Put us on this list...

"Zoo Atlanta is participating in programs that send plumage from some of its most colorful birds to people who value them for culture or sport. Some wind up in the hands of Native Americans who use them in centuries-old ceremonies. Others are used in making fishing flies." Link to the AJC.com article

Click here to sign up for free Kori Bustard feathers from FeathersMC.com. In the past these feathers have sold for as much as $300 for a matched pair.

Photo of the Kori Bustard - Credit FeathersMC.com

Schweeet!

If our local wally world sold bass baits that looked as cool as the ones available in Japan via the Surface Bait Libertaria Store, I would start fishing hardware. The site is worth a visit just to look at all the mega cool baits they sell. (link via Boing Boing)

Shad Cam

View the Shad Cam presented by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

Calling All Cars ...

One Adam 12, See the man at Russell's Seafood Grill in Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina reference a break in this past weekend.

Roger HQ, show us in route code three. Any word on what was taken?

One Adam 12, be on the lookout for two large stuffed fish.

HQ? Please Repeat. Did you say stuffed fish?

Roger that One Adam 12, two large stuffed fish valued at $3,000. Suspects are still at large.

I'm guessing but I bet they weren't stuffed with crab meat and served with a nice dill sauce.

(Link via WPDE-TV Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)

"When the owner of Russell's Seafood Grill arrived at work Saturday, he found someone had kicked in the door and stolen two stuffed fish, worth about $3,000. "

Stuffed fish pillow photo courtesy Bass Pro Shops.

Something is Rotten in Minnesota

Millions of Gizzard Shad are dying and washing up on the shores of the Mississippi River. The smell can be pretty bad but will fade in a few days according to DNR Officials. Here is a link to the story from the very appropriately named WEAU TV website.

Photo Courtesy Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.

But can he catch fish?

Jack Fu

Nat'l Fly Fishing Championships News

Recent conversations with Paul Prentiss of Front Range Anglers reminded us about the upcoming Fly Fishing Team USA Southeast Regional qualifier. The qualifier for the National Fly Fishing Championships will be held in the Cherokee, North Carolina area August 18th and 19th of this year. If you are interested in trying to make team USA click here to sign up. This event is your chance to pit your fishing skills against some of the best anglers in the nation.

Paul tells us about Colorado Trout Unlimited's role in the event:

It is currently the largest Fly Fishing competition in the United States and is sponsored by Colorado Trout Unlimited. It's a tremendous program for bringing young people into the sport and making the public aware of conservation issues. This year we'll have 300 young men and women trying to get an opportunity to represent the US in International competition....not one person makes a dime from this endeavor. If you add up all the volunteer time at every level it totals roughly 35,000 hours - Colorado contributes 1/3 of it!

Eugene Shuler of Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing is the local coordinator for the Southeast Regional event.

Gear: Korker's Guide Boot

For some time now, Korkers has been known for its line of wading boots with interchangeable soles. These form fitting soles making it possible to easily go from felt to hiker and back to golf shoe without ever taking off your footwear. The above pictured "guide boot" was on display at last year's Fly Fishing Retailer Show but it wasn't quite ready for release. This version of their popular wading boot incorporates the Boa Lace Technology, more commonly found on snowboard boots. No more struggles with untied shoes or laces that get snagged in your fly line. With the boa lace system a simple turn of a knob tightens your shoes snugly around your ankles.

"the boa lace system incorporates a dial system with a 4-to-1 gear that tightens and loosens a stainless steel lace. The boa-lace boot eliminates problems associated with traditional laces and keeping your wading boots tied tightly throughout the day."

If you have ever tried to get out of a pair of frozen lace up wading boots after a day of fishing an icy mountain stream, you might just think this sort of gadget would be worth the money.

For more information check out their web page at http://www.korkers.com/

Our Favorite French Political Party

Who's our favorite French political party? We are not sure what they stand for but we like their name: Chasse, Pêche, Nature, et Traditions (Hunting, Fishing, Nature, and Traditions.)

