MidCurrent

Tippets: Whitney Gould Wins Again, Importance of Small Fish, Mississippi’s New Course, Fly Fishing Literature’s Elements of Style

Erin Block — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:55:09 +0000

In the casting ponds of Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club, Whitney Gould has won her third Spey-O-Rama competition with a combined cast total of 525 feet, and a long cast of 135 feet.
Small herbivorous fish might get no respect, but they play an integral part in maintaining the health of an ecosystem—which in turn benefits jobs, livelihoods and ecotourism, say researchers in a recent study published in the journal Ecology.
For a first in “in modern times,” says John Lopez, executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, the lower Mississippi is charting a new course, indicating “the river is going through dynamic changes,” which in turn is causing re-routing of roads and the planned “Mardi Gras Pass.”
And if you’re looking to break into the world of fly-fishing literature, Mat Trevors purports to have a “a sure-fire formula for success.”

Quick Fix: Use Medical Tape to Make a Sunglass Retainer

timromano — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:50:37 +0000

It may not look pretty, but it works...

A couple weeks ago I was on location for a photo shoot in the jungles of Guyana and realized the sunglass retainers I had with me did not fit the larger ear stems of my Costa Del Mar sunglasses. I was pretty bummed until I remembered a trick my friend taught me years ago on a backcountry trip when I’d forgotten my Croakies then too. All you need is about seven to ten inches of medical tape (preferably the fabric kind) and you’re set.

Here are the steps:

#1. Cut a length of tape 7 to 10 inches long, depending on where you like your glasses to hang around your neck.

#2. Fold the entire length of tape in half.

#3. Cut another couple inches of tape and wrap one side of the longer length of tape to the outside end of your glass ear-stem.

#4. Repeat on the other side.

#5. You’re finished. Go Fish.

Video Hatch: “Jazz & Fly Fishing, Season One”

Erin Block — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:49:18 +0000

As jazz is a conversation between human and instrument, so fly fishing is a conversation between human and water. And the four men—Håvard, Joona, Fredrik, and Tapani—who make up Jazz & Fly Fishing are masters of both. Tight lines you might say, on all accounts. The long awaited film “Season One,” from their tour during the summer of 2009, is due out May 25, 2012.

California Steelhead Take Backseat to Wine?

Benjamin Clary — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:46:55 +0000

A group of scientists recently conducted a study that links higher steelhead death rates to low water levels and the amount of vineyard acreage upstream. In the late summer and early fall of dry years, when water is at a premium not only for irrigation but also to encase the vines in ice during a unexpected freeze, steelhead can suffer up to a 70 percent mortality rate.

“This is the first scientific publication on how vineyards and summer stream flows relate to fish survivorship in California’s tributary streams,” said study principal investigator Adina Merenlender, cooperative extension specialist in UC Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM). “It is the closest we have to substantiating claims by resource agencies and environmental organizations that juvenile salmon are being impacted by low flows during the summer and survive better with more flow.”

For those wine-loving anglers that feel the need to decide allegiances, fret not, for scientists say that by tweaking water management the two should be able to live in harmony. “I believe we can protect flows for fish and still have our glass of wine,” says Theodore Grantham, a recent Ph.D. graduate of ESPM.

Tippets: “The Best Sport,” Colorado After Low Snowpack, Muskie on the Fly, Rivers Create Jobs

Erin Block — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:30:55 +0000

A reason among many making it the best, fly fishing “Is the only sport where you can sit on the bench and still legitimately be in the game,” says Benjamin Ward. Read more on Southern Renaissance Man, and see if you don’t agree.
After a record low winter snowpack, Scott Willoughby has the Colorado fly fishing forecast for the upcoming year of predicted drought conditions. Anticipate hatches two to three weeks earlier than usual, and runoff to end soon.
Muskie on the fly, “the fish of a thousand casts” require a hunter’s mind and strategy. Jay Anglin and confessed fly-fishing muskie guru Robert Tomes, set out in pursuit of the elusive.
From historians to construction crews, dam removal and river restoration require a breadth of professionals. Along with being good for ecosystems, river restoration is an excellent job creator as well.

Video Hatch: “Imago Amphibian Light Boot”

Dan Byrnes — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:33:40 +0000

Imago Fly Fishing claims to be “The Brand of a Generation.” I’m part of that generation, and while this video is pretty cool, the biggest factor is if they can hold together through at least two seasons. And not everyone in my generation listens to Dubstep.

Keys Bonefish: Homebodies?

Gus Delaporte — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:29:39 +0000

It has long been assumed that a bonefish’s movement is generally confined to one area—in and around a particular flat, for instance. Research done by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust has found this to generally be true, with certain exceptions. Of the fish tagged in the Florida Keys, 42% were recaptured at or near their tagging location, while 70% were recaptured within five miles of their tagging location.

However, some bonefish have been recaptured 100 miles or more from their original tagging location. Fish tagged in Biscayne Bay have been recaptured in the Lower Keys and two fish tagged in the Upper Keys were recaptured on Andros Island in the Bahamas.

The results of the BTT’s studies in the Keys, Bahamas and Belize highlight the importance of protecting particular habitats and locations, but also larger areas for those fish that do undertake significant movement.

ZebraLight Headlamps

Kirk Deeter — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:45:29 +0000

Whether you’re camping without electricity, or fishing past the evening hatch (read mousing!) a great headlamp is important. As I’ve said before, I’m a minimalist, so heavy, complicated systems with many wires and attachments don’t do it for me, even if they cast a beam that would turn on spelunkers.

I’ve been dabbling around with headlamps from ZebraLight, an Irving, Texas-based company. The H51FWAA Neutral White model suits me best. The beam has three settings, bright enough to light a dark trail, or subtle (and natural) enough to spot a knot or fly when you need it.

What I like best is that it can clip on and off the headband, so you can use it like a mini handheld if you want to poke your head into a storage compartment on a boat, or just check for spiders in your hiking boots. It runs on a AA battery, and if you use a lithium variety, the power lasts plenty long. It’s also waterproof to two meters for 30 minutes, so dropping it in the river or waiting out a rainstorm isn’t an issue. The cost is $64.

BTT to Assist Family of Belize Guide Raul Navarette

Gus Delaporte — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:53:34 +0000

The Bonefish and Tarpon Trust is working on an initiative to provide for the family of Raul Navarette, a flats guide at the Belize River Lodge who passed away unexpectedly last week. Navarette was the only FFF certified casting instructor in Belize and was active in the BTT’s permit and bonefish conservation efforts in his home country.

Navarette leaves behind a wife and two children. BTT board member Mick Kolassa is coordinating the efforts to support his family.

“A Graceful Rise”: Conversations

Erin Block — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:47:40 +0000

The American Museum of Fly Fishing’s exhibition “A Graceful Rise: Women in Fly Fishing Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” celebrates the history and contribution of women to the sport (on display through December 2012). And now Kathryn Maroun of What a Catch Productions, featured in the exhibition herself, has released candid film interviews with three of the other women highlighted: Sylvie Malo-Clark, Selene Dumaine, and Kathy Scott.

These conversations should not be missed and add another dimension to “A Graceful Rise.” Whether you are able to visit the museum in person or not, these short films make clear that the history and future of women in fly fishing is a bright one.