MOLDY CHUM

Sunday Funnies - Vintage Postcard Edition

Fly-casting not in the Olympics, but enjoyed in 29 nations

“The American Casting Association, starting 40 or 50 years ago, has put forth the effort to join the Olympic Committee, demonstrated the sport of casting as a new event, etc, etc, etc.,” he said. “The bottom line as I understand the Olympic effort for a new sport to be recognized and become an official event is the number of countries in the world that actually do participate in the event. The magic number of countries is unknown to me, but my guess is 50 to 75 countries are needed.”

If that’s the case, we’re short of the mark. The International Casting Sport Federation lists 29 countries as members. Twenty-two are in Europe; the others are the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore. Still, the list shows the global appeal of fly-casting; every continent is represented except South America and Antarctica. (South America’s an odd omission, since there’s plenty of fly-fishing there.)  LINK

Photo:  Yngve Ask, Scanout.com

Casting guru:  Eoin Fairgrieve

Photo mutilation:  El Paskador

Saturday Morning Cartoon

So much for that Group Photo of a Lifetime

Oh well, you'll be sure and catch another 20 pound rainbow next trip.  Or maybe next cast. check it out HERE.

Tied with an astounding amount of deer hair

Now with optional display ashtray.  LINK

Hagfish’s Self-Defense Mechanism

The Pacific Ocean Hagfish has a disgusting way of defending itself. When under attack, it oozes a suffocating slime from its many pores that envelops its predator in a fatal mass of fibrous goo

Friday Pin Up

We bow our heads and give a heartfelt thanks for this bountiful harvest....

You're Acquired!

UFA, a Canadian based petroleum and farm supply co-op, just acquired a big piece of the U.S. hook and bullet market.

Calgary, AB, Nov. 26—UFA Co-operative Limited is poised to acquire a majority interest in Sportsman’s Warehouse, increasing the co-operative’s annual revenue by $800 million.

Sportsman’s Warehouse is a privately-owned outdoor outfitter with annual revenue topping $800 million and 67 stores in 38 American states. The acquisition aligns with UFA’s strategy to diversify beyond its traditional businesses.

“UFA is a co-operative serving the people who live, work and play in rural communities,” says Dallas Thorsteinson, president and chief executive officer. “Acquiring Sportsman’s Warehouse fits perfectly with our strategy to create sustained valued for our owners by expanding to become a well-rounded rural marketer.”

UFA will acquire a majority interest in US-based Sportsman’s Warehouse. The acquisition is subject to successful completion of negotiations and a comprehensive due diligence process. UFA has already made a significant cash injection into the US retailer to ensure it’s well stocked for the holiday retail season.

LINK

Not into paint???

Then you could always just smash a giant fish through your building.

That's how you paint a building!

When Chummist Josh Mills returns from a weekend of flogging - this is the view from the window of his Spokane place of employment.  Here's to making Monday's a tad bit more tolerable.

Bizzarro Fly Fishing

Thanksgiving Cocktail Revisited

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Add 2 ounces of Wild Turkey and 1 ounce of Cranberry Juice. Then fill the glass with the Drinking Gravy. Stir gently to mix the ingredients. Add a dollop of mashed potatoes, and garnish with a turkey bone.

(Via The J-Walk Blog)

Then again you could always drink the gravy straight up.

Field Reports - Bozeman Save Wild Steelhead Festival

Three reports from the Bozeman Save Wild Steelhead Festival that took place in on November 5th. This fund raising event was conceived, organized and flawlessly executed by the Fly Boys and featured their film Raising the Ghost. Along with other film clips and steelhead media one of the highlights of the evening was Patagonia presenting a check for five thousand dollars to the Wild Steelhead Coalition.

Fly-fishing fanatic and Patagonia field report writer, Dylan Tomine, shares his experience at a recent steelhead-conservation fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana. 

Just back from the Bozeman Save Wild Steelhead Festival and thought I’d report in. I know what you’re thinking – I thought it too: What the heck is a steelhead event doing in Montana, of all places? A fundraiser for a species that doesn’t even live there, on a school night in November, during a severely spiraling economy? No way.