Its leader and founder is Jean Saint-Josse. It says that it is neither right or left but represent rural people on the whole in their diversity.

Painful fishing moment of the week

From an article about a possible law change to better regulate driving on the beaches of New Zealand.

"Regional councillor Ian Walker agrees there is a problem with driving on beaches.
His eight-year-old son nearly lost a hand when his fishing line got caught by a car and dragged him 20 metres along the beach. "Some time in the future somebody's going to get seriously hurt," he says."

Final Four Fly Fishing: Ben Howland

It was a depressing Monday here on Tobacco road. Saying that our favorite college basketball team went cold in during the overtime period against Georgetown is probably the understatement of the year. Add to that the fact that rumor has it that Tyler Hansbrough might head for the pros this year leaving us without the big man in the middle.

Since our Heel's are out of the running we are looking for a new team to back in the final four. UCLA comes to mind. Especially since according to this Newark Advocate article the Bruin's coach, Ben Howland, is a fly fisher.

It’s the same thing on the river, Howland says.“When I fly-fish, you have to be detailed in terms of all the little things that go into throwing a fly, how you mend the line, how you let it float,” he says. “You’re doing it hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times a day. So there’s a lot of attention to detail.”

Trout Unlimited tables stream access resolution

A source who is on the front lines of the stream access fight in Colorado, writes to tell us that Trout Unlimited board member Bob Tueful has withdrawn the resolution to prohibit TU's participation in disputes with private land owners over access to public waters. From his email:

"Bob Teufel offered to withdraw draft Resolution #1, dated March 9, 2007, that he had co-authored with Ted Roosevelt, regarding prohibiting TU involvement in disputes that pitted TU against private landowners. After extensive discussions with TU leaders from around the nation, and after learning of the opposition of the NLC to it, he decided that withdrawing the draft resolution was in the best interests of TU. In its place he offered a substitute proposal which puts the matter to some degree back in the hands of the National Leadership Council. However this issue is not settled and will continue to cause difficulty…..the heat on the Board of Trustees got intense! "

This is good news for anglers who must have found it absurd that their own conservation organization was not going to go to bat for their ability to fish some of the very waters they have worked to conserve. The very fact that this has been considered could lead some to believe that TU's future efforts might be less than enthusiastic.

You might want to take a look at the text of this letter from TU President and CEO, Charles F. Gauvin to members of the National Leadership Council. The letter attempts to explain the TU Board's support of the access amendment. It also provides some insight into an organization trying to maintain relationships with both rank and file members as well as wealthy and often philanthropic landowners.

As our source put it, this issue is not settled and continues to be tested in the courts. The Billings Gazette reports that Atlanta media mogul James Kennedy is bringing a suit that challenges Montana residents right to reach their state's waters even via public roads and bridges.

Tom Chandler from The Trout Underground weighs in on the issue as well.

Hell's Anglers

Picture this with me if you dare. Long lines of anglers clad in black leather fishing vests, taking over fly shops and leaving the townspeople helpless all the while causing destruction, mayhem, and reciting bad fly fishing poetry. The horror!

What do fly fishing guides want most of all?

Gary Gunsolley of Brock's Flyfishing Specialists on Main Street in Bishop believes growth in fly fishing has been steady, but when he guides Hollywood actors, producers or directors on the Owens River he has one request: “We need 'A River Runs Through It II.'” (Link)

Wildstock - April 14th 2007

You might have missed Woodstock but North Carolina outdoors men and women have no excuse for missing the Wildstock Festival. Unlike it's semi-namesake, it is not being held on a farm in New York State but rather in the parking lot of the Bass Pro Shop in Concord, NC.

Admission is $15 with a hefty 2% of the ticket price going to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

High Road or Slippery Slope?

According to this article on New West, Trout Unlimited is considering a resolution to drop their involvement in stream access issues.

