mikefromsundre

I agree I don't see it my future. Another area to watch is New Zealand. It seems like a lot of political ideas the last 20 years have filtered from there to here. I don't know why. I have seen it in education and health care ideas and the whole deficit reduction plan that Ralph takes credit for was a copy of work done in New Z and the ideas of NewZ author (don't remember the name).

What has this got to do with anything? Sask. has been Liberal, NDP and Conservative for decades. There is incredible white tail, duck and geese hunting. The northern lakes have been world famous for fly in fishing for 60 years. My grandfather was a huge ducks unlimited volunteer and duck hunter and had been a close friend of Tommy Douglas. Before you jump all over me you do not know how I vote -I tend to vote for the person. Myron Thompson my current MP is as conservetive as they come and is a personal friend of mine. So what does being liberal have to do with fishing and hunting? As to the concern of catch and release. A lot of this anti propaganda is being spread by PETA. Europeans have been quick to listen to the PETA garbage. European roots for the last 100-200 years has been urban not the rural background/history of Canada. Europeans left the crowded cities to come and farm here. I don't see a majority of Canadians being so quick to buy in. I am not sure a vast majority of Cdns. have totally bought into the "green" idea like Europeans. Case in point -head into the hills this weekend and watch what a huge number of people are doing to the west country. Cdns still have a pioneer/wild west mentality. They still think they need to tame the wilderness. I guided some Dutch fellas a few years back. 1 has since moved here. They/he told me then about the rumours of banning catch and release in Eurpope But they feel Canadians have different attitudes and could not see many of the things that are happening in Holland happening here (not just with regards to fishing). We have a lot of Dutch and German families who have left Europe and settled around Sundre because they are fed up with European politics.

Take care and speedy recovery Jim.

Have a young moose hanging around my place. Has a lot of blond patches all over it. It is also acting very crazy -running and kicking, rolling all over willow bushes. I am going to start to scare it away from the house area with some shot gun bangers. My question is -can moose recover from a serious tick attack or is it on death row? I have being trying to contact wildlife and keep leaving messages. Thanks.

Hey I wouldn't mind a picture. I've been at tying for years, but only recently trying out these huge bull torut flies. Thanks.

Good idea. Would love to help, but I teach out here in Sundre. I have done a similar thing with some junior high kids. They love the dead animal parts like a hare's mask and the cool names like woolly "bugger" and "Bitch" creek. Check with some of the shops. When I was doing my program Peter Smallman (Westwinds now) donated some materials and cheap vices as long as I promised to use the stuff for kids. Some of the guys at the shops like Fish Tales might also be interested in coming out to your class. I plan to retire soon. Doing demos at schools might be something I could travel around and do to occupy my winters. Good luck.

Hey any truth to the rumour that UFA has bought Wholesale Sports?

Decided to do some tying since I can't fish or even get the lawn tractor out this "beautiful" spring weekend. Attended Kelly Galloup's talk about streamers at the FF Show and since have read his book Modern Streamers for Trout. He really pushes the big streamers, especially articulated ones. He suggests from 2.5 to 3.75 inches. I think I got carried away. I used a 2/0 salmon hook and really let the rabbit strip on the top of a Gander stretch way back of the hook. When I measured the flies I had created I found they were 4+ inches. Is this too big? How long are some of your streamers, especially the ones you use for those big bulls? I am not going to shorten the ones I have tied, but will try them on some of those deep bull holes this summer. Stay warm guys...

Any flowing water with fish. Some great scenary helps make the day even if fishing is poor. I hate a lot of bush such as the Stauffer.

Wife uses the Korkers. She loves them. Hiking tread great for walking and then felts good for fishing. She does not have the studs. A bit of hassle carring the extra soles around. She carries a plastic bag, puts the sole not being used in her back pouch of her vest. She does not carry a lot of stuff so the extra weight does not bother her. I carry a lot of crap so it might bug me. I have always had boots with felts only, no studs. As long as keep the felts cleaned off I have never had any problems or need for studs. At my age I tend to be cautious where I wade and avoid places I might slip easily.

