DonAndersen

Going Sunday. Looking for a plastic rod to load my outboard motor. Them spey thingies any good? Don

Guys, For those with a short life span in Alberta, When I was a kid every forest officer, truck driver or grader operator working for Forestry could and would issue you a ticket for breaking most any kind of law. Things have changed. I've heard that we are now down to about 60 or so F&W Enforcement types most of which reside in cities and concern themselves with lost dicky birds, exotic wildlife and the like. So what to do - well the East Slope Angling Regulations helped some. That added some protection but the other 90% of the equation was enforcement or education. OK - Now what? the Fish and Gamers taught us a lesson. They've been asking for more enforcement for 30 years and the trend has gone down. So if the Gov't won't do it directly, perhaps a private/public partnership would work. Get the money and hope the Govt kicks in. Well Streamwatch in Central Alberta did just that. The Streamwatch folks fund about 50% of with the Govt kicking in some $'s + inkind contributions trucks etc. Of course, there were concerns that the Streamwatch person would become a glorified secretary or get caught up in dicky birds or playing with tourists. To this point, such fears have been unfounded. Ceertainly there have been occasions where Streamwatch folks were used for other than OHV and fishing infractions but by in large, they have kept their noses pointed firmly in the direction of what is important to our fisherries. As far as Govt doing it alone. Forget it. Taint important!! Thirty years of F&Gers' pounding their heads against a wall taught us that. Now if we could just get F&Ger's to recognize their plan hasn't worked and help Streamwatch along, things would/could be a tad better. I know in meetings with Govt that they are reluctant to give up the reins on anything where they have responsibility but on the other hand don't have the resources to do the job and further rarely want the private sector to do the work for them. A Catch 22 if I ever saw one. catch ya' Don

Guys, I got a note from the ACA director about the survey responses. He said in his note that he would be communicating with all. Please use the contact info from http://www.ab-conservation.com/contact/contact.asp to get the survey results. catch ya' Don

The ACA conducted s survey of a number of Stakeholders on the hows and why's of how they are doing their jobs. About 38 of all the folks who hunt and fish or exploit the outdoor resources in Alberta responded. There is a bout 250,000 anglers alone. Curiously, Calgarians are noted for their absence. The survey in a number of areas was not positive. For the full results of the survey, contact the ACA. Below is a list of the member association/affiliations that contributed to the survey. Alberta Sportfishing Marketing Consortium Trout Unlimited Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited Federation of Alberta Naturalists Alberta Trappers Association Alberta Professional Outfitters Society Non-affiliated hunter/angler Pheasants Forever Alberta Council SRD LFGA Icefield Helicopter Tours Fishing/Guide AFGA ACA Board Outdoor Writers of Canada Edmonton Trout Fishing Club catch ya' Don

ADC, Don Andersen can't take any credit for Streamwatch. Other than BSing about the issue and putting some $'s into it, it was Barry's thing and a good thing to!! catch ya' Don

Neil, Who pissed in your cornflakes? Clearly, there is a lot of things where Neil is short on facts but what else in new? Can't stop a good story. 1] The DFO was involved in a bridge installation on the Main Ram. A environmental group [ Friends of the West Country] were concerned about the increased silt load to the Ram. Martha, like a lot of others that give a crap about Alberta, were members. The DFO was the "only bunch in town" with the balls to buck the Provinces direction. [ Most of the members of Friends were not fishermen and were protecting the Ram for FFers like Neil and of course damn few of the members were outta the city] 2] The DFO was in Alberta big time as a result of a Federal Judge finding during the Oldman River hearings finding that Alberta failed big time in a host of ways culminating in Alberta not getting a permit to construct the Oldman Dam. So the Judge ordered the DFO>Alberta to train the Dam Builders amongst others. 3] The DFO has now withdrawn 'cause the Province is holding hands with the Feds. Curiously, a DFO withdrawal is seen by most PCer's as a good thing. Can't but wonder why after looking @ what the PCer's under Ralphie got to do in Ft. Mc. 4] DFO is heading east 'cause Harper wants it that way. Can't have the DFO meddling in the water around Ft. Mc. Got to rip up an area the size of Florida and don't need any Feds looking over things. And Neil, Missed seeing you over the weekend @ the Northern Lites/TU Edmonton Fundraising FF show. Figured we might arm wrestle some the the fisheries issues to the ground. Was a good deal. Curious how Edmonton organizations can do it and Calgary can't. catch ya' Don

Pythagoras, If you are going to use toothpaste that the cream colored one rather than the gel. The cream colored one contains diatomaceous earth [essentially ground up sea shells] that work as an abrasive. The cream toothpaste works for all kinds of things. Polishing hard plastic parts, buffing windshields [i've heard] and shining cane rods. catch ya' Don

