Lessons learned fly fishing in Idaho have applications in life - Las Vegas Review-Journal (blog)

KETCHUM, Idaho

Lovers of Ernest Hemingway sojourn to the great writer’s grave here, and Amelia and I have been there a time or two during our annual visits to one of the West’s last best places.

Some folks leave hand-written paeans to the late literary lion. Others pour whiskey on his grave.

But that’s too heavy for us. We prefer sitting in the shade not far from the Ketchum Cemetery, chowing down on some positively heavenly hamburgers at Grumpy’s, where the scent of sizzling Angus beef surely stirs old Ernie’s restless spirit.

The playfully ornery sign greeting customers at Grumpy’s says, “Sorry we’re open,” but that dissuades no one from gorging on the grub served up at the venerable tavern. Next to fly fishing the waters of the EE-DA-HO Ranch with her friend and guide Big Pete DeBaun, my daughter’s favorite spot in all of Idaho might be lunch under an umbrella at Grumpy’s.

Although Ketchum is best- known these days as the town that plays host to skiers who flock to the Sun Valley resort for some of the best snow in the United States, fly fishermen make their pilgrimage to nearby Silver Creek and the Big Wood River in all seasons to catch and release a variety of trout. (Amelia is still trying to fully accept the whole catch-and-release thing. She appreciates the environmental argument, but some days she just wants to go home and pan-fry those fish.)

Hemingway, of course, was an avid outdoorsman, and you will occasionally hear visitors mention him with reverence. The Iconoclast, a truly fine independent bookstore, keeps plenty of his novels and short story collections on its shelves. But just as often you will hear the fly-fishing crowd quote from Norman Maclean’s great story “A River Runs Through It.” Although it never hurts to have a story made into a movie starring Brad Pitt, folks seem to especially like the end of the tale in which the narrator is “haunted by waters.”

The waters near Ketchum have become Amelia’s personal fly-fishing scrapbook thanks to Big Pete, who doesn’t so much catch trout as pluck them from the streams and lakes like notes in a symphony of motion.

In addition to guiding an eclectic and occasionally famous clientele, he devotes many hours to bringing the joy of fly fishing to our country’s wounded warriors. He also leads fly-fishing expeditions in Africa and elsewhere that help support the Mapolo Orphanage in Ndola, Zambia, (givehopeforlife.org). The down-to-earth guy is a larger-than-life hero to those children. And to my child, too.

When Amelia met Pete, the bond of friendship was instant and transcended a simple fishing lesson.

“Pete is more than a friend,” Amelia says. “He’s like a family member.”

One of the Silver Creek Outfitters guides featured in Mike McKenna’s great new book, “Angling Around Sun Valley,” DeBaun knows the waters of the Wood River Valley better than most. Not that you will get him to admit it.

As DeBaun says, “Fly fishing helps people become better people, better friends, better fathers, better humans.”

It’s not about the fish, you know. It’s about appreciating nature’s rhythm and time well- spent.

“The joy of fishing is when you keep it simple,” Big Pete says.

Although we sometimes must relearn the lesson, the same goes for life.

At the end of a long day, we are left with priceless snapshots. The sight of a rainbow rising to a well-placed fly, a flight of ducks lifting off the water, elk browsing in clearing, and of course the intoxicating taste of a hamburger from Grumpy’s: A river of grand memories runs through our time here. A day in the Wood River Valley is like gold in your pocket.

If we are haunted by anything in this last best place, it is only by the knowledge that a golden Ketchum summer cannot stay.

John L. Smith’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at jsmith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295.

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Two men found guilty of criminal elver fishing, sentenced to pay $4250 - Bangor Daily News

BELFAST, Maine — The smelts were just a red herring.

That was the determination of Judge Susan Sparaco Tuesday afternoon in Belfast District Court, after overseeing the criminal trial of two Hancock County fishermen who were charged with fishing for elvers without a license. The two men said they’d been fishing for smelts with their finely-meshed dip nets one night this April in the Goose River in Belfast, but Sparaco didn’t buy it.

“The story just does not stand up in my mind,” she said before finding the men guilty of all charges. “It really defies credibility that they would travel so far to go to a river not known for smelting.”

