DonAndersen

headscan, Take a pair of beach shoes [ thongs] available in your favorite big box store @ <$1.00 and a leather punch. Punch the shoes with the leather punch. You get a whole set of eyes - like several thousand from every shoe. They weight little and can be colored with paints or markers. The best past - beach shoes are available in thousands of obnoxious colors. I use the "punched" out eyes for dragon fly nymphs, damsel fly nymphs, Clouser type of streamers. Don

knotman, Got both Force Fins and Scuba Fins. The scuba fins are used nearly all the time because: 1] They take seconds to put on. 2] They transmit all the energy from the foot to the fin 3] They take less energy to push me around 4] They allow turns a lot more readily 5] They cost less now - although mine were bought in 1978 and cost $140 @ that time - good fins can now be purchased <$100 6] Some scuba fins float - Force Fins sink. I've got the adjustable Force Fin type and it takes me upwards of 5 minutes to put on each fin. I'm sure that it would take less time if you used boot - I don't - I use stocking foot waders to get enough insulation for cold water fishing. Even after tightening and tightening and pissing around with the fins, each movement still takes about 15 degrees fo foot movement before the strap grabs ahold and the fin actually moves. A huge waste of energy. And I spend about 100+ days in a pontoon boat a year. And finally - if you get scuba fins, make sure you get the ones with the plastic inserts in them. The plastic inserts allow both boots and stocking foot waders to be used. Browning did build them - sold about $50.00 catch ya' Don

How about we look @ the fish on how hard they are to catch on dries. In my experience from toughest to easy it goes: Suckers Whitefish Brookies Browns Rainbows Cuts. So why don't we target the ones that really get our thinking caps on - but no we get all excited about the easiest fish in town. Go figure!!! And worse than that - some of us brag about it. catch ya' Don

Come on guys!!! The Bow River - ya' know that little stream that collects Calgary's sewage has had paid access for years. If I recall correctly, it was started by Peter Chenyeh[sp] who started to pay landowners to keep the common folks outta the access on private land - worked too. His plan closed nearly all the access I used for years unless I was willing to pay upwards of $250/yr. for the privilege. Of course, Chenyeh's legacy is still with us although he headed to BC to rape new waters for his paid clients. There has been reports of paid access by other guides on other waters. Further, you think this is bad, some hunting guides have done this for years. Alberta, by no stretch of imagination, is a virgin when it come to paid access. And God help us if this applied to Lease Land. catch ya' Don

Guys/Gals, TimSmith mentioned the lake level issue. The lake maintained the same level for some years till a beaver dam @ the lake outlet finally failed. This was prior to or just @ the point when the perch were stocked. SRD plowed money into steel panels and got the lake level stabilized to prior levels. With or w/o level stabilization, Cow Lake was doomed as a trophy lake fishery after the perch arrived. The perch ate everything. Cow Lake is one weird lake. It doesn't perform from the winterkill angle as do a lot of others. Do to the fact it's shallow, the increased sun angle in February causes the plant life to start to grow and the 02 levels to rise. This is contrary to most lake environments. Typically 02 levels drop starting in fall in most lakes and don't rebound till ice off. regards all, Don

Castuserraticus, You're right only if you consider man part of nature. After all, he's packed rainbows/brown/brooks to Alberta. No - make that all over the place. What we're seeing now is a continuation of man packing stuff. As far as other natural forces packing perch. Gotta wonder about that. About 20,000 years since the last ice age. For about 19,975 years, perch never moved a whole lot. For the past 40 years they started to arrive everywhere. Wonder if perch are taken to hiking? As far as rotenone - the native Indians in south America used it to stun fish so that they could gather and eat them. And here is some info on rotenone. Q. What is rotenone? A. Rotenone is a naturally occurring substance derived from the roots of tropical plants in the bean family Leguminosae including jewel vine Derris spp. and lacepod Lonchocarpus spp. Rotenone is very insoluble in water, and other materials can be added to disperse it throughout the water column in deep lakes and flowing waters. Rotenone is used either as a powder from ground-up plant roots (e.g., Pro-Noxfish®) or extracted from the roots and formulated as a liquid (e.g., Nusyn-Noxfish® and Noxfish®). The liquid formulations contain dispersants and emulsifiers (primarily naphthalene, methylnaphthalenes, and xylenes) that add little, if any, toxicity but disperse the rotenone throughout the water. Q. How does rotenone work? A. Rotenone does not suffocate fish or interfere with the uptake of oxygen in the blood as was long believed. Instead, it inhibits a biochemical process at the cellular level making it impossible for fish to use the oxygen absorbed in the blood and needed in the release of energy during respiration (Oberg 1967a, 1967b). Q. Why is rotenone used in fish management? A. Use of rotenone enables fisheries managers to eradicate entire populations and communities of fishes with minimum impact to nontarget wildlife. Following treatment, the desired population of fish is then reestablished n the water body. Although other approaches are useful as control measures, these are only partially effective in eradicating fish. Use of rotenone is the only sampling method that allows for an accurate estimation of standing crop (biomass of a population) of diverse fishes in large water bodies. Q. Is rotenone a selective pesticide? A. Although rotenone has some toxicity to all oxygen-breathing animals, it is selective to fish and other gill-breathing organisms at the concentrations used by fish biologists. In general, most common aquatic invertebrates are less sensitive than fish to rotenone. Some of the zooplankton (cladocerans and copepods) are equally sensitive; however, these do have life history stages that can survive the treatment. Snails and clams are quite tolerant.

