danhunt

If you don't mind a drive, they had some 5/6 Trion that were new old stock at the Sportsman's Den in Red Deer about six months ago. Also, check out Canadian Tire's website - there was one at the Cochrane store about a year ago. Also, at one time Wholesale had a reel called the Streamside Harmony or something like that - it was the same basic reel but the cutouts on cage were slightly different. The spools would interchange, though.

This is great news! This may be a dumb question, but are the CO's asking for any public assistance with this? I'm not talking vigilantism or anything like that, I'm just thinking if a person was out fishing and they came across a semi-permanent unit tucked back in to the bush, send them a pic and gps co-ordinates?

Clove oil... lol, JK

Its currently listed as contained and it spread largely west up the Clearwater river valley and south west up the Christine? river valley. I haven't finished my first coffee and I can't seem to figure out how to paste a link in to this post, but if you go to wildfire.alberta.ca there is some info there.

In a pinch a 2" C-clamp with the handle cut off works surprisingly well as a make-shift oar lock for a pontoon boat...

If you think it was an honest mistake and that she'll try and do better next time based on your comments I'd let it go. If you think she could do with a little extra "encouragement" to do better next time call it in. Just my $0.02

That's true, none of those things are permissible in a park. However, it would be reasonable to expect that by opening an area to the public there will be a certain percentage of the population that won't understand, know or care and those things will happen from time to time. Poplar Island is designated as a wildlife refuge, which I take to mean that it is intended to be a safe place where wildlife can live without being disturbed or harmed. My argument is that a person sticking to the banks (not cutting across the island) and who's only disturbance is the foot prints they leave behind is not creating the conditions that caused the law to be imposed in the first place. In my mind that is the spirit, if not the letter, of the law.

In my mind it comes down to the spirit of the law vs. the letter of the law. Is an angler walking the banks of that stretch breaking the law? Technically, yes. If said angler is acting responsibly by not littering, starting fires, cutting down trees or harassing terrestrial wildlife does the law need to be enforced? In my opinion, no. I apologize for beating a dead horse, but an obvious example of what can happen when you follow the letter of the law and not the spirit is what happened to Beaver, Fiesta, Millers, Muir, etc.

I'm curious to see where this thread goes, as I have a 3 month old lab that I'm hoping will grow in to a fishing companion. I've seen what you are describing in my own pup, if he gets distracted all manners are gone instantly. I've had some success by taking a command that almost always works (sit) and if he starts to spin out I make him sit, refocus on me and then we try what ever we're doing again. It takes time, but it seems to be working. Try introducing one element at a time eg. go through your commands like sit, stay, come when you are wearing your vest/pack, then vest/pack and waders, then vest/pack waders and a rod, etc. so that everything but the water becomes normal. Then you can work on teaching her stream manners when you are out and about. That's my plan, anyway.

This is the finished product

Sorry, having issues posting the pics... lol

I love fishing boatmen/backswimmers, and I like the JUB but I find it kind of a pain to tie. Here is a recipe and some pics of a pattern I came up with to accomplish the same thing, but I find it easier and quicker to tie. I also noticed that the swimmers I've caught and observed have had a sheen on their wings from the air bubble they trap, but you can still see the body color and markings, and the underside is still olive in color. Hook - 1xl 1xh size 10 2mm tan foam, width about the same as the width of the hook gape Olive chenile (I like the stuff with a little bit of sparkle in it) Olive medium rubber legs Silver fabric paint for the first coat UV cure resin over top the fabric paint for durability I start by cutting a point on the foam before tying it in to reduce bulk. Tie your chenile in, and then your rubber legs. Wrap the chenile forward, and tie off. Before folding the foam over I run a bead of superglue on the underside of the foam to keep it all together. I then fold the foam over the back, putting a little tension on it to keep it snug. Tie of and trim. You could leave the body like this and it would probably work just as well, but I like to trim the foam in to a tent shape by laying my scissors at about a 45 degree angle to the wing and cutting from the front to the rear of the hook. I then use sharpies to color the foam up like the original JUB. After that, I run a bead of fabric paint up the back and I use a bodkin or needle to spread it out to the sides. It goes on opaque but dries clear. Adding the UV cure resin over that gives a really interesting depth to shine, and still lets the body show through. I came up with this after fishing the swimmers this fall, so I have high hopes for it but it is as yet untested. If you give it try send me a PM and let me know how it does for you!

Good point!

Interesting read, thanks for posting!

I don't actually know what is good for managaging a trophy pike fishery, in the sense of does zero retention = hammer handles or 25lb+ 'gators? That said, I would suspect you're on the right track with a slot size, jpinkster. I also wouldn't be surprised if, if/when these fisheries recover, there was a tag system put in place like they currently have for walleye on certain waters.

Thanks, Murry. The portability of inflatibles is a definate consideration, and I've always been impressed with how stable they are. Thats what got me thinking along the lines of a raft in the first place, I have a couple of little ones that are hopefully going to be coming with me in a few years and I thought it might be a more kid friendly way to go.

Hahaha, not if I can find a set of galoshes (sp) to cover the studs on the soles of my simms!

Kudos to those who made this happen, I really hope that this does mean more protection for the fisheries of the East Slopes. That said, I think this may just the start of the battle. I recently listened to an episode of Quirks and Quarks where the host was interviewing a scientist who was lamenting the fact that the SARA has done very little to protect any species of animal, once listed, from further population declines. The scientist then cited the example of the porbeagle shark population that is declining but is still being fished commercially. If you go to the Suzuki foundation's website they are also pretty critical of SARA saying that the only animal it has protected are the snails in the Banff hotsprings. On the other hand, the DFO cites the SARA and the porbeagle shark as a sucess story. I'm not sure who to believe, but either way the bottom line is the political will has to be there to actually make use of this legislation and to give it some teeth, so to speak.

Thanks for the info, everyone! Murray, are you drifting with your zodiac or are you using it more like a jet?

I'm wondering if anyone out there has a white water raft with a rowing frame that they have used on still water? I've been thinking about a boat that could do double duty on the river and lakes and I got to thinking that if a person could fab up a motor mount for a rowing frame one of these rafts just might fit the bill. I know the boat won't plane, it won't have a keel so it won't track especially well, and I'm thinking it might be a bit hard to control in the wind ie. staying on an anchor. Just wondering if anyone has tried it?

I would think that would be a good boat for times when weight and space at a premium - e.g. fly in destinations.

7' 4wt with a spalted maple spacer in the reel seat, a cigar grip, ring style hook keeper, hopkins and holloway guides with a copper/black verigated thread for the wraps. I don't know from tapers, but I'd like the rod to have a moderate action (as measured by plastic rod standards).

Cool video, thanks for posting! I was amazed at how much sediment was headed downstream when the water was let loose.

That's fair enough, my experience is definately with the older Korker boots. Its good to hear, too - its always nice to have options!