LINK (Via: The Cleanest Line)

Wild Steelhead Coalition is proud to have been a part of the Save Wild Steelhead Festival in Bozeman, Montana. Despite a tough economy, weeknight schedule and a geographic location that has never even seen a steelhead, the Bozeman angling, arts and conservation community turned out in droves to support the event created by the FlyBoys, Paul Tarantino and Josh Brandner.

LINK (Via: The Wild Steelhead Coalition)

The first ever Save Wild Steelhead Festival went off Nov. 5th 2008 with an overwhelming response from audience members, sponsors, and advocates. The overall consensus was that it was a huge success. Team Fly Boys with the help of presenting sponsors Patagonia and RL Winston organized a multimedia fundraising event to save wild steelhead. Fly Fishing community members came from all over to support the cause.

LINK (Via: Fly Boys)

Record Rooster Fish?

Estimated to be 120 pounds but the world will never know.

Captain Morgan who is holding the soon to be fish tacos is 6' 2" and tips the scales at 320.

LINK (Via: The LA Times)

My Life Was This Big: And Other True Fishing Tales

He maybe old, but at least he looks it.  Find Lefty's new book HERE.

My other car is a drift boat

A Chinese man spent 13 years building himself a car he can take fishing.

LINK  (Via: Annanova)

Giant Sea Run Char - Close enough!!!

Photo by:  Yngve Ask, Scanout HERE
Fish:  Sea Run Char
Location: Ekaluk River, See more HERE
Photo Mutilation: El Paskador

Wildfish Studios

Artwork and photography by M.V. Morejohn.  LINK

AEG Media launches the all new home of the Angling Exploration Group

The new site www.aegmedia.com features clips from all the AEG films, information regarding the 2009 Fly Fishing Film Tour and much more. You can also upload your own fly photos and videos, connect with other people on the AEG forum and watch clips from the last film tour. This years tour also features a four thousand dollar prize to the best film of the tour with the winner to be determined by audience voting online and at tour venues. LINK

Fly Fishing Around the Globe

Dan Cook who works for Rivers of Recovery fly fished his way around the globe. He covered 75,00 miles, caught 62 species of fish and drank 63 different beers. LINK

Dan's next adventure is to paddle the length of the Missouri from it's headwaters in Three Forks Montana to it's junction with the Mississippi and beyond. LINK (Via: The Adventure Blog)

Enter to win a Loop Evotec Reel or else this crazy Swede will come to your house

In less then 60 seconds you can enter HERE.

Photo: AEG Media  Loop rod, Argentinian Beer and Jurassic Lake "Not Included"

Photo:  K8   

Tested and approved by Rogue Angle K8, Alaskan Rainbow, Loop Rod and K8 are NOT include! 

Core Angling: Science and Fly Fishing Combined

Our colleagues Bill Kyn, Jason Lozano, Mike Thomson and Mark Harbaugh had a chance to spend some time fly fishing and conducting bonefish research with Dave Peterson and Andy Danylchuk of Core Angling. Operating in conjunction with the Cape Eleuthra institute, Core Angling offers a unique combination of world class fly fishing and groundbreaking research. LINK  (Via: The Cleanest Line)

Your chance to weigh in on Western Oregon Plan Revision

The Western Oregon Plan Revision is the BLM’s attempt to ramp up logging and dramatically reduce riparian protections on 2.6  million acres of land in the western part of the state managed by that agency. The timber industry asserted in a lawsuit that the Northwest Forest Plan cannot apply to Oregon BLM lands, most of which were acquired through the Oregon and California Railroad Act.  Instead of defending itself, the agency rolled over and scrapped the Northwest Forest Plan in favor of the WOPR.  MORE ON THIS AT OREGON FLY FISHING BLOG

EMAIL HERE

Dear Governor Kulongoski:

I am writing you as an angler to express my concern about the Western Oregon Plan Revision.  The BLM’s plan to reduce riparian reserves on fish bearing streams and eliminate the Aquatic Conservation Strategy is unacceptable.   The WOPR is certain to harm our already struggling populations of salmon and steelhead.

Resource production is an important use of public land; however, the BLM is also an important partner in restoring our salmon and steelhead populations.  As such it is critical that they follow the sound, scientifically based standards of the Northwest Forest Plan.  They have not. The BLM’s proposal does not do enough to protect or restore beleaguered salmon and steelhead populations.

