West Bound and Down

I had to get out of town. Don't get me wrong, WNY has been good to me. I enjoy the time I have spent out here. That being said, you don't live out west for a decade and not gain an affinity for the trout, the scenery and the friends. So I decided to hop on a plane and get out of Nickel City for a spell. 

My favorite place on Earth. Some rivers simply burn a spot your soul that you can't help but to be love. This place literally hurts to think about, as it's not a place I can simply drive over to anymore. While the distance has became a reality, I know it will always be there for me.

Some things in life are more important than any explanation you can explain to people that don't do what we do. I got back to my office after this trip and my boss asked me how my trip was... I just said, "Good"... and left it at that...

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I'll Always Be A Mountain Hippie at Heart...

I have loved these last 8 years living in Colorado, but I have received a job opportunity and it is going to relocate me to Western New York. I will still be able to get out to Colorado pretty regularly, but this new adventure should lead to some great new fishing as well. It will be great to dust off my spey rods, tie more intruders and finally have good smallmouth fishing again. 

I'll miss my CO peeps and we will still get to fish throughout the year, it will just involve a plane now. So stay tuned for some interesting new topics on the Sip.

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Get Out and VOTE!!!

 

Howdy folks. I ran across this article on ranking the Presidents on their environmental records, and thought I would share it with you. Voting is very personal and I hope you all dive deep into your decision and exercise your right to vote. We have a lot of people out fighting for our country in order to protect this day for us. So take advantage of it and get out and vote.

One of the main things I base my vote on is a President's environmental record. Another fly fishing related topic that is important to me is what the candidates plan on doing with public land. Do they want to mine it? Drill it? Privatize it? None of those work for me and it is important for me to vote for the candidate that I believe will best protect these resources for us.

I hope you all think about what is important in your life and what you feel is important to protect. Then go out and excercise your right to vote. After all, if you don't, then don't bitch about what the government does with your resources.

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Shameless Plug

Hey Dudes & Dudettes... Here is a shameless plug for this year's DSP Carp Slam shirts. My buddy Scott Wells (who I have featured several times on here, including the shot a couple posts down) designed this shirt. They look awesome and proceeds help Denver TU.

All of the cool kids have them....

Buy Here

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In Case You Missed It

Watch Alaska Gold on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

We're getting some positive media attention for the Pebble Mine fight. In case you didn't get a chance to see the Frontline piece, here is the clip. Pass on the message to a friend and tell them to do the same. This is a huge fight that we MUST win. 

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People Are Strange When You're a Stranger

When you're strange 

Faces come out of the rain 

When you're strange 

No one remembers your name 

When you're strange....

Photo #2 By: Dave McCoy

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Wild Fish Matter

Homewaters Require Vigilance from Native Fish Society on Vimeo.

Take a moment to watch the video, then please take a moment to voice your opinion on the hatchery program on the Sandy River in Oregon by clicking on the link below. Even if you have never fished in Oregon, you never know if the opportunity will arise in the future. If it does, I hope there are wild runs of steelhead waiting for you. 

Save Sandy River Salmon and Steelhead

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Pay It Forward

Somebody taught you how to fly fish, right? Take this summer and pay that solid forward. Seeing kids get hooked on the sport is one of the great joys of this world. Give a kid something to be passionate about other than video games. These are some pics of my nephew Jackson tearin' up the bass pond with me. 

The kid is a natural. 

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Whoa is me...

                                                   This was me on this day, one year ago...

This is me today....

Whoa is me.....

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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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Fight The Power

If you are going to fish Bristol Bay this summer, do your part to make sure it isn't your last trip. Help save Bristol Bay by booking a trip where you know your dollars are going to make a difference. 

AlaskaFlyOut.com has teamed up with Trout Unlimited's Save Bristol Bay Campaign to help raise money to stop the proposed Pebble mine and protect Bristol Bay's epic fishing waters. You can help by booking a fishing trip before March 10th. 

HOW IT WORKS

1. Go to our promo page: www.alaskaflyout.com/save-bristol-bay

2. Choose from one of our 25+ recommended lodges and adventures.

3. Fill out the booking inquiry form and submit. Please be sure to include the dates and duration of stay that you are interested in. 

4. The lodge or outfitter will contact you directly by phone or email as soon as possible to discuss availability, trip questions, and additional booking logistics.

Once you book your trip, sit back and relax. Dream about the fish you will catch, and feel good about helping to protect Bristol Bay's fish, wildlife and rivers. As a thank you, we'll send you an AK fishing gift before your trip.

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My Mantra

At my age, there aren't too many life lessons that I got a handle on yet. There are a few things that I do know though. I know that nothing in life is easy. If you want a better life, you have participate in the process of getting it. If you want to fish the for something you haven't fished for before, you have to buy a plane ticket. If you want to become a better person, then you have to make a daily conscious effort to become a better man/woman. Write down the things you want to accomplish. Look at them every morning and make plans for your day that get you one step closer to that goal. 

Don't type them into a word document and save them in your documents folder. In fact, they should rename that folder. "Where Dreams Go To Die" is a more fitting title than anything you could possibly name it. There is a change that happens when you physically write something down with pen and paper. So write down your dreams. Look at them daily. Then plan your day as if your only goal is to get one step closer to each of those goals. 