"A proposed TU resolution states: “Involvement in stream access disputes is divisive and a distraction from the mission. ….The proposed amendments would prohibit TU involvement or participation in disputes that pit claims of public stream access against claims of private property rights.” "

Knowing that this issue is of major interest to fly fishers across the nation, we contacted Steve Moyer, Trout Unlimited's Vice President for Government Affairs and Volunteer Operations for a comment. Mr. Moyer let us know that TU's Trustees are "actively considering the matter" and that a decision could be reached as early as next week. He has graciously consented to an interview with FlyfishMagazine once the decision has been reached.

Classic Reel Sale - Headwaters Bamboo Rod Co.

David Rogers, purveyor of fine bamboo fly rods, from the Headwaters Bamboo Rod Company sent us a note today that announced a major reduction in the price of his 2007 Classic Series fly reels. These artistic examples of the fly reel are now priced at only $199.

Couple this reel with one of Headwater's very affordable bamboo rods and you will have a set up that will most likely make you the envy of your fellow graphite chucking anglers. Tweed jacket not included.

"Each reel is meticulously crafted of the highest quality aircraft-grade aluminum. The jewel-like materials and workmanship of this timeless fly reel complement any bamboo fly rod. The graceful serpentine “S” handle provides smooth operation and a classic look in the tradition of Vom Hofe fly reels from the turn of the 20th century. Simple click and pawl action."

Update: Mr. Rogers posted a comment:

Thanks for the hat tip, but frankly, it's not a sale. We've experienced lower cost with higher volume and as such we're passing on the saving to our customers.Also, stay tuned as we are revamping our entire bamboo rod product line and should have an announcement in 2-3 weeks.

Life skills: 32 Handy Uses for Beer

We were pleased when we found this article on the Monroenews.com site that tells us there are at least 32 different uses for beer. One of them is of benefit to the fly tiers in the group:

"Mix beer, chimney soot, walnut leaves and a little powdered alum in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then chill. Dipping any natural materials you're using in this solution prior to tying is supposed to make a tighter, more attractive fly.I guess you could call this "tying one on.''

We were even more pleased when we found the above video. Now there is a skill no fly fisher worth his hops should ever be without.

Fly Fishing Author Jack Sampson -R I P

Via Midcurrent we learn that Jack Sampson has passed away from complications due to Alzheimer's disease. Mr. Sampson was the author of several books on fly fishing and was a former editor of Field and Stream magazine.

ebay - Flyfish with Intel Chairman Craig Barrett

If I want to go fishing with someone I generally call them up and say "Lets go fishing!" If they are reluctant and I really don't want to go alone, I might offer to take my truck and foot the bill for gas. Of course none of my fishing buddies are Intel Chairman Craig Barrett. If you want to go fishing with him on the famous Bitterroot river you will need to bid on this ebay auction.

During your three-day, two-night stay, you and your guest will enjoy a private cabin, along with all the wonderful activities and dining (all meals are included) the ranch has to offer. You and Craig will take part in one of his favorite activities – a day of fly fishing on the Bitterroot River. You will also have the opportunity to join the Intel Chairman in exploring his beloved Northern Rockies forests on horseback. In addition, one evening during your stay, Triple Creek will serve up one of its fabulous gourmet dinners especially for you and Craig.

Gentleman, the bidding starts at $25,000 and proceeds go to benefit The National Forest Foundation.

I do wish to take this opportunity to remind you that while I am not a mover and shaker of the tech world from Silicone Valley, a much more affordable trip ( a six pack and a can of vienna sausages) can be had by contacting any of the the editorial staff of Flyfishmagazine.com.

I can't help but wonder if Mr. Barrett's fly box has an "Intel Inside" sticker on it?