Ralph E. Fowler, Jr., 41, of Franklin, and Gregory A. Trundy, 49, of Hancock, may be the first in the state to face a criminal trial for charges related to fishing for the tiny, lucrative glass eels. Fishing for elvers without a license became a criminal offense on April 23, the same day that Matthew Talbot and Wesley Dean of the Maine Marine Patrol spotted Fowler and Trundy fishing with headlamps and dip nets in the Belfast river.

Sparaco sentenced the men to pay fines of $4,250 each but did not sentence them to any jail time. The class D crime of elver fishing without a license carries a mandatory $2,000 fine. Additionally, they were charged with fishing for elvers during a closed period, which also carries a mandatory $2,000 fine and elver fishing while standing in the water, for which they were fined $250 each.

Defense attorney Ferdinand Slater of Ellsworth said that his clients will appeal their convictions.

“They were fishing for smelts, not elvers,” he said after the trial concluded. “The evidence, in my opinion, doesn’t support a conviction of beyond reasonable doubt of fishing for elvers.”

Elvers, or juvenile American eels, recently have surged in value from roughly $100 per pound in 2009 to nearly $2,000 per pound in 2012. The prices generally remained above $1,500 per pound this spring, and have been tempting for many people who have no licenses but are willing to risk getting caught while taking part in the lucrative fishery. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has said that for conservation reasons there should be no more than 744 elver licenses issued statewide.

Fowler and Trundy told the court Tuesday that they were unaware of the price of elvers and instead were interested in bringing smelts home to cook for their families. The men, who had gone smelting before, said that they had purchased the dip nets at the Tideway Market in Hancock and then they headed to Belfast to go fishing. That night — a closed night for elver fishing — the men told the court they rinsed out a dirty plastic bucket from the back of their truck to store their catch and headed down to the tidal portion of the river with their nets.

“I didn’t need a license for smelting,” Fowler told the court while on the witness stand.

But Talbot and Dean, who were surveilling the river that evening, said that men’s behavior did not appear to be in line with smelt fishing. From the stakeout place a short distance away, Talbot told the judge he saw two men filling a bucket with water, passing a long-handled dip net through the water with shallow, sweeping motions and then emptying the net into the bucket. At one point, one of the men peered into the net, Talbot said, as if he was trying to see what he had caught.

“Smelts are larger. You would be able to see them,” he said. “People dip for elvers or set nets for them every year on Goose River. I’ve never seen anyone fishing for smelts there.”

The two marine patrollers drove and walked to the other side of the river to quietly confront the two fishermen. Talbot said he believed one of the men might have spotted him when he went up the bank to answer a cell phone call.

Talbot and Dean identified themselves and asked to see the bucket and the dip nets, but found that all were empty except for some sand fleas. They did not see the fishermen empty the bucket, but Talbot said that the nets were of finer mesh than smelt fishermen usually use.

“Both subjects denied harvesting elvers,” Dean said. “My impression is that they had a story and they were sticking to it.”

Fowler and Trundy told the court that they were uninterested in elvers, that they hadn’t dumped out the buckets and that they had caught smelts on the Belfast river a couple of nights before.

Eric Walker, Deputy District Attorney for Waldo County, said that the marine patrollers were more reliable witnesses than the two fishermen.

“I think both of these defendants have gone a long way to minimize what they were doing,” he said.

But Slater said that his clients were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“The officers wanted to see elver fishing and that’s what they saw,” he said.

After the trial concluded, Walker said he expects the state will be seeing a lot more elver-related trials in coming months because of the mandatory fines.

“What incentive does anyone have to not go to trial?” he asked.

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New Mexico fishing report - Carlsbad Current Argus

New Mexico Department of Game & Fish

Posted:   08/13/2013 08:33:25 AM MDT
This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

Recent catches

Bluewater Lake: Aug.5, Michelle Lord of Santa Fe caught several tiger musky in the 30 to 40-inch range.

Martin's muskyHopewell Lake: Aug.3, Julia Sisneros, age 5, caught a 16-inch rainbow trout. She was using worms.

