Scarrrry stuff kids; scarrrrry stuff!

Have a great Halloween everyone!

The Muir Lake Project

For those of you that frequent my blog, you've seen many posts regarding Muir Lake. I fish Muir more than any other lake for two reasons. First, the trout are now passing the 24 inch mark which means they are almost as big as the trout in any of the other fisheries in the Edmonton area and second, it's only 25 minutes from my door step. I recently bought a new video cam and have been experimenting with some projects. This is one of them. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it gives you a look at what Muir Lake is all about.

For a more detailed look at the Muir Lake project visit my information web site Fly Fishing Edmonton, and click on Edmonton Lakes.

Video Blog #2

If you're interested in fly fishing for Pike, here's the set up I use.

Fishing in no more than 10ft of water, I use a nine weight rod with 9 weight floating line and matching reel. I start my leader with 2ft of 30lb mono from the fly line followed by 2ft of 20lb mono. Attached to that I use Rio's "Toothy Critter" nylon coated wire leader. Flies of choice are cone head popsicle leeches (all assorted colors but white has worked best for me), 1/2 & 1/2's and clouser minnows. Best presentation for me has been a strip, strip, pause. The Pike usually take it on the pause. Other important equipment is:

Large landing net or cradle
Long forceps or needle nose pliers
Jaw spreaders

Good luck!


Still looking for comments on the whole video blog thing. Keep it or kick it to the curb?

Mel Krieger Passed Away

I just now learned that Mel Kreiger passed away last Tuesday. I never personally met the man but I've seen his casting seminars and many of his videos. He had a way of making learning fun as he was very passionate and enthusiastic about his teaching. And his patented "pop" or "click" sound that he made when casting always put a smile on my face.



Thanks Mel; for making learning fun.

Days are getting shorter... and colder

When the weather changes here in north-central Alberta, there's no dickin' around. On September 30 we were hitting 27 degrees Celsius (that's 80.6F for my American friends). Tonight we're expecting to hit 0 degrees (32F) with a high of 8 for Thursday and by Saturday night it's supposed to hit -5 (23F). In the summer here, the sun stays in the sky long enough to fish 'til after 11pm at times. Now it's dark by 7pm. With days like that, it's hard to get motivated and get yourself out on the water. But we still do. I got out last Saturday, again to Muir Lake. Although I did get some trout on the boatman and backswimmers, the catch rates were quite low. I ended up switching over to a bloodworm and caught a couple on that as well. Fished mostly in 7-10ft of water as the trout are staying mostly in the shallows. I got one of those trout (about 20 inches) on video but I'm using that for a video I'm putting together on Muir Lake.

I'm thinking about heading out to Wab with Phil on the weekend and trying for some of those monster Pike. I'll make sure I take my video cam with me and see if I can get some of those up on the blog. Phil e-mailed a couple of pics from the TV show taping so I'll share those with you here.

My First Video Blog

I was asked to be a guest on The New Fly Fisher TV show with host Phil Rowley. The idea for the show was to educate viewers on water boatman and backswimmers during the fall season. After much anticipation on my part, we shot the show at Muir Lake on Tuesday September 30 with many a trout netted using different tactics. I caught on video some of what was going on when I had the chance but most of the time I was busy doing something for the show so I didn't get a lot video. What I did get, I put on my very first video blog. Take a look at my V.B. and let me know your opinion, should this be a monthly feature to my blog or am I just better off sticking with written posts? Before you hit the video play button, make sure you pause the music track on my playlist.

I just wanted to say thanks to Phil, the camera man Robyn and The New Fly Fisher TV show. I had a blast. Now, who is it I send my resume to for your job Phil?