New Fishing Report - Caney Fork Tailwater

Tennessee Editor, Jay Moore, has posted a new fishing report from his most recent trip to the Caney Fork in Middle Tennessee. We won't spoil it for you but this time he dukes it out with a three pound brown trout. It seems he "forgot" his camera, but we have seen enough of Jay's fishing skills to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Post your own fishing reports by visiting our aptly named "Fishing reports page" at Flyfishmagazine.com. If you are a professional guide or shop we will be happy to include your contact info for a bit of free advertising. If you are not a professional, take advantage of the chance to post a report and brag a bit or take potshots at your fishing buddies.

The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy

One of the players in the recent Big Creek development story, The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, wrote us a very nice email thanking us and our fellow bloggers for the recent coverage of the issue on the North Mills River. Here is an excerpt from the e-mail from Lydia Willoughby, the organization's outreach director:

The proposed plans would have negatively impacted water quality in Henderson County as well as recreational use of the area; conservationists and fly fishermen and fisherwomen alike can be tentatively satisfied that no further development will be seriously pursued. Our first completed conservation easement is in the North Mills River area bordering Pisgah National Forest, as well as one of our more recent projects, and we are indeed happy about the developer withdrawing the proposed subdivision.

Here is a description of what the conservancy attempts to make happen:

Saving the Places You Love

Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy helps landowners protect local land and water resources vital to our natural heritage and quality of life. As a local nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the places you love, CMLC is helping to create a regional network of more than 16,200 acres of protected farm, forest, park and natural lands.

Sidebar links have been added.

Makings of a "Power" struggle!

Anglers a lining up on both sides of the debate over the use of "Powerbait" and other scented bait products on the state's delayed harvest streams. Delayed harvest fisheries are limited to artificial lures having only one hook. The recent repeal of North Carolina's natural bait exemption also inadvertently repealed the legal definition of natural bait thus opening the doors for scented doughs on fisheries where they had not been previously allowed.

The latest word is that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission plans on conducting a random angler survey in an attempt to gauge sentiment from the state's anglers. Fly fishing groups generally feel that the use of these type baits cause higher trout mortality due to swallowing the tasty morsels deeper than they would a comparable artificial.

The random survey will be limited to around 1500 participants so if you want to make your opinion known about this issue you may want to contact the NCWRC commissioners directly. Contact information is available via the NCWRC website.

We have been following this issue for some time and have been unable to obtain comment from the interested parties. However, the credit for the heads up on this latest development goes to the Southeast Fly Fishing Forum users Wilhelm and Marty who attended the meeting and made presentations before the board. (We hope we didn't leave anyone out)

Throwing them up on the bank?

A bid to rid the Shenandoah National Park of invasive species has spawned new regulations that are not sitting well with some die hard catch and release fishermen. Park officials say the new regulations are aimed at protecting the Brook trout fishery.

From the park's fishing regulations:

In the park’s continuing effort to control wild non-native brown trout populations to limit
impacts on wild native brook trout populations, special brown trout specific regulations
have been promulgated for the Rose River, Hughes River, and Brokenback Run.

All regulations as specified in the Regulations section apply to these three streams except:

• The minimum size for brown trout as part of any daily creel or otherwise in
possession is 7 inches.

• The release of any captured brown trout back into any park stream is prohibited.

Undersized brown trout, those less than the 7 inch minimum, must be disposed of
away from the stream and away from park roads or trails.

Hermione Loves Wild Trout

According to this posting on the ecorazzi blog, Harry Potter's girl pal Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) has donated items for a charity auction to aid The Wild Trout Trust.

WSJ Podcast - Boo Boy: Glenn Brackett

Here's a link to a Wall Street Journal podcast about former Winston Bamboo Rod Builder and leader of the "Boo Boys," Glenn Brackett. It's a tale of corporate politics and the struggles to start Glenn's new company, "Sweetgrass Rods."

Developer Withdraws Plan for North Mills River Subdivision

Hendersonvillenews.com is reporting that developer Kent Smith has withdrawn his plan to develop 86 houses on the North Mills River. Instead, for the moment at least, he plans to sell the property.

