Those of you worried that your secret local fishing oasis will eventually be overrun by manic fishermen can rejoice. In the U.S., at least, the population of anglers is declining rapidly, according to a new Fish & Wildlife study of outdoor activities. It appears fishermen and hunters are being replaced by wildlife "observers." "The number of anglers has dropped 12 percent since 2001; the hunter count has fallen off by 4 percent during the same five-year period. This doesn’t mean Americans aren’t spending time outdoors or interacting with wild animals; 'wildlife watching' is up 8 percent since 2001. They’re just choosing not to kill them so much." Article by Newsweek's Steve Tuttle on MSNBC.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It turns out that the engineer responsible for letting a Norfolk Southern train careen at 77 miles an hour through a 15-mile-an-hour zone and spill 42,000 gallons of sodium hydroxide into Pennsylvania's Sinnemahoning Portage Creek was taking pain killers and other sedatives. "'They didn’t find any dead fish right at the scene of the spill,' said Todd Deluccia, a watershed specialist in nearby Cameron County. 'The thinking was that the chemical was so concentrated there, the fish just disintegrated.'” Michael Beebe in the Buffalo News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fly fishing guide John Berry offers some excellent advice on teaching the next generation to fly fish, including a couple of tips on easily overlooked gear: bring a big net, and a camera. "Keep things simple. I have found a simple roll cast or high sticking technique is very effective. I generally use larger tippets than I normally would, so when they hook a fish, they have an easier time landing it." In central Arkansas's Baxter Bulletin.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bald eagles, like ospreys, are primarily fish eaters and depend on the health of rivers and estuaries. But that's not the only reason fly fishers should rejoice over the recovery of the species from its 1960s nadir, when the U.S. seemed to be just waking up to the fact that the unbridled industrial growth and unregulated agricultural science was not in the best interest of birds or people. More important, I think, is that the bald eagle has been reinserted into the daily lives of people. They make people stop whatever they are doing and look. They don't require an Audubon guide for identification. And they are one of the few animals that kids seem to be instinctually in awe of.

With all of the media coverage of delisting, which was announced by the U.S. Interior Department yesterday, it's easy to accept this change in policy as a victory for environmentalists and move on. But it is also worth mentioning that the beleaguered Endangered Species Act was as much responsible for the eagle's recovery as anything else. Like the Clean Water Act, the ESA brought a sea change to environmental action on the part of government, business and individuals. And like the Clean Water Act, we can thank the ESA for results that will be felt and seen for generations.

Ironically, the ESA has been under serious attack from developers in recent years, and even this week the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the ESA with a ruling that allows the Environmental Protection Agency to disregard the welfare of endangered species when transferring permitting authority to states. "In a press statement, the National Association of Home Builders, a trade organization that represents developers, applauded the Supreme Court decision as maintaining balance when considering environmental regulations. 'We can't say that the Endangered Species Act is an "uber-statute" that should slow down regulatory decisions,' the builders association president Brian Catalde said." (John Roach in the National Geographic News.)

