(Business Edge columnist Gyle Konotopetz regularly profiles the top stock picks of some of Canada's most accomplished investment pros.)

FEATURED PRO: Peter Linder is the energy strategist for DeltaOne Capital Partners (www.deltaonecapital.com) and manages the DeltaOne Energy Fund.

Fund Form: The DeltaOne Energy Fund, a hedge fund, has a one-year return of -17.6 per cent compared to the group average of +35.9 per cent. The fund has an annualized return of 18.5 per cent since its inception.

Management Expense Ratio: Two per cent.

Linder's Perspective: "It's been a very trying time but when you play junior and more gassy (gas-weighted) names, these things happen. What worked in '04 and '05 has not worked so far in '06, but I still remain bullish and I still think the gas stocks will come back strongly in the second half of the year. The problem of record storage levels for natural gas was caused by the warm winter.

"I've been focusing more attention on the oil-weighted juniors, but there are also some great buys in the gas-weighted juniors. Assuming we have normal North American weather the rest of this summer and the coming winter, now is an ideal time to start going into gas-weighted producers because you can never pick the bottom. I believe we're within five or at most 10 per cent of the bottom (for gas-weighted stocks)."

Linder's Commodity Price Outlook: "For the second half of this year, I expect the natural gas price to average $8 (US NYMEX per mcf) and $10 next year. My target price for the oil price is $80 (US per barrel) for the second half of this year and $75 for next year."

First Star

* Titan Exploration (TSX:TTN.A)

* Recent Price: $5.60.

* 52-Week Range: $3.10-$7.55.

* Linder's 12-Month Target: $7.50.

* Snapshot: Titan is an oil and gas company with core operations in the Peace River Arch area of northwestern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan and northeastern B.C.

* CEO: Trevor Spagrud.

* Head Office: Calgary.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 35; Revenue (last 12 mos), $20 million; Earnings (last 12 mos), $3.3 million; Market Cap, $122.4 million; Shares Outstanding, 21.9 million.

* Linder's View: "This stock is oil weighted, has a good management team and they're diversified with properties in southwestern Saskatchewan, the Peace River Arch area and northeastern B.C. This company is doubling production this year and will probably have another 50-per-cent increase (in production) next year. They have a good mix of low-risk and high-risk oil and gas plays. The stock is trading at a very low multiple of well under three times next year's estimated cashflow per share of about $1.90."

* Linder's Risk Rating: Moderate.

* Web Watch: www.titanexploration.ca

Second Star

* Breaker Energy (TSXV:WAV.A)

* Recent Price: $6.

* 52-Week Range: $3.70-$7.50.

* 12-Month Target: $9.

* Snapshot: Breaker is an oil and gas company with a 370,000-acre portfolio of properties throughout Western Canada, primarily focused in West Central Alberta, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

* CEO: Dan O'Neil.

* Head Office: Calgary.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 33.3; Revenue (last 12 mos), $28.2 million; Earnings (last 12 mos), $3.7 million; Market Cap, $122.7 million; Shares Outstanding, 20.5 million.

* Linder's View: "This company has a very strong management team, with most of them coming from senior-level positions within EnCana (TSX:ECA). They have quality gas-weighted assets and recently made a significant oil acquisition (of producing properties at Irricana and Millard Lake). So they've been really ramping up their production and next year I expect they'll be about 50/50 in terms of the natural gas-to-oil weighting."

* Linder's Risk Rating: Moderate.

* Web Watch: www.breakerenergy.com

Third Star

* Win Energy Corp. (TSXV:WNR)

* Recent Price: $1.90.

* 52-Week Range: $1.65-$2.

* 12-Month Target: $4.

* Snapshot: Win Energy is an energy company with a 100-per-cent focus on natural gas with its core operations in the Pincher Creek area of Alberta.

* CEO: William Kiff.

* Head Office: Calgary.

* Vital Stats: Market Cap, $100.9 million; Shares Outstanding, 53.1 million. Other financial numbers are not applicable, as the company only began trading on July 19.

* Linder's View: "This company is virtually 100 per cent natural gas. The key here is that this company has phenomenal natural gas prospects in the southern foothills of Alberta and they have an excellent land position. They also have acquired all the infrastructure for shipping and processing of natural gas, which is very important. That gives them a significant competitive advantage in this area. They've had a very successful drilling program to date and they've got numerous high-impact plays."

* Linder's Risk Rating: Moderate.

* Web Watch: www.winenergycorp.com

Linder's Edge Record: -4.4 per cent. Best Pick: Find Energy (TSX:FE) +15.5 per cent. Worst Pick: Twoco Petroleums (TSXV:TWO) -14.6 per cent.

Disclosure: Linder owns shares in the DeltaOne Energy Fund but is restricted from trading shares of companies held in the fund.

(This feature is provided for information purposes. Investors are advised to do their own research or consult a qualified investment professional before making investment decisions.)

(Gyle Konotopetz can be reached at gyle@businessedge.ca)