Articles

Thoughtfulness: The fly fisher's most important trait

Regardless of skill level or experience, thoughtfulness determines success on the water

by Chad Shmukler - Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

Photo: Marco N. Garcia/Odom Wu

We publish a lot of articles intended to help anglers increase their success on the water. Sometimes, this is by introducing a new fly pattern, tactic or piece of gear, but most of the time it is simply about being thoughtful while on the water. Regardless of skill level or experience, success on the water is tied most directly to an angler's thoughtfulness. Lessons learned, knowledge gained through experience and tools of the trade can only be employed effectively if an angler is patient and thoughtful in his or her approach.

DamNation Film Crew Renews Call to Tear Down Snake River Dams

by Chad Shmukler - Tuesday, May 6th, 2014

Pink salmon, blocked from migrating further upstream, wait below the now removed Elwha Dam.

The folks behind the now award-winning documentary, DamNation, are asking more people to sign a petition calling on President Obama to begin removing obsolete dams throughout the US. The petition's initial target is four dams on the lower Snake River in Washington state.

According to the petition, "Snake River salmon and steelhead once thrived, with up to 30 million wild fish entering the mouth of the Columbia River every year. Now, every Snake River salmon stock is on the endangered species list or extinct."

The four dams, which include the Ice Harbor Dam, Lower Monumental Dam, Little Goose Dam and Lower Granite Dam, are widely recognized to be outdated and doers of far more harm than good. According to DamNation's creators, these "federally operated dams cost taxpayers millions every year, degrade water quality and impede salmon migration to and from the healthiest habitat remaining in the lower 48 states, while providing no flood control and little irrigation."

RIO Introduces Redesigned Indicator II Trout Line

by Ben Kryzinski - Monday, May 5th, 2014

The RIO Indicator II fly line.

RIO recently announced the latest update to its diverse series of fly lines for trout fisherman with its Indicator II fly line. Redesigned for 2014, RIO calls the Indicator II line the "perfect line for fishing indicator rigs."

The line is designed with an extra-long head that is roughly 25% longer than the typical weight-forward fly line which, according to RIO, allows for easier mending and line control. The long head is combined with a short front taper, to aid in turning over heavy rigs.

Trout Unlimited Calls Pebble Response to EPA Action Predictable, Desperate

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, May 1st, 2014

A Bristol Bay rainbow trout, complete with mouse.

According to Trout Unlimited's Alaskan Director Tim Bristol, the Pebble Limited Partnership's (PLP) response to the EPA's recent announcement that it would initiate further investigative action under Clean Water Act section 404(c) was "predictable" and "desperate." The response was issued in the form of a document circulated to PLP investors and also published on the group's website.

The PLP, which has long been seeking to build the much-maligned Pebble Mine in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, has suffered numerous setbacks recently as two of the group's largest investors -- mining giants Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) and Anglo American (LON:AAL) -- have walked alway from the project, dissolving their investments in the partnership, citing the project's grim future. Northern Dynasty Minerals (NYSE:NAK), the project's only significant remaining stakeholder, has elected to stay the course, hoping to move the project forward in spite of steadily mounting opposition.

Many will consider Bristol's harsh critique of the PLP response to be spot on. The document circulated by the partnership reads more like a childish rant than an informative, carefully worded letter to investors. In it, the PLP accuses EPA employees of "secretly plott[ing] with environmental activists," scheming to sabotage US financial markets and puts forth other such unsubstantiated, unethical and inaccurate claims.

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