Mark Clayton examines these and more issues in the Christian Science Monitor, where he notes that recent interpretations of the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act may still prevent developers from willy-nilly destruction of eagle habitat. "Under an updated FWS's regulatory definition, disturbing now includes any human activity that drives the eagle away from its nests. So developers whose operations drive the birds away will now fit the definition of 'disturbing' and be subject to federal sanctions."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Andrew Stiles, while visiting the IGFA headquarters in Florida, uncovered an episode of ABC's "Wide World of Sports" that featured Joe Brooks and Curty Gowdy testing their skills against two Argentinian anglers in the 1960s. Stiles, the head of the Virginia Capital Chapter of Trout Unlimited, had a particular interest in the program because Brooks lived in Richmond, Virginia for a period of 14 years before his death. "The footage is a treasure. The rugged peaks of Patagonia soar in majestic beauty. Curt Gowdy banters like a buddy as much as a polished sportscaster. And Brooks shines as a regular guy with a brilliant gift. The show pits Gowdy and Brooks, as the U.S. team, against Erick Gornick and Tito Hosman of Argentina. Their quarry: Eastern brook trout." Lee Graves in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The perfect conditions for fishing dry flies is overcast, drizzle and no wind. The bugs in this case -- Pale Morning Duns, Cahill's, and Pale Evening Duns. This is the way it works: When the bugs come to the surface to hatch and the humidity is high or it's raining, it takes them a long time to dry their wings and fly off; they drift hundreds of feet struggling to get airborne." Randal Sumner describes catching the perfect hatch -- sans clients -- in the Yakima Herald Republic.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At a time of the year when runoff should have just ended, Montana rivers are already suffering from flows that are more typical of mid- to late summer, according to reporter Scott McMillion in the Bozeman Chronicle. Many major rivers are delivering less than 50 percent of their historical flows, with rivers like the Big Hole as low as 20 percent. "As of Wednesday, the Madison near West Yellowstone, above the lake, was running at 349 cfs, just 57 percent of its average flow for that day and approaching the record low set in 1931. (Thanks to reader John DeVault for this link.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Uptight Seattleite" dispenses advice to a reader whose overly engaging neighbor has too many contradictory hobbies to count, including beer brewing and fly tying. "But it's your neighbor's paradoxical ponytail that points the way toward your solution. Worn with more focus than your neighbor shows, a male ponytail can swing with harmonious ease between sensitivity and virile power. You don't need a real one—you can stand up to your neighbor's ponytail with your own inner ponytail." In the Seattle Weekly.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 4:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Besides pining for a chance to fly fish the Margaree River, the only other lament from Nick Faldo -- who is designing a new golf course in Canada's Cape Breton on the far east tip of Nova Scotia -- was that he might not have the concession to retrieve balls from the water hazards.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Those intrepid anglers who decide to hike down one of the so-called trails to fish the salmonfly hatch on the Gunnison River probably aren't looking for an easy ride, given all the warnings they'll receive from locals. Somehow you gotta think that the hike is as important as the fishing. "'We don’t call them trails because they aren’t trails,' Shubert said quite seriously. 'They are steep, rocky, backcountry routes with plenty of chances to get lost or get hurt. You better be ready to self-rescue or to wait for at least 24 hours, because that’s how long we’ll wait before we start looking. You sure you still want to go?'” Dave Buchanan in the Grand Junction [Colorado] Sentinel.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Orvis annually gives special awards to the members of its endorsed guides and outfitters programs. Among them are the Guide Conservationist of the Year, which this year went to Tim Linehan of Troy, Montana, whose involvement in protecting native trout in northwestern Montana has been long and unflagging. A piece on EarthTimes.org includes a fine comment Linehan made when his award was presented: ""It takes a pebble to create an avalanche."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gary Loomis, whose graphite rod production techniques opened eyes to the potential of fast-action rods, and Joan Wulff, the doyenne of influential female fly fishers, will enter the International Game Fish Associations Hall of Fame on October 20.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Think West Nile virus is something you get only in wet lowlands? Mark and Janice Davis contracted West Nile virus from mosquito bites in northern Colorado in 2004 and are among the unlucky percentage who are suffering from the neuro-invasive form of the disease. "'I crawled in and out of the doctor's office,' [Mark Davis] says. 'Literally I was on my hands and knees... We spent the next 10 months so tired you're just sitting there trying to get enough energy to walk 30 feet to go to the bathroom.'" Don't forget your insect repellent this summer. Wes Smalling in the Casper, Wyoming Star-Tribune.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gallatin Valley rancher Tim Crawford is annoyed that the Montana legislatured failed to guarantee river access for Montana anglers this spring. So he made up some signs and constructed gates that showed just how easy it is. "'Landowners should understand it's the public's right of way, and not be churlish about sharing it,' said Crawford, who has owned about 350 acres on both sides of the river for 20 years." Scott McMillion in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

(Thanks to reader John DeVault for this link.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just in case you won't be buying in to the Alli craze but instead are deciding whether to fly fish or golf on your summer vacation, 'Diet Detective" Charles Stuart Platkin gives you the food equivalents of practicing each activity for an hour. "Golfing with a cart burns 245 calories an hour (about 1/2 cup Baskin Robbins Cherries Jubilee Ice Cream), whereas fly-fishing in a stream (including walking in the water wearing waders) burns as much as 420 calories (one slice of Papa John's Pan Crust The Meats)."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 3:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

On Tuesday night, a flash flood swept an 8-foot wall of water down the Beaverkill north of Roscoe, New York, claiming the life of at least two people and destroying several houses. Three very dramatic videos on the Times Herald-Record Web site show the damage and the rain-swollen Beaverkill shortly after the flood.

"Route 206, a two-lane road that was completely washed out in some areas and in other places had its shoulders eroded to sheer cliffs, is expected to be closed for at least another week, the police said." Nate Schwebber in The New York Times.

