SilverDoctor

Last year when I went for summer Steelhead I met guys and gals fishing with outfits from 5 wt to 10 wt. I was impressed with some of the lighter outfits but I think a 6/7/8 would be a good choice. Leaning toward the heavier 8 wt's I had my first experience and tried out a with a 6 wt Meiser Highlander that a friend had that was a joy. Met a few ladies in Terrace and later on the river who where using 6 wts and fished all day with little effort. They both picked up a few steelies with Big shoulders and did well in the battle. Just remember that you are hooking up to a Steelhead definition = Rocket ship on wheels.

Best concerts that stand out The Beatles Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto - September 7, 1964 still have my ticket stubs, costed me $5.50 Festival Express with Janis Joplin,The Band, The Grateful Dead etc. 1970 Stones Sticky fingers Vancouver mid 80's The Doors in 80 Deep Purple in Vancouver (DP in Rock) Kid Rock Corsby Stills Nash and Young Dejvu Cher two years ago Other great ones through the years that stick with me where Pink Floyd Jimmy Hendrix Willie Nelson Gordon Lightfoot - '68 To name a very few.

A number of Golden Stone, Salmon fly and other species of stone fly imitation fished on the surface to match the egg laying and skimming mating original. Skid = What they do on the water Bitch = Gender Definition of name = Trout surface smashing action. Heart attack city. Or the ever popular Dame which risform do I cast to.Lots of different patterns.

May your have good times on great water.

Congratulations Dave for making the issue. Kodos to a great tier.

To start with.........

If you keep the hackle shorter than the hook gap it works really well.

I like it Don, can I have one in split cane bamboo?

I've lost count of the people who pursue the Spey form of casting and who own equipment. Either occasionally or at addiction level. Me of course with 2 TFO rods TFO Deer Creek Spey 5/6 TFO Professional series 6 wt Put yer hand up boys and girls.

I don’t recommend products or services that I don’t strongly believe in. I would not hesitate to recommend Godon’s course. There are a number of reasons you may want to book for this great session. You have a Spey rod and want to learn the style. You have a fly rod want to learn the style. You want to experience a true Spey master at work, see classic top notch gear and have a great time. Are curious about this classic and beautiful way of casting. Think ol doc might be right. The first Bow river session sold out extremely quickly by not only locals but people out of the Calgary area. Seeing the interest expressed on the forum I would imagine this one WILL l be the same.

Welcome to the bow river Spey casting fraternity. Give me a shout some times and we'll do some swinging. Glad to see we now have a Spey area.

Just to add because of the nature of the savage strikes with swinging wets and streamers it's a good idea to hold 8 - 12 inches of line as a shock stopper. You can loose a tippet quite easily if there is no "give", The other thing is to be sure you have your drag set right and not too loose. Small things that make a difference after the strike. Even with these I've had a brown leave me with miles of fly line wrapped around my head.

I was in a situation 2 weeks ago where I walked down and fished a small run (about 30 feet long) at at a well used fishing area at Fish Creek (not my usual haunt). Several fly fisherman and a spin guy where on both sides of me. I was lucky enough to quickly take a small rainbow, and then a brown that was a decent size. After releasing it and standing up I realized that I had fishermen on both sides of me inside of 10 feet. I simply stated that I would need more room to cast. The young guy at my right called me a F**g B***d who didn't own the river and was hogging the best spot where all the fish where (I guess because I had caught a couple). I was quite shocked as I had been on the run for no more than 10 minutes. I vacated the spot under a torrent of abuse, not wanting a confrontation surrounded by two young guys. I looked back on them and they where flailing the water with their fly rods. Using in my judgment the wrong presentation with shallow skills. Now I think I'm a fairly amiable person on the water who normally shares info and flies with those who are curious what a + 55 yr old fart has to say. But seldom do I encounter direct abuse. I enjoy sharing stream lore and trading pleasantries. I am a bit of a solitude fisher, but truly enjoy the company of those with like passion. I did hit the popular spots occasionally. I will comfort myself with my more private areas away from "popular norm". Like Toolman said a bit of walking will take you to more isolated areas. My wife says I should fish more with others for safety sake.

WOW that is astounding. On a side note I wonder if he would take a Wooley Bugger.

Take it from a 3 times Daddy. The fish are always there. Kids are born once. Stay close to home.

Lots of food for thought. Thanks for posting.

Fish Creek Park cougar caught Last Updated: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 | 11:04 AM MT CBC News Wildlife officials have trapped and removed a cougar that was on the loose in south Calgary's Fish Creek Park. The cougar was trapped Tuesday night in the provincial park and will be released into a more remote area northwest of Calgary. Cougar sightings are not unusual in the park, but the public was warned about this animal because it had killed a deer, said Jim Stomp, the site manager. Stomp was warning anyone visiting the park to be on the look out for the cougar and not approach it.

