Atlantic Salmon Flies: The Dark Side of Rare Feathers

I won’t say anything disparaging about those that tie Atlantic Salmon patterns. I don’t want to suffer the wrath I received when I made negative remarks about Tenkara, Ted Williams or financed ‘trout bums’ excursions. I have unfortunately made the acquaintance of two obnoxious, arrogant sorts that tie Atlantic Salmon flies that make no bones about their sense of superiority. I’m old enough to sort through the obnoxious sorts one encounters in life. It shouldn’t shade my objectivity re the overall tying field (I did write something somewhat respectful 10/21/08 re Jean Paul Assaigne).

It appears some criminally enterprising youth (Edwin Rist) studying abroad, in London, decided to capture the imagination of Atlantic Salmon fly tiers with much sought after feathers by performing a feather heist. A call is made to do without the unique and rare feathers.   Feather Fetish story here by John McCoy

Jean Paul Assaigne Perfection

Igor Siwanowicz’s Marco Work on Alien Insects

Igor Siwanowicz

Igor Siwanowicz Alien Insects & Macro Work

VISIT GOOGLE IMAGES FOR ADDITIONAL MACRO WORK BY IGOR

Salmon Wars (South-Central Alaska: Commercial v. Sport)

” Ricky Gease, executive director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, said the sport and personal use fisheries in Southcentral contribute $800 million to $900 million in economic impact to the state.”

“That far surpasses the economic values generated from the commercial fisheries in upper Cook Inlet,” he said. “That’s what the disagreement is about. You can optimize the commercial fishery to gain 5 percent value, but that may come at 5 percent or 10 percent or 20 percent cost to sport fishery. When one is much larger than the other, why are we focused on the smaller one?”

“Forty years ago nobody envisioned that there would be 150,000 sport fishermen licensed in the Anchorage area,” he said. “There are conflicts going back to statehood, but they are getting worse because more people are sport and fewer are commercial in the overall populace. To allocate more resource to sport, you’re going to have to take away from commercial guys. Then you get a natural phenomenon where people are going to fight for it. They’re not just going to give it up.”  >>>>>>

Or is it Sport v. Commercial?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Fly Tying: Lucian Vasies Cat Gut Nymph

Cat Gut, Midge Tubing, Jelly Rope, Swandaze, Vinyl Round Rib, Vinyl V Rib, Vinyl D, Stretch Magic are all means to a segmented abdomen. Lucian Vasies offers up a Cat Gut nymph in his usual excellent visuals and tutorial on tying the segmented nymph pattern at Fly Fishing Forums/Fly Tying Step-Step.

Lucian Vasies Cat Guy Nymph

Fly Tying…The Ultimate Fishing Portal

Fly Tying: Marc Griffiths’ Wildflies (NZ)

Marc Griffiths' Wildflies (NZ)

Marc Griffiths provides some nice visuals and tutorials for inspiration. Check out his site at Wildflies (NZ) A nice touch, by Marc, is to submerge and photograph some of his patterns to see the materials’ affects upon the hook.…and well, the effects too.

Bushcraft, Survival, Perkele’s Blog (Finland)

PERKELE’S BLOG

Kremidis Tree

TARP CRAFT & SHELTERS

Ancient Fish Traps, Teifi Estuary in Wales

This is from an article awhile back. Came across and find it interesting.

Teifi Estuary Fish Trap, Dyfed, Wales

Dyfed, Wales Fish Trap

From Comments: “We have similar fish traps around the southernmost tip of Africa. Some are believed to be “ancient” and some we know were built during late 1700 early 1800 when Europeans left the Cape and settled in this region. The ancient ones were, in my opinion, originally built by the Portugese late 1400′s – who were shipwrecked along the coast…”

Dog Biscuit Emerger Patterns: Carp on a ‘Fly’

Fly Fishing for Carp. I know, I know. Chumming with dog biscuits. All those fishless visits to the nearby slough. I never brought my Purina along. Other fly patterns. Calm down. I am simply sharing the many worlds of fly fishing and “fly fishing”. I wonder if Smelly Jelly makes a ‘dog biscuit’ gel scent?

Dog Biscuit Emerger Patterns: Carp on ‘Fly’, posted with vodpod

Dog Biscuit "Fly Pattern" The Fly Factory (UK)

Oldest ID’d Bald Eagle Dies (Auto v. Bird)

 

Bald Eagle

 

“The oldest Bald Eagle on record was killed earlier this year after being struck by a car in New Brunswick, Canada. Biologists recently discovered the Bald Eagle was banded in Maine in 1977 after investigating the metal band found on one of its legs…” (Kiwifoto)

Fighting Butts (Let the analysis begin)

Right now I have to watch the Beav’s and the Ducks. Then brave the cold temps and East wind out of the Gorge to string the lights with care (kind of). At some point, I will write a post re fighting butts on fly rods. Soon. Really.