Zugbug and Paisley's Arkansas Fishing Report

Zug and I had a great time catching fish on the White and the Norfolk Rivers in Arkansas last week. The largest fish landed was a 22 inch cutthroat. I hooked one brown on a dry fly which would have been in the 8 to 10 pound range but I am sad to report that my trophy threw the hook before I could land him.

Zug and I both caught several fish over 18 inches and many more fish 12 to 17 inches in the catch and release area between McClellan's and the handicapped access. Several days work paid off with many unbelievable fish on the White River below Bulls Shoals Dam. We even had great luck at Rim Shoals on two evenings. Fishing pressure was very high on both rivers but patience and skill paid off for the two of us. Many flies seemed to work from scuds to midges and caddis. Even an occasional Y2K Bug worked when things slowed down. The key was long drifts without drag. You always hear that but in this case it was the only way to consistently catch fish.

If anyone wants to schedule a guided trip on the Watauga or South Holston rivers in Tennessee, I still have dates open in October.

-Paisley

(Editor's note: Jeff Paisley is a regular contributor to Flyfishmagazine.com and a skilled tailwater angler.)

Sometimes it IS the size of your rod...

According to all those spam emails that my wife keeps signing me up for and this article in the Southern Oregon Mail Tribune, longer is better. However, unlike the stuff in my inbox, in this case they are talking about the art of Spey Casting. I call it an art because I tried my hand at it while attending the FFR show in Denver and it was not pretty. I knew that I was in trouble when the instructor told me that I had, "almost took that poor lady's head off" with my back cast. Some anglers have more success at this sort of thing than I do.

"This precision looping and whirling of his 13-foot spey rod then powers a tiny fly 80 feet over the Rogue River before it rests atop a riffle in hopes of enticing a summer steelhead to lunch."

Ethnic cleansing for Brown Trout?

Roanoke Times reporter Bill Cochran's latest article talks about Shenandoah National Park Official's controversial plan to rid native brook trout streams of brown trout. With the help of volunteers they have killed over 800 brown trout in an effort to clear the browns from the brookie's habitat. The effort has met with some resistance.

Members of the Fly Fishers of Virginia, a 150-member, Richmond-based group, expressed dismay over the efforts to rid the park streams of brown trout. In a letter to Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright, Dan Genest, president of Fly Fishers of Virginia, stated that the browns pose no serious threat to the native brook population.
"Even worse was that all but a handful of those beautiful trout were thrown on the bank to die rather than being relocated," said Genest.

Trout Unlimited has a different view the plan:

Larry Puckett said that what park officials did, with the help of some TU members, was consistent with national TU policy of invasive species control and native trout preservation.

Gila trout stocks making a comeback

Once threatened with extinction, Gila trout are making a come back in Southern New Mexico and Arizona. Craig Springer of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service writes about their return and the possibility of future sport fishing for them in this article for Fishing World.

Since the inception of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the Gila trout has been considered endangered with extinction. That changed in July 2006. Finally after much work by the Game and Fish departments in New Mexico and Arizona, the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico State University, and conservation groups over the course of decades, the Gila trout was down-listed to threatened, with a special provision that will allow limited sport fishing for the first time in nearly half a century.

Thanks to Craig for the good news and an excellent article.

Fishboat Magazine

Our blogging pal Pete McDonald over at Fishing Jones and also the Editor of Boating Magazine, has been working on a new venture for his "day job." Check out the new Fishboat Magazine site. It is still in the beginning stages but from the looks of the site Pete has it on the right track. One of his first articles, "The Wild One" is about outdoors woman Cindy Garrison.

Let's get this right, Pete's day job involves going on fishing trips, test driving the hottest new boats, and hanging out with a bikini clad Cindy Garrison. Between this and the guys over at the reel pure / Moldy Chum site fishing with Seattle Seahawk players on their days off I am beginning to feel inadequate. About the only thing I could do to top this would be to get those two infamous Carolina Panther cheerleaders to go fishing with Zugbug.

Fishy ebay Zen

Did you ever dream of owning your very own fishing estate in Scotland? Well finally e-bay has made it affordable. For only $37.71 US you can own a 12 x 12 plot of land with fishing rights in Lochaber, in the heart of the Highlands of Scotland. Oh yeah that is 12 inches by 12 inches. In addition to the fishing rights it comes with another perk, a title (kilt not included):

As an added bragging point, Scots law and traditions state that the style Laird (the Scots equivalent of Lord) may be used by masters of landed estates. Purchase your very own Highland sporting estate (albeit a small one - but you don't need to tell your friends the exact size!) and you too will have the legal right to call yourself a Laird or Lady.

