SilverDoctor

"In my family, there was no clear division between religion and fly fishing." ~by Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It, 1976~

I hear ya, casting those double handers are an addiction. Talk about reaching out and touching pocket water way out. wow! Love the long reach for high stick bounce and Czech Nynphing. I was swinging emergers last night and did 12 browns. The real joy was last year I had a terralbe case of tennis elbow. My quack said to quit fly fishing for a while. It hasn't returned since using the Spey rod. Much easier on the old Doc arms. Tying up some Spey type minnow imitations for just after the flood. Took some measurements of flathead fry sizes from last year. Let your know how they work.

Pocket water is where the river cascades into broken white pools, places where the water swirls drifts and eddies into tiny smooth pools, broken by rocks and boulders scattered all over the river and cause pockets of short water all around them. The water tends to move in all directions. Pocket water is easy to distinguish from other sections of the river because it has an almost whitewater rapids appearance. It is not easy water to read or fish. When you are going to fish pocket water, the harder it is to get to a spot, the better the fishing will usually be when you get there. Start at the back of the pocket run and work your way to the front. Target one current break at a time, such as a large rock, and fish it until you are satisfied that the fish will no longer bite. I love targeting pockets with large Wruff flies before deep nymphing.

Darn, another Spey rod to save up for.

yes give us a full review.

They take flies very well. Nymphs and dries.

Sure, I'll work on it next week. Spending the weekend on some of the small streams near Sundre.

Actually the Palomar is a normal knot but Toolman has developed a variation of it for hook bend tying that is superb. Very original.

I really love Partridge of Reddich. Solid hook and scary sharp. They're barbless Flashpoint series is great.

Too bad there isn't a Mac verson

My son bought me a Rio Windcutter for Fathers day so I'm anxious to try it out. I like the loop to loop connections and have used the Rio Braided Loops, they are made for the larger Spey lines. I actually have a number of leader combos depending on how and where I'm fishing.like Toolman I use a tapered leader, about 6 feet of the butt end. I then add 2 - 3 feet of leader material depending if I'm nymphing with droppers or setting up a Czech Nymphing rig. I've been using a furled leader for dries and a straight 3 ft 8 lb for streamers. I'm still experimenting with different rigs.

With light wire on small flies (18 - 20) I lay on the entire shaft then wrap; tying thread the entire length. With heavier wire on large flies I'll often flatten the wire with smooth pliers first. Tie in a tag facing forward then double back the wire before wrapping the length of the shaft with tying thread. I always try to tie in the wire under the hook shank. It's less obtrusive that way. With larger flies I start my dubbing or other body material a wrap or two behind the wire rib before starting the rib winds. Starting ribbing from the very end on larger flies has a tendency to roll off the end of the body material. It also helps to bend the wire after tying it in at a 90 degree angle before starting your wraps. hope this helps

This is my most successful golden stone taken after the Alberta stone pattern. Simple and quick to tie.

I'm using the airflow multi-tip and I love it. Casts like a dream and the multi tip system gives you an awful lot of options.

I would also support posts on a Spey section. you'll also see many posts from me this season on my experiences discoveries and successes with this unique casting style. Thanks again Gordon for a throughly enjoyable and educational day one the water.

I used shrink wrap tubing last time around a few years ago. It seemed to work fine. I got the tubing at a hobby shop.

Wow I like it, Been meaning to buy or make one.

Had a great Caddis night on Monday. Just dabbling Caddis on the water surface at arms length with the Spey rod. Outstanding evening with my version of the Voljc-Moser Caddis.

I do the same as Flytyer, make sure the concave side of the feather is pointed back. To tie em sparse peel one half of the fibers off the feather before tying it on. Works great too.

Last can of spray I carried for 2 years (a xmas present from my wife). Decided to test it out and it was empty. I often think how silly I would have looked Holding a out as a bera charged waiting to get mauled with my arm out. Test it every year they don't last forever. I don't bother now, I've had hundreds of bear encounters. Common sense and being alert has helped. I like the idea of making noise as I walk. MInd you, there was a salmon stream a trib of the Skeena where I was subject to charges so close I could smell the big buggers breath. If I hit that stream again it will be with a 12 gage shotgun and spare shorts. Must tell you about a trip I was was on to a lake in the interior of BC with my brother in law. We where driving out of a lake in the evening and almost hit two people writhing on the ground in pain. It seems they saw a bear and let loose wiht some spray. The wind wasn't in their favor and punched the whole lot into their faces.It took all of our water supply to douse there eyes with and some eye wash so they could stand. I tracked back from where they where to see where the bear tracks where. It was a good 75 yards. more that effective for spray. I think your best bet is to buy spray from a reputable outdoor shop. They have good volume in the stuff and it won't already have a shelf life to contend with. Get a holster, it's useless in your back pack. Most bear encounters come with only seconds or no warning.

Ribbon Stretchy bead string {looks like larva lace} Computer packing material for wing material Check your dryer lint trap. some interesting dubbing there Scotch magic tape (stick it to feathers and cut out wing material) Xmas trimming Old appliance power cords for wire ribbing for a fewthings I love found material