headscan

I think you just hit on a big problem when someone goes out to buy a new outfit. You can test the rod at the store, but unless you have the line picked out already and spooled you can only test the rod with the try line the store has spooled. So if you test the rod with the store's line and buy it because you like the way it casts, but buy a line with a different taper than the one you tested it may not cast the same. I'm not currently aware of any store that has a variety of test lines spooled. Sorry for the hijack.

Yup, I agree with you fully. Same goes for the guys who have pics of the ~16" fish they caught but "didn't get the camera out in time" for the 26" monster brown. That's why I don't pay much attention to the fishing reports any more unless it's someone I know doesn't really exaggerate.

Damn, i keep forgetting about Loop jackets and stuff. I only think about their rods, reels, and lines because they make me drool. The only thing I'm not sure of is that it says it's "water resistant" and not waterproof. A Columbia shell isn't a bad idea either.

or just measure your boot and step on the fish while you have it beached on the rocks to measure it Really, why does it matter? Does everyone only fish to catch more/bigger fish than everyone else on the forum? And why does anyone care what other people think of the fish they catch? Fishing shouldn't just be about size and numbers, it's about solitude or heading out with good friends, enjoying some scenery, and relieving some of the stress from the rest of your life. See the RH-B quote in my sig below...

I should've also mentioned that most magazines and books recommend two nail knots, but I figure that three is probably a bit better. YMMV

Definitely a good idea to learn to do it yourself. These loops, like welded loops, are going to wear out and give eventually. Better to know how to do it in case you end up having to make a new one streamside. I always keep everything I need to make a new one in my pack (Chameleon Maxima 10lb, knot sense, nail knot tool). Getting some practice doing them at home beats having to learn when there are rising fish 20 feet away...

I just guess, but I tell people that if I thought it was a 20" fish in reality it was probably anywhere between 16" and 18". I tend to apply the same margin of error when I read someone's fishing report claiming to have caught 10 fish between 20" and 24". I figure that usually means about 6 fish between 16" and 22". We're fishermen (and women). We lie about fish. It's in our nature.

I think this is what Courtney was talking about... Sorry about the lousy image quality. The line was folded back on itself then three nail knots of 10lb Maxima tied on. Put a thin coat of UV knot sense to strengthen the whole thing and streamline it. If the back end of it won't go through the guides without catching use the UV knot sense to make a sort of ramp/wedge or bullet shape. That line has it but you can't make it out because of the bad pic quality. You can also try cutting the tag end of the fly line at an angle but it can be difficult to do properly with some thicker lines.

How would you enforce anything like that? There are guys who post here and own shops or work at shops and don't make any secret of it (bigbadbrent, IslandGuy, Whistler, Wetduck, etc.). There are probably also a few that don't let on, but how can you definitively tell the difference between them and someone who loves gear from a certain manufacturer? There are some people on here that will instantly recommend TFO to anyone looking for a new rod no matter what. Do they work for Springbrook or TFO? Probably not, though it may seem that way at times. Sure guys who own shops may recommend what they carry, but who's to say that they don't carry that product because they believe in it? And there are always going to be shops who carry gear based solely on the margin they get but how would you be able to tell the difference? As a consumer it's your responsibility to thoroughly research your purchase. Would you blame Tiger Woods if that bottle of Gatorade tasted bad? Or for that matter would you blame Lefty Kreh if your TiCR broke right away? So don't make your purchase based on one or two forum posts. It's the internet. People lie, exaggerate, and distort - especially on forums. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to jump in my Ferrari so I can pick up my supermodel girlfriend from her Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo shoot.

The sale price is alright on the Patagonia DWJ, but will it fit in a small pack if you balled it up? I can't tell for sure from the picture on the Patagonia site, but to me it doesn't look like it...

Yeah, I don't think I'd fit into Brent's medium either... I think the SST and Freestone are overkill for what I want. I'm thinking along the lines of something that I can have in my pack and throw on quickly if one of those surprise Alberta rain clouds sneak up on me, not something I'd be wearing all day - in that case I'd wear the G3. I'd likely already have my lanyard on and fly boxes in shirt pockets so I don't necessarily need something with big bellows pockets and such. I'll have to take an in-person look at the Simms In-Vest (can I still use it if I don't own a vest? )

I'm looking for a waterproof, breathable rain jacket for spring and summer that's light enough to be packed easily into something like a backpack or fanny pack for those unexpected downpours. So far I've been considering the Simms In-Vest Jacket, the Helly Hansen Packable Jacket, and the William Joseph Ultra Lite Jacket. Anyone have any other suggestions or experience with any of these? I'm not looking for heavy duty since I already have a Simms G3 Guide Jacket for monsoons, hurricanes, and typhoons.

Looking forward to tomorrow. Just gonna layer up the same as I do when I fish in January and February. It'll be perfect practice for winter run steelheading - the kind of day that separates the hardcore from the pantywaists.

That's what the scotch is for...

Pathetic? Really? Kind of insulting to those of us who own Simms gear isn't it? Apparently.

Another vote for Simms. Got my G3s about a month ago and love em.

Forecast for Saturday is -6C and snow. Dress warmly!

Have to disagree with this. I think a novice is far more likely to have an impact on fish mortality because they may not handle caught fish as well, fight them quickly, and release them properly. I helped a guy land and release a fish the other day down there. He didn't get the fish out of the current and into slack water quickly which would have shortened the fight. Then he had trouble getting the hook out of the fish. I offered my hemostats to help, but the problem was that he hadn't debarbed his hook. I had to crush the barb while the fish was still hooked to get it out with minimal damage to the fish. I pointed all this out to him afterwards so hopefully he'll remember for the next time.

You can go through most of the fly shops in Calgary to arrange for a guided float down the Bow. Try West Winds, Fish Tales, or Bow River Troutfitters. But, if you're mostly going to be fishing it by walking and wading then you'd be better off hiring Max as Hawgstoppah said. His spring special ends soon, but he'll still be around in the summer when you get here. The thing is that taking a float will get you acquainted with the river - from a boat. Some spots you stop to fish on a float may be difficult to access on foot. If you'll mostly be walking and wading, then Max can show you some access points and a few good runs you can get to on foot.

Exactly.

Just walk 15 minutes up or down stream. It's a big river and there are fish in places other than the confluence, though I understand the draw at this time of year. Otherwise get there earlier so other people will have to ask you if they can fish in (though most won't).

You just described exactly what happened to me on Wednesday. Indicator dropped and I must have waited a split second too long to set so my bottom fly hooked him in the butt. Was only about 16" but fought like a real bastard...

http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_palmos.php

Oakley does prescription eyewear and polarized lenses but I don't know if you can combine the two. Try calling some of the places in town that do Oakley prescription stuff to check. Won't be cheap either, though.

The Danielsson reels are nice - sealed drag, no cork. You may also want to look at Nautilus and Loop reels since they're the same concept. Every reel I fish is a Nautilus for that exact reason. I think some rods lend themselves better to Skagit than others. My understanding is that they tend to be rods that have a fuller flex. My Skagit setup is a 12'6" 9 weight Loop that flexes right down to the cork. Takes almost no effort to shoot line with a big streamer on the end. CND makes a couple of specific Skagit rods, though I've never cast them so I couldn't tell you what they're like. Then again nobody in Calgary carries them