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50" ON LIONHEAD - STILL COMING

Sidewalk Shoveled By Neighbors

it's good to be home

.. Apparently it's been snowing a bit. A bit late, a bit dry, a bit warm and a bit much. How usual. The neighbors know what to do - enjoy and shovel. Thanks guys: it's nice not to have to "dig in" - "digging out" is bad enough.
.. 'Tis the season to start our vigil of snow watching. The snow pack is one of our most precious commodities. It nourishes the streams and the landscape through the summer months. It brings oxygen to the fish we love and it sustains life.
.. The current warm spell and heavy snow fall has produced dangerous avalanche conditions, but brings a chance for consolidation into a good base for the upcoming storms.
.. Our vigil always starts with a visit to the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. It has resources for the region and links to the various monitoring data bases.
.. The avalanche specialists of the Gallatin National Forest are out there doing it right now.

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.. They have a great photo gallery, real time weather conditions, and field trip videos. We tend to frequently visit the real time conditions at Lionhead, and the Madison Plateau SNOTEL sites the most.
..We salute those who go to keep us informed. Even with the advance of technology and remote sensors there is work to be done. Right now the snow sensor on Lionhead is acting up. You can bet the intrepid humans will be there to fix it soon. Thanks is given to you.
.. This Haiku 4 U

Avalanche
Avalanche descends,

White wave plowing away all

In its direct path

Melanie Bartelt

.. Periodically we'll report in on the condition of the snow. Right now we're a bit down in our neighborhood drainages - but it's early.

Jello To The Rescue

JELLO GENOCIDE FOR LAKERS ?

MSU Collaborators Suggest It

unflavored may be best

.. Straight from the Research Roundup (#283) at Montana State University comes news that there may be an effective way, (or ways,) to combat the Lake Trout population in Yellowstone Lake.

Money Quote

Jell-O, ultrasound, microwaves and electroshocking are among the possible solutions for lake trout in Yellowstone National Park, says Al Zale, Unit Leader of the Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at Montana State University. Lake trout, which were introduced illegally into the park, threaten native cutthroat trout in Yellowstone Lake. To find the best way to destroy lake trout eggs, Zale received a grant from the National Park Service. He and his collaborators will analyze several potential solutions and recommend the best. If Jell-O is chosen, it would probably be unflavored, Zale said. Workers could spread it over the fish eggs to smother them. Zale added that it would seem efficient to get rid of the eggs during spawning season, which occurs primarily during late fall. They know where the eggs are located because of past telemetry studies.

.. Follow the work at MSU on the Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit Page.

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.. Did you know that the Pick Handle Barracuda is also know as the the "JELLO FISH?" World record for Sphyraena Jello is 29 pounds, 12 ounces.

Bailout Santa

CAN THIS BE TRUE?
..Taking his cue from The Trout Underground, Santa makes his plea.
{{ All New Is Old }}

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All New Is Old

FROM DESERT TO OCEAN

From Redwoods To Chaparral

From The Trinity To Pauma Creek

trout are everywhere on the island of Cali Fornia

.. We've not had much keyboard time of late, (fish // don'tchknow,) so here's our annual post for the island folks in the "QUEENDOM" of CALIFIA.
.. After "THE BIG ONE," The left coast is supposed to become an island.
.. The Maps below are for Joe at THE HORSE'S MOUTH. Que Tal Hombre? Es possible? Es Del Sud?
..Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo seems to be responsible for the island concept in his 1510 novel Las sergas de Esplandián. It sounds like a great place to be. All inhabitants are tall gorgeous black women. Strong, noble, warrior goddesses ruled in the land of Queen Califia: the most noble of all.
.. There's no specific mention of fishing or trout, in the work, but the trout was known in Spain, and there are some spectacular places there to fish.
.. Although contemporary Californios have taken their cue from the British tradition, they could have easily become fly fishers in the Spanish tradition.
.. The Spanish fly fishing tradition can be traced, (in literature,) to a retired Aragonese soldier's 1539 work,"The Little Treatise on Fishing", by Fernando Basurto.
.. The early Spanish flies were densely tied of multiple hackles, and fished with a long rod and no reel. Today 'dapping' is returning. Andrew Herd suggests that the Spanish patterns may have been intended to float. Ahhh, old is new.
.. From Seville and Granada come some of the earliest examples of fish hooks, and despite the extensive "press" given the Anglophillic point of view it seems that fly fishing is a Mediterranean, (nee, even Macedonian,) tradition.
.. As California becomes reclaimed by Hispanic culture and people, one would wish that the fly fishing heritage of Spain would also return.
.. Jeff Kennedy is grinding along over at Drawing Flies 365. Just a couple of days left. This blog is a tough act to follow and we eagerly anticipate the encore.
.. His flies and the blog itself are both informative and entertaining. We hope it remains in an archival state for many years to come.

