bigcreekdad

What puzzles me about this is that the overwhelming majority of people hate these. Yet, the ability to target advertise is what drives up the stock prices of Facebook, Google, AOL, etc. THese companies are valued at absurdly high P/E ratios...some don't even have a ratio as they make no money. I consider this a huge bubble. Unless advertisers are fools (which cannot be ruled out), they will eventually realize these ads are not generating profits which exceed their cost.

Just saying.

Chris Helm, of Toledo Ohio, an internationally awarded master fly tier, died at his home Thursday, surrounded by his family. Chris was my fly tying mentor, who taught me the basics 20+ years ago, and I continued to learn from him thereafter. He was especially noted for his prowess with deer hair flies. Of especial note, his mouse imitations were not only exceptional, but he also was paid serious premiums for specially ordered ones, which often ended up in fly fishing artwork. Although, thanks to to Chris' help, I've been tying up to 3000 flies each year commercially for many years, I was always afraid of showing him my substandard, by comparison, mouse imitations.

Chris, who owned Whitetail Fly Tying until last Fall, loved working with novices, and especially kids, in both fly tying and learning to cast a fly line. He also, at no cost, sent fly tying equipment and supplies to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Chris, often with his wife Judy, organized and led at least one trip a year each to lodges/outposts in the Bahamas and northern Canada. I was fortunate to have been included in three of the Canadian trips. THe memories of each will remain with me forever. Up until a week before he died, Chris was recruiting a group for a summer 2015 trip to Labrador.

Godspeed Chris...one of the good guys.

I've been fishing the lower French for 10 years or so. Last season was marked by very high water levels, even in late sumer and Fall, which I think impacted the fishing (at least that's my excuse). I used to fish the upper French out of Casa Blanca Lodge before that, and don't remember any high water issues, likely because it is above the Chaudiere dams. In any case, I've been thinking of heading to Lunge Lodge on the upper next August or September. When I fished out of Casa Blanca, Lunge Lodge looked pretty run down. However, from their website which I've followed the last couple of years it appears they are really sprucing the place up.

Has anyone one been there recently? If so, how did you like the camp, and did you have any high water issues last summer?

Moose....you are a bonafied folk hero!

Love it....may you live to be an active 100.

more evidence of global warming.

BTW...here in Toledo, the all time low for 11/18 was broken yesterday....by 5 degrees!!

Pick a place near a coast and do both.

Cliff....no apologies necessary. I'll offer up a few prayers for both your wife and daughter.

As for the changes you mentioned since your younger days, we in the USA feel your pain.

For what its worth, I had my 60hp Yamaha 4 stroke winterized yesterday at my marina in northern Mich....oil filter, fog stuff, new oil, Stabil, and had trailer bearings greased. Labor...$45. Parts, oil, etc $57.

Awesome Cliff!!

Is this North of 60 Lodge in NWT?

Fly fishing Michigan's Au Sable River a few years ago, I hooked a small brown trout on a streamer. As I strip it in and it is about 15 feet from me the water explodes.....a freakin bald eagle dive bombed my fish. The eagle missed it, looked at me a flew off. I reeled in the now completely terrified trout and released it, although it likely died of fright later. When telling my wife back at my cabin she says....."did you get a good picture of it"?

Great report and pics! Thanks

Will send up a few to the Big Guy.....sounds like you guys are nipping it the bud.

Nothing short of a freakin awesome report Bunk!! Thanks!!

I never do. However, I'm closer to 70 than 60 now, and I plan to wear one when fishing by myself in Canada.

Thanks for all the input....I'll be off to Cabelas this weekend.

As I said, I had only my own experience for comparison. I'm certainly not trying to disparage the guide at all.

I take at least 2 solo trips to Ontario every year. My trusty floatation device (the non inflatable style) is "worn" by the back rest of my tiller. I don't wear it because it's bulky. I know I am nuts.

Thinking about the inflatable PFD the type I see anglers using on fishing shows. I looked on Cabelas website and there are many but the pricing is all over the map.

Any advice?

Guide price seems high at $450. I know that a guided trip on the French out of Lochaven Lodge is less than $200.

That's the only comparison I have.

My final thought...I hope the guy is punished. However, in many ways, I think this has been a bit overblown.

I really hate to admit it, but I actually ate a few muskies in the late 60's/early 70's out of Stoney Lake.

I feel like I'm in the confessional.

Like I said Lew....he's a dirtbag.

I gotta weigh in here on this. Let me state clearly that the guy that did this is a dirtbag, and should be punished by the law. However, while we love to catch these wonderful fish, they are, in fact, just fish....my favorite fish, but still just fish. The threats of bodily harm to the dirtbag are way out of line. Would I have had some words with him?...definitely....but would I try to physically harm him?...no way.

Also, remember we don't go after these fish with velvet gloves and lollipops....look at your lures, your line strength, your hook set. Finally, how many of us debarb our hooks? I don't, and I'll bet most of you don't either.

Likely I'll be bombarded with this, but felt I needed to say it.

2 gulls and, of all things, a pelican

mine is in the bow area in a storage compartment. Have had it around 10 years with no problems.