headscan

Right, but which spey lines are those capacities for? Take a look at this chart for comparison: http://www.nautilusreels.com/SpecsPricing.asp#Spey

I just went through the frustrations of choosing reels for spey lines back in January. It really depends on the line weight of you spey rod and the type of line you put on it I think. On the Ross site it says that you can put 125 yards of backing on that reel with a 6/7/8 spey line, but they don't specify which spey line exactly or even if that's 20# or 30# dacron. Some spey lines are longer than others and some have heavier heads. So that reel might be ok for you if you just go with a mid-belly spey line or scandi line, but might be too small for a skagit line unless you use gelspun backing. I'd ask Brian, Courtney, or maybe the guys at Fish Tales if they have any experience putting spey lines on that reel and capacities. Keep in mind that the manufacturer's capacity numbers don't necessarily match real world. I experienced first hand a reel that took a line when it was spooled tightly in the store on a machine, but once I used it and reeled it back in manually it didn't fit any more.

I think a good drift boater would watch where the walk and wade guy is casting then go around that area. Either that or ask them. At least that's been my experience with good drift boaters, pontoon guys, etc. Usually the good ones will pass me by hugging the opposite bank from where I am even when I'm fishing a single hand rod. As far as tighter spots, both the drift boater and the walk and wade guy should compromise. I would stop casting while the boat passes, and the boat should make an effort to get through the water I'm working as quickly as possible with minimal disturbance. These are ideals as I see it and I know it isn't always going to work out that way...

If it's just the lightweight moisture wicking stuff you're after MEC carries some that is dirt cheap. Most of that stuff (UnderArmour, Nike Dri-fit, etc) is pretty much the same and a lot of it is probably all made at the same factory just like Polar Fleece. I bought some from MEC last year and it works as well as the Nike Dri-fit at almost half the price.

Hard to say without knowing the exact message that comes up. Is it a message from the Windows installer or from Fusion? If you can, take a screenshot using Cmd-Shift-4.

Yup, got mine and an extra so I gave it to a friend. Unfortunately I think it was like giving an addict a key to the police evidence room...

I think I figured out my main problem while reading up on skagit heads last night. Most of what I read mentioned using skagit heads for big ass streamers. Tested it today and I'm pretty sure I confirmed it. Casting a sparse fly with the Windcutter is no problem for me. I was casting things like a size 6 SJW and a size 4 spruce fly using a snake roll easily. But if I try chucking a big weighted and wind resistant fly like a size 4 Kaufmann stone or a conehead Bow river bugger, no dice. Guess I'll wait until I get a skagit line for that rod before trying to cast any more heavy flies.

West Winds has signed copies of Trout Highway in for anyone who's interested.

In iTunes, go to File->Add to Library. Navigate to your backup drive and the folder with all your music. Use Command-A (Command is the key next to the space bar with the apple and squigly thing) to select all files in the folder. Click "Open" and you're done. The Command key lets you do most things. In Windows you used Alt-Tab to cycle between programs, but in OS X it's Command-Tab. Try opening a bunch of Safari windows then use Command-` (top left next to 1) to cycle through just the Safari windows. Where you used to use Ctrl-X, Ctrl-C, and Ctrl-V for cut, copy, and paste now you use Command-X etc. Get this book, it'll really help: http://www.amazon.ca/Mac-OS-Leopard-David-...2193&sr=8-1

I asked the Simms rep at the show what the differences were between the G3 and G4. I think the G4 was a little lighter because of some new Gore-Tex lining and the moleskin on the inside of the collar is different. I think there were one or two other minor cosmetic differences, like the colour, but otherwise not very much to justify the price difference or upgrading if you already have a G3.

Really depends on what you do with your computer. If you do a lot of gaming, get a PC. Otherwise get a Mac. I have a couple of Macs and use them for everything - email, web, photos, music, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so on. Bought my first Mac around 4 years ago after being a Windows user since 3.1 and haven't looked back since. I just set my parents up with an iMac a few months ago. My dad already had a bunch of Windows software that he didn't want to have to replace with Mac versions. Installed Parallels for him with Windows XP and installed those apps in the virtual machine.

Have one and love it. The cuffs have some neoprene and can be tightened to make them waterproof as well. I can put my whole arm in the water and only my hand gets wet. Same goes with the ripcords on the waist. I've gone for an unplanned swim and the only water that came in was through the collar. Haven't had any water come in through the zipper at all. The hood has ripcords as well so it stays on even in heavy winds. I've been wearing it all winter with a polartec jacket underneath and have stayed warm and protected from the wind. There are also plenty of pockets and the two front bellows pockets are big enough to hold a large C+F box. The zippers on the other pockets are all waterproof as well so your cell phone or camera (if you don't have a waterproof one) are kept dry and safe. The jacket is also made loose enough to offer you a full range of movement during casting without being too bulky either.

