Smitty

Thanks guys; disappointing news - the principal didn't go for it. So no club this year affiliated with a school. Thinking of just striking out on my own and do my own Kids Flyfishing Club thing that operates outside the purview of a school board - something like a low /non profit company thing. Charities way too much hassle and work, and I need 5 people to start a "society". And frankly, I don't want to be dependent on "other people" having to "get it" to do something I am passionate about; getting kids unplugged from their devices and getting them into the outdoors. Thanks for the help and suggestions though! Much appreciated! Smitty

Some good suggestions here. Thanks! Keep them coming! Smitty

Hi guys: That time of year again, and it looks like I could be starting another Fly-fishing club at a local school. I have plenty of Flyfishing dvd's - especially from an instructional perspective. But these videos do not serve to well as a "hook". (pun intended). They're a bit on the slow paced side. Can anyone recommend a dvd, or Youtube or Vimeo type video that is fast-paced, a bit rock'n'roll-ish, and is short - as in 1 to 5 minutes - that would serve well in just showing the kids just how damn cool this sport / hobby is? I'm thinking the more variety the better in terms of small fish, big fish, multitude of settings, casting, people enjoying themselves, etc. There are also some really good film makers here in FFC, I'd be happy to acknowledge you if you have some of your own content to share. Anyways, suggestions and/or links are appreciated! Thanks in advance! Smitty

Look, let me say this; Don's a smart guy and has done lots of pro bono work (Barry M too) in terms of trouty issues and getting them discussed and addressed (often, physical labor is involved). And I want to, and do, respect that. I respect that a lot. The bottom line for me is, and I'm sure Don is checking this thread, so I'll ask him directly, is this: Where on the top 5, top 10, top 20 list does the "otter issue" fit in? I mean to ask this seriously and respectfully. Between the otters, ecosystem balance, habitat loss, angling pressure, fisheries management, industrial intrusion, erosion, climate change, logging, and everything else, is the otter thing in the top 3? Top 20? Does this issue merit serious serious consideration? Cause we can certainly make the jokes, and everyone - including me - can post a "smart-remark" reply, but, give him credit, Don at least is a defender of all things trouty. And that's intended as a compliment. Hey, trying to admit my ignorance here. There are smart people on the FFC board. There are smart people plugged into these kinds of issues. Where the hell do otters fit in, in terms of priority? Cause ya, I'm pretty skeptical. And I know the topic has been done previously, just wondering if anyone has an update besides somewhat interesting anecdotal videos. Are the bios actually compiling data here? Smitty

And the fear mongering continues Don... And here are some reasons why you shouldn't visit Austrailia... http://www.viralnova.com/australia-is-dangerous/ More seriously, if the bios have some credible data, and the really think something ought to be done about otters, well, I'm open to suggestions. But if we're going to have a serious discussion about what's bad for trout, should we not at least talk about the vast thousands of km of gravel roads criss-crossing the back country with x % of them having poor culverts and/or bridge designs, and the attendant erosion that goes with them? Just a thought. Smitty

If you already have enough gear, then... Buy some memories. Go somewhere for some early spring fishing. Or save for a later date in the summer and take the trip then. But if you really have all the gear you need, spend the $ on a bucket list, never-been-there location. Smitty

Barry Mitchell's book "Trout Highway" can provide some insights; 1. Short growing season. 2. Relatively infertile. 3. Anchor ice in winter; poor survival rates. All I got. Smitty

Count me in!

Seriously? You think it was a good trade for the Canucks? Let's take the overall view on this; so the Canucks, at one point essentially has TWO #1 goalies. And what did they receive for this embarrassment of riches in net, combined? They got, Bo Horvat, Jacob Markstrom, and Shawn Mattias. Ouch. Number 1 goalies are hard to come by, and all the Canucks got were 2 prospects and a 3rd line centre. Ouch indeed. The handling of the goalie situation in Vancouver was bungled so badly, it could set the Canucks back years. Now, of course, the prospects could turn out very well, mitigating the damage. But...just wow. Alot of gambling there for 2 prospects. Smitty

I enjoyed it. People at the back of the theatre got royally screwed in terms of prizes being tossed into the crowd though, lol. Never thought a flyfishing movie could move me as much as "Mending the Line" did; it was just fantastic. Smitty

