Saturday, January 30, 2010

Catch Some Art

TOP ARTISTS FEATURED
Surprisingly Reasonable
delightfully diverse

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.. The folks at ArtCreel have added Jeff Kennedy to their pod of artists. Jeff is the artist that brought us Drawing Flies 365. He and Jason Borger are now up to #5 on their current project to produce a fly per week.
.. Jeff joins such fishy artists as Joseph Tomelleri, Derek DeYoung, and Bob White on the ArtCreel site. The prints offered are top drawer and very reasonably priced.
.. Click on over and buy some. These are mostly limited editions -->> when they're gone, they're gone!
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Friday, January 29, 2010

Thursday, January 28, 2010

WWS - #2b

AROUND TOWN WALLPAPER
Water & Ice To Follow

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.. Here's the second installment of the Winter Wallpaper. The images are large. Use them freely. Town has been a bit slow for this time of year and it's nice to be able to find a parking spot for breakfast and shopping at the grocery store.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

FWP Hard At Work

PROPOSED ACCESS FOR
YELLOWSTONE RIVER

Between Columbus & Reedpoint
public comment now open
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.. A 71-acre parcel, located between Highway 10 and the Yellowstone River, was purchased in 2008 by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks with $550,000 from Access Montana, a fund established by the State Legislature.


.. The access will consist of a road, a parking lot for approximately 20 vehicles, a latrine, and a railroad crossing with automatic signals. Total cost for the improvements will be an additional $130,000 to $180,000. The area will be open to primitive camping, The possibility of a campground is awaiting further funding.
.. The access will cross a section of the Holmgren Ranch and will also allow access to two islands owned by the state.
.. The comment period is now open to the public and extends until the end of the month. The Draft Environmental Assessment is available HERE.
.. Comments on the Holmgren Ranch fishing access site environmental assessment can be sent to Terri Walters at FWP, 2300 Lake Elmo Drive, Billings MT 59105 or by e-mail to twalters@mt.gov. A copy of the environmental assessment is also available to the public at the FWP Region 5 office at Lake Elmo.
.. Phase one of the project could start a couple of months after the finding is issued, (in February, 2010,) and phase two completed by the end of 2011 - funding considered.
.. You can read the story posted by Brett French in the Billings Gazette HERE.
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Monday, January 25, 2010

Second Call

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Got Something To Say?
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Second Call for Papers, Posters, and Award Nominations
Wild Trout X
Holiday Inn, West Yellowstone, MT
September 28-30, 2010
"Conserving Wild Trout"

The Wild Trout X Symposium will bring together a diverse audience of governmental entities, non-profit conservation groups, educators, anglers, and business interests associated with trout fisheries to exchange technical information and viewpoints on wild trout management and public policy. The meeting offers a unique forum for professionals and anglers to interact, where participants will to be exposed to the latest in wild trout science, technology and philosophies. Abstracts on all aspects of wild trout research, management, conservation, education, and recreation are welcome and will be considered, but the following topics are of particular interest:


Climate change and wild trout
Whirling Disease 50 years later
Resource extraction and wild trout resources
The role of the Endangered Species Act in wild trout management
Genetic considerations for managing wild trout
Understanding interactions between wild trout and invasive species
Sustaining interest in wild trout in our youth and urban citizens


Presentations will be accepted in oral or poster format, so please specify your preference and whether you would be willing to present in either format. Authors who are selected for oral presentations at the symposium must submit a complete manuscript ready for Symposium Proceedings by August 31, 2010.

Abstract submission should be sent electronically to Kevin Meyer (address below) by April 1, 2010 using Word Perfect or MS Word file format. Guidelines for abstract, poster, and manuscript preparation can be found at the Wild Trout X web site:
http://www.wildtroutsymposium.com

For additional information and inquiries, contact the Program Committee Co-chairs:

Kevin Meyer
Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Tele: 208-465-8404
Fax: 208 -465-8434
kevin.meyer@idfg.idaho.gov

Doug Besler
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Tele: 828-659-3324
Fax: 828-652-3279
doug.besler@ncwildlife.org