If you want to live life to it's fullest... the first thing you have to do is live.

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12 Months of Awesomeness: March

So.... as many of you know, I turned 30 recently. Once I finally quit dry heaving and hyperventilating I took a real hard look at how I have spent my life. Now don't get me wrong, I have had a very spirited and eventful life, but I haven't completed half of the things that I thought I would have by now. This is an epiphany that will not go unnoticed or without immediate action. I have decided that I don't want to wake up 40 and feel the same way.

This leads us to [/que Michael Buffer voice] 12 MONTHS OF AWESOMENESS......

So here's my plan. I have spent too much time saying that, "one day I will". Every month starting with March, I will do something that I have always wanted to do, but put off. In March, I will take guitar lessons. I have sat around far too many campfires wishing I knew how to play the guitar better. 8 weeks of lessons will hopefully set me on the right path and get me jamming CCR songs by July. Either way, I will have done something that I always said I was going to do.

This is going to be a great year. 

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Don't Act Like You Have Better Things To Do

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2012 | thef3t.com from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

Trust me on this. If you go to one fly fishing event this year, go to the Fly Fishing Film Tour. It previews the best fly fishing films of the year and beats the hell out of walking around a fly fishing show or going to some lame TU dinner. 

FLY FISHING INDUSTRY’S LARGEST EVENT EMBARKS ON CONTINENT-WIDE HD TOUR

Adventure film tour showcases global locales while supporting local businesses and filmmakers

(Boulder, CO) –Fly fishing’s most celebrated annual event, the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), the original and largest event of its kind begins its continent-wide trek January 26th. The traveling spectacle serves as a stage for the best filmmakers in the industry, an avenue for supporting critical conservation groups, an expo for local outfitters, and one heck of a party for growing outdoor enthusiasts and avid anglers alike.

With never-seen footage from across the globe, a party atmosphere, audience giveaways and valuable coupons, the annual high-energy spectacle is the sport’s most anticipated live-event. This year’s tour will make stops in over 125 cities across the U.S. and Canada. Along the way local businesses, conservation groups, filmmakers and fans all stand to benefit from each screening.

This year’s spectacle includes a more diverse set of content than any prior year or any other tour. “We have something for everyone”, says F3T Filmmaker and Road Manager Thad Robison. “From scrappy Steelhead in Kodiak, AK to 100-pound jumping Tarpon in the Florida keys, from places you may have been to destinations we probably couldn’t find on a map if we tried.” Other featured destinations (and fish) include the Bahamas (Bonefish), the Northwest Territories (Grayling and Arctic Char), the jungles of Belize, Scotland, Montana, British Columbia, Wisconsin, Silver Creek, Idaho and more.

With nearly 75% of the shows selling out in advance, the F3T is the fastest growing event of its kind. 

For a tour schedule, film trailers, tickets, photos, info on hosting your own show and much more visit www.theF3T.com. Filmmakers and fisherman are available for interviews upon request and in many cases they serve as emcees and hosts at shows.

Mar-4 / MA  Haverhill

Mar-7 / MI  Midland

Mar-9 / MN  Minneapolis

Mar-10 / PA  Media

Mar-10 / WV  Triadelphia

Mar-11 / WV  Triadelphia

Mar-12 / WI  De Pere

Mar-15 / MI  Ann Arbor

Mar-15 / MT  Livingston

Mar-16 / UT  Ogden

Mar-16 / MI  Grand Rapids

Mar-17 / NY  Lake Placid

Mar-18 / PA  Oakmont

Mar-20 / CA  Larkspur

Mar-20 / OH  Cleveland Heights

Mar-22 / MO  St Louis

Mar-22 / FL  West Palm Beach

Mar-22 / TN  Knoxville

Mar-22 / AK  Anchorage

Mar-22 / CA  Modesto

Mar-27 / TN  Nashville

Mar-28 / CO  Vail/Edwards

Mar-29 / GA  Atlanta

Mar-30 / MT  Great Falls

Mar-30 / CO  Grand Junction

Mar-31 / SC  Charleston - 5:00 PM

Mar-31 / SC  Charleston - 8:00 PM

Apr-3 / FL  Jacksonville

Apr-5 / FL  Tampa

Apr-6 / NC  Asheville

Apr-7 / WV  S. Charleston

Apr-10 / AR  Fayetteville

Apr-12 / CO  Boulder

Apr-12 / TX  Austin

Apr-13 / VT  Middlebury

Apr-18 / CO  Breckenridge

Apr-18 / WI  Milwaukee

Apr-19 / UT  Park City

Apr-20 / ID  Idaho Falls

Apr-20 / ID  Sandpoint

Apr-24 / UT  Logan

Apr-27 / MT  Whitefish

Apr-27 / WY  Laramie

May-2 / IL  Wilmette

May-4 / WA  Ellensburg

May-13 / TX  Forth Worth

May-17 / FL  Orlando

May-19 / WI  Coon Valley

Jun-3 / MI  Boyne Fall

December Funny

I have a weird sense of humor...

