Mars - Success

PICTURE ONE

PICTURE TWO

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.. We have insight.

Fire Fighter

Release And Catch

HERE COMES SOFI

Robotic Science

use your imagination

..

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.. A brave new world dawns. Imagine the uses, (evil or good,) for this critter when it hits the retail market.
.. Toy drones took just about 5 years to move from very expensive to affordable to cheap. During that time they gained competence, versatility, and ease of use. Now any 16-year-old can have a couple.
.. Use your imagination and plan for the time when you can capitalize on the availability of one of these.
.. Read about HERE.

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WALLPAPER:   PHASIANUS  COLCHICUS

Interested In Native Fish ??

YELLOWSTONE SCIENCE

Native Fish Conservation

download vol. 25, #1

DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE !

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.. Starting in 2010 a focused and concerted effort was implemented to conserve the native fish of Yellowstone National Park.
.. Although, in the past, there have been smaller programs to the same end, this is a park wide and species wide effort.
.. This report from Yellowstone Science is the first significant release of the program scope and results to date. Public meetings and listening sessions have taken place over the last seven years. This report ties together the dribs and drabs of information that have trickled out over the last seven years.
.. The body of the report is 50 pages, including the bibliography and references.

Appended to the report are:

>> Note from the Yellowstone Lake Working group,
>> Note about suppressing non-native Lake Trout,
>> Note about fish population responses to suppression,
>> Women in science,
>> Movement patterns and areas for spawning Lake Trout,
>> Lake Trout supression [sic] alternatives to gillnetting,
>> Protection from aquatic invasive species,
>> Trout facts,
>> Volunteer activities,
>> Schweber note on catching locations.
>> Birds and mammals that eat cutthroat,
.. Download it HERE-1 or HERE-2.

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SIERRA BRIGHT DOT - WORKS!

.. The bright grayness has arrived with a warm mixed drizzle of snow and rain. Perfect fishing weather. The mush will keep the fair weather fishers off of the trails  whoot, whoot!
.. We'll don the gear and brave the warm and wet. Right after breakfast and a nap.

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THE NEIGHBORS GROW GOOD WHEAT

Not Here -- YET !

U.K. DOING IT

Get Your Order In Now

your kids will love it

A TAIL TALE OF TWO FISH

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.. Remember the flurry of concern over the "FRANKENFISH?"
.. Remember the reaction of the population to the FDA approval of the critters? {LINK-AA}
.. Things are progressing far more rapidly in the UK than anywhere but China.{LINK-BB}
.. Exploring the modification of human embryos
has been approved and has started at the UK’s brand new Francis Crick Institute.{LINK-CC}
.. Thanks to the development of the "CRISPR cas" methodology very precise gene editing and splicing is upon us. Wait until China gets hold of this.
.. The two fish shown above are both 18 months old. The commercial possibilities have overwhelmed the FDA. Here they come.
.. Just what is liable to come from more advanced and precise methodologies now being explored in England and Scotland? We can hardly wait.
.. Memorial Day may soon become a remembrance of what we used to be rather than how we were.

..
VIEW:   NEAR FUTURE POSSIBILITIES FOR HUMANS

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WALLPAPER:  OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET

So's You'll Know

FRANKENFISH ABOUT HERE

Frankenfishers To Follow ?

what's next ?

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.. In a June post we noted in our "Pure Shit Department" that transgenic trout would be here before you could blink an eye. It's happening as you read this.
.. According to a recent post in grist the FDA, (yes, our very own,) is about to accept the new fish as just fine for commercial production. These piscene  freaks are about to hit the waterways because of "Junk Science."

