NormanMcLean

Tie1on24, You read my freaking mind. I was planning a heli-trip up there this summer as well, and was wondering which lake is better fishing. Landslide has cuts, and Lake of Falls has cuts and bulls as you probably know. I took the heli-trip to Michelle in 2004 for goldens and I have great memories of that trip. My party should have 4 people going. Landslide is a 15km hike and Lake of Falls is 20km up hill. I've heard 3 days is a good hike to LOF. When were you thinking of going?

If anyone see's a 6'-8 guy with a camo hat on. That's me. See you at the show.

And Heath Ledger is the new Joker in the upcoming Batman film. That will be weird to watch. He was a good actor. I thought "The Four Feathers" was great.

Love the lightweight Lamson/Waterworks reels. I am looking to buy a Waterworks Purist reel. The $300 price tag is worth it for a ULA reel that weighs 2.7 oz. Aerospace aluminum. I used one last summer and the after a long days casting, my arm wasn't tired at all. Some of those Pflueger/Islander reels look nice, but are just too heavy for my liking. And the Hardy Marksman at 2.5 oz. is the lightest on the market.

Recently I have been thinking about different nymphing techniques and keep coming back to same question. To bead or not to bead? Or rather when to use a bead head nymph and when to use a single split shot with a standard nymph instead? If just the one bead is enough to get it down, is there any benefit in using one or the other? I have heard the beadless nymph will have more life to it as it lighter in the water, but is that it? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I've heard many fisherman say that a messy tackle box is lucky, and to clean it would be a jinx. Personally I enjoy organizing my fly box this time of year and re-evaluating everything. Maybe this just reflects the difference between tackle and fly anglers. Any thoughts?

Maybe you've had trouble with fly reels because you're loading them with 200' of mono!

I just picked up a 3XL SportCheif fishing raincoat/vest in Red Deer. The vest can be worn separate or on the outside of the coat. It's got all the pockets I need and more. I'm very happy with it. I was also thinking of getting the LL Bean chest pack for hot summer wading.

Don, Have you checked out the Hardy Marksman reel yet? Unbelievably light.

Sorry Don, this poll is a no-boo zone. I would love to see a bamboo poll though. I voted Winston but have Sage rods as well. They clearly are a very good rod, with a range of models and reasonably priced. I have declared Sage the hands down winner for this poll.

Sorry again for not including Orvis. Or Sage reels either. I just picked 10. This poll looks closer to call than the rod poll however.

Yes, I realized after I created the poll that I forgot Orvis. I should have dumped Martin.

Which is your favorite reel maker? I voted Waterworks.

Which is your favorite rod maker? This could be a personal favorite or your opinion of who makes the best rods. Feel free to add another maker not listed. I voted Winston.

Please delete this repeat post admin.

Anyone have any thoughts on the Olympus Stylus underwater camera? I just got one for Christmas and can't wait to use it this year.

I just unwrapped an Olympus Stylus underwater camera! Yahoo! Can't wait!

I started collecting fish decoys last year, and I love them. I mostly look for the older trout/pike/sturgeon decoys (including Lawrence Bethel), but I do have some newer realistic ones as well. I've been trying to get all of the Alberta species represented. They are normally cheaper than the larger duck decoys. It is a nice diversion in the off season. I will post some pics of them soon. Welcome to the club!

I just got the LL Bean fly fishing catalog, and I was impressed by the products they offer. I have some LL Bean clothes and have always been impressed with their quality. I was wondering if anyone has ever ordered any fishing gear from them. They sell there own line of rods and reels along and top end Sage rods and some nice Ross/Lamson reels. And some really nice vests/chest packs. Oh, and a $3000 bamboo rod limited to a run of 25. Any thoughts?

Check this out. http://cgi.ebay.ca/Fly-fishing-Canada-Albe...1QQcmdZViewItem

I also bought a signed hard cover copy of Blue Ribbon Bow last year. Great read. Mine is the original version, not the updated revised edition.

This year I'm going with a custom built Winston WT series 3-wt 8'6 with stained Tiger Maple reel seet and agate stripping guides. Reel is ULA Lamson Ultralight (3.0oz). $350 rod. $250 reel. Can't freaking wait.

I just picked up a hard to find title. "Due North of Montana" by Chris Dawson. It's a book written for American flyrodders as a guide to Alberta waters. It's pretty redudant to the Albertan, but does have good information on locations and hatches on some of my favorite waters. A pleasure to read.

Did you hook the brookie on a dark Stonefly nymph pattern? I didn't fish Prairie as much as I would of liked this year. It still seems like the number of browns is down. Looking forward to Spring 2008!

Many leaders come with loop to loop connections for attachment to the fly line. They are stronger than a nail not and easier to attach. The can lead to more tangles if your loops are too stiff. Some fly lines are being made with this loop attached, but you can also buy a loop attachment. Good luck!