FlyfishMagazine: "Non-original Content" Thursday

My week has been filled with meeting rooms, hotel food, presentations, and the occasional open bar. The jist? 2009 is a bust - let's hope for better days in 2010. This whole wanting to be "able to buy groceries thing" along with a pending move North of the Mason Dixon line, has put a kink in my time spent surfing the intertube for stuff to amuse the masses. None-the-less, here are a few items that caught our somewhat red midweek eye:

Headline of the week via the DC Examiner : The Vine Guy: Sunshine in a Cloudy Bay Get it? I've got Sunshine on a cloudy bay, When its cold outside...

After you watch the Pisgah Fly Masters on the Davidson River, you might want to catch the next Fips Mouche style fly fishing competition on Lake Lure (site of the filming of our favorite Jennifer Grey "nobody puts baby in a corner" movie), "The Olympiad Fly-Fishing Masters tournament ". Could this be the start of a Carolina fly fishing tournament trail?

Because of our slackness you didn't learn about this auction of "one of the largest offerings of fly-fishing gear seen in Dunedin for several years" until it was too late. It would have been a bit of a hike anyway, being that it was in New Zealand.

The Bristol,TN Tri-Cities Herald's aptly named "Continuous News Desk" provides a "Long History Of Fly Fishing." It is 504 words.

Finally, Google's News Search reports that there are currently 492 articles with headlines that are variations on the ever popular title, "Hooked on Fishing." Even as we type, journalism schools throughout the civilized world are preparing to withdraw degrees.

Rodless in New York

The next few days finds me near Middletown, NY and not far from places on the map with names like Willowemoc and Neversink. A full schedule of meetings and no travel rod means I'm at the mercy of the day job.

The Salmon news from Alaska isn't good as the Anchorage Daily News is reporting that state fish and game officials are tightening limits on red salmon.

The sockeye salmon management goal for the Kenai is 750,000 to 950,000 reds past the sonar by the time the run starts to end in mid-August. As of Sunday, less than 500,000 had made it past the sonar, even with Fish and Game's reduction in commercial fishing.

While you are there check out the pro-mining ad that is running in their sidebar.

Also in the news via The Great Falls Tribune is an 11 year old boy from Montana who ties flies and sells them at his local farmer's market. We applaud his industriousness however, if my own offspring were to spend a lot of time at the vise I might turn into the male equivalent of a "stage-mother".

My mom encourages me to tie five flies a day if I sell a lot," said Bernhardt, who's been selling about 30 flies a week during the summer. "Some take a long time, some take just a little bit."
Bernhardt has had to work hard to stay stocked up these days, since he's been selling his creations each week at the Farmers Market.

New Tennessee state records for Gizzard Shad hit the books as Knoxnews.com reports two friends who take turns being the record holder.

"I hated to beat his record, so I let him file his paperwork so he could get his state record certificate," Hawk said. "That way he can always say he had the state record."

The fly fishing Illuminati (currently about 70 miles to our South) are finally taking a stand against men over the age of six wearing Crocs.

Midweek Fly Fishing Linkliness....

From the FlyFishMagazine.com corporate HQ located in an subterranean lair deep below the Mecklenburg County Landfill we bring you Wednesday fly fishy link goodness. Basically we do the work for you and point out a few items that caught our sullied eye.

Our fly fishing insider chums from Moldy Chum really managed to dig up some dirt on us this time. We can neither confirm or deny it but more than once our trophy wife has wondered about this very subject.

Internet media tycoon Marshall Cutchin from MidCurrent has a lot to say about the handling of the First Tarpon and more importantly about the, now required by Florida, practice of punching holes in tarpon jaws in order to tag them.

Maestro of the Florida Peacock Bass, Pete McDonald of Fishing Jones has been wetting a line in New York's Central Park. His fishing partner for the day was distance caster and author Randy Kadish.

Don't forget that the Project Healing Waters Two Fly Tournament is set for May 4th. We especially enjoy this rule that applies to the Vets who will be competing in the event.

