On the 1st of March, Utah Governor Gary Herbert submitted a petition to the US Department of Agriculture asking for a rollback on restrictions on road construction and logging. This petition has been a long time coming and is the latest strike against the fight for public lands in Utah. This development has sparked fears from Public Lands groups and other environmental groups as it may set the precedent for other western states to follow suit and grant logging access to National Forests within their borders.
The FDA just gave the go-ahead to a company that has genetically modified Atlantic Salmon to grow twice as fast, the company still has quite the legal battle to bring the salmon to our tables. But just last week we published a piece highlighting the detriment farming salmon can be on the environment and what can happen when genetically modified salmon escape their farms and enter ecosystems.
A Healthy Wild Atlantic Salmon
Patagonia CEO, Rose Marcario issued a statement commenting on the FDA’s approval:
“Today’s FDA decision allowing genetically engineered salmon to end up on dinner plates throughout the U.S. demonstrates a continued arrogance that humans can dominate nature. For over 40 years, Patagonia has fought for wild places and the natural biodiversity they support. Scientists and watchdog groups indicate that genetically modified salmon pose serious risks to health, wild fish populations, local fishing economies and the environment — and labeling laws won’t go into effect until 2022, leaving citizens in the dark. Instead of opening the market to high-cost, risky technology like GMO salmon — particularly in this time of weakened government oversight — we need to reinvest in protecting our wild rivers and wild fish.â€
For many flyfishermen, the arctic char is known to be the mountain’s Greta Garbo (Famous Swedish Actor that spent her life in privacy). It’s the shady, mysterious fish that only can be caught a couple of calm summer nights a year.These fish are so shady and makes the smallest of rises that only the most experienced can manage to fool on tiny dries… Even if this is the most entertaining way to catch them. I’ll leave the Dry or Die lifestyle on windy days to give some streamers and nymphs a try, it’s really effective on these species as well.Another piece of advice is that there are usually schools of them in a lake so try to find where they are feeding and when you find them you could have some outstanding fishing.During the summertime when the temperature gets high in the lakes they usually tend to hold in deeper locations or at the inlets from creeks. By using a sink tip or heavy flies it can be the ticket to catching these fish.At times we’d used strong tippet combined with either dries, nymphs or streamers to catch them. They are aggressive and are not too tippet shy at times. So don’t be afraid to use thicker tippets so you could fight them harder and get them in faster.Sometimes it’s tricky to get them to eat. So never forget to just enjoy the beautiful environment the arctic char live in with some coffee made over open fire together with your friends and relax.The admirable arctic char will forever be the extra and best spice into my life.
Jacob Eliasson or @flyfishingstories is fly fishing guide based out of Sweden. Check out his feed for your daily dose of char, pike, brown trout and anything else that can be caught in Sweden.
British Columbia will be introducing a new Wild Salmon strategy aimed to bolster current wild salmon stocks. However, according to the Skeena Wild Conservation Trust, the recommendations do not do enough to properly aid wild salmon and instead focus on benefiting the fishing industry (read: commercial and sport fishing) and not the wild salmon themselves.
The Wild Salmon Advisory Council authored the recommendations with 3 main goals in mind:
Increase wild salmon abundance;
Protect and enhance economic, social and cultural benefits from wild salmon and other fisheries; and
Engage citizens and governments in stewardship and management of B.C.’s wild salmon.
Conservationists worry that the recommendations that feature language about “enhancements†(Read: Stocking Salmon), will put BC in a situation similar to Alaska where some fisheries are becoming dangerously dependent on hatchery support.
To read more about the issue, read the full article on BIV.com, here.
We had the opportunity to sit-down with former X-Games competitor, Paul Thacker. Paul quit his job in 2007 to pursue a competitive snowmobile career. Before a 2010 injury left him a T5 paraplegic, he competed in Speed & Style and Freestyle at X Games Aspen. On top of that, he is the world snowmobile distance jumping record holder and continues to go against the odds to pursue his passion for fly fishing.Â
Flylords:Â Who is Paul Thacker?