As we've noted before, area residents are searching for any and all solutions to the problems of flooding on the Beaverkill and its tributaries.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As Charlie Meyers suggests, the U.S.'s international fly fishing team represents more than a chance to participate in angling competitions that don't require six guys dressed up like a NASCAR pit crew. It's an opportunity to bring leadership to a sport that could use all the help it can get in growing and staying vital. "Question is, can a relatively thin and static U.S. fly-fishing industry muster the money and resolve to provide the necessary boost? Current sponsors include Simms, Scott rods, Scientific Anglers, Nautilus reels and Clear Creek accessories - arrangements that provide swell gear and some cash, but not nearly enough to crack the nut." In the Denver Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tom Siska and guide Glenn Flutie were the winners of this week's Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, Florida. The tournament, which began Monday and ended Friday, resulted in 63 fish released and 14 fish measured as "weight fish." After scoring no points on day one, Siska and Flutie put themselves far ahead of the pack on day two and three, when their combined release and weight fish points totaled 3854.

Second through forth places were more closely contested, with Delucas and Krowka scoring 2744 cumulative points, Mill and Perez 2726, and Fotopulos and Suplee 2156. Robertson and Burke had the most releases (7).

(Thanks to reader David Dalu for these scores.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Partly because the glitz and glamour of Martha’s Vineyard’s striper mecca lies just beyond the horizon to the southeast, the Westport’s blue-ribbon, blue-collar fishery remains relatively crowd-free. It gets little attention from the news media and inspires no high-powered tournaments, no massive influx of well-heeled anglers from around the country." Norm Zeigler writes in The New York Times about the estuarine Westport River, which escapes attention from many New England anglers but offers excellent striped bass fishing.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've referenced many articles by writer and photographer Dave Sherwood in the past, including a recent piece he wrote for The New York Times on peacock bass fishing in the Panama Canal. Sherwood is a former Maine guide who recently relocated to Costa Rica with his wife. He writes on environmental topics for the Tico Times in San Jose, and keeps a photoblog that includes some brilliant photography of the Costa Rican countryside, including shots of rainbow trout that reproduce naturally in the mountain streams there. Interestingly, as Sherwood points out, "These rainbow trout were transferred to Costa Rica and Panama from the McLoud River in California back in the 1940s - intended to provide recreation opportunities for U.S. army officers stationed in the Panama Canal Zone."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 3:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"'We catch so many fish that the different salmon species no longer return. Once we've exhausted one species we move on to the next,'" Alexander said, offering me a spoonful of orange salmon caviar and a cup of tea." Luke Harding's interview with a Russian poacher is remarkable not so much for the revelation of how extensive the poaching is on the Kamchatka peninsula, but for how little is apparently done to stop them. In the U.K.'s The Guardian.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 2:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When we first began putting together MidCurrent's "101 Fly Fishing Tips" a few months ago, the task seemed daunting. It wasn't having to come up with 101 tips that worried us. It was having to choose among the hundreds of tips that might help someone fish better. The ones that made it onto the final list were those that were most practical and most likely to help fly fishers of any skill level.

This week, in "Fly Fishing Gear Tips," we're delivering 34 tips related to gear choice, care and use. They range from the obvious to the not-so-obvious -- from rod care to knot tying to sun protection -- but all of them pass muster when it comes to delivering simple but useful advice.

(By the way, if you have tips that you think should be included in our Gear Tips or any other lists, please send them our way.)

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nick Gosling writes about the successes of the Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery, which reintroduces Atlantic Salmon into Maine rivers. There are a couple of nice photos here and some interesting detail here about the pains to which hatchery managers go to ensure that disease doesn't spread through the hatchery populations and that hatchery effluent is properly treated. In the Ellsworth American.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although the French and Czech teams continue to dominate the annual FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championships, the U.S. is showing that it has to stuff to finish among the contenders, achieving 6th place this year -- its best finish ever. Coach Jack Dennis believes the good showing has to do with the recent switch to a regional trials system of team selection. "'This truly is an example of a team effort (and) everybody working together for a common goal,' wrote Dennis in an e-mail from Kemi, Finland, the site of this year’s World Championships. 'I firmly believe the competition system of trials will work. (A)s it expands and gets better, it helps us get closer and closer” to a world title.'" Dave Buchanan in Colorado's Grand Junction Sentinel.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to more careful management, the Farmington River has come to be a favorite eastern trout stream for those who don't mind a little bit of company and fairly big water. "Located in both Massachusetts and Connecticut, the Farmington is a tailwater fishery — the water stays cold enough to support active trout year-round — and it is a premier venue for fly fishermen from miles around, including Central Massachusetts." Mary Anne Magiera in the Worcester, Massachusetts Telegram.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although it appears that Action Craft will continue doing warranty work and servicing current customers, they announced on their Web site that they have "temporarily stopped production" due "to economic conditions beyond our control, and a prolonged recession in the marine industry."

