Recreation, Avocation, Occupation ?

HOW DO YOU FISH ?

How Do You Vote ?

education determines

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.. Not to make too fine of a point of it BUT, the American trend in education is making colleges into trade schools.
.. Colleges have learned that by touting their curriculum as 'focused' toward entry level professional job success they attract students willing to pay for focused education, (and the job they want?)

WHY SUNDER THE CHOICE  ?

.. Fly fishers become sucked into the same sort of false security in their fishing education.
.. They become cast masters, bug masters, gear masters, fly masters, and all manner of other masters.

SOME STILL IN USE

.. Fly fishers are generally ignorant of the life cycle of rivers and streams.
.. They are usually vague in their perceptions of aquatic ecology.
.. They seldom talk about the social or environmental implications of keeping favored haunts secret.
.. In oh so many ways our American political morass is the direct analog of our fishing communities.
.. Bass fishing: not for us! Spin fishing: horror of horrors. Worm fishing: a pure travesty. Fly fishing: elitist rich folks. Only a couple of rods: not near enough.
.. Tunnel vision leads to restricted enjoyment and, furthers failure in many instances that confront the contemporary fly fisher.
.. It's really a simple matter of approach and education. If our fishing is purely recreational there is one set of fishing perceptions.
.. Avocational fishers have a different set of approaches and educational perspectives. So too, the occupational fisher; even if only part time.

A FALSE PERCEPTION !

.. In this great land of ours there is becoming an attitude that undermines our creative selves and our ability to succeed.
.. There seems to be the false impression that education means more intelligent folks. That is hardly true.
.. The familiarity with a broad spectrum of subjects just takes a small bit of inquiry.  Presto change-o, anyone can be "smart" with just a little investigation.
.. Our society has increasingly become a series of generations that have accepted the "SANDBOX DROPOUT SYNDROME."  Both in the fishing world and the political world.
.. Starting early in life we have our interests focused by a myriad of pressures: family, friends, neighbors, newspapers, television, etc. We know that, don't we?
.. What is not clear is how we have come to accept the premise that less is more.
.. Shakespeare said it first, (maybe!) Since that time it has been applied to everything from style to design to education and politics. It's a cute phrase but not necessarily true.
.. Less general education is more financially rewarding? Fewer fishing techniques are more socially acceptable? Very narrow  education is the road to success?
.. The case has been made for what is called a liberal education, a broad education, a liberal arts education, etc.
.. Of course Conservatives immediately reject anything with the word 'liberal' in it. And Liberals avoid anything that smacks of 'traditional' or 'conservative.' This tyranny of words is certainly part of the problem.

NEVER THE TWAIN . . .

.. In fact, the most productive fishing experiences combine progressive styles and techniques with traditional methods and approaches.
.. But, you certainly need to know both to enhance your productivity and enjoyment.
.. Such is not only the sate of our fishing but also, our political morass in the nation today.
.. With a failure to admit of the broad traditions of both liberal and conservative perspectives, we have become polarized to the point of: "BASS vs. TROUT."
.. Argue the merits all you want: the simple truth is that education, (in it's broadest sense,) is the determinant factor in rounding out a person and their fulfilling experiences, (in fishing, politics, life, love, etc.)
.. A classic example is, sadly, playing itself out on our national stage.
.. We can, right now, this minute, without any hesitation, give a grade of "F" to four schools: Kew Forest School, New York Military Academy, Fordham University, Wharton School. These schools have tightly focused curriculum's.
.. Successively their focus is: test taking for college entrance, martial discipline and obedience, Catholic independent research, private business education.
.. This is the educational background of Donald J. Trump.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW

.. With these agendas the four schools have ignored: Political Geography, Ethnic Value Structures, Constitutional Law, United States Government Dynamics, English, American Literature, World Literature, World Religions, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Ecology, Geology, Drama, Theater, Debate, Philosophy, Classics, and other core curricula of the traditional liberal arts education.
.. This has, (inevitably and detrimentally,) hogtied the current President of the United States.
.. It's not his fault that: " . . .who knew a national health care system could be so difficult."
.. It's not his fault that he ". . . never knew that the job of president would be so hard."

THE FOCUSED TRUMP UNIVERSITY

.. It's not his fault that he entered the office thinking that executive orders were the same as legislation.
.. It's not his fault that he believes that Federal Court rulings are "dumb."
.. It's not his fault that he thinks a university is a place where the delights of dogma constitute an education.
.. It's not his fault that he thinks that business ethics are the universal standard for the world.
.. This is what he was taught by his father, his friends, his schools, and his business experience.
.. Our fellow citizens of this great country who think that his previous education and experience will somehow be quickly moderated by his current position are trotting down the wrong road.
.. At age 70, there is not a lot of learning that he can master within his current tenure at his current job.
.. We'll see how quickly he can figure it out. After all being a team player, with team members having diverse interests and ideologies is far different from being a rich kid autocrat with no checks and balances. It's not his fault!