Totally agree. Fishing info is the main reason I have checked boards. I also appreciate the info given out by the shops, such as the Crowsnest Angler site.

Gotter done... thank you. Mike

Son gave this to me last week. Thought it would provide some humour to the on line stream disclosure debate. Mike

Help. It has been ages since I posted a photo. How do I go about doing it? Thanks for your help. Mike

My reply was about the thread -stream disclosure. My point was this board is only a small piece in a larger media disclosure of streams in AB. Magazines, videos, guides, shops, word of mouth are all contributing to promoting AB fishing. I remember hearing Ian Tyson talking with a small group at a little reception years ago. He was concerned that with his promotion of the cowboy way he was contributing to the distruction of the cowboy life by encouraging people to move to the western life. While people are being encouraged to come to AB to fish is that a bad thing? Remember the effort that guys like Don Anderson and Barry Mitchell have made on streams like Stauffer and getting regs changed? By doing so they have drawn attention to certain fishing spots and yet those spots are now better fisheries and are better protected. And can any one of us claim to have a secret spot? My comment about the golfing was just a joke. doctork bring your gear, but it had better be golf gear. The streams around here are still closed until April 1.

I don't think this site has the huge influence that is suggested. Out of the dozen or so guys I fish with around Sundre I am the only one who follows this site. I think the site is part of larger media promotion. Take a look how many magazines, videos and books are out there. Have you noticed how many articles are appearing in magazines promoting AB.? How many of you attended the fly show in Jan.? A lot of promotion going on there. I have a lot of respect for our fly shop owners, guides/writers. I have enjoyed reading their material, viewing their videos and web sites and chatting with them. But are they not promoting the h--- out of fishing AB.? And so should they -they would not be a successfull businessman if they did not. I think one of the biggest problems in increasing fishing pressure is the increased access roads and the increasing population of AB. If you have ever read some of Kevin van Tiegham's articles or chatted with Barry Mitchell you will hear what it used to be like to get into some of the foothill streams. All day hikes or vehicle smashing 4x4 roads. A lot of those same places now you can drive to with a car or tow an RV to. Honestly do any us of really believe we have a secret spot? Just when I think I have walked far enough I will see a footprint or some sign of garbage from earlier visitors. I think it was Wulff who said a stream without friends is a stream in danger. If my secret little stream has no one interested in it or fishing it who is to stop the gov't or industry from wrecking it. My solution is to promote the h--- out of the great golf courses we have around Sundre. My wife sells real estate anyone interested in a great RV lot at Coyote Ck Golf Course? I have also been known to tell great bear stories to strangers I meet on my "home" waters.

Hey what do I need to do to have photos show up? I was checking some topics in fly tying and there were no photos showing up. Mike

Photo looks like an albino. A few years back we saw a lot of moose that looked albino but were suffering from the ticks. Only way to be srue is true albino will have pink eyes. Tick infested will have dark eyes and upon clos examination will have dark patches and a lot of scratch marks. Had one die on my place. If I had not been worried about the ticks I would have harvested some hair for flies since it was really white. Would have made great bucktails.

Much better venue. The food was edible. Last year's burger was terrible. Buddies and I were interested in new waders and vests. It was nice to be able to wander around and see a huge selection of products in one location. We finally decided on Fishpond vests at Grey's booth only to discover they only had 2 for sale. So I had to come home and find one at Cabelas. But at least I had been able to try on a bunch and new whcih one I wanted without just looking at a photo on the net. Picked up a couple of prints from the lady from the west coast. The print with a man walking up a stream holding hands with his daughter grabbed me. It really reminded me of my daughter and myself. So I got one for each of us. Not often do I see a painting that really grabs me as something I recognize. Already looking forward to next year.