"I have been talking with Carolina Mountain Land Conservation, representatives from the Trust for Public Lands and the Henderson County Soil Conservation Group," developer Kent Smith said Thursday after withdrawing his proposal. "I haven't gotten that far with them, but it is my goal to exhaust all possibilities with a variety of groups in hopes to avoid development."

La Ruta Del Salmon

I got this photo via e-mail this week along with an ad for Entre Aguas Lodge in Chile. Along with the fish porn, the ad included this link which caught both my eye and my imagination.

BUSCAS TRABAJO COMO GUIA DE PESCA CLICK AQUI

Made me want to ask the wife if she was feeling up for an adventure!

Ve Have Vays Of Making You Tock!

Alistair from The Urban Fly Fisher tells a great story about the mystery of a strange ticking sound coming from his new Sage fly rod. He probably doesn't know how lucky that he is that he managed to get it back to the UK in one piece. In these parts if something that is not a clock starts ticking we generally blow it up!

The Chum is Hard On the Beaver

Check out our piscatorial brethren from Moldy Chum's recent look at a very suspect interview with the founder of the infamous Spring Ridge Club, Donny Beaver. We were moved to comment by the shear surrealness of this "hard hitting" interview that shows even rich land mongers can write press releases.

Update: Check out Tom Chandler's take on this via The Trout Underground Blog as well.

Disclaimer: we here at Flyfishmagazine.com are only against the privatization of our sport's great waters until such time as we win the lottery and become filthy rich beyond all imagination. Once that happens we will still let our pals have access to a couple of guest passes a year as long as they only fish bamboo rods with dry flies, cast up stream, and don't bring in the riff raff.

Oh wait...we ARE the riff raff!

Mills River Development

We have been following the efforts of a development group who want to put a gated community in an area of North Carolina's North Mills River. The community would be completely surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest with the only access being via narrow road through a park service campground.

The developer has turned down an offer of 2x the purchase price of the property by the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. While the Henderson County, North Carolina planning board is recommending denial of the proposed plan, the general feeling is that this will probably only delay the plan and possibly limit the number of houses built. It is doubtful it will actually stop development of the property. One reader who lives in the Mills River community has asked his representative to seek federal funds to aid in the purchase of the land back from the developer. Here is the text of his call to action from a posting on the Southeast fly fishing forum.

Ladies and Gents,

The idea of the federal government helping pay for purchasing some or all of the Big Creek Lodge property has been presented to Representative Heath Shuler. They have been watching the situation and it will be their determination if they want to push for federal funding. If they decide to it will be because they hear from the local community. The message to them is simply this:

1. This is an important priority for us.
2. We hope that all or a portion of the property can be preserved.
3. Please help us with conservation dollars.

I think they have until Friday to determine if this will be a priority for them. Therefore, it would be beneficial if the local interested people contact Shuler's office via fax, e-mail, or phone to reiterate their support for this potential. If you have already contacted Representative Shuler about this issue, please do it again.Phone:(202) 225-6401 Fax: (202) 226-6422 http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Two...Count'em ....Two

Two fly fishing festivals are planned for Virginia in the next few weeks with the first one on the docket for this weekend.

The Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers are holding their annual show this weekend from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the National Guard Armory on US 1 in Fredericksburg.

April 21st and 22nd The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival will be held in Waynesboro.

DIY Footwear

Are you the type of guy or gal who ties their own flies? Maybe you have taken it a step further and built your own bamboo fly rod? If you had rather build your own kayak than buy one, Patagonia has the perfect DIY footwear for you. Best of all they are made from scraps of leather swept up off the factory floor. Link via The Cleanest Line.

Hunting the Flats

Mark Sampson has written a good look at fly fishing the flats around Key West, Florida. The article from DelmarvaNow.com chronicles the first day of fishing on his recent Key West vacation.

"By the way, our first day of fishing was good in that we explored a flat we've never fished before, caught a fair number of nice-sized barracuda (Charlotte caught the most, but I caught the biggest), we saw a bunch of sharks and other marine life, worked a lot of kinks out of our fishing routine that's gotten a little rusty over the winter, and only broke one $400 fly rod (ouch!)."