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Vote “No” on SB248

As the old adage goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". This is not only how I feel about this situation, but also how my friend Alex Cerveniak (alexkain.com) put it in the following article. So instead of re-inventing the wheel, I am simply reposting Alex's piece on this very serious public land grab situation in Michigan. Whether you plan to ever fish the waters of Michigan or not, please take a moment to read Alex's piece and consider emailing the representatives below. Because today it may be a public land grab in Michigan, but tomorrow it could be a land grab in your neck of the woods. 
Thanks,
Hip To The Sip



We all fish and/or hunt on publicly owned land.  And chances are good, if you’re like me, your favorite place in the whole world is on Michigan owned land.  Now imagine if the State had never bought it?  You would never even know it was there, or worse yet, you’d know about it and be unable to enjoy it.

Not cool, right?  Right.

Now, imagine all of the truly awesome places the State has recently purchased, and will purchase in the future.  Land that we all benefit from, and that our grandchildren’s grandchildren will have the opportunity to enjoy.  Now, one more time, imagine it becoming available for sale and the State not being able to buy it due to a cap on the amount of land it can own?

Not cool, right?  Right.

Yet that is exactly what might happen if certain political interests have their way.

From Michigan Trout Unlimited-

State Land Cap Bill Headed to Vote – Your Help is Needed Urgently!

Senate Bill 248, seeks to place an arbitrary cap on the ability of the State of Michigan to acquire any new lands in the future.  The bill is sponsored by legislators from the Upper Peninsula who believe there is too much public land in that part of the state.  Their proposed solution is to have the entire rest of the state also restricted from future land acquisition – despite the constitutional formed Natural Resources Trust Fund, voted on by the citizens of Michigan, which was created to provide means of acquiring land lands for our use.

TU participated in legislative workgroups with the bill sponsors, forestry stakeholders, local municipalities, and other conservation groups – at the request of the House Committee Chair Frank Foster.  We discovered that none of the mentioned impetuses for the bill are actually addressed by the bill!  We’ve proposed substantial amendments to the bill to help address problems and call for a more strategic and transparent approach to state land holdings – but all those attempts have been denied to date.  Now Rep. Foster is planning on moving the bill to committee vote next week on Tuesday December 13th.  For supporters of this bill, its more about politics than about creating good public policy.  Help prevent that from continuing.

TU opposes this bill for the following reasons:

- It will prevent the acquisition of additional state lands in the entire state, including southern Michigan where the majority of people live, and where public lands for recreation are limited.

- It would impact the acquisition of lands needed for providing access the waters of the state – thus preventing access to public trust resources such as coldwater fisheries.

- It seeks to limit or prevent the intended use of the Natural Resources Trust Fund, a legacy created by the citizens of Michigan for the benefit of future generations.

- Its contradictory in that it restricts the purchase of additional state lands statewide, but then offers exceptions for purchase of large tracts of retired commercial forest lands in the U.P. – the very place where the bill sponsors claim there is too much land.

- In the Lower Peninsula, state lands are used so extensively, that user conflict management is becoming a top problem.  If there are already excessive amounts of demand for this type of land for recreation, it does not make sense to prevent the strategic addition of more of it.

- The bill also adds provisions that can force the DNR to dump undesirable state lands onto the market for prices less than fair market value, the results of which will further cripple a struggling real estate market and economy.

- If you want to see our full testimony, visit http://house.michigan.gov/SessionDocs/2011-2012/Testimony/Committee22-10-11-2011-1.pdf

We need you to contact your representative by the end of Monday the 12th, to let them know you oppose SB248 and urge them to as well. It’s bad public policy and should not be given a pass.

Please pass this email along to anyone you know that is an angler, sportsmen, conservationist, or who uses state lands for their recreation or enjoyment.    This one is critical – it’s imperative you take the time to contact your representative.  Below is information for contacting your representative.

Ask Your Representative to Vote “No” on SB248 (Land Cap Bill)

http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/  - will identify your representatives contact information

If your representative is listed below as a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation, then your contact with them is even more urgent and critical.

Name	District	Phone	Email Address
Rep. Frank Foster, Chair	107	517-373-2629	frankfoster@house.mi.gov
Rep. Matt Huuki	110	517-373-0850	matthuuki@house.mi.gov
Rep. Holly Hughes	091	517-373-3436	HollyHughes@house.mi.gov
Rep. Joel Johnson	097	517-373-8962	JoelJohnson@house.mi.gov
Rep. Kurt Damrow	084	517-373-0476	kurtdamrow@house.mi.gov
Rep. Peter Pettalia	106	517-373-0833	peterpettalia@house.mi.gov
Rep. Wayne Schmidt	104	517-373-1766	WayneSchmidt@house.mi.gov
Rep. Harold Haugh	042	517-373-0854	haroldhaugh@house.mi.gov
Rep. Tim Bledsoe	001	517-373-0154	timbledsoe@house.mi.gov
Rep. Maureen Stapleton	004	517-373-1008	maureenstapleton@house.mi.gov
Rep. Dian Slavens	021	517-373-2575	dianslavens@house.mi.gov