Navajo Lake: Aug.3, John Portell of Farmington caught a 29-inch, 15-pound, 2-ounce blue catfish and a 27-inch, 12-pound, 4-ounce channel catfish. He was fishing in the back of La Jara Canyon and using cut bait.

Ute Lake: Aug.3, Tyler Decker of Amarillo caught and released a 4.94-pound smallmouth bass. He was using a swim jig.

If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing

experience, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week, include name, date, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.

class="TXBody">Southeast Bataan Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. One angler reported spending four hours here using bait and spinners with no success.

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 2.8 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake: Closed.

Bosque Redondo: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bottomless Lakes: Fishing was slow for all species. Check these lakes out during the winter trout stocking.

Brantley Lake: Anglers are to practice catch-and-release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

El Rito Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Green Meadow Lake: We had no reports form anglers this week.

Grindstone Reservoir: Trout fishing was fair to good using Pistol Petes, Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms.

Jal Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Lake Van: Fishing was slow to fair using chicken liver, homemade dough bait and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was slow for all species and fishing pressure was extremely light. Anglers are reminded that there is a 2-fish limit on channel catfish.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 108 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 10 cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using worms, salmon eggs and small copper John Barrs.

Santa Rosa Lake: The main boat ramp has reopened to No Wake boating. The water level came up significantly this past week and resulted in very murky water. Fishing slowed for all species but there were a few catfish caught by anglers using liver and shrimp.

Sumner Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Both boat ramps are now open.

Southwest

Bear Canyon: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was good using night crawlers, hot dogs and chicken liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Caballo Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using chicken liver, shrimp, hot dogs and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. One lane remained open at the main boat ramp.

Elephant Butte: The surface water temp ranged from the mid 70s to the low 80s. Fishing was good using shrimp, night crawlers and homemade dough bait for catfish. Eric Marta did well fishing the Three Sisters and Rock Canyon Marina areas. He caught several catfish in both places. His best baits were shrimp, liver and worms. White bass fishing was fair to good for anglers using white crank baits, white and chartreuse grubs, minnows and jerk baits. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow to fair using topwater lures, tubes, senkos and jerk baits. A few walleye were caught by anglers using crank baits and minnows. We had no reports on other species. The Monticello, Rock Canyon and Dam Site boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions.

Escondida Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 175 cfs and fishing was slow for all species.

Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Roberts: A project of improve the dam and spillway here is under way. The water level will be lowered about 10 feet and will remain low during construction which is expected to take about one year. During this time the boat ramp will be closed and shore line access may be limited. The portion of the lake around the dam and spillway will be closed until completion of the project.

Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Quemado Lake: Trout fishing was fair using worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, marshmallow salmon egg combinations and Pistol Petes. We had no reports on tiger musky.

Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday morning was 5.5 cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using liver, cut bait and night crawlers for catfish and carp. Above Elephant Butte, fishing was good using shrimp, hot dogs and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Northeast

Cabresto Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Charette Lakes: Due to low water levels only small boats are being launched here. Trout fishing was slow.

Cimarron River: Water flow near Cimarron on Monday was 18 cfs. Trout fishing the last day or two has been good for anglers using parachute adams, zebra midges, size 14 caddis and small stimulators. A few trout have also been taken on salmon eggs and worms. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was slow to fair using hoppers, worms and Power Bait.

Clayton Lake: Muddy, rising water slowed fishing but there were a few trout and catfish caught by anglers using worms. The lake level has risen several feet with all the recent rains and the boat ramp has reopened.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was fair to good using chicken liver, homemade dough bait and night crawlers for catfish. The best action was reported by anglers fishing at night. Fishing was fair using tubes, crank baits and jerk baits for smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair to good using crank baits, bottom-bouncer night crawler rigs and grubs for walleye. We had no reports on other species. The Cove and Central campgrounds and the steep boat ramp on the north side and the Corps ramp on the south side are now open.

Coyote Creek: Trout fishing was slow.