Maybe I should get one of these and put His Lordship The Editor on my business cards from here on out.

In other fishy zen goodness you might want to take advantage of the following e-bay offerings:

Vintage sheet music of The Fishing Song by Fay Templeton. It has some catchy lyrics. "Fishing, Fishing, is not in the hands of Fate. But all your success, You will find more or less. Depends on the kind of Bait."

Maybe you are looking for some fly fishing seat covers for your truck?

Perhaps music, estates, or seat covers just are not getting you where you really need to be? If your fishing needs to appeal to a higher power maybe you might do well to place a bid on this lot of 50 "Jesus Jigs".

" I have for sale 25 packages of 2 ct.(50 total ct.), 1/32 oz.-1 1/2" sassyshad jigs for $10.00(shipping included) They are unique in that they are packaged as a spiritual tract to hand out while your fishing. Whoever turned down free fishing tackle, especially if you are holding a stringer of fish."

No word if divine intervention is included, but how could you possibly go wrong?

Silt on the Norfork River

The Baxter Bulletin reports that fly fishing guides who make their living on the Norfork river are feeling the pinch from silt that is being washed into the river from a development being built near the Norfork Dam.

"the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit against Homeport Land Company owned by Benny Doyal of Yellville. The agency is suing the company for not obtaining a construction stormwater permit before developing for Overlook Estates, a subdivision being built above the North Fork River near the Norfork Dam, and ordered Doyal to stop polluting the waters"

Fly fishers are starting to see the effects of the added silt.

Although fly fishers regularly catch large, healthy fish, they have noticed smaller hatches of insects and a decrease of scuds, a crustacean that fish eat, said John Gulley, a Norfork fly fishing guide. This is a major, major deal, said Gulley, who has been a fly fishing guide for 35 years. The cumulative effects will take its toll over the years.

On a trip last year, local anglers indicated that the Scud population was finally starting to rebound on this river. Paisley and Zugbug have just returned from a week of fishing the White, Little Red and Norfork Rivers so maybe we can get a first hand report from them in the near future. Rumor has it that Paisley was not deterred by the lack of scuds because he found a new hatch to match - The Y2K Bug.

No Hatchery Trout for the Battenkill....for now.

The Burlington Free Press reports that the Battenkill river has been, at least momentarily, spared from the plan to stock hatchery Rainbow trout in the up till now wild fishery.
Conservation minded companies like Orvis along with Trout Unlimited and area anglers voices were a major factor in the "expected" decision by Fish and Wildlife authorities to scrap the plan to stock hatchery trout.

"The public comment period on this issue and the draft management plan for the Battenkill is open until Oct 21. But state officials said Monday that critics of stocking the river made their voices heard at the public hearing."

It appears that a final decision on the matter will not be settled until after the official comment period ends. Lets keep this issue active until we get the resource protected once and for all.

You have to appreciate it when a company like Orvis flexes their financial and political clout in such a way as to protect a valued resource. (Translation - Go buy some Orvis gear this weekend.)

Act of Congress Honors Curt Gowdy

The US House of Representatives is honoring American sportsman and broadcaster, Curt Gowdy by naming the Green River Post Office after him.

In addition to his distinguished career in broadcasting, Gowdy was an avid conservationist, an accomplished fly fisherman who grew up fishing Wyoming's rivers and streams, and a respected philanthropist."Mr. Gowdy was a true pioneer of American sports broadcasting ... (he) was a tremendous man with Wyoming roots," Cubin said in a release Monday.

Revenge of the Mice!

The following is a great email that I received from Suzanne Malone:

Hello,

Just thought you might find this interesting. My name is Suzanne Malone and I am the outreach/education director for the Northern Virginia Trout Unlimited Chapter. In that capacity I help teach the fly fishing merit badge, BOW, WITO and many other organizations fly-fishing and fly tying. I also store all of the equipment i.e. rods, reels fly-tying material and vises. We had not used the fly rods for several months and they were stored in my garage in Alexandria ,VA. This morning I went to load them into my truck for an upcoming Merit badge program. I thought the boxes were rather heavy but I did not think too much about it. When I started to unload the rods and reels I noticed they were full of corn. Mice had been stashing corn into the rod boxes. The rod and reels are stored in the boxes they were shipped in.. They are the first cast rods and reels from LLBean. Not only did the mice store corn in all twelve of the boxes they also chewed the line on six of the reels.

Thanks,

Suzanne Malone

I sense a conspiracy here. Obviously the mice, who have long suffered at the hands of fly anglers looking for the perfect grey dubbing, have struck back in an attempt to lure our youth into fishing with corn rather than flies! Thanks to Ms. Malone for sharing such a great story. If any Flyfishmagazine.com readers out there would like to donate or exchange some fly line for a sack of corn, I am sure that Ms. Malone could arrange it.

