adc

Hey, if you think you can buy a cast, go for it!!..........Or, maybe you can practice more with what you have and save the money!! :P

Just sending this to get it back near the top of the Board before it disappears!! :P

I'm with Taco.........In golf the saying goes "it's not the arrow, it's the Indian"............Or "you can't buy a swing".........The guys who fished silk lines with horsehair leaders are rolling over in their graves.........

For those who may be wondering about the Streamwatch concept, here's a note from Don Anderson which I think is bang on........ Guys, For those with a short life span in Alberta, When I was a kid every forest officer, truck driver or grader operator working for Forestry could and would issue you a ticket for breaking most any kind of law. Things have changed. I've heard that we are now down to about 60 or so F&W Enforcement types most of which reside in cities and concern themselves with lost dicky birds, exotic wildlife and the like. So what to do - well the East Slope Angling Regulations helped some. That added some protection but the other 90% of the equation was enforcement or education. OK - Now what? the Fish and Gamers taught us a lesson. They've been asking for more enforcement for 30 years and the trend has gone down. So if the Gov't won't do it directly, perhaps a private/public partnership would work. Get the money and hope the Govt kicks in. Well Streamwatch in Central Alberta did just that. The Streamwatch folks fund about 50% of with the Govt kicking in some $'s + inkind contributions trucks etc. Of course, there were concerns that the Streamwatch person would become a glorified secretary or get caught up in dicky birds or playing with tourists. To this point, such fears have been unfounded. Ceertainly there have been occasions where Streamwatch folks were used for other than OHV and fishing infractions but by in large, they have kept their noses pointed firmly in the direction of what is important to our fisherries. As far as Govt doing it alone. Forget it. Taint important!! Thirty years of F&Gers' pounding their heads against a wall taught us that. Now if we could just get F&Ger's to recognize their plan hasn't worked and help Streamwatch along, things would/could be a tad better. I know in meetings with Govt that they are reluctant to give up the reins on anything where they have responsibility but on the other hand don't have the resources to do the job and further rarely want the private sector to do the work for them. A Catch 22 if I ever saw one. catch ya' Don

Thanks Lynn.........We're hoping that the O&G's will be the ones to take on primary support for this initiative as they have a big stake in keeping people happy with what they're doing in the area..........Got any contacts you can pass on???

Funny Don, when I fished with Barry in the fall he gave you some of the credit!!...........I guess he's just a nice guy!! ......At any rate, you guys in Central have done a great job of getting it up and running.........Makes our job easier now there's a blueprint........ Hey, MikefromSundre put a post on the "saving the Livingstone" thread and maybe you have some thoughts.......He's wondering if Streamwatch will ENCORAGE the gov't to pony up more resources for enforcement or DISCOURAGE them from doing so if it seems the anglers are getting it done.........Whatcha think???

The Oldman River Chapter of TU will be working to have a Streamwatch student CO in the Upper Oldman/Livingstone area starting in May......For those of you not familiar with Streamwatch it places a Student Conservation Officer in a designated area who is repsonsible only for monitoring, educating and enforcing angling and stream violtaions such as misuse of quads, violations by industry and other environemental infractions.........Student CO's have all the powers of a policeman except the power to arrest.........They report directly to and are supervised by the local F&W CO but have responsiblities ONLY for doing the stream work---i.e aren't called out on bear patrol, etc. etc...........The program was started on the Ram and Blackstone rivers by the Central Alberta TU chapter (Barry Mitchell/Don Anderson) and has been very successful..........It has also been expanded to the Edson, Sundre and GrandCache regions........Many of the fines levied under the program have been channelled back into funding the Streamwatch program....... To put a Student CO in the field from May through September csots approximately $25,000.......This pays for wages, accomodation, vehicles, fuel, sat phone, etc......Funding is raised through corporate donations and individual donations as well as fundraising projects such as raffles, auctions and dinners, and TU National helps with some funds as well as administers the program and provides tax receipts to donors........ A number of folks on this Board have already pledged to help with donations.......If you are interested, you can send cheques to me---Allan Caldwell, 137 Coachwood Point, Lethbridge, T1K 6A6------and cheques should be made payable to Trout Unlimited and clearly marked "Southern Alberta Streamwatch".....I will hold any individual cheques "in trust" and in the event the program doesn't raise sufficient funding to put a Student CO on stream in May, your cheque will be returned....... The success of the program ongoing is through coporate funding.........If you work for, or know of, companies who have an interest in improving the quality of the angling experience in the Oldman/Livingstone drainage, please send me a contact and I will be glad to discuss the Streamwatch program with them and how they can help...... Long term, we would like to see the program expanded in S. Alberta to also include the Carbondale/Castle drainage but we believe the prioity should be the Upper Oldman/Livingstone first..........Anything you can do to help will be appreciated......

"Back to original thread idea. The key is enforcement. The laws governing off road vehicles are there. It is the law that you have to be licenced and wear a helmet. How many do? We have laws about crossing streams. But we do not have the man power to enforce. Ever driven QE2 or even the Deerfoot? We do have laws about speeding. We have laws against poaching -yet it happens all the time." My point exactly Mike........We don't need new rules, just enforcement of what is already in place........That's why Streamwatch can work......The Streamwatch CO's have only one responsibility-----to patrol, educate and enforce regulations concerning the area to which they're assigned........fishing reg's, environmental breaches all fall within their responsibility..........There simply are not enough CO's out there to get the job done and they get pulled all over the place with bear issues and other things that don't keep them on the streams......... Hope you didn't think I was trying to hi-jack the thread.......

Thanks a bunch FT............All help gratefully accepted...... Al..

Thanks Trevally...........Yes, wouldn't it be nice if we got checked once in every 2 or 3 times out.......I'm not sure I can remember when I was checked last...........Gonna need some serious enforcement on Police this year as well with the new regs.......Thanks again for your cheque..... Al.....