Cougar prowls Fish Creek Public advised to avoid park at dawn, dusk Kerry Williamson, Calgary Herald Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 A cougar that was seen taking down a deer and devouring it not far from a trail in Fish Creek Park appears to have taken up residence in the popular area, sparking concerns for public safety. A man cycling home from work late Monday evening spotted the cougar dragging a freshly killed deer carcass across a trail and into the undergrowth, then watched from a distance as it ate its kill. The sighting was the fifth since last Thursday, when it seems the big cat wandered into the provincial park along a wildlife corridor, crossing in from the Tsuu T'ina reserve. "It's come into the park, found a food supply and it's just doing what a cougar does naturally. It has chosen Fish Creek Park as a feeding area," said provincial conservation officer Norma Campbell. "That's the unusual part -- he's decided that he's going to stay in the area." Park officials say people should avoid using the area at dawn or dusk when cougars are most active, and they should make noise and keep their children close. Pets should be leashed, and hikers should carry a stick or bear spray as a deterrent. Cougars are often spotted in the south Calgary park in summertime, but most quickly leave. This animal appears not to be bothered by the large numbers of people who use the park, and is taking advantage of an easy food supply. Fish Creek is home to a large number of deer, rabbits and other prey. The heavily treed area near the southwest community of Evergreen also offers the cougar good cover. "They normally come into the park, see a few people they don't like and figure this isn't a place they'd want to be and they go on their way," said Campbell. "This one doesn't seem to be bothered by people and has chosen to stay." The warnings came three days after a Spruce Grove woman was forced to fight for her life to fend off an aggressive cougar that had been stalking her as she hiked alone on a popular trail in Kootenay National Park. And it comes less than a week after a cougar began preying on pet cats at nearby Radium Hot Springs, putting residents in the B.C. tourist town on alert. Residents there are being advised to keep their pets indoors at night, not to leave food outside and to supervise small children at all times when they are playing outdoors. The incidents are surprising, given that cougars are solitary, elusive animals that tend to stay well away from humans. The Fish Creek cougar has not acted aggressively towards people, but officials are warning people to stay out of the Bebo Grove/Marshall Springs area at the southwest end of the park, and to be wary and take precautions while using other spots. Campbell said the cougar did not appear to be bothered by the cyclist who spotted it Monday at about 10 p.m. "The cyclist came across the cougar as it was feeding on what looked to be a deer. He watched him from a distance, could see the blood on his mouth, him licking his lips," said Campbell, who spent Tuesday afternoon putting warning signs up in the park. "It lay itself down in the grass and just fed on it. He probably had a good feast last night."

Just another point, I've found that it's quicker and more accurate to trim a head if you take the fly out of the vice. Keeps the scraps in check by working over a garbage bag or box. Don is also dead on in saying not all deer hair is the same. Look at different types. You might also experiment with Elk and antelope. The have some great characteristics for some patterns.

I wonder if he would take a size 0002 skid bitch. Should be a hell of a fight on the Spay rod. I'm sure he'll take me out to the backing. Since he's feeding it doesn't sound like a problem cat. More that likely skedaddle once the weekend Yahoos hit the park. I imagine it's attractive with the park having many areas closed and not as many people around.

July 24, 2007 Copied from the Fish Creek Provincial Park web site. http://tprc.alberta.ca/parks/fishcreek/whatnew.asp FISH CREEK PROVINCIAL PARK COUGAR ADVISORY The Park is issuing this advisory in the interest of public safety and awareness. Fish Creek Provincial Park would like to advise the public that a cougar has been frequenting the Park area between Bebo Grove and Marshall Springs. The cougar has been spotted by several members of the public over the last few days. To date, the cougar has been feeding on natural prey (deer, rabbits) and has not demonstrated any aggression towards people. Cougars are rarely seen in Fish Creek, and in the past have been quick to leave the area once the challenges of the surrounding urban environment become apparent. There are significant populations of cougars throughout the nearby foothills and eastern slopes of Kananaskis Country. Park Conservation and Fish and Wildlife Officers are monitoring the situation and will attempt to capture the cougar if opportunity allows. Cougar capture is extremely difficult as these animals are wary and highly capable of evasion. The Park is asking the public to avoid the area, consider using other areas of the Park, and remember the following: • Avoid using the Park at dawn or dusk when cougars are most active • Travel in noisy groups with children close to adults • Follow Park regulations and keep your pets leashed • Carry a stick or pepper spray as a deterrent If you encounter a cougar: • Raise arms or stick in the air making yourself appear as large as possible • Make eye contact, shout, be aggressive, and demonstrate you are dominate • Keep small children and pets close by and do not allow them to run • Throwing rocks and fighting back with any available tools have proven to be effective in the event of an attack • Contact the Park office at 297-5293

I know where you're coming from. I have always believed that the key was to fish and have fun on your own terms. I love to experiment with patterns. Often with those I know will not work just to practice, casting, drifting the fly and watching the line in the air. I seldom post pictures of trout I have met as often the holding on to the fish is secondary to the take in my mind. I do love a good fight, but I gauge my success as a fly fisherman by knowledge of the water. What I see and hear, who I meet, and feeling connected to nature escaping from the daily grind into the solitude of water. When you're young in sport you might think that the volume of trout is the thing. Instead it's the volume of the experience. I can't remember the number of fish I've brought to hand on a particular day. I can remember days in the rain with mayflies hatching around me, A sliver rainbow streaking up from 30 feet down to smash a dry fly, a brown trout rocketing 3 feet above the water silhouetted in the moons wake and the loud slurp of a fish feeding in a small stream late in the day. The sound of a small stream and visiting stream side with another like spirit. I think too many times people strive for a kind of oneupmanship to show pictures of a gasping fish that has been banged around and fought till exhausted. Don't forget to watch the water, watch the trees and connect with yourself. Thanks Toolman for showing the ultimate in sportsmanship. We all approach the sport in different ways for different things. Some of us find what we are after, others find marvelous and magical things that we where not even looking for.

Along with that use your scissors to cut in from the front not the side. The type of scissors make a difference. A good pair doesn't have a smooth cutting surface, look instead for SERRATED SCISSORS. A razer blade works well also.

Thanks for posting, A.K. Best is one of my favorite tyers.

Yes I noticed their site also and have thought of buying a combo pack. Let me know if you are going to give em a try I'll join you and we'll save a bit on shipping.