River Tails

June 25th, 2008 by camping_chief

Camp food is just one of the summertime nutrition challenges for parents these days.

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June 25th, 2008 by fishing_expert

With nearly 800 lightning fires popping in California this week, I didn’t have time to do anything other than answer the pager, hoping vainly that I would be able to sleep at some point.

Sleep wasn’t in the cards, but in between tasks I was able to track down the source of the European competition rods mentioned in the Fish and Fly article of last week.

Modern Flies of Italy appears to be one of the vendors. The “Lamina” referenced in the articles only turned up reels from the BFR (British Fly Reel) company, additional sleuthing yielded the above vendor.

I always check the fly section just to see what’s in vogue on other continents, but the rods looked most worthy.

Current exchange rate is 1.56 dollars per Euro, in case you’re interested.

Bear with me, more lightning is due Wednesday so I’ll be less able to post. Those contemplating a weekend trip to the mountains should consult both fire maps and road closures, as much of Northern California is under some sort of restriction.

Current fire maps are available at the USGS fire planning tool. You may want to check the boundaries to see what’s burned over, or about to..

Them “blueliners” over at the Trout Underground have chosen to flee the state, leaving us pedestrian Brownliner’s to defend life and property.

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June 25th, 2008 by fishing_expert

My mistake was volunteering to help out a fellow fisherman, looking at me with them big puppy eyes, the stare you only see at the pet store window, capable of inflicting guilt and shame without hint of malice.

So I took the pager, figuring it was going to be an easy shift, and as I had no weekend plans for something finer - I could curry a little favor in the process.

Later I saw Ray in the hallway, “Yea, Me’n Fred are going to Gunfire Lake. We gonna have his boat, and some steaks …and we didn’t invite you ’cause you always turn us down.”

I couldn’t help but smile, “Ray, it’s the self-preservation instinct that prevents me from accepting when you and Fred do anything, like my dad, I recognize a ‘fishless fishing trip’ when I sees it..”

Then we had over 700 lightning fires bust during my shift, and after 40 hours without sleep I’m thinking I got the raw end of the deal. I drag myself into work yesterday wearing that pained expression that says, “bad trade”, hoping for a little sympathy.

There’s Fred in the hallway, with a grin from ear to ear. I’m expecting the “we kilt ‘em” version, figuring fair play dictates I endure the recitation of deeds; how big, how many, and which fingers were removed by the largest of their quarry.

Fred starts the recital off key, ” ..well, the ramp ran out before the water started, so we had a little trouble with the trailer and the mud, but after we got out there, we saw that “hatch” thing you was talking about, fish were gobbling them on the surface, and Ray got bit on the fly rod a couple times but lost them.”

“We fished until about 11PM and it got real dark as there was no moon, so we decides to head back the 1/2 mile to the ramp, but couldn’t find it in the dark. I had to go slow ’cause all them tree stumps in the water, and we couldn’t see nothing.”

“A couple hours later, around 1AM, we see’s this campfire but we knew they was drunk and figured not to surprise them, so we opted to spend the night in the boat. Me and Ray only had shorts and tee shirts and it was damn cold, must’ve got down to 40 or so.”

“I had Ray cut the Bimini top off the boat with his knife so we had something to cover us - and I wrapped paper towels on my arms hoping that would work, but they kept coming off.”

This tale of woe is quickly lifting my spirits, I may not have got much sleep but it’s plain neither did they. A crowd of sportsmen have gathered, as nothing’s quite as compelling as shared outdoor misery. Just then Ray comes through the door, and I ask, “how’d that shared communal warmth thing work, Ray?”

A voice from the back of the pack asks, “where’d they go?” - another faceless angler responds, “Indian Valley Reservoir, over by BrokeBack Mountain.”

Fred perks up instantly, “we didn’t do no spooning, we’d have died before that..”

Nothing like a pack of wolves to cull the infirm at the first sign of weakness..

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June 25th, 2008 by fishing_expert

It’s guaranteed to take the fishing world by storm, a multipurpose gadget we’ll all find indispensable, combining the services of a “priest”, an agreed upon measuring standard, and a digital forum allowing you to torment the fellows back at the office.

…the Singlebarbed “Catch and Release” version substitutes a landing net for the weighted blunt end - not out of any sense of Purism, rather we catch so damn few fish we don’t need it.

Billed as the “longest cell phone in the world” - and just the kind of accouterment to redefine your angling experience. If the testosterone doesn’t flow ample enough simply just tuck it into your wader leg and vie for Alpha Male in the parking lot.

The handy digital display will verify fish length in centimeters, millimeters, or yards, and can snap that hero pose with the built in 7 mega-pixel camera.

Pollute your coworker’s email with a press of a button, but if you called in sick, remember to omit the boss’s address, else you’ve got some ’splaining to do…

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June 21st, 2008 by fishing_expert

It’s the burgeoning field of “BioMimicry,” the imitation of natural processes to develop new technology; and even the mayfly is under a microscope, as the physics of its gill movements appear to be the last great hope for canaries.