Eagle Rock Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing was fair to good trolling Panther Martins, Arnies, Z Rays and Super Dupers tipped with corn for a mixed bag of kokanee and rainbow trout and an occasional northern pike. Bank fishing was good using worms for perch and Power Bait for rainbow trout. Anglers fishing from the bank also caught a few northern pike. Boat launching conditions have improved with the extension of the boat ramp and increased rains in the area.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing was fair to good using worms, Power Bait and an assortment of dry flies for trout.

Lake Alice: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and Pistol Petes.

Lake Maloya: Trout fishing in the evening hours was very good for anglers fishing in the dam area and using elk hair caddis, parachute adams and Pistol Petes.

Los Pinos: Trout fishing was good using spinners, salmon eggs, prince nymphs and hoppers.

Manzano Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, hoppers and Pistol Petes.

Morphy Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout taken by anglers using worms and Power Bait.

Nutrias Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Pecos River: The following waters are closed to fishing: Pecos River from Cowles to the Village of Pecos, Cow Creek, Mora Creek, Holy Ghost Creek, Panchuela Creek, Winsor Creek, Jacks Creek, Cowles Ponds and Dalton Canyon area. There are several good fishing lakes and streams to explore that are outside the burn areas in the Pecos Wilderness. Check with the Pecos Ranger Station for more detailed information.

Red River: Water flow near the hatchery Monday was 60 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using San Juan worms, poundmeisters, night crawlers, Power Bait and salmon eggs. A good portion of the river was quite muddy due to recent rains.

Rio Costilla: Water flow below Costilla Dam was 18 cfs. Trout fishing was very good using elk hair caddis, stimulators and hoppers.

Rio Grande: Water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday was 228 cfs. Trout fishing was good using San Juan worms, hoppers, copper John Barrs, night crawlers and spinners. Fishing was fair to good using wooly buggers and night crawlers for smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez on Monday was 15 cfs. Trout fishing was good using poundmeisters, worms and salmon eggs.

Rio Pueblo: Water flow near Penasco was 2.9 cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using caddis, hoppers and small copper John Barrs.

Santa Barbara: Trout fishing was fair using bead-head prince nymphs and hoppers.

Shuree Ponds: Heavy moss has created poor fishing conditions on the ponds.

Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Storrie Lake: Fishing was fair using Power Bait and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Ute Lake: Fishing was good using stink bait and night crawlers for catfish. The best action was reported by anglers fishing the evening hours and fishing in the shallows. Fishing was fair using slab spoons for white bass. A few were also taken on crank baits. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was tough but there were a few caught by anglers using swim jigs, senkos, topwater lures and curly tail grubs. Fishing for walleye was slow. The surface water temp was in the upper 70s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Night fishing was fair to good using night crawlers and shrimp for catfish and a few walleye. Anglers working bottom bouncer night crawler and bottom bouncer Gulp worms did well catching walleye during the day. The key was to work slow and work depths of 8 to 15 feet. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair using topwater lures, senkos, tubes, salt craws and jerk baits. Most of the smallmouth bass caught were small. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the low to mid 70s.

Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday was 484 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing was fair using jerk baits, crank baits, spinners and spoons for tiger musky. Most of the musky caught were less than 30 inches in length. Fishing was good using hot dogs and shrimp for catfish. Fishing for trout was fair to good using Power Bait, worms and salmon eggs. An alternate ramp has been provided for boaters which is a bit deeper than the main boat ramp area. Anglers should be aware that it is illegal to use live minnows at this lake.

Brazos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Canjilon Lakes: Trout fishing was fair using Panther Martins, copper John Barrs, Pistol Petes and hoppers.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 261 cfs and 200 cfs respectively. Trout fishing below El Vado was fair to good using wooly buggers, hoppers, Power Bait, salmon eggs and night crawlers. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow but there were a few trout caught by anglers using night crawlers.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was fair using Gulp baits, night crawlers and stink bait for catfish. Fishing was fair using topwater lures, senkos and jerk baits for smallmouth bass. A few northern pike were caught by anglers using jerk baits and swim baits. Fishing for white bass was slow but a few were caught on crank baits and minnows. We had no reports on other species.

El Vado Lake: The water level remains quite low but there is still plenty of water for fishing and the boat ramp remains accessible. We had no reports from anglers again this week.

