Chrome Chasers 2010 Promo

Chrome Chasers 2010 Promo from Detonation Studios on Vimeo.

I had the privilege of being involved in this promo video. It was a well worthy trip fishing with the Matney Family in Wrangell, Alaska. The water, scenery,lack of crowds and time spent with good friends made this a well worthy trip and one I would do again in a heartbeat.

A Study on Invasive Species and Their Effects on Anadramous Fish

Photo: Brian Chou

For years I have had conversations among friends and fishermen regarding the impacts of non-native species in our waters here in the Pacific Northwest. Bass, walleye, channel catfish, shad and carp to name a few all impact our runs of dwindling anadramous fish. Systems such as the Columbia, Snake and Willamette have had large impacts from these invasive species. However their level of impact is widely unknown. On June 8th, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Fish and Wildlife Committee on decided to recommend that the Council urge the Bonneville Power Administration to fund the research project. The proposal requests $350,000 in fiscal year 2010 funding. Bonneville funds the Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program to mitigate for impacts on fish and wildlife resulting from the construction and operation of the federal Columbia-Snake river hydro system.

The Study will focus on the food habits of bass and other species and the role of Shad in their diets. It will also look into the efficacy of localized reductions of smallmouth bass for predation control, like they do with northern pikeminnow, a native species here in the Pacific Northwest. For years I have suggested that my friends retain these species of fish when legally able and not only feed themselves but also help our native species in the process. Perhaps with this study we will see if this theory can be backed up. We are at a point where all variables need to be looked at and considered and I am looking forward to reading what the results are. You can read more courtesy of the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Bulletin.

Jimmy Green Memorial Fly Fishing Fair

In honor of a Pacific Northwest Fly Fishing icon, the Jimmy Green Fly Fishing Fair and Casting Expo is being held this saturday at Lake Tye in Monroe, Washington. The goal of this yearly event is to promote awareness and joy of fly fishing, provide instructional learning opportunities with different workshops and connect avid anglers to what is new in the industry. Go check it out if you have the weekend off.

Phasers Set to Kill

Captain Kirk is yet on another mission, this time to help save Canada's Wild Salmon. William Shatner, aka Captain James Tiberius Kirk from the original Star Trek, a Montreal born Canadian has spoken out is support of the New Democrat Fisheries and Oceans Critic Fin Donnelly’s efforts to save British Columbia’s wild salmon from open-net fish farming and the sea lice that are threatening their survival.

“West Coast wild salmon are part of the Canadian fabric, but they are in serious trouble,” Shatner said in a press conference today. "They face many threats, including sea lice from fish farms. The federal government can't continue to ignore the plight of wild salmon. We must do everything possible to ensure these magnificent creatures are protected, and Fin Donnelly’s proposed legislation helps do that.”

Read more courtesy of a New Democrat Press Release and The Vancouver Sun.

I guess his Priceline Commercials arn't so annoying after all.

Skagit Master Volume #2

Oh my god, so many more levels of awesomeness!

Fly Fisher Girls

Kateri Clay and Hannah Belford are hot! Bod, not so much. These are a few scenes from the Damdochax River Lodge in the Fall of 2008.

Investing in the Future

The older my daughter gets the more I realize my investments now are even more important then ever before. Now we aint talking bout dolla dolla bills here, that money went down the drain with the Bush administration, rather I'm talkin bout my daughter. Though she has been around every piece of gear I have owned for the last four years, and even caught her first trout at age two, she is now ready to spend some quality time with pops and her first fly rod.











Holding it like a spey rod. I now know what to get her for Christmas!






Now sure you are all thinking we are talking about another rod that daddy gets to use, well this is not the case. A couple months ago a couple good friends got together and gave her the ultimate gift, her first fly rod and reel. Now this little Echo Gecko isn't too boyish for her either. It's yellow, light, and as a 4/5 weight 7 feet nine inches, just right for a four year old. I was damn proud of her when I got to see her cast it today.










We didn't really fish, heck we were more playing tourist today while visiting Bonneville Dam on the might Lower Columbia River. We spend the afternoon checking out the fish ladders and identifying the many anadramous fish that are migrating through the ladders of this massive roadblock. By the days end she was screaming "chinook" and "chad". Surprising enough she saw a lot of them. The Shad are finally here and the spring and summer chinook were flowing though the viewing window the entire time we were there. She even got to see some dime bright steelhead, a few sockeye, lots of lamprey eels and a keeper sturgeon they named Mia in the ladders. Apparently Mia has been hanging around for a few weeks in the window.















But as soon as we left the dam, she asked if she could go casting. Not fishing, but casting. Yeah boy, she already knows what steelheading is about. Well at least for daddy these days. We spend about an hour trying to catch a shad and just casting and checking out the river. It was a great day despite the lack of fish and a great time seeing my daughter Lillian learn more and more about the outdoors and why her daddy goes fishing. Man I love her! I can't wait until she catches her first steelhead.

Speyfest

Got this in the email box today from the Fly Shop in Redding and sponsored by the Trinity River Fly Fishers. Speyfest is taking place on June 12th at the Barge Hole Gravel Bar on the Sacramento River. I thought some of you guys might be interested. From what I have heard the Fly Shop runs floatillas of indicator boats on the Trinity, it is nice to see they are integrating some spey fishing into their arsenal.