Paul: Oh man that’s a tough one. Basically, I am a small town guy that grew up with amazing parents that taught me how to achieve my goals through hard work. My folks owned an air taxi service growing, so my love for fishing was honed at a very young age.
Flylords:How did you go from doing backflips in the X Games to casting a fly rod?
Paul: Well the fishing definitely came first. I’ve always had an affinity for fishing since I was very young. I would constantly disappear from my daily chores and be found at the lake casting a rod. The backflips and such came later. It’s crazy how the fishing has come back full circle nowadays.
Flylords: Is catching a trophy fish as thrilling as ripping around on a snow machine?
Paul: There are definitely some similarities. Both have a science and preparation aspect to being successful.There is definitely a satisfaction to picking the right fly/bead and crushing a giant trout. Not so different than scoping out a big hit in the backcountry.
Flylords: What are some of the biggest challenges in fly fishing with such an injury and how did you overcome them?
Paul: At first, I tried to do exactly the same things as I did before I got hurt… Then quickly found out that would not be possible. It was pretty discouraging actually and I went away from it for a few years. But luckily a young lady came into my life that loved to fish.
She helped me get back into it and most importantly learned that it was ok to ask and accept help from people around you. There are always folks that want to help get you out. Swallowing my pride was a huge step to getting back out and chasing monsters.
Paul:Â My dad fly fished when he was a kid. So, he helped early on for sure. It was rad this past year taking him to Jurassic Lake and helping him hone his skills and watching him hammer on some giant rainbows.
Flylords: What’s your favorite picture of you and why?
Paul: Man, I have a ton of great pics. I do have one that captures an Alaskan bow coming out of the water while I am in the Action Track Chair. Best part is I was fishing with my mom and she shot it.
Flylords: Tell us about your most epic fishing memory.
Paul: So many great memories from fishing… So many great friends and family experiences. If I had to pick one, I’d have to say back when I was about 14-15 years old, I did a float trip with my dad and my uncles. We floated the Deshka River in Alaska. It was the first time I got to see my dad outside of a work environment. Such a fun trip just hanging with the guys.
Flylords: Do you remember the first fish you caught?
Paul: My first fish was an Alaskan king salmon when I was 8ish. About 20lbs. Fishing with my dad and sister and I remember how hard it was to reel in even with my pops holding the rod haha. The thing about pulled me in a few times! I remember being so excited and literally all I wanted to do from that point forward was fish.
Flylords:Â Tell us about your recent trip to Argentina.
Paul: Literally the best trip I’ve been on to date. We went to Estancia Laguna Verde and fished Strobel. Being from Alaska, I’ve seen and caught amazing trout, but literally nothing compared to what we experienced there. I went with my dad, my gf and her dad, Pat Kissel from Outdoors International and a couple of other friends. I kinda knew the fishing would be good, but not this crazy!
On top of that, our group was amazing and it was truly the first time my dad and I had taken a trip as adults. The lodge was unreal, the guides second to none, and the fishing was lights out. I was able to travel with an Action Track Chair so it made getting around super easy. It was a once in a lifetime experience for sure.
Paul: Well I am knee deep in my winter season at the moment. Just finished up Winter X Games and now I focus on the rides we do for our veterans for the next few months. Have a trip planned late April on the Missouri River for rainbows and browns and then maybe some PNW steel on the way to Alaska for spring riding.
Flylords: What advice do you have for fly fishermen with injuries like yours?
Paul: The best piece of advice would be to not be afraid to ask for help. There is a whole community out there that caters to helping get folks out fishing. Utilize it and the more you get out, the more you will find ways to be able to do it independently. 3 years ago I would have turned down the offer to go. Now I will load up the chair, head to my favorite spot, rent hotel rooms, and fish until my heart’s content completely solo.
Last week, several fishing-related measures were discussed by the Washington State Government: approval of gillnets in the lower Columbia River commercial salmon fishery, a bill to protect Washington’s resident Killer Whale population by enhancing Chinook salmon habitat and abundance, and the Wild Fish Conservancy indicated their intent to sue the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) over violations of the Endangered Species Act. This is all happening while Washington expects another dismal year of salmon runs.
The Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC) is a dedicated non-profit organization that was founded in 1989 with the goal of preserving and enhancing Pacific Northwest wild fish populations. Today, WFC sent a letter of their intent to sue the WDFW over violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Specifically, the WFC intends to sue because of the State’s summer hatchery program in Puget Sound and violations of Section 9 of the ESA, which prohibits the taking of endangered and threatened species. The WFC is concerned with the hatchery program because of its use of non-native Skamania hatchery steelhead stock, which have been deemed as threatening to the decimated and ESA-listed Puget Sound steelhead. We will follow this legal battle closely, hoping for the protection and conservation of wild salmon and steelhead.
Commercial salmon fishing on the Columbia River represents a complicated and criticized practice. Fishermen (recreational and commercial alike) and environmentalist want to see Pacific Salmon runs restored to their historic glory. Yet, there remains established commercial fisheries, including Native American Tribes, that rely on this way of life. The use of gillnets for commercial salmon fishing on the Columbia River was supposed to transition to alternative gear after the 2016 fishing seasons, but Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission opted to extend the use of gillnets for the upcoming 2019 coho and chinook fisheries. In any event, a continuation of gillnets in the Columbia River salmon fishery seems to be an irresponsible practice, regardless of set commercial salmon quotas. Gillnets indiscriminately entangle and–for the most part–kill fish, many of which are considered endangered.
Photo curtesy of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Additionally, Washington’s Legislature considered a bill to protect the declining population of resident Killer Whales. In protecting Washington’s 74 Southern resident Killer Whales, this bill calls for substantial enhancements to the declining populations of chinook salmon, which represent “the largest portion of the whales’ diet”. The Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force has for the last year to study and identify solutions for the declining Whale populations. One goal identified by the Task Force, “is to increase chinook abundance, and actions under that goal relate to habitat protection, protection of chinook prey, such as forage fish, and reducing impacts of nonnative chinook predators”.
It will be interesting to see how these measures fare. However, underlying all of these measures is this: “returns of spring chinook to the Columbia are predicted to be down 14 percent from last year, and at just half the 10-year average” and other rivers are facing similarly poor outlooks, according to the Seattle Times. Salmon and steelhead are such an invaluable resource for recreational and commercial anglers, the delicate harmony of ecosystems, and the Pacific-Northwest as a whole. Their wellbeing must be restored, yet commercial interests are of regional importance as well. We hope Washington, and Oregon for that matter, can enact necessary measures to fulfill this goal and restore the long gone equilibrium that salmon bring to their ecosystems. Keep following the Flylords’ blog for updates and more fishing news!
This article was written by Flylords’ team member Will Poston.
For our latest Video of the Week, we had the chance to ask Chase Bartee a few questions about their film, “Notes From The Road”. Chase and his wife Aimee make up Tight Loops Fly, and have gone on a number of long trips in the past. Check out the full interview below to learn more about the film:
Fly Lords: When you set out on this trip, did you have an idea of the total amount of days you wanted the trip to last?
Chase: No not really. I think we set out with a kind of “drive till the wheels fall off” mentality, or maybe more like “drive till we run out of money”. In the end both those things ended up happening at the same time. We’d spent an entire summer (a little over 3 months) living out of our van two summers prior, and I think we’d hoped to be able to keep it up just as long if not longer this time around, but the road had other plans.
FL: What camera equipment did you use to make this film?
Chase: Our bread and butter on this trip, which has been our A camera for most of our fishing content was a Sony FS700. It’s kind of a dinosaur now, but when we picked it up it was a major breakthrough in the prosumer…ish market, and filled a major niche between consumer and cine-tier cameras. It’s really popular for sports and wildlife, because of its great high speed (slow motion) capabilities, and an “end-trigger” internal buffering system akin to the high end Phantom cameras, meaning you can press record after the action has happened, allowing you to capture only the stuff you want, stuff that can be really unpredictable, 10X slower than real life, in full HD. For something like rising fish or dry fly takes you really can’t beat it. Its form factor is a little heavy for shooting in the backcountry, but it’s a gem of a camera with a lot of great features, that I personally feel gets overlooked. In the hands of the right operator it can produce some really clean and even cinematic looking images as well. But I’ll let the viewers be the judge of that. We also had a Mavic Pro for aerials, a GoPro Hero4 Black for subsurface stuff, and an old Panasonic GH3 for the odd time lapse here and there.