My first guide skiff was a twice-used Action Craft that I purchased in Fort Myers in 1985. It had the signature sloped gunwhale decks and a 90 Yamaha that had been handed down from Stu Apte. It was a very fishy hull that I just lucked into. Action Craft was a pioneer in flats skiff design at a time when not every 18-foot boat in Florida had a poling platform on top of a too-large engine. Their only real competition came from Bob Hewes, whose boats used a more classic faux-lapstrake hull design, and Dolphin, whose Super Skiff is still used by a number of Florida Keys guides. Maverick Boats, of course, later bought out Hewes, and came to dominate the skiff market.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New York Times writer Dave Sherwood takes a risk and heads into the Panama Canal to fly fish for "sargeants" with a native guide. "Parked at the end of the dock was a 13-foot, old aluminum boat — 952 feet shy of the canal maximum. Ché, our guide, sat back by the motor, bailing water from the previous night’s rainstorm."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

26-year-old professional tennis player Fernando Gonzalez is currently ranked No 6 in the ATP tennis rankings. What would he be doing if not playing tennis? Fly fishing.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A fellow fly fishing blogger shared the URL to Field & Stream's new fly fishing blog, Fflogger, this past week, and we we spent enough time there this weekend to identify what is easily our favorite part so far: the "Motorcyle Reel Tests." Using such subtle measurements as "wiggliness" and "hotness," Kirk Deeter and Tim Romano film the testing of several fly reels' drag performances by attaching a leader to the back of a Harley Davidson and letting rip. Fun stuff. Let's hope they can live up to their self-described status as "The Ultimate Fly Fishing Blog."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

As state governments become more aware of the dangers of dilapidated dams, property owners are finding solutions that improve rivers and mark a changed awareness about the importance of free-flowing water. Kevin Coyne writes about "Putting the Wild Back in Rivers" in The New York Times, and specifically about changes for the better on New Jersey's Musconetcong River, parts of which were recently designated "wild and scenic" by the federal government.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jim Bowman is retiring from 49 years of football coaching and admissions screening at the U.S. Air Force Academy to go fly fish on Oregon rivers.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"One thing I learned a long time ago is that if you fish at night, you have to know what stuff is in which pocket of your fishing vest. If you pare it down to just the stuff you'll need, and take the other stuff out, life will be a lot more efficient," [Don Kirk] said. Another key bit of advice uncovered by Eric Sharp in the Detroit Free Press: arrive at the river before dark so that you get your bearings before you lose the light.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kaitlin Lovell, the salmon policy coordinator for Trout Unlimited in Portland, was justifiably ecstatic about the wakeup call that was given Wednesday to the National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA over their persistent attempts to count hatcheries steelhead as wild fish. "The group is the lead plaintiff in both suits, the first challenging allowing hatchery fish to count with wild for the purpose of listings, and the second the federal downlisting of upper Columbia steelhead. If the rulings stand, it could affect other salmon in which hatchery fish are part of the listing decisions." With any luck, Wednesday's decision by a federal judge in Seattle will become a precedent in future rulings regarding the inclusion of hatcheries fish in the measurement of fish population health. In the Salem, Oregon Statesman-Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Just before lunch, my best shot at a big permit involved a flurry of shouting, cursing and inept casting that ended with fly line wrapped around my legs and neck." Dave Sikes and friends travel down to Tulum, Mexico and try their hand at a grand slam at Boca Paila. In Corpus Christi, Texas's Caller.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In search of a bonding moment, a fly fishing dad breaks out the ultimate in golf course pond fishing implements: the Pocket Fisherman. "Although he is not an avid fisherman, the sheer novelty of the Pocket Fisherman had convinced him to give it a try. But I could tell that he was having regrets. For him, this was the perfect storm of dorkiness." Timothy Delaney in The New York Times.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the Cumberland River, a bad situation is getting worse. As of today, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is eager to have you catch and kill your increased limit of trout in the warming water downstream of Wolf Creek Dam. They don't think the fish in the waters that are more than 35 miles from the dam will survive. "A spring drought, unseasonably hot weather and the lowering of Lake Cumberland to elevation 680 to repair leaks in Wolf Creek Dam, have caused less cool water to be discharged into the river, and much lower river levels." Art Lander on Kentucky.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Many have said it, that fishing for wipers comes closest to saltwater of any angling experience in eastern Colorado (where sea chop has been scarce for a few million years). Strong predators, swift and aggressive. Wipers are schooling fish, like each of their parents - striped bass and white bass." Ed Dentry describes the tactics used by locals who chase "wiper" hybrids on Colorado reservoirs. In the Rocky Mountain News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The western terrestrials are, as a group, totally different. They often are made of foam with rubber legs and almost always have some sort of quick sight on them. They are oversized and resemble nothing I have seen in nature. When I first saw them, I snickered and passed on by." Arkansas guide John Berry discovers that the big, gaudy flies that stuff fly bins out west are effective on just about any water where trout feed on terrestrials. In The Baxter Bulletin.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"They don't leap, but they charge like runaway freight trains. And their domain is so close that you often see and even hear them herding and devouring sardines and mullet. Jonathan Roldan, owner of Tailhunters International charter service, has witnessed roosterfish rise to baits 'with backs big enough to saddle.'" Pete Thomas writes in the Los Angeles Times about the lure of roosterfish, which travel the shallow surf along the Baja California coast.

