scel

I got a ticket for not having my license. I had a copy on my phone, but it was not signed. The F&W officer said it would have been OK if I had signed it. It is still safest to keep a hard copy.

Cool. I will make an adjustment this year to my leaders. Right now, for my sink tip (which I primarily use) I use about 1.2m 40lb fluoro, 25cm of Knot2Kinky. I think I will try to taper my leader using 0.6m 40lb fluoro, 0.6m 26lb fluoro, 25cm Knot2Kinky. I am not sure it will make a difference because presentation is not key for pike, but I did find benefits to laying out a nice long cast and good turnover puts the angler in contact with the fly as soon as it hits the water. But, right now, I do not hazard it will make a big difference for most angling, but I will give it the college try. It will only take an extra minute to build the leader.

I made 6 leaders last spring using this technique: The only time I need to replace a leader is to replace the swivel (I made the clasp the breakpoint). Here, in Alberta, I doubt that I would have ever broken a clasp, but in the shield lakes of Saskatchewan and Ontario, there is the occasional permanent snag. Even then, I tie on a new clasp and the leader is good to go. I am technically using the exact same leader that I started in the spring of 2015, with 5 spares.

There is a point of no-return with ART/massage in treating tendinitis-like injuries. If the inflammation is too high, ART will only serve as a further irritant. It sucks that you had to find out you were beyond the point of no-return the hard way.

I am fortunate enough not have tennis elbow, yet. I have experienced a fair number of repetitive strain injuries---bursitis, Achilles tendinitis, forearm tendinitis, and carpal tunnel. Over 6 years of competitive track and field, I saw many physiotherapists. Once you get a repetitive strain injury, you are more likely to experience it again. Warming up your muscles adequately will prevent re-injury. Occasional breaks to rest/cool/ice the risk area will also help. At the first twinge of pain, you should stop the activity, go home, ice the area in for 20 minutes every 2 hours for 8 hours. However, if you are on the 4th hour of an 8 hour guided trip on the flats and there are tailing bonefish everywhere, aspirin or ibuprofen (or another NSAID) will get you through the day, then ice the area as quickly as possible. In addition to pain management, NSAIDs and aspirin (anti-inflammatory drugs) will help in short term, aiding recovery when used in combination with icing and stretching, but in the long-term, drugs will just mask any residual pain instead of helping you heal. Physio is probably the best resolution to the problem because it will actively seek find the source of the injury. Sometimes injuries occur because the balancing muscle is weak or there is compensation for another injury. Deep muscle massage or Active Release Therapy directly targeting the inflamed area by stimulating blood flow. Both have been shown to work. But severe cases will require steroid injections to reduce the inflammation. SOURCE: biomedical engineer/researcher. Dated a physiotherapist for 4 years. I still occasionally get achilles tendinitis.

My slump was busted today as well!!! First, I caught a 25cm whitefish. I was certain I had hooked a nice mid-sized brown. Whitefish do not get enough respect. They can fight like demons. But in regards to ending the worst slump I have yet endured on the Bow River, 25cm whitefish, you da real mvp. I then caught a fat 48-47 cm rainbow hen. She jumped 3 times and she was heavy, but MVP whitefish gave a far more dedicated fight. My 2 points of evidence agress with SeanD---at least waist deep, slower, but just fast enough to have some character. These lies can be difficult to access on foot.

I can commiserate. I am on a 5 time skunking---the worst I've ever experienced. I know the fish will start moving into more 'trouty' water starting now until the first week of April when all the breeders start moving.

LOL. A pesco-political joke.

Dammit, Taco. Now I have to add another item to my bucket list. It just makes sense that Alaska would have some amazing fishing.

I do not think you understand how this process works. First of all, the optometrist has virtually no interaction with the people who make the glasses. They analyze your sight, and recommend a prescription. The optician has sample glasses on the shelves---Lenscrafters or whatever. The customer finds the glasses they like. The optician then takes the measurements where the customer's eyes sits in the glasses both horizontally and vertically (some people like myself have eyes that are closer together than other people). The optician sends this information along with the optometrist's prescription and frame choice to the manufacturer, like Oakley, Smith, or Maui Jim. Oakley (for example) then custom manufactures the lenses that fit into the chosen frames and sends them back to the seller (like Lenscrafters). The better sunglasses manufacturers build frames that are meant to be worn while being active and the manufacturer accounts for wrapping and curvature. There is a definite advantage to buying purpose-made prescription sunglasses.

Another +1 for Knifewear. They are a little pricey, but they are the best that I have encountered.

What is your budget? I had a zen experience this past summer fly fishing for pike in northern Saskatchewan. I had one epic day of 30+ fish, of which 4 were over the 15lb mark. I did this all on my own---it took me about 7 days fishing on my own to figure out which patterns worked, where the fish were holding, and retrieve rates. With a guide or a little local knowledge, I think it would be easy to have a week of absolutely epic fishing. As an aside, for most of the lakes where big pike hold, there is a super healthy population of walleye that can be ethically harvested. Super delicious. A light weight spinning set up with a couple rapala and/or jigs will allow a double dip. In the spring, I caught equal amounts of walleye and pike on the fly. In the fall, I only caught pike on the fly, but on average, most of the pike were much, much bigger. As well, I know it is really close to home, but Northern Saskatchewan is stunningly beautiful. it is such a stark contrast to the grasslands south of Saskatoon. Canoeing around the lake, I encountered lots of wildlife. Curious otters would follow me around. Ospreys and eagles live healthy lives on the bountiful fish. Thankfully, the bears are not very curious but seem to have a penchant for gas cans and oil containers.

