fly fishing, conservation and politics.
I get some pretty cool gigs as a fly-fishing instuctor and one of my favorites is teaching the MSU Fly Gals each year. Just spending time with these wonderfully accomplished ladies is a joy in and of itself.
This year, one of my former students, Corey Higley, dazzled me with a very special gift!
Corey crafted this exceptional work of art with all natural materials. The detail is stunning!
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Been thinking about hatcheries lately.
The next year’s budget for federal fish hatcheries got hit with the budget axe and there are some folks who are pretty sore about it. The “whys” and “wherefores” are complicated. You are gonna have to take my word on that part. That is not something frankly I feel much like writing about.
Read more after the jump > [Read more…] about Thinking About – Fish Hatcheries
Liza Hunt was not about to be bested by Craig Mathews’ tenkara adventures. No siree.
Read all about it: Eat More Brook Trout: Craig Mathews can suck it! (Kidding … mostly).
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Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies shows off his die-hard chops!
Craig is responsible for my current tenkara addition. And while I love my tenkara fishing as much as the next guy, this is true dedication.
You will get to see more of Craig’s fishing escapades. He noted in a recent blog post:
I just received word our 13 part series on The World Fishing Network comes out this Sept. The first show will be Yvon Chouinard and I on Spring Creek. The show run 52 weeks, 6 times per week., with 13 different fishing venues I will keep you posted with information on other shows, where and when and more so stay tuned!
Will keep you posted.
Each month Field and Stream in its Hero’s of Conservation column features people who are upholding the finest traditions of fishing and hunting stewardship.
The January column, Heroes of Conservation: Fence Removal, Water Guzzlers, And Trout | Field & Stream, profiled my good friend Jim Greene of Waterwisp. Jim is a true gentleman and his volunteer efforts are legendary.
He gets well deserved recognition for his efforts in support of Trout Unlimited’s Trout in the Classroom program in Maryland. Greene has helped more than 100 classes get started.
“The underlying purpose is to get kids to appreciate clean coldwater streams,”
Sounds like a pretty good idea to me, what do you think?
Trout Unlimited have seven programs for young people from 8 to college age to help protect and restore the nation’s coldwater resources. Check out TU’s Headwater’s Youth Education Initiative!
It is not always the best time for fishing, at least in the mountain streams here in Virginia. The water levels can be iffy and more importantly the brook trout are going about their biological imperative. Don’t want to upset that apple cart!
So with time on my hands I like to go scout out some of my favorite streams or pick a new blue line to investigate.
When I am fishing I tend to get a little tunnel vision. I am looking through the water so hard that I sometimes forget to look around and enjoy the view. I probably know my location on many streams by what the bottom of the stream looks like rather than what the banks or surroundings look like.
For me fall is a great time for hiking and sight (site?) seeing. I still look at the water but I really have a chance to see what is surrounding all that water. A chance to see where I am fishing not just what I am fishing.
Of course I tote my tenkara rod and a few flies. And while I am not looking to fish, if the brookies happen to be rising then I just might decide to float a dry their way. But in the fall I like to just count coup on them.
During the year some of my flies will get the hooks broken at the bend. I keep the Adams’, BWOs or Wulffs and use them in the fall. I am not trying to catch the fish, just trying to get them to take the fly.
Counting coup.
Kind fun and let’s them get back to the more important business of reproduction.
