alan2

This business of the quadders really burns me too. I see it all the time in the Castle area, and yeah, I'm sure there are some decent folks on them, but there seems to be a disproportionate number of them on those things who are simply ignorant. Much more so than say, flyfishing, hiking, horseback riding, golfing, boardsailing, bird watching, back country skiing etc etc. You get my drift. The chicken and egg question is---Are ignorant people attracted to quads or do quads attract ignorant people?I think its the former but not sure but there is definitely some correlation. The facts speak for themselves.

Two summers ago I got a 23" in the Westcastle but nothing near that big since. The way it fought it was definitely a senior citizen of the fish family.

Yeah doing that regularly would be dumb. Glad I don't do that. I wish I had your prescience though. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prescient in case you need this.

haha---That's a real deal when both parties end up happy! Glad it's working out for ya cuz I bought beer with the $20. Another use for a wading staff---Your fly is stuck up in a tree out of arm's reach. You can take the wading staff and give the branch a good whack and snap it off completely. That's a bonus when that works. And imagine you round the corner and see a bear---you can whip that shock corded staff out and be ready to duel. Just make sure you don't drop it because up here we don't have the right to arm bears.

Yup. I do. I guess it has never happened to you, but for me, there are times where I've started to wade across not expecting to need the wading staff, and then I get out there and it is faster, deeper , more slippery (or all three) than expected. So with a telescopic staff, it would be "Now I wish I had the damn wading staff ready to go" but with multi sectional shock corded it's easy. My right hand holds the rod and with my left hand alone it is very simple to flip the holster cover up, lift out the multi section staff and when I grasp the handle it immediately assembles itself and I can continue wading more confidently. That is why they're designed like that. Always having it attached and dangling or trailing can be a nuisance--- if not a trip hazard---so I can then stow it again unless I need to continue using it. Can't do this with a telescopic pole. I used an old telescopic ski pole for one summer and there's no comparison.

From what I see, not one flyfishing company copies Leki. Leki makes a multitude of telescopic poles for hiking, whereas actual wading staffs are multi-section shock corded and assemble themselves when simply lifted out of the holster---with one hand. Leki poles take 2 hands to extend which is why they are not copied for wading staffs by any flyfishing company I have seen. And I don't see that any come with a carrying holster for your waist either because they don't fold up small enough.

You got me doubting myself, so I measured mine and it is 51" which is just right for me at 5'11" and my arm is somewhere between 90 degrees and 60 degrees. The Simms one was 54" I think, they now have a 52" model, but their staff only folds in 4 sections so even when stowed it was like carrying a bloody long sword. The Snowbee is in 6 sections which is better. As for stepping in deep holes, I can usually judge by the colour unless it is dirty, and since I am a chicken sh*t with anything above thigh high, I just back off, or otherwise, reach and prod about. For me it's mostly about stability. Without it I wobble like a drunk half the time. And that's before I tie into the Bigrock Honey brown.

I use one a lot and I've had 3 different models. To me, the Simms is too skinny and flimsy and is way too long for anyone under 7ft 6. (Their shortest is 52cm). Example: You would not hike with long cross country ski poles, so why would you wade with one? This seems to be lost on the people at Simms---I corresponded with them over this. A wading staff should be about the height of your hand when elbow is bent at 90 degrees away from body. The best one is made by SNOWBEE, shock cord, multi section with holster. Like the Simms only made by people who actually have some idea. I sold my Simms for $20 and was glad to see it go. Do not ever buy a Dan Bailey model if you see one. So poorly designed, the sections jam at each joint and don't come apart. And they won't answer emails either.

I always thought awesome mexican food was an oxymoron.

Yes, a big thanks from me too. I fish alone and can only gab/learn so much in a once a month fly shop trip, so this site is as close as I come to socializing. The info exchange is great and sure helps my fishing too. Most days, anyway!!

bronze ones. $24.99 fit-overs from london drugs work fine for me, at least until an arm breaks.

You can buy a lot of ice for that extra $200 the cooler costs. About 75-100 bags/blocks of ice. And those grizzlies in the video weren't really hungry. They don't usually give up in 1 minute. More like 3 days.

Do you have a picture of the tick? Or know the specific species? Over the yrs I've had quite a few Rocky Mountain ticks including just a month ago after a hike, but I don't think this species carries Lyme disease and it is by far the most common tick you'll encounter in the mtns. Some carry Rocky mountain spotted fever tho'. A pic of the culprit would be interesting.

