Blowing Up Bovines in Colorado

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Greg Thomas
I understand this isn’t fishing-specific, but it caught my eye and it creates a somewhat sad, but also humorous scene—sad for those bovines, funny for the guys who discovered them. Give it a read. It’s straight from the Aspen Daily News Online.

Several dead cows at Conundrum Hot Springs have U.S. Forest Service officials scratching their heads in an attempt to hatch a scheme to remove them before the spring thaw and hikers descend upon the popular backcountry destination at 11,200 feet.

The cows were discovered by two Air Force Academy cadets when they snowshoed up in late March. They had planned to sleep in a Forest Service cabin but couldn’t because the animals were piled up in it, frozen solid. Upon their return to Aspen, they informed the Aspen ranger district for the White River National Forest.

Initially Forest Service officials said they planned to blow the cows up with explosives — and they still might — but READ  MORE

Posted in Conservation | Leave a comment

100 Miles of Fish Habitat open for Greybull River cutthroat

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Greg Thomas

I used to bounce around the West way more often than I do now, but that was when gas was super cheap, I didn’t have kids, and the only things that mattered to me were, Where was my next fish going to be caught and when which pub I would be visiting afterward. One of my favorite places to find that combination was in Meeteetse, Wyoming, where I would fish private and public sections of the Greybull River for native Yellowstone cutthroats. I remember catching almost 60 fish on dry flies one day on the Meeteetse and it quickly became one of my go-to streams. Meeteetse is a tiny a tiny little town with entertaining people and lots of history, plus a couple pubs Continue reading →

Posted in Conservation, Northern Rockies, Uncategorized, Wyoming | 4 Comments

Pulp Fly Arrives

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Greg Thomas

What happened to good writing in fly fishing? Well, you have to be tactful to find it anymore, meaning you have to look beyond grip-and-grins and childish rants, if you want to find depth in words, a story around the accomplishment and requisite hoisting photos. To make it easy on you, check out Pulp Fly, a new offering from Michael Gracie and Kirk Deeter, available now, I believe, for download. Here’s Gracie’s words on the project, from michaelgracie.com

IT WAS BORN A TROUT BUM WITH A BROKEN VICE JAW, in the dark of winter. Took a vacation to South Miami Beach but wound up blowing the mortgage payment at Dania Jai Lai instead. Rowed the Pere Marquette and picked up a doctorate in theology along the way. Dropped off a bag of bearer bonds in the Caymans. Caught the carp bug, if not Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Industry, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Spanish Fly host Jose Wajebe dies in plane crash

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Florida guide Bruce Chard texted me a few days ago to say that Jose Wajebe died in a plane crash in Florida last week. I thought I should share the news and story with all of you. I did not know Wajebe personally, but I hear that he was a great guy and I really liked his Outdoor Channel fishing show called Spanish Fly. The industry will miss Wajebe. Condolences to his family.

EVERGLADES CITY — An investigation is under way in Everglades City to determine what caused the Friday plane crash that killed the host of a popular TV fishing show.

Jose Wejebe, who hosted “Spanish Fly,” a saltwater fishing show on the Outdoor Channel and formerly on ESPN, died when his kit plane plummeted into a Continue reading →

Posted in Industry, Saltwater | 4 Comments

Fly Rod & Reel’s spring issue

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Just a heads-up to let you know that the Spring issue of Fly Rod & Reel is on newsstands now. Took quite a bit to put this one together, but I think it’s the best of the four issues I’ve produced yet. I took a warmwater focus on this one because bass and pike and muskie and panfish are overlooked, in my opinion. In the pages of Spring are articles on western bass and muskie in the Midwest. Gierach tells about smallmouths in Wisconsin, too. Also, I penned a piece on fishing steelhead 800 miles from saltwater, in Idaho. There are other compelling pieces, too, including Davy Woten’s wet flies, stillwater guru Brian Chan’s anti-static midge, details on 8 new rods ranging in price from affordable to lavish. Grant Wiswell details fishing for vampire fish in Bolivia and Seth Norman offers a great review of Andy Mill’s book, Tarpon. Keep your eyes open for the mag and let me know what you think. You’re feedback, good and bad, is imperative to me producing the best print publication in the fly fishing world. Help me out brothers. And let me know what you think of the cover. I think it rocks and is catchy, but you may have another opp. Let me know.

 

Posted in Culture, Industry | Leave a comment

Fly Fishing Guide Language

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Cameron Miller(time) photo.

Just the other day I joined Andrew Bennett, who owns Alaska West, among other excellent fly-fishing operations, for a couple brews at Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle. I can say this, get the mussels at Ray’s. They bathe them in a curry sauce and those things are awesome. Don’t talk up Katie, the barmaid, because I have Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Culture, Northwest | Tagged | 1 Comment

Vancouver Island Record Herring Spawn

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Greg Thomas

You guys know me by now—I’m a sucker for all things nature and the interconnectivity of species. So, for that reason, I think herring ought to interest you—there’s no more direct link between the health of the Pacific Ocean and Northwest salmon and steelhead runs than the abundance or lack thereof of herring.

Sea lions, humpback whales, seals, seabirds, and salmon and steelhead all depend on herring for its massive protein load. That’s why I recently asked permission to share some images of a herring spawn with you. And a great thanks goes out to Tonic fan and Dean River steelhead guru Adam Tavender, who graciously Continue reading →

Posted in British Columbia, CANADA, Conservation, Culture, Northwest, Photography | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Tate’s big question of the day

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Here’s a low-budget clip of Tate posing a world-class question. Stumped me and I really couldn’t offer a solid response, except to say that Kurt Cobain said, It’s ok to eat fish because they don’t have any feelings.

Now, I don’t believe that. Why would a fish jump when hooked if it didn’t have any feelings? Survival is its feeling. I have my own conclusions after thinking about this question for a couple days. Would love to know what all of you think. Hit the comment button and let the thread begin.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

San Fran/Seattle Wrap-Up

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Greg Thomas

I’ve just enjoyed one of the best weeks of my life, despite the fact I haven’t thrown a line.

But I’ve been talking about throwing a line, sometimes over beers and appetizers that would blow you away, such as a few from Tourism Calgary and Catch Restaurant, succulent oysters and shrimp, plus burgers and poutin from Ally Burger, all chased down with spiced whiskey and orange juice (I think). During the whole affair I met great people from Canada, fun-loving but professional, all with great adventures to Continue reading →

Posted in Industry, Travel, US & Canada | 1 Comment

Cruising San Francisco

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Not much in the way of fishing here, but part of my job is to get out and meet other writers and the tourism representatives from various intriguing destinations and that’s what I’m doing right now in San Francisco, California.

Well, except for yesterday. That’s when Continue reading →

Posted in Industry, US & Canada | Tagged | 4 Comments