DonAndersen
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Posts posted by DonAndersen
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fisher26,
There are 2 more things to consider:
1] nutrient load - there are many springs near the mountains that provide increased nutrient load - hence more bugs and larger fish. The lower Oldman has few of these springs whereas there are several located in Daisy, Vicary and Racehorse that provide higher water quality. Of course, springs are not the only answer. Sometimes it's sewage. Look @ the Crow & Bow.
2] Catch & keep vs C&R. Big ones are dead where folks can get to or where the regulations are poor.
catch ya'
Don
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fishhead,
Which shop are you talking about? Frenchies, Simpson & Lee or the combination Fly/Ski shop that was on 17th Ave just west of 14 street. Don't recall Russell's first location - the only one I recall was on 4th St. about 11 Ave. Or maybe Woodwards where I got my first Cortland 333 for 1.5 days pay in 1964.
Do recall when I got the first Country Pleasures catalogue. Wasn't sure what it was so I opened it in the basement away from prying eyes. Was surprised by the content. Was hoping for better.
catch ya'
Don
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Fisher..
You might want to add a Cluster F**K in 14>20, several BWO's tied Marinaro style in 20>26, several "Wee Brown Things" [a right decent BWO emerger pattern that you won't find on the interent] in 18>20. Plus several simple caddis emergers in #14>16. Plus what the others said.
catch ya'
Don
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Din,
The web wing flies tend to fall onto their side. Trim the hackle flat with the bottom. They hook and land on thier bellys.
I tie a similar bug using Elk hock hair.
Don
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Weedy1,
Got ya' beat. I also was born in Calgary. Only lasted 6 days till the "smarts" kicked in. Mind you, I was raised @ Turner Valley. Close enough that you could see the "glow" from Calgary on a winters night. Did some of our shopping in Calgary.
Curiously, I got brainwashed by the Calgary/Edmonton thing. Lasted till both of my kids went to the U of A. Then I realized how bad I'd been taken. There are a lot of good folks from/in/around Edmonton. The same used to be said about Calgary about 500,00 people ago.
Used to hunt pheasants & Huns where McKenzie Town is now and whitetails along the river breaks and ducks & geese along the river. Guess that's gone too.
And for whoever said Edmonton was a blue collar town. Funny you should mention that. Was asking some folks from Edmonton about their success with outdoor related organizations. One person told me that Edmonton folks were blue collar and doers. He thought that Calgarians might be so used to "buying things" that doing wasn't an option. He may be right after watching TU Calgary's efforts to say nothing of the F&G club and the underwhelming support that clubs like Hook and Hackle provide.
Now lets beat up Toronto.
catch ya'
Don
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Trailhead,
They already target C. Alberta. OH, the joys of living @ the apex of a triangle with a million to the north, a million to the south and a 1/2 million between of which a goodly portion arrive every long weekend to PARTY!!!
The locals camp out in their basements till the action is over.
catch ya'
Don
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CO's - you have to be careful here. During Ralphies gut and chop @ Govt a number of CO's ended up in other depts. The CO's in parks for example.
OK - here goes the numbers as best as I can recall - Sundre maybe up to 2 now - were @ one for some time. Rocky usually had 2 - lost them both, had none for a while and I think there is one now, Nordegg had 2 & then it dropped to one where I think it's still @. So there you've got it. Lots of troopers in the field!!!
Dr. Char - be careful with the 250 numbers. That may be the whole dept including janitorial & labs.
And Fisher26 - Streamwatch in Central Alberta raise the money for the enforcement of Central Alberta. Now if the Calgary guys see the SW of Calgary as important - maybe - just maybe they'll raise the money.
catch ya'
Don
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Guys,
Roughness of fly lines ain't new. I have a silk line - small diameter, casts about 15% longer than plastic lines, lasts >20years and cost about $200.00 US.
Sure pleased that the plastic line guys are finally figuring out the rough part.
Don't fish the silk much - it casts better than I do so I stay with my Cortland 444's. The silk line sure is nice in the south AB winds. Cuts right through them.
catch ya'
Don
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rickr,
I don't troll - that's only for those guys with aluminum boats.
Don
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Calgary Bashing - ya' got to be kidding why it's the Home of the Brave, Land of the Free, where men walk around in high heels and drink drinks with celery in them. Naw, who in the right mind would bash CowTown.
But things are looking up - have heard that some of the Northern Lites Fly Tiers [an Edmonton based tying group who shows up @ the Expo every year working with kids] MAY get some help from Calgary residents for the first time.
catch ya'
Don
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Terry,
There are 3 types of birds:
1] game birds - grouse, ducks, partridges, geese - you know the ones that enthuse hunters - these you can kill within a legislated season
2] scavenger birds - crows and magpies and depending on whether you own the land or not - ravens - these birds are legal to kill anytime
3] dicky birds - everything else - song birds mostly although owls, hawks, eagles fall into this category - they are illegal to kill.
Hope this clears up the dicky bird situation.
Don
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Going Sunday. Looking for a plastic rod to load my outboard motor. Them spey thingies any good?
Don
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Jones,
Naw, its caused by wading wet on the lower Bow.
Don
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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
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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
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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
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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
Dubbing Blocks - Turbo Or Others
in Fly Tying Bench
Posted
Guys,
Guess my bent nail, 3/8" variable speed drill, a board c/w 2 nails and some wire didn't work for the past 20 years. Now I gotta go and buy a turbo twister. Naw - I'll save my bucks for a sharkskin.
catch ya'
Don