Fenton Lake: Fishing slowed considerably this past week and most likely will stay that way until the vegetation dies off in the fall.

Heron Lake: Kokanee fishing was slow for all species. The water level has been dropping about a foot and a half per week and the only boat ramp open is the primitive ramp in the Ridge Rock area. Boaters are advised to use caution.

Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Jemez Waters: Fishing on the Rio Guadalupe slowed this past week as locally heavy rains muddied the waters. Action should pick up again as waters clear. Fishing on the Cebolla below Fenton was slow all week. Action above the lake was good until the weekend when the bite turned off. Best action early in the week was for anglers using small caddis and parachute adams. The Jemez River was flowing heavy with ash and is expected to stay that way through the monsoon season. Fishing on the San Antonio and East Fork on the Valles Caldera has been tough under storm conditions as well but some nice fish have been caught on the not so wet days. Best flies have been small hopper imitations. For information on fishing the Valles Caldera visit vallescaldera.gov.

Laguna del Campo: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Farmington: Fishing was slow for all species.

Navajo Lake: Fishing was fair trolling Arnies, Panther Martins and Z Rays tipped with corn about three feet behind flashers for kokanee. Anglers reported taking fish at 4 to 7 colors or an estimated 20 to 35 feet. Fishing was fair using grubs, tubes, baby brush hogs, crank baits, topwater lures and jerk baits for smallmouth bass and an occasional largemouth bass. Most of the smallmouth bass caught were under the size limit. Fishing was slow to fair using perch colored crank baits, jerk baits and swim baits for northern pike. Night fishing was good using cut bait and stink bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the mid to high 70s.

San Gregorio: We had no reports from anglers this week.

San Juan: Water flow below Navajo on Monday was 807 cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was good using RS2s, wooly buggers, red and cream larva, small black and brown midge patterns and red sparkle worms. Fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using wooly buggers, jerk baits, salmon eggs and night crawlers.

Santa Cruz Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using Pistol Petes, Power Bait and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Trout fishing was good using Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and Power Bait.

Tingley Beach: Fishing was slow for all species.

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New Jersey Teen Bitten by Shark While Fishing on Vacation in Florida - NBC New York

NBC 4 New York

A teenager from New Jersey says he survived a shark attack while vacationing with his family in Florida. Gus Rosendale has the exclusive.

New Jersey Teenager Survives Shark Attack i...

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advertisement A New Jersey teenager is recovering after he was attacked by what he believes was a shark while he was fishing in Florida.

Christian Mercurio, a rising high school senior in Randolph, N.J., was fishing in waist-high water off the coast in Sanibel, Fla., a week ago when his legs and feet were suddenly seized underwater.

"It felt like my feet were crushed by cement," he told NBC 4 New York.

He began screaming for help, and his mother, thinking he was joking around, told him to stop. 

"My mom was like, 'Don't yell 'shark.' You will cause a panic,'" Mercurio said.

But his mother, Lisa Mercurio, flew into action when she realized what was happening to her son. 

"We sat him down, elevated his legs," said his mother, who is a registered nurse "Luckily, people started throwing us beach towels." 

Florida investigators think it was a 6- to 8-foot-long bull shark that went after Christian. The teeth missed major arteries, but they pierced his leg and left a wound on his foot. 

Christian thinks the shark became more aggressive as he tried to escape.

The Mercurios say they will go back in the water despite the ordeal, and all of them are grateful the run-in with the shark was a survivor story.

"It's still surreal," said Lisa Mercurio. "Definitely still shocked. He spent the week watching 'Shark Week.' I spent the week with nightmares." 

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Strait of Juan de Fuca salmon fishing good for pinks and coho, but just OK for ... - The Seattle Times (blog)

Salmon fishing along the Strait of Juan de Fuca is good one day and somewhat slower the next, but in general fish continue to migrate through from Sekiu to Port Angeles.

“Things were kind of hit and miss, and the chinook numbers are just so-so,” said Larry Bennett, the head state Fish and Wildlife fish checker in the Strait.

