to take my toddler out fishing. Any tips on a sure-thing lake? Perch lake? I'd like it to be very close to or, preferably, in Calgary. She won't last long, but I think she will enjoy it. She has an unhealthy obsession with fish and fishing, only lightly encouraged by me. Lydia, "More fishy! More fishy! More fishy!" Me, "I know how you feel, honey." lol

Hasn't quite started yet. http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/basins/...tionID=RBOWCALG

I have some trouble with very small hooks, particularly when they are in the top of the fish's mouth. Would something like this help?

Dude, you break about a half dozen rods a year. You'll get nowhere near the 'boo.

I've hit a few so far. Finished my first bamboo rod a few weeks ago, and then christened it on the bow with a good Bow brown. Got it on my first cane, a leader I furled, an old silk line I stripped down and refinished, and a #22 hackle stacker midge.

spf 60 (Umbrell) in the morning, long sleeves and a hat. I work outside, as well, so I don't mess around.

I didn't like the Sylk, really. The low diameter and suppleness is great (compared to pvc lines), but the sinking and the stickiness were a pain. I never tried dressing it; maybe that would solve both problems. Might be a good back up to my silk lines if it does. I have really just started using silk lines, but their performance is awesome. They float better than any pvc line I have used (especially Sylk), have no memory, no stretch, cut the air like nothing, and sound cool to boot. I'd say if you are going to go synthetic, go with Peach or HiFloat, etc., etc. Terenzio has an artificial braid that is intriguing, if the up-keep of silk is too much for you http://www.terenziosilklines.com/index.php...=78&lang=en If the price of silk is the issue, check out some articles on this site about used and refinished silk. If you look in the right places, you can get them quite cheap. http://www.overmywaders.com/index.php?cleaningsilk

I'd personally stick to less pressured waters, if you want to take a few fish. The Bow gets hammered hard enough, as it is. I have been thinking more about keeping some dinner fish. I'd guess the recession will have a lot of people thinking this way. I was sitting down to a tilapia dinner the other day and felt very stupid for paying for fish shipped from S.America with the huge poundage of fish I release every year. How do you all rank some of the better edible fish in Alberta, and which waters do you find produce better tasting fish (if you don't mind divulging your spots)? I have had pike out of two different waters (both through the ice) and one was definitely better than other (the Newel fish was better than the Clear lake fish). This year I plan on trying rockies, lake whities, pike, burbot (if I can find a few) and maybe a few trout out of lager stocked lakes, small put-and-take ponds and over populated creeks. I know I like trout (from the right water) and don't mind pike, but I have never tried the others.

Teeth. Cut it like a razor!

Just a heads up. I was fishing a lake the other day with a few buddies. Spotted a little muskrat swimming the shore line toward us. I said, "Check this out. They will swim right over your line." I've seem them do this dozens of times. Right over my line without even moving it. Hits my buddy's line next. Gets hung up for about a millisecond and SNIP- there goes his front taper. Yikes.

It is just braid. One strand of 8-12lb. You'll figure out quickly that you can not add any taper if you want to have one two stands at the tip, so I just tie long loops at either end to create a short taper. The leader is very thin, which is why it works so well. I learned when I was cod fishing how important diameter is for depth. A power braid would hang pretty well straight up and down in a moderate current, while a mono or dacron would be out at 45 degrees. I used to use just one strand of braid for a straight leader for nymphing, but it lead to a few more tangles than mono. A furl helps to keep the tangles away but is still very thin.

I like them as well. I use pretty standard stuff for dry and light nymph, but I have a formula for deep nymphing I like. I use two stands of a power braid (I think I have stren at the moment) and add a short taper by tying long surgeons loops (one about 6-8" and the other about 12-14") to each end. I think the thinner a nymphing leaders, is the faster it will sink (hence just two strands). Also, the zero stretch braid makes for a not very stretchy furl, which helps with nymphing. They're great; they cut through the water like wire, show takes well and almost never tangle. You two will be happy when you throw some dry flys. That is when furls really shine. You can actually throw a mend into your leader!