WORK IT BABY

.. Of course the same is true for fly fishers. If you have grown up fishing the gentle and picturesque streams of the Northeast United States your predilection for dainty flies, stealth, and precise casting will be challenged when you climb in a drift boat on a rowdy western river.
.. If you've never fished for small mouth bass by precisely drifting a worm through shady shallows then your fly fishing nymph techniques are probably missing some subtlety.
.. Should you choose to follow a single dogma, (it's your choice of course,) you may miss out on some more diverse pleasures, greater catch rate, or deeper satisfaction in your: ( pick one - Recreation, Avocation, Occupation.)
.. We would argue for diversity, lifelong learning, experimentation, and cross fertilization. None of this "DRY FLY OR DIE" dogma for us.

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.. Well the sun came out and there are caddis to be had way down in the lowland environs of the Madison River. We've just enough time for a quick lunch and a drive over the hill. We may fish a double in some backwater eddies = float one and sink one together.

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WALLPAPER:   FRIJOLES BORRACHOS

Even In Montana

FENCE OFF ACCESS

Out Of New Jersey

a russian connection

ELECT ME - I'M RUSSIAN RICH

 

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.. The carpetbagger barrage from and, into Montana continues.
.. After sending our favorite Californian to Washington DC, we're being bombarded once again by Greg Gianforte from his throne in New Jersey.
.. This is just a short note here to point out what The Guardian just published, {LINK-G.}
.. This recurrant posier is trying get elected again and he's probably not even legally eligible.
.. Thanks to Montana Cowgirl for their post and the heads up to all of Montana - even fly fishers.

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.. Some housekeeping chores:

>> This blog is searchable: box at upper left,
>> Many links have evaporated, we're working on it,
>> Some images are no longer available, = free hosting,
>> We're still covered by creative commons,
>> New IRL = Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers,

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.. Madison River now pumped up to more than 100cfs above seasonal norm. The color has finally arrived and the bankfull waters are being augmented by our recent wet snow and rain during the last few warm days. The temperature is warmer than usual for this time of year but is still holding below 60°F.
.. Down canyon on the Gallatin River discharge is about 200cfs above seasonal norms. Color is finally being added by the Taylor Fork.
.. There are bugs both above and below the surface. Clarity hasn't yet been reduced to the point of stupidity and a large dark nymph or enormous Woolly Bugger is the way to go above Big Sky.

CASUAL DRESS

.. Hebgen Reservoir is still producing largish fish near the shore. The pods are beginning to break up and a good pair of binoculars with polarized glasses should allow sight fishing for another 10 days or so.
.. Try floating a heavily greased Casual Dress trailed by a Prince Nymph.

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.. The coals need stirring, the slab needs adjusting, the end is in sight, and after seven hours we don't want to disappoint the neighbors.

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WALLPAPER:  CARNITAS Y MAYOCOBAS  BORACHOS

Here It Comes

ZINKE & UTAH

Graze It Off

drill it deep

FROM SANTA BARBARA THROUGH UTAH TO WASHINGTON D.C.

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.. The good folks of Montana do their best to believe what people say.
.. Folks around here say one thing and then do it. It makes life simple and honest.
.. They once believed the cowboyan from Santa Barbara, California when he said he was from Montana: very far from indeed!

HOW SWEET IT IS

.. He was, in fact, born here and he left the state as soon as he could. {LINK-1.}
.. He got elected by saying he had our values. That's what he said. Honest folks believed him.
.. Some folks still believe him - now that he's in Washington and patting the right fanny's. He travels around spouting "the good stuff."
.. We warned you that his buddies from Utah and those other exploitative interests had glommed onto this simple Californian. We have suggested that Bears Ears National Monument was in danger, {LINK -2.}

