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 have 20+ years of flyfishing experience but have never flyfished for Pike. I am wondering if anyone has some suggestions. Should I use an 8 weight rod with sink tip, sinking or floating line? What kind of flies do they hit? I am assuming that I will need some type of wire tippet. I have a pontoon boat and live in Calgary. Any small lakes near Calgary to check out? What depth of water should I fish at this time of year? Thanks.

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 need to replace my sink tip streamer line. I am not sure but I think my current line is an 8' sink tip 3 IPS sink rate. Does that sound correct for the Bow? My Bow River streamer set-up is an 8-weight rod with a sink tip line. I usually toss a double streamer set-up from a boat. I am a fan of Rio fly lines.

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.

My current boots are Simms G3's. I have used them for 2 seasons. These are the best boots that I have ever owned and I will buy the exact same thing if they ever wear out. I am very happy with these boots. My previous boots were Korkers. They were okay but definitely not as good as the Simms G3's.

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 have a Hardy Ultralite DD reel for my 6 weight. I have owned this reel for a few years and think it is excellent. Very smooth drag and fairly quiet. I would purchase another one.

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.

That's a really good price. Did they have more than one style? Are they polarized?

I have used a Wilderness Systems kayak with the inflatable pontoons. They worked well and were easy to take on and off. The pontoons made the kayak much slower to paddle but allowed me to stand up and sight cast to fish. It still required some major balance but would have been almost impossible to stand up without the pontoons. I did see one pontoon rip open along the seem from over-inflation. It was allowed to sit in the sun for too long and the heat built up too much pressure.

Hank Patterson's Fly Tying 101 youtube video will show you how to tie flies:

I am looking to purchase a gift for a fly fishing addict. Thinking about a fly fishing DVD. Not really looking for a how to fly fish DVD. Does anyone have some suggestions? I saw the online trailer for Hatch. Has anyone seen this DVD?

I use Flex Spex for tying on flies. http://www.flexspex.com/ I find these glasses work very well.

Can anyone recommend a good tile setter? I am looking to redo a custom tiled shower. Want a professional job.