Orvis ain't all its cracked up to be either. I won a 6 wt T3 several years ago and the reel seat was a piece of junk, always loosening. It was selling for $950 Cdn at that time. First time the tip broke I sent it back I also complained about reel seat, they returned same rod just a new tip section. 2 yrs later, it split lengthwise and to make sure they replaced the whole rod, I broke 3 of 4 pieces, again they replaced those 3, I still had the same crappy reel seat. Recently the tip broke and they can't repair it now---obsolete and are replacing my $950 rod with a $350 one which they say is equivalent. But for $350 I can upgrade---Hah! The replacement came and it was 8wt instead of 6 wt. I am waiting another 5 wks now. Hope they get it right. I had asked for money back instead but since I won it, it apparently has no cash value in that instance. So don't let a big brand name like Orvis fool you either. Not as great as the glossy ads boast.

There is no need to use expensive 1X tippet. Just get a big spool of 8 lb monofilament and it's way cheaper. Works just fine.

And when I do walk there, I often find that those of that same mindset who are impressed by horsepower have parked their jetboat and got on their quad instead.

Hating them has nothing to do with wanting them. Don't confuse yourself. You couldn't give me one of those damn things, but then I feel the same way about sleds and quads. I am quite content to enjoy the peace and quiet while using my legs and lungs and not disturbing anyone else.

Toyota Sienna LE van AWD. Got a 4" foam mattress in the back, I can camp in it, drive rough backroads in it and all my gear stays dry plus lots of room to carry stuff. Way better than a truck I figure.

I have a good friend who joined PetroCanada 29 yrs ago. She has given her resignation and says since the merger there has been an exodus of good people from the ranks. In her dept, the supervisor downgraded her perf. review because she failed to attend the team bonding meetings and did not participate in a vision statement meeting, having chosen to do actual work instead. True story. I hold quite a few SU shares myself, but I am not a fan of some of their management styles. You could just buy the ishares ETF XEG and you'll hold quite a bit of Suncor, Cdn Natural Res and many others too, but without the risk of just holding one company.

If it's under 10 kms there is no need to overnight it. Walking that far both ways in a day with a light daypack is way easier than one way carrying all the crap needed to overnight it, especially for those people not used to hiking. There's no shortage of daylight in summer, you just go a slow steady pace and you can walk further than you'd think and with less likelihood of blisters too.

I bought a Toshiba laptop from BestBuy a while back. The screen died after 3 days but they gave me a straight exchange. Any warranty on electronics beyond 1 yr is a moneymaker for the seller, that is about all. Electronic failures usually happen in the first few months.

I don't find this site slow, but youtube sure sucks these days.

Jonah?? You in there???

Apparently there were enough protestors down there to stop the logging that day. Good for them, I say. The logging will not be restricted to just Beaver mines creek according to the map I saw several months ago. It will be alongside S Castle R and Castle bridge campground too.

The Castle logging is imminent now! This from a hiking outdoor forum today---not just fishermen against logging it. Anyone can join the upcoming onsite protest. > Spray Lake Sawmills has just now cleared the area for road building and logging equipment in the Castle Special Place protected area, getting set to clear-cut. > > As Gord Petersen, Beaver Mines resident writes, “It's time to get the troops mobilized. A couple of dozen or, better, a couple of hundred people protesting at the site may get some attention. If you're able to help out in some way, or if you might be able to get some of your members out, please send your phone number(s) to Peter Sherrington psherrin@telusplanet.net and myself gordon@diomedea.com so we can get you on the phone list." > > Timely notices will also be posted on Facebook at Stop Castle Logging and the blog www.stopcastlelogging.org Or for current updates once the equipment moves in and people start picketing along the roadside(e.g. where to meet & times), you can phone Peter Sherrington 403 627-3522 or Carolyn Aspeslet at Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition office 9:30 am to 2:30 pm 403 627-5059 or evenings 403 628-3528 > > Sustainable Resource Development and Spray Lake Sawmills are proceeding despite the thousands of messages, and hundreds of letters, and phone calls, and after numerous meetings, opinion polls, etc, etc. > > Thanks! > Stop Castle Logging > (An ad hoc network of local residents, businesses, recreationists and conservation groups) > > and > > Dianne Pachal, Alberta WILD Director > Sierra Club Canada > #210, 223 - 12 Ave., SE > Calgary, Alberta T2R 0G9 > Phone: 403 234-7368 Email: dpachal@telus.net