Right on Rick and thanks a bunch!!!...... ....If everyone does $50 we're in great shape and once we tap into some of the corporate gang maybe we could have 2 student CO's before you know it............CHEQUES FOR SOUTHERN ALBERTA STREAMWATCH SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO "TROUT UNLIMITED" AND MARKED STREAMWATCH AS A NOTATION.........CHEQUES CAN BE MAILED TO ME (ALLAN CALDWELL at 137 COACHWOOD POINT, LETHBRIDGE ALBERTA, T1K 6A6............I will hold all personal donation cheques in trust until we are sure we can fund the program for this year and in the event we cannot, I will return your cheque........ Al......

I was assuming you were already hired Taco!! .........I hear you are also a director..........At any rate, I hope you'll work with us on this one.........I'm away 'til the end of January but will be in touch when I get back and we can have a quick committee meeting and get this thing rolling..........Look forward to working with you........ Al....

Lot's of good ideas and concern and that's a good thing..........While there are lots of good ideas on what needs to be changed, I think you'd all agree that enforcement of regulations already in place is a big part of the problem....... The Oldman River Chapter of TU will be working to have a Streamwatch student CO in the area starting in May......for those of you not familiar with Streamwatch it places a student conservation officer in a designated area who is repsonsible only for monitoring and enforcing angling and stream violtaions such as misuse of quads, violations by industry and such things as random camping.........Student CO's have all the powers of a policeman except the power to arrest.........They report directly and are supervised by the local F&W CO but have responsiblities ONLY for doing the stream work---i.e aren't called out on bear patrol, etc. etc...........The program was started on the Ram and Blackstone rivers by the Central Alberta TU chapter (Barry Mitchell/Don Anderson) and has been very successful..........It has also been expanded to the Edson, Sundre and GrandCache regions........Many of the fines levied under the program have been channelled back into funding the Streamwatch program....... So here's how you can help..........To put a student CO in place from May through September will cost $25,000........OMR TU will be undertaking several fundraising projects for this cause..........In addition and most importantly, we will be soliciting donations from businesses, resource companies, and individuals who want to make a difference............IF YOU WISH TO DONATE TO THIS CAUSE OR KNOW OF INDIVIDUALS OR COMPANY'S WHO YOU THINK COULD HELP, PLEASE CONTACT ME!!........All donations are tax deductible and once the program is running and successful, it will be easier to ensure that it continues and expands..........If you want more information you can contact me by p.m. or through this board......... Al......

That's bad........I have the good fortune to NOT live in Calgary, where on every evening news broadcast there is a litany of crap like this........... But even in the smaller centers this kind of crime seems to be on the increase.......Hope your insurance company does the job for you.......

Yes but the quality is worth it..........

Fish Tales..........

Yeah, Calgary should sign a few more 40 year olds..........Try and get their average age up over 35..........Good grief!!!

Ouch!!...........That'll leave a mark!!............I saw a bull trout once come up on a shoal where my buddy was gutting a whitefish and take the head and guts almost out of his hand..........and of course last spring I had a 35 inch pike, which I landed (twice) eat the 20 inch pike that ate my fly............Bizarre!!.....They don't call them Water Woves for nothing...........

I use the loop knot for almost all my flies now........I find it has better breaking strenght than a clinch or improved and it's just as easy to tie..........I think it does allow the fly to move better on the tippet and is more effective for drys or nymphs........ http://www.flyfishlouisiana.com/nonslip_loop_knot.htm

Good on ya Don for getting the SRD folks onside with C&R for this one......I'll look forward to a trip up there this summer to try this one as well as Ironside.....I know when Barry was down in the fall, prior to the Roundtables, it was looking doubtful that total C&R would be forthcoming...........I agree that while delayed harvest is a good step, there needs to be more C&R lakes and with the proposed quality fisheries discussions which will take place in the coming months as a result of the SRD position paper on this issue, perhaps there can be more.......I think mentality is changing and there is a better sense among the entire angling fraternity that not every body of water needs to be governed by the same regs and that CHOICE is required.......Ice fishing, filling the smoker now and then and dangling a worm on a lazy afternoon are all good choices..........But so is fishing for a large fish where the requirement is to put them back..........I think AF&G are coming around thanks to Maurice and others and SR&D seem to be very responsive which is terrific.......I think the future looks bright for more choices for anglers in Alberta........ Al...

Yeah, like tomorrow!!!!..............You bring the sandwiches and I'll bring the soup........Too bad you're not like Bloom and I'd throw in the flask with a bit of Malt........See ya at 9:40........

That damn thing won't work at Beaver, Ironside or Fiesta, Don...........Stick to the $.35 floating boatmen or the cato leeches.......Way cheaper and more fun!!

Problem with Knot Sense is how ya gonna get the UV to it between two strips of wabbit??? .....I use KS for epoxy heads on flies as per advice from Dave at Fish Tales, but it gets rock solid and I don't think it would be a good one for bunny fur.......I tried some Gorilla Glue or some such on my first double bunny Tasty Toads and it made the rabbit strips way too stiff to have good action..........Hence the inquiry, and the discovery, of the leather glue..........

I'm hoping by fall it could be pretty good, Tim.......Thanks for all of your Bullshead wisdom on this............Look forward to sharing that campfire and a dram of good Malt........ Al...

Nice try but no need to be protectionist, Harps............Lots of water there to fish, an awesome campsite, great scenery and it WILL grow big fish.........We NEED lots of folks fishing it and praising it's virtues..............There will be a review based on angler's opinion of the quality of the fishery and the new regs after 3 years............It will be up to us to ensure that review is positive, assuming of course, the fishery is true quality which I believe it will be..........