Award/Scholarship Nomination Deadline: April 1, 2010. Nominations are invited for the Aldo Starker Leopold Wild Trout Medal, the Marty Seldon Student Scholarship Award and the Trout Unlimited-Federation of Fly Fishers Wild Trout Stewardship Award. Details of the awards and scholarships can be found on our website. Please send nominations to Wild Trout X Awards Chairman:

Jim Daley
New York Division of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources
Tele: 518-402-8959
Email: jgdaley@gw.dec.state.ny.us

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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Lazy Weekend

SURF A SPELL
Sleep Some
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.. The "mature of body and leg," will appreciate that on occasion it's rejuvenating to just vegetate! We are being rejuvinated!
.. Strenuous activities include: 12oz. curls, pillow plumping, mouse clicking, web and channel surfing, eye blinking, and an occasional snoring session. It's tax time and avoidance is the best policy!

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.. Ol' easy writer has declared it a snow week - LINK. The Boss is rendered nicely and uniquely by Jeff, (HERE,) and Jason, (HERE.) Energetic fishers can see some super flies being tied by the good folks at Parks' Fly Shop, (HERE.)
.. HDW Mobile is missing in action, (NOT HERE.) Fishing Jones brings us a glorious 90 seconds of fishing art, (HERE.) The Chi Wulff gang is redecorating the office, (HERE.) The Moldy Crew has found a nice place to fish, (HERE.)
.. Murdock continues yeoman service for us all, (HERE.) The guys at Buster need a fish, (HERE.) Blogfish is back in action, (HERE.)
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.. P.S. The maggot supply in town has been replenished and ice augers are being redeployed on Hebgen Lake.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Winter Dancing

NYMPHS FOR FISH
Just A Short Drive
many fish - easy pickin's-------
.. The recent salubrious weather conditions have provided just the excuse for a pleasant ride in the country.
.. Temperatures above zero are a constant reminder that there are some things that an El NiƱo winter is good for.
.. There should be a bit of snow this weekend but even if the wind picks up the temperatures will still be too warm for late January.
.. The snow-pack is down, the moisture content is down, the temperatures are up. The Spring and Summer fishing may be impacted, - BUT - right now the fishing is great!
.. Just over the hill is the lowland Madison River. The parking lot at Slide Inn, the Highway 287 bridge, and the $3 Dollar Bridge Access are full of cars from the neighborhood.
.. The snow is not deep. The walk is gentle. The fish are eager. The weather is grand.
.. Little white flakes punctuate the days, and the wind, (surprisingly,) has been soft and refreshing.
.. Dance partners of the finny kind are easy to find and some are both large and exuberant. Most are easily enticed with a generalized nymph.
.. The neighbors are using Feather Dusters, Gold Ribbed Hare's Ears, and Prince nymphs to good advantage. The fish seem to be ignoring the prolific mid-day midge hatches.
.. The last few days the area below the 287 bridge has been the most productive. Last week the braided channels above the bridge seemed to provide better catching - go figure.
.. Some of the neighbors have taken to fishing "olyde-timey" wet flies. Names such as Cow Dung and Scarlet Ibis roll off the tongue pretty easily after a brew or two. Both traditional patterns and the flies from the "reject jar" are working.
.. Several of the fishers have been scoring well with Jacklin's Rock Worm. This deceptively simple little nymph is like candy to the trout right now.
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Sunday, January 17, 2010

WWS - #2a

BEHIND SCHEDULE
More This Year
very big files(2637 x 1986)
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.. The number of downloads from last year's Winter Wallpaper Series was surprising. We're a little late in getting these up, but we hope you enjoy them just the same.
.. Just left click for a full-sized version right click on the image for a same-sized version and download to your desktop. Depending on your connection speed it should take from about 3 seconds to 20 or 30 seconds.
.. There's about a dozen more in the coming weeks.