FL: One thing that is very noticeable in this film is the natural audio. How did you capture such specific sounds? Was any of it added in post-production?
Chase: We get this question a lot. People always want to know more about our process for sound design, and the truth is there’s no secret. Just a lot, and I mean A LOT of time, effort, and attention to detail. That FS700 has a great XLR shotgun mic on it which does a great job of capturing audio on site, but one thing to keep in mind is that all the high speed footage is recorded silently, so any time you see something in slo motion in our films (which admittedly is quite often) we’ve had to go in and construct the entire soundscape for that shot from scratch. So while we’ve shot and recorded thousands of hours of audio and video in the field, which often comes in handy, we’ve also spent years building a library of “foley” sound effects. Theres no secret to that either. I’ve probably spent a cumulative month of my life scouring FX libraries for the best natural field recordings around. My collection is always growing, but I’ve definitely got a workflow now that is pretty streamlined. That being said, it takes a lot of work. If you walk outside, and listen, theres a ton of individual things going on; a car here, a bird over there, the sound of your footsteps, a slight breeze, the way that breeze hits the leaves etc etc. So if you want to paint a believable image in sound, you have to examine everything in the footage and try to replicate it in audio. You also need to be a good listener when you’re actually there to be able to recreate it in post later. I think a lot of amateur filmmakers, which lets be honest, due to the availability of high end cameras these days are constantly inundating our feeds with content, forget to give sound design the attention it deserves. It can really elevate your work, and narrative. I always think of it like this: people say that you “eat with your eyes” first, well I think that you also see with your ears. If I can close my eyes and listen to one of the scenes in our films and get a pretty good idea of whats happening on screen then I know I’ve done my job right.
FL: What was your favorite moment from the trip?
Chase: Its hard to choose on a trip like that because you’re just packing every day full of fun and adventures, but I think one of the major highlights was overnighting in the Yellowstone backcountry. It was the first time Aimee had camped in such dense grizzly country, and that’s been a major fear of hers for years. The fishing and the scenery were great there as well, not to mention the fact that so many fewer visitors actually make it into the backcountry, but it was definitely an important milestone for her, because waking up alive and healthy the next morning was a major confidence boost. One that would become really important going forward as we started planning more and more ambitious wilderness trips together.
FL: After learning about the mechanical issues with the van, how confident were you that you would be able to get home? Were there any issues on that drive back?
Chase: Not confident at all! Haha. We just literally didn’t have a choice. We do all of our own work on the van, but when you’re almost stranded in Yellowstone, a notoriously expensive place to be towed out of it, sometimes you have to make the call to bring in the big guns. We brought the van to shop in Bozeman, where they could use diagnostic tools we simply don’t have on the road. After a series of tests they basically told us they couldn’t believe we’d even made it to the garage. The infamous quote from mechanic was “Where you headed? Massachusetts? Yeah you’ll NEVER make it there. There’s no way.” Our options where to have the engine rebuilt there, or trailer the thing home, both of which would have exceeded 5 grand. We barely had the money for gas and said screw it, we’ll take our chances, can’t get any worse really. At least the thing is our home too so you’re never really stranded you know? In the end the van ran like a top the whole way home. It’s still all screwed up and needs a new engine, but those things never seem to let you down when you need them. They just keep going.
FL: What are your plans for the future? Any other trips coming up?
