markd

The sharkskin is one of the best single hand spey lines out there, due to the extremely long head..... A good caster will excel, no matter what manufacture's line is on the rod...don't get so caught up in brand names. Practice your casting, then worry about your fly lines.

note - this is not a jab to spey casters, this is a personal belief. As you noted in your spey casting post, you have noticed that the spey rod does not do well up close...If you're looking for a rod to do literally everything equally well, it's going to be a single handed rod, in a 6 weight, in a 9-10 foot setup. It may not be able to do somethings that the spey can do as easily, but it will be able to do them somewhat well (note that most of the 'spey gurus' carry a single hand rod with them, as they realise the inadequacies that having just one rod will do....).... Don't be obssessed with the distance that a spey rod can punch out, as you'll be missing a lot of the fish holding water that is 30 feet and less from the shore. If you're try to save money, i'd highly reccommend a Sage Flight, probably the nicest casting rod for 400 bucks out there... Last year was one of the single greatest dry fly years on the river, and having a 13' spey rod will certaintly make you frustrated when you have a 24" brown rising to trico's 15 feet in front of you, and you can't cast a size 20 trico comfortably (or not break your 5x tippet if you manage to get that fish to eat)..of course, you won't be able to swing streamers or launch nymphs far as easily...each have a downside, but i think the single hand rod will be the best bet for someone that wants to save money, and do as much as they can and don't think a 5 weight is under gunned....i know quite a few bow river guides and fly shop employees that fish 4's and 5's nearly exclusively through the summer.

Find someone that carries Cliff boxes to bring you in a Cliff's Tube Box...best way i've ever seen

for around 300 bucks, your not going to get a better reel then a lamson

It's pretty apparent who has had the pleasure of catching chrome before, and who hasn't (or who would like to)...Whether or not the AMP goes into play, steelhead are truely the most amazing freshwater species, and are worth protecting and saving.

ATCO Electric, EPCOR Inc, and ENMAX Power Corp. are warning customers of rotating winter power blackouts that are expected to occur on: * Friday, Jan 30th, 2009 * Sunday, Feb 1st, 2009 * Tuesday, Feb 3rd, 2009 * Thursday, Feb 5th, 2009 * Saturday, Feb 7th, 2009 * Sunday, Feb 8th, 2009 * Wednesday, Feb 11th, 2009 * Saturday, Feb 14th, 2009 * Monday, Feb 16th, 2009 This is a province wide alert. The lack of power seems to consistently occur just after 8pm Saturday and 7pm weekdays. It is likely attributed to the excessive power required to run the goal light behind the Edmonton Oilers' net. Sincerely, Alberta Ministry of Service

don't think that the fly shops in Calgary can't help you out either (support local shops, and forum sponsors!)....there are quite a few seriously experienced spey casters in Country Pleasures, Troutfitters and Fish Tales....ohh, and dont forget that loop aren't the end all for spey/switch rods.....

if you want Glass, go clacka or RO. if you want aluminum go Hyde. Hyde's glass bottoms have been known to delam and fill with water..Hyde makes a very nice power drifter as well No one has mentioned size or model either. If you're just planning on using it in the bow and some smaller lakes, then a LP (low profile) is the way to go. A high-side makes dealing with getting in and landing fish much harder, however, they can deal with rapids much better then low pro's. a 15' is nice to have, easier to manuer, lighter and deals with the alberta winds better, however it has considerably less space then a 16' (and easier to sink if you go into too big of rapids..aka, no Elk river in this boat). The new fish pod from Clacka is very nice..but i have a problem trying to figure out where i'd stick a big cooler in it..

are you becoming affliated with Bass Pro jayhad, or what's with the new signature?

check out the link for the 'pro's of spey castings for chinooks' reccomendations..i see quite a few rods over 13 feet (only one rod is under 13 feet..and one is two feet over 13 feet..!)..including Brians (not by much, but still over 13') http://deneki.blogspot.com/2009/01/king-rig-roundup.html I know i'd be listening to what these guys have to say

9140 TCX, or 9143 Z-axis. Both are cannons, and will be able to handle your average chinook and steelhead..match either with a 650gr skagit (though some guys are using 700-750gr skagits on the TCX) and they soar....it's hard to balance chinooks and steel together, as you can fish for steelhead very well with an 8 weight spey, and an above average chinook could make that 8weight into nothing more then splinters...

Exactly, sure you can blast out 100 foot casts with a single hand rod, but the spey is able to do it all day long without stressing your body, and gives you the ideal way to mend line (you may only be able to mend 30 feet with a single hand rod, while with a spey it could be 60). I fish a double hand rod not for it's casting ability, but for it's fishability. I find steelhead fishing all about your mending, if your fly isn't where it should be and the fish aren't in a happy mood, you're not going to catch anything without getting your fly super slow...There are lots of rivers on the west coast that a single hand rod could cast across in certain places, yet everyone is using spey rods... Switch rods are more for surf casting, and are used far more for overhead casting, then spey style. Plus, you don't need to cast 100 feet with a spey to catch fish.. You're friends might laugh, until you're catching all the fish..Personally, i'd look at getting a nice little used setup, and get out and practice..you'll be a wizard by the time october comes around

Brian, dare i ask for the recipe for that Intruder, bulkey slayer much?

Saltwater colors work outstanding on the bow for streamers (3D sand EP clousers are one of the best i've ever fished)

charlottes?

I know country pleasures has it, Troutfitters did before the move (not sure if they do anymore)

DNA is alright, I've found that Enrico Puglisi (EP) Fibers and EP Silky Fibers is much, MUCH better for flowing in water and getting rid of water..it can form a much wider fly then what you can do with most fibers, giving a much bigger profile that holds it shape in water. The 3D colors just add to it

does any of the fall splash money show up for something like this?

When and where you going steelheading?

just upstream from the highwood confluence, your first pic of this area is in that big dead water around the highwood.. or the must-be-nice channel

bootfoot waders are truely impressive how warm they are (especially bootfoot's that are breathable)..there is a reason they are usually the choice of guides in northern BC and alaska.. Biggest thing is wearing good under-layers, especially if you're in breathables. If your clothing can't move perspiration away from your body, you will be cold. Being able to wear a next to skin base layer (Simms wader-wear and Patagonia Capilene is truely incredible, and yes there is a difference between the $10 stuff and $60).

Bloom, i have a 5 and 6 weight Z. Sharkskin (in the weight that matches the rod) is my personal favorite on that rod, and i've tried most others on it as well. There's probably not a better shooting line or distance line out there (especially for lake fishing..). GPX also loads it very nicely, same with a Orvis Wonderline.. For a streamer line, the 200 gr streamer express cut back to a 15 foot sink-tip is just perfect

Link to more videos: http://www.countrypleasures.com/fly_fishing_videos.htm

Caribou is the hair for spinning, better then any others