Bad Paddington, Bad Paddington

This one has already made the blog rounds today but it is so bizarre that it "bears" another mention. It seems that a normally harmless toy teddy bear went on a rampage and killed over 2500 rainbow trout fry at a Milford, New Hampshire fish hatchery. The wayward bear clogged a drain and blocked oxygen flow to the pool.

In a statement, Fawcett noted (quote) "RELEASE OF ANY TEDDY BEARS into fish hatchery water IS NOT PERMITTED."

Tip of the fishing hat to fellow fishy blogs: Moldy Chum, and The Daily Bag Limit.

Update: Here is a link with an actual picture of the offending bear.

Wake me up when September ends.

I was in the car with my son this evening and the song by the popular band Greenday that is mentioned in the title to this post came on the radio. This reminded me that September is almost over and October will be here before you know it. For a fly fisherman in the Carolinas this means that Delayed harvest fly fishing is almost here along with fall colors and cooler temps. It also reminded me that we have several affiliate deals that will be expiring. With that in mind here is a round up of the September offerings from our valued partners:

Bookseller alibris has free shipping for the educated fly angler:



Overstock.com offers $20 off your order of $150 or more



And Sierra Trading Post continues to give a massive 15% off orders of $125 or more.



GI Joe's is giving free shipping on all footwear purchases.



As always you must use the banners above to take advantage of these offers and they generally cannot be combined with any other offer.

Yipeeeee

In case you had forgotten over the long summer, on October 1st, eighteen trout waters in fourteen North Carolina counties will revert to Delayed Harvest regulations. This means that until June 1st, 2007 these waters will be limited to artificial lures having only one hook and no fish may be removed from the fishery. Here is a link to the NC Wildlife Resources press release for all the details.

What If Cathy Rigby Tied Flies?

The Sunday Gazettemail.com asks, "What is the most absurd lure you have ever used to catch a fish?" Some stories should never be told.

“When I first started tying flies, I didn’t have much in the way of materials,” he said. “I needed some flies for salmon fishing, so I appropriated from my girlfriend a product that women use roughly every 28 days. I tied several salmon-egg flies with that product. When I fished with them, I hooked a sizable king salmon. That’s how the ‘Salmpon Fly’ was born.”

'Our beautiful river is destroyed'

Here is a reminder of just how fragile a fishery can be. New York's Chateaugay River is now choked with silt courtesy of a hydro dam's release of an estimated 4000 cubic yards of sediment.

On Wednesday, at Brayton Hollow, a pool below a waterfall that was 12 feet deep and once teeming with trout, crayfish and caddis fly larvae was filled with 11 feet of foul-smelling black muck coated by a layer of gray sand. There was no sign of fish or aquatic life at this spot, just north of the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park's boundary.

Anglers fear the river is as good as dead. The dam's owners face fines.

Cobia on the fly

A non-fly fishing writer describes his fishing buddy' s battle with a Cobia on the fly.

"I am not a fan of fly-fishing, but that's because I'm a dangerous buffoon with a fly rod in my hand.
But that half-hour battle kept me fascinated. After it ended, I spent the rest of the day watching Carter make his casts, consistently putting the fly right where he wanted it, usually at a great distance and always in a brisk wind."

Happy National Hunting and Fishing Day

The fourth Saturday in September is National Hunting and Fishing Day.

The fourth Saturday in September is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Founded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in 1971, the day was given federal recognition in 1972 when then-President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation that stated, "I urge all citizens to join with outdoor sportsman in the wise use of our natural resources and in insuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations."

This year's honorary chairman is country music star, Tracy Byrd.

Link to the Charlotte Observer article and also http://www.nhfday.org/

Team USA takes 10th place

The Jackson Hole Star Tribune reports that The Fly Fishing Team USA did not medal but did manage to finish 10th at the World Fly Fishing Championships in Coimbra Portugal.

"Unfortunately, the U.S. had "several blanks" early, leaving the team in 17th place after two sessions, according to team coach Jack Dennis' e-mail updates. But Daniels and Utahn Lance Egan led a late charge that proved the Americans may finally be learning how to fish in Europe."

Chesapeake Bay Charter Bookings Down

Things are slow for charter captains on the Chesapeake Bay with some skippers reporting that their bookings are down by more than 50%.

It's quite a puzzle, the pieces of which seem to be the price of fuel even though it has slacked off some, the economy, the weather at times, bad publicity concerning blemished fish, also bay waters - and yes, the fishing. I've not seen days with so little angling effort at this time of year since the rockfish moratorium.