If you haven't seen the film "Running Down the Man," which features a couple of manic fly fishers sightfishing for roosterfish, you can see it on the Patagonia Web site.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined to give the Colorado River cutthroat trout federal protection Wednesday, ending an eight-year debate over one of only three trout species native to Colorado." Conservations argue that researchers are just doing a better job of finding Colorado River cutthroat populations, but the USFWS says that the fish is in no danger of extinction. John Ingold in the Denver Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Though outfitters and anglers have their fingers crossed about the potential for more water and cooler temperatures, water levels on the upper Missouri are considerably better than what they were a year ago. "'Caddis, PMDs (pale morning duns), the end of the baetis are all happening right now,' said Mike Bushly, manager of the Trout Shop at Craig. 'The fish are on top and big fish are in the river.'" Michael Babcock in the Great Falls Tribune.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 4:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"At that moment, the realization dawned that there is no such thing as a stupid permit. Yes, I know they are members of the overly aggressive and intellectually challenged jack family. But somehow they have evolved to the Mensa level -- at least during the time they spend in shallow water." Susan Cocking hopes for her first fly-caught permit in Mexico's Chetumal Bay and finds that the fish there are not a whole lot different than the ones who challenge her in Biscayne Bay. In the Miami Herald.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brett French finds that he's lost his wading legs as he and a friend fish a caddis hatch -- that was supposed to be a salmonfly hatch -- in Beartrap Canyon. "Although the salmonflies never showed up, caddis were out in droves. Hundreds of them hovered over and next to bank-side brush in a cloud of brown, mottled movement. A greedy red-winged black bird sat atop a juniper tree flitting from branch to branch as it gorged on the quarter-inch-long bugs." In the Helena Independent Record.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

T. U., FFF and other conservation groups are breathing a sigh of relief after a federal judge in Seattle ruled against a National Marine Fisheries policy that included hatchery-raised fish with wild fish when considering protections for upper Columbia River steelhead. In the judge's words: "'Though it scarcely seems open to debate, the Court concludes that in evaluating any policy or listing determination under the ESA [Endangered Species Act], its pole star must be the viability of naturally self-sustaining populations in their naturally-occurring habitat,' Coughenour wrote. 'To be sure, the inclusion of hatchery fish alongside natural fish ... strikes the Court as odd.'" Alex Fryer in the Seattle Times.

Felicity Barringer also writes about Wednesday's ruling in The New York Times: "'This counting method, the judge, John C. Coughenour, wrote, 'departs from the law’s central purpose, which is to promote and conserve naturally self-sustaining populations.'”

