Urban Fly Fishing

Oblivious to passing traffic on a busy street and the persistent beep, beep, beep of heavy equipment in reverse, Alpha "Doc" Elder concentrated on making an accurate presentation with his 5-weight fly rod, the fluid line carrying a nearly weightless, homemade fly toward a weed bed.

The weeds emerged from a creek meandering through a Richardson city park, its banks manicured to make the waterway suburban-user friendly. A weird duck swam past, its genetics so mixed between wild and domestic fowl that DNA wouldn't solve the riddle. It looked like a cartoon character, a duck with a punk haircut. High overhead, a jet passed on its descent into Love Field. A light plane droned as it made lazy, lower-altitude circles, an advertising banner in tow.

...from Dallas News

I must confess that I haven't explored the virtues of an urban assault since fishing a small pond for rainbow trout in central Charleston, Illinois, back in 1990. When presented the only opportunity to pick up the fly rod during a hard year of teaching and study, I leapt at the chance.

At the time, one of my students came into my art class, and knowing I was a fisherman said "Hey Raif, you should get yourself down the University pond, they filled it up with trout yesterday!" So, first I had a go for them with bait; sausage meat in fact, rigged up on some old tackle borrowed from my friend John. On poor pay my teaching colleagues and I were delighted to eat some fish off the barbecue!

The next day I sloped off to WalMart where I bought some 'funny looking fly gear' and with it I introduced my friend John to the way of the fly rod. A few more fish in the pan (if you wonder at the carnage - those fish wouldn't have lasted five more minutes anyway in that hot water environment)and a bit of casting practice later, John was hooked.

Seventeen years later John is still fly fishing. In fact, he and I went fly fishing on the Kinni, Wisconsin, April 2006; only the second time we've fly fished together (I live in central UK) in all that time. All it took was that trip to the pond at EIU.

I think like Ray Sasser suggests, you should take your fly fishing opportunities where ever they present themselves; even in the middle of town!

Nasty Braided Loops

...Soon, I figured out how to get my orange-bellied Hewitt's Nymph into the hot spot just right, and a salmon took the tiny fly. The fish stayed in the heavy current, where it pulled ultra-hard against the 4-weight rod.

Then, much to my shock, the braided loop on the end of the fly line slipped off, and the fish got away with my fly, tippet and leader -- the latter a $10 item. I was far more angry about losing $10 than the fish.

I've never had a braided loop slip off before, but I don't use that particular reel much. The loop had been on the fly line for six or seven years, a stupid mistake. The loop should be changed every year or two.

From The Kennebec Journal

Thread a thick tapered leader butt into the tip of the fly line and then tie a nail knot. It will never drop off, never hinge, and it will never stick in your rod's tip ring.

Wi-Fi Risks

In an interesting BBC article about WiFi verses mobile networks, the discussion hinges around the economics of two competing technologies. It especially focuses on how the cell phone companies had assumed they might recoupe their huge outlay for 3G through sole control of the only true and accessible mobile network. In the article it is suggested they may not in view of developments in WiFi communications that could successfully compete for the same market niche.

This morning BBC Radio Five announced that WiFi could be more harmful than mobile cell phones. The same story is carried in a number of newspapers this morning – you can read one here in The Daily Mail. The statistic that says WiFi generates three times more radiation than a mobile phone mast, could put paid to that theory.

In a few decades however, if statistics show that WiFi and Cell phone technology are both harmful to our health each could end up in the pan! The 3G revolution, i-Mode, and WiFi could all end up dead in the water. I for one am looking at the wireless hub in the corner of my lounge and wondering if I should convert back to an ethernet lead.

Customer Service...

SHARPES ANNOUNCES A NEW CEO

Sharpes is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Koppel as Chief Operating Officer. Sharpes, which was purchased by businessman Craig Treharne in July 2006, is a leading supplier of fishing tackle and accessories to the UK and Ireland.