The author of the article from The Capital Online offers some advice: "Let's get out of this funk, and go fishing."

Doing small business in a big way: Simms

The online version of Business Week has an article that takes a look at Simms Fishing Products. This 'small" business isn't really that small anymore.

"With just under 100 employees, Simms manages a product line that would choke most companies twice its size. Simms manufactures and markets 120 different products in 12 product categories including waders, vests, footwear, shirts, pants, outerwear, and accessories."


The company has been growing at the rate of 25% per year and has distribution deals with over 400 independent retailers.

LAflyfish.com

A new sidebar link has been added that will allow you to check out all of the fly fishing activity down in Louisiana. Visit LAflyfish.com and read about fly fishing while eating a nice crawfish gumbo. They have some excellent information. "I guar-an-teee it!" (read in your best Justin Wilson accent).

Federal Judge Rules Boating and Fishing illegal

Finally today, Disturbing news reported by blogger Shupac from the Find the River Blog. It seems that a Federal Judge has ruled that boating or other forms of "trespassing" are illegal in navigable waters.

Judge Robert G. James of the United States District Court, Western Division of Louisiana, has said that it is criminal trespass for the American boating public to boat, fish, or hunt on the Mississippi River and other navigable waters in the US.
In the case of Normal Parm v. Sheriff Mark Shumate, James ruled that federal law grants exclusive and private control over the waters of the river, outside the main shipping channel, to riparian landowners. The shallows of the navigable waters are no longer open to the public. That, in effect, makes boating illegal across most of the country.

This is almost too absurd to be believed. But hold on, it gets much worse. Shupac also reports another disturbing trend:

Cyber acquaintances of mine from Tennessee have informed me that landowners there have recently had people who simply boated in front of their homes arrested for tresspassing--and this after launching from public ramps.

If this trend continues both recreational fishing and boating will be something only enjoyed in government owned parks or by those who have the funds to buy the land on either side.

Here is a link to the original report.


***Update: There is more to the story here than meets the eye. Here is an excellent discussion of this ruling from the Flyfishing Arkansas Forum. Be sure to read the posting by Zach Matthews of http://www.itinerantangler.com/.

Catch Fish - Get Paid

The state of Idaho is offering a bounty of $10 for each lake trout or rainbow trout over 12 inches taken from Lake Pend Oreille. This is part of an effort to save the last remaining Kokanee in the fishery. In the past state officials had hired commercial fishermen to trap the offending trout but have found financially motivated recreational anglers to be much better at the task.

"Kokanee are in trouble and we need every last angler to double their efforts to turn this thing around," Ned Horner, regional fisheries manager for Fish and Game, told the Bonner Daily Bee.

Maybe if all else fails Orvis could spend their $100,000 from the previous post to fund a similar scheme on the Battenkill.

Orvis Flexes For Conservation

Orvis is flexing its financial clout and threatening to withdraw $100,000 in funding for restoration of the Battenkill River, if plans go forward to stock sterile rainbow trout into the famous fishery.

"The Batten Kill is one reason Orvis began and a reason we're still here," Perkins said during a Tuesday news conference. "The Batten Kill is one of five rivers left in Vermont that's still managed for wild trout. Stocked fish have their place, but they can't sustain a wild trout population."

Check out the always astute Tom Chandler's commentary on this issue over at the Trout Underground Blog.

Free Online Fly Tying Classes

I got an email from Will at Fly Tying Forum announcing the start of online fly tying classes. All that is required to participate is a membership in the Fly Tyers Forum site. Here is the text of FTF's press release.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Will Mullis will@flytyingforum.com

FlyTyingForum.com is proud to announce the successful hosting of its first Virtual Fly Tying Class. Will Mullis, founder of FlyTyingForum.com hosted and conducted the event, demonstrating the steps necessary to complete the Woolly Bugger and Egg-sucking Leech fly patterns. Nine students logged in and attended class from New York, Washington, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Alberta.

Special software was developed in-house to make these on-line classes possible. The instructor uses a live video feed and microphone connected through the software; the students have the ability to communicate via their own microphones or text-chat in real time. Students are encouraged to tie along with the instructor and ask questions regarding techniques used or to solve problems during the session. Will Mullis said: "To think that I instructed a fly tying class from my kitchen, to people separated by thousands of miles and whom I may never meet, is quite remarkable. Having people tying along with my instructions, asking questions and communicating amongst themselves was amazing to be a part of. I really believe this technology will revolutionize the fly tying world, and will forever change how people learn and communicate.

