Dispatches from the Middle River » Fishing

Headed to IFTD

Tom Sadler — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:31:25 +0000

Dispatches is going mobile to Denver bright and early tomorrow. First the AFFTA board meeting on Wednesday, then the IFTD Show Thurs thru Saturday.

If you want to stay up to date on the show, “like” the IFTD Facebook page and follow IFTD on Twitter.

I will also try and log in a few posts from the show as well.

Stay tuned!

GoFISHn interview with NOAA big fish, Eric Schwaab

Tom Sadler — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:07:33 +0000

Ned Desmond from GoFISHn.com has posted his three part interview with Eric Schwaab, NOAA’s assistant administrator for fisheries. I wrote about Eric when he was appointed and as you will see in Desmond’s interview Schwaab is a not only a thoughtful leader but a vocal champion of recreational fishing.

Desmond and Schwaab discuss many the pressing issues of concern to saltwater recreational anglers. It is a comprehensive look at the work NOAA is doing and what it means for recreational fishing.

Here is a list of the topics they discuss:

Fishery closures
Stock assessment data and budgets
Better management practices
Re-authorization of Magnuson-Stevens Act
Possible revisions to the act
Economic impact of closures
Why did NMFS fall behind in stock assessments?
More on budgets for stock assessments
Meeting with Senator Schumer and angler constituents in New York
NOAA enforcement review and the Inspector General’s Reports
Oceans Policy Taskforce
NOAA’s legacy

Fly-golf Tenkara style

Tom Sadler — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:16:32 +0000

If you are a fly-fisher and golfer and interested in tenkara this post from the Adiopose Fin blog is a must read!!!

It is a tribute to adaptation and innovation and adds fly-golf to the fishing lexicon. I won’t spoil it for you, make the jump and enjoy.

A hat tip to The Trout Underground‘s twitter feed for for pointing it out: @tcunderground: Finally, a use for golf courses

AFFTA board election results

Tom Sadler — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:12:38 +0000

As board member of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association it is my pleasure to report on the results of the recent election. There were 28 applicants for nine board seats. Making it the most competitive election in AFFTA’s history.

AFFTA strives to be sure all segments of the fly-fishing industry are represented on the board. Our by-laws require two members from each industry category must be appointed to the board prior to filling at-large seats.

For this election, in order to maintain industry diversity, four of the nine available board positions needed to be filled first. Then the the five remaining seats could be filled.

Here is the breakdown of the election results:
Representatives (1 required)
Scott Harkins – San Miguel Mountain & River Products

Media/PR&MKT/Associations/Government/Educational (1 required)
Kate Fox – Casting for Recovery

Retailer (2 required)
Pat Pendergast – The Fly Shop, Inc.
Dustin Carlson – Fishwest

At Large Seats (5 required)
Jeff Wieringa – Scientific Anglers
David Heller – Ross Reels USA / Ross Worldwide Outdoors
Larry Barrett – Far Bank Enterprises
Riley Cotter – Umpqua Feather Merchants
Mike Gawtry – LL Bean

As the AFFTA announcement noted, “It is worth mentioning that more than 50% of AFFTA members participated in this year’s election. This is an incredible turnout for any election and a clear demonstration that the association is more active than ever as we reinvent the fly fishing trade during these challenging economic times.

We are excited about the future and look forward to kicking off the year with everyone at the new International Fly Tackle Dealer Show this coming month!”

To become an AFFTA member of you can download an application HERE or get more info HERE.

Catch and release, catch and eat or quit fishing?

Tom Sadler — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:58:25 +0000

There is a very provocative and thoughtful discussion on fishing ethics, Catching, but Not Releasing in the New York Times’ Room for Debate. It well worth the read.

Here are the topics and authors.

Purity and Predation by James Babb, Gray’s Sporting Journal

Drive a Prius, Eat a Fish by Chris Hunt, Trout Unlimited

An Invasive Species or a Steelhead Run? by Cathy Beck, fishing guide, Frontiers International

The Shifting Moral High Ground by Dylan Tomine, fisherman and writer

Causing Pain for Our Pleasure by Lynne Sneddon, fish biologist, University of Liverpool, and

Feeling Little Pain by James Rose, zoologist, University of Wyoming

The comments are lengthy on these posts but if the topic intrigues you then the comments offer more grist for that particular mill.
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“Where wild trout rise willingly to false promises.”

Tom Sadler — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:31:41 +0000

One of my favorite writers, Chris Hunt, often captures the true essence of fishing, in his recent post High Country (below) he outdid himself. I always enjoy his writing as I do our all to infrequent conversations. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Where will I fish today?

Upstream, where hard-bodied trout swim in tight water chilled by perpetual winter. Where wildflowers push the snow away, shine briefly and then retreat. Where spruces pierce the sky defiantly. Where I can cast … alone.

At the river’s head, where water can’t wait to run off the mountain, life takes advantage of its few short weeks free from winter’s cloak. It pulses. It revels in sunshine, soaking it in, for it has to last a long, long time. Bumblebees work tirelessly from flower to flower. Voles and chipmunks furiously gather stores to prepare for the season from which they just barely escaped. Wild trout rise willingly to false promises.

Some say they’re easily fooled. Others dare not waste a cast on something they see as diminutive… not worth the effort they invested crafting a fly meant for something larger, something that looks better in megapixels. I disagree.

