Neil Waugh

Am I missing something here, but didn't the guy just GET SKUNKED!! All the way from NYC just to write about sewage plants and moose when he can drive up to Mantauk and hammer the striper "blitzes." Or Roscoe for all the name Catskill rivers.

The PCs just got their @sses kicked in the Glenmore byelection (third place with a star candidate) and the premier now says he "get's it" without saying what "it" is. If this means being more in tune with an urban/Calgary agenda then the rural quad lobby may be in for a little distress. But if in means cuts, cuts. more cuts and lotsa oil patch giveaways to keep the Wildrosers happy, then kiss goodbye to the Eastern Slopes. Because then nothing will happen. How's that for sitting firmly on the fence.

And if that ain't enough, how about the Oldman, Bow, Red Deer, North Saskatchewan, Athabasca and Mackenzie Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils that are required legislatively under the Water for Life Strategy. They're surely also deeply concerned about water quality being jeopardized in the Eastern Slopes tribs by quads and random campers. Like I said above, we've already got a pile of groups watching our backs already. In fact about the only outfit that appears not to have taken a position on quads is the Alberta Fishing Guides Association - if that even exists anymore.

By my count there are 19 Alberta Fish and Game Association clubs and affiliates spread over 4 zones in the Eastern Slopes area which each year pass resolutions at convention and receives a report back from the appropriate ministries, eight Trout Unlimited Canada chapters, Alberta Streamwatch which made a compelling presentation to a government standing policy committee a few years back on (you guessed it) quads and random campers damaging trout streams, the Minister's Fisheries Advisory Roundtable (where never a meeting goes by when quads don't come up), the Alberta Off Highway Vehicles Association which is lobbying hard for "designated" trails, the Land Use Framework where the south west is on the priority list to get zoning controls in place, the Alberta Wilderness Association, Sierra Club Canada and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society who all have their anti-quad/access agendas, the Alberta Outdoor Coalition which is an umbrella group for all the consumptive wildlands users, plus an MLA committee studying trails and access controls (which this thread has so far pretended doesn't exist) and yet someone wants to form yet another group to do - well I'm no sure what. But it appears to be over and above everything else that's already in place and being done. What part of Cloudcookooland do you people live on? And what makes you think you're going to be heard if you don't even know who you're supposed to talk to? And why do you think there's a compelling need for yet another outfit when there appears to be dozens already working on the issues? Including the provincial government itself on two fronts which has already received numerous presentations on OHV/Eastern Slopes access. And before anyone starts badmouthing AFGA remember all Fish and Game trust lands are strictly "foot access only." They don't want quads messing up their landscape either. I guess another voice won't hurt. But aren't you getting to the dance a little late?

Then tell Jeff that's what you want. Who knows, you may even get it. But you're simply preaching to the converted on this board. Yup, we all agree that quads are evil and random campers are an affront. Then what?? Like I said, the wheels are turning - ever so slowly. But it's the government that inevitably makes the call.

Hey, I fish the Coal Branch - Alberta's so-called "Model Forest" - so I know exactly what's happening there and along the Prairie Creek drainage and the Westcastle etc., etc. So spare me the lecture. If you really want change then TALK TO THE GUY WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING THE CHANGES!!! Tell him what you want done. Heck, some of it might even come true. Changes are coming, especially anywhere along the Eastern Slopes. It's already happened in the Big Horn and the Waiprous and Indian Graves. But unless anglers organizations are represented at Jeff Johnson's table, all your valid concerns won't heard. There's a process underway. That's all I'm saying.

Rather than more mindless and ill-informed b!tching and complaining why not go to this website and see what's really going on. tpr.alberta.ca/recreation/trails/default.aspx - Yup there's an MLA commitee hard at work, chaired by Athabasca Redwater Tory Jeff Johnson. The wheels are turning down at the legislature. Although not exactly fast. Once a trail gets "designated" then that's were the quadzidiots are legally supposed to ride. Nowhere else. Also check out what my buddy Cal is doing on the Alberta OHV Association. Cal, by the way, also sits on the ACA board. He's a busy guy.

Just askin'.

Check out this website. I think most of your questions will get answered. ttp://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4258

Is this sorta what you had in mind? Opening day action on the Freeman.