Guys, I've had a hard time resolving in my own mind what should be done. Protection could mean that I can't fish. No protection perhaps means no west slopes. What to do? Finally considered my grandkids. Then it became really clear. If we managed this province for our grandkids instead of the next 1/4 earnings, perhaps a lot of really stupid decisions wouldn't have been taken. I'm for protection perhaps @ the loss of my own fishing opportunities. catch ya' Don

Jones, Naw, its caused by wading wet on the lower Bow. Don

bigboytrout, Don never goes for a beer in Calgay. You can't tell the bent from the straight bars. Have heard that the "boys" all wear high heels or is that just @ Stampede time. And Jones - neat stuff - may explain what I've seen. catch ya' Don

Folks, I fish a lot of stillwaters - some in southern Alberta. Been watching damsels flit here and there with some of them getting it "on". Now there is brown ones and blue ones. Now the browns are females and the blues are males. How come a lot of blues are attached to the blues rather than the browns. Gotta be the Brokeback Mountain effect. You generally see this from Calgay south. Scary place!! Don

Glenbow, Try writing your MLA. Contacts are @ http://www.gov.ab.ca/home/mla_contacts.cfm Make sure you CC Morton. No point in writing to F&W. Consult plumbers on which way the stuff flows. Don

Guys, You get what you pay for. If you pay nothing, you get nothing. One thing I know about the PCers - nothing has value unless it can be sold. F&W thinks that the fishing is worth what you pay, so the PCers see it as low priority. If the license fee rose by several hundred %, perhaps the priorities would change. Till then - forget it. As far as different licence fees to fish flowing vs stillwaters. Stillwater trout costs about #.80 each. Flowing water costs nothing to raise fish [assuming decent management, land use and enforcement]. catch ya' Don

Wedding anniversary. Like a stupid dumb kid, I got married on June 12. Right smack in the middle of both the green and brown drake hatches. Took years to get it moved to February. catch ya' Don

Folks, I was asked to pass this along to all the folks who might be interested. The first section is the orginal email. The "highlighted" section is the Govt's take on the issue. Bear in mind that in some states, removal of the introduced species has occurred to protect the cuts. The cuts are in the Oldman & Bow drainages. Excerpt from Cdn. Fisheries and Oceans web site: What does it mean when a species or population is added to the SARA List? The amount of protection the SARA provides depends on the assessed category. It is an offence to kill, harm, harass, possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual of an Extirpated, Endangered and Threatened species. It is also illegal under the Act to damage or destroy the residences of Endangered and Threatened species, or for Extirpated species if a recovery strategy has recommended the introduction of the species into the wild in Canada. I recognise that fishing in a "species @ risk" area could be seen as harassment. Certainly would curtail high elevation mining, oil/gas exploration, cattle grazing, wading, quad operation etc. regards, Don Happy 2008! This message is sent to you as an invitation to participate in a Canada-wide fish conservation consultation process, launched by Canada Fisheries and Oceans. The purpose of this consultation is to obtain public input to the proposed inclusion of the following species in the listing of species under the Canada Species at Risk Act (SARA), Schedule 1: * redside dace * lake sturgeon * westslope cutthroat trout * Eastern pondmussel * Northern brook lamprey The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has posted 5 consultation workbooks on the SARA Public Registry for these species. These workbooks provide background information along with a questionnaire and comments form that can be completed and returned to DFO via postal service or email. As valued members of Alberta’s fisheries management and conservation community, all members of the Alberta Fisheries Management Round Table are encouraged to share their views with Fisheries and Oceans. Please take advantage of this opportunity. You are also encouraged to share this message within the organizations you represent. Consultations on these proposed SARA listings will take place until April 25, 2008. The consultation workbooks and related information can be found at: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm Regards, David Park, M. Sc. Fisheries Biologist Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Fisheries Management Edmonton phone:1.780.427-8347 fax: 1.780.422-9559 http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fishwildlife/status/pdf/WCTR.pdf

snakeman et al, Hope this is not an urban legend. Would be great if folks like this existed For sex offenders - just double it over and whale on the center with a Louisville Slugger till flat. For poachers: 3 meals each day and every day of salt cod till they die. catch ya' Don

