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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They're Falling Like Flies...

Much to my dismay.... Singlbarbed has been debarbed. Good luck to Keith Barton in whatever his next adventure may be. I think he couldn't face the fact of being on Hiptothesip's blogroll. The shame was to much to handle. 

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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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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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Hip To The Recipe

Every once in a while, I will post something very random and non fly fishing related. This sometimes will be a recipe. This is one of those times.

Pick the crabapples off the tree. Don't pick them off of the ground unless you like worms in your crabapples.

Dont' leave them near the dog. Dogs dig crabapples.

Try to pick ones that aren't too red or too yellow. Somewhere in between gives you a slightly sweet, but tart apple. 

Set up your cutting table. You'll be here a while. Quarter the crabapples

Put the cut up apples and cinnamon sticks into a pot and fill it with enough water to where you can see it, but not enough that the apples start floating. Bring to a boil, then bring it down to a meduim heat simmer for 15 minutes. The apples should turn color. 

Line a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth and strain the juice from the apples. Discard the apples, but put the cinnamon sticks in the juice. 

Pour the juice back into the pan. Bring to a simmer, and let cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that comes to the top.

You have two options here, if you can get the juice up to 230 degrees, then pour in the sugar while stirring vigourasly. Crabapples are naturally high in Pectin, so you normally do not have to add any. 

If you live at altitude, like me, then you probably arent going to be able to get it up to that temp. So get it as hot as you can and stir in sugar. Then bring it to a roiling boil and stir in Pectin (Certo is the brand I use, it can be found at your local grocery) , stir for one minute then pull it off of the heat. 

Pour it into your jars, leaving at least a 1/4 inch of space at the top. Put tops on, put them in a warm bath to seal. Viola'...

Crabapples aren't typically thought about for consumption, but trust me. I have never met someone that doesn't like Cinnamon Crabapple Jelly. Enjoy.

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Quit Staring At Me, Mrs Winter...

Quit staring at me, Mrs. Winter...

I am not ready for you. Last week, I stayed up late tying big streamers. You have already taken away my opportunities to fish big, bushy dry flies. So why do you have to take away my streamer fishing with your winds and ice? Give me this one thing. Give me just one more weekend to fish like a gentleman before resorting to nymphs, shot and bobbers....

You can be a cruel woman, Mrs. Winter...

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December Funny

I have a weird sense of humor...

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Wyoming Winds

A couple pics snapped before the Wyoming winds completely hammered us. We had two foot tall whitecaps moving UPSTREAM! I never saw anything like it. This led to a complete breakout of rowing fundamentals by yours truly. Hence my buddy's solute to me, the wind and of course... my lack of rowing time. Good times.