Articles

Leading Environmental Group Calls Pennsylvania Drilling Plan 'Full of Loopholes'

by Ben Kryzinski - Saturday, Oct 8th, 2011

PennFuture Logo

In a recent press release, PennFuture -- named Pennsylvania's leading environmental advocacy group by the Philadelphia Inquirer -- has criticized PA Governor Tom Corbett's proposed Marcellus Shale drilling plan. PennFuture president Jan Jarret says the plan is drafted in the best interest of the drilling industry, rather than in the best interests of Pennsylvania citizens.

According to Jarret, the proposed plan is wrought with shortcomings, stating "this plan is neither fair nor comprehensive, and is full of giveaways to the drillers. It appears that the governor’s thinking in devising his plan was, ‘What’s the least I can ask of the drilling industry?' The proposed impact fee is too small, full of loopholes, unwieldy to administer, and leaves too much money on the table,” continued Jarrett. “It also fails to address the serious needs our citizens and communities face in these hard economic times, and allows the drillers to pay very little in return for the massive profits they make from Pennsylvania’s resources."

This is Fly Oct/Nov 2011 Issue Released

by Ben Kryzinski - Thursday, Oct 6th, 2011

This is Fly Oct / Nov 2011

If you haven't already stumbled on the news yourself, the latest issue of one of our favorite fly fishing publications, This is Fly has been released. As is always the case with This is Fly, this latest issue is chock full of stunning photography, unique artwork, great stories, and more.

The current issue includes two great features on Colorado, a look at the Vindel River in Sweden and a killer photographic feature on the Upper Langa River in Iceland by photographer Matt Harris. Also included is an interesting interview with the filmmakers behind the new fly fishing film, 'A Backyard in Nowhere', a low-budget, high production film about northern pike fishing in the rough, bleak country of Southwestern Alaska.

Review: Airflo Ridge Bonefish / Redfish Line

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, Oct 6th, 2011

Airflo Ridge Bonefish / Redfish Line

I'm not an expert caster. I don't give casting instruction to anyone but beginners. I'm not one of those casters that can chuck an 80 foot cast in 30 mile-per-hour winds. It has to be a good day, with the stars in perfect alignment, for my double-haul to really be a smooth operation. That said, I'm a competent caster. I don't have trouble turning over big stuff, distance casts aren't usually a problem and I've got pretty good accuracy. In my humble opinion, I'm a somewhat above-average caster that possesses the knowledge of what I should be doing, but doesn't always do it. By my best guess, that means I'm like the majority of avid fly fisherman out there. So, if you want an expert review on a fly line, on exactly why the tapers and core construction make one line different from the next, you probably don't want my review. If you want some first-hand experience on how a line performs in the field for a typical fly fisherman, you might want to keep reading.

I was eager to put Airflo's Ridge Redfish line to the trip on my recent trip to South Carolina. I had been out for redfish in May, with a line not suited to the conditions, and it had presented a number of challenges both in turning over larger redfish flies and, more importantly, when shooting line. I had also recently fished one of Airflo's ridge trout lines, and was impressed by how effortlessly the line glided through the guides on my 5 weight, so I was eager to see what the 8 weight tropical version could do.

Review: Fishpond Storm Mountain Gear Bag

by Chad Shmukler - Monday, Oct 3rd, 2011

Fishpond Storm Mountain Gear Bag Interior

I'm gear obsessed. This is a common malady in our sport. I have reels I don't have rods for, lines I don't have reels for, and rods I only have the occasion to use a couple times of year. I have sink tips for every imaginable scenario, fluorocarbon and mono in a stupid variety of sizes, and ten times the number of flies I should have. And yet, with all this gear, I've spent the last 5 years toting most of it around in what amounts to a giant duffel bag, rummaging through it feverishly and unproductively whenever I need to find something. Non-fishing gear essentials (camera, lenses, apparel, etc) end up stuffed in with the rest of the mess, treated with less care and respect than they should be.

When the need for a proper gear bag became undeniable, I began the search for a bag that would provide organization options for my over-abundance of gear while providing adequate protection from my carelessness and the elements. These days, it seems like there are ten times the number of options there were just a few years ago, so choosing the right bag seemed quite the task. After way too much exploring, I ended up picking Fishpond's Storm Mountain Gear Bag. The feature set seemed impressive, and given Field & Stream named it one of 2010's Best of the Best, the chances of receiving a dud seemed slim.

Missouri Joins List of States Banning Felt Soled Boots

by Ben Kryzinski - Monday, Oct 3rd, 2011

A particularly bad Didymo outbreak.

The Missouri Department of Conservation announced that it has instituted a ban on porous-soled boots and waders made of porous materials on waterways throughout the state. This announcement adds Missouri to the slowly, but steadily growing list of states that have made the decision to ban felt soled boots and other problem materials in the hopes of preventing the spread of invasive species, particularly Didymo algae.

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata), commonly known as "rock snot", is an invasive algae that thrives in some cold water habitats, forming thick mats on river and stream bottoms. The algae reduces the amount of food available to other aquatic species and, in particularly bad outbreaks, can make fishing completely impossible.