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.. There is a group of folks known as the "Prolific Daily Painters." These artists are committed to one work per day. Ann Elizabeth Schlegel is one who has practiced the discipline since August, 2006.
.. Her blog "Painting Each Day," has an extraordinary array of images, and includes a few flies as well, (#1, #2, #3.) The paintings of the flies are for sale, if you'd like to add to your collection.

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.. HDW MOBILE has the new masthead in place and is, of course, is on the road. SHEBOYGAN? MENOMINEE? YEEE HA! The slick of the road in the upper Midwest. Happy Holidays.

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.. Those of you following the march of invasive species should click on over to the INVASIVE SPECIES WEBLOG for a glimpse of our current biota; native and otherwise. (Last night's post is about the frog invasion in Montana.) Jennifer Orth has been busy cataloging the visitors since 2002.
.. The site is searchable, informative, definitive, current, and extensive. The 2009 invasive species calendar is available and all profits are donated to groups doing work in the arena of invasive species.
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-------FISH HERE

.. Don't get shot. Use protective coloration, (borrow a near-dead truck if you have to.) Take a local along. Knowing some Pauma & speaking a simple greeting is useful. Grunt up the steep and treacherous canyon from the bottom.
.. Catch 7" trout that are 11 years old. Don't touch them. Don't take them from the water. If you fish here you may capture one of the most rare trout on the face of the earth.
.. Puff down the hill. Avoid the local felines. Avoid the poison everything. Admire the fire-blackened trees and browning new growth. Drive a bit and have dinner at Baci Restorante. You did make reservations the week before? You did tip Tony the day before - right?
.. May we suggest: Calamari Fritti, followed by Insalata Capricciosa, then Rack Of Lamb Napolentana, and all accompanied by Colli Di Conegliano. A bit of vanilla ice cream, Galliano, and coffee should settle the meal.

Off Center Santa

ONLY IN THE SOUTHLAND
See Santa Cruise

Have a Merry Fishy Christmas

Voices From Afar

WE LOVE OUR GIFTS

These Steelies Need Love

IF YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW!

.. We'd hope to live to see a real run.

Back Soon

BLOG HOURS

Of Stoats, Rock Snot, & Blue Ducks

NEW ZEALAND WHIO
TWO-TIMED

Invasive Species x 2

.. From Protect Your Waters comes a note about Didymo and it's spread in New Zealand. The diatom has been discovered in the world fly fishing destination-river Karamea, in Kahurangi National Park.
.. The saga of threats to the Blue Duck is an example of "unintended consequences."
.. Rabbits, introduced to New Zealand became a pest. The stoat, (ermine,) was introduced to control the rabbits. The ermines found native ducks easier to catch and eat.
.. The native Whio, (Blue Duck,) is endangered and now being threatened by Rock Snot, (Didymosphenia geminata,) in addition to the stoats.
.. This double threat from invasive species is a classic example of the exponential threats facing native species around the world.
.. The Scottish Author knew it well:

Oh what tangled webs we weave
When first we practice to deceive.

.. It's not good to fool with Mother Nature.
.. The same kind of threats face many species in Yellowstone National Park: fish and others. Our "deception" is improving all the time.
.. Early on, Victorians, Sportsmen, and Yellowstone Park Managers introduced exotic fish into the rivers of the park. The fish brought fishers. Fishers brought other invasive species.
.. Now Yellowstone's native Cutthroat Trout are disappearing through predation and interbreeding. Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Lake Trout are the primary culprits at present. The New Zealand mud snails, Didymo, and other world travelers are threats looming on the near horizon.
.. Fishing has grown, (though not recently,) to invade all fishable waters. It is a pastime that unthinkingly - or innocently - believes that it is about the fish.
.. Rivers, lakes, ponds, oceans, and the other waters that contain the fish are usually secondary in the thinking process of fishers. The ecology of the fish and its environs are way down the list of concerns and conversation. This has got to change if fishing is to continue in our national parks.
.. Rock Snot is at the south entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The threat is real and the diatom will probably be in the rivers within the park in the next year or two. It may be there now - unnoticed by fishers and managers alike.
.. For information about the hybrids in Montana's fishery visit: Trout Conservancy Of Montana. For information about Rock Snot just use your search engine.