B. The rule committee considers that it would be impossible for a veteran to lose a fly.

A Malaysian angler caught a snakehead with a horn. It is supposed to be lucky. Insert your own innuendo here.

The State of Maryland doesn't think Snakehead are that lucky. The 80 or so fingerlings they have tanked up are about to shake fins with Mr. Rotenone.

The Trout Zone - David Knapp

We were surfing the Internet recently when we came across The Trout Zone blog by Crossville, Tennessee fly fisher David Knapp. David fishes some of the same waters as FlyFishMagazine's own middle Tennessee Editor - Jay Moore. Undoubtedly David is that "only other guy catching fish" that we hear about in many of Jay's reports.

We knew that David was our kind of people when we read this post on his blog:

"For as long as I've been fishing nymphs, I pinch on my weight by using the good old set of chompers in my mouth. There was always the vague unease created by knowing that something bad could result, but I always shrugged it off and gnawed on yet another split shot. Yesterday, the routine was rudely interrupted (and just after I had caught a nice 13 inch brown no less) by a frightening crunching noise coming from somewhere under my nose and above my chin. I didn't feel any pain though and began to think that my teeth were so powerful that they had shredded the small split shot. When I examined the weight and saw that it was in perfect condition, the light came on and I was horrified to feel rough edges on a formerly perfect tooth. Subdued, I managed to pinch on the weight with my pliers and continued fishing."

Like we said, he's our kind of people. Sidebar links added.

Wednesday Links

A splitting headache kept me from getting part three of our holiday gift guide out last night so I thought I would point you to some of our fellow bloggers recent postings:

Those troublemakers over at the new Buster Wants to Fish blog have published a list of 25 of the "The most pathetic things a fly fisherman can do." They get only a small argument from us as to number 23.

23. Edit, author or contribute to a fly fishing “blog”

However, we hope that the flaming skull warrior we are painting on our personal pontoon boat will help offset our lameness. (see #22).

Our Moldy pals at the Chum bring us a fishing guide that probably stays booked up during most of the warm months.

Tom Chandler over at the Trout Underground shows that he cares for the water safety of swimsuit clad fisher women with his recent inflatable bikini post.

Peacock bass fishing Pete from Fishing Jones lets us know that Donald Trump Jr. is going to be hosting a fly fishing show. Reports are that anglers who do not cast properly will be "fired."

Hopefully the BC powders will kick in soon and I can get back to work on the 2007 gift guide.

New Link Added: Flyfish Fanatic Blog

We have added a new sidebar link to the Flyfish Fanatic Blog written by Vancouver, BC author and angler Rick Passek. Rick is the owner of RP3 Fishing Adventures is sure to have some great insight on fly fishing in British Columbia. Rick has also penned a book titled "The Freshman Fly Fisher - A beginners guide for a new generation."

From the About Rick Passek portion of his website:

Of his passion for the sport, Rick says, “I am a die-hard fisherman who truly loves Fly Fishing.” This has led him to take numerous classes in both Fly casting and Entomology, or the scientific study of insects (key in helping fishermen understand the food sources of the fish they’d like to catch and sometimes release).

Sounds like good people to us.

Roller Derby Girls Read FlyFishMagazine

We interrupt our coverage of the Fly Fishing Retailer Show to bring you this startling news:

In what can only be described as the coolest thing ever to happen in the realm of fly fishing blogging, FlyfishMagazine's Blog has received link love from the Naptown Roller Girls Roller Derby team. Our adolescent dreams are now fully realized.

Link to the link on the Roller Girls forum site.

Hump day Links

It is Wednesday or Humpy day as we like to call it here at the FlyfishMagazine.com world headquarters. For us this means an entire day of meetings chock full of power point presentations and excel spreadsheets. For you, hopefully it means you can steal a few moments of the company time and check out some of the best recent posts from some of our pals in the blogosphere.

