DonAndersen

Tungsten, I like the pontoon boat for it's ability to be moved readily while following fish. Not only that, but I can anchor and fish that way. Plus, of course, the fun I have drifting rivers that would sink a regular boat. While I've thought about a pram, we now have 5 boats for a 2 person household. Running out of places to store them. regards, Don

cheeler, Could do that - you bet - takes about 70 hours to make one rod @ 0.375" OD - wonder what I'd be doing the rest of my life @ 18"*2. When we did mag particles in my previous life, we always removed surface scale and paint. I didn't realize that it could be done "dirty". Don

Rusty, See edited #1 post. Don Cheeler, Mag particle tests or dyes work just fine if the paint is removed. The paint may have enough "stretch" to hide the crack. Don And thank God for cane rods. My rod, pressed against the seat back, when the frame broke kept the tube from rotating completely around. I'd suspect that a Sage would've been garbage.

jksnijders, Looks like a Conibear trap with the remains still in it. Is that what it is? Don

Folks, This is an ugly story and one you may become part of. Over the past 2 weeks, between 3 friends, we have now had 3 pontoon frames break. My boat frame had been previously broken and re-welded. The other boats were less than 3 years old. We are not weekend warriors. We use our boats a lot. All the frames were made of aluminum. My frame lasted the longest as it suffered generation one construction and was built heavier than the frames of today. In each case, the frames were held together with the back frame system. Some boats are not equipped with them and you will be in the water. The boat is impossible to row with the frame broken. We were lucky as we were wearing fins and had others to help us but for those that don't - WELL - it's gonna get ugly. So what do you do - check out the welds on the seat crossbars to the side frames. Look underneath. That is where the frame will start to crack. Aluminum doesn't rust - look for hair line cracks with a strong light. If cracks are found, you have minutes>hours till you too join the dump in the lake/river group. Even if cracks cannot be seen, that doesn't mean that they don't exist. You may still be @ risk. The boats were of various manufacturers none of which were Outcast boats. I replaced my frame with an Outcast steel frame. What we have done is go to steel frames on the 3 boats that failed. Steel bends letting you know that disaster is coming. Aluminum just dumps you W/O warning. regards, Don

Guys, The ACA has finally got a contract with a guy to work on the beaver problems on Stauffer. If you are aware of any, please send me the GPS coordinates available Via Goggle Earth and I'll past them along. Regards, Don

Thanx guys, For the help. My ancient Buck Bag Bronco frame finally well apart after 12 years and several hundred of days of use. The tubes were replaced some time ago. Bill @ the Fishin Hole was a great help in getting me back on the water. Leave Thursday for a week of fishing Need my boat bad. Would've ordered another Bucks if I could have got it here in time. catch ya' Don

Folks, Does anyone in Calgary sell Bucks Bag Pontoon Boats? Don

Maxwell, A hunting trip in the inner city. Is that like a hunting trip when city folks come into the bush. Ya know, shoot up the signs, rip up the green spaces, throw garbage everywhere all the while maintaining level of sobriety only seen @ 2:00 AM. on Electric Ave. I"M iN!!!! Seriously, shot me a email. We'll work something out. Don

Folks, Want a black squirrel hide c/w tail. Princess Island got a sack full. Cash available for a fresh one - no road kills please. Don

Steelhead, And he says"I think your cutting out the middle man who can make the better deals for you all and can carry you across the banana peels on a flying carpet." And Don replies: Well, in Ironside Pond case if which I raised the funds - the total $'s raised from the Govt of Alberta SRD was matched by the total $'s raised from Calgary folks - you guess it "0". The funds came from The County @ 18% , Alberta Lotteries Recreation Fund @18%, a number of Edmonton based groups 5%, several local groups @1% and the Alberta Conservation Association @ 18% followed by in kind contributions of 40%. Guess I kinda milked the locals. And Steelhead says "I must add, you will have to share the glory with many other contributing groups and not be greedy putting the TU name all over it like it was all them that did it. Something like that doesn't scare you all off, does it? And Don replies: The contribution groups were mentioned by name on the sign @ Ironside Pond. TU was only one of the names mentioned. Unfortunately, the sign was vandalized and removed. TU's total involvement in the project were the efforts of 2 members, no TUC or TUC employees took part. And Steelhead - if you have the time, we can share TUC horror stories some day. catch ya' Don

Neil, Nope - you wrong - what's with that - the attendance thing comment has to do with getting things that have nothing to do with Roundtables. Streamwatch, for example, never saw a Roundtable. Steelhead You're right baby steps it is. I've watched the fisheries both flowing and still degrade year after year in baby steps. The Quality Lake fishery policy was an attempt to get a few lakes back to what they were not that many years ago. We've already been informed that there will not be a review of the east slopes fishery for some time. So, I guess, what do you suggest we do now? And whoops - apologizes to one and all. When I said there was no Trophy Lake fisheries in the Province, Bull Trout in K Country never even came to mind. What I might have said is that there is no Trophy Lake Regulations. I guess, based on my born in Alberta bias, I see Bull trout as good grits much like Newfoundlanders see cod. catch ya' Don