“The pink and coho numbers have picked up at Sekiu this past weekend, and they’re the biggest thing going on right now,’ he said. “Many are now starting to venture offshore looking for pinks and silver so that is why we’ve seen an increase in their numbers.”

Bennett says on the chinook end the catch average is less than a fish per boat.

A check at Olson’s Resort in Sekiu showed 83 boats with 256 anglers Sunday caught 30 chinook, 59 coho and 201 pinks. At Van Riper’s Resort in Sekiu, 32 boats with 81 anglers Sunday caught 10 chinook, 11 coho, 38 pinks and one sockeye.

At Ediz Hook ramp in Port Angeles, 39 boats with 79 anglers Sunday caught 20 chinook, two coho and 104 pinks.

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State Fish and Wildlife Columbia River regional fishing reports - The Seattle Times (blog)

Salmon/Steelhead

Cowlitz River – Bank anglers at the barrier dam are still catching mini-jack spring Chinook while anglers near the Trout Hatchery are catching some steelhead.

Last week Tacoma Power recovered 355 summer-run steelhead, 131 spring Chinook adults, 23 jacks, 280 mini-jacks, one fall Chinook jack, one chum salmon, one sockeye salmon and nine cutthroat trout during five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.

During the past week Tacoma Power employees released 127 spring Chinook adults, 22 jacks and one fall Chinook jack into the Cispus River above the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek, 150 spring Chinook mini-jacks into Riffe Lake at Mossyrock Park, and recycled 59 summer-run steelhead, one chum and one cutthroat trout downstream to the I-5 boat launch.

River flows at Mayfield Dam are approximately 2,630 cubic feet per second on Monday, August 12. Water visibility is 14 feet.

Wind River – Boat anglers are catching some steelhead.

Drano Lake – Boat anglers are catching steelhead and some fall Chinook.  Just under 40% of the steelhead caught were hatchery fish.

Buoy 10 – Fishing for Chinook is improving with nearly a fish per boat average at times.  Coho catches remain light.

Daily sampling summaries can be found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/buoy10/.

Lower Columbia mainstem below Bonneville Dam – Last week we sampled 3,171 salmonid anglers (including 542 boats) with 90 adult and 11 fall Chinook and 961 steelhead but no coho or sockeye.   449 (47%) of the steelhead were kept; 511 wild fish were found in the unexpanded sample.

In addition, 88 (98%) of the adult fall Chinook were kept.

A total of 534 boats and just over 700 bank anglers were counted during last Saturday’s effort flight count.  Over 80% of the bank effort was found on the Washington shore while just over 100 boats were observed at the mouth of the Cowlitz.

Bonneville and The Dalles pools – Anglers are catching steelhead but the majority of the fish were wild and had to be released.

Hanford Reach – WDFW staff conducted the first creel survey of the Hanford Reach fall Chinook fishery on Friday, August 9.  Staff interviewed 11 boats (22 anglers) and 4 bank anglers that kept  3 adult Chinook and 1 jack and released 2 jacks.  For the week of August 5-11, an estimated 33 adult Chinook and 11 jacks were harvested.

Sturgeon

Lower Columbia mainstem from the Marker 82 line downstream – We sampled 10 sturgeon anglers (including 3 boats) from the Longview to Kalama area with 14 legals released.

The Dalles Pool – Boat and bank anglers caught some legals.  Through July, an estimated 102 (34%) of the 300 fish guideline had been taken.

Walleye and Bass

Lower Columbia below Bonneville Dam – We sampled 3 walleye boats/5 anglers in the Camas/Washougal area with 2 fish kept and 12 released.

The Dalles Pool – The few bass boats sampled averaged over 10 fish kept/released per rod while it was much slower for the walleye boats.

Trout

The new Statewide High Lake Stocking Report can be found at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01489/2013_high_lake_stocking_statewide.pdf

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Beyond Books: Libraries Lend Fishing Poles, Pans And People - NPR

At a Human Library event at the Santa Monica Public Library, a police detective "book" talks to two "readers." Human Library events and projects, which are held at libraries across the country, allow participants to "check out" volunteers and have conversations about their life experiences.