Hi Don I take it that dick sh!t shot was aimed at me so I reckon I better respond. Yer right, the provincial roundtable is not specifically about setting regs on waterbodies. That the role of the regional meeting - which by the sounds of it aren't exactly well attended. The provincial roundtable advises SRD on broad policies. Quality trout lakes have gone from an issue that the regional bios had to be dragged into kicking and screaming (as you experienced with Fiesta and the Edmonton boys encountered with Muir) for fear of local political backlash from the Fish and Gamers and the mashmallow hatch chasers. As ADC and Clive encountered with Police Outpost and Bloom had to fight off with the Bullshead regs review. As a result of lobbying at the provincial roundtable level by you if I recall, and modest input from me, there is now a policy. Which is a major breakthrough. But policies aren't worth the paper they're written on unless there's impetus in the community to make the SRD bureaucrats act on them. So to suggest that the provincial roundtable is "dick sh!t" is unfair to those of us who participate. My point - as has been expressed by many others at the meetings - is that the lack of participation by Calgarians basically amounts to getting a free ride. That opinion has been expressed at the roundtable meetings by some of the Edmonton TU guys and has been given as a major reason why the meetings aren't held in Calgary. (The Grande Prairie guys aren't exactly in the picture either although Dave Walty always shows) I personally would like to see Dolberg go Quality. And how about Swan? There also a West Pit in the works when TransAlta has done mining at Wabamun. There are also a bunch of "no net loss" commitments in the oil sands that the Quality policy could tap into. How about at Sheerness and Paintearth too. And would Capt. Eyre be too much of a stretch? Probably but it's a nice thought. As for your Dave Christenson e-mail, I suspect that "no" actually means "maybe". Don't the Edmonton TU guys have a pot of oil patch guilt money to spend on a project at Winfield?

Not that I want to be a negative influence here but getting into a hissing match with Travel Alberta may not totally be in Colin and Jim's best interests. It appears Colin got some juice last year and I suspect intends on going to the same well in 2010. Remember this is Alberta hotel room tax cash that TA is forking over. Thanx to the great generosity of the oil patch which I reckon pays the bulk of this money for crew accommodation. Or how do you explain all those motels in Drayton Valley, Whitecourt, Brooks, Provost, etc. Biting the hand that feeds you is never a good idea.

I'm not sure what the whole story is or how touchy the subject but it would be great is Jim could have control of the Iron Blue tapes. A boxed set of all 26 (I think it was on for two seasons) would be a wonderful revenue generator and a great resource and legacy for Alberta anglers. My all time fav is when Bob Scammell put him on his two named trout on Prairie Creek. And he stuck both of them. Magic. Lord Bob tells me that "Son of Shark" has now taken up residence in the same undercut that his video star predecessor once inhabited.

The reaction to my post is almost as funny as being cut-off and getting the finger from a Jerk in a Merc (substitute Audi or Escalade) on the Deerfoot. Gary and the guys from the Pass seem to be able to make it. My southern Alberta geography might be a little sketchy, but isn't Blairmore another two hours down the road from Calgary? By the way Gary has been like a pit bull without lipstick trying to get BC guides restricted from the Bow. A little tit-for-tat for what they did to us with the classified waters gouge in the East Koots.

The guy who gets half of the stick in that report is Dandy Jim Prentice - a CALGARY MP. Well you voted for him you got him. But I got to agree about the Oldman Dam. The "no net habitat loss" policy there is a joke. Someone should hold the Alberta government's feet to the fire and force a review of the fisheries loss. By the way, my MP is Dipper.

The Quality Lakes Concept has gone from ad hoc lobbying by individual proponents (Clive and ADC's political batle for Polie Outpost being the classic) to an official SRD policy. With a firm commitment to have at least one quality trout fishery in every region of the province. This in a large part because of the successful efforts of the Minister's Fisheries Roundtable. Of which I, Don, Gary ADC, Clive and others on this board are members. But there are no participants from CALGARY - especially on the trout side. To suddenly get on the "trophy lakes" bandwagon after a lot of the heavy lifting has been done is interesting indeed. I don't want to pee in the pickles here, but it would have been nice to have a little help - or recognition - for what a lot of us accomplished on the Calgary-area's behalf. While the Bow guys sat on their assets and did nothing.

I got a nice Orvis Mid Arbor with an extra spool and a bonefish floater with my Ralph Bucks. I just bought another one with four shooting tips for my spey. I see that the cheques are in the mail in Loony Gordie Land. The catch is, you also pay 2 and a half cents more at the pumps starting Canada Day. Which is another reason (the first being the anti-Albertan East Kootenay rod fees) why I won't be crossing the Kicking Horse Line (stolen from Corb Lund and Tim Hus, of course) this summer.

So how did you do on the sea trout? By the way, since you did the bailiff's drill for a while you would probably know this. I see in the returns a lot of fish are coming out of Dulnain Mouth on worms. Is that just one guy who sits on the pool? Or is there a lot of coming and going and that's just the way that pool fishes. If I recall it's a kind of featureless piece of water with not a lot of casts until you are in the slack stuff that doesn't swing a fly too well. Either that or my memory is playing tricks.

