hydropsyche

How can they call it a Championship when anybody can enter?

You are right about this site, Dank. I've learn lots and made a few friends along the way. Good luck back in the US of A. I hope there's good trout fishing where you're heading.

The rebel punk in me agrees.....the old man "I wouldn't last a day in jail" doesn't.

Pac....thats cool.

Thats not the point. It would technically be poaching.

I'm not following, bloom.

I used to do this too. I showed this method to Hawgstopper years ago (and I bet he showed you?) after he tied his flies on and said "Cripes. I forgot to put my corkie on first". It works great. I think I stopped doing this because its takes just a little more finagling to move it up and down and one time (mind you, only one), my leader broke right at the bottom of the indicator while fighting a fish. Maybe that scared me off. I think I'll give that method another chance. Thanks for the reminder. Nick, I find that when it swells, it gets mushy.

Gang, here is an *excellent* site for side by side comparisions. It might not have the exact model you're interested in but you can chose models that are close enough. Side by Side Camera comparisions

If you use corkies and stick a tooth pick in to hold it, here's a tip. I like to use a non-tapered leader. Straight mono from top to bottom. I believe the thinner the mono, the quicker it will sink and the less drag the water will have on it. Thats why I would rather use 8lb tippet as opposed to 8lb "spin cast" mono. Its more expensive but I think it might give me a bit of an advantage. Whats 8lb tippet? A 3x, right? Anyway, the problem I found was my corkie would slip due to the smaller diameter, so what I used to do was use 8lb mono for the top 4-5 ft, for the larger diameter, and then use the 3x tippet.. Then I came up with an idea that overcame the slipping problem. To be used even if you don't use tippet. Dip your toothpick in Dave's Fleximent, tap the drips off and let it dry. I stick them in my tying light's spring. Sometime I double dip them. The result is a toothpick that has some gripping/give to it. Viola. Less slippage. I think a side bonus it it makes it more water resistant and less of a sponge. Anyway, I just thought I'd share this idea with you guys. I don't know if its original, but I've never heard of it before.

..but only if you are hiring a guide....

Grasshopper may have a vested interest but I'll give the usual disclaimer.... "I am in no way affiliated with......blah blah blah" but gang, this would make a great stocking stuffer for the angler that has everything (and even if they don't). For $13, you can't go wrong.

Everything it promised to be. Don't leave home without it.

Very interesting read. Especially that second link. I suggest everyone give it a read. Thanks for the link, Harps.

Ah. The AMP raises its ugly head again. As some wise man said (I think it was Dr. Phil about spoiled brats): "They do it because it works". But it sounds like they are getting even better. Guided clients will get priority. Beautiful. The rest of you can fight over the crumbs. "Let them eat cake". The next thing you know, they will be claiming its all about the fish.

Do you, or anyone, have any comments on UV (ultra violet)? It seems flies I've tied with anything that has UV in it (ie: some ice dubbing) almost repels fish. Maybe I'm just imaging it. Do UV rays penetrate water?

I'm like Max. I hate gloves. I rarely fish when its under -15C, so barehands are bearable if I have handwarmers. I use the kind you buy at crappy tire where you light up a charcoal stick and put it in your coat pocket. When my hand gets cold, I fish with one hand while I warm up the other (I caught about 3 fish doing that last time out). Its surprising how long your hand will stay warm after you warm it up this way. But, this is probably the best advise you're going to get on keeping your hands and toes and ears warm..... Keep your core warm. If you keep your core warm, it won't suck blood from your extremities. The secret is blood flow. Three sweaters and two coats if thats what it takes. Stick one of those hand warmers in your shirt pocket. Buy those lumbar back warmers and put that on before you start. Sometimes I feel stupid and look like the Michelan Man compared to everyone else on the stream but I don't feel so bad when they are heading home because they're cold and I'm still going strong.

I built a 3wt Dancraft FT because rodbuilding.org said it was comparable to a TCR and some tournament casters were switching to the FT. I don't know if that's true, but the 3 wt weight is the fastest rod I own and can handle 27in browns without a problem.

That happened to me once. Don't ever have leftover chili for breakfast.

Bhurt......this here is a Pro.

Didn't TCR stand for Tournament Casting Rod? I wonder if there will be a lot of *issed off tournament casters out there.

Are you saying there is only metered parking? Location, location, location. You won't see me as often as I hate the hassle and expense of downtown but the world doesn't revolve around me. Really. It doesn't. You'll have thousands of new customers in pretty close proximity. Good luck, Guys. I wish you all the best.

I think the three things that changed my success rate the most was: Proper weight for the current and depth of the water. If you're not catching fish, change the weight until you indicator is twitching a lot but not hanging up. Proper leader length for the depth. If you're not catching fish, change your indicator position both ways. Moving it up can actually result in less twitching because there's more slack in the line. Shorting it gets it more straight down and thus more sensitive. So don't think you always have to lengthen it. Line control/mending. I try to keep as much line off the water as possible. You'll often see me doing a "Hial Hitler" (aka high sticking). If the line is on the water and dragging down stream of the indicator, it’s creating drag. Sometimes thats okay because you'll notice hits more if the current is slow. If it’s fast, you want to mend as much upstream as possible to put slack in the leader to allow it to get down. And then leave it. Try not to mend too much. Sometimes I mend to reposition the line on the water, others it’s to reposition the whole leader. The longer it drifts without having to mend it, the better. It all comes down to getting experience on what that particular current and position of the line/leader is doing to your invisible fly. It’s the sixth sense, the culmination of experience, senses and visualization, that makes one person more successful then another....and a bit of luck.

Thats beautiful. Canadians say they don't want mud slinging politics like the US (and you have to admit, their comercials are nothing but), but when it came to the debates, I found Obama/McCain much more civil. Dion/Layton/Blochead were an embarrasment. Its a good thing the rest of the world doesn't watch our "debates". Ya, like the big brother/little brother anology. I'd be blazing too if it wasn't so true.

I'm a relocated easterner. I lie somewhere in the middle of the political spectrum (yes, some profits are grotesque). I helped push Mulroney into the dirt, first because I saw free trade as sacrificing our resources for access to the American market, and then because his party started stinkin of corruption. Then I watched 13 years of Liberal zombie-ism. I'm not even going to start to list all the corruption, arrogance and lying I witnessed. Harpers 3 short years pales, and I mean pales, in comparision. If he was in the back pockets of big business, then explain the income trust turn around. Maybe he just decided to exercise his masters in econmics and did what he thought was best for Canada, no matter the policital outcome. Yes, he probably knew that before making it a promise, but its us Canadians that force politicans to lie (ie: it works). Now I'm faced with voting for a carbon tax while I still can't shake the images of bags of cash being passed around the Liberal table. I'm amazed anyone can. Part of the power of demogracy is the ability to remove corrupt governments. I'm not convince the Liberals have changed much in 3 years and Ottawa is still packed full with their appointies. The PC's were just as corrupt, but they're history. Is there any chance we can finish the job and do the same to the Liberals? Is there any chance a grass roots party can replace them? Maybe the Greens? I doubt it but I wish they will be forced to walk the garden path and contemplate their arrogance and sense of entitlement a little bit longer. I really am more Liberal in my views then Conservative and I'd love to be able to return my vote to that ideology. I just can't vote for someone who was sitting around the cabinet table when those bags of cash were being passed around. Maybe I'm ignorant and don't know the "Neo-Con" agenda enough to fear/hate them as much as some screaming banshee's do but I am keeping my ears perked for someone to finally explain it to me. And I'm a political junkie, so its not like I'm not actively looking. Nothing so far. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

In other words, "Pay Back"!