I am excited about the possibilities." FlyTyingForum.com indicates on its website that virtual fly tying classes are free to the participants and everyone is encouraged to participate, either as a student or teacher. For more information on the Virtual Fly Tying Classes, visit: www.FlyTyingForum.com/classes

Isn't the internet great? If you take one of these classes be sure to let us know your thoughts.

Poo-Fly Don't Bother Me

Do your flies have a unique scent? Bob Becker's might.

"The city is offering up to $1,500 to West College Hill residents who suffered property damage after a water main broke last week, causing sewer lines to back up into some people’s basements. "

“It was pretty dirty,” said Bob Becker, a professor emeritus of biochemistry at Oregon State University. “It left a layer of mud and goo."

Becker thinks his fly-tying materials will be all right, and he thinks he can salvage his fishing rods and reels.

The Perfect Match?

"Everybody run, the homecoming queen has got a gun" so goes the 80's pop song. However, in this case it is the 90 year old Katie Barringer Watson and the gun looks to be a .30-30. I don't think running would help you because she is a darn good shot. Ms. Watson hunts deer and wild turkey and is also an avid fly fisher.

"As an angler, she takes special delight in catching big bream and shellcrackers from farm ponds around her home while using a fly rod. She also frequents spots on the S.C. coast at Cherry Grove Pier."

She has been pretty successful

"I've bagged approximately 75 deer in my life, 26 of them since I turned 80 years old," Watson said. "In 1993 I killed two deer with one shot -- a large doe and a button buck that was standing behind her."

Maybe we should introduce her to 93 year old Bud LaRocque of Ithaca, NY. He credits his longevity to a family tradition of outdoor life.

"He still drives, does woodworking, builds fly rods, ties trout flies, hunts the elusive wild turkey, bags a deer or two each fall and is a constant companion of John W. DeBell of Hayts Road, Town of Enfield."

Maybe this is the start of a new fly fishing match making website: FlyfishingEharmony.com

Denver, Colorado Again

In a bizarre twist of fate, tonight I am in Denver, Colorado. In an even more bizarre twist of fate I have once again ended up in the Wynkoop Brewery drinking gratis Rail Yard Ale. I was here just a few weeks ago doing the same thing for the FFR show so I am having a major case of Deja Vu.

While enjoying the company of a group of co-workers I received a call from Zugbug who reported that he had managed to outfish Paisley during today's session on the White River in Arkansas. No verification from Paisley as of yet so you have to take Zug's report with a grain of salt. The results of the yearly go cart races have not come in as of yet. While we await the results of this macho challenge check out some Tuesday fishy links:

Tonight on the Denver Channel 4 news they report on a Bolder student who's apartment was invaded by a mountain lion. Luckily she was out camping and was not home when the mountain lion broke in.

Did you know that there is an fishy Area 51 off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina? It is a secret fish attracting reef that is being used as part of a study to see if such structures could be used as nurseries to help replenish fading fish stocks.

Have you met the fish pedaler?

Finally this morning ,the BBC reports that police are investigating the theft of trout from a UK hatchery. It is interesting to note the method the thieves used to capture the trout. It is thought that a substance was introduced to the water, which reduced oxygen levels in the water, causing the fish to float to the water's surface.

More posting as the jet lag subsides.

The tie that doesn't exactly bind

Mark Taylor of the Roanoke Times tackles the age old chasm between bait fishermen and fly fishermen.

In the eyes of plenty of fly anglers, conventional tackle anglers are a bunch of bait-chucking, worm-plunking, fish-killing, stream-littering, resource-abusing rednecks.

Many conventional fishermen don't think much of fly-fishers, either, considering them a bunch of fancy pants, "River Runs Through It"-watching, influence-peddling, elitist poseurs who think that money can buy fishing bliss.

The attitude is not good for anyone.

All we are saying... is give peace a chance.

Dropper what you are doing and read this!

Ben Moyer of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette clues us in to a "Fly-fishing trick" that will help anglers catch wary trout. I'll bet some of you have heard of it before. See if you can identify this obscure technique.

I searched through my box for the biggest, bushiest dry fly I could find and smeared a big drop of floatant into its hackles.
Next, I threw a couple of crude half-hitches around the bend of its hook with my tippet, about two feet above the beadhead nymph.

Bamboo Fly Rods from Vandalia Rodworks

West Virginia anglers Phil Smith and Lee Orr craft hand made bamboo fly rods at their Vandalia Rodworks. Most of their rods take 50 to 80 hours to create. While the rods they create are works of art, they are intended to be fished not just admired, as is evidenced by this excerpt from their website.

