The Myth of Order

Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett is public radio's Peabody Award-winning conversation about religion, meaning, ethics and ideas. Speaking of Faith has launched a program called Fishing with Mystery which caught my eye and ear as something that the Way Upstream community might be interested in, mainly because James Prosek was interviewed for one of the installments. In Fishing with Mystery, Speaking of Faith explores the sense of meaning and ritual James Prosek has developed along the way, including his concern with how we humans limit our sense of other creatures by the names we give them. Listeners will also hear the words of Henry David Thoreau, Bruce Chatwin, and Izaak Walton. Fishing with Mystery is on more than 200 public radio stations nationwide running through Wednesday, September 3. It will also be featured online at speakingoffaith.org where you can download and podcast the program. Check out this James Prosek 5 minute narrated slideshow - SoundSeen: The Myth of Order.

Images courtesy of James Prosek

Patagonia Sin Represas

Two of Chile's most powerful and pristine rivers, the Baker and Pascua Rivers are in danger of being damed. Pristine wilderness is threatened by this 5 dam proposal called HidroAysén that has tentacles all over the world--including huge US companies like Home Depot. This powerful company buys wood products from two Chilean companies that are deeply involved in plans for dams and transmission lines that would destroy Patagonian rivers, forests and communities. Electricity from these dams would be sent thousands of kilometers north to serve Chile’s biggest cities and its mammoth copper industry. The transmission lines for that electricity would require one of the world's longest clearcuts--much of it through untouched temperate rainforests of a type found nowhere else on the planet outside Patagonia. International Rivers wants the world to know Patagonia’s rivers—and to keep them wild—unlike the huge companies that want to dam them. The Chilean people need your help. One way to help would be to send a letter to Home Depot expressing your concern. Another way to take action is by becoming a fan of International Rivers on Facebook and then telling your friends. Visit the International Rivers website to learn more. You can also visit Moldy Chum for additional detail on this topic and region.

Photos courtesy of International Rivers and Gary Hughes

Coyote Crab (claw variation)

I posted the Coyote Crab back in July. Testing on the pattern has been very good. It's durable, casts well and fish pick it up. I've been very intrigued by a pattern variation though that I wanted to share. It's the claw variation that you see here. I'm not big on complicated flies nor am I interested in photo realistic flies but this pattern has produced. We'll see how it goes over a longer period of time. So far so good. Stay tuned for another pattern that I'm working on for kix - the Fox Lobster.

Photos by El Pescador

Coyote Crab (claw construction)

Click on the photos for tying details.







Way Upstream 2008

Sweet Home California

In Spring of 2007, Mikey Wier (BURL Productions) teamed up with Trout Unlimited California to produce a college outreach video in hopes of helping spread TU’s message to the younger generation and future voters. When Dave Lass (Northern California Field Coordinator and public lands specialist for TU in the state of California) asked him to do the video for them, he jumped at the opportunity. Check out the 9 minute result which reveals Mikey's film talents and some of the special trout qualities of California. I encourage those interested in this topic to visit Mikey's blog Burl Fish for more detail on this post.



Contribution By Mikey Wier in association with TU and Way Upstream 2008

Shelled Insulator Pants

Shelled Insulator Pants were partly inspired by late-season steelheading in northern B.C., where stretching the season often means chopping through river ice, this is the shelled, weather-resistant and warmer version of our toasty Insulator Pants. Long sessions in wet, cold conditions? Perfect. They are also perfect for sledding, shoveling, stacking wood and more (like for post surf and kite boarding sessions). Warm, low-bulk Regulator® R1® fleece (98% polyester that’s 62% recycled/2% spandex) and a soft-but-tough 3-ply Supplex® nylon shell with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish team up to keep you warm under waders. Features include an elasticized waist with drawcord, two lined front pockets, a zippered horizontal rear pocket and gusseted cuffs with a hook-and-loop adjustment. The R1® fleece lining is partially attached at the waist, inseam and outseam to stabilize it.

Shell: 3-ply, 3.8-oz 70-denier Supplex nylon with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish.

R1® Insulation: 6.5-oz Polartec® Power Dry® 98% polyester (62% recycled), 2% spandex single-sided, grid texture fleece

Top photo by Brian Jill - The AEG crew finds shelter from the storm in a partially enclosed horse stable somewhere in Mongolia.

Small Bird

Small Bird

I caught a bird
in my fishing line.

He screamed purple and red.
I clipped the hook
as I tried to free him
without damaging
his warm-as-a-boiled-egg body.

Fingers aflutter
I grabbed at pieces
of line
here and there.

At last
it began to loosen
and I pulled him
through its convoluted loops
as through a tunnel.

He stood on my hand
for a moment,
then leaped to freedom.

I started to the house as
he fell toward the water,
sucked in by a blue wave
and a large pair of fins.

In seconds it was as if
he had never existed.

Small Bird poem by Alan Harawitz
Original Small bird photo by Tim Borski
Small Bird image by El Pescador

The Search - Tahiti

Gin-Clear Media produces high quality fly fishing media products for the global market. They specialize in global destination DVD's and books that offer adventure, humor and strong stories. They also run the Rise - Fly Fishing Film Festival, the largest single fly fishing event in the Southern Hemisphere. Check out this four and a half minute trailer from their recently released film called The Search - Tahiti.