rusty

I tie because there are tons of great patterns that you can't buy, and because you can't buy flies with the right amount of weight. Besides that though, it keeps me close to the sport when it's too cold to fish. I think tying is almost as fun as fishing, and it can be a really social thing too.

Clive, What lens did you use for that shot? Tripod?

Worst part is that he'd have cooked one of those muddy boots and thrown the rest in the garbage.

Should be a great day...just be damn careful of that ice, esp if you're anywhere downstream. I've had three or four close calls in the last week.

What's that wallet worth? You guys have it at TF?

Just wondering what sort of rigs people here are using to fish streamers on the Bow. I started with the fast sinking polyleader and just found that it wasn't doing it for me. I've switched to half of a T-300 tip, which makes it a 12' 150gr. head. This seems to do slightly better and I've picked up quite a few fish on the new rig with it, but it still doesn't feel like it's getting right down to where I'd like to be in some spots. I'm using a slightly weighted fly and a 12" 1X leader. Do I need to mend more before swinging? Is anyone fishing splits with their streamers? Do I need a longer tip?

You'll have to have your grandkids do it through my feeding tube when I'm 95 and incapable of chewing anymore.

Yeah...not even a Canucks fan would try to go incognito as a Laffs fan.

Great post Brian - thank you.

Fortress is the nicest place I've ever been. I would be careful listening to people who say the hike is "easy" - esp those who haven't actually done it. The hike is easy as far as 20km+ hikes go - but you will be in the middle of nowhere and you'll have to do the kind of things that you don't see dayhiking into your average K-Country lake. There are small log bridges that get awful slick when wet, and you have to ford the Chaba - an easy feat if the flows are right, and a real pain in the butt if they aren't. Plus, you'll have to do it all with a sizeable pack on. If you've done a fair amount of backpacking before and you're in decent shape, you'll have no problem. If you've only done dayhikes before and you're expecting a cakewalk, you'll be in for a surprise. The hike out is worse than the way in. The lake is a veritable ocean - 11km long and fairly wide too. The new owner (Dave J) wasn't renting motorboats to hikers when I was up. I would get a hold of him and see if you can work something out. A float tube won't get you to where you need to be if the fish aren't in the east end of the lake. Furthermore, the wind can create 3' waves on there in a hurry. If you camp, it's probably worth pushing through to the Fortress Creek campsite. Dave takes excellent care of the campgrounds and they are easily the nicest backcountry camps I've seen. PMD is bang on about the rodents. They'll chew float tubes, rod handles, and anything else you let them get into. Tube your rods at night. We went on the August long weekend and we were too late. I ran into some folks who were also there on the July long weekend and they did much better. For what it's worth, plan for the July long and watch the flows on the Athabasca. I *think* Dave said that the Chaba becomes fordable when the upper flows are below 400m3/s, but it's worth double-checking with him. I'd let him know when you're coming and where you're planning on staying.

Brent - are you thinking of a shuttle service? I own three 'toons and use shuttles lots.

Tako - if it's that cold, is there any general consensus yet about the effect on the pine beetles?

By far the easiest way to resize photos is to download Image Resizer from the Windows XP Powertoys page at Microsoft. Right click in Windows Explorer, Resize Pictures, choose a size, done. About 3/4 of the way down on the right side. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloa...ppowertoys.mspx

Sounds like that fake Luongo interview on Fan 960 the other day. "87 Firefly with the Edelbrock intake manifold."

Brent makes a good point about the 2540. It's a full ounce and change heavier than the 3200, but it has a really nice drag system. I've had a 2560 for two years and I love it. The 3200 has little or no drag. I put a 3300 clicker on mine to help somewhat. You can get that 2540 in a really lovely green color too - it would match wonderfully with the Z-Axis blank. Tako, the 9' is really nice if you want to fish larger water or nymph without indicators. Give one a cast if you get a chance and I'm sure you'll be plesantly surprised. The extra length is also a bonus for fishing boatmen or leeches in lakes.

That's easy - a Sage 390 Z-Axis with a Sage 3200 reel. Super light, looks great, fishes fabulously. I have the 390XP and 3200 and I think it's the best small-medium stream combo you can get. It's the only rod I fish on the rivers you mentioned - and you can even use it for tossing dries on the Bow in the evening (that is, Al, if you ever actually fish the Bow ). The 390s are wonderful light nymphing rods, with or without indicators. I even fish small weighted streamers with them. It would be a good rod to fish on lakes as long as the wind doesn't howl. I caught an obese 25" rainbow on mine a few years ago. You could save a few bucks by going with a different reel, but the 3200 is so light and pretty that I think it's worth it.

Actually I got some this afternoon at CP. Nice stuff (but the price is a little ridiculous).

Can you buy rhea here in town anywhere?

Dave, it helps to put the T-Ho's down to land those bigger ones. 14 pound Trilene and a #2 Clouser hook doesn't hurt either.

In the flood year I caught a monster 27" male pig with a really distinctive toonie-sized healed over scar on his side. I posted a pic on the old FFA forum, and you really couldn't tell where it was from the pics. A few weeks later I ran into a guide who had seen the pic and knew the exact location because he'd caught the fish a few times previously. The real hogs in the river are not as common as most folks think. If bowcrow pokes his head in here I'm sure he'll tell you about the big brown they caught 4 times in one winter.

Good call - but I want to use them for monster Chinooks this summer. I think I'll give them a shot though - 50 pound strength is very decent.

Have you strength tested them yet? I'd be really interested to see what they'd hold.

Can be phenomenal baetis fishing that time of year too.

I agree with you Al. I'm going to Alaska to fish monster chinooks on the 10 weight in July, and we'll see if I change my mind afterwards.

I'd be interested depending on the timing.