alan2

Well, if preferring a fishing environment that isn't chewed up by ATV's and littered with their beercans makes me an elitist, then yes. The degradation happens way too often and in too many places to be called isolated incidents. What's wrong with walking, people? Are you handicapped or just lazy?? My apologies if you are the former, but so far in my travels fishing I've only seen the latter. Holy cow, a dozen new entries since I started writing this reply. Doesn't anybody work?

Well, as someone who has had lower back problems since 1991, I can say I've tried everything listed here and many more not listed. My chiropracter still helps as much or more than Canadian Back Institute (a joke) craniosacral therapy, rolfing, active release, therapeutic massage, accupuncture and and the orthopedic surgeon. (waited 9 mos to be told it couldn't be fixed by surgery---thankfully!) One procedure that helped me over time was prolotherapy---most folks have never heard of it, and it was hard to find anyone who could perform it. Used a lot by pro atheletes---which I certainly am not! I used to drive to Red deer mostly, a doctor there did it. It is saline injections into supporting ligaments (lower back for me) that have stretched due to injury; it causes local tissue irritation which stimulates additional ligament cell growth. Strengthening exercises will do absolutely nothing for ligaments; the best you can hope for is to strengthen muscles in the same area. Prolotherapy actually causes new tissue growth over time. I used to go every 4-6 weeks, get about 8 spots injected in lower back under local anesthetic, and over time, my sacroiliac was much better, more stable, less likely to misalign from certain twisting, bending movements. Now the odd time that I do need a Chiro visit, it stays aligned much better. And doing lots of core stability exercises also has helped. There are always people who think chiros are quacks, but there are useless people in many professions. Look at the wrong cancer diagnoses by the hundreds in those clinics in the Maritimes. So using Sundance's logic, everybody in that profession just must want you to die.

That's just the way some fish develop!

Here's what the Highwood R just upstream of Natures hideaway was like this afternoon. It has dropped since during the night.

Mountain equipment Co-op generally has the best selection of serious hiking boots I've ever seen. And they're not-for-profit, so prices are pretty fair too. I always liked hiking boots with a welt and sewn-on vibram soles, so I'd get Alpine Shoe in Kensington to replace them every year. He's been at it since at least 1974. Seems most manufacturers are now using those 1 piece bonded on soles, and everybody uses a different type, so it's not always so simple now getting them replaced locally. As for price, I paid close to $400 for good leather 3/4 shank Raichle hiking boots more than 10 years ago---made in Europe, back then of course. Anyway those cows aren't getting any less valuable today either.

The best thing about all this precip is that it (hopefully) guarantees they won't close the forests to fisherman again this summer. It was looking bad there last weekend. By now the cutthroats on the Livingston have had 2 years to forget what a fly is, and 2 yrs to grow. Not that cutts have a long memory :)

My father would have been 85 today, he served in WWII and his birthday coincidentally was Nov 11th. He passed away from cancer sept 13th. I will never forget this day.

Glad there's another forum now since the other just disappeared it seems. Good work! guys. Looking fwd to more good info from all the knowledgeable people out there. I see many of the same names, so I already feel sort of comfortable. alan