I have Oakley Flack Jackets with polarized amber lenses. They are absolutely awesome. What I like most about Oakley is the comfort and stability during activity. It drives me bonkers when I spin to look at something and my glasses move.

Use Flickr or Imgur. I use Imgur. There are iOS and Android apps that make it super simple.

We recently got a Border Collie(dad)/Australian Cattle Dog(mom). I guess it is called a border heeler. Whatever it is, it is a full-on working dog from working lines. People warned me about the time requirements. I understood, but I did not really *get* it. My wife has had several herding dogs. It was my first dog. We opted for a puppy because of our cats. He is now 6 months old. The dog is incredibly smart and willing to please with a seemingly unending font of energy. He still attempts to herd my cats. He has not yet had the existential crisis that he is trying to herd that which cannot be herded. Unless you are interested in amping up your fitness, I would not recommend a dog like mine. It takes a 4 km run around the neighborhood, a minimum of 30 minutes fetch/frisbee (at least an hour of dedicated exercise), and 30 minutes of training/obedience. That is a total of 1h30 of time that we need to allot to the dog every day and I suspect that it will likely increase (obedience requirements will fall, but exercise will increase). A month ago, it was 2 km and 20 minutes of frisbee. I am not really complaining---since moving to a 4 km run, I have lost 10lbs and I am noticeably healthier. I can deny him his exercise for a single day. By the second day, the destruction begins, starting with the relentless harassment of the cats and assorted 'home renovation' projects (he likes ripping the carpet off the stairs). I cannot fault him for this destructive behavior---it emerges because of my laziness and I deserve it. My dog is awesome and he helps me be a better person. Our vet is a professor at the U of C. He is a specialist vet at the CARE centre. He works 2 days a week at a local clinic. I had an extensive discussion with him on this topic. He was involved in a long-term study. Apparently, there is no substantial evidence a raw diet is better than a high quality dog food (like Acana, Go!, Orijen, EVO). There is evidence that a raw diet can result in malnutrition, especially in younger, growing dogs. But it would be foolish to deny the anecdotal testimony of dog owners and raw food---my wife's parents are included in this group. It seems raw diet owners have only good things to say about their choices. My vet likened the argument of raw vs prepared dog food as the equivalent of organic vs conventional produce. Based on pure nutrition, there is little evidence there is any significant difference but people tend to *feel* better about organic food. So, we have gone with a combo. We feed our puppy a nutrition-balanced wet food and kibble (Acana and Go!) and some raw food. My dog is picky. Yes, a picky dog. I did not even know they existed. He will not eat the same food 3 days in a row---variety seems to help. His top 3 favorite foods are: lip balm, shoe laces (the shoe is untouched), and anything the cats are eating. EDIT: Oh, and cat poop. He loves eating cat poop. Humans have 5 million smell receptors; dogs have 225-300 million smell receptors. The simple human palate simply cannot process the depth, intricacy, and sophistication of feline feces. Dogs are kinda gross.

I use 2x fluoro to the main and 3x to the dropper. I certainly have not seen any reduction in the number or size of fish that I have caught over the last couple of months.

My wife is a field biologist. She spends 12 weeks a year hiking through the bush. If you need to wear a jacket all day, Goretex is the best for all around gear. This can happen in late summer or early spring. For late spring/summer, where I will probably will not wear a jacket for the most of the day, and if you just need to have rain gear for a 1 hour or 2 hour rain contingency, a straight-up rain jacket works just as well as Goretex to keep you dry, generally has a smaller packing footprint, and is a fraction of the price of goretex. http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/rainwear.html

For flexibility and reliability in multiple conditions, a good gortex shell is hard to beat. My favourite is Patagonia---I am sure they are still good. My shell has lasted over 7 years of all-season use. Unfortunately, it was $550. Gortex is not my first choice for a summer/spring downpour (straight up rain gear is your best choice), but it will still keep you warm and dry.

What is your budget? Will you plan to do any winter fishing? Do you already have a good gortex shell?

Your grandchildren are already saddled with a very difficult future. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-drops-out-of-top-10-most-developed-countries-list-1.1357269 Even if your grandchildren are university educated, they are less likely to get a well-paying job (or heck, even a bad job) in the present economic climate. We are falling out of global favour because of antiquated social policies and completely devoid of any environmental initiatives. I have international work colleagues. They make fun of how Canada has fallen. Now, lets couple this with the fact that your grandchildren (and me too) will have to work longer and harder than any generation before us. The only thing that scares me if things stay the same. A balanced budget should be the least of your grandchildren's concerns.

