Finally, organizer handles last minute changes. People get sick or have emergencies or “things” happen at work and substitutes have to be arranged. Snowstorms can force last-minute changes to travel plans, requiring telephone calls to entire group, as described in article, “Getting to Chatter Creek: Go Early and Get there“ (http://backcountrywintervacations.com/getting-to-chatter-creek.html )

You may have known your buddies for years, but you don’t really understand them until you try to organize their ski trip. As one cat ski operator noted, “It’s like herding cats”. One or two email messages is not enough to convey critical dates and other information. There is always that benighted soul who forgets or is confused or looses forms or is always late with payments. Experience teaches value of a standby list of people happy to step in and replace “foot-draggers”. That usually focuses attention!

Regular reminders and specific confirmation is needed to ensure that people really do understand what they need to know, and that critical dates and times really have been recorded in next year’s calendar, and not this year’s. If meeting point is in a different time zone, alarm bells have to be rung regularly, or people will forget time shift, or get it backward. People need reminding that there is a day of travel before and after dates of tour. If tour members are married, it’s a good idea to ensure their wives know “the drill”.

Different organizers handle their discount in different ways. Merle McKnight, manager of Chatter Creek, in Golden recommends, “Put it in your pocket, you’ve earned it!” Many organizers do just that. Others share discount with group members, giving everyone a small discount. One organizer rents a bus to take his group from Calgary to Golden, where his cat skiing tour starts. That tour really starts and ends in Calgary and everything in between is a blur.

In end, whatever frustration a group organizer may bear falls right away on that first run of annual tour, as one’s mates charge down hill, with whoops and hollers and powder snow flying. The grins on their faces make it all worth while!

Having written so much about organizing groups, I should add that, over years, I’ve had a number trips with two or three friends, sharing a snowcat with strangers. Without exception, these trips have been wonderful experiences. I’ve made new friends and have thoroughly enjoyed myself. Even though I am an experienced skier, I have rarely felt held back by weaker skiers. Well, perhaps just once. Snowcat skiing is so “laid back” and relaxed and guides are so skilled, that a range in ability within a group can “work” very well. Most snowcat skiing operators encourage just strong intermediate and expert skiers, so “slower” skiers are rarely far behind. More often than not, they end up waiting while hotshots “scope out” special challenges; cliffs, bumps and like.

If you don’t really know what cat skiing is all about, check out Cat Skiing Articles photo gallery at http://cat-skiing-articles.blogspot.com.

So while Mickey Finn is obviously a great choice as an attractor fly, it would not be as good a choice in murky water or if fished deep. A better attractor might be a white Woolly Bugger or White Marabou Muddler.

Color is also important to remember when matching hatch. Since fish use vision as deciding factor to strike, one’s offering must be correct color. However, very small differences in hue seem to not be much of a factor as most insects will vary slightly in color as well. But if intensity of color artificial fly has can be a factor. If artificial is more intense than natural it is more likely to catch fish. Why this seems to work is somewhat a mystery. It is understood that fish see deeper into ultraviolet range than humans, so perhaps they are just seeing something we don’t. It could also be due to effect water has on colors. Perhaps we’ll never know, but like many things in fishing, why something works is not as important as just knowing that it does work.

While color is probably not most important factor in a fish striking a fly. The above considerations are nevertheless a good thing to have in back of your fly fishing mind.