If you don't fish the rod, then spirits of deceased rodmakers will come back from the dead to haunt you. Your tires will be slashed and rocks thrown through your windows. If you want a bamboo rod for shock and awe value to impress your friends or to show off the name on the rod, then you've missed the point. Our rods are designed for shock and awe of you, not your friends. We want you to fish it and giggle every time you do just like you did on Christmas morning when you were eight years old.

The two rod builders were recently featured on a local television newscast.

Night Fishing Begins

It's after midnight in Arkansas and we are heading to the river in search of the 40 inch trout! The temperature is 68 and there is a Nightmare on Elm Street mist on the water. The Fish Whisperer has a secret weapon in his arsenal.

If we don't make it back, know we died doing what we love! See you on the other side!

Zug
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Moonshine and Lies

Well folks...ol' Zug and the Fish Whisperer are sitting around the campfire drinking cherry moonshine and telling lies!

I was able to catch 3 rainbows this afternoon thanks to the Fish Whisperer. I was having float issues, but with a little guiding I was able to get the hang of it.

We are considering night fishing after midnight. We are pretty lit, so the fishing should be excellent!

We'll give you a full report...if we survive!

Zug
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Arkansas - Fishing Reports Via Blackberry

Zugbug and Paisley, both Flyfishmagazine.com contributing editors, will be in Arkansas for the next few days fishing the White, Norfork, and Little Red Rivers. If the cell service permits the tech savvy Zugbug has the capacity to provide fishing reports using his trusty Blackberry. Paisley has vowed that this trip will be his own personal "hunt for big fish" as he throws away the midge box and breaks out some big ugly streamers. We look forward to hearing regular reports of their fishing adventures over the next few days.

Violent Nutcases

Here is another account of a group of dimwitted animal extremists who attacked a group of UK anglers last month.

She recalls: "Some of them followed two of the anglers out onto a small island where they were stood and I was just in time to see one of their fishing rods being thrown into the water."One of the men also had a brush broken over his shoulder."In the melee one fishermen was also stabbed in the leg with a hypodermic needle and needed hospital treatment.

Then the heroic anglers strike back:

I saw one transit van driving away and another attempting to turn around in the road, but this was having difficulty. So that's when I decided to do something."Jan's husband David jumped in the couple's jeep and pulled it across the road, blocking the van's escape route.At this point most of its occupants simply climbed out and ran off, but four decided to take matters into their own hands and attempted to drag Mr Dobson out of the vehicle."I stood between them and the door of the car so they couldn't get to him," she recalls. "One of the masked men was inches from my face, shouting, 'do you want to get hurt?' I pulled his mask off and he responded by breaking the wing mirror."

The Police arrive in force with two cars, four vans, and a helicopter but let the bad guys go:

"We were told to go back to the house and later on the police came down and interviewed us," says Jan. "We assumed the man had been arrested but that turned out not to be the case."The unlikely source of this surprising news were TV presenters Richard and Judy, who spoke to the couple on their Channel 4 show three weeks after the incident."Richard told us the programme had been in touch with the police and that they'd admitted no arrests had been made.

Friday Fly Fishing Theater

From time to time the wife tells me that I need to expand my horizons and take in some of the world of the arts. While I consider fly fishing and fly tying to be arts in their own right, I don't mind taking in a good dose of the theater from time to time. To that end I managed to locate a play that a fly fisher could enjoy, "The Fly Fisher's Companion."

"Stage veterans and Jessie nominees Duncan Fraser (No Great Mischief) and Richard Newman (Diary of Anne Frank) star as the surly Don and eccentric Wes, schoolboy friends now well into their seventies who decide to take another fishing trip together on the banks of the Margaree River. Set against the magnificent landscape of an old-growth forest, the two men cast their lines into the river and let their memories drift, back to days of war and the woman they both loved. However a lot has changed since these two friends started fishing together and if they can make it through the weekend without killing each other they'll discover what it really means to be a fly fisher's companion."

This play sounds a lot like one of our fishing trips with Paisley and Zugbug.

Underground Fly Fishing

I thought for a moment that this article was about Tom Chandler from the Trout Underground blog but actually this photo essay about fly fishing 3000 feet under ground is posted over at the legendary Field & Stream Magazine website.

600 lb Mako on the fly

Angling Exploration Group member Brenden Mason has been getting lots of press these days. He recently caught a 600 LB Mako shark on a fly rod while fishing off the coast of San Diego, CA. Brenden. In the true example of the kind of anglers that he and his fellow trout bums are Brenden released the potential record shark alive. Here is a quote from Brenden that spells it out.