Chase: We always have a million things going on. Thew biggest thing right now is rolling out the release of latest feature film “Big Land”. In 2018 we mounted an expedition into the hear of Labradors interior to fish a river that had never been filmed before. We spent two weeks living out of canoes and camping in the bush. It was a major achievement technically speaking both in organizing the expedition and keeping camera gear working and charged, but we couldn’t be more proud of it. It ended being one of the wildest things we’ve ever done, and the film is by far our greatest work. So we’re really excited to be sharing that with people in the coming months. It’s dovetailed into some more Canadian projects this coming summer, and in the fall we’ll be moving into the van full time, and relocating west. In other words, lots to do!
Be sure to check out Chase and Aimee on YouTube and Instagram to keep up to date on their adventures! Interview conducted by Fly Lords team member Conner Grimes.
The Washington State House of Representatives is considering a new excise tax on outdoor goods to help fund state wildlife efforts. The interesting part is that if the customer holds a state hunting or fishing license, they will be exempt from the tax at the point of purchase. The tax would be 2/10 of 1% of the MSRP of the product and is limited to products that MSRP for over $200, and mainly affect the camping, hiking, fishing and hunting sectors. All proceeds from the proposed excise will be put directly into the state wildlife account which supports the states fish and wildlife conservation and support efforts.
Let us know what you think of the proposed tax in the comments below!
This weekend a new viral challenge swept across social media. #TrashTag is trending worldwide, although the hashtag has been floating around for a few years the trend took off after one user posted before and after images of a wooded area that had hundreds of pieces of trash removed from it. The user invited others to “find a place that needs cleaning or maintenance†and “take a photo when you have done something about it.†The post was shared across Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook and the feedback was insane with users posting images of themselves picking up trash on their outings and sharing their own before-and-after pictures.
Now this concept has been around in the fly fishing world for years with river cleanups or Pig Farm’s Get Trashed events. But we think it’s incredible to see others taking responsibility and volunteering time to impact areas and keep them free of litter, so next time you’re on the water, bring along a trash bag or fill your landing net up with litter you find along the way and do your part to keep the places you love pristine and free of litter.
Next up on the Behind the Lens series we sat down with Lucy Kreutz to discuss her new film, Kio Kio. Lucy is no stranger to truly epic fly fishing films. In addition to Kio Kio, her most recent project, Lucy directed Jungle Fish. Kio Kio brings viewers into the local community of Anaa, an Atoll in French Polynesia. The goal of Kio Kio was to convince the community that through new conservation and science-driven approach towards the Atoll’s cherished bonefish, Anaa could become a world-class fly fishing destination and provide many additional economic benefits. With help and guidance from Indifly, The Island Initiative, and Costa, Lucy was able to produce an awesome film and share Indifly’s Anaa campaign. Follow along for our interview with Lucy!
FlyLords: So Lucy, you’re no stranger to directing fly fishing films. What other films have you worked on?
Lucy: I’ve worked on quite a few fly fishing films, starting with a film for Costa called ‘Currents of Belize’ back in 2008. Since then I worked on five separate short documentaries about fly fishing, including ‘Jungle Fish’, which brought me to the rainforests of Guyana to capture the quest to catch a 200 pound Arapaima on a fly rod.
FlyLords: What does “Kio Kio†mean? Why did you choose that for the film’s title?
Lucy: Kio Kio is the local word for Bonefish in the atoll of Anaa. We went through a bunch of ideas for titles (I was rooting for ‘Fish from the South Pacific’, but I was told that sounded too much like a musical, which is probably why I liked it). Ultimately I think we all just liked the way it sounded, and, of course, the whole film is about bonefish.
Lucy: I think that the goal of the film is to get people thinking about the choices they make in how, where, and why they fly fish because the sport has the potential to positively impact both fish populations and people living in coastal communities.
FlyLords: A lot of the film has strong tones of conserving bonefish. Generally speaking, how receptive were the locals to conserving their resources for new economic opportunities?
Lucy: The people of Anaa are very loving towards their children, and as they came to see the fly fishing project as a way to bring jobs to their kids, they became more excited about the idea.
FlyLords: Kio Kio was filmed over several years—what impact did that have on you?
Lucy: My first trip to Anaa was in 2015, and it was one of the best work experiences of my life–then I got to go back twice more! Because we filmed over three years, I was able to document some real changes on the island- the shifting perception of the project and the idea of fly fishing. It was such a luxury that Costa gave me the opportunity to make the film over this long span of time and the film is stronger because of it.