(1953 x 1692)
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Gallatin Still Constipated

ICE PLUG
BUILDING A LAKE
Warming Weather Not A Blessing
cold weather just as bad

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.. The National Weather Service has, again, extended the flood warning for the Lower Gallatin River. The ice jam near Big Sky, Montana has the river out of it's banks and the impounded lake is getting large and dangerous.
.. The Erwin Bridge fishing access site has been closed due to dangerous conditions, and other areas are considered problematic for access.
.. Warm weather will bust the ice dam and flood the river downstream. Cold weather will maintain the ice dam and the impounded lake will expand. It's a lose - lose situation.
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FLOOD WARNING
Issue Date: 1248 PM MST TUE JAN 12 2010
Expiration: 300 PM MST WED JAN 13 2010


MTC031-132200-
/O.EXT.KTFX.FA.W.0004.000000T0000Z-100113T2200Z/
/00000.0.IJ.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
1248 PM MST TUE JAN 12 2010
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS EXTENDED THE AREAL FLOOD WARNING FOR GALLATIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
* AT 1242 PM MST THE GALLATIN RIVER REMAINED OVER ITS BANKS DUE TO A MAJOR ICE JAM NEAR BIG SKY, INCLUDING AREAS ALONG HIGHWAY 191 AT RAINBOW RANCH ROAD. REPORTS INDICATE THAT LITTLE CHANGE HAS OCCURRED IN THE OVERALL LEVEL OF FLOODING AND ICE BUILDUP ALONG THE RIVER OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS.
* IMPACTS: WHEN THE ICE JAM BREAKS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER TO RUSH DOWN THE GALLATIN RIVER QUICKLY CAUSING MORE FLOODING PROBLEMS DOWNSTREAM.
* ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT DAMAGE COULD OCCUR ALONG THE SHORELINE AND TO BRIDGES CROSSING THE GALLATIN RIVER FROM ICE AND OTHER DEBRIS WASHING DOWN THE RIVER.
* ANYONE WHO LIVES ALONG THE GALLATIN RIVER FROM UPSTREAM OF RAINBOW RANCH TO THREE FORKS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE QUICKLY SHOULD FLOODING OCCUR.
* ANYONE WHO PLANS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY ON THE GALLATIN RIVER SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ICE OR DEBRIS FLOW WHEN THE ICE JAM BREAKS.
* A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR HAS BEEN REPORTED. STREAM RISES WILL BE SLOW AND FLASH FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED. HOWEVER, ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IMMEDIATELY.
* PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN.
&&
LAT...LON 4450 11113 4474 11137 4563 11135 4563 11153
4580 11179 4579 11171 4594 11149 4601 11142
4607 11142 4612 11135 4618 11134 4619 11079
4559 11080 4558 11086 4551 11087 4551 11092
4536 11092 4535 11103 4447 11105
$
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

Serious About Digital ? Lego or Leica?