Guys: Stuff in no particular order: * Attendance @ a Fisheries Roundtable has Dick Sh*t to do with doing things for any fishery. Sure it helps to modify/change/add to Fisheries Management Policies. But attendance is not a prerequisite for getting your butt in gear and your hands dirty. * Jim's idea of using Cochrane Lake is great. Go for it - look it over - see whether or not it can happen * Kerbe's Pond is south of Stettler. Was stocked for years - winter and summerkilled occasionally. The people in the area took it on - did the leg work, got the funding & got it done. A great example of local people taking responsiblity for making this happen. * To date, although Organizations have been asked, documentation provided and phone calls made - no money has issued forth from Calgary to support Quality Fisheries in the Rocky>Sundre area. Curiously, if the people from Calgary stayed home, the parking lots would be nearly vacant. * In fairness however, I've had the pleasure of working with two Calgary folks @ the test fishery that happens each year on Ironside and Fiesta. I got a email the other day that basically closes the door on any more Quality Lakes in the Rocky area. So to prevent the 37 boats @ one time on Beaver seen this past May long weekend or the 17 boats on Iron side experienced 2 years ago, we had best develop some other lakes. Gotta love the Govt. Got success - for God sake don't repeat it. What remains to be done: * Overhaul if possible the non-Quality Lakes in Alberta. Hell, some of them went from 14 lbs.>14" with chuckles and grins from the Biologists involved. Thank God he retired but his legacy lives on. * Find out who owns the dock thing @ Fiesta and get it fixed. regards, Don

Tee, Wish I could help. As Silver.. said - talk to collectors on Clarks Board [http://clarksclassicflyrodforum.yuku.com/]. The rod/reel may have more value based on previous ownership. But bear in mind that used long rods are generally much lower priced than rods <8' long. The reel - well - on that I really don't have a clue. Don

I'm gonna crack a beer - opening day was January 1 and no I don't ice fish - ice for for whiskey - poor whiskey - not for fishing through. Don

MissinTheBow, I appreciate your comments BUT there are a number examples of folks that have done yeoman work to create opportunities for all to enjoy a better fishery. In no particular order: Kent Butterfield of Stettler - Kerbes Pond Tim Dostuch of Edmonton + the FESA team - Muir Lake Bloom of Medicine Hat - Bullshead Al Caldwell and Clive of the Lethbridge area - Police Outpost Plus in the Rocky Mountain Area, I will add Warren Taylor of Gull Lake who humors my silliness, gives moral support, provides equipment at no charge, gets pissed @ the speed of change and lastly is always "on call" to service the best interests of the fishery. The regional biologists and technicians of the SRD in the above areas + The ACA folks that place/remove the aeration equipment in some areas And lastly, I'd really like to add some Calgary folks to the above list but..... still looking!! catch ya' Don

Guys/Guys, Sundance's request for a reduced harvest on Bill Allen pond seemed to strike a cord amongst a lot of anglers. Some points you might like to consider: * Change Put and Take designation to Catch and Gobble - how 'bout that for a great ring - now you have 2 designations C&R - C&G * There is no trade off between those C&G Lakes and keeping people from breaking the law and keeping native stocks. Poachers are just that - Poachers. * The angling public spoke loud and clear on wanting more Quality Lake Fisheries - see: http://srd.alberta.ca/fishwildlife/fishing...ts_Sept2008.pdf *BUT you have to only look @ the SRD's site http://www.srd.alberta.ca/fishwildlife/fis...roundtable.aspx and read # 10 to know you've been BSed again. * Trophy lakes are not be to confused with Quality Lakes. To this point there are NO TROPHY LAKES IN ALBERTA * Quality lakes by the definition provided by SRD require 10% of the fish to exceed 50 cms. within 4 years. Beaver Lake & Bullshead Lake may have qualified as Quality Fisheries but are unlikely to qualify now. Police & Muir, with the overstocking done, may never reach the !0% benchmark. The only lake that might be close to the Quality Policy is Ironside Pond which is curiously a C&R regulation. * There is one proposed lakes close to either Edmonton or Calgary. Where in the h*ll is Calgary Ring Road Pond? And I could go on and on - but what's the point. Till we kick life into the Quality Lake Policy, we get what we get. After all, if we didn't like it like this we'd get off our butts and do something. catch ya' Don

Guys, The layout and wording of the sign should reflect the intended audience. Notice there are large words except for PowerBait. Don

Jayvee, Here is a picture of a sign that I got built and a friend and I installed @ Ironside Pond. We got 4 signs built - 2 for Ironside and 2 for Beaver lake. One of them got pitched into Ironside. It was rescued and reinstalled. Took several visits to CO's to get the $'s right - they didn't want to tell me. Can't figure out why. Least it gives you some of the penalties. catch ya' Don

Guys/Gals, It is a little known fact that rodents like Muskrats and Beaver carry Swine flue. You must avoid these areas @ all cost. Just a friendly warning. catch ya' Don

But!!! Are not left handed folks right brain dominant whereas the reverse is also true. Don

But!!! Are not left handed folks right brain dominant whereas the reverse is also true. Don

bhurt, If you really want to do something for the fishery, deal with those that have large impacts on the fishery. I'd suspect that bears take few if any, hawks none, eagles very few BUT - give an irrigator a chance and he'll destroy 25 miles of river and the best part - you get to pay for it. Don And Taco - you're bang on. The Pelican thing all over again.

Keith, Bang on - the newest bumper sticker WHACK A QUADDER -SAVE AN OTTER!! Don

A Mexican guy + family, whose kid's school is closed due to the Swine Flu, hauls his kids to Canada for a visit. We let them in!! God, Please forgive us - 'cause we're stupid. Don