Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Zone 4 Magazine


The Spring Issue of Zone 4 Magazine arrived in my mailbox yesterday with an article by me! Zone 4 is an awesome magazine that features gardens and gardening info about Zone 4--my zone and a difficult one to grow in. Check it out if you're in the far north--there's some amazing stuff in there!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

All my wildest dreams have come true

I was scanning the blog roll this morning and saw the third issue of Ten and Two is out. I hadn't heard of it yet so I took a peek and it's a reincarnation of Fish and Fly--the best fishing magazine that's ever been printed! It'll be nice to give my issues of Fish and Fly a break since I've been re-reading them since the mag went out of print. I'm doubly excited about this issue which features the dirty south pretty heavily. I'm going redfishing in Texas in May and have a one track mind right now.

Anyhoo, it's awesome stuff and I definitely recommend taking a look.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

March Fly-tying Classes

Beginner Fly-tying
March 3 and March 29
$30 for both classes, includes materials
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Join Morgan Buckert, local fly-fishing guide, at The Loft in Hailey to learn the basics of fly-tying. She will start at the beginning and teach some standard patterns for fishing in the Wood River Valley. Please bring a vise, bobbin, whip finisher, and scissors if you have them. A 15% off coupon for fly-tying tools and materials at Sturtevants in Hailey and materials for the class are included in the class fee. Please call 788-5114 for more information or to register. Class size is limited.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Support Mia Sheppard and Casting for Recovery

Mia Sheppard will be supporting Casting for Recovery at this year's Spey-o-Rama. Held on April 17 in San Francisco, Mia will be kicking some ass and helping out a great cause. You can support her here. I hope to see her skills at work during the 2011 Sandy River Spey Clave.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Governor’s office chafes at treatment over bull trout, considers suing feds


By Jay Patrick
February 3rd, 2011

State is grandstanding on issue, says an environmental group

Gov. Butch Otter’s office is contemplating suing the federal government over its new designation of critical habitat for bull trout.

“It’s just this overarching, overbearing, overwhelming designation,” said Nate Fisher, administrator of the Governor’s Office of Species Conservation.

The critical habitat areas established last fall by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designates 8,772 stream miles and 170,218 acres of lakes and reservoirs in the state as critical habitat. The rule came following input from interests across the board, including the state. Fisher said the feds flat out ignored the state’s input.

“The final rule included everything possible, everything even remotely feasible. It was breathtaking in scope and it was alarming in its complete and utter dismissal of the state of Idaho,” Fisher said.

The federal government first set critical habitat in the early 2000s, following the listing of the bull trout on the endangered species list in 1998. Environmental groups sued the government back then, saying that areas designated were not extensive enough. Back and forth action since then led to the new designation last fall.

Water users fear the designation could result in new restrictions on irrigation, power generation, and new dam building, particularly in the Boise River Basin.

“This new designation simply could not be much worse for Idaho water,” said Norm Semanko, Idaho WaterUsers Association executive director, last fall in the Idaho Statesman. He could not be reached for this story.

“We feel that it (the designation) was arrived at by the use of sound science with ample opportunity for public agency and state feedback,” said Liz Paul, Boise River campaign coordinator with Idaho Rivers United. “Idaho Rivers United thinks that the state is doing a little grandstanding on this issue and is not exhibiting a full understanding of the role of critical habitat designation.”

Paul did commend Idaho Fish and Game Department for helping bull trout establish a “robust” population across the state since the 1990s.

Jonathan Oppenheimer, senior conservation associate with the Idaho Conservation League, said the federal designation was well thought out and that his organization doesn’t buy the dire economic consequences resulting from the designation predicted by water users (Semanko has said the designation could cost $1 billion.) 
”We question that doomsday scenario,” Oppenheimer said. “Really the designation of critical habitat raised the bar a little bit (but) we don’t really see a huge change.”

Fisher counters: “They really don’t see any more restrictions on land use. The concern that we have is that it opens the door to potential lawsuits.”

Fisher said a timeline has not been set on a decision to sue the feds in order to put the designation on hold and force reconsideration of the habitat designation.

Idaho Reporter

Monday, February 07, 2011

Something Fishy on Etsy



I put together a treasury of awesome fish stuff on Etsy last week. Check it out on Blood Knot.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

When it's too cold to fish...

It has been bitterly cold in Idaho for the past month. We started winter off with some awesome snow, but it's been so cold that we haven't had any snow in well over a month. It's even been so cold that the river has frozen over for days at a time. I've managed to go out twice since the new year and it was fantastic, but it's just too dang cold. Instead of fishing, I've been trying to build my Etsy site and finish some sewing orders. I've been wanting to try to make something out of waders and made myself a handbag a couple of weeks ago. The waders were surprisingly easy to sew and the bag looks fantastic, but looks horribly crooked in this photo for some reason.


I'm hoping for some more snow--both for the skiing and the fish--and some warmer temps so I can fish a little more. I guess it is winter in Idaho, though.

P.S. It's only about a month until steelhead season!

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

2011 Christmas List

I was scrolling This is Fly this morning and saw a super pimp reel with skull and crossbones. It looked like an Abel so I went to their website to check out what was going on besides the insanely expensive nippers that everyone's in a huff about. I didn't see the skull and crossbones, but I think I need everything else...

WOW! I want everything!


Flashlights!

Belt Buckles!

Derek De Young!

And Tribal Salmon, oh my!

On a much more reasonable note, it hasn't snowed here in over a month, but the backcountry skiing is still great on north facing slopes. Also, the midges have been insane even though it's been to cold to really have anything on the water. I hope they don't peter out before it gets warmer in March.

Also, I'm super stoked that the Lower Lost will be open in April and May! There will be insane spring fishing that we've never had before. I'm really looking forward to it--and steelhead season!