.. We, (yes you, your neighbors, our neighbors, and us,) have allowed this to progress to the point of no return by failing to take action to protect our fisheries. This is an invasive species of the most heinous type. This is a threat that can't be solved by the cute switch away from felt soles on waders.
.. When these critters are unleashed in the environment, (despite all assurances to the contrary - can you say Jurassic Park?) they will destroy both fresh water and marine fisheries. This is a situation about to make the BP fuck up fiasco look like child's play.
.. As pointed out in an excellent blog post by Jill Richardson, ". . .  if sloppy and dishonest science is all that's required to pass a product through the U.S. regulatory system, what other disasters lie in our future?"
.. Should you, like us, choose to resist this latest bullshit scientific advance, the FDA is accepting comments about it's stupidity decision. The note in the Federal Register a couple of weeks ago directs us to the morass of red tape we need to negotiate to make a comment.
.. The conscientious efforts of Jill Richardson are laudable and we thank her for a concise statement of the "The Creepy Science Behind Genetically Engineered "Frankenfish" About to Enter Our Food Supply Unlabeled."
.. In a move that shows great insight into the problem, Washington, Oregon, and Maryland have banned genetically altered fish in order to protect their native species. California on the other hand, is set to issue permits for research and production of similar critters - LINK.
.. By the way, if you're not of a contrarian mentality like we are, please read the note on the FDA website about all the wonderful advantages that this development will bring to the world. Yes, our very own FDA just loves this stuff and has been touting it for 5 years. Does something smell fishy to you?
.. Way back in 2006 we noted in a post the attempts of science to produce fish specifically adapted to Yellowstone National Park. That note explored the relationship between the pout fish, ice cream, and life at high temperatures. And the beat goes on!

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.. Change.org and Food & Water Watch have started a petition to curtail this action. This petition takes the form of a letter to the President of the United States. Should you choose to sign the petition to that effect just click on the widget below.

..

Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition »

..

.. For their take on the situation read the note HERE.

How'd We Miss This ?

OLDEST PETRIFIED BRAIN
BELONGS TO A FISH

300 million is a lot of years

check the discussion at scientific american

.. Just what does a 300 million year old fish brain look like? How big is it, ( very small )? And, where can you find the information? And, who does this stuff anyway?
.. From an article at Scientific American we tracked down the original article at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences web site. It's an open source article so you don't have to pay to read it.
.. Specimens and researchers from Kansas and Oklahoma contributed to the landmark research. The fossil was from an iniopterygian, an ancient extinct fish that is a relative of sharks, rays and ratfish.
.. Researchers were surprised that the scan showed a brain. What surprised the researchers even further is that it showed a brain similar to that of a modern-day shark.
.. The image of the fossilized brain was recorded during a routine computed tomography (CT) scan, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
.. Until now, scientists assumed that brains rarely—if ever—turned into fossils. Other soft tissue fossils, such as muscles and kidneys, have been found that date back longer than 350 million years ago, but because the brain is delicate and consists mostly of water, it's much less likely to be preserved in fossil form.
.. Modern technology has revealed a fossil that was unknown before this application.
.. High-powered scans using x-ray synchrotron microtomography (which, like a CT, uses x-rays to image cross-sections of an object) allowed scientists to peer into the rock-solid skull to see the 0.06-by-0.28-inch (1.5 by 7 mm) brain.
.. Other bits of the fossil include braincase, orbits, and jaw fragments. There are also parts of the ear canal and other forward parts of the braincase.
.. Supporting documentation includes two movies, (sadly in a "dot mov" format, or we'd show them to you,) and a 4 page PDF document that details the techniques used and, the generated images.

.. As an aside; a spirited discussion about theology and old fishes is taking place on the Scientific American page. There must be something going on in Kansas.

click for larger image

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.. We can only wonder what kind of fly to use.

If You're In The Neighborhood

VISIT THE LIBRARY

In Person And On Line

Hear about the
FWP crucial areas
see the geographic information system (GIS)_________________
BE DATA AWARE
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.. Should you happen to be in Helena, Montana next Friday, January 16, 2009; and should you care to hear about how resource assessment in Montana is being carried out; and should you care how decisions about fish and their waters are made: THEN you should attend the Montana State Digital Library Seminar. Here's the press release.