tallieho, The lower and left fly box are Springbok. The right one was given to me - no name brand. The no name brand is better fro putting in and taking out the bugs. I am using it for the <size 16 chironomids lethfisher, Fish lakes about 80>100 days a year. Fish BC, AB and Sask. Chironomids vary from place to place depending on water quality and time of year. Carry about 600>1000 with me all the time. About 6 of each size & color. You know the old story - 2 to use, 2 to lose and 2 to give away. Don

Smitty, Proposed the same thing to SRD after Cow was "perched". Suggested that the lake limit would be a pickup or boat load and you couldn't go home till they were full. I'd like to treat perch as rodents - you know like rats - kill 'em all except for lakes with pike populations. The reason that there will not be a limit on perch after they are illegally stocked was to prevent the person who did it from benefiting from the crime. catch ya' Don

wtforward, The last lake that was "perched" in this area was Twin Lakes 5 miles NW of Rocky. It's a provincial Rec. Area c/w 20+ camping spots, a herd of users every day spring to fall. The only way it would be busier would be to have more canoeing businesses hogging the boat launch. There has/have/will be more lakes managed as Quality Fisheries all over Alberta. The last one added to the list was Fiesta Lake south of Caroline, Alberta. The lakes selected for Quality Regulations except for Police Outpost are all low 02 lakes where shutting off the aeration system effectively kills the fish. Neat solution to a bunch of jerks that insist on destroying fisheries. The lakes in the Rocky Area are @ the apex of a triangle where there is a million people plus to the NE, a million plus to the SE and another 1/4 million straight east. All within 2 hours. This is not my area - it's all of ours. Brunsie, Rotenone is effective only if you pay attention to all the waters that could be effected. The last time Twin Lake was killed, both the north and south lakes of Twin Lake were treated. It's a learning thing. catch ya' all, Don

Folks, Perch are an issue in many waters that held decent trout. In Central Alberta 6 lakes are now effected. The loss of Cow Lake meant that 10>18 lb. trout are no longer available. The problem is getting worse not better, More lakes are being stocked all the time. If you care about what you've lost and the Govt actions, read the backgrounder here and fill out the survey. http://www.mywildalberta.com/Fishing/Stock...antedPerch.aspx regards, Don

See what a rant gets ya'. Rick points out that we are still using keyboards. Well. they were invented in about 1830 to interface with computers today. When things work and fit humans , why change. Rick points out that the manufacturer's are trying to hit a design criteria. I'm not sure about this as several of the companies have a number of designs - none of them designed for slim flies having slightly wider slot. Looks like the design criteria was how much could be jammed in a given space. KnottyGirl points out that she has no trouble and is now added to my "interview for a caregiver list". thefisherking says that he picked up a magnetic box @ the show. What he seems unaware off is that magnetism is the basis for all fish directional finding. Magnetic boxes magnetise flies and cause them to be rejected by fish all over the world. And lastly Dube points out life is good and he's right - We still have a functioning Govt w/o an election. My retirement investments are on about par with last years value. Wife's not pregnant and now has another job. And it's only about 2 days till I go fishing again. Now if I could just figure out why the apex of the butt strips won't run turn - life would be real good. catch ya' Don

headscan, Thought about that but then you loose 50% of the capacity. Wouldn't it be a lot simpler to just build the things right the first time. Talked to the Sci-Ang rep about issue - he told me that the boxes were designed by a Texan. Go figure!! Here I thought they were designed by the "little people". Mind you, heard a rumor that Gates is now looking for breeding stock with little tiny fingers. That way, the crap that is built will be useful to someone. Looked around and found some little people. Don

The same knot heads that designed the Blackberry/cell phones/ Ipods. How in god's Green Earth does some of these knot heads think that we have fingers 1/8" round. I picked up 2 fly boxes that are pictured on the Fly Tying section. Yes, they hold flies - lots of flies but if the stupid designers would realize that you have to design considering that our fingers, you'd make the number of slots about 30% fewer. Then we could get to them w/o using tweezers. Looked over the fly boxes @ the Expo - yup - every outfit employees the same knot heads. End of rant!!! See what February does to me!!! Don

maxwell, Ya - enjoyed seeing you as well and casting some plastic poles. As far as chironomids - I fish them naked a lot of the time. Use bobbers when I have to. Been using bobbers for nymphing for 35 years or so. I haven't much use for a spey rod. I can't cast much over 50' with a decent tail wind. catch ya' Don