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We note with glee that over in the UK, Alistair from the Urban Fly Fisher has aligned himself with the dark side and started fishing with a woolly bugger.

“I want to catch a trout on the dry fly” said my Italian friend - I decided to put on an olive sparkly woolly bugger - the first time I have ever fished with such a fly - from what I know about fishing with streamers the conditions seemed right.

His result is typical for those of us who fish sub-surface.

After catching three trout on almost consecutive casts I decided more of these flies were going in my box for occasions of high water - I suppose it means I can fish in times I would ordinarily not go - It was enjoyable in the way I find loch fishing enjoyable - not needing to think too much about drag or finding out what insects are hatching.

We welcome him eagerly into the darkness.

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Bennett over at Moldy Chum is giving away schwag in the form of a Moldy Chum window decal that is the perfect way to adorn your preferred mode of fishing conveyance. Having one of these on your Cherokee is a sure way to attract the babes.

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Pete from Fishing Jones and author of the article for Boating Magazine that allowed us to mention the words "Cindy Garrison Bikini" which to this day drives us hundreds of hits a month, has started an excellent contest that asks his readers to craft a "Papa style" six word fishing story. Writers block...can't think...going fishing.

Humpy photo courtesy of Fishing Flies Online - Quality fishing flies at great prices.

Friday (I'm stuck in meetings all day) Links

It is Friday and for the past three days I have been taking part in meetings that start at 7:30 AM and end around 10:00 PM. Sure there is lots of hob knobbing, food and beverage but one can't help but feel a longing to be standing knee deep in the fluff mud of a nice salt marsh. Since time is tight we thought we might keep you abreast of what the real fly fishers of the net are up to:

Our pals over at Reel Pure's Moldy Chum blog are posting about the best RV ever, the Save our Salmon 25 foot long salmon sculpture. It makes us wish our pal Paisley had taken our design advice for his teardrop camper project.

Our kilted blogger pal Alistair from The Urban Fly Fisher in the UK lets us know that so far Scotland has avoided the flooding that has plagued England of late. We are glad he is keeping dry.

Pete McDonald of Boating Magazine and The Fishing Jones blog takes time out from trying out exotic new boats to remind us why a kayak is not always the best choice of watercraft for waters inhabited by great white shark.

Hawgdaddy from The Tennessee Valley Angler has taken up his quill and crafted an excellent short story with the title "Backyard Wilderness." Here is how he describes it:

"This one is written in true Southern English where “they” and “there” are interchangeable in actual conversation, although any Southerner ("who can read - the majority of us) could tell you the difference in the written words."

Finally, if you have noticed a "disturbance in the force" lately in the fly fishing blogger community, it is probably because Tom Chandler of the massively popular Trout Underground is on vacation and has taken to posting about his gastronomic prowess.

Midweek link and release...

I have had a full week so far and according to the calendar it's only half way over. The Fly Show and Lying and Tying coupled with a Superbowl have meant that I have been on the go pretty much non-stop. It feels good to sit down to the computer and see what some of our fellow fly fishy bloggers have been posting of late:

Alistair from The Urban Flyfisher posts about the benefits of carrying a monocular in one's fishing vest. He considers it required safety equipment:

If I cannot see someone there is always the possibility that they have been swept away to their watery death. My trusty monocular can then be used to sweep the banks looking for their now ownerless rod which can be stashed safely in the back of the car.


Pete "the guy with the best job on earth" McDonald from Fishing Jones found this perfect example of "standing room only" marketing in a fly reel that can be had for $600 everywhere but at this site where it is $9,700. It does come with free line and backing.

Tom Chandler from The Trout Underground remembered his camera has been taking some great pictures.

We also need to remind you of a couple of contests you might want to enter:

Those wild and crazy guys from Moldy Chum are giving away free reel pure gear to winners of their slab of the month contest.

Dan Bachman over at the Tattered Fly is having a photo contest with the winner getting their mits on some serious schwag.