Montana's "Crucial Areas and Connectivity Assessment"
Topic of January Montana State Digital Library Seminar

(HELENA) --- Janet Hess-Herbert, Information Management Bureau Chief with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), is scheduled to present "Montana FWP Crucial Areas and Connectivity Assessment" at a Montana State Digital Library seminar set for Friday, January 16, 2008. Her presentation will begin at 3 p.m. in the Grizzly Conference Room of the State Library at 1515 East 6th Avenue in Helena.

Montana FWP is undertaking a significant project to more proactively address the changing landscape of Montana. The "Crucial Areas and Connectivity Assessment" will use a variety of spatial analysis to best identify and assess Montana's landscape for recreational value and habitat quality, condition, and animal use.

There will be five areas of the assessment, including three "place-based" components where data will be displayed, analyzed, and summarized using GIS. These components also include an assessment of fish, wildlife, and recreation values, as well as fish and wildlife corridor and connectivity areas and major risks to these resources. The recommendations from the Assessment will be used to develop broader scale, higher-level policies with external partners. Completion of the project is expected in July 2009.

Hess-Herbert's presentation will last for one hour and will be followed by a 30 minute dialogue, question, and answer session with attendees.

Natural resource professionals, interested agencies, businesses, and organizations, and the public are invited to attend. This seminar is free; no registration is necessary. For more information, call (406) 444-5357. Interested individuals are also encouraged to visit the Montana State Library Web site at http://msl.mt.gov.

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.. Last September, [[ news release. ]] our state library launched the Montana Geographic Information System portal. The initial data catalog includes 400 databases and over 200 sample maps from the collections of the Montana Base Map Service Center, the Montana State Library, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, and Flathead County. During the next year, library staff will vigorously pursue other GIS data providers and help them add their data and maps to the Portal.
.. The initial release of the GIS Portal is focused on the needs of GIS professionals. For the general public, however, the Portal contains an on-line map viewer that anyone may use to view basic maps and air photos of any location in Montana.
.. Currently there are 13 framework layers: Cadastral, Critical Infrastructure, Elevation, Geodetic Control, Geology, Government Units, Hydrography, Hydrologic Units, Land Use/Land Cover, Orthoimagery, Soils, Transportation, Wetlands. Users can create accounts and publish data conforming to the metadata standards of the site.
.. Here's the link to get you started in exploring a giant data base of geographic information: LINK TO GIS PORTAL.
.. Montana is also included in NED, (Northwest Environmental Data-network.) This monstrous metadata site includes regional data on a wide variety of topics and the data base is growing rapidly. Here's the LINK TO NED PORTAL, [[ your BPA in action.]]

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The Spring Fly Box - Redux

JUST A LITTLE CHANGE

The Scene's The Same

just two months later
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BREAKING NEWS
Fantastic Scientific Research Results

.. Below is last years post about the spring fly box. We've added just one fly this year. The Shop Vac. With snow currently on the ground and it snowing on and off all week it seems that the bug activity will be mostly underwater.

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.. This is as close as we come to recommending flies for fishing. We have used some of these patterns for 40 years or more - really - and they continue to work. They do not satisfy the need for experimentation, nor do they tickle the fancy of feather merchants, nor are they the latest and greatest; they just suit us.
.. Other flies work fine, and other flies may even work better. One old local fly fisher was fond of asking and answering a question in the same breath: "Why are there so many flies? - Because they all work!" We agree.
.. Spring fishing in and around Yellowstone National Park is weather and runoff dependent - no surprise there. The weather can be brutal well into June, and the runoff can keep you off of the water for days, (or weeks,) at a time. The flies shown here are designed to work well in a variety of conditions and in that sense are "generalized flies." There are some that could be considered 'imitative,' however most will fall into the 'attractor' class - that's O.K. with us. Got'ta attract a fish to catch it.

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THE FLIES

.. Montana Duster: We use piles of these all season long and start the Spring nymphing with it. This pattern, and the original