MikeL

My old Hardy Ultralite DD 5000 reel died earlier this year. The spool was bent and rubbing on the frame (probably my fault) and the disc drag system stopped working properly (not my fault). This reel was well used and probably had >500 fishing days on it. I returned this reel for warranty repair in the middle of May and they just shipped me a complete replacement reel. Cost to me was US$35. It is sure nice to have a company stand behind their product and provide excellent customer service.

I need to get a part welded back together on my EZLoader boat trailer. I think it should be a fairly simple job for an experienced welder. It is galvanized steel if that makes any difference. Looking for suggestions.

I think it depends on the size and weight of the motor. I did something very similar on my 14 foot aluminum fishing boat. I had a 9.9hp two stoke with a long leg that ran too low in the water. I used a 2X6 piece of wood with 4 pieces of steel angle iron bolted to the 2X6. The transom extension slide nicely on top of the existing transom. The thickness of the transom was almost exactly the same as the thickness of the 2X6. My original plan was to bolt this extension to the transom but it fit tight and I used it for many years without bolts. This worked well with a small motor. I would be careful if you are doing something similar with a large motor.

I am starting to look at roof top tents. Have read a lot on the internet about them. Does anyone on here have one? What vehicle and rack system do you have? It looks like I will need a very solid rack for my SUV or Nissan Frontier. I have a canopy on my Frontier that I really like but I don't think it would support a roof top tent on top.

That's awesome. My 17 year old son has absolutely zero interest in fishing. I hope this changes as he gets older. I took my 13 year nephew fly fishing for the first time last weekend and he got his first fish on a dry fly. He seemed to really enjoy it and took home an old rod and reel to practice casting in the school field near his house.

What length of rope do you recommend for a drift boat?

How far upstream from Mac is this boat? Is there any access other than from the river?

I have a jet boat and might be able to help on Saturday. My boat is still in winter storage and I need to pull it out and get it ready. I would not be able to help out until Saturday afternoon at the earliest.

I find it is a good place to get rid of stuff. Put in the words free and people will jump all over it. I had a broken dishwasher and did not want to take it to the dump. Somebody was more than happy to take it even though it needed a new $400 pump. Maybe he wanted it for parts. Did the same thing with a 25 year old lawn mower that still worked. I was shocked by the number of calls and emails on that one. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

I know that you asked for fishing info but I can provide some camping suggestions. You definitely want to visit the museum in Drumheller. I would also suggest visiting Dinosaur Provincial Park. They have a nice campground in the valley. They also run excellent tours into the restricted areas of the park. These tours start fairly early so it is worth camping there. The river flows close to the campground. I have not fished it but I seem to recall seeing some rising fish in the evening.

Would it not be a lot easier if they opened up access to the 22X boat launch from Sundance? I think it has been blocked off for a very long time. Not sure why?

I need a plumber for a couple of small projects in the house.

Can anyone recommend a good appliance repair shop in Calgary. I have a Kenmore fridge that will not stop running. Temperature is still fine but it does not shut off very long before it kicks back on. It is almost running continuously. The power company really likes me right now. I have already tried cleaning all the mechanical stuff. Time to call an expert or buy a new fridge.

I use the MEC neoprene socks in my Simms wading boots. I find that they work well for wet wading.

Our kids both went for some major hikes in our backpack. They usually had a very good nap while I was getting a good workout. One thing that we did that you might helpful is to get a handheld mirror and tie it to a string attached to the back pack. It would just hang off the side but could be used to check out the kid to see what they are doing (ie. napping, hat still on head, etc.). Very handy if you do not have the other parent with you.