toolman

The SA Mastery Shorthead Multi-Tip Line is not a Skagit Head. It is a short belly Spey line with a selection of tips that attach to the line, for a total head length of 61' (6wt.), with a tip attached. A 450 grain Rio Skagit head is 27' long and 10'-15' tips are added to the head. The multi tip line has an intergrated running line where as the Skagit system is just the head, which is looped onto the running line. I like 30lb. running line as it mends well, but others like 20lb. running lines as it shoots a little further, but does not mend as well in the wind or at distance. For lake fishing where mending is not a big issue, 20lb. will cast your Skagit head a little further. Skagit heads can be cast with almost no back casting room, using a frontal water anchor created with the line. Skagit heads can also carry bigger sink tips and turn over heavier flys at a distance than a Short belly Spey line, and they can also be used for drys or at any depth in the water colum. They are a bit spashy when they land, as the line weight that is needed to load the rod is concentrated into a short piece of large diameter flyline. Traditional Spey lines use the weight of the head and the length of the longer head on the water to form an anchor, to load the rod on the cast. The Multi tips system is a good versatile line for many applications and a good choice if you were to buy only one line to fish rivers and lakes with all types of flys/presentations through the entire water colum, from surface to bottom. If you only want to fish lakes with big sink tips and splashy landings are ok, then the Skaggit will be a good choice for those conditions, but you need to strip the running line back in to be able to recast the head again. Stipping line in freezing conditions is not a lot of fun, so I prefer a traditional spey line when it is cold out.

Man, if you're a hack tyer, then I can't wait till I am one too. Seriously though, it's impossible to pick a winner in this battle royale, because there are no flaws in either fly and it's just a matter of personal taste. Next battle, don't tell anyone who tied what fly, just post the two flies without saying who tied which. Also, choose the same background so that the presentations are the same. Then, it will be easy to declare a winner...both of you.

With the Bow running so low, slow and clear, indicators will spook many fish, so try using a big dryfly with droppers as Rusty suggested or try High Sticking nymphs without one. I would also recommend 4x and 5x tippet and a long leader to improve stealth/presentation. Longer leaders have a little more stretch and will help protect finer tippets from breaking.

Sounds like a cast called a "single spey". You should consider attending Gordons Spey school coming up in a couple of weeks. I describe this rod as a great dry line rod because it is a very long rod for a 5/6 wt., which gives it a slower action for good feel and accuracy and the long length is an advantage for line control and distance, when swinging drys on a light 5/6wt. line. The 5/6 wt. line will have a small casting/mending imprint on the water when dry fishing the surface with long leaders. This rod also has a very wide casting grain window as well, so it performs at short or long distances. As for line systems, it will cast very well with an Airflow 6/7, Delta Spey Line and also with the Airflow 6/7, 450 grain Skagit shooting head system, for use with sink tips. I have both of these lines on spools/reels, so if you can attend the spey school, I will bring them along for you to cast. I also have an Airflow Scandianavian Shooting head system and a SA XLT, long belly, distance line that should work well on your rod. I have a good selection of sink tips and polyleaders, which are an important component of a balanced line system. I use Pfleuger Trion #1912, 11-12wt. reels, with spare spools loaded with 250 yrds. of 30lb. Dacron backing, for the line systems on both of my 12'6" Spey rods. Very nice set up. Also, Gordon has some nice Large arbor reels that he is bringing over with him that are going to be for sale and well priced. Welcome to the world of Spey...and you are right, you are gonna become dangerous with that new stick.

Lonefisher, I casted/fished with the Metolious Stream Dance 13'4" 5/6 wt. for a few weeks back in January. This is a sweet dry line Spey Rod. The price is certainly a bargain. Have you purchased this rod yet?

I agree, a good book such as the "Essential Guide to Flyfishing" is the right place to start. Read it several times, then talk to the folks at the local flyshops when you stop in to pick up gear. They can help you with fly selection, leaders etc., and be a good resource in the learning process. There is also the option of enrolling in a flyfishing school like the one operated by Jim & Linda Maclennan. www.mclennanflyfishing.com . Jim also is the author of several good flyfishing books that you should read.

Hi Dustan and welcome to FFC. In response to your second question, fishing at midnight may or may not produce good fishing, the same as fishing at say 7:00am. Sometimes the conditions required for good fishing, may or may not be happening at the water you are at or at the time you are there. It may be sensational 5 miles down river and absolutely dead where you are fishing. That's the Bow river. That said, night fishing can on average produce larger trout than daytime fishing, but it comes with its own set of challenges requiring adaptation to the darkness and the conditions at hand. Fishing under tension using a downstream and across presentation will help with strike detection, as will High stick nymphing with a short line. I would recommend you try night fishing for a unique, exciting fishing experience. Sooner or later you will hit a magic night when the large trout are feeding hard and everything you do works. Those are the times that keep me coming back for more. Good Luck!

