thecamel

I don't get out much anymore due to the wife and newborn. On Thursday the stars and planets lined up because I was able to get out on a overcast day with two old friends that don't get to get out on the river nearly enough anymore. Get to the launch and nobody there, not a big deal 'cause we are a little bit early, it's going to rain and I was thinking probably everyone is up top due to gas prices. Fishing couldn't of been better, twitch......twitch..... goooosh type of morning with a beautiful river and great company. We stopped on a long great stonefly bank that we could split up and spend an hour or two on it. Thats when I looked up stream and seen a parade of boats coming towards us. I first got a little mad when a couple of them stopped just upstream of us to re rig their bobber rigs because they lost their worms nymphing a high shale cliff bank. I got really pissed when the first one went right over the gravel bar I was fishing, I just had four eats where that boat floated over. When the third boat did the the same thing as the first boats it was kinda fun to try to hook to their bobbers, I could of easily laid one across the lap of the guide. How hard would of it been to make six oar strokes and let me and my friends have the bank to fish or go to the other side of the river and fish that run that definitely holds fish. I could of lived with a boat doing this but it happened at least with 8 guides maybe more.This was a big corporate trip and the main guide or outfitter scrambles to find guides, most of the time they grab who ever they can with a boat , and the weekend guides do it so they can call themselves a Bow River guide. The thing that bothers me about that day is that the guides could have educated all the newbies in their boats about river etiquette and what to do when you see bank anglers. No wonder why rafters float right by you on the weekend, if they have taken a guided fly fishing trip and the guide floats right through your water and tells them it is no big deal to get close to the bank fisherman, they don't mind it. The river that I loved to death has changed in a short ten years. Sometimes floating the river is like driving Deerfoot with the respect to other people. Mike.

That is it, I am done using oil and gas. I am converting my house to solar power for heat and power. I am going to ride my bike everywhere and sell my car. Good job Dutchie for doing your part already, hauling your jet boat that burns vegetable oil instead of gas with your Toyota Prius. Mike.

I am all for an association, the river itself would benefit from it, a group has a stronger voice than just one person. Question's I have are why do the guides want one? I think an association will take money out of the pockets of guides by making things legit. Insurance? How many guides on the river on July long weekend actually have insurance? If I die in the guides vehicle on the way from hotel to river because of the guides unsafe driving does he have liability insurance for that? If I die on the river from food poisoning from the guides prepared lunch does he have liability insurance for that? If I die from unsafe conditions on the river, such as floating river over 200m3s does he have liability insurance for that? If you guide for a fly shop the fly shop will tell you you are covered under their insurance. Why would they hire you as a sub contractor if you were covered under their insurance. Lets say I hire you as a guide through a fly shop and I fell overboard and died, my family tries to sue the fly shop for liability, I guarantee you the fly shop will say I hired Joe Blow to provide a safe guiding service and my family lawyer will come after you. Don't quote me on this but trying to get proper insurance to cover your ass is probably going to cost $5000.00 a year. Taxes? How many guides actually claim they make over 32k a year? How many guides actually claim any income? If people do get an association together good for you guys, I would love to see the people making a full time commitment to it become more successful and get rid of weekend guides. Just be careful what you wish for and try to leave the fly shops out of it, it is suppose to be a guide association not a fly shop association. Mike.

I am sitting 3 hours north of Fort Nelson right now reading this thread, I am one of the field people that did not finish high school, make 4 times as much as a teacher, have a drift boat, jet sled, quads, and dirt bikes, try to make it tarpon fishing twice a year and a nice place to live in Calgary close to the river. I am not bragging , I have been home for a grand total of seven days since October. I start my my day at 6:00 am and I am usually not finished until 9:00 at night, my girlfriend forgets what I look like I am sure, friends and family are distant phone call once every two weeks. I work hard for what I have and no one ever gave me a hand out. Everybody is missing the whole point about the royalty's. You should ask what your government is doing with the money they are receiving now. Mike.

don't count on Troutfitters to re-open, Gord at West Winds sells Simms products, Southland and Fairmont.

Was given a demo sharkskin line last year. Love it on the 5 wt floats super high resulting in an easier time picking more line off the water. The sound of it is awesome, it actually will help your casting just by listening to it, if you get your double haul timed perfect it is the sweetest sounds. Took an eight wt line salt water fishing this spring and took it off as soon as I got home. When I was a teenager I was a welders helper in the summer and got cut bad by a grinder once, having sharkskin slice my finger while a fish is doing 30 miles a hour feels the same way as the grinder did.