ggp

Thanks Jeff.

Been out chironie fishing over the past several weeks and having a great time. Here are just a few of the patterns I have used.

Replenishing my supply of Micro Leeches. Black with a hot orange bead is my favourite, and has accounted for many, many fish http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q216/ggp_album/Flies/P1100973_zps77e65399.jpg Purple or Burgundy or a mixture of both colours. Gold Bead http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q216/ggp_album/Flies/P1100975_zpsc77a5e92.jpg Red Bead http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q216/ggp_album/Flies/P1100976_zps32badd19.jpg Hot orange and purple mixed, red bead. http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q216/ggp_album/Flies/P1100978_zpsabd1801c.jpg

Good job Tungsten, they will work well!

Thunder Creek Minnows

Instead of turning into the Ranch Restaurant, continue over Fish Creek. Park at either of the two parking lots closest to the river. There is great fishing to be had in that area in either direction! (up or down stream) Good luck!

Damn Lornce that's one big indi. might be a little tough to cast! Colour really doesn't mean a whole lot to me, simply because I rarely use indicators when nymphing rivers and streams. I prefer to rely more on my instinct's. Line control is critical, then my other senses come into play. Visual (watching the line on the drift). Feel, you can still feel many of the bumps that occur throughout the drift if you have good control of the line, but the one sense I have learned to rely on the most is intuition. I just seem to know when a fish is there even when I don't feel or see anything. Indicators, in my opinion, came about because more people are visual than anything else, but I really believe that if one learns how to use their other senses it will greatly improve their skill. Even when I first began to fish Chironomids in still water it was without the use of an indicator, and I caught fish. I do now use indicator's more often than not when fishing Chironomids and several other bugs, but only on still waters. There's just something about a suspended leech that triggers a fishes predatory instinct's. This is just food for though, and I do highly recommend learning to fish without that visual aid. I firmly believe that those who stick with it will become better fly fisher's. I am in no way saying that I don't miss some fish, because I do, but I definitely catch lot's of fish this way.

Nine Bay Lake, just down the road from Mitten is one place we did have a bear encounter. In the campsite or parking area, what ever you want to call it is where we had a bear come walking down the road until it saw us, then it went into the bush, proceeded to approach from cover. Once it got beside our camp we could see it looking at us from the bush. It watch for a short time then disappeared and we didn't see it again. You are absolutely right in saying that a Wolverine is nothing to screw with, but I would include most if not all wild animals in that statement. Simply respect them, and their ability to cause serious injury. In my younger stupid day's up in Jasper, my wife and I plus a friend came across several female Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep. Being rather naive we tried to get closer for that perfect picture. As we approached out from behind some cover came four big males with massive curls. They positioned themselves between the females and us. We backed away slowly, LESSON LEARNED! What I am trying to impart to everyone is that bears (even though they have the reputation) are not the only animal out there that can cause life threatening injury's, therefor it is wise to respect them all, and always be prepared! What Pipestoneflyguy stated is absolutely true, never make the assumption that simply because you haven't seen any critters, that they haven't seen you! I remind myself every time, that it is their home, I am the outsider, and there is always the possibility of an encounter!

Thanks Peter, Baker Lake area.

I find this thread very interesting in that I have been fishing and hiking in the back country of Alberta and S.E. B.C. for getting very close to fifty years, and many times by myself. In all that time I have never met a bear while fishing, although I certainly have seen fresh signs, never the critter. My biggest scare came on a stream north west of Calgary when I was taking a short cut through the brush from one section of the stream to another and making lots of noise. All of a sudden there was a commotion emanating from the brush up ahead and my heart was instantly up in my throat. I thought I was up the creek without a paddle, so to speak. It turned out to be a deer running from me, I never did see the animal, but when it got into an open area, I could tell by the sound it made running, that it was a deer. Once up in behind Lake Louise Ski Area while backpacking and fishing with a friend, we had an encounter with a Wolverine, which the wardens had told us was in the area. After setting up camp and having our evening meal, I climbed a tree well away from our tent, for the purposes of hanging our stash. We turned in and I believe I slept with one eye open, and one ear operating all night, or so I thought, as I didn't hear anything all night long. In the morning I walked over to the tree to get our stuff only to find that something had climbed the tree, chewed the rope and ripped the s---t out of the bag and it's con-tense. After cleaning up the mess, and now having no food we decided to fish the stream in hopes of catching our breakfast. It didn't take long before we had enough fish for a meal. We then began fishing for fun not knowing the surprise we were about to have. After fishing the stream for a hundred or so yards I came upon a small waterfall of perhaps forty or fifty feet, which I was at the top of, and down below to my surprise was a Wolverine. What a magnificent animal, jumping from boulder to boulder as if there was nothing in it's way. To make a long story short, I decided to let the critter know I was there, so as not to surprise it, and that was probable the smartest thing I could have done. It look up at me and my partner, decided we were no threat and continued about it's business ignoring us completely. At that point fishing was over and we left the area. That is one encounter I will never forget, and I feel very privileged to have experienced! Since I began fishing on Vancouver Island, my bear sightings have significantly increased, especially when salmon are around, however those that we have encounter, have left us alone, more intent on fishing than us. And those we have crossed path's with on the trail have disappeared very quickly. Like others have said, they would rather not have contact with us, and will keep their distance if they know we are there! It is always wise to take the proper precautions when in the back country.

Soft Hackle Hares Ear Entire fly from mask of hares ear, except legs are Partridge. Rib fine gold tinsel. Same as above, except Pheasant legs. Rib fine gold wire.

Those are great NoSlack!

Thanks 126barns, I'm glad you like them!

Dabbler

Thanks Lornce.

Thanks for the nice comment. I'm looking forward to seeing your flies!

Thanks aaa.

Thanks. I don't think the hackle would prevent hook ups, but you could go to a straight hook if it becomes a concern.

Tenkara Style

I would like to know why 420 was banned? When ever I have posted, he has always responded with respect, so i would like to understand what happened?

Awesome Bailey, they look great.

Thanks aaa. I was on a roll this past weekend, so each time I tied one I would edit my post and add it to the mix.

Happy birthday Jeff, have a great one my friend .

Messed up a bit on the body with this one, but I'm sure the fish won't mind.

Great looking nymphs, good job.