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Colorado's Gunnison, Dave Buchanan chases salmonflies and details the behavior of the big bugs as they do what is described locally as "lift-off:" "The mature nymphs crawl out of the streams and onto rocks, branches, sticks and anything else that goes vertical or close to it: pontoons, oars, waders, and slow-moving anglers. Once out of the water, the bugs wedge out of their nymphal shuck, dry their wings and start checking out the local prospects for romance. It takes a while for the eggs to ripen, but once they are ready the females take off on their adventurous egg-laying flight." In the Grand Junction Daily Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As Charlie Meyers points out in the Denver Post, the folks who run The Fly Fishing Show feel AFFTA has taken dead aim at their business by scheduling a new consumer show for the same January dates in Denver. "The American Fly Fishing Trade Association announced last week it will launch The Fly Fishing Expo at the Colorado Convention Center on Jan. 4-6, the exact same dates that an exiting [sic] event, The Fly Fishing Show, is scheduled at the Denver Merchandise Mart."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The great fly fishermen are not generally conventional strivers. They are interested in a kind of excellence that no one ever sees, like an artist whose work you only catch a glimpse of once in a while. You know he's painting but the work is hard to find." An astute observation about the nature of fly fishers from Randal Sumner, in his sideways glance at commencement speeches. In the Seattle Times.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Big bonefish have a way of getting a person's dander up. They snub their noses at perfectly good presentations, reject the flies that work so well on their smaller brethren, and generally succeed in baffling the slickest fly fishers among us. Why bother? you might wonder after a morning of throwing flies to fish whose response to your perfect casts has been to move ten feet to the right and start tailing again.

Well, the reason is simple. A bonefish over ten pounds is an awesome fish.

This week Tim Mahaffey, who is the only angler in history to win all of the major fly fishing invitational tournaments in the Florida Keys, shares his secrets on flies, gear, and presentation for approaching and landing big bones in "Targeting Giant Bonefish." His tips are useful not just for tournament-level flats anglers, but for anyone who enjoys sight-casting in saltwater.

You should also check out Tim's terrific fishing blog, "Tournament Tails," which he regularly updates with advice on advanced saltwater fly fishing techniques. Good stuff.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two-handed casters take note: RIO has added a new multi-tip kit to the Skagit line series, enabling spey casters to add a type 6 or type 8 sink tip to the regular Skagit line. The kit comes in a wallet, which also contains a "Skagit Cheater" -- a 5-foot section of floating line that enables anglers to fine-tune their line system. "The new Skagit VersiTip system is available with a 450 grain, 550 grain, 650 grain or a 750 grain head weight option and has a recommended retail price of $149.95."

For the full press release, read the extended entry.

NEW SKAGIT VERSITIP LINE–– COMPLETING THE ULTIMATE SELECTION FOR THE SKAGIT CASTER.

IDAHO FALLS, June 1st, 2007. Following the incredibly successful launch of the Skagit series of fly lines, RIO is pleased to announce the completion of the range.

A new mid-season launch of the Skagit VersiTip® system combines the ever popular Skagit fly line with a wallet of tips for each situation. Each VersiTip line comes with a full Skagit fly line and a shooting head wallet with a 15 ft density compensated Type 6 sink tip (6 inches per second) and a 15 ft density compensated Type 8 sink tip (8 inches per second). In addition there is a 5 ft floating Skagit Cheater that is useful for tuning in the line’s head length to a precise casting style, fishing situation or rod action.

Skagit casting is a style of spey casting that utilizes special short, heavy heads. The casting style encompasses a minimal amount of physical effort by using a compact and consistent casting stroke and is perfect for casting in tight quarters.

The new Skagit VersiTip system is available with a 450 grain, 550 grain, 650 grain or a 750 grain head weight option and has a recommended retail price of $149.95.

RIO’s full range of Skagit products are:

• Nine sizes of Skagit Tips line: 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700 and 750 grains.
• Six Skagit floating tips: #7, #8, #9, #10, #11 and #12.
• Five Skagit Floating lines: 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 grains.
• Five Skagit Cheaters Sets: 6/7/8, 7/8/9, 8/9/10, 9/10/11 and 10/11/12.
• Four Skagit Shooting heads: 450, 550, 650 and 750 grains.
• Four Skagit VersiTip lines: 450, 500, 650 and &50 grains.

For more details contact: Simon Gawesworth, simon@rioproducts.com or Zack Dalton,
zack@rioproducts.com at RIO Products Intl., Inc.

RIO Products Intl, Inc. • 5050 S. Yellowstone Hwy. • Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402 USA
Tel. 208-524-7760 • FAX 208-524-7763 • Website: www.rioproducts.com

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a true conservation success story, beginning in less than three weeks, anglers will have a chance to fly fish for Gila trout in New Mexico's Black Canyon and Iron Creek. "Limited angling opportunities for Gila trout will open July 1, 2007, in select streams in southwestern New Mexico that have been closed to fishing since 1966, when the Gila trout was first listed as a federal endangered species." In the North Texas E-News.

