Things we didn't buy...

Abercrombie & Fitch once sold bamboo travel rods that fit in a passport sized box. Now they hawk clothes to cool kids who probably haven't ever seen a fly rod. Can you imagine the ads they would have for fly rods if they sold them today? At $450 I seriously considered whipping out the plastic...

Much to the Editorial Trophy Wife's relief, I did not consider purchasing this copy of Izaac Walton's famous book. Note the price in the lower right...

Sightings

Dave Whitlock signing some of his artwork.

Andy Mill giving some Tarpon Advice at the Hardy & Greys booth.

The Fly Fishing Show

The Fly Fishing Show took root in Somerset, NJ this weekend. By my usual measure of success (How far from the door I have to park arriving at 10 AM on Sunday) this year must have been a rousing success for Chuck Furmsky as I hiked what seemed to be a quarter of a mile from my truck to the front door.

Many of the vendors I spoke with indicated that Somerset was the one show where they could count on selling enough to break even. Many of the exhibitors had excellent "Show" deals while prices for non close out type items were what you would expect to see at your local fly shop. Of course the real fun of these sort of things is prowling through the 50% of bins.

I'm not saying how much I spent or what I bought just yet but I will say that before I came home, I drove a half hour out of the way to a newly discovered Krispy Kreme to bring some Southen "non-Dunkin" donuts for the Editorial Trophy Wife. They might keep me out of the doghouse...

Tuna Vs. Lion

Lion tacos anyone?

TU Study Confirms Salmon are "Red Gold"

Excerpted from the Trout Unlimited Press Release:

(Juneau, Alaska) - A new study commissioned by Trout Unlimited Alaska finds that Southeast Alaska's healthy salmon and trout populations pump nearly $1 billion into the local economy every year and account for more than one in ten jobs.

This is the first study that takes a combined look at the economic valueof all four sectors of the region's salmonid fisheries - commercial,sport, subsistence/personal use and hatchery production. Previous studies have looked at each of the sectors separately."The study shows the healthy and abundant salmon and trout populations of Southeast Alaska are a huge driver of the regional economy. "The reason we have such rich and sustainable fisheries is careful harvestmanagement as well as a lack of the dams, pollution, and agriculturaland urban development that have decimated so many runs in the Lower 48,"said Tim Bristol, director of Trout Unlimited Alaska.

The following are some of the study's highlights:*

$986.1 million: estimated annual total economic outputgenerated by commercial, sport, subsistence and hatchery production ofsalmon and trout in Southeast Alaska, as purchases made in each sector ripple through the regional economy*

$466.1 million: estimated annual value of salmon and trout topeople who fish them commercially, for recreation and for subsistence and personal use*

7,282: estimated number of full or part-time jobs sustained bythe four fishing sectors*

10.8 %: approximate portion of regional employment that stemsfrom salmon and trout fishing *

$188.9 million: estimated annual personal income generated by salmon and trout fisheries and hatcheries"

The full report and an executive summary can be downloaded at: WWW.TU.ORG/CONSERVATION/ALASKA/TONGASS

The Fly Fishing Show - Somerset, NJ

The largest fly fishing show in the country will be setting up shop in Somerset, NJ next weekend and the FlyfishMagazine crew is planning to attend (both the Somerset, NJ and Raleigh, NC) so be sure to watch for our coverage. A look at the seminar schedule reveals a full day of entertainment and skill building for a reasonable price. See you there.

Birds fall from the sky in Arkansas

The last time we fished Arkansas we caught some great fish and left town on the heels of a class five hurricane. The next trip we planned was canned by major flooding. Recently, we got an email from our North Carolina fishing buddy, Paisley, inviting us to the 2011 White River trip. Shortly thereafter we see news of what what can only be described as signs and wonders....

"Around 11 that night, thousands of red-winged blackbirds began falling out of the sky over this small city about 35 miles northeast of Little Rock."

and if that wasn't enough to get you started digging the TEOTWAWKI shelter...

"the bird deaths were not related to the roughly 85,000 fish that died a few days before near Ozark, in the western part of the state, the biggest fish kill in Arkansas that anyone can remember."

Via The New York Times