Aquatic Hitchhikers

I had lunch with a fisheries biologist recently. The main topic of conversation was aquatic hitchhikers. A big portion of the discussion was about felt soles on wading boots. I find myself in a fair number of these discussions now. The reason - there is a problem. Invasive species (Didymo, New Zealand Mudsnails, Whirling Disease and others) are spreading quite fast. How much is by fly fisherman and felt? It's complex. Even if you use rubber soled wading boots you can transport organisms (laces, gravel guards, boot linnings). With that said, it does appear as though felt can add a lot of disease transporting capability.The biologist explained the various gear soaking solutions, timelines and such required for safe disinfection. The practice of disinfection is routine for biologists but I suspect not for a large number of fisher folk. How close is this issue to you? Do you know the disinfection procedures? Do you practice gear disinfection?Let me know your thoughts on the issue of aquatic hitchhikers and felt.

Photo courtesy of Moldy Chum

Good luck bidders

1% For The Planet has created an online auction in an effort to have some fun, introduce member companies and the public to each other, fund growth and to help you get some holiday shopping out of the way while giving back to the planet.
One Percent for the Planet is a product of shared, deep appreciation and concern for the great outdoors. 1%FTP was founded by Yvon Chouinard of Patagaonia and Craig Matthews of Blue Ribbon Flies. Launched in 2002, 1%FTP is a non-profit organization that represents a large and ever growing community of businesses worldwide, who donate 1% of their annual sales to various non-profits worldwide, benefiting the natural environment. To date, their network consists of 767 member companies and over 1,500 environmental organizations.
Way Upstream encourages you to visit their auction page. You’ll find all the items, including some true rarities, a click away on the left hand side of their auction page in a categorized list. The auction is live through December 5th. Good luck bidders!

Selection

I helped organize a couple of Striper Dealer Camps in '05 and '06. These "camps" were attended by fly fishing retail store owners and staff. I was reviewing some of the images from the '06 Striper Camp folder and came across one that I digitally altered to look like a watercolor. I thought it was worth posting. I call it Selection.

Way Upstream
Copyright 2007

Keep the grit out

A while ago I posted a request for wader feedback that was widely commented on. Since then I've been working on the new wader development and have a specific area for the Way Upstream community to focus and comment on. This area is the gravel guard. I'm testing various fabrics, high filtration mesh and neoprene for this integrated feature. I'm testing various shapes and sizes. All seem to have strengths and potential weaknesses. What do you like, hate, wish for in gravel guards? Do you have a favorite? Do you like them integrated? Let me know your thoughts, comments or stories.

Photo by Mikey Wier

Havabbor på flue

The world’s first Norwegian sea bass DVD is scheduled to be released in December 2007. It's called Havabbor på flue (sea bass on a fly) by Scanout Productions. Runar Kabbe will share his experiences and tips that beginners on up to more seasoned fishermen around the world will find useful. When, where, and with what plus how does the sea bass take the fly are questions that this DVD answers. It's packed with tips, information, facts and Runar's infectious enthusiasm! Check out this 3 minute trailer.