Angling for salmon and steelhead occupies a special place in northwest culture and the fish must be protected.  Thank you for your consideration of my comments.

Sincerely,

(Your name here)

Turbaconducken

Just in time for the holiday!  A chicken stuffed in duck stuffed in a turkey, all wrapped in bacon.

Via: Bacon Today LINK

Kills Fish Dead

Farmers in Washington state and along the entire US west coast could face extensive new restrictions on three popular pesticides in the name of protecting salmon.

LINK  (Via: Forests.org)

Sunday Funnies - Slaw Dog Edition

Slaw dog porn!

Martha says size does matter.

Pink Freud says that slaw dog obsession stems from an emasculating mother figure.

Break your slaw dog dbsession with these healthy alternatives.

Take one hot dog, roll it in flattened burger meat, fry it, top it with cheese, chili, and a fried egg.

Why bother with slaw when you can top your dog with bacon, Velveeta, and lard?

By the Rivers of Babeylon

Via: Rogue Angels

I'm to sexy for my spey.

Jeong Park's website  LINK

A little Saturday morning Heavy Metal "Part 2"

Angler played by: "Trout Bum" Brian Jill, www.aegmedia.com
Film Project:  AEG Media "Metalhead"   
Steelhead played by: Himself
Photographed by:  Tim Pask scanout.com
Graphically mutilated by:  El Paskador
Place fished:  Yea right! 

A little Saturday morning Heavy Metal

Angler played by: Dylan Tomine
Steelhead played by: Himself
Photographed by:  Tim Pask scanout.com
Graphically mutilated by:  El Paskador
Place fished:  Yea right! 

Neolithic Fly-Fishing

Seppo Leinonen is a cartoonist and illustrator from Finland. LINK

To those of us who "Do it ourselves" STEELHEAD

Fellow fishermen we have less then 10 days to make a difference.

Many of you are aware of the new Angling Management Plan (AMP) for the Skeena River steelhead fishery.  Those of you that haven't heard of it need only to know that it ends the freedom of non-guided non-residents to fish when and where they want.  Several groups of anglers and businessmen have been fighting this plan, but until now they have been doing it independently.  Success in defeating the AMP depends on the ability of these groups to combine their voices and coordinate their efforts. 

There is now an on-line petition opposing the AMP that finally provides an opportunity for hundreds of anglers to send the same message.  It can be found HERE  or http://www.opposeskeenaamp.com/.  Signing the petition will cost nothing, take a few seconds, and could save the Skeena fishery that we all love. The more names on the petition, the greater the effect.  Pass this e-mail on.  Spread the word.  Every name counts.  Next year, we can all spread out and find our favorite stretch of steelhead water, but for now, we need to work together.  We can beat this thing.

There is lots more information HERE for those of you who want to get all the nasty details.

Thanks to Mike Hendry for spearheading this. 

Get the "sHELL" out!

THE POWER OF A PHONE CALL Two quick phone calls will help keep oil and gas development out of the Sacred Headwaters. Shell Canada wants to drill for coalbed methane in the Sacred Headwaters (Skeena, Nass & Stikine), but all the amazing work we’ve done together has kept them away for two years.

So now comes the fun part!

On Friday, HUNDREDS of people across BC, Alberta and the US will phone Gordon Campbell and Shell and let them know to keep CBM drilling out of our Sacred Headwaters FOREVER!

Join us! It’s as easy as making two quick phone calls. Just pick up the phone between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, November 21st and follow the instructions below.
With the amount of resistance shown to this development, Gordon Campbell and Shell will be forced to make the right decision.

Thanks for you all your support, and keep up the awesome work!

Two Important Phone Calls

The numbers are listed below – When you get through or reach an answering machine, you can read the following script, or leave your own message:

Hi my name is ________, and I’m calling about Shell’s plan to drill for coalbed methane in BC’s Sacred Headwaters.

I don’t think the oil and gas industry should be able to drill in special places like the Sacred Headwaters, which should be a legacy for all Canadians.

I encourage [Premier Campbell / Mr. Straub] to do the right thing and protect the Sacred Headwaters.

Thank you for passing this message along.

Brian Straub, President of Shell Canada: 403-691-3111
A receptionist will answer your call; ask to speak with Mr. Straub’s assistant.

