Castuserraticus

Sounds like wear and tear. I've had the same problem with waders. It's an easy fix. Turn then inside out to access the feet but leave the foot portion inside in. This is to retain the proper shape and not create potential pressure points. Coat the inside of the heels with a couple of layers of flexible urethane (shoe goop or aquaseal - seems to be the same stuff). Work it into the fabric covering the neoprene and into the holes. Let cure for 48 hours. With one pair of waders I glued some denim into the heel for additional protection. The patch is stronger than the neoprene.

I don't think total weight is the only balancing issue. I've wrestled with weight distribution. I've found the simplest to cast for me is having increasing mass towards the tip. This may be counter intuitive to line turn over but I try to use the current to load the rod most of the time with minimal false casting. I used to use the lead strips for weight but feel I get faster penetration with shot as the mass is concentrated and there's less surface area to cut through the water. I struggled when I first start using a swivel as adding another potential hinge point to the line seemed to cause even more tangles. When my concentration dropped, the loops would start to tail and the various hardware and knots would begin to catch on each other. With various shots, flies, and the swivel the physics of each weight moving at slightly different directions causes some spectacular tangles. Does the ideal drift have all the flies ticking the bottom or do you want to cover some water column? The primary role of the swivel is to prevent line twist and resulting tangles. Additional weight is secondary? Would it be as effective to go with the lightest swivel and place it just below the indicator? This reduces terminal tackle/knots with potentially less chance for tangles?

There has always been partying in the random camping areas. One thing that has changed is that we are a disposable society - pack it in and throw it away. And, the nature of the garbage has changed. Plastic sticks around.

For my wading belt, I use a runner's belt with bottle holster. Works good for me. On longer days I bring a backpack with a refill bottle that I leave on the shore.

Nice ones - they're sure thick. Aren't those spawning colours? I thought they were triploids.

It was the winner of Alberta's Next Top Bull Trout.

Wow - that's some skill shown there.

Exxon announced their record profit - same profit margin of about 7 1/2 %. They were about break even on the refining side. For reference, it's about the same margin as Safeway. Free markets are amazingly efficient. Competition is very effective at knocking down "excess profit". "Dirtier, older, less well maintained..." The workers? Bird kill facts - the largest single source of kills are lighted radio towers. There are reported instances of greater than 10,000 birds killed in one night at single towers. This tends to affect larger birds with big wingspans. The problem is the towers and the stabilizing cables. This happens in every country around the world. Alberta is being vilified internationally over 500 waterfowl. Go Greenpeace. Go media.

Health food specialty stores. Amaranth in Arbour Lake has dulce I don't know about others.

Everyone brings up valid points. I did some research and found out that one of the largest contributor to bird deaths is lighted radio towers and their guide wires. There are reported instances of over 10,000 birds being killed in one night at single towers. Larger birds are most vulnerable. There have been significant strides made in positioning wind generators since about 2000. Prior to that no consideration was given for migration routes or proximity to habitat. Have these old wind farms been torn down or refitted to protect birds? My point was the newspapers have jumped on this implying it is the tip of the iceberg and more is to come. Righteous indignation is aroused. There's never anything but bad news. More birds likely die everyday in Calgary from hitting residential windows. Maybe every homeowner should be required to purchase a system that will prevent this and be fined when birds hit their house. The largest source of animal deaths is vehicle collisions. What can we mandate to punish people when they hit a deer, sparrow, or gopher? Everything is "realistically preventable" in media hindsight. Given unlimited $$ I suppose something could be engineered to never fail - until you add people. They're always finding creative new ways to screw up (except you and me Rick). And, oil companies do not set the price of oil. It is set by the market - the buyers. The facts are the world is running out of cheap oil. Don't believe the propaganda of abundant cheap oil from the Arabs. When oil was cheap and easy to find it was found abundantly, cheaply, and easily. The cost of any product is related to today's production/replacement costs not last year's or last decade's. Does anyone want their salary rolled back a decade in today's cost environment?

This event is nothing compared to natural occurrences. Every few years there's a botulism outbreak at Pakowki Lake (ehpemeral lake) in southern Alta. that kills tens of thousands. Considering the millions of birds that potentially fly through the area I'd say they do a pretty good job of keeping them from the ponds. But that type of successful activity makes for boring headlines.

I've seen this one before. Two guys with sparkling personalities enjoying a social occasion.

I've sight fished to what I was told were smallmouth at Surveyors Lake and Engineers Lake until it was closed to boats. Swimming a girdle bug was quite effective. Not many fish and not large but fun anyway.

Better be careful. The stuffed animal protectionist groups will be camped outside your door. Better add a disclaimer to the website.

Has anyone ever seen untinted polarized glasses? I'd like the option of not having tint in lower light conditions as my eyes aren't as strong as they used to be.

In British accent: Fish "Ha! You missed!" Attacker "I bit a hole in the top of your head!" Fish "Did not!" Attacker "Did so!" Fish "Did not!" Attacker "Then why can I see your tiny brain?" Fish "It's just a flesh wound!"

That's terrible and not acceptable. He talks just like most guys do in a hockey dressing room or while fishing with close buddies. Do we want average guys like that running our government? So the NDP are not above snooping through other people's stuff looking for dirt? I thought they always took the moral high ground.

I researched this last fall. I was advised by a couple of plumbers that there was no cost advantage to the tankless systems and that they were higher maintenance than a tank. They are considerably more expensive than a tank. You get greater savings from wrapping your tank with more insulation.

The river valley is not the best place to camp for comfort. Pooling of cold air will make the valley significantly colder than higher ground. Especially where topographic restrictions restrict circulation. I know this from personal experience. Before you set up camp on an island be sure there's no rain in the forecast. Unexpected releases from the Bearspaw dam are likely less of a concern but be aware that it doesn't take much of a flow change to turn an easy wade into a dangerous one. There's an island in the Bow below my house and I'm scared myself in that crossing a couple of times. The Bow is not as deep generally as the NS but crossings can be broad and you can be a ways from shore before you find the deep channel. I have found signs of human habitation on this island. I have a tent trailer in my back yard you could use (NW Calgary) that has a furnace but it sounds like you're looking for a more rustic experience.

Now that's cool. Does that mean that anyone with a signed copy of his book will profit from his notoriety?

I'm one year behind you Rick. This year seems to be a milestone. I'm the oldest regular on my league team and the second oldest of the shinny group. My skating is not getting better anymore but I am getting better at hooking and obstruction. Age and treachery can beat youth and enthusiasim.

What are your favourites? I was so excited I didn't have enough skin let to blink. I approach fishing like sex - not much skill but lots of enthusiasm.

Unsure about the scale. From the footprints I'd say it's a duck - running take-off.

From the faded memory banks I recall the action of writing the summary to be the important part. I could visualize where the answer was on the sheet and remember it.

Two tricks: Apply in sparse amounts and build gradually. Also, spin one way only. I spin by pushing with the thumb.