“Hatcheries Suck” by Steven Hawley

H/t to Horatio Nailknot/FB in pointing me to this pointed piece about man’s meddlesome ways with Wild Fish via hatcheries and cherry-picked science:

“For reasons that have little to do with biological health, or even sanity, the Obama Administration and key members of Congress think this is a swell idea. Hatcheries suck because they’ve masked a staggering loss of biological diversity and abundance. With a century of hatchery experimentation in the rearview mirror, nearly everything has been lost for Pacific salmon in the Lower 48, including a grip on reality. Most weeks of salmon season here in the Columbia Basin, it’s possible to track down a forecast from some misguided guide, federal mouthpiece, blogger or outdoor pundit chortling about the “near record returns of kings over Bonneville Dam.” This is so patently false it shouldn’t even qualify as a delusion.” DrakeMag

NATIVE FISH SOCIETY

Reed Canyon & Fish? (Inner City Discovery)

My 93 y/o aunt lives adjacent to Reed Canyon and the headwaters of Crystal Springs. I never paid  much attention. So, recently I was driving her to an appointment and what did I see but an obvious habitat improvement project. But, why there? I did a little query and what do you know, a fish habitat story worth following: The Reed Canyon Restoration Project

“Between 1973 and 1993, four population inventories found 16 species of fish from eight different families in Reed Lake. These included: Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (juveniles and adults); Steelhead and/or Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (juveniles and adults); Cutthroat Trout, Oncorhynchus clarki (juveniles and adults)…”

Crystal Springs (Reed Canyon) SwittersB

Crystal Springs from Reed Canyon (Habitat Improvement) SwittersB

Crystal Springs (Reed Canyon) SwittersB

It will be interesting to followup on this project over time to see if a safe passage way can be established/maintained.

Fishing With Jay

Alaska’s New AG John Burns on State Sovereignty & the Resources

Alaska’s new Attorney General, John Burns, is an avid fly fisher. He also provides not so subtle clues on his position re statehood, state’s rights, Federal regulations and ‘overreach’, development of resources  and the environment in a piece in the Juneau Empire………

“Burns stated the biggest challenge so far is prioritizing the multitude of issues affecting the state. Outside of Alaska is the concern of state sovereignty and the frustration of dealing with Federal regulations and unnecessary overreach, and the federal government seeking to regulate that which they cannot legislate.”

“From our perspective, the ability of our state to become a state, to become an independent entity is critically dependent on its ability to develop its resources,” Burns said, quoting Parnell. Burns urges all Alaskans to read the Statehood Act as well. “The frustration is that, I strongly believe that anybody that lives in the state of Alaska, who has lived here for a long period of time, is an environmentalist. You cannot live in this great state and participate in all that we have and not want to see it continue. But at the same time we recognize that you can have different and responsible development coexisting with that ability to participate. The frustration that I see is that the rest of the world does not believe that we are competent enough to responsibly develop our resources. I don’t think that they believe we care about this wonderful state. To me that belies comprehension. Every Alaskan I have talked to, who has been here for any length of time, is here because it is such an incredible state. The thought that we would do something to ruin it is beyond comprehension to me.”

I wonder if Mark or Brad at Alaska (Juneau) Fly Fishing Goods (nice shop by the way) might ask John Burns, the next time he drops in to heft that new 6 wt., what his take is on the Pebble Mine issue and that  whole process. Unofficial position, of course.

 

Game Fish Mounts by David Campbell

 

David Campbell Steelhead Cheek (SwittersB)

DAVID CAMPBELL’S MOUNTING~REPLICA WORK (ASSORTED GAME FISH)

Pebble Mine’s Reality Check (China)

I can by no means frame the contentious Pebble Mine debate any better than the article I am linking to in this post by Andrew Jensen @ The Alaska Journal of Commerce. Seriously take a few minutes to read it and consider the realities here. Whether the mining process moves forward or not based upon celebs, fishing industry, eviro’s and FFers input is, to me, frankly insignificant. The often ignored point is China. It is being ignored in our country’s current debt debate and financial crisis by many. China now owns us. China is one of the largest consumers of resources and will surpass us and India soon to consume the majority of natural resources. China will eventually own the majority interest in Pebble Mine. Yes. (China & Mining & Fishing) (China & Gold Production)

“So while China is snapping up mineral rights for essentials like copper and stockpiling its rare earth minerals — for which the U.S. is 100 percent dependent on imports — not developing Pebble may not be a luxury America can afford forever, according to Yale professor Oswald Schmitz.” (I say we won’t have a say because China will dictate the development for us)

So, with all the notable celebs and groups that have mounted anti Pebble attention why no substantive response from the Obama Administration. They (Dem’s) have held the power since 2006 (Congressional) and Executive since 2008. Why? The usual connect the media dots by such groups re all manner of fav issues is most often enough to result in legislation or executive orders for regulations to control most aspects of our life, especially in the last two years. Token BS about innovation for green this and that; wind turbines, solar…yadda yadda.  Why nothing substantive on Pebble Mine? The sense of urgency should be about our financial house of cards, our resources (managed or not) and China. Just a matter of time re the Pebble Mine holdings and China’s insertion into the mix. Then what?