"Of course, even if there was a 30# tippet class and longer bite tippet allowed, this shark still would have been released. There’s no reason to kill a fish like this just to get your name in the record book. The waters off San Diego are one of three places in the world where mature makos pup and the juvenile sharks rear, so taking these mature fish from a place where they congregate can have an ocean-wide effect across the whole north Pacific.” - B.


His remarkable catch has received lots of coverage so here are a few of the links from around the net:

River & Reef Fishing Jones Field and Stream

Rainbow Trout Puppy Chow

Starting in 2007, North Carolina will no longer allow subsistence fishing in the waters of your home county without a fishing license. Instead they will go to a system of subsistence vouchers that will allow those on public assistance to fish for food. According to this article from the Houston Chronicle subsistence fishermen are having a negative impact on some of Alaska's great rainbow trout fisheries.

Subsistence fish are intended for non-commercial family distribution. Among the authorized uses is dog food for sled teams.

According to witnesses, flagrant netting by "subsistence fishermen" during the spring spawning run plundered one of the most treasured rainbow fisheries on the planet. The fishery may take years to recover.

Reds

The redfish are biting in Florida

The Bait Box on Sanibel reports keeper redfish and some snook biting along the outside of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge between Tarpon Bay and the Wulfert Keys. Anglers fishing the Gulf-side flats of the restroom island on the Sanibel Causeway also have been catching high-slot reds on shrimp, and a few reds were being caught at the Sanibel Pier.

Froogle Fly Fishing

Back in the day when IzzakWalton was singing songs to milk maids and casting silk line with horse hair leaders, I bet he would have loved to have had access to the wealth of fly fishing knowledge available on the internet. I bet he would have written a whole chapter titled "Of directions for the procurement of rod and line by FROOGLING."

Here is our updated list of the most expensive gear available on the net as reported by FROOGLE.

Type in the search word "fly fishing" and the most expensive item is a bronze statue by Chester Fields that has nothing to do with the sport but looks nice none the less. It will set you back $17,000

Peck out the word "trout" the the Froogle search box and the most costly item is a Photo of a fly fisherman fishing for trout (with unlimited one time use licensing rights)

If you are looking for a "fly rod" you might want this Hardy Gladstone Split Bamboo Rod that tops the contra Froogle list at a mere $1,875.00 (or you might want this Martin for $15.20)

Finally the award for most costly "fishing fly" goes to this Jeweled "Royal Gold" fly from MacDaddy's is on sale for $1,076.00.

**all prices are as listed at Froogle.com as of the date of this post. If you are silly or rich enough to purchase this stuff drop me a note and I will sell you my old er.. vintage equipment at prices that will make you feel just as good.

September is for Brides and Contests

September must be the month for contests as the JH (Jackson Hole) News and Guide reports that Peter Moyer has won the One Fly tournament with a simple San Juan worm. In addition to several large fish, Mr. Moyer raised a few eyebrows among contests purists.

"It was fun to worm the One Fly it was time, said Moyer, a mischievous smile on his face. The big fish were really going for it. "

When he says big fish he means it.

Of the six trout Moyer measured on Saturday, the smallest came in at 18 inches, two measured 19 inches, two were 20 inches and one was 21 inches. Moyer also claimed to have spotted a 24-inch trout near his feet but wasn't able to land it.

Paul Thompson -Total Outdoors Challenge Winner

The Asheville Citizen times reports that Marion, North Carolina fly fishing and hunting guide, Paul Garrett Thompson took first place in the Field & Stream Total Outdoors Challenge.

"Competitors were tested in fly casting, bait casting, air rifle, shotgun, endurance, archery and ATV handling, according to Field & Stream."

Mr. Thompson won $4,000 for his efforts.

Super Fly

GJSentinel.com reports on the result of this year's Gunnison Angling Society "Super Fly" contest. The contest limits anglers to only two flies so many were pretty tight lipped about what they were fishing.

“Fly? I can’t tell you, other than it’s a streamer, or maybe a nymph or a dry fly, perhaps,” intoned Tom McDermott of Denver, who winked and grinned yet nevertheless still refused to divulge the fly patterns he and partner Gary Christlieb were to use in during Saturday’s eight hours of competition.

And the winner is:

Top individual angler was Mike Beatty of Gunnison, who went against the general trend of throwing streamers by using two dry flies, a pale morning dun and a blue-winged olive, to catch 851/2-inches of trout, including an 18-inch rainbow.

Bewitched Fly Fishing?

If you need to get your very own faux leather sandalwood fly fishing candle you might want to check on ebay. This one comes with something that every fly fisher might need.

When you purchase this candle, please state the name of the intended recipient.
I will then cast a Dedicated Protection Spell upon it.

No word yet if you can get a "dedicated fish catching spell put upon it."

