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Yeah, very good book and there are patterns in there that are just as effective on the Bow and many other rivers.

I'd guess $2 for each of the smaller flies and $2.50 to $3 for the salmonfly and stimmies. $60 to $75 total?

Yeah, someone posting that sort of info wouldn't be good. But then again I'd hope that the people who know where those are would also know better than to post them or tell too many people about them.

Meh, this debate has been going on for ages. If it isn't internet forums, it's magazines or books. Rick, I'm pretty sure Barry Mitchell did make a lot of people mad both with his book and the annual guide. I think most people will fish within 50 yards of the spot/access point they read about and if they don't get into a lot of fish or big fish within a couple of hours don't bother going back. When I see a spot I know get posted here I just avoid it for a week or so. There may be one or two more new "regulars" at that spot but there are plenty of other places to fish and I don't mind fishing with people I run into on the river. With the increasing population you're bound to see a few more people out there.

I've worn both Aquastealth and Streamtread soles in boats and didn't notice any marks and didn't get any complaints from the boat owners so probably not. Since Simms is purely a fishing gear company (not an outdoor company that also happens to do some fishing gear) I'm sure they would have that sort of thing in mind when they were doing their R&D on them and wouldn't send them to market if they weren't boat friendly.

I'm guessing you have Firefox set up not to accept cookies. The setting is probably under Security or Privacy.

I think Aquastealth is a sticky rubber similar to what some rock climbing shoes have on them. If you look at the Aquastealth soles there's no real tread on them, just a bunch of slightly raised dots. Streamtread is a harder material and the soles have treads similar to football cleats. I went from Aquastealth to Streamtread and while the Aquastealth was pretty good on most surfaces the Streamtread wins hands down across all surfaces I've used them on, including ice.

I think Chris Seipio is doing a clinic through Bow River Troutfitters soon. I don't think any two-handed certified instructors live in Calgary, but a few swing by every so often like Brian Niska (Whistler on the board) and Gordon Macleod (speyghillie). Both were here recently, though, and I don't know when they'll be back next. Might want to try sending them a pm.

I figured ex-navy would mean you left some of those magnetic mines in the water. Kaboom and bye bye fly (and leader, and line)...

Wish I could take credit for it, but it's just a play on Coney Island whitefish.

Yup, the other kind of Bow river whitefish...

I've had a pair of G4 boots with the Vibram soles for a couple months now and love them. They're pretty good for traction and you can get the screw-in studs for them. I haven't felt the need for the spikes yet. They're great for long distance walking and you can walk up hills that you wouldn't even consider with felt. I have a wide foot and the G4s fit great, but if you have a narrow foot you might want to check out the Guide boots instead.

Why I don't wet wade the Bow...

Great shots Mitch! You should see if Loop is interested in buying a couple of those for their ads...

Hmm, that sounds like something a shop that doesn't sell Sage would tell their customers. Not true to the best of my knowledge. If it were, then they'd lose a ton of sales to the "union-made, buy American" crowd. Go check some of the US fly fishing forums and you'll find a lot of guys who won't buy TFO and other rods made in Asia even though the company is American. Not that the continent where the rod/blank was made makes any bit of difference as much as the actual factory, design, and quality of materials. I'll take my Asian-built Acura TSX over a GM, Ford, or Chrysler any day

I had this problem with year old pheasant tail feathers recently. Every time I'd start wrapping the fibers around the hook they'd break even under minimal tension. It may have been a cheap/bad feather though. Someone suggested that I should try steaming the feather but I haven't gotten around to trying that yet.

Heh, periscope was my first thought too and it even made a sort of clanging sound when it popped up. Totally surprised me and the guys in the drift boat who had just passed over that spot.

See, now you made me think about it so today I consciously kept my rod high and didn't lose any that way. I think overall I find it more comfortable to use side pressure since I also pump and reel. Another thing to keep in mind with this thread is that you're never going to land 100% of the fish you hook. Tightline got it - the more hours you put in on the river the better you'll get at it. Nothing is better than experience.

Watch out for this if you're drifting through Fish Creek. It's downstream of the Burnsmead pedestrian bridge at the first storm outflow aka the shithole. Pretty sure it's metal.

Have to admit I've never chased a fish down the bank. I'd probably end up taking a swim or breaking an ankle if I did. Use the heaviest leader and tippet you think you can get away with especially when the water clarity is lower like now and put the boots to them. Today I was fishing a sjw and size 12 evil weevil on 2x and didn't seem to have any issues with fish shying away from my flies. If the fish are spitting the hook it could also be that you aren't getting good hook sets. Also when the fish is on, use side pressure instead of holding your rod straight up. I found that when I started using side pressure fewer fish were spitting the hook on me.

I picked one up at Future Shop last night. It's a bit bulkier than the pictures make it seem but still not too big to be inconvenient. I like the ability to also let people know that you're ok if you lose track of time and end up being out later than you're expected back. The tracking service with Google Maps looks really cool too. Can't wait to use that and see how much ground I cover in a day.

Anyone have any experience with Spot GPS locators? How reliable are they? Looks like a good idea if you fish alone in remote areas, but I'm not sure how the coverage is in Alberta.

Since it's a Tuesday I'm going to guess I'll be working.

I nymph with a 9'6" rod and wouldn't go any shorter than that for the Bow. I find the extra length makes it easier to mend, plus if you plan on high sticking at all you'll wish you had a longer rod than 8'6".

Very well put. Hopefully those who choose not to go for whatever reason will keep their decision to themselves and not turn this thread into a *hit show. I'll stop by and check it out when I have a chance.