Ok... I'll Be The One To Say It...

Okay.... as a precursor.... I will warn you that I am grumpy today. That being said, this is something that has bugged me for a long time. There are some things in the world that I just can't get past, and the "Michigan Mitt" is one of those things.

Almost everyone in the trout community is moving away from abrasive mesh nets for more "fish-friendly" options like rubber netting. This not only helps fishermen keep their hooks out of the net, but also dramatically improves fish mortality. Mesh netting pulls off the protective slime that covers our beloved trout and protects them from bacteria and infection.

So leave it to the rednecks of the world to use that same destructive mesh netting to create a mitt so they can grind on the tails of fish with it. It's ridiculous and about time we start ridiculing the people that use them. Furthermore, it is even more obnoxious when I see people using them on 10 inch fish. Those fish shouldn't even leave the water.

Exhibit A 

Don't be this guy.... you look like an idiot....

Rant concluded

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Anatomy of a Sip II

Photography By: Ben Sittig

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kewl...

12 Months of Awesomeness: May

Yo dewds. So this month's act of awesomeness is something I always wanted to do, but never had the gusto to actually "pull the trigger" on.

I have never owned a firearm.

Now, I had plenty of pellet guns as a kid, hell... I even shot out the rear windshield of my neighbors car with it (that was also my last day as a pellet gun owner). But I have never owned a real gun that could do more than just shoot squirrels.

My first item of action was to convince my better half that we should have one. She was adamantly opposed to the idea. So I told her about the advantages of having a firearm for when we one day move to the country. I told her about how I have always been enthralled by upland bird hunting, but need a gun to do it. I even tried to tell her we needed one in the case of a zombie apocalypse.... she wasn't buying any of it.

So one new purse, two pairs of shoes and an awesome dinner at her favorite restaurant later.... I am now the proud owner of a Baikal 12-Gauge. Empty beer cans everywhere should be shaking in their boots...

Hopefully this fall, I'll quit just reading about bird hunting, and actually do it. Speaking of which, if you like bird hunting check out my homeboy Smithhammer's blog mouthfulloffeathers.com.

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The Kindness of Guides

If the dudes at TroutHunter weren't already badass enough, these guys go out and make the rest of us look like we aren't doing our part. Thanks dudes... now the ladies are going to be telling us, "Why can't you be sensitive and caring like the TroutHunter guys?".

Thanks for making the rest of us look bad, fellas.

But all kidding aside, really.... Thank You Brad, Doc and Chris for showing that fly fisherman really are caretakers of the environment and the animals that call it home. You guys are awesome for saving Ozzie.

Check out the full story here.

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First Draft of The Bristol Bay Assessment Released

The draft of the assessment report for Bristol Bay was recently released. The entire report can be found here: Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment Report.

It's a very detailed report that is definitely worth the read when you have time, but if you want to see the short and skinny version, here is the executive summary: Executive Summary.

The report paints the dim fate that we all know would be inevitable if the Pebble Mine is not stopped. But our job is not even close to done. Our job now is to convince the Obama administration to act before January 20th, 2013. Please take five minutes to fill out This Online Action Letter that specifically cites the EPA Watershed Assessment and ask the President to initiate the Clean Water Act that will enable the EPA to limit industrial scale mining in Bristol Bay. Please ask your friends and family to do the same.

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Muskyness

My buddies Matt and Mark Grajewski took care of business recently (Mark with the fish, Matt with the lens work). They have to be the fishiest group of brothers on the planet. Matt in particular has been innovating some of the baddest flies around, like the Nut Butter and the Fur Trader. I feel like every time I look, one of these dudes are holding a monster trout, or in this case, a big musky. Thanks fellas, because with my current residency, I have to live vicariously through your pics for real muskies. Hopefully we can get out on the water this September for some streamer fishing. 

Photography by: Matt Grajewski

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Man Cave 1.0

Shop Tour from STEVE on Vimeo.

Steve at Midwest Custom Fly Rods (www.midwestcustomflyrods.com) posted this video tour of his man cave and I am impressed to say the least. I thought I had quite the setup, but Steve is showing us how it's done!

Send me pics/video of your man (or woman cave) cave if you want to share yours.

 Email Hiptothesip

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Capr Revisited

Ran across this video today of a short filmed on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. I've posted on Beaver Island before, but I cant get enough of the place. It's carp and smallie fishing how it's intended to be. With big flies on beautiful flats.

No Judging Zone

Sometimes you catch fish, sometimes you moon the Amtrak, and sometimes you need a urinal on the outside of your house. We're not judging....