F*** THE 5 TRIBES

.. It has, indeed, come to pass {LINK-3,} and the folks in Utah are pleased as punch (-ing cattle.)
.. Trump has tasked his minion with reevaluating National Monuments.
.. This is the purported way to let the local populations control development, grazing, drilling, and other depredations.
.. These reevaluations will seek to reduce the size of the monuments or eliminate them completely. It's what Zinke has been saying for years.
.. There will be reevaluations in Montana too. Sort of like the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument.
.. Fly fishers, usually being of the tunnel-vision, one-issue-mentality sort, continue to applaud Zinke for his glowing words that allow him to pretend he's an environmentalist.
.. What has he done? So sad. Have those fishers ever been to the Missouri Breaks?
.. President Trump has just signed yet another executive order, (about as many as his tweetings.) Now Ryan Zinke will get to do his master's bidding's.
.. The legal and constitutional quagmire of trying to change the boundaries of National Monuments will now come to the fore.
.. Patagonia has soundly denounced the action, {LINK-4, LINK-5.} In fact they have even threatened a lawsuit over this executive order, {LINK-6.}
.. Remember the Bears Ears interactive video produced by Patagonia? Check It Out {LINK-7.}

ZINKE AND TRUMP IN THE BIG TIME

.. This is interesting beyond just the United States of America. The BBC has picked up on it and is running a Patagonia video, {LINK-8, LINK-9.}
.. Given that the folks in Montana have voted for both Zinke and Trump we can only opine that they shall probably get the results that they want and deserve.
.. We're not too happy. We probably gave the honest folks around here more credit than they deserved. Or, perhaps we're out of step.
.. The economic stimulus and job creation for lawyers is great boon gifted upon the barristers by this administration.

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.. We just received another two inches of rapidly melting snow.
.. Hebgen Reservoir is filling at a good clip and soon discharge will increase to provide storage capacity.

BLACK WOOL NYMPH

.. Time to get your fish on!
.. We caught a nice little fish at the confluence of Notellum Creek and the much larger Hidden Fork of the Great Blue. Feisty little devil. Probably not larger than 16".

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WALLPAPER:  BISCUITS, GRAVY, POTATO PANCAKE

Parksters Arrive

FISH TALK

Projects Updated

slickest roadshow yet

THE TALE OF THE PLATE

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TOPICS COVERED

.. In beautiful West Yellowstone the NPS roadshow detailed current and future projects in the Native Fish Preservation Program.
.. Updates and progress reports for both streams and Yellowstone Lake were presented.

CUTTHROAT & GRAYLING

.. The team also detailed the efforts to bring regulations in line with preservation goals.
.. This included the continually expanding program to prevent aquatic invasive species. One possibility is the banning of felt soles on waders and wading boots.
..  Details about ongoing actions on the west side of Yellowstone National Park for the preservation of Westslope Cutthroat and the reintroduction of a favored non native  species the Artic Grayling.

UPPER GIBBON PROGRESS

.. It seems that there is an effort to remove the Adfluvial Grayling and introduce Lacustrean Grayling in the upper Gibbon River drainage. This includes the relocating of fish from Grebe Lake  and then replanting the lake with a different non native Grayling species..

ROTENONE APPLICATION

.. Rotenone, (a crystalline isoflavone used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide,) will continue to be used for removal of the unwanted species from both rivers and lakes.
.. Details about the Grayling projects on Grayling Creek and Specimen Creek were presented and showed a series of age classes in Specimen Creek that suggest an in situ breeding population.

GRAYLING EGGS

.. It's too early to make the same claim for Grayling Creek. However the population in Grayling Creek appears healthy and is getting larger as anticipated.
.. Success is anticipated for these projects for propagating non native species in protected streams in remote and less popular fishing locations in Yellowstone National Park.

COMPLETED vs.  FUTURE RESTORATIONS

.. The progress for both lakes and streams for current and future project elements were summarized in tabular form. Currently there are 45.8 stream miles that have been completed. There are 49 lake acres in the same catagory.
.. These totals will be expanded with future project elements to an anticipated 92.3 stream miles and 281 lake acres.

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SOFTY

.. The 10" of snow that we received over the last 24 hours is about all melted from the warm forty degree temperatures that came with it. Runoff should increase somewhat with the rapid melt. Water color should be interesting as well.

STIFFY

.. The fishing on both lakes and between them is attracting both neighbors and folks from foreign lands. Spawing trout are abundant between the lakes and care should be taken to avoid the very visible redds in this section.
.. Better yet = leave them alone. It is a sort of private matter after all.

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VERY ATTENTIVE FISHER FOLKS

Flow Gently Sweet Madison (sorry Mr. Burns)

TOPSY TURVY COLORS

Mixed Weather Bag

sorta near normal

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.. 'Twas gray yesterday - 'tis bright today. Must be Spring in Yellowstone National Park.
.. With snow and rain and fog and graupel surrounding visitors from the west entrance to Old Faithful the park greeted us with a typically soft day.
.. The precipitations were not a hindrance because the ground level temperatures were in the 40's.

