Flyfisher

Some of the fly and tackle shops here in BC carry them. Can't remember specifically which ones. Pretty sure I picked one up at Michael & Young in Vancouver/Surrey one time. Check the EZE-Lap web site for suppliers in your area.

I use the pen style (Eze Lap) sharpener to. Its a real handy design. The Mustad sharpener is big and klunky, making it difficult to sharpen small hooks. Sticky sharp hooks equal better hook ups!

I use the pen style (Eze Lap) sharpener to. Its a real handy design. The Mustad sharpener is big and glunky, making it difficult to sharpen small hooks. Sticky sharp hooks equal better hook ups!

Excellent point monger. Far better for wild fish to stock triploids rather than diploids in lakes like we did in the past. The fish stocked in BC lakes are not genetically suited to riverine habitat anyway, they are lake fish. It's unlikely they would move from a lake habitat into a stream in numbers that would compete for food with wild native fish. There are much more immediate pressing concerns negatively impacting wild fish stocks than this.

Smitty pretty well sums up my thoughts on the use of a throat pump. When using one having a large enough landing net is essential. I use a Moby net and chose the largest model. It floats and because of it's large flat bottomed bag there is lots of room for hands and fish. It's practically impossible to properly use a pump in a net hardly bigger than your catch. IMO, playing a fish well and leaving it in the water (proper catch and release practice) is more critical to survival than the proper use of a throat pump. Fly fishing is a bloodsport and by its very nature is invasive. So from where I stand proper use of a throat pump is really a moot point.

What's the problem Don? The car's a hybrid so you use gas for the trip to the coast. At home if in the city you use electric for bopping around and for the drive to and from work and charge it at home. "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." ~Winston Churchill

Monger, I quite liked your statement and I like the one above even better. Just wanted to clarify things a bit, wouldn't want anyone thinking that mining activity is a stream management enhancement tool in south eastern BC. As an aside, mining near the town of Kimberley in BC significantly elevated nutrient levels in Kootenay Lake in the 50's and 60's. Mark CK and the lower St Mary R were toxic but by the time that water reached Kootenay Lake it was diluted enough to be a major benefit to the fishery. Why do you think the productivity is so high in Elk tributaries that haven't been affected by mining? There seems to be far greater numbers of bugs there compared to Alberta. Generally productivity is highest in the tribs that have been affected by mining. I'm not familiar with enough east slope streams to make the supposition that there are more bugs in the Elk tribs... tho I'm working on it. That said and assuming your observation is correct, I'll hazard a guess by saying that I suspect differences in geology, temperature and rainfall might be factors.

Just so no one gets the wrong idea, what you refer to above as "enhancing" fisheries is not something being done by design or intention by government or anyone else, not now or ever. It just so happens that industrial waste leaching into the water in this unique case has had a positive effect on some streams. Industrial impacts on fish bearing streams are seldom happy stories. Sundancerfisher: wouldn't it be infinitely better to put resources into protecting the integrity of watersheds rather than into "fix" schemes such as nutrient replacement, especially in the Rockies where there are no salmon bearing streams? The carrying capacity of a stream is a function of a host of complex mechanisms and interactions. Nutrient level is just one interaction and in of itself cannot be assumed to be a "fix". I might wager that there are foothill and front range streams that have higher nutrient levels today due to human interaction (range land, agricultural uses, etc.) than prehistoric levels...

Can you elaborate? I imagine you may mean possible nutrient depletion due to loss of riparian habitat, impoundment, (reservoirs), removal of forest cover, etc... I'm not aware of any streams in BC receiving nutrient enhancement that don't have existing or historic salmon runs. Kootenay and the Arrow Lakes are supplemented with nutrients due to nutrient loss from impoundment and because of the introduction of mysid shrimp; the shrimp compete with keystone fish species like kokanee salmon for zoo plankton. An obvious question: Is range land and agricultural use in front range and foothill watersheds enhancing nutrient levels? Is there a benchmark nutrient level before development? Perhaps instream habitat loss (eg: instream structure (course woody debris etc.) is a more significant factor than a possible shift one way or the other from historic nutrient levels?

Hmmm, not really ambiguous if one accepts this as a plausible definition of a sportsman, "One who pursues fish and game with deep passion, conviction and respect for his quarry while honoring his heritage, adhering to his guiding principles, yet fostering a sense of fairness and compassion for others with whom he shares the fields and waters.”

Cast one and see how it feels. I have a couple of GLX's. Not sure where you are or what you intend to use it for, but for stillwater, large streams and rivers like the Bow I prefer the GLX Streamdance series. The 'Experience' model would be my choice in a 6wt. The Native Run is more of a steelhead and salmon stick - a bit much for most trout fishing IMO.

By and large a non-competitive sport. A blood sport to be precise.

Great story troutlover! The "Fish Gods" look kindly upon "basterd" scout masters.

That's a beauty 420. Looks like a real fish catcher. Always lots of grizz tips on hand!

When is prime time for the specie or species of fish you are after in the location you plan on going to? I would want to go in or around that time. What gear and flies are best if you are bringing your own? Are you physically prepared and tuned up in casting skills if going after species that require it? For example I want to be proficient at casting in places perennially windy like much of the Caribbean is. Or physically fit enough and familiar with proper big game fighting techniques if say going after large tarpon. Search for reports and comments about the lodge or lodges and the place you are considering going to on good boards. Dan Blanton's fly fishing bulletin board comes to mind as a good one if considering a warm saltwater destination or Alaska.

Nice vid. One of those magic moments we fly fishers live for. Midges are the bread and butter for trout in many waters. BTW it looks like you have another fine dog. Thanks for taking some of the chill out of a long Canadian winter. cheers, from the other side of the divide.

I know they have co-evolved in those streams Highlander. Its just that the bull trout population to my understanding has by all appearances spiked up exponentially since the impoundment was created down stream. Hope you are right and everything continues to stay in balance.

Hmmm, its a large spring creek and the fish are rainbows and not browns so it's not the famed backswimmer hatch on Stauffer. I'm still gonna say E). If you've ever been bitten by a backswimmer you can understand why trout might avoid them, preferring instead the boatman which doesn't bite. That said they often don't differentiate, eating which ever one is available. Nothing quite like a turn on during a backswimmer/boatman fall.

Amazing photos, the best I've seen of bull trout. Who would ever have thought that the bull trout population would benefit the way it has from the building of a dam! I wonder though, if at some time down the road the abundant bull trout population using the Wigwam and its tribs is going to have a negative impact on the cutthroat population. So far the two species seem to be getting along OK.

Can't beat these sunglasses at just about any price. http://www.habervision.com/ Prompt delivery and no BS warranty. The 'Nice" is popular with anglers. I've a wide nose so opted for the 'Bellagio. The Copper/rose lens is the best all round lens color I've used.

"Why?" Because there's fishing and than there's fly fishing. It's kinda like this; if all you ever do is smack balls at a driving range are you a golfer? If that was true then what is this guy doing here? ::ice fish:: Good question? Someone ought to tell the Mod cops. Besides he's way over his limit.

This is a fly fishing site. It would be a stretch to call ice fishing, fly fishing.

Wished you'd said 7 flies... Elk Hair Caddis Pale Morning Dun Western Green Drake Evil Weevil BWO parachute 6 would be a black ant and 7 a Copper John

Blue Dun

Moral of the story, never leave a fly rod laying on the ground. I feel for ya man!