Guys/Gals, Health Question and Answer Session Another way of looking at life, food and diet and everything nice. Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true? A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it. Don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap. Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables? A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn, and what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products. Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake? A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine. That means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up! Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio? A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc. Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program? A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good! Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you? A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you? Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle? A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach. Q: Is chocolate bad for me? A: Are you crazy? HELLO ...... Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel good food around! Q: Is swimming good for your figure? A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me. Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle? A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets. And for Beer!!! A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers." WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not. As for Wine!!! Water and Wine Education It has been scientifically proven that if we drink 1 litre of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria found in faeces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of Poo. However, we do not run that risk when drinking wine (or rum, whiskey, beer or other liquors) because alcohol has to go through a distillation process of boiling, filtering and fermenting. WATER = Poo WINE = HEALTH Free yourself of Poo, drink WINE!!! It is better to drink wine and talk sh!t than to drink water and be full of sh!t. There is no need to thank me for this valuable information, I am doing it as a public service.

Rob, Haven't tried many clear beads. Usually use white - mostly plastic or glass. Metal beads fall too fast for the way I like to fish the fly. The gray body c/w black rib either with a vinyl or Hard as Nails over-coat seems to work best of the bunch although each of them shown have had their days. catch ya' Don

Monger, The TMC 2488H looks like the Mustad Have some of the C67S hooks and have used them. Not sure that the hooking rate is all that good. catch ya' Don

Din, I use Mustad Signature Hooks for nearly all my tying now. I'm fortunate to get to fish some of the big fish water here and there and the Signature Series is about as tough as it gets. For Dries I use the R50 and I hoping to find some R 50X hooks that are made barbless c/w a 30 % longer hook point. For stillwater flies including Boatman, Swimmers, Leeches, Chironomids and Bloodworms I use one of the hook styles below. C 49S - best fish landed on this hook was a 8+ lb. rainbow on a size 16 boatman C53S- I use this one for bloodworms C068 - tougher than snail *hit. Landed a 6+ lb. trip. on a size 18 last summer You want 'em tough -get Mustad. The only hook other than these I'd consider is the Tiemco #2457. catch ya' Don

Just about done chironomids - got only another 500 slots open. Don

And this is the last one for a while - gotta do some rod work. This one's overbody is Stretch Magic 0.5mm Bead and Jewelry Cord in clear [ try your local Craft Shop for a supply - failing that, swallow your distaste and head to Michaels]. The underbody is 4 strands of Bronze colored Flashabou. Gills are Stillwaters Gill Yarn, head is herl. Hook is a Mustad C49S size 10. Don

And some more: This one is a gray thread body c/w black thread rib + 1 coat of Loctite + 4 coats of Hard and Nails. Both have a black thread body c/w red Flashabou Accent c/w 1 coat of Loctite + 5 coats of Hard as Nails. With and w/o bead. The black thread body seems to have more depth. Camera really doesn't show it well. catch ya' Don

Clive, Hard as nails suffers the same fate as brushable Loctite super glue - takes many coats to get any depth. I generally use 3>5 coats of Sally's stuff to get the effect I'm looking for. 'course - your mileage may vary. Brunsie, 1] beat up granny and steal her vinyl 2] got the last piece @ the Coop in Rocky - used for table cloth protector Inconnu, The opaque stuff is cereal box liners. Typically vinyl is clear. catch ya' Don

Golfman09, To get vinyl you have to be old enough to remember Grannie's Doilies and their vinyl coverings. This is the vinyl to use. Cut it into strips using a straight ruler, sheet of glass and sharp knife. I use a Olfa rolling blade knife. catch ya' Don

Here is the last 3 pictures of today's experiment. The over-body in this case was anti-static bag material. Thread body was Danville's 6/0, rib was Monocord 3/0 in black, the head was herl, the gills Arizona Diamond Braid Pearl Blue color. Hooks are Mustad C 49S size 10. Anti-Static Bag gray body yellow body brown body Depending on the look you want, each of the materials is very different. The vinyl shows the colors well, the cereal box liner which is opaque, mutes the colors somewhat where as the anti-static bag virtually buries the colors. Darker colors under the anti-static bag would be >black. Now back to something useful - like building rods. catch ya' Don

Stillwater guys, Here are some 6 shots of the same chironomid. Only the body color is varied. The covering in the first 3 shots is vinyl, the next 3 use cereal box liner. The body is each case was Danville's 6/0, the rib was Monocord 3/0, head is herl, gills are Arizona Diamond Braid Pearl Blue color. Hooks used for the first 3 pictures are cruddy Talon stuff size 12. The next 3 pictures use Mustad C49S size 10. Vinyl Over-body Cereal Box Liner More to come!!! Don