bigalcal

Thieves stole all my gear from my trailer in September and I'm now starting to replace everything . I am considering a sling pack to replace my vest. I have looked at the Fishpond and Simm's options and I'm having a difficult time deciding. I haven't tried or looked at the Orvis, Umpqua or Patagonia packs yet but I intend to very soon.. There are so many different bags to try on. Each has great features and things that I don't like. It seems that carrying a net with these packs is very awkward and I haven't really found a perfect solution for that problem. Top on my list right now are the Fishpond Summit sling, Fishpond Delta and Simms Ambi Sling. I was hoping to get some feed back from my fellow fly fishermen to help me make my decision. I would appreciate any advice on any sling pack. Pro's...cons as well as any net solutions. Thanks everybody!!

My seasonal campsite at Dutch Creek backs onto the "Dutch Creek" road. For years I would hear the quads zipping up and down that road. Now they can't quad on that road and it is so quiet!! Much appreciated!!

I was fortunate enough to see the healing wound!!

Right here....fire "restriction"...so fires are allowed in fire rings at campgrounds. Don't steal the firewood I hid!!! https://albertafirebans.ca/

Some frosty mornings!! Were you camping at Dutch Creek campground last year?

I just returned from Oldman and tribs and it's high. The big rock in the middle of the Gap is more than half submerged. The tribs are high and fast but with a bit of visibility. The 14 day forecast for Crowsnest Pass is below seasonal temperatures (high 12-16) and rain showers. I wouldn't expect fishing on opening weekend. Maybe Stampede time......sigh!!

I make a loop then tie a nail knot with some mono to hold it securely. Add a bit of Knot sense to smoothen out the knot and you're good.

Although I know I'm missing out....I only fish the OMR and tribs.

I really concentrated on my fish handling last year. I hope I see them all again this year.

Gold Bond.....like a breath of fresh air!! I remember my first time......

Check staff accomodations!!!

Spurly....They improved the boot from the original Rivertek. Did you have the Rivertek 2?

Update: First season with the Simms Rivertek II Boa and they were awesome. Absolutely no problems with lacing system. They are a lot heavier than my previous wading boots and it took a few trips to break them in, but overall I am pleased.

I'll grab a bag of this for nexy cutty season. We will do a "field test"!!

I love Frog's Fanny and I was only able to get it at Westwind's (sorry I forget the new shop's name) and BPS. I might have bought the last bottle at "Westwind's" as they were not sure if they were going to buy more. I think I'll give this a try. If it's similar I'll be saving a ton of money as "Frog's Fanny" wasn't getting any cheaper. I hope it works as well!! https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/pages/cs/fillers/cabosil.php

Have I missed something here?

I agree it is an age old custom and honestly ...it was amazing to watch. I am just wondering why the cattle need to cross the river twice. Once to gather at a holding area and then back again to the road. There must be enough room for all the cattle in the area across from the fire station. That way there would be no crossings. I'm sure there is a good reason and next season I'm going to find out,

It was all planned... I met a couple from Quebec that were perched up high waiting for it to happen and warned me...they said "Soon there will be 1000+ cattle coming through where you are fishing"...

Here's some video....I thought it was pretty cool to be in the middle of it, then the thought of the river damage occurred to me much later. I apologize for the quality.

If I owned a fly shop I would attach an old pick up tailgate to the wall so customers would use it to try on waders and wading boots. So if you do decide to go the fly shop way think about this. Good luck.

I try to bring in my fish as fast as I can. I do have a 3wt cutty rod which might make the fight a bit longer than a 5 or 6 wt. I do my best to get them in and out quickly. I have definitely changed my "catch & release" style from my early days....much for the better of course. I admit ..it did take me a few years to figure it out. I don't even bring a camera with me anymore.

Never

I just found it odd that the cattle were corralled on the other side of the river. So the herd actually had to cross the OMR to get to the area and then cross it again to get back to the road. Pity that there isn't an area on the same side of the river for them to herd up. Problem solved.

Peter...for the first time EVER I had my phone with me and have lots of video,

Recently steps have been made to reduce damage to our cutty rivers. Quadders are being educated and ticketed, loggers have restrictions etc etc. All this is to restrict potential damage to the endangered cutthroat and bull trout habitat, Awesome start... The other day I was fishing a spot on the Oldman River near the Forest Fire Station on the Forestry Trunk Road. There were a lot of cattle mooing in an area behind me. They soon approached me and approximately 1400 head of cattle crossed the pool I was fishing. Despite the lack of etiquette, I was quite entertained as I watched the cattle cross and scramble up the bank and continue down the Trunk Rd. I went back to fishing UPSTREAM from where they crossed and the river was muddy, I couldn't imagine what it was like downstream not to mention the damage to the river bank etc. I was wondering if Sustainable Resources look into the damage done from these huge river crossings or somehow regulate them or if they just let it happen. A quad crossing a river seems quite minute in comparison to what I saw the other day. The silt in the river and the bank damage was huge. I'm hoping they will look into it. Who can I contact about it?