That is very generous of you Chris. We are certainly gratefull for the support that FlyFusionMagazine has given us at FFC. Thanks again. Greg

Ladystrange, I can assure you, Dutchdryfly was only joking, as he is a conservationist and dryfly purist. Rob, it is unfortuneate that you may not be able to come over to Canada this year. Tell your boss that we are not happy with his decision and that he should reconsider the long term impact on your fishing spirits if he makes you wait another year.

[quote name='chidders' date='Aug 29 2007, 08:02 PM' post='13911' TM is that a pair of waders I see you wearing? Oh no, those are'nt waders, they're dress pants, as I had just come from my office... waders...me? NO WAY!

I am stealin' your mojo.....and it's working too...LOL! It's my new Ninja hoodie.

Nice looking Bow and in great shape. Here's a couple from earlier in the week, on a cold, rainy evening. Hammers 24" Broonie 25" Rainbow

Harps has got it right. I would add that you usually need to get your nymphs/streamers right on the bottom of the stream by using a sink tip or lots of weight on the flys. The trout will sometimes stick their snouts right up against the rocks if there is a lot of soil in the drift and will have a small sight window in these conditions. We had low visibility conditions on the Bow yesterday, but the trout were actively feeding on nymphs/larva and pupa and moving around searching for food. Others fisherman used hoppers on the surface yesterday, in the pouring rain and did well along the shallow/slow bank water. Trout have incredible vision, even in high water conditions. Last night I was slammin' em in the dirty water (12" of vis.), in the dark at 11:00pm, on size #16 flys.

I was'nt going to go fishing today with all the rain and a long to do list around the office, but a couple of flyfisher women have invited me to join them on the Bow...so...I guess I'm going fishing after all. It sure is a tough life...

Labrador is the Brookie capital of the world for sure. Thanks for the pics.

Glad the family holiday was a success. Great pics of the girls with their catch. That big laker is a beauty. Are we hitting the Bow this week? It's going to be sensational fishing by mid week.

Awesome vid Taco. I grew up on the Restigouche, not far away from the Miramichi river and around the Salmon fishing culture. My brother is fishing on the Nipisiquit river this week. I found part 2 of the Lee Wulff video.

I'll try and add to the discussion without repeating what's already been posted. First I would suggest you look at different leader options for the different types of water structure and conditions you are fishing. Polyleaders are excellent for streamer fishing at all depths of the water column, from the surface film to the stream bottom. DC Sinking Polyleaders eliminate the need for extra weight on the fly or leader when fishing sub surface, which allows the use of unweighted flys that will swim differently than heavily weighted flys on a mono leader. I usually swing streamers down and across, but I throw an upstream mend to control the speed/depth of the swing for the conditions I am fishing. I often use the downstream current speed as a guide and try to swing at approximately the same speed across stream, as the current is flowing downstream. At times the trout want a faster presentation, at other times slower. I usually start swinging on the surface to get everyones attention and then work deeper if the trout are reluctant to come up to the top. I would also suggest learning about the different baitfish that live in the river, that are important trout food. Then you will understand what type/size/color of streamer to use and how to make a natural presentation that will get the trouts interest. A few bait fish found in our streams and rivers in South/Central Alberta would include... Long Nose Dace Pearl Dace Northern Red Belly Dace Spottail Shiners Spoonhead Sculpins Fathead Minnows Brook Stickleback Trout, Sucker and Whitefish Fry And don't forget about Leeches. Good Luck and keep working on it. Here is a good link with information/photos of these baitfish: Freshwater Fishes of Canada http://www.fishbase.org/Country/CountryRes...roup=freshwater

Now that's funny...lol.

Pretty good MTB. I got it to work. Way to go Rick, never surrender...never...

That's awesome Ryan...Big congratulations to you and your wife. Things are looking up buddy. You are one lucky dude!

If you are looking for a good hopper pattern, simply walk the bank and take a look at them. There are a few species with different colors, sizes, profile. Drop one in the water to see how it reacts, drifts, sinks, to get an idea of what the trout are seeing. This will give you a better understanding of fishing with hoppers, then anyone telling you what the hot fly is today. ps. There sure are a lot of crickets along the Bow this summer...take a look, I'm sure the trout have.

Terrific story Rick. Keep them coming.

I think we need to remain respectfull to all river users, including other fisherman. However, people need to back off and give each other a little space. There's usually lots of water to wet your line and no need to crowd anyone. If someones already at the "sweet spot" or your favorite run, too bad, move on. If someone crowds me, I tell them they are too close and to give me a bit of room. Most important, is to communicate with each other and be friendly. I personally will never allow myself to be run off any water that I am fishing. So, don't crowd the Toolman...

I would agree the 5x the rod length, of line out of the rod tip to be a good average. There are many variables to account for including, a balanced line/leader/fly system for the rod, casting skill and experience, wind conditions, use of shooting heads for distance vs. DT for dry presentations etc.. So a 9' rod should be able to toss 45' of line out. That said, somedays I can cast/shoot a WF-6 on my 9' single hander 65' (not acurately and only when the wind blows just right), other days I struggle with 40'.