Larissa Murdock (my lovely wife) took the photo above on our own Key West adventure. The Ninja subject of the photo is guide Justin Rea of Sting Rea Charters.

Catch your fish and smoke them too

Check out these handmade fly reels crafted from mesquite. The builder of these also constructed his own custom rotary fly tying vise.

How to start a fishing magazine

"It started with a bottle of Jack Daniels and a 12-pack of Labatt's. We got a designer and a printer and, oh God, it was scary.

Link to the article in the Detroit News (photo credit Charles V. Tines)

Head'em up, Move'em out!

It's sowbug roundup time in Mountain Home, Arkansas! The North Arkansas fly fishers have invited 120 fly tyers to demonstrate their art during their annual three day festival that honors the favorite food of those big White River trout.

When they found him, his breath was minty fresh...

Recently a group of North Carolina college students ventured into the Linville Gorge for a bit of a hike only to get lost and have to spend a cold night in the woods. They were on an afternoon hike but were unprepared for the cold weather.

A good rule is to never go into the woods without the means to stay over night with some measure of comfort. I bet those students would have given their greek letters for one these Altoid tin survival kits.

This kit is designed to be a 72-hour kit. It is designed to be small and portable, but also to be effective in providing for the Survival "Rule of Threes."


A person can live for:Three minutes without air.
Three hours without shelter.
Three days without water.
Three weeks without food.
Three months without love.

KY Trout Disease Free

22 states already have a whirling disease problem but according to this article from the Louisville Courier Journal, for the moment Kentucky is in the clear.

"We put a great amount of emphasis on disease testing," said James Gray, who manages the Wolf Creek facility."

The hatchery produces all of the 800,000 trout annually stocked in Kentucky. The eggs come from broodstock fish in Montana, West Virginia, Tennessee and Wyoming. Those fish are inspected regularly.
"Our broodstock are tested twice a year for whirling and other diseases," Gray said.

Photo from the Whirling Disease foundation.

March Coupon Madness

It is March and most everyone here on "Tobacco Road" is too busy watching basketball to fish. This means that merchants have to give up some serious deals to get folks in the Southeast to buy anything other than hot wings at half time.

Sierra Trading post recognizes this and is offering an additional 5% off orders of $75 or more. Just click the banner below to take advantage off of this offer. Remember, we do the hard work for you and offer direct links to all their fly fishing gear via our Deals on Gear page at Flyfishmagazine.com. (Just come back here and click through the banner to make sure you get the discount.)



That nice European lady from Overstock.com is looking for love from our readers and is offering 7% off of ALL orders. Use the banner below for this month's deal.



If your team wins at the big dance you will want to make sure you have some cigars on hand. We lit one earlier today when our Tarheels won the ACC tourney and you can bet we have a special one set aside in the humidor in case they are able to pull it off in the Georgia Dome. Get 15% off your order from Thompson Cigars.

Keeping our Fingers Crossed

From a Hendersonvillenews.com article:

"Henderson County Planning staff will recommend the Planning Board deny a subdivision permit for a controversial plan to build 86 homes and a fly fishing lodge next to the North Mills River Campground."

Its not a done deal yet but things are looking up for one of our favorite places to catch stockers.

"During the past two weeks, the Planning Department has been flooded with about 30 comments from groups and individuals on developer Kent Smith’s proposal to develop the Big Creek tract. Groups from the campground managers to environmentalists and trout fishermen said dense development would threaten water quality in the North Mills River, a state designated high quality trout stream and drinking water supply."

Thanks to the guys from Moldy Chum for getting the word out about this while I was on vacation.

Hail to the Fly Fisherman

What is the sport of choice for leaders of the free world? Why fly fishing, of course!

The Louisville, Kentucky Courier-Journal has this review of a new book by Bill Mares: " Fishing with the Presidents." According to the article, "Tricky Dick" wasn't much with the fly rod.

