TimSmith

Uliwon I really appreciate you listening to my hero stories because nobody else will. Thks

It is not only fishing pressure that is effected by some small stream posts but anybody given any thought to the 'unintended consequences' of wading pressure on the bug life in the stream beds of some of our favourite smaller wadeable streams we seem to like to share on the internet ? How much stream bed disturbance would the Crow, Livingstone etc see in a year ? There might even be some correlation in the perceived decrease in hatches on some streams in relation to wading pressure. Maybe keep it in mind and if wading tread lightly or better yet fish from the bank if possible. It is not just fishing pressure we inflict.

Good morning to all. I know that most discussions on this board centre around trout but I thought some might be interested in the fight Alexandra Morton et al has been waging around the devastation inflicted on salmon fry from 'in ocean' located fish farms. If you wish to lend some support please visit her site at www.adopt-a-fry.org. I have posted her latest request for support for your consideration. This is a lack of enforcement at the federal level so provincial status should not matter. We certainly seem to have lost are way on this one. For those wishing to contact the Minister of DFO Gail Shea via 'E' min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Her bio is here http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/minister-ministre/bio-eng.htm Please consider participating. Alexandra Morton's request follows: Hello The Courier Islander paper in Campbell River is asking for us to vote again, this time to on whether or not we think the two Grieg fish farm applications in Johnstone Strait should be approved or not. They are two of the largest fish farm applications made on this coast and will be placed opposite one another in a narrow channel where it meets Johnstone Strait. In years when there is warm water off shore 1/3 of all BC wild salmon will pass these farms on route to their southcoast rivers. In spring millions of juvenile salmon will have to run through or along these farms to reach open water. The two most vulnerable moments in a salmon’s life are saltwater entry and seawater entry and these farms and the many farms east of them expose a significant percent of BC’s wild salmon to whatever pathogens are in the farms from sea lice to viruses. No other feedlots are allowed to come into such close contact with wild species and no other farmers in Canada are allowed to never deal with their wastes and simply release them into one of Canada’s most valuable fishery. Despite the science and resistance form local communities, the same three Norwegian companies just keep applying for more and bigger fish farms in BC. The voting box is on the upper right hand side of the page at http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/index.html The public has never been given this opportunity to voice its opinion such before format. If you have not done so please sign my letter (www.adopt-a-fry.org) asking that the Fisheries Act be applied to fish farms as it is to all other marine activities. If there are enough people raising their voices reason will be brought to bear on this situation. The solution is simple apply the laws of Canada, support the Canadian fish farmers who want to reinvent their industry on land and restore the wild salmon using their own remarkable biology. Alexandra Morton

Hi Neil I have a few lines that would be good candidates for that rod and you are more than welcome to try them ( including the Loop Multi WFF). Just waiting for the next Spey get together and if that is soon enough and I will come down with lines in tow. Regards Tim

Toolman It can can be tough to move the crowd and have it take hold. I was thinking of the shape of beer bottles as an example. In my early days all the beer bottles were brown long necks. Then one of the beer companies (maybe Lethbridge or Carlings) came out with the stubby. There may have been space saving reasons for it but I always thought there was a lot of marketing behind the change and you know how competitive the beer market is. I think it worked for awhile as other beer producers switched over also to protect market share.... a sure sign of it's effectiveness. But it did not last. Whether these rods will take we will have to wait and see, hence the ability to replace the handles with traditional handles. You never know, look what they did with the lowly Heinz ketchup bottle by standing it on it's head and Hunt's is in hot pursuit. I think the redesigned ketchup bottle may be a keeper.

Smitty Cow is tempting (and I am sure Don can set it straight) but it was not the perch that was the demise of Cow it was sustaining an adequate water level for over wintering. After much debate and if I remember even after some infrastructure work the level required could not be sustained. I think some spring floods did some berm damage and added to the risk of winter kills ended trophy trout lake possibility. If those issues are remotely valid and still remain today maybe perch in Cow is as good as it gets. Don I know they are our lakes but I don't even get to Swan Lake. It is not a $20.00 round trip anymore and I don't see the cost of fishing getting any cheaper in the near future. You remember the footballs in Crawling Valley? The point being local pressure from local residents to there local MLA is probably more effective than say somebody from Southern Alberta lobbying about a lake in the RMH area and thus the comment 'lakes in your neck of the woods'. Enuff said. Anyway survey completed.