toolman

Picked up the new Airflo Skagit Compact Kit from Fish Tales today. Pretty sweet...Bombs away! Complete set of 10 Heads, 2 Ridge running lines (20lb. & 30lb.), Line/reel case with two reel compartments. Lots of storage room in the top lid for sink tips, polyleaders, Spey lines, running/holding lines, cheaters, tippet spools etc.

I'll have to remember to wade upstream of you next time we are fishing together, Rick.

Thanks Crogg, that's an awesome pattern.

Swing this Skid Bitch in the evenings and hang on tight... Berrett's Golden Stone Barred Leg http://www.idylwilde.com/onefly-new.php?fl...IG2388&desc Sorry that I can't provide the tying instructions.

Flow rates have dropped from 300cms too 150cms in the past two weeks and the T-8 tips are now effective. Soon, floating and intermediate tips will be my go to set ups. I would like to try intermediate sinking heads for the fast riffle water.

A fast sinking Scandi head would have been excellent during the past 6 weeks of high flows on the Bow river. I used 14', T-8 tips, with weighted flys and seldom got hung up through the swing untill the line almost hit the bank on the hang down. Fortuneatly there were lots of trout holding in the slow water along the bank and striking when the fly finally reached the zone. There were many fish holding further off the bank in very fast water, but it was difficult getting the fly down deep enough and getting the swing speed correct.

Hi Al, The front tapers on Scandi lines are too fine and do not have enough mass at the tip to turn over a sink tip as heavy as T-14, unless it was a very short piece. The front taper of the Spey line must be at least 14 grains/foot to turn over T-14 and then there is the mass of the fly to add as well. The majority of Scandi lines work well with medium size/weight flys and sink tips up to T-8, around 70-80 grains total. Some Scandi lines have fine tapers, such as the Elixir, AFS Heads, while others have stronger tapers, such as the AirFlo, Guideline PT, Vision Ace Short, Tonic Heads. T-14 is for very large/heavy flies and deep and/or fast water. For Skagit, there are some lines that have a tapered tip such as the Airflo N.W. Skagit head, which allows the use of T-10, too about 90-100grains. Compact Skagits can handle T-14 and large flys with ease, as there is very little front taper and the line weight at the end of the Head may be 20-25 grains/foot or more.

Awesome report Brian. It's great that the trip turned out to be a big success. King on the swing...way to go buddy!

Rob, I would consider an 8/9 Vision Ace DH floating head, 29g @ 10.7m. Cut the line (from the rear of the head) back too 2.5x rod lengths and add an appropriate polyleader (3m-5m). The Vision Ace DH line will Spey cast, Overhead cast, Roll cast very nicely and you can use all types of Polyleaders from floating to super fast sink rate. They are currently my favorite Scandi line. Vision Ace lines are also available in shorter lengths for casting large/weighted flies. http://www.visionflyfishing.com/page.php?p...=32&pid=128 Best of luck to you and your colleagues on your fishing holidays. Take lots of photo's/vids to show us.

Great post and pics beedhead and I am very impressed with Flygirls flyfishing skills. She's got talent, that's for sure. Keep up the good work.

Those are beauty Bows. Thanks for the pics!

A big thank you to TG, adc and dryfly, for their generous contributions to the StreamWatch program. Glad that you gents found a few fishies to play with. Incredible photo's dryfly. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

Hey Gordon, I still have not had the chance to cast the Vision Spey Ace long belly line I picked up from you. BTW, when you get out fishing on the river Spey in the next week or two, I'd like to see a few pics of those Sea run Browns that are starting to come in.

Got a chance to get out on the water for an hour to test cast the first of my set of 6 new Vision Ace shooting heads. I used the 6/7 @ 23g and 10m in length, on my Loop signature 6120 and it was a perfect match for the rod. This is one of the nicest casting Scandinavian Shooting Heads I have ever tried. Can't wait to cast them with a variety of floating/sinking polyleaders, flies and also with my other rods. I purchased the Vision Ace heads from Deschutes Anglers, in Maupin, Oregon.

Spey is for smart fisherman... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyXPp1P8rBY

It sure was a fun flyfishing adventure with some great guys. Tim did a fantastic job as our Host/Guide for the weekend. Many thanks for your generosity, hospitality and support of the Streamwatch program. A few more pics... Bloom... Rick... Greg... My new rod...Loop 6120 Signature Series. This stick absolutely rocks!

He said Cdone not Cdock...duh! Nice bullies guys. ps. See you next weekend Rick.

Well I don't have pics of any weekend carnage... but I did call in 5 poachers to R.A.P and F&W responded in a timely manner... Thanks to all of our conservation officers for their efforts. Much appreciated!

And take photo's and vids if possible, to go with your story...It'll make for some good viewing next week... Also remember that the Report-A-Poacher 1-800# is printed on the back of your fishing license.

A great cause MTB. I'll donate a guided walk and wade on the Bow River and a $100 cash donation.

Is that a reliable indicator of a business sectors economic viability? Lots of young people also don't want to work up north in the oil patch, (like their dad did..) but that does'nt mean there's no money in the oil business. My own kids want nothing to do with the industry I work in, even though I earn a respectable living doing so. ps. Back to the water issue...

Farmers grow crops to make MONEY...whether their crops are for human consumption, bird food or bio fuel...it's all about making ca$h.

Wild trout in wild places...does'nt get any better than that. Thanks Neil. ps. Forgot to ask, what rod model and line are you swinging?

Just received an advanced copy of Scott Mackenzie's new DVD. Very well done. Enjoyable and instructional with beautifull scenery from the Scotish Highlands. Thanks to Speyghillie for the advanced copy, (the first in N. America)...course he'll have to take it back to Scotland and have Mr. Mackenzie autograph it for me. ps. Contact Speyghillie if you are looking to purchase a copy of the DVD. He is the N. American distributor.

Have a good one Gregg.