agrombacher

Hey Guys, Congrats to you all. Mike does deserve a big Hoo-Raah for all his efforts. I am less than impressed with all the other TU Edmonton Chapter members. I spent years as the treasurer and to see TU Edmonton go to crap in the way it did certainly doesn't shine well. But having NLFTC take add TU to the club will be a good thing. NLFTC is a great club and TU will do well with it. Cheers, Alberta Al Grombacher

Hey Doc, Ask Phil if he still uses a Spring Creek Pram? If he does, ask him how he likes it. Cheers, Alberta Al in Saskatoon

Hey Lanny, No way. Alberta is heaven. But I am liking that micro-brewery and the duck hunting on the salt lakes. I'll be Alberta Al in Saskatoon Cheers, Alan

Rick, It is a beauty creek. Cheers, Alberta Al

Rick, There are extensive fishing logs from several guys that regularly haunt all points of SC. There were at least a couple of noted seasons where a sudden drop in catch was noted in a given year and the following years. I've seen some of the work. I think the resultlant drop in catch, bugs, and fish was probably due to some one shot point source contaminants. Probably a nasty pesticide (insecticide or maybe an herbicide) or a dump or small spill in the oil patch near bye. One of the other fellas might have some more info on the study. The problem with these type of sources are that they go down stream, dissipate quickly, and often aren't noticed until after the fact. Cheers, Alberta Al in Saskatoon

Lanny Boy, Happy Birthday. What are you now - 50? Cheers, Alberta Al in Saskatoon

Hey Doc, It is going well. The job is good, I work right next to a microbrewery and a gun shop is right across the street. The duck and goose shooting has been good. My Toller had a good brawl with a gander, and Lundie won. Keep me updated, and I'll try and make it to a meeting. Cheers, Alan

Hey Doc, When are you going to start having some meetings in Saskatoon? We have a good microbrewery in town for beers afterwards, and think of all the roadkill that the guys could pick up for a materials swap at a NLFTC meeting. Alberta Al in Saskatoon

Wrap from the base of the section to an inch over where you can see where the split ends. Make sure the wraps are tight. Flexcoat the wrap. It should be OK. Alberta Al in Saskatoon

Hey Woolly, Glad to hear you are on the mend. Alberta Al in Saskatoon

Hey, That was only one of the three sturgeons hooked that day. I was busy getting rich - gold and garnets! Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Lanny, Looks good. Nice catepillar!!!! Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Scratch, Is there a season on cormorants in Alberta? Lanny is ready. Lundie is willing to retrieve them. Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Dave, As you know, me being a kilt wearing, sword carrying Highlander - it will be mandatory for Lanny to have at least 5 bottles of God's gift to the world under the counter right next to the Cubans. Lanny told that we'll even sell a few flies in between the red wiggler sales. Cheers, Alan

Hey Folks, Dang! The lots aren't right on the water. I was going to buy one if it was right on the water, then I'd put a big dock in, and have Lanny be the manager of my "Bait and Beer" shop. Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Paul, Nice bunch of poppers. I tyed 250 poppers this last year. If I can get to the meeting, I'll bring some of my McNally frog poppers to show. Cheers, Alan

Hey Frank, Biggest one caught this year by me and compadres was a tad over 16 inches. Ned and I ran into two nice schools of fair sized grayling on a couple of trips. I think Dennis is correct about the fish being smaller. With all the traffic up there, lots are being eaten. My biggest was 18 inches, caught in 2004. Biggest that I've seen caught out of LSR was the grayling caught by my Ned (#2 son) - a 21 incher (Yes, bigger than the provincial record). Caught on a Usual - right where Lanny set up that biffy a few years ago. We measured it and released it. There was a young Chinese kid (he had a real nice Powell flyrod) fishing the area that weekend too. He caught it the day before Ned did. 2003 be the year it was caught. Cheers, Alan

Hey Vince, I agree with Vince here. A 7 1/2 foot 3 weight with a sized reel is an extreme pleasure to cast. I am a dyed in the wool boo boy, but 3 weight graphite rods are way too much fun. I was really surprised how well mine handled the 15 pound pike. Dennis, you should get a smaller one - you like it. Cheers, Alberta Al in Minnesota right now

Hey TF, I have a Loomis 7.5 ft 3 weight that carries a Hardy Marquis or a Hal Bacon (broke spring rigfht now). I always thought a 3 weight might be too light, but have totally changed my mind on that opinion. I wish I had bought a 3 weight sooner. My 3 weight is huge fun. It is a great rod for small stream fishing. It is great for grayling and for places like the Livingstone. It's one drewback is a good wind will cut your casting distance. And a 3 weight can handle a good sized fish. I caught a 15 pound Northern on mine in the NWT a week and a half ago. Get one, you'll like it. Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Dennis, The little monsters might be thinner in population at the end of August or in September. Them black flies can be a bugger, but if they aren't too thick - you get kind of used to them. Even when it was in the 20s, I always had on long pants and a collared long sleeve shirt. That way they have less to munch on. The grayling are definitely bigger up there. Give it a go, You'll like it. Cheers, Alan

Hey Dennis, My big grayling was a bit shy of 21 inches. Hugely thick grayling, much heavier than on the LS. Bugs - they have lots of them up there. We used three cans of OFF. We also resorted to bug nets one day. The mosquitoes were river specific, and the black flies were all over, but worst near the lakes. I also brought my secret weapons with me - La Gloria Cubana robustos - I haven't met a black fly that will stick around once you start puffing on one of those stogies. I'll have to try the streamer thing next time I get up there. The waterfalls and scenery are spectacular. See ya, Alan

Hey Woolly, Got back Saturday night. We fished the Kakisa River below the falls and at the 5 km/hr bridge. No action at the bridge, but below the big falls was where the action was. Huge number of pike and walleye on the fly. I caught a 15 pound Northern on my three weight using a chartruese/white clouser. I was impresed with how heavy the fish were for their size. As my Andrew said, "Dad the fish are chubbier up here." Not much grayling action on the K River, but then again with the volume of walleye and pike - if I was a grayling, I'd got out of Dodge too! We fished streams and rivers from Enterprise to almost Wrigley. Not the volumes of grayling that I expected, but it was tough to get much off the road. Some streams were in high water conditions too boot. My most interesting grayling was a three pounder that I caught on a Mepps #4 spinner. Ned was doing well on pike by this one bridge, and I put down the three weight and picked up a spin rod. Great fight by that grayling, but I'd wished he'd have hit my Usual. That Mepps #4 is a honking good sized spinner, I guess big grayling like minnows better. Another thing that I noticed was that you could catch grayling on flies, but there were almost no rises except for tittlers. Lots of bears. a guy in a 5th wheel shot at a bear at 5 AM one morning! That got my attention in a hurry. The fella likes .300 mags too! Seeing all those falls was worth it alone. Great place the NWTs are. I'd go again, but with a good Lund and a good sized engine to go up the rivers into the lakes. Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Folks, My Ned (#2 son) and I have decided to check out the NWT maybe next week. I've never been up there. We are thinking of heading up through High Level. Driving up. Does anyone have experience with fishing off the road or with short hikes into lakes or streams. Ned is thinking of grayling and pike. Would a poontoon or canoe be handy too? Or is lots of the area wadeable or do you run into boggy ground next to the shores? Cheers, Alberta Al

Hey Brian, Can you put aside tow denim shirts in XL (a kahki and a blue one)? I might not be at the meeting next, but can grab it soon after. Cheers, Alan

Hey Dave, Good one. Almost makes me wanna wear my kilt!!!!! Cheers, Alan