DEPORT HER TO CANADA The Rambo Granny of Melbourne , Australia Gun-toting granny Ava Estelle, 81, was so ticked-off when two thugs raped her 18-year-old granddaughter that she tracked the unsuspecting ex-cons down - - and shot off their testicles. The old lady spent a week hunting these men down -- and when she found them, she took revenge on them in her own special way, said Melbourne police investigator Evan Delp. Then she took a taxi to the nearest police station, laid the gun on the sergeant's desk and told him as calm as could be: 'Those bastards will never rape anybody again, by God.' Cops say convicted rapist and robber Davis Furth , 33, lost both his penis and his testicles when outraged Ava opened fire with a 9-mm pistol in the hotel room where he and former prison cell mate Stanley Thomas, 29, were holed up. The wrinkled avenger also blew Thomas' testicles to kingdom come, but doctors managed to save his mangled penis, police said. The one guy, Thomas, didn't lose his manhood, but the doctor I talked to said he won't be using it the way he used to, Detective Delp told reporters. Both men are still in pretty bad shape, but I think they're just happy to be alive after what they've been through. The Rambo Granny swung into action August 21 after her granddaughter Debbie was carjacked and raped in broad daylight by two knife-wielding creeps in a section of town bordering on skid row. 'When I saw the look on my Debbie's face that night in the hospital, I decided I was going to go out and get those bastards myself 'cause I figured the Law would go easy on them,' recalled the retired library worker. 'And I wasn't scared of them, either-- because I've got me a gun and I've been shooting' all my life. And I wasn't dumb enough to turn it in when the law changed about owning one' So, using a police artist's sketch of the suspects and Debbie's description of the sickos', tough-as-nails, Ava spent seven days prowling the wino-infested neighborhood where the crime took place till she spotted the ill fated rapists entering their flophouse hotel. I knew it was them the minute I saw 'em, but I shot a picture of 'em anyway and took it back to Debbie and she said sure as hell, it was them, the oldster recalled. < B>So I went back to that hotel and found their room and knocked on the door and the minute the big one, , opened the door, I shot 'em right square between the legs, right where it would really hurt 'em most, you know. Then I went in and shot the other one as he backed up pleading to me to spare him. Then I went down to the police station and turned myself in. Now, baffled lawmen are trying to figure out exactly how to deal with the vigilante granny. What she did was wrong, and she broke the law, but it is difficult to throw an 81-year-old woman in prison, Det. Delp said, especially when 3 million people in the city want to nominate her for Mayor. DEPORT HER TO CANADA--- WE NEED HER!

I'm with ADC on this knot. Used an improved clinch for years. Worked OK on stream fish that are generally small but on big honking lake fish it just didn't cut it. After using the loop knot for 2 years and landing some decent fish with only ONE break off - I'm sold. See: http://www.fishing-khaolak.com/knots/leftys_loop.html catch ya' Don

Hydropsyche, Decent rods varied about a five times multiple. The lower priced rods were about $10.00 whereas the top of the line were $40. Things haven't changed much now - TF @ $250>Sage near $1000. Sage Launch about $175>TRC @ $750 The cost of parts is one big issue. A good guide is $1.45 ea. A poor guide $0.10 with a decent quality about $.39. Good corks $1/ring > scabby corks $0.10/ring. Reel seats from $4>100. The cost of constructing a graphite blank is about the same for parts. Labor - well depends where you shop. From a 1949 Wright & McGill Co. catalogue comes: Granger Registered @ $100 Granger Premier @ 75 Granger Deluxe @ $60 Granger Favorite @ $50 Granger Aristocrat @ $40 Granger Special @ $30 Granger Victory @ 25 Granger Stream and Lake @ $20 All the above Granger appeared to be similar except for the Victory & Lake/Stream Model that used a fiber rod tube rather than Aluminum. regards, Don

Boo rod - made in China - don't lick the finish - may contain lead. Cost of parts for a decent bamboo rod runs me about $250.00 Cabella's markup about 40% of $549 is $220.00 leaving $329 for manufacturer. 329-250= $ 79 for labor. Time it takes me to build a rod <> 70 hours. Wage is about $1.00/hr. Hell, I can compete!!! catch ya' Don And I get a real chuckle outta the comments about bamboo rods. You cast one - you cast them all. Ya' right. Drove a truck once - guess I drove them all.

Smitty, My favorite is Glenmoranie. Don

Guys, This is what midge pupa look like. catch ya' Don

Thought I might take a shot. Hook - TMC 2457 # 16>20 Body - Embrodery thread - one strand - wrapped with 0.010 copper wire Head - 1 strand of lousy peacock herl loop wrapped. Thread - Danvilles 6/0 Notes: 1] Embroderiey thread is multi strand - use only one strand - color is DMC 25 2] Right picture is the same bug wet. Notice how it darkens to look like the millions of midges catch ya' Don

Glenbow, I'll pass. Can't afford the insurance. Don

Clive, Email sent on 4 possible locations south of Pincher. Don