9 ft 6 wt with a WF6F or WF7F (that is a 6 or 7 weight-forward floating line). Overlining (putting a 7 wt line on a 6 wt rod) will make learning to cast with most modern rods much easier. Get a reel with a decent drag system; a high end click-pawl or decent disc drag that is even and easily adjustable. I'd go the cheap route (whatever that means to you), until you decide you are serious about it. That way you can get a feel for what you may want, and then you have a back up rod when you upgrade. There is no point buying a good rod until you know how to cast and how you cast. It would be disappointing to buy a sweet Sage stick, just to find out you prefer to cast a Scott. Just count on spending about double what you did initially a season or two down the road. I'd recommend not going to a fast taper until you are sure that is what you want and your casting skills are solid. Also, you will save some money buying a moderate to moderate fast action rod, as they are not marketed as 'top of the line' anymore. You can get a good starter set up for $100 or you can get a great starter set up for $600; it just depends on your resources. Let us know a price range, and we can give you some specifics. I'd recommend spending less on the rod/reel and getting a casting lesson and/or fishing lesson/guided trip. Having a good teacher show you the ropes will cut down on frustration levels.

Sure. There is increased weight and a disturbance of the taper. The convenience really outweighs the drawbacks, in my opinion. I doubt most people are picky enough to notice a significant difference, or care if there is one.

I plan on getting a line for single hand/ switch. Big time newbie, but I'm taking the dive. My rod has a very fast taper and large grain window. It can cast a 6wt as far as any caster is capable, and it can cast an 8wt as far as I am capable without bottoming out. My question is what weight line should I be considering for spey stuff? Higher or lower on the range. My rod is a 10ft 5wt Dan Craft Fiver Rivers FT built to about 10'6", just in case you are familiar with it (ERN ~8; AA ~70).

A reload scale for ammunition would be perfect. They weigh loads by grains. I use this rig. It seems pretty accurate, and the price is right! http://www.common-cents.info/part4.pdf

That's too bad. I'd bet this system would result in fewer foul hooked fish when fishing multi-fly rigs. If you fish droppers, you foul hook fish- there is no way around it. This might be a decent answer. I like the idea of tying on a piece of rubber/plastic, as well. It could cut down on the cost of tying considerably. I can't see floating a #20 trico with a 14 circle hook below, as they claim.

The only fish you look happy about is the sucker. lol

A fast rod is tip flex. This means the tip is soft and the rod is not (basically). 'Fast' refers to the taper of the blank. It goes from very thin to thick very fast. Slow is the opposite. Stiff tip and soft rod (basically). The taper is much more gradual. Fast/slow can also refer to recovery, which is different. If you want to wrap your head around it, check out this link. http://www.common-cents.info/ If you have trouble casting an indi rig, you might like a slower rod. The progression of power is slower/smoother and loops a bit wider. Also, high sticking rods are usually slower as well. Check out rods labeled as medium fast or medium.

My example is one extreme. My point was not to worry about not hooking every fish that eats your nymph; it is impossible. I imagine the best way to keep a hook in a fish's mouth long enough to react is to keep your hooks sticky-sharp. Or lots of fuzzy stuff to get caught on the teeth. I've heard people swear that cdc loops increase their hooking ratio (with drys, but for the same reason).

Keep in mind that fish don't really grab your fly, they suck it into their mouths. If you add more tension to the system, a lot fewer fish will be able to get the fly in their mouths. Also, the more tension, the more drag in the system. Again, less hits. So fewer actual hits, or fewer visual hits- your choice. I have seen many fish take a nymph and spit it out in one smooth, fast motion. Much less than a second. Also, the takes sometimes don't register on a tiny yarn indi about 1ft above. Not much you can do about that if you can't see the fish.