‘Since the purchase of Sharpes and Abel last year and following a period of much needed restructuring we have seen sustained growth and expect that to continue’, said Treharne. ‘2007 is going to be an exciting year, we intend to grow both our sales and the customer care team substantially as well as introduce new product. Furthermore in the last year we have invested heavily in our support systems and technology and we expect this to contribute substantially to the overall quality of the customer experience. To pull this all together we wanted someone to direct and further develop our internal and external operations. Mark's sales and leadership experience make him uniquely qualified for the position.’

Koppel, joins Sharpes with over 20 years experience working within the retail supply industry. The former Head of Sales of leading food brand Nutricia Ltd, Koppel has held senior positions with reputable brands such as Whitbread, Coca Cola Schweppes and Kraft Foods. Koppel commented:

‘I am delighted to be joining Sharpes. I am confident that we shall continue to grow sales this year, whilst putting an emphasis on further enhancing customer service.’

‘We are pleased to welcome Mark to the Sharpes team,’ COO Martin Peck said. ‘The company has been through considerable change over the past 12 months. We have now reached a point where we need a highly qualified individual to take sales and customer service to the next level. Mark’s track record in business to business industries makes him the ideal person for the job.’

Sharpes, a strong brand within the fishing tackle supply industry, also own and distribute the high quality US brand Abel. The company and its subsidiaries have been designing, manufacturing and selling top quality angling products since 1920. Headquartered in Birmingham, the company provides exceptional pre-sales advice as well as excellent after sales care.

Sounds promising...

Old News

Several bloggers hit the Asian Carp story when it first appeared in the press and on YouTube. I came to it a bit late in the day, but when I did I was reminded of my earlier post. The original story at the Detroit Free Press evokes a sense of despair! Yet another invader introduced by profit seekers? I gotta echo Murdock's (Flyfishmagazine) comment after Species Invasion, "I [also] really wonder what the world of fly fishing will look like for our children and grandchildren with all the non-native species that seem to be popping up everywhere." ...The video is bizarre, funny, and at the same time grim:

Time to fish...

A professional colleague recently closed his campaign that fought for the security of wild salmon stocks is his native Scottish waters. Bruce Sandison spent many hours, days and in fact, years, bringing a keen focus on the salmon farming industry that has had such a devastating effect on the ecosystems of the inshore waters and lochs of northern Britain. He initiated active campaigns on British streets, raising awareness of the issues at stake. He attended conferences and seminars keeping abreast of the latest science and research. In a PM discussion through a fishing forum he once expressed his deep desire that he wished to preserve a place in the future where his grandchildren and generations thereafter would be able to enjoy the beautiful creatures of Scotland in their wild state.

While there are no statistics that I can quote his efforts I'm sure have raised public awareness of the issues involved in farm produced salmon and its threat to the environment. That is the legacy of the SFPG. Into the future, Bruce now aged 70, as announced in the recent edition of the Salmon Farm Monitor Newsletter, will spend his time fishing and writing and probably being with the family in that stunning landscape of the Highlands and islands of Scotland.

Trout v Bass

Anyone got any more fishing-meets-art sendups? I was just reading a post at Steelhead Diaries and the illustration there set me off.

Several years ago art parodies were brought to my attention during a lecture given by an Art History professor at Eastern Illinois University. Prof McRoberts had a curious sense of humour and a preoccupation with red Mustangs, but most of all he had a fascination with Design of the early and mid 1900s, and the art of the Social Realist movement. He especially liked artists Grant Wood and Edward Hopper. At one point in the lecture either he or a student brought into conversation the matter of the 1980s version of American Gothic with Kermit and Miss Piggy. Years later The Muppet American Gothic came to mind during a forum discussion, something about 'Trout v Bass' ("As if it that was something to contest - I'll fish for anything with a fly!") I came up with my own version of Wood's great picture. Not so much a parody, but more of a satire I guess.