As we noted back in October, the only trout native to southern New Mexico has recovered in large part due to the cooperative efforts of state and federal agencies, fish hatcheries, conservation groups and private individuals.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a fascinating story about the discovery of "organic pollution" created by the harvesting of watercress on the famous Bourne tributary of the River Test. Discovering that mustard oil released by watercress reduced biodiversity in part of the stream, the company cultivating the plant changed its process for filtering released water. "The Bourne Rivulet, a tributary of the River Test near Andover in Hampshire, is the idyllic spot which inspired Harry Plunket Greene to write Where the Bright Waters Meet. The Victorian opera singer and key figure in English music, was also a keen fisherman who caught three fat, wild brown trout in the crystal-clear waters of the little chalk stream on August 29 1904." Paul Eccleston in the U.K. Telegraph.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What's the point of a fish ladder if you don't give their food a way to swim upstream too? Folks along the Oyster river in Connecticut take their conservation pretty seriously. "Pumps, valves and hoses attached to the contraption keep a stream of river water flowing through at a 'just-right' speed — not too fast, not too slow — to entice the eels to swim in, driven by a primal urge to reach the freshwater ponds and lakes upstream, where they will spend several years growing into adults." Judy Benson on TheDay.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dog-walker Ed Quillen counts fly fishers among the most courteous of those with whom he shares his daily strolls. "The drivers, when we get to chat, are always friendly. Usually they're anglers, headed for a pullover along the river. A manic dog could disrupt the transcendental fly-fishing experience, but none has ever complained." In the San Francisco Chronicle.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The Deschutes River boasts some of the best fly-fishing in North America. Anglers from all over the world travel to Central Oregon in search of the river's bounties of steelhead and trout. And late spring marks one of the best times to fish – when the salmon flies are hatching." For NPR, David Welch spends time on the Deschutes chatting with a salmon fly devotee, Jamie Zartler.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Stonefly hatches on western rivers are like that: Covered with muddy water one year, launching a surface onslaught by hungry trout the next. So it is on the upper Colorado, which harbors a dense population of these oversized bugs, along with all the water vagaries to make a successful fishing scenario a sometime thing, maybe two out of five years if we're lucky." Charlie Meyers writes about the serendipity of chasing the stonefly hatch in Colorado in the Denver Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

David Dalu and guide Scott Collins won the 5-day Don HawleyTarpon Tournament which ended yesterday in the Florida Keys. Dalu was the first first-time angler to win the event in the 33-year history of the sport. Releasing six fish on day one and three fish on day two, then two fish on each of the last two days, Dalu and Collins kept their lead through the entire event and ended with six fish more than second-place team Thane Morgan and Craig Brewer.

We asked Dalu what he thought made the biggest difference in their success this week and he said: "It was all about staying connected to the fish, which for us means just bringing the fish tight and keeping the hook in the fish's mouth. It works just as well with 12-pound test as it does with 16."