No sorry I did not feel you had hijacked the thread adc. Your comments about stream watch were very valuable. A thougth, will stream watch encourage the gov't to increase their CO or will they sit back and say see we don't need to do more (I don't know)? Don't get me wrong I thing the stream watch program is great -but I have seen it in schools were teachers will in for short falls from the boards (using personal vehicles for sports teams or buying there own art supplies) and then the boards do not seem to anxious to step in because the teachers are doing it. Ideas??? Mike

Neat idea shredneck.

Wow once in 30 years. compared to the rest of you guys what am I doing right or wrong?

Back to original thread idea. The key is enforcement. The laws governing off road vehicles are there. It is the law that you have to be licenced and wear a helmet. How many do? We have laws about crossing streams. But we do not have the man power to enforce. Ever driven QE2 or even the Deerfoot? We do have laws about speeding. We have laws against poaching -yet it happens all the time. There are laws about how long you can random camp. Enforcement of it is a nightmare. I understand you need a ministerial order to evict someone. I would like to see some sort of licence or permit system. I wouldn't mind paying a $100 a year that would give me a random camping permit. If the permit was large and displayed on the RV or at the site then records of who is camping where could be kept, especially on long weekends. I know there are trailer and vehicle plates, but if someone has to pay for a permit that must be visible some of the long weekend problems with the partiers might decrease. But again it comes down to enforcement. At least when officers go into a big mess and there are no permits they would have grounds for eviction and with a permit they could keep records of infractions for future reference.

once in 30 years. I was in still in my truck beside the N Ram when the CO came up to chat He was in the area because elk season was opening. As a second thought before he left he asked to see my licence. I have been survived by the young people on streams like the Crow and Blackstone but never asked for my licence.

I love the Livingst. It is were I have taught my kids, wife and friends to fly fish. I worry it is being abused. I hate seeing the garbage, which seems to have increased last year after Mclean was closed down. I hate seeing 4x4s crossing streams and tearing the hills up. I hate oil companies (oops am I allowed to hate them in AB.?) that have no regard for the environ and their only concern is profit. However - I random camp, have a quad, used to work for big oil, fly fish (which by the way to some people is the same a torturing an animal), hunt and drive a gas guzzling 1/2 ton. Last summer I spent 1 week random camping beside the Livingst. I love getting up early in morn. to sit by a stream or sit until it is very dark at night and my back is chilled. I also camped in Dutch Ck., Goldeye Lk. and campgrounds in Banff. I used my quad on the seimic lines along the SRam, not in or on the water and I walked miles along the Big Horn which just about killed my knees that really need surgery. I have volunteered my time with groups such as TU and DU. I agree some new laws and regulations and more importantly enforcement needs to occur to protect what we have. There is no question about it. But what continues to upset me is the contiued stereotyping that occurs -all random campers are polluters and need to be banned; all quad/dirt bikers are irresponsible and only out to tear up the country. I dislike the suggestion that random campers are all sitting there in their huge RVs. I now have an 18' trailer after years of tents, tent trailers and 1976 Holidaire trailer and yes I have carried my camp on my back for week long back packing trips. Stereotyping and pointing fingers usually gets nowhere. I guess I could take it further and from a non oiler workers perspective all oil people are over paid underworked jerks willing to drill anywhere (you do not want to know what my neighbors think when the landman comes driving up the lane in his fancy, huge SUV wanting to run another seismic line across our land) or all fly fisherman are snobs that want exclusive fishng rights for themselves. I realize this is not true since I have been or am a part of both groups. We need better rules as I have already said. The reality though is this province is big with a lot people with different interests and beliefs and most posters here are just one side of a discussion that needs to occur. Compromises can work. I was involved in a tiny way in the development of K country. The attempt was made to accomodate all interests. Golf course, ski hill, xc skiing, back country hiking, horse trails, quad area, hunting and wildlife perserves. I am not sure it totally works. An attempt was made to allow all users in. Come on guys lets talk solutions and stop stereotyping. After all can any of his really sit back smuggly and say we have not been part of a problem somewhere, such as speeding on hiway 2 or catch and releasing huge numbers of cutts, when studies suggest that does cause a lot of the lip damage we are seeing. Mike