IT'S TODAY'S WAY
Do The Research
spend the money & time
or get a LEGO

(Click on image to learn about LEGO digital camera.)
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.. We have some friends that enter a stream with over $5,000 worth of gear on and about their body and enjoy fishing with a fly. The combined total of rod, reel, line, (and spares,) waders, boots, staff, vest, gadgets, and hundreds of flies, (@ $2.00/ea.,) can make $5,000 seem spartan. These are serious fly-guys and fly-gals. (And not one of them uses a $9,000 Hardy.)
.. We also have a couple of friends that enter Yellowstone National Park with five times that amount around their neck and in their camera bag. Think of it! Enjoy nature with the price of a new SUV in tow. Not to mention what brought them.
.. The digital revolution sneaked up on us starting about 1978. Printed circuits and digital compensation were incorporated into the top film cameras in the 80's & then BINGO, we were taken.
.. Film may still hold a slight edge for some work but pixels are coming on strong. In-camera processing is making enormous leaps and the gear is good - nay, very good.
.. If you, unlike us, are serious, (or want to be,) about taking the ultimate photographs of your fishing adventure it will cost both time and money.
.. Lets be clear about this: not swell photos, not good images, not excellent renditions, and certainly not snapshots - BUT - EXTRAORDINARILY SPECTACULAR IMAGES.
.. And, not just one a day, or one a week, or one per fishing trip; but time after time, after time.
.. First, keep in mind that the camera and lens are just tools. In the beginning, don't even consider what brand or format to use. Unless you are wedded to an emotional state of "camera-kind;" the camera is not the place to start.
.. Plan your seriousness by budgeting for an unusually competent computer. Time was when Apple had the edge.
.. Now, software is king and graphics cards for the PC can do much more. Brands are for arguing, competence is king in this arena.
.. The damn graphics card will cost between $600 and $1,800 and you might want to consider two of them. If you are really serious $6,000 for the box is not out of line. Two large monitors at minimum are necessary, (are you really serious?)
.. Then comes the software. From Photoshop to DxO Optics-Pro there is a pile of software to make your images really pop.
.. Budget no less than another $5,000 for the complete image management software suite. This will allow your work-flow to proceed apace with your commitment and talent.
.. The digital revolution is making pretty good photographers out of snap-shooters.
.. Gear is very good and getting better at an exceptional pace. Even pros have a hard time keeping up.
.. Once your "darkroom" is configured it's time to look at camera bodies and lenses.
.. The long standing tug-o-war between Nikon & Canon has continued into the digital arena. People less serious about images can still be heard wrangling about brands and features.
.. There are serious new players in the digital arena. Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, and even the venerable Leica (with a $6,000 digital rangefinder camera, and a $22,000 DSLR with dual shutters,) have some features and capabilities not matched by the big two.
.. It's a whole new ball game and even the pros are spending mega-bucks on "other brands" in an effort to gain an edge.
.. The feature set for your type of photography should be the deciding factor in choosing your tools. Bite the bullet and commit to lenses before bodies.
.. There are piles of exceptional lenses available. A $2,600 lens is cheap if it allows you to capture the ultimate image. It's still a bargain if you get close to the result you want - the software will bring your vision to the fore.
.. You just can't have one camera body. Two is the minimum number. Some pros consider 4 as the bare essential. More Bullet Biting!
.. The format, (FX or DX,) is really a concern if you are going to print large. But all women know that size does matter. Go with the FX - just in case. Figure about $2,500 to $5,000, (or more,) per body.
.. Money, unhappily is the least of your worries, (are you really serious?) Time is critical. With auto everything and a motor drive, 20 frames are exposed where one or two used to be sufficient. Winnowing, selecting, evaluating, culling and reserving for processing take time.
.. Processing and reprocessing, and even more processing take even more time.
.. What? You didn't use auto everything? Did you calibrate the white balance for the scene and subject? That's more time, even before you shoot.
.. Trust the camera 100%? Is good good enough? More processing time. Background too sharp? More processing. Fused dust on the sensor? More processing. Time, time, time.
.. Remember, we're talking seriousness. There is, after all, a dumpster full of good images that appear daily on the web. Several times that many good images are printed each hour across the continent.
.. Many are grab shots and snapshots. The equipment is just that good now.
.. But you are planning to be serious. Every shot needs to surpass good. It should be exceptional at worst; spectacular at best.
.. We would wager a dime, or maybe more, That there are more serious photographers than fly fishers. Think of the time and money!
.. And we haven't even mentioned fluid head tripods, equipment cases, batteries, auxiliary flash units, or high speed SDHC cards. OR -> a new laptop for shooting tethered!
.. No mention has even been made about printers, inks, or aluminum either. {{ALUMINUM? Yup, the medium that will soon replace paper for seriously spectacular images!}}
.. Even if it is, (and we concede that it usually is,) the eye behind the lens; it still takes about $50,000 to be serious about your digital images.
.. Then, the invention of an 80 hour work week would be a useful addition to seriousness.
.. We won't even mention travel to spectacular locations, workshops, tutorials, and contracts. That would be just too serious for us. How about you? - - - YIPES, when would you fish?
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.. If you are even half-way serious about your outdoor photography you already know about OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER. We were clued into a secret URL (shown legally below,) at that site.
.. Try this for some videos that interest the serious photographers: http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/optv/all-videos.html?limitstart=0
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Saturday, January 09, 2010

Cruzin' The Maps

UPDATES AND REVISIONS
More On The Way
200+ locations
200,000 views
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.. As our local weather maven was heard to say . . . "There's been a chill in the air."
.. NO POOP POPEYE! 40 below is just a bit chilly, even for him.
.. The water in the remaining flowing streams is cold and low. The fish truly do need a rest from our harassment. AND, . . . we've been experiencing some glitches and slow loading on our map page.
.. There have been over 200,000 views of the maps over the last two years. The locations are approaching 300, (with some duplicated on the various maps.)
.. It's time for some revisions and the "chill in the air" gives us the opportunity for some computer time and some rearranging.
.. In the meantime click HERE for access to all the Yellowstone Fishing Maps at Platial.
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