BC Premier, Gordon Campbell: 250-387-1715
An assistant will likely answer your call.

More ways to help
Sacred Headwaters Online Action Centre HERE

Note:  This was brought to our attention by Shannon McPhail, who is one of only a few standing between Shell and the Sacred Headwaters.  Please spend 5 minutes to make the calls, as it DOES make a difference.

Sheath your noggin

Keep the dome toasty this steelhead season and take advantage of the RP chillproof sale through December 31st.  They're only 15 bones.  LINK

Free drawing for Loop Evotec Reels!!!

The Loop Army is coming.

In order to raise brand awareness Loop Tackle Design of Sweden, has put together a drawing for 2 Loop Evotec Reels.  It costs you nothing but a little time to enter.  You can find all the details drawing HERE

Oh did I say the drawing was FREE??????

Landlocked Atlantic

Not something we see every day on the West Coast - Landlocked Atlantic.  Sent to us by Jesse Lance Robbins of Solid Hookups.

Does my ass look fat in these waders?

Steve Apple pre Fishizzle.

Cold Steel

Some of the following images may not be suitable for those who fish in the lower 48.  Brought to us by our very own October SOTM winner - Nate Catterson.

Pebble ‘may not happen’ says CEO

While the BLM was opening up a million more acres in the Bristol Bay region to resource extraction, the Pebble Partnership CEO admits the Pebble Mine just might not be feasible.

"It is possible this project will not prove economically or otherwise feasible," John Shively told Professor Catherine Knott's Kenai Peninsula College class.

"And after 40 years in Alaska, I don't want to be the one they point to and say, 'I messed up Bristol Bay,'" he said.

LINK  (Via:The Homer Tribune)

Bush gives a parting gift to Bristol Bay, environmentalists and the incoming administration

The Bush administration continues its 11th hour fire sale of public lands by directing the Bureau of Land Mismanagement to open up one million acres of the Bristol Bay region to oil and gas development. This on top of last minute changes in the Endangered Species Act, new leases bordering national parks and a rule change eliminating one of the few rules regulating mountaintop mining. They are timing the implementation of the new regulations so as to make it extremely difficult for the new administration to roll them back. 

From the Anchorage Daily News:

Despite vigorous opposition, federal officials plan to open roughly 1 million acres near some of Alaska's richest salmon streams to mineral exploration and oil and gas leasing.

Large blocks of land in Southwest Alaska would be opened to development -- for the first time in more than 35 years -- in the same two river drainages as Pebble, the giant copper and gold prospect.

One of the drainages is the Kvichak River, which has the largest sockeye salmon run in the world. The other is the Nushagak River, the state's second-largest king salmon producer.

LINK

Tie One On

Beau Ties offers a couple of stylish fly themed neck wear options.

LINK

Guy Smiley

It's not often that both fish and angler are smiling together as shown here by Niall McCarthy on the Muskegeon.

All the joy of ice fishing - without the pesky ice part

From Pishtech, the brains behind Real World Fly Fishing, comes Ice Fishing Derby. Now anyone can enjoy the excitement and exhiliration of a day on the virtual ice. Fortunately the virtual bait shop sells virtual shanties and propane heaters to protect you from the virtual winter weather.  LINK

Holy Bulltrout Batman!

Submitted by Mike Kaptur

November Rains

A semi-coherant collection of ramblings,misdealings, and Tom Foolery experienced in pursuit of Great Lakes Steelhead. LINK

Chasing Silver

A new Scandinavian based fly fishing rag. LINK

Steel Dreams

A Steelhead 4-pack

While Rathbun was off on location in B.C. we took advantage of a break in the Pineapple Express to hit an OP trib with our old pal and Asheville native Lance Goodgion. Despite being a lifelong angler and Harker's Albie master, Lance had never fished for steelhead until our excursion last week.

Things did not look promising when we first arrived but the river was on the drop and we had our first steelhead to hand within 10 minutes. We went on to hook 7 or 8 more, landed four, including 2 for our rookie steelheader.

In between steelhead and Lance's 15 minute tussle with a fair hooked 20 plus pound King, we also landed a ton of beautiful Dollies

Nothing in the world quite like your first steelhead.