I am not an expert, but I have gone through this learning process recently myself. I would wager you are not strip setting. With a streamer and a fly rod, it is important to set the hook with a strip set instead of trout set. I went through the learning process this year fishing for pike and bass. They just have tougher mouths. Here is how I know that I was not setting the hook properly... My first pass of bass this summer, I was super frustrated because I could not keep them on on both topwater and streamers. It would be a few vigorous head shakes and then nothing. This is how I know I was not setting the hook properly. I would bring the pike all the way up to the boat. The pike would see the boat, spit out the hook, and swim away. As soon as I made this realization, my hook-ups immediately increased. Back to bass for a few weeks, my hookups doubled. Fishing fall pike, i believe I easily doubled my hookups. It translates directly to trout. Trout have softer mouths, and you do not need to be as aggressive in the set as bass or pike. The trout set is makes sense for small needle-like hooks and light tippet. When casting gear, the rods are much stiffer and can generate significantly more force, so a violent rod jerk can generate enough force, but fly rods are significantly more supple. I remember bcube saying 'when fishing streamers, strip set!". It makes perfect sense. With streamers you are generally using bigger hooks that require more force to have purchase. If you ever have a chance to fish saltwater, you will be glad you took the time building a strip set habit.

I have been trying to understand this: http://www.environment.alberta.ca/apps/basins/DisplayData.aspx?Type=Figure&BasinID=8&DataType=1&StationID=RBOWCALG Can anyone give some insight?

I will also happily accept an offer of Dalwhinnie. I often change my indicator depth. The most recent Fly Fusion has an article written by Gary Borger on Long Tippet Nymphing. Through some degree of luck and determination, I had already figured out his technique. O----------------------o--------f1------f2 Indicator -> split shot -> fly1 -> fly2 Borger's technique is simple and logical. The distance from the split shot to the indicator should be slightly greater than the depth of the water fished. Since the current is slower closer to the bottom, there should be some lag between the indicator and the split shot, and the nymph rig should be moving slower than the surface current. The distance relationship between the split shot and the indicator is of critical importance. The split shot serves 2 purposes: to get the flies to depth and to anchor them. The indicator helps the split shot by suspending the anchor at the right depth and noting when there is a 'fish on'. Borger states that if your indicator and split shot are at the correct depths, any erratic indicator motion shows a fish is actively engaged with your flies---the angler needs to set the hook. However, if the split shot is bouncing off the bottom, the efficacy of the indicator-splitshot anchor is greatly reduced. The staccato of a dragging a heavy fly or split shot is something that can be gleaned from watching your indicator. This is also why I prefer not to use heavy wire worms or big stoneflies in place of a splitshot---they introduce a level of 'noise' into the indicator system by introducing false positives for 'fish on'. Sure, flies should occasionally snag the bottom and, sure, the angler should still perform a hook set. Ultimately, the distance from the indicator to the bottom fly still follows the '1.5x - 2.0x the depth of water fished' paradigm. When I approach a new run, I find it takes less than 1 minute to determine the water depth and adjust the indicator. If I am about to spend 10 - 15 minutes on a run, I have spent less than 10% of my time optimizing chances for a hook-up. There are good chances that the next few runs will be close to the same depth and flow rate. While in a drifting, however, I understand it is impractical to constantly be fiddling with your indicator, so a '1-depth-fits-all' solution is preferential. I follow bcube, 8'-9' indicator depth, and fiddle with the weight based on the river conditions, using a lighter system for low-clear conditions, and heavier for faster-deeper conditions.

Not at all. I appreciate the honesty---it is the only way to make good decisions. I also go fishing to get away and a bad dogs/nasty people put a damper in my day.

My dog is a genius. Border Collie/Australian Cattle Dog mix. My wife and I went to puppy class. As it turns out, our dog has almost no need of puppy class, but we, as owners, learned a great deal. Our dog can do sit, stay, come, get in (heel). He can navigate pylons on-leash like a pro. We learned something critical, 'Running at Large' is something is usually defined in a set of bylaws. While being off-leash in Mountain View County may be legal, it is not always legal everywhere. In the UK, for example, it is explicitly stated that a leash is not required for your dog, if the dog is under control. When I visited Munich, Germany, almost nobody used a leash. Leashes were for puppies and bad dogs. In the US, however, most dogs have to be on a leash while not in a space explicitly controlled by the owner or in off-leash areas. City of Calgary bylaws require the dog to be on a leash within city limits, except in designated off-leash areas. So here is what I have learned from this thread: Leashed or unleashed, fellow anglers want to interact with a dog on the river on their terms. This is completely fair. People do not go fly fishing to meet dogs. A dog should be completely irrelevant to their day. The only interaction a fellow angler should have with my dog is the notification of their approach, at which point the dog needs to shut up, sit, and wait. If the angler is a 'dog-person', they will still want to meet a well-mannered dog. Train, train, train Sure, my dog can sit, stay, heel, etc. But it will be a long and worthwhile commitment to make him a truly trustworthy fishing companion. Understand the laws and obligations The laws are not consistent. Even if something is legal, it is not necessarily acceptable. The onus is on the handler to adapt to different situations. Thanks to everyone who contributed.