Hope Springs Eternal

We spring forward on Sunday at 2am. Let's rejoice. 

_______________________________________________

Get Your Fair Share

Photo By: Matthew Bruen - http://theslipperytrout.blogspot.com

Hey NY'ers... you have to fight for the right..... to party. Read below and follow the link below to voice your opinion on the upcoming Delaware River Water Release Plan. 

We're asking that you support the attached sign-on letter concerning our recommendations on a new Delaware River water-release plan that will go into effect on June 1, 2013.

HERE'S HOW TO SIGN ON: Please reply to this email with your organization's name, your title, and your name and we'll add you to the letter.

We invite everyone to sign: businesses, organizations, individuals.

We call our recommendations Fair Share 2013. We've attached the simple, one-page document. It has four modest but vitally important recommendations:

A formalized public comment period before any changes are made. This brings transparency to the process.

A one-year term for any change to the current flow program. We are concerned that the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) will lock into a long-term release plan (up to five years) regardless of changing circumstances, for example, the availability of additional water from Croton. We believe a short-term plan makes more sense, as explained in Fair Share 2013 (attached).

Any new flow protocols should include a provision to cushion the impact of sudden reduced flows ("directed releases") from reservoirs, which can have a jarring impact on the river ecosystem. All releases should be ramped both up and down gradually.

A formalized provision to alleviate thermal stress on the river ecosystem during hot summer months. Our scientific research partner, Dr. Peter Kolesar, has devised a simple solution to a longstanding problem, as detailed in Fair Share 2013.

As you'll see, the sign-on letter already has the support of a number of important groups, and we expect many more to join us. As you all know, coalition-building is key to gaining a voice with government agencies. The more support we have for this letter, the better the chance that our positions will be paid heed.

This is an urgent request to you. We will present our letter and list of signatories at a DRBC committee meeting on March 7 in Trenton, N.J. We will be giving testimony at that meeting, and the impact of broader support will serve as a megaphone for our voice. 

Thanks so much. Please let us know if you have questions or if we can provide further information. Note that if you'd like to send your own note in support of all our requests, we could send you a template letter. A list of DRBC committee contacts is attached.

HERE'S HOW TO SIGN ON: Please reply to this email with your organization's name, your title, and your name and we'll add you to the letter.

Delaware Watershed Conservation Coalition

DWCC Sign On Letter 

Fair Share 2013 

RFAC Contacts 

To actually do this you will need to go to this link and follow from there. Thank You!

www.fudr.org/blog/2013/03/01/fair-share-2013-we-need-your-support/

__________________________________________

Good Things Come To Those That Wait

Hey dudes... they were right, they told me that it would eventually stop snowing, and today.... it finally stopped snowing in WNY. I'm sure it's just a glimpse of it, but i'll take it. Some good buds of mine decided to take me fishing, and I finally caught my first NY fish. It twas a good day. 

___________________________________________________________

Never... I Repeat, Never... Trust Psycho Timmy...

VD Flyfishing Episode 1 from VD Flyfishing on Vimeo.

Charlie and Psycho Timmy know their audience. 

__________________________________________

oh... I miss the warmth so...

New Reads

Rick Kustich just released his new book on Great Lakes Steelhead. I have done some snooping on it and the pictures are worth the buy alone. It's going to be a "must have" for anyone living in the Great Lakes. You can pick it up on Amazon, but don't be lame, and support my local fly shop. Call up Nick at Oak Orchard Fly Shop . Info is below:

The Oak Orchard Fly Shop
5977 Main St.
Williamsville NY 14221

716-626-1323

info@oakorchardflyshop.com

STORE HOURS:

Monday - Friday 10AM - 8PM

Saturday 10AM - 5PM

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.

________________________________________________________

Happy Holidays, Y'all.

It's been a slow December on the Sip, but a lot of things are happening behind the scenes here and a lot of new stuff will be posted on in the new year. Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a great Festivus and says, "screw it" and get out to fish whatever open water you can find. It's a great time of the year to fish small flies, tie flies and stoke a wood stove. Life is what you make of it, my friends. I hope you all take advantage of this special time of the year. 

_____________________________________________________________

America's Salmon Forest

Hip To The Sip will be doing more on this later in the month, but for now, I wanted to quickly post some quick vids for you. If you would like to add your voice to the growing number of businesses and individuals that support durable, fish-focused conservation of the "best of the best" trout and salmon spawning and rearing habitat in the Tongass National Forest, please take a minute or two and fill out the congressional letter of support at http://americansalmonforest.org/sign-on/

____________________________________________________

Blast From The Past...

I saw this the other day. I had this poster on my wall in college. 

_____________________________________

Pig Huntin'

 Photography By: Scott Wells

btw.... My Irish are going to the Title Game.... BOOYA!

________________________________________________________

Sometimes You Get The Horns... Sometimes The Horns Get You...

It's snowing outside and I haven't been able to move properly after my buddy's wedding this weekend. I decided it was a good time to get behind the vice for a bit. 

Winter came quick this year. 

_______________________________________________________

Happiness

Sometimes, the best short flicks have only nature as it's soundtrack. 

Created By: Scanout.com//Pure Love

__________________________________________

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.

_______________________________________________________________

Pumpkin Pie

Because Turkey-Day is right around the corner....

_________________________________________________