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Question: Why buy a dad a Sharper Image high-torque Turbo-Groomer seven-inch COBALT nose hair trimmer when you can send him to a fly casting school? Laura Landro and Alan Murray answer this and other imponderables in the Wall Street Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"'Thomas McGuane is a well-known fishing writer who once said that he never could get tired of looking at (bamboo rods). I think there's something to that for people.'" That's bamboo rod crafter Dave Van Burgel, who began building graphite rods but switched to bamboo when he started to feel that something was missing from the process. Travis Barrett writes about custom rod building on MaineToday.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The fire that left South Platte area fly fishers and fly shops in despair is still quite evident in the landscape, where ponderosa pines may take 600 years to recover. "Rich Speer manages a fly fishing shop in Deckers. He said, 'The river smelled. It smelled of fire, which was hard to imagine.' Terry Barton, a U.S. Forest service employee admitted to starting the fire. She is now serving time in a federal prison." Steve Saunders on TheDenverChannel.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In The New York Times, C. J. Hughes describes how recent rules that prevent massive discharges by the Housatonic’s hydropower plants have led to dramatic recoveries in the health of trout populations on this large Connecticut river. "'The Housatonic, in fact, is comparable to the best rivers of the West in terms of its width, speed and rugged beauty,' said Kirt Mayland, a regional official of Trout Unlimited, a conservation group, who has fished throughout the country." At the end of the article there's good info on where to go and who to talk to if you want to fish the Housatonic.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tales of woe are already being heard from those who depend on trout fishing below the Wolf Creek Dam on the Cumberland River. As we've reported, the dam was labeled "at risk" by the Army Corp of Engineers (see "Lake Cumberland Drawdown Threatens Hatchery, Fishing"), and the temporary fix has been to lower levels in the dam impoundment to reduce the likelihood that the dam might fail. Low water means warm water, and both the tailwater fishery and the Wolf Creek Hatchery are already feeling the effects. "Perhaps the most outspoken local trout man is Pat Carroll, conservation director for Derby City Fly Fishers, who calls the situation 'scary.' He adds, 'It doesn't look good from Burkesville downriver.... We're going to lose the trout.... I don't have any doubt about it.'" Dave Hawpe in the Lousville, Kentucky Courier-Journal.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's where the cork meets the metal. Or where the Rulon meets the cork. Or maybe it's just a small metal triangle bouncing along a gear. Whatever drag system lies hidden behind the frame of your favorite fly fishing reel, you want to feel confident that it does the job it is intended to do. And as Zach Matthews points out in "Brake Jobs," a little overkill never hurt anyone. This week's addition to MidCurrent is a thorough look at the drag systems available on popular fly reels.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Can't think of a way to introduce conservation ideas to kids with short attention spans? Take them to a hatchery. As Mamie Parker points out in the The Albuquerque [New Mexico] Tribune, since 2006 all national fish hatcheries in the U.S. are required to have educational programs in place. Take advantage of it.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"'I try to go fly fishing every day. It's a great way to start the day. It's good for you,' he points out. 'I have a completely happy life.'" Deep (2/3 of the way down the page) within a gossip column we find that political pundit Tucker Carlson has discovered the secret of life.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hard to know whether Seabury Blair Jr.'s commentary on the sport is self-deprecating or just worrying, but he does make some pretty funny observations about the extent of the passion. "Fly fishing is by far and away the most interesting and scientific form of angling. I am certain it was mistakenly invented by the Marquis de Sade, when he tied a yellowjacket that stung him to a line, intending to whip the insect to death at the end of a flexible rod." In Washington state's Kitsap Sun.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sounds like L.L. Bean wants to borrow a page from Disney and turn their land in Freeport and near Casco Bay, Maine into a Wonderful World of Selling Stuff. Given that the company usually does this kind of thing tastefully, who's gonna complain? "'Cabela's and Bass Pro have incorporated a lot of what maybe L.L. Bean will multiply into an entirely outside-the-store environment to try to make themselves a destination,' said Bob Simonson, an analyst who covers Cabela's Inc. for William Blair & Co." On Kiplinger.com.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 4:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OK, if fly fishing is not so much like golf (hey, the hole moves), then could it be like surfing? Scott Willoughby thinks so: "Surfing demands far more patience than you might expect, waiting for the right waves as you might wait for a fish to strike. You might spot a potential lunker now and again, and then it comes down to placement, just like casting, before you can set the hook. Then that sucker takes off like a tarpon, a wild animal that you still have to land, even play." In the Denver Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 6:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

At the Teva Mountain Games in Colorado this past weekend, fly fishers vied for top honors in a one-fly tournament (six flies, but they all had to be identical) while navigating some serious runoff on the Eagle River. "'The most extreme part was rafting down the river,' said Mark Sassi of Edwards, who picked up the $1,000 first prize and a new Sage fly rod after landing five fish in four hours, the biggest measuring 15 inches.'" Scott Willoughby in the Denver Post.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brian Strickland writes about the Blue, Yampa and Taylor River tailwaters, which are among the most productive rainbow fisheries in Colorado. "The first in this threesome is the fabled Blue River. Although its waters start atop the snowcapped Continental Divide and offer numerous public sections of freestone river to drift a fly through, it's the tailwater below Dillon Reservoir that seems to draw most of the angler attention in the spring." In Rocky Mountain Game and Fish.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The only possible cast was from where we were standing, high on the bridge directly above the trout. A cast from here would have no cross-current to drag the fly aside. But the fish could not be fought from here." While defending fly fishing as a non-boring sport, Brian Clarke inadvertently lays the parallels between fly fishing and golf in the U.K.'s Times Online.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 5:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Dave Wolf makes an interesting suggestion in his coverage of the frenzy surrounding the annual green drake hatch in Pennsylvania: watch for the concurrent hatch of smaller bugs that will often be the target of the bigger fish. "Last but not least be vigilant for a 'masking hatch,' a smaller sized fly like the sulphur that is hatching at the same time the drakes are. If you want to take a trout on a drake imitation, keep on fishing. If you want to take more trout and large trout, switch over to the smaller pattern." In Pennsylvania's Lebanon Daily News.

Posted by Marshall Cutchin at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)