Garry: I'm going for at least Friday and Saturday. I have a ticket for IF4 Friday night, going to the expo Saturday (Actually I'm going to the Country Pleasures seminar first). So, don't know if that works for you, but I'm leaving Edmonton tomorrow right after school. Hopefully I'll be Red Deer around 4:30pm. Mike 780-970-7886

Hi guys: Well, when I go to the Flyfishing show, its no problem cause I have aunt in Okotoks. But on February 7th, I have a teacher PD day at the Commonwealth Hall and Conferene Centre just off 36 Street NE and McKnight. It starts at 8am for breakfast, and I don't want to do the commute from Okotoks to get there. So, my big questions is, does anyone in the FFC community live near that Conference Centre, and more importantly, would you be willing to put me up for one night? I don't require anything too fancy, but I do have sleep apnea and would need a plugin of course for my cpap machine. Besides that, a bed and shower would be a beautiful thing too. Anyways, you can reply here and/or pm me if you prefer. I am from Edmonton, so, you know, you'd have to put up with that too. Thanks! Smitty

Sure. Me too; planning to go to the Flyfishing show anyways... Smitty

Chadillac; Well that was kinda my point; I'm interested in all of them! That's why I'm looking for the all-round primer; different species, different methods, equipment, where to, etc etc. Looks like I have some good suggestions; thanks guys. Too bad Lefty's book is out of print; I've trolled several websites, looking at used copies. Naturally, a few booksellers have some in brand new condition, and they range from $100 to $200! (forget it). Cheers, Smitty

Chadillac: Just came back from Huatulco; so, for the time being, I'm not going anywhere specifically. Just was interested in the subject. Smitty

Hi guys: Well, like the topic title says, looking for some recommendations on books about saltwater flyfishing. My preference would be to start with an all-round, general, primer / introduction. Looking for the saltwater equivalent of Barry's "Trout Highway" book, or Jim's "Trout Stream's of AB", or Clive's very decent all-round read. But by all means, you if can think have a must-have that specifically addresses a specific topic like fishing for bonefish, or tarpon, or "where to", or flies / fly tying, I'll take those recommendations too. Anyways, you get the idea; have at 'er! Cheers in advance, Smitty

What do I think? I think it's precious and excellent.

Thanks! The real reason I was trolling the Calgary shops is because I am very likely going somewhere warm in the next few weeks; seems like every flyshop in Cowtown has some sort of info / hosted trips / booking services for saltwater flyfishing. So I was curious if Iron Bow and any info,...no problem - glad to see/hear that the first few months have gone well. It would seem now I have a place to shop on my way through Calgary when I am headed to Banff. Cool! Smitty P.S. Anyone / everyone; please see my related post in International sub-forum: http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=20478

What's the latest on this flyshop - was curious. Tried googling it, tried google mapping it - nothing. Does it have a website? Is it still open? Wondering, Smitty

dfreeman: You in Calgary? I'm in Edmonton. I do have about 10 rod-reel combos for a flyfishing club I used to run - I'm working as a substitute teacher, so I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to run one this year. If I don't, I may be able to lend them to you. Mike aka "Smitty" Feel free to stay in touch - smitty9@gmail.com. Feel free to give me some details.

...that this province was getting crowded, or you were feeling a little suffocated. Here's a slide show about urban density in Hong Kong: [Page is in Portuguese, Chrome can translate, not like you need alot of words to describe this...]: http://www.engenhariacivil.com/densidade-urbana-hong-kong Wow, eh? Smitty

Since he gave his permission, I did download and saved them. I posted them on FB yesterday, along with me rant. I also posted them on the 'other' board (Doc's). Smitty

Thank-you Avid Angler. Guys, as we've repeatedly said, we must do more than bitch about it here. Strongly worded email and hand-written letter to the minister, cc'd to the minister and premier to follow. Wouldn't hurt to phone either. Anyone else? Smitty

Ditto - I'm bumping this back up to the top, because I have the same question. Dad and I leave in 9 days for our BC fishing trip and I'm really wondering about the Patagonia crampons. Found a "sale" for $160, which is still alot of moula, but better than $199... Any comments about the Patagonia crampons? For reference, here is the link: http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/patagonia-river-crampons?p=79195-0-775 Cheers, Smitty P.S. Do any of the local Calgary fly shops carry the crampons? Was wondering...