"Richard Nixon seems simply to have been inept with a rod. While traveling with Dwight Eisenhower when the two were campaigning for president and vice president in 1952, Eisenhower -- one of the best and most enthusiastic fishermen to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. -- tried to show Nixon the finer points of fly-fishing. In four casts Nixon hooked a tree limb three times and Eisenhower's shirt once. "

Cheat?

Last week we posted about a tiny fly rod and reel that we thought might be the ultimate blue line rig for fishing the thickets around our favorite tiny mountain streams. Tom Chandler over at The Trout Underground Fly Fishing Blog noted that this 30 inch rod with a reel no bigger than a quarter might be used by unsavory angling types to inflate the size of their catches in photographs. Upon reading his post we felt compelled to kick things down a notch and bring out our own tiny Martin set up with a reel not much bigger than a penny and a rod only 18 inches in length. We had hoped to use in our yet uncompleted television series "The Hunt for Small Fish."

Media Quote of the Week

From a editorial by Gary Thorne, published on the Bangordailynews.com website and in reference to proposed legislation in the state of Maine that would ban the sale of certain bait fish:

All fly fishermen are not elitists who want to tell others how to fish. All ice anglers are not fish-killing slobs. And just because you sell bait, that doesn’t mean you don’t care about the future health of our fisheries. No matter what you read on the Internet message boards.

Chum on the North Mills River

While we were partying in sin city our fly fishing brethren from Moldy Chum were keeping tabs on the story about the proposed construction of 80+ luxury houses on the banks of the North Mills River. The development would be completely surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest with the only access through the middle of the forest service campground. The developers have rejected an offer of 1.6 million dollars for the property that would have included a conservation easement that would prevent development within 300 feet of the stream bank.

The Chum posted a link to this Q & A with the developer, Kent Smith of Global Development Resources. Here's the "money quote" all pun intended.

Are you aware of the public concerns?

Sure, there was never any question about whether that was going to be the case, but it would have been the case for anybody who bought it. But the people who wanted it to remain natural did not outbid me at the auction.

Trout Unlimited and community groups are opposed to the construction.

The groups say the proposal, including plans for a large septic system to serve the homes, could endanger water quality in a popular trout stream and drinking water source. The developer has promised any subdivision would be constructed to protect the environment.

The Henderson County Planning Board will consider the subdivision at their March 15th, meeting.

Link to previous posting: This can't be good.

Leaving Las Vegas

Time to head back to the Carolinas from the big 40th B-day celebration my wife threw for me in Las Vegas. I did not catch any fish but did manage to catch a few shows (those are the tickets in the picture above) in addition to a few 7's at the craps tables. Let's just say that Flyfishmagazine.com will not be getting that sea plane we've had our eyes on any time soon. A dose of food poisoning did its best to cut into our time at the tables.

Thanks to Middle Tennessee Editor, Jay Moore for taking up my slack and posting some great articles while I was away.

The Ultimate Blue Line Rod and Reel?

I was able to cast one of these rigs at a fly fishing show a few years ago and found it to cast pretty well considering that it is only 30 inches long. This Micro Fly Rod and Reel from J. Austin Forbes Ltd. would make even the smallest brookie feel like a small tarpon.

The right rod to be used in a tight space where the laurel overhangs and you can't get in a long backcast. The micro rod blank was designed to load at 3-4 feet which makes it perfect for a short and deadly accurate cast. A great rod for the backcountry, just stow it in your backpack or saddlebag, and you are set to go! And it will make that elusive tiny brookie feel like much more!

At $150 dollars and up for a rod and reel combo this is definitely no children's toy.

Fishing the Keys

February 13th I turned 50 years old in Key West. My brother in law Richard Hulsey was with me for two days of fishing the famous flats in Key West, and we had a great trip. As you can see there are no pictures of fish because we didn't land any. We hooked a few and saw a lot including schools of sharks, some as big as 10 feet. The best advice we got from the guide was don't fall in. While the fishing was not great, we managed to entertain ourselves at Captn. Tony's and Margaritaville. We had to support our hero Jimmy Buffett. We heard he needed the money.