Annie Wyndham Solomon (Wynsolo Photography)/Santa Monica Public Library At a Human Library event at the Santa Monica Public Library, a police detective "book" talks to two "readers." Human Library events and projects, which are held at libraries across the country, allow participants to "check out" volunteers and have conversations about their life experiences.

Annie Wyndham Solomon (Wynsolo Photography)/Santa Monica Public Library

What's the point of a library in the digital age? It's a question that makes librarians bristle. They are quick to remind you that they are not just repositories for printed books and DVDs. Regular patrons know this, but public libraries want to reach beyond the faithful. To that end, many librarians are finding creative ways to get people through the doors despite their limited resources.

Take the Honeoye Public Library near Rochester, N.Y. It's one of a handful of branches in New York that lends out fishing poles — yes, those things you use in the great outdoors, far away from bookshelves. Wendy Krause, the library's director, says the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provides the library with eight poles, and the local Fish and Game Club gave funding for tackle boxes. "When a customer takes out a fishing pole, they get a little tackle box with some backup hooks, and sinkers and that kind of thing," says Krause. For bait, she recommends the gas station across the street.

So how do fishing poles fit a public library's mission? Krause says its job is to inform and enlighten, but also to connect its patrons with the community. The Honeoye Library is in the Finger Lakes region, where you can fish year-round, so this is a way for the library to speak directly to the people they serve, where they're serving them.

Other libraries try to bring people in simply by offering things they might need around the house, like toys, pots and pans, tools — and even humans.

"There are people in the community who say, 'I'm an expert at electronics or plumbing. So put me in the catalog,' " says Barbara Stripling, president of the American Library Association. She says locals tell libraries, " 'If somebody has a question that I can help answer, they can check me out.' "

Libraries that are loaning out people often refer to them as "human books." Sometimes they even leave off the word "human," and give them catalog numbers.

These human books can go beyond the practical and into the realm of world peace — well, at least neighborhood peace. The Human Library: What's Your Prejudice? is an international program that encourages dialogue between people of different backgrounds and beliefs. "Public librarians have contact with all walks of life," says Amy Greer, who coordinated a Human Library event at the Providence Community Library in Rhode Island. "So we created an application, and we approached people we see every day."

They came up with a collection of 40 human books. Among the stories, says Greer, "Refugee ... woman with a face deformity ... ex-felon." Over 200 people browsed the catalog and checked out books. "Then they would go and sit down with that person for 20 minutes for a one-on-one conversation ... They could renew one time if they wanted, so it could become a 40-minute conversation. And they would just have a dialogue," says Greer.

The Human Library, she says, is just a different way for library patrons to have what could be a transformative experience. Instead of reading stories, they're hearing them from people in their community, firsthand, face to face. The Providence Community Library is planning another Human Library event next year. If it goes as well as the first one, Greer says they'll consider loaning out humans on a regular basis.

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Fishing for competition: Pueblo West offers state's only angling team - Denver Post

Print   Email   Font ResizeOutdoorsBy Scott Willoughby
The Denver PostPosted:   08/14/2013 12:01:00 AM MDTUpdated:   08/14/2013 01:19:52 AM MDT
David Salay, an incoming junior at Pueblo West High School, checks the readings on a fish finder at Lake Pueblo. Salay says the team "far exceeded my expectations," and he plans to continue fishing after high school. (Jerry Neal, The Denver Post)

PUEBLO — Kids used to ditch school to go fishing. At Pueblo West High School, it's the other way around.

The first and only Colorado high school to offer a fishing team sanctioned by the Student Angler Federation (SAF) is giving kids a reason to come to class. And, for about 20 students participating in the school's Cyclone Anglers club, learning how to land a big bass ranks right up there with earning a varsity letter for football, basketball or baseball.

"Fishing and the outdoors is kind of my thing," said club president Matt Mason, a senior who won the inaugural Colorado state championship in 2011 along with teammate Cody Crump. "I used to play football and baseball, but they never caught my interest as much as fishing did. I like it because it's something different."