FlyLords: You guys were on location on Anaa for several months at a time, how was the overall experience, any memorable stories?
Lucy: I have so many great memories from being on Anaa! Cookouts on the beach of freshly caught fish, sing-alongs every night around cold beers, walking through the bright blue flats with a camera in my hands. It was all amazing. Actually it made editing the film a treat because it meant that I could look back at that amazing time all day every day.
FlyLords: Tell us a little bit about the fishing, did the anglers have any unforeseen difficulties? Did Anaa’s bonefish act differently than Florida Keys’ bonefish, for example?
Lucy: I don’t think so, as Alex (the scientist featured in the film) says, “this is bonefish paradise!”
FlyLords: What camera equipment did you use?
Lucy: I used a Canon C100. Not the fanciest camera, but it was a workhorse and something that I felt comfortable bringing out into the water with me day after day. We also used a drone to give us some amazing overhead shots.
FlyLords: Were there any unexpected challenges from filming on such a remote island for a long period of time?
Lucy: I had access to power to charge batteries and to import footage, so really I can’t complain about anything! At one point I dropped our only wireless microphone in the water, so I got worried I’d be stranded without a microphone for the rest of the shoot. But our amazing local producer (Moana Kautai) spent several hours cleaning it of saltwater and it was back in order for the next day. That was my only near miss!
FlyLords: You have never been fly fishing, right? How did you get into directing fly fishing films?
Lucy: I’ve never really been fly fishing. In fact, the only kind of fishing I’ve ever done is Noodling, which is when you catch a catfish with your bare hands. I pulled a 10 pounder out of a muddy under-water hole in a river in Oklahoma, and I’ve never been prouder. This was when I was working on a movie with my long time working partner, Bradley Beesley- the movie was ‘Okie Noodling 2’. Shortly after that, he was hired to direct ‘Currents of Belize’, and he brought me along. Since then, I have continually worked on fly fishing films. (Though I also direct other films, on topics ranging from senior citizens riding tricycles to the prison industrial complex…)
Flylords: Follow up question–when you are filming these epic shots, do you ever get the urge to give fly fishing a shot?
Lucy: Alex and Robert (the two scientists featured in the film) were very kind to teach me how to cast. They would give me lessons and I (maybe) got better as time went on. But I never tried to actually catch a fish- if a fish appeared I’d be too eager to grab the camera to film Alex and Robert catching it! Maybe on my next film…
FlyLords: When will fly fishermen be able to fish on Anaa?
Lucy: There are already some trips in the works!
FlyLords: Do you have any other projects in the works?
Lucy: I am currently working on a television series for National Geographic. But I’m always hoping that Costa calls me up for more exciting opportunities to make fly fishing films!
For many flyfishermen, the arctic char is known to be the mountain’s Greta Garbo (Famous Swedish Actor that spent her life in privacy). It’s the shady, mysterious fish that only can be caught a couple of calm summer nights a year.
These fish are so shady and makes the smallest of rises that only the most experienced can manage to fool on tiny dries… Even if this is the most entertaining way to catch them. I’ll leave the Dry or Die lifestyle on windy days to give some streamers and nymphs a try, it’s really effective on these species as well.
Another piece of advice is that there are usually schools of them in a lake so try to find where they are feeding and when you find them you could have some outstanding fishing.
During the summertime when the temperature gets high in the lakes they usually tend to hold in deeper locations or at the inlets from creeks. By using a sink tip or heavy flies it can be the ticket to catching these fish.
At times we’d used strong tippet combined with either dries, nymphs or streamers to catch them. They are aggressive and are not too tippet shy at times. So don’t be afraid to use thicker tippets so you could fight them harder and get them in faster.
Sometimes it’s tricky to get them to eat. So never forget to just enjoy the beautiful environment the arctic char live in with some coffee made over open fire together with your friends and relax.
The admirable arctic char will forever be the extra and best spice into my life.
Flylords: Favorite species?