“Where wild trout rise willingly to false promises.”

Touching their life force reinforces my own. Fooling them with concoctions crafted in a winter-shrouded basement while they fin, nearly dormant, in water covered in months of snow and ice is an effort to touch Heaven while remaining on earth. It’s a religion. It requires faith.

It’s why, during winter’s grip, I glance often from the valley floor at the high country. I wait for the snows to retreat, for the green shoots of wild iris and columbine to shoulder through the moist, black soil. I wait for the water to clear and the mosquitos to emerge hungrily.

Then I become a temporary visitor. A tourist toting a stick and the simple desire to be part of this place. Just for a bit.

Upstream. That’s where I’ll fish today.

Thanks Chris, hope we fish the high country together soon.

Along the Ocean (Policy Task Force) Front

Tom Sadler — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:07:50 +0000

If you are a saltwater angler you probably recall some of the hue and cry surrounding the Obama administration’s Ocean Policy Task Force. This task force was purported to being writing the regulations that would, among other things, close the oceans to sport fishing. The final report from the task force was released recently and for the most part it was well received as good news for recreational anglers as noted here on GoFISHn.com

I added my two cents to the discussion on GoFISHn.com here.

Bottom line. The report is a step forward and an opportunity to work with the new National Ocean Commission to make sure national ocean policy recognizes the important contribution recreational fishing makes both socially and economically.

Tenkara in the Ozarks

Tom Sadler — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:27:18 +0000

As a tenkara fan, I keep my eye’s peeled for posts, tweets, updates etc on anything related to tenkara style fly-fishing. Brian Wise‘s post at Fly Fishing the Ozarks quickly caught my eye. It is a great post on the “feel” you get when you use a tenkara rod for nymphing. He also points out how using a tenkara rod is a lot less tiring.

Take it away Brian > Tenkara meets Southern Missouri….and France?

AFFTA Board election draws a crowd

Tom Sadler — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:26:57 +0000

This is really impressive. Twenty-eight people have thrown their fishing hats into the proverbial ring for the nine seats available on the American Fly Fishing Trade Associations board.

As a board member this is a really exciting time. After some of the kicking around that AFFTA has gotten, deserved or not, the fact that so many people wanted to be part of the solution is wonderful. With so many folks stepping up to not just be a member but be a part of the leadership of AFFTA shows that folks care about having a strong trade association.

If you are not a member of AFFTA you can’t vote so now might be a good time to join. AFFTA is changing and you should be a part of it.

You can find Membership benefits info here.

Join today!

The candidates are listed below with links to the information they sent in to AFFTA.

Eric Anderson, Owner - Bighorn River Fly Fisher

Larry Barrett, Director Operations and Technology - Farbank

Crispin Battles, Editor/Art Director - Fly Fish America

Andrew Bennett, President - Deneki Outdoors

John Bleh, Owner - Strategic Outdoor Marketing

Dustin Carlson, Owner - Fishwest

Bruce Chard, Owner & CEO - Captain Bruce Chard Fishing Charters

Riley Cotter, International Sales Manager - Umpqua Feather Merchants

Jerry Darkes, Owner – Angling Consulting Services, Inc

Charles Dohs, President & Co-Founder - Fishhound.com

Jon Fisher, Managing Member - Urban Angler

Katheryn Fox, National Program Director - Casting for Recovery

Mike Gawtry, Product Line Manager Fishing/Hunting - LL Bean

Ali Gentry, Owner & CEO - El Pescador Lodge

Scott Harkins, Owner - San Miguel Mnt. & River Products

Chris Hart, Owner – Sundown River Products, Inc.

David S. Heller, President & Co-Owner - Ross Reels USA/Ross Worldwide Outdoors

Jim Murphy, President - Hardy North America

Al Noraker, Designer, Senior Merchandise Manager - Wright McGill

David Olson, Managing Partner - The Fly Shop of Miami

Clint Packo, Owner - Freestone Aquatics

Pat Pendergast, Director of International Travel - The Fly Shop Inc.

John Pinto, Owner - B&C Manufacturing & Import

Curt Schlesinger, President - Trout & Grouse

Kevin Sousa, CEO - March Brown Limited

Guy Tillotson, Owner – Grand Slam Group

Jeff Wieringa, Business Development Manager - Scientific Anglers

Dusty Wissmath, Director - Dusty Wissmath’s Fly Fish School/Guide Service

Rick Bach, Tenkara and the EBTJV

Tom Sadler — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:50:53 +0000

When I got a note from Rick Bach asking about trout fishing in Maryland I wrote back saying I was not much on Maryland but would be happy to take him to the mountains in Virginia to fish for brook trout with a tenkara rod. Rick being an adventurous young man, after all he is fishing his way across the country and blogging about it for OutdoorLife.com this summer, took me up on it. We had a ball, Rick picked up tenkara style fishing right away. He moved through the casting and fishing options with ease going to a two fly rig and sling shot cast and landing a nice fat brookie in a tricky spot at the end of the day.

You can see his gallery and commentary from his adventures in DC, the Chesapeake Bay and the Rapidan. I really appreciate Rick giving a shout out to the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture!

Photos from our trip on the Rapidan start at number 15