A tiny robotic replica of a mayflies gill is likely to replace the old “canary in a coal mine” - as its physical properties and size means it can move both airborne and waterborne particles over a sensor head without inducing a counter current with its movement.

The next step will be to construct a tiny artificial micro-robot that can reproduce the switchable gill action of the mayfly nymph. Such a mechanism could be installed in sensors intended to detect unhealthy air in otherwise stagnant areas, such as in subway stations or mines. If a miniature set of robotic mayfly gill plates can move air over a sensor, potentially harmful substances can be detected faster - and no canaries would be harmed in the process.

It’s a big deal because all manner of unhealthy items live in stagnant dank areas, and the speed the sensor registers means someone has a running start for the exit.

This may cause some consternation for us ardent fishing types, some fellow waving and yelling about BWO’s might be complaining about your Bad Wader Odor.

Oh, Hell - just throw a rock at Mr. CandyAss..

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June 20th, 2008 by fishing_expert

The old “big fly, big fish” adage has been part and parcel of fly fishing lore for eons, now the same can be practiced with lure and plug fishermen.

For those rare opportunities when a foot long slab of broom handle festooned with yards of treble hooks just doesn’t cut it - GreatBigStuff.com has a partial solution…

Partial as I’m not quite sure what can throw it effectively, but 5 feet of wiggling fish death is likely to bring an appreciative whistle when you roar up to dockside.

I’d hang it off the arse-end of a boat tethered with water-ski hawser, at $447 each - pray you don’t snag it on a tree trunk.

The 20-inch spoon is no slouch, offering the angler a lethal change-up - or a spare anchor, depending on your mood..

To be on the careful side I’d toss in a couple extra jerry-cans of fuel - that’s a lot of drag to overcome.

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June 19th, 2008 by paddler_guy

Perched atop Minnesota’s once-prosperous Vermilion Iron Range, the former mining town of Ely is now a canoeist’s paradise.

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June 19th, 2008 by fishing_expert

Baby tarpon are not as small as you might think - 10, 20 or 30 pound fish are always a blast on a fly rod. Join Brian O’Keefe as he shares his expertise in hunting down baby tarpon on the flats of Campeche, Mexico.

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June 19th, 2008 by fishing_expert

PHEW!
Lost in the fog of Tarpon War…. fishing all but three of the last 60 days.

But another Tarpon migration run and a chance to fish with old buddies and some new ones too.

Jim Cloud celebrated his 77th birthday with a 90 lber on Flyrod and as he said “buys another year of life and I’ll be back for 2009″….me too Jim.

Peter Mullet was here for his week and after a few “Trout Lifts” and other assorted screw up managed to capture several nice Tarpon on Fly.

Peter and I always laugh alot.

Eric Evans another best pal, he and Jim Cloud have fished with me through several marriage’s and sets of teeth……..anyway Eric was here with his son Thadd and we scared a few Tarpon half to death, drank some Rhumb.

Adam Marton just left after a week of jumpen off some Tarpon and punishing the Chartruse Bunny Flies.

Mark Miller and Jack Gluckman are a couple of new friends that had success with Tarpon on fly and will be back next year.

We have had some ups and down with the fishing in May/June but it’s been really good generally.

On this day off I will rest and do a little cooking…..well unless the wind backs down, then I take a ride and jump a Poon!

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June 19th, 2008 by fishing_expert

I thought the biggest challenge for a CEO was making the company profitable, increasing market share, and ensuring their stockholders were rewarded by their investments.

Most of the news coming from Wall Street suggests otherwise, enormous compensation not tied to any real performance metric, declining stock prices and exposure to “Sub Prime” combining to earn them the boot.

In addition to focusing on the really important stuff, we’ve earned their attention via CEOchallenges.com - where the privileged “boy’s club” gets to flex their sporting muscle in the contest of their choosing.

I’m not bitter, just concerned that one of these sweet smelling types will break a fingernail is all …

On behalf of each CEO who registers for this event, 50 percent of net proceeds will be donated to Fly Fishing Team USA, which finished eighth in the 2008 World Championships in New Zealand in March. “For Challenge winners, accompanying Team USA in Scotland is a great opportunity to meet the greatest anglers on the planet as well as make connections for future fishing worldwide,” said Buchner. “Participants can join us for team meals, assist us with charting, team scouting, and fish with team members during unofficial practice sessions.”

I recognize the value of corporate sponsorship and how precious dollars are need to defray the costs to the talented fishermen that earn their berth, but it still gives me the “creeps.”

Having guided a lot of privileged corporate types in the “C-Class” as they call it, almost none could cast or tie on their fly without assistance. Team USA likely needs scouts and chart help, but not from a fellow that wakes up at 11:00 AM and insists on gluten-free wheat toast.

I’m guilty of a gross generalization, and am unashamed.

I’m looking for parity is all, you dabble in my beloved sport, distracting my anglers with company logos and gimcracks unrelated to the fishing, I want to run your company for six weekends a year …

That is a challenge worthy of your metal, Mr Wharton…

Note: Below are the stock prices of the more prominent companies promoting CEO Challenge. I see a pattern that’s reflected in our my 401K …

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