Columbia River Dams & Fish Runs (Mucho Data)

COLUMBIA RIVER DAM DATA & ALL FISH RUNS (HISTORICAL)

 

Sandy River (Take Action for What Remains)

Trout Unlimited Chapter 678 McKenzie Upper Willamette put out some info re the state of the Sandy River (while announcing a club event). The facts speak for themselves and beg action.

Call on ODFW to restore Sandy River salmon and steelhead.

The Sandy River flows just 20 miles from downtown Portland and has the potential to be one of the healthiest suburban salmon and steelhead rivers in the world. Over the past decade $75 million has been donated towards Sandy River habitat restoration, yet the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to resist any reductions in their Sandy hatchery programs. This is extremely detrimental to wild fish.

Runs of salmon and steelhead on the Sandy are currently 3-10% of their historic abundance, and continuing to decline year after year. Much of this decline can be linked to an unaccountable hatchery program. In a recent Portland Tribune article, ODFW District Biologist Todd Alsbury said that reducing the Sandy River hatchery program is a last resort.The ODFW has known for decades that hatchery fish reduce the fitness and long term abundance of wild fish, yet they have demonstrated that they are more interested in protecting their hatcheries than in protecting our wild fish. If future generations are to ever glimpse a spawning salmon, this must change.

Sandy River fall chinook, spring chinook, coho and winter steelhead are currently listed under the Endangered Species Act, and chum salmon have gone extinct.

As a supporter of Oregon’s native fish, take action here: http://tu678.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83b81d79dfb8964f786c6133c&id=0a88b044e7&e=a57a3af76c

This is in my back yard. Ten minutes from my front door. No excuse to not be involved. I just joined the Native Fish Society.

Spey Pages Forum (Suggestions & Advice)

 

SwittersB Iced Over

SPEY PAGES FORUM SIGN UP~SIGN IN

This site/forum is perfect for the novice to the accomplished. Unlike some forums, you can cruise about in here and not be savaged by the inner circle-clique. Excellent information.

Fly Fishing: Portent > an indication of…..

A Portent of Things to Come (SwittersB)

Well, I made the resolution. Get out there more. So, I did. With little regard to the temperature (air 26 degrees/water 39 degrees), I ventured forth. Wearing multiple layers, I donned the waders, boots and prepped the gear. Hmmm, where is the Skagit head? All I have is the Scandi? In short order, the ice was forming in the two stripping guides. A portent of things to come………

Ice Build Up From Stripping Line (SwittersB PP)

In very short order, I could only infrequently shoot the running line on the Scandi. I was lucky to get a decent cast out now and then. The decent casts (hard to come by anyway) became fewer and fewer. The stripping guides became clogged and almost invisible. I crunched away the ice, but that became ever more difficult. Short casts of the Scandi’s length plus maybe 5′ of running line beyond the tip became all I could manage.

A Touch of Warmth Afar

I covered the several hundred feet long drift without nary a tug, bump or roll. The Scandi head swung a pink Intruder less than a foot below the surface. Mending wasn’t an option to slow the swing and sink the fly a bit. It became ever more intrusive in my cold addled brain that I was at less than half efficiency. I wasn’t even able to at least practice casting with some diligence.

Cold GURU (SwittersB)

No excuses. Did not check gear before leaving home. The Skagit head would have swung a little deeper. Not sure what to do about ice in guides. Sprays, ointments, something to eliminate this? It brought my casting to a screeching halt. Swishing the rod in the water added insult to injury. Clothing with balaclava kept me comfortable with the exception of my Simms G4 Guide boots. Frankly, for the money ($200.+), I am disappointed in the boots. Going to have to consider a different purchase and not too happy about that!

 

Hidden Ice Portrait

Isn’t it amazing what one finds near those fish highways?

Streamside Ice Canvas

 

The outing is over. The waders frozen in the back of the truck were when I arrived home. All the gear stowed and the waders and boots set out to dry. Where is that Skagit head? After such a disorganized and sloppy outing, it is a good sign that I look forward to the next time. Always a good sign.