Silver Carp "on the Fly"

Better hold on to your hat or wear a helmet! Silver Carp, an introduced Asian species, have invaded the Mississippi River system and have now reached the Illinois River. They can attain weights of 60 lbs, but are more commonly seen in the 10-20 lb range. These fish are seriously spooked by motorboats and will jump 6 to 8 feet out of water, sometimes injuring boaters.

Asian Carp feed exclusively on plankton and other micro-nutrients by filtering surface water, and are very difficult to catch on rod and reel. Rising to meet the challenge, however, some innovative Americans have come up with another extreme sport. It gives a whole new meaning to taking fish "on the fly".



Photo by Jason L. Jenkins, University of Missouri.

"Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once." (Lee Wulff, 1939)

Lee Wulff was a flyfishing legend. A true pioneer, he was responsible for a number of flyfishing innovations including the fishing vest. Wulff was also one of the first anglers to advocate Catch & Release, and he pioneered the development of lightweight tackle for Atlantic Salmon. Piloting his bush plane during the early 1950's, he explored Newfoundland and Labrador looking for new angling opportunities. He was a giant among fly fishers during the golden age of American angling.

The short film below is a gem. Pay attention to the skill exhibited by Wulff as he steps into the canoe and sits down (about 1 minute in) - just after he loses a fish. He does it with a natural ease that reveals a superb athlete. Later he coaxes a saimon to swim between his legs, and follows it with the rod. Equally impressive is the guide who shows expert command of the canoe in fast water with a 14-foot spruce pole.

See Lee Wulff in action on the Miramichi. This is Part 1 of 2.

More of Lee Wulff on the Miramichi. Part 2 of 2.

Fishing for Nourishment?

I've been thinking about the sport of fishing - how it originated, how it has evolved, what could be next... Obviously, fishing was originally all about food. Somewhere along the way, at least for some of us, it became more than that - a hobby, an art form, an obsession, a religion? Beyond the need to provide sustenance in a physical sense, fishing has come to provide a kind of spiritual nourishment, especially for the urban dweller. It's a way of relaxing, of reconnecting with nature, and it provides the time and the framework for reflection - an essential ingredient in professional and personal growth.

With the growing popularity of Catch and Release, thanks to pioneers like Lee Wulff, many Atlantic Salmon anglers are becoming actively involved in conservation measures. One organization that is worthy of support is the Atlantic Salmon Federation. Aside from the satisfaction of making a contribution towards sustaining wild Atlantic Salmon, membership has other advantages, notably their superb quarterly publication, The Atlantic Salmon Journal.

Photo by Dave Dobson: October on the River Philip.

"Trying to catch a fish with rod and fly is like trying to catch a bird with string and bread." H.R. Dobson

This is an interesting analogy, put forward by H. R. Dobson as part of our early education in fishing. I always thought it meant that an angler should practice stealth because fish, in particular, Brook Trout are wary creatures. I'm pretty sure that's what was intended, but I have been thinking of other interpretations...

When we were kids we loved to fish off Liverpool's Town Wharf - a massive wooden pier with a blotchy patina of creosote and seagull shit, and always, the stirring bouquet of dried fish guts. With our closed-face spinning reels, fiberglass rods from Canadian Tire, and "Daredevil" lures, we caught Pollock and, sometimes, Mackerel right off the wharf. It was lots of excitement for young boys! Once a fish was caught, we used a jackknife to chunk it up for bait, and hauled Eels and Sculpins up over the dock, as well. Occasionally, a bold Seagull would find itself on the wrong end of a hook, and cause all kinds of commotion.

What if birding were a legal sport like fishing? What if we could get a license to go out and try to catch birds with a rod, a reel and a lure, or bait? We'd have to study the habits of each species, and practice conservation, of course. There would have to be bag limits and seasons. I imagine we'd find pigeons pretty easy-to-fool, sort of like Pollock. People might go on safaris to capture exotic trophy birds like Emus or Condors. We might have to use live bait to capture Peregrine falcons, or to bag a Snowy Owl.

If "birding" were a legal sport like fishing, would you do it?



Photo: Pigeon Eye by David Gifford

Dragons that Fly!

Here is a photo of a dragonfly (Green Darner) that has just been fitted with a tiny radio transmitter by Princeton University professor, Martin Wikelski (left). The scientist was tracking their migratory patterns in a 2005 study funded by National Geographic. Apparently they only fly during the daytime, in a generally southward direction, pausing sometimes for several days when conditions are to their liking. Two consecutive nights of decreasing temperatures will get them moving again.

One day on the Pinware River in Labrador, my brother, Steve, shot some video footage of a large dragonfly circling my head, picking off the blackflies that swarmed there. I joked about wishing it was tethered to my hat, trained to attack insect pests on command. Apparently, using Wikelski's technique, such a thing is possible. He uses Krazy Glue to attach the miniature radio transmitters - so, why not a length of monofilament?

I actually did have a dragonfly on a tether once. It happened like this. I was fishing alone in my canoe on a stretch of the Mersey River known locally as the Kedgie River. This is the section that flows from Kejimkujik National Park to Rossignol Lake. Trout were rising under overhanging trees near the riverbank and I made a beautiful cast with a small dry fly. It doesn't happen often, but this was a perfect presentation. As the line straightened out and the fly began to float down through the air towards the surface of the water, I anticipated a nice Brook Trout coming up to slurp it down.

Instead, something unexpected happened. The fly instantly took a different direction and came crashing down with a splash several feet short of the intended target. Annoyed and perplexed, I stripped in line to cast once more, when to my complete amazement, in slow motion, the fly and leader levitated off the water and up into the air. I kept stripping line and soon I had a clear view of what was going on - a large dragonfly had a death grip on my #14 Adams and was trying to make off with it. He circled the canoe, then dropped it and flew off. The truth - so help me, God!

The Boat on the Medway

Here is a shot of the 12' aluminum boat on our land in Charleston. I've been going there almost every day lately. Today my wife and I were there twice. In the morning, we cleared brush and in the evening we took a boat ride and snapped a few pictures.

As noon approached I noticed a guy in a pontoon boat with a fly rod, fishing the water upstream from us. He told us he hadn't seen any fish. Perhaps dawn or dusk might have been better times for August fishing but he looked like he was just happy to be out on the river on such a fine summer day.


Photo by Random Phrump: Medway River, Nova Scotia.

Here's your hat - what's your hurry?

Over at Steve Dobson's Fisherman's Blog, there is a post or two on the topic of fishing hats. My wife likes to travel and I always have the same request: "Bring me back a hat." Some of the hats she brings me I actually wear. In this case, the "Cool as a Breeze" model from BC Hats (Australia) has become my "go to" hat for fishing, gardening, boating - even mowing the lawn.

Let me tell you what makes it work for me. First, the brim is wide enough to provide a generous oasis of cool shade on a sunny day. Second, the crown is made from a nylon mesh that lets the breezes flow through. Third, it has a soft absorbent cotton "sweat band". Fourth, it is lightweight - made of sturdy canvas, but not as heavy as their leather models. Fifth, the adjustable lanyard keeps it from blowing off when you have an irresistible urge to stick your head out the window of the pickup and holler, "G'day, mate!"