I hate to say it, but you're not going to see this get any better. Etiquette in general is pretty much dying off everywhere. When you put on your turn signal to change lanes how often does the guy behind you in the other lane speed up so you can't get in front of him? How many times has the person on the elevator pressed the "close door" button even though they see you running towards it? Etiquette on the rivers is just heading in the same direction. Your choices are to either deal with it or let it bother you to the detriment of the rest of your day. Sure throwing a punch might seem like a good idea - at least it might make you feel better for a few minutes - but think how ridiculous it will sound when you say to the arresting officer or the presiding judge that you hit him because he leap-frogged you or jumped in your pool. Maybe the CBC can do a documentary on it one day - River Rage! Just treat others the same way you'd want them to treat you and if you introduce anyone to fishing teach them to behave the same way you do. If you stoop to the level of the idiots, you're just perpetuating their behaviour and demeaning yourself. Anyways, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Interesting. So is there anything that defines a rod that crosses over effectively (an all-around rod) vs one that only handles one, maybe two certain lines well? Without turning this into a "what one rod would you take if you were stranded on a desert island", how would you decide which rod you would take with you on a trip where the conditions were uncertain. Sort of a situation where you can pack one rod and a reel with multiple spools holding a few different lines.

This is something I hear a lot. How do you define whether or not someone has paid their dues though, especially on an (relatively) anonymous forum?

I agree with LoneFisher. The fishable stretches of water right now are limited, so most people are concentrated in a few sections. Once the weather warms up and the drift and pontoon boats come out and other rivers open people will spread out more. I usually only fish the Bow after work in the summer and head elsewhere on the weekends. There are probably also more people fishing in the winter now and this board has likely influenced that. I used to end my season in late September or early October until I saw people here were still fishing productively in December and January. I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing, though. With the higher concentration of people in a few stretches I've had the opportunity to meet and fish with some really great people, most of them from this site. Sure there have also been one or two bad experiences because of the crowding, but you can get those at any time of the year sometimes even in "remote" areas. Like Al says, photo posts and locations can increase the pressure on an area. We experienced that first hand when we were heading to a certain spot. The day before someone had posted pictures here and there was an easily identifiable landmark in the background. Sure enough, the next day that area was crowded so we bypassed it. I wouldn't chastise anyone for posting a picture like that either, though. The person taking the pic probably didn't think about it at the time since the objective was probably to get the pic taken and get the fish back in the water without worrying about "posing" it. It wasn't exactly some super top secret location either. Thankfully we're still a long way away from the shoulder to shoulder fishing on some rivers. I was amazed to learn that out west there are pools during salmon and steelhead runs that people wait in line to fish. I believe the rule is cast, take two steps, cast, etc. until you reach the bottom of the pool then get back in line to repeat the procedure. The Bow just seems like it has more people fishing it now than 10 years ago. Until it gets to the point where people are lined up I wouldn't call it overcrowded.

I've read a lot of good reviews about the Tamar and Torridge. Maybe the ability to cast a wide variety of lines/set-ups is just the hallmark of a good rod? I find I can get my Beulah 11'6" 6/7 with the Elixir line to cast single and double speys, underhand, and snap Ts almost effortlessly (at least compared to my ability level). But when it comes to doing the same with my 13' Snowbee 8/9 with a Windcutter it becomes quite a chore. Granted, these rods have totally different lines on them, but when I cast the Beulah it builds my confidence. Then I pull out the Snowbee the next week and I feel like I'm back at square one. I'm sure my casting ability, or lack thereof, has something to do with it...

Thanks for the info Brian. This is the kind of info that seems hard to find for two-handed rods. You can find a good selection of books and videos on how to cast, but most of them are pretty lacking in terms of rigging, setups, and even how to actually fish a double hander.

It's obvious that the casting style you use is based primarily on the type of line you're casting - for example, you wouldn't want to underhand cast with a Grand Spey line. But do rod actions, lengths, and weights come into play at all? My understanding is that a long rod (13+ feet) lends itself better to more traditional spey casting and that the desirable action is based more on the caster's personal preference. In looking at an "ideal" skagit setup, though, I sort of get the impression that a shorter, faster action rod in a lower line weight would be best. I know that fish, river, size of flies, and back cast room figure into it as well, but are there any sort of loose guidelines?

That's probably why they make you mail in the broken pieces with the serial number...

Ok, I understand that underhanded casting was developed primarily for shooting heads but that it can also be used with other lines. I'm aware that there aren't any hard and fast rules for anything to do with fly fishing and spey casting in particular, but is there a generally accepted maximum head length for underhanded casting? For example, on my 13' Snowbee 8/9 I have a Windcutter with (I believe) a 52 ft. head. Would this be too long to underhand cast effectively or just about right? I don't want to start attempting to underhand cast it thinking I'm doing something wrong if it's a case that I'm trying to underhand a line that's too long.

You can run Office, Adobe suite, iTunes (made by Apple), and Quicken on a Mac. Not sure about QuickTax. I'm running Word, Excel, Photoshop, etc. on mine. Now, here's the downside - you'd need to buy the Mac-specific versions of those programs and suites which can run a fair amount of money. You can also run Windows directly on a Mac through Bootcamp (included with OS X) or in a virtual machine like Parallels or VMWare Fusion. In that case, you'd be able to install all your Windows apps that you already own. The only problem is if you're running these on Windows, then you inherit all the same potential Windows problems like the ones you're currently having. Lemme know if you have any other Mac questions.

Those videos just depress me and make me want to get out on the water to practice. Anyone wanna fill in for me at work tomorrow?

I'd just uninstall Office and reinstall it from scratch. Half the time the different repair options on software don't work. And I wouldn't bother with the tweaking stuff unless you really need them to speed up video games or something.

You could try asking the Whistler Flyfishing guys or check out the FlyBC forums.