In an era when concern over the so-called "nature deficit disorder" runs rampant, Mason's shared experience with the Cyclone Anglers bucks the trend. While other kids his age are mindlessly surfing the Internet, cruising the mall or sweating through layers of Under Armour in preparation for the big game, Mason and his pals are out on nearby Pueblo Reservoir, searching for signs of bass, walleye and other game fish as they hone the techniques they hope will give them a leg up on their competition come tournament time.

"Some people claim it's all luck, but I think there's more skill than people give it credit," Mason said. "I think of it like a game of chess — you try to make the right move and hope it works out. Any cast could be the fish of a lifetime."

Luck was on Mason's side in 2009 when foreign language teacher Steve Spock began sponsoring the Cyclone Anglers club in response to student demand. By 2011, Pueblo West had become a member of the SAF, an offshoot of the long-established Bass Federation, which enabled the Cyclones to participate in tournaments and lay claim to the state championship title. Crump and Mason topped two-man teams from New Mexico, Arizona and unaffiliated schools from Colorado.

For Mason, finding the club not only eased the challenging transition from middle school to high school, it set the wheels in motion for a career as a wildlife biologist with the ambition of applying his skills at Colorado Parks and Wildlife after college.

"It was so exciting to me because I love to fish," Mason said. "Knowing that there's something I can do to better my skills and learn more, that makes going to school that much better. And it's not just about fishing. It's about camaraderie. You make friends."

Outside of Colorado, competitive fishing is growing as a high school sport. Kentucky, Illinois and New Hampshire all have sanctioned bass fishing as a varsity sport. Similar efforts are underway in South Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas and Alabama. But the lack of involvement from other schools in Colorado has left the Cyclone Anglers longing for competition.

"It's a little disappointing. We're not the biggest school in the state, yet we can do something like this. There are so many bigger schools and so many resources out there," Spock said. "Hopefully, one day, some of these other schools will get on board."

Spock and his wife, Amy, both dedicate personal time and money to keep the Cyclone Anglers afloat (in their own boats). The rewards, they say, are well worth it.

"It's an extension of teaching in the classroom. I enjoy the young people and helping them grow and develop and learn. It's just something else to get them excited that's not traditional academics or athletics," Spock said. "If they aren't into the athletics, yet they still like being outside, they have a place where they feel like they are still part of the high school experience."

Spock, a Pueblo native and lifelong outdoorsman, has seen his team grow by about five or six students a year, some who had never before fished or done anything in the outdoors.

Club members such as Pueblo West junior David Salay say the experience has been mutually beneficial.

"It's far exceeded my expectations. There's a whole lot more to it than just going out to a lake and going fishing," Salay said. "I plan on sticking with the club for the next two years and keep fishing after high school."

Fortunately for Salay, Mason and the rest of the Cyclone Anglers, Spock said the club won't be going away.

"If we could make fishing a sanctioned sport in Colorado, it would just give those students that are involved with us now as well as those who would like to get involved just that much more reason to participate," Spock said. "Even if it does not become a recognized sport by the state, we'll continue to go. As long as I've got students that want to go, I'll take them out."

Scott Willoughby: 303-954-1993, swilloughby@denverpost.com or twitter.com/willoughbydp

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Fly Fishing Documentary 'Kiss The Water' Hooks Fortissimo - Variety

HONG KONG – Documentary, “Kiss The Water” by Eric Steel has landed a sales agent in Hong Kong- and Amsterdam-based Fortissimo Films.

“Water” documents the life of Scottish woman Megan Boyd, whose lifetime work is tying artificial flies for salmon fishing. She invests each fly with metaphor and meaning.

The picture premiered in Tribeca in April and subsequently played at the Edinburgh Int’l Festival.

Steel is a former executive turned film-maker with previous jobs at Walt Disney Pictures, Cinecom and Scott Rudin Productions and producing credits that include “Angela’s Ashes” and the Nora Ephron-directed “Julie and Julia.”

Fortissimo previously handled Steel’s “The Bridge,” a divisive documentary about the people who commit suicide by leaping from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

“With dazzling photography and evocative imagery and wonderful hand-painted animation [Steel]reveals the emotional depths and truly universal metaphors of the world of fly fishing,” said Winnie Lau, Fortissimo’s executive VP, sales and acquisitions.

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