Conor

I try to sharpen my hooks often, but I am not as diligent as I should be, especially with small hooks. I haven't found the best tool option yet. I like to sharpen on the side of the stone. I think the sharpeners Birchy posted are really for bigger hooks, and not very useful for most flies. This winter I picked up some small diamond hones. I might fix one to my chest pack, and see how that works. It still bigger than I need (maybe 1"x2") but I can use just the edge and corners for small hooks.

Its nice to see an original blank idea. I could see this taking off with certain types of fishing, like flats fishing. Short back casts with huge shooting.

The main threat to cutthroat is hybridization with rainbows. Any protection revieved through the recovery plan will not extend to the cutts most people angle for. Unless you are fishing extreme headwaters for tiny cutts, your mostly catching hybrids. That is why the Minister is under the impression that angling is not a significant factor. If you are pushing for stronger regs on our fishing streams, make sure you are specific. Don't let some politician give you a vague answer that doen't really relate to your problems with the current situation. It will be interesting to see what the recovery plan will be. I bet it is focused mainly on Forestry/O&G leaving bigger buffers to watercourses and possibly heavier access restrictions in headwater areas. I'd like to see it restrict ATV use in those areas, as well. I'd be dissapointed to see angling moratoriums on these streams, as the people interested in that sort of fishing are not the problem, but stewards of our headwaters.

Still room in this order if anyone is interested. PM me.

I've been considering this. Looking forwards to your posts. Plus 13 next week. No excuses!

Thanks, Gaffer. I'll have to stop by at some point. Lots of glory stories about finding perfect culms at random places like that. Worth a stop by.

Anybody a fan of shorter rods? I'd like to hear some pros on less than 9ft sticks. Lighter, better accuracy, easier transport/bushwacking, easier fish landing. I'm sure there is more. One of the big reasons I fish a 10ft (other than those mentioned) is the hook setting ability. You can pick up a lot more line with that extra foot off the end. Some belly boaters go long for the extra hang time on the back cast. Now, I'm going to out myself. I have two rods that I use regularly, and an 8wt. One or two junkers I keep around for guests or the kids. I get on the water more than most (though not a lot, these days), and do just fine I am guilty of having a ludicrous amount of tying material. I also have another expensive hobby that has been consuming my resource$ lately, otherwise I'm sure I'd have a few more rods.

This is really the only distributor, right now: http://www.bamboobroker.com/order.html I'd be happy to help you through a build, but I'm really just getting into it myself. Lots of internet info I could point you toward. Warning: this is not a cheap way to get a bamboo fly rod!

I'm looking coordinating an order of rod making cane to calgary. For a hobby builder, shipping etc adds up to more than the cost of the cane, so I'm getting a few people together to help split the costs. PM me an email and rough order and I'll get you on the list.

With most 9ft blue collar cane from then, you should start at about a DT6 and work from there. If you don't have a few lines to try, take it to a shop and try a few, and buy which ever you like best.

I was wondering if you have used the red chenille/purple hackle, like the last pic.

I like the length of the first, best. I like to trim the bottom as well (or spin it so it stays on top); I feel like they track better that way. Nice ties, by the way. Have you tried the brighter body colors before?

Don- What is Marinaro's hackle style? Footprint?: http://www.beaucatcher.com/Foot_Print_Mayfly.html Thorax?: http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/patterns/thorax-dun/ Both? Gary F- I think people forgot to mention that a standard hackle when tied with a bunch of wraps, floats like a cork. A para will get drowned pretty easily in faster water. Also, you asked about 'wings.' Are you talking about split wings/posts, or hackle? I'd say that para patterns the hackle is pretty well what the fish sees as a wing (ie cripple, spinner). Standard hackle really just looks like legs in the surface film.

Frog hair is better than any other mono tippet I have used. The diameters are smaller, it is more suptle, and ties better knots. The floro is as good as any I have tried, but I haven't tried as many of those. You should be able to put a lot of pressure on good 5x. It should be difficult to break with your hands, and you should be able to really lean on a big fish if you rod is not too stiff. You should replace mono tippet every year-ish. It does break down. It might seem a bit expensive, but what is point spending $20 in gas to get to the river just to break fish off because you didn't want to spend $15 once a year. If you find your throwing out full spools, stop buying that diameter. Buy from a store that sells a bunch of tippet. You can still get the odd bad spool, but a decent shop will let you swap it out.

They are very reclusive. It is rare to see one, much less be harrassed by one! I have only ever heard them before. Very cool, distinctive gurgling/gulping call.

Sounds like an American bittern, by your description. Wierd behavour, but birds do wierd things and show up in wierd places this time of year.

Thanks for the vicarious adventure. Very cool. More info on the raft, please. 5 lb!

Tiger salamanders are mainly terrestrial, except to breed. They breed in still ephemeral ponds. Not a trout food source, really. I'm sure tadpoles are eaten by trout in some waters. A small leach pattern would probably do the trick.

Sweet. Game on!

I'm hoping to do a trip up in this neck of the woods in September. I don't have a 4x, and I have never seen the road types up there, so I was hoping for some general info. I'll be kickin' it in a minivan for about a week, so anyting more than rough is probably not a good idea. What is the FRT like N and S of Hwy 11? How about the 752 b/w Rocky and the FTR? Are some of the industry roads around there useable for a car? I'm mainly worried about washout prone areas etc. that might trap me in there. Or shale type roads that are rough on tires. I won't push to hard to get in to a spot; I can walk a long way.

What surprised me most about the comments was how many people are willing to put human-level emotions on fish. One guy even went so far as to call it 'empathy.' Like he can sympathize with what a fish is feeling, and still be able to read the NYT!

http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverShopping/S...px?CategoryID=4 Here is a good deal on a sage blank. Xi 2 9' 6wt. Saw it and thought of this thread. I've dealt with the company before and was pleased with service, etc. I think it is a more saltwater style taper (?), but I bet it would be a great fast taper Bow River rod. I'm not sure if Sage warrantees custom builds. Worth checking into before you buy. Dan Craft has will supply warrantee pieces for ~$30 per section. I walked into Fish Tales with a broken tip last year, and walked out with a new tip. Fished it the next day. Better than waiting 4-6 weeks!

24" is a tough mark to beat on the Bow. Breaking 22" in your first Bow season is plenty good. Keep at 'er. You'll find certain age/stage structures in different areas of any river. I agree that the 21-22" brown stage is doing pretty well in the city.

Who in town has decent lumber? Looking for straight, clean, dry pine boards. Tall order, I know, but most of the big box stores have horrible stuff. Thanks for any tips.

No pro, but I keep a my drys by hatch season in small boxes (midges/bwo, drakes/pmd/etc, caddis, stones), nymphs in one box organized by type (cassis one side, other side various), a streamer box, a stillwater box, a bully box, a pike box, etc. I'm not super please with my organization, and I like this thread idea. Please share your method to madness.