NCWRC Supports Forest Service Logging Plan

Recently we reported on a vote taken by the Blowing Rock, North Carolina town council expressing opposition to a U.S. Forest Service plan to allow logging in an area within view of the resort town. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has evaluated the plan and is supporting it. The text of their press release is below.

Wildlife Advisories Hotline - Forest Management Plan

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sep. 12, 2006) – “A N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission evaluation supports a forest management plan for 231 acres near Blowing Rock currently under review by the U.S. Forest Service. An assessment by Wildlife Resources Commission biologists shows the plan would help restore valuable wildlife habitat. ”

The 231-acre parcel is located within the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest in Avery, Caldwell and wattage counties. Known as the Globe Project, the plan includes creating clearings and planting native grasses and clobbers, while eradicating invasive, non-native plants. A timber harvest would take place on a portion of the acreage.

With construction and development displacing or disrupting habitats throughout the region, forest management on public lands has become increasingly important. The biologists noted that the habitat created would be vital for several declining songbird species, as well as wild turkey, bear and deer.
Commission biologists said that clearings will foster insects, which become food for birds and small mammals, which, in turn, become food for larger predator species like snakes, bobcats and birds of prey.

Openings allow vegetation growth, like grasses, various tree seedlings and shrubs, to emerge, which is normally hampered in the shade of mature forests. This new vegetation is an ideal food source for many birds, rabbits and deer. Ruffed grouse and many warbler species require such habitats at various life stages.

Fly Fishing Golf Zen

Can fly fishing make for better golf? Ask Tom Lehman, captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He got some pointers on team building from Duke basketball coach Krezyzewski and that resulted in a trip to Ireland for some practice and team bonding. The bonding part included a bunch of drunken golf pros trying to prank Tiger Woods and even a bit of "the quiet sport".

Lehman said he and some of the players came back late from a Guinness fest at a nearby pub, snuck into Woods' room and tried to write a note on his back.

Lehman said the fly fishing helped some of the less famous golfers bond with the superstars of the sport.

"If you're fly fishing and you tangle your line up with a tree...You're going to be made fun of no matter who you are. That's the beauty of it."

I am glad to know that Tiger Woods fishes with the same type people I do.

In other golf related news it seems that media coverage of the LPGA has surpassed "horse racing, dog racing and fly-fishing."

Road Blogging - Fredericksburg, VA

Tonight I am in Fredericksburg, VA. My plans for the next few days include sitting through a few business related meetings and trying to get some decent sleep in my hotel bed. To make things worse I got a email from Paisley asking me to remind you that he and Zugbug will be making their (and normally mine) yearly trip to fish the White and Norfork Rivers in Arkansas this weekend. They have promised to provide us with some great reports. Unfortunately, I will be jetting off for yet another round of meetings with hardly any promise of free time for fishing.

Here is a link to the Fantastic Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers of Fredericksburg ( I added the Fantastic part because I thought they could use one more "F" in the name)

This fall we are going to have to get up to visit the good folks at Rose River Farm for some "Western style" fly fishing just outside of Washington, DC.

The Virtual Angler says don't be "that guy." You know the one that says he just caught a trout on a "Royal Wolf."

And finally from the Birthday Club: Cabela's is 45 years young. Still no stores in the Southeast yet but their website does indicate plans for one outside of Atlanta, GA.

Road Blogging - Fredericksburg,VA

Tonight I am in Fredericksburg, VA. My plans for the next few days include sitting through a few business related meetings and trying to get some decent sleep in my hotel bed.

To make things worse I got a email from Paisley asking me to remind you that he and Zugbug will be making their (and normally mine) yearly trip to fish the White and Norfork Rivers in Arkansas this weekend. They have promised to provide us with some great reports. Unfortunately, I will be jetting off for yet another round of meetings with hardly any promise of free time for fishing.

Monday Post Football Opener Consolation

It's Monday morning (or it will be shortly) and no doubt many of you are bleary eyed and sluggish from a Sunday filled with football and tailgate parties. Here in the Southeast, Carolina fans are nursing their wounds after taking a 20 to 6 beat down from Mike Vick and the boys from Atlanta.

I know for a fact that nothing soothes the pain of watching the home team take one on the chin more than new fishing equipment. Luckily for us Sierra Trading Post has provided us with an additional savings off their normally low prices. This month's Sierra coupon will save you 15% on web orders of $125 or more.



These offers are usually not valid with any other offers but we have it on good authority that if you use the banner above in conjunction with Google's checkout system and enter code wdgb8 you can save an additional $10 off your order. (You can do this even if you don't order $125 as long as you at least buy $30 worth.)