.. The Madison River is bank full and discharge is just slightly above seasonal norm, (575 vs 541 cfs.)

MADISON RIVER COLORS

.. It is surprisingly clear with in-water visibility of six feet or more.
.. Foam lines are persistent and clear and noses are in the air.
.. Water temperature is hanging around 50°F with small incursions above and below during the day and night.
.. There is a lot of fishy surface activity with splashing and jumping. Could not see any bugs so it must be seasonal exuberance on the part of the fish.

FIREHOLE RIVER COLORS

.. Most interestingly, the Firehole River is milky and the color is reminiscent of the hues dripping from a freshly rinsed dirty diaper.
.. Discharge is at or below seasonal norms, (≈ 300 cfs,) and temperatures have already spiked to 66°F.
.. There are some noses in the air and bugs of the eensy variety were flitting at the far edge of our identification range.

MADISON RIVER

.. Our warm up has been gradual and the mid level snows have had time to percolate into the recently thawed ground.
..  Amongst the major river basins around this corner of the states we have about the lowest of the good in both depth and snow water content.
.. It's better than the last few years and the slow warm up is encouraging for early season fishing.

FIREHOLE RIVER

.. As quick as the Firehole River is heating up we hope that there is not an early closure and that we can grab some catching time for more than just a few weeks.
.. Nothing peculiar seems to be in the offing for the near and long term weather forecast.

EXPERIMENTAL

.. We are of good cheer and busy cleaning the fly lines and tinkering with the gear.
.. The neighbors have been exceedingly generous with their experimental winter collection of flies: there will be lots of good excuses.

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.. Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is free today. We'll pass. The garden needs some spading and we need to get the weeds away from the dandelions.

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WALLPAPER:  BISCUIT BASIN, OPENING DAY

Open Today

SOME PLOWING DONE

West Entrance Open

bears, bison abound

WALLPAPER:  SPRING ROAD HAZARDS

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.. It's "EARTH DAY" and the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is open for business.

WALLPAPER:  YELLOWSTONE, WEST ENTRANCE

.. The National Park Service has released it's  schedule for Spring openings of roads and facilities.
.. The schedule is tentative for interior roads and the area just outside the park and into the wilds beyond Cooke City.

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The major road opening dates are:

April 21: Mammoth to Old Faithful; Madison to West Entrance; Norris to Canyon.
May 5: Canyon Junction to Lake; Lake to East Entrance (Sylvan Pass).
May 12: Lake to West Thumb, West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass), and South Entrance to West Thumb; Tower Junction to Tower Fall.
May 26: Tower Fall to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass)
May 26: Beartooth Highway.

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.. For basic information about lodging, road conditions, fishing, camping, facilities, etc. visit the Yellowstone National Park website. Click around the pages and watch the park unfold.
.. Interior roads and northeast roads will open as close to schedule as possible - depending on snow removal.

..

.. We'll be back with our annual opening day report on the west side rivers and other tidbits - film at eleven, (or so.)

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WALLPAPER:  HOT ROAST BEEF SANDWICH

Y'all Come

HEAR ALL ABOUT IT

Meetings For You

you've been warned

..

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.. Meetings on FISH being held by Yellowstone National Park.
.. From the Bozeman Chronicle:

There will be four meetings in towns across the region, and park staff will talk about efforts to restore native fish, threats posed by aquatic invasive species, and the park’s fishing regulations. There will be a presentation about plans to create a native fish refuge on the Upper Gibbon River.

The meetings are scheduled as follows (all will begin at 6:30 p.m.): 

• April 24, Bozeman, Hilton Garden Inn, 2023 Commerce Way. 
• April 25, West Yellowstone, Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Ave. 
• April 26, Jackson, Wyoming, Wort Hotel, 50 N. Glenwood St.
• April 27, Cody, Wyoming, Best Western Premier Ivy Inn, 1800 Eighth St.

Fishing season in the park opens May 27.

.. Now you know: thanks Jim.

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WALLPAPER:  Chorizo_y_Papas_con_Refritos

WALMART GOOF - - EGAD!

WHAT Th . . .?

 Hope You Got Yours

just plain rude

 ABC FOX Montana Local News, Weather, Sports KTMF | KWYB

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.. It's not funny. What is going on at Wally World?

RESOURCES

>> Bozeman Daily Cronicle,
>> USA Today,
>> FOX Montana.

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Stewart's Black Spider #1

.. Better check your I.D. and the Montana data base. Who knows what you may be! Spider Wrangler? could be worse.

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WALLPAPER:  RIGATONI & MEATBALLS