When good plants go bad

A University of Vermont study shows how even the most seemingly benign plants can become invasive. In short, when you move some plants out of their natural range the take on traits that make them undesirable invaders.

It's not that you're taking the ones in France and moving them to the US and they're suddenly invasive," Molofsky said, looking over a green swath of reed canarygrass growing in a UVM greenhouse, "its that you move some plants, and then you move some from somewhere else and they recombine here to form something better, genetic superstars."

The result: in America, reed canarygrass has developed traits, like faster emergence in the spring and larger root biomass, that allow it to become a rapid colonizer. In short, the grass is still the same species, but it has quickly evolved to be invasive.

Link via Protect Your Waters.

Murdock MIA - Moore Blogger of the Day

Murdock is still missing in action this week but Flyfishmagazine.com Middle Tennessee Editor, Jay Moore continues to take up his slack in the blogging department. At last report, Murdock is running around with Cousin Eddie while trying to find some fishable water on the Las Vegas strip. Let's hope he doesn't run into any problems with radiation.

They're Giving Daddy the Rain Man Suite

I'll be away from the computer for a few days taking my lovely wife on our annual mandatory "fishing free" vacation. This trip will also serve as a mega-celebration of me hitting the big 40 square between the eyes. Since I will be doing everything I can to remind me of my now fled youth while visiting a major American party town, Middle Tennessee Editor, Jay Moore has agreed to take over blogging duties in my absence. Don't let him kid you. Jay just got back from a trip to Key West, Florida so he must have a tale or two to tell.

Editors Note: Click this link to a sound file for a hint from Vince Vaughn about where I will be having the "Big Four Oh Party!"

Elements of Style

You still remember it as if it had happened just yesterday. You were a wet behind the ears college kid working in the mail room of Mega-Corp, schlepping around hundreds of pounds of corporate memo propaganda from one office to the next while you waited for your big break.

You saw the big corporate muckety-mucks with their executive restrooms and private parking spaces, slinking off to "business meetings" in exotic locations around the globe in their corporate jets. You knew deep down that they had nothing on you. Nothing but a Harvard MBA and an expense account twice the size of your yearly income that is.

Then one day it all changed. You were delivering the day's TPS reports when you happened by the door of the VP of Marketing. He was shouting into his telephone about things like market penetration and brand identity. Sales were slumping and the brand was suffering from a less than sterling reputation. He needed a plan and he needed it now.

Without even missing a beat you reach into your jacket pocket and produce the one vice that your meager salary will allow. A cigar. But this was no ordinary cigar, instead it was a hand rolled personalized Thompson Cigar that you ordered affixed with your own personal logo "The Crippled Trout." The Veep's eyes widened as you twirled the cigar above the flame of your match until the end glowed the same cherry red as the stove in your one room hovel does when you have money for a lump or two of coal. "What's that?" he exclaimed. You explained that Thompson Cigars could easily imprint Mega-Corp's logo onto the band of a premium hand rolled cigar. The cigars could be given to potential customers making the Mega-Corp brand synonymous with only the finer things in life.

The marketing guy scratched his head and took it all in before dismissing you back to your postal dungeon. Later that month you saw a memo under a stack of interoffice envelopes congratulating the VP for turning around the Mega-corp brand with his innovative "Cigar Initiative."

Oh well you thought, such is the lot in life of the mail clerk. At least the VP's trophy wife would enjoy the big fat bonus he got for your idea and the new jewelery he bought her put her in an excellent mood when you picked her up for your weekly rendezvous later that evening.

Use the link below to purchase your very own custom hand rolled cigars from the Thompson Cigar Company. Be quick about it, the mail clerk is always just a step behind you.

Personalized Cigars