Just show 'em a Stimmie. Works on the House, Freeman, Embarras, West Pembina creeks. Or Barry Mitchell's H and L Variant. But why aren't you taking your big fish flyrod for the other dudes? Ice out, pike in the back bays, lakers at the surface. Show me the money.

I'm just winding you up a little, Speyghillie. Of course the private beats are a far better prospect than the Association water. Like you say, there's no Rapalla Army for starters. And you get a nice calm pool all to yourself. Plus a sweet hut and an old geezer to net your fish. If you should be so lucky.

Here's an old boy going down Lurg. The old brig in the background. I lifted this off Jimmy's site. How can you say you don't like the Association, SG?

I know this post has a little rust on it. But something just jogged my memory about when I was on the Miramichi a few years back. I was in Doaks when a guy comes in to pick up his reel that Jerry was putting a new line on. And it was a JW Young Pridex. And I remembered my dad used to have one of those and I get this incredible rush of nostalgia. Complete with the green baked enamel on the spool. So my pick to dress up your vintage cane is a Young.

The Association water at Grantown is a pretty good bargain too. Especially now that they've got full access to the Upper Castle Grant beat again. As of Friday Jimmy Mitchell's count was up to 145 for the season. My favs are Lurg, Tarric Mor and the Cemetery Pool.

Let me first say I'm a TUC guy and volunteer on the Edmonton dinner committee. But from my view from the bellyboat Trout Unlimited is squandering a lot of money on the Nose Creek project. Sure I know it's PetroCanada bucks and I guess they want to get their name on something with visibility. But Nose Creek as far as I can tell isn't a cold water stream. Dogpound is.

Anyone fish these things. I know that Don Andersen took a liking to Boobies (not those boobies, you filthy beast) a few years back. But Blobs are a new one on me. Here's Alistair Robertson's piece from last Saturday's Scotsmen about the controversy that's burning across the Pond. Shooting & Fishing Published Date: 14 June 2008 By ALASTAIR ROBERTSON Why I have blob lures in my fly box DONCHA just love 'em; the Blob Yobs, the ill-bred proles who win all the angling competitions, ripping an unseemly lump of furry fibre through the water. The fish go wild for them while the gentlemanly fly fisher can only mutter darkly: "Things comin ADVERTISEMENT g to a pretty pass, country going to the dogs and the government doing nothing about it." The blob has been around for a few years. But it is only recently that it has become the subject of verbal fisticuffs in the generally amiable world of angling. Or, more particularly, the world of competition angling where teams and individuals compete for the largest fish, the greatest number of fish and a whole host of competitive subdivisions – best fish under three pounds with dorsal fin no greater than 2.5cm. And so on. In days gone by everyone, even in the fly fishing competition world, not surprisingly, used flies, or at least flies that looked passably like the insects fish will snap at. Being able to design and tie a fly like the ones you see on the water and then catch a fish with it is all part of the art and mystery of fishing. So, for many years, while everyone was busily tying and trying different flies, the playing field – or at least the surface of the pond, reservoir or loch – was level. Until one day a competition fisherman, Bob McLinden, a Scot from Coventry, invented the blob completely by mistake. He had tied a fat, furry, yellow fly with wings, but the wings came off when he was casting and suddenly the trout started going for the wingless blob. Word went around the competition world and the seriously competitive soon latched on. Cast it out, then retrieve it quickly through the water and the fish will throw themselves at it. The Blob Yobs, as users have come to be christened, have now been more or less accused of cheating – a member of the English fly fishing team has resigned in disgust, amid calls for a total blob ban in all competitions. The blob is not really a fly, after all. It is a ... blob. But cast like a fly. It's an easy way of catching fish without the benefit of much skill. To which, the uninformed bystander might reasonably ask, what is so wrong with that? And the answer is, absolutely nothing unless you don't like losing. The fact is that if you are going to have competitions to see who can catch the biggest and most then, as in any competitive sport from football to motor racing, there will always be those looking for an edge; permanently pushing at the limits of the rules. That is what competition with prize money is all about. Competition fishing is all about winning. So if you want to compete there is no point in crying foul when someone is smart or unscrupulous enough to give you a thrashing within the rules. If you don't like blobs then don't get involved with competitive fishing. Fishing for pleasure and fishing for money are two different things. This does not, of course, mean that I am not going to stock up with as many blobs as I can decently fit in a fly box without being accused of fish mongering. Only as a little experiment, you understand. For, truth be told, it is nice to catch trout, but if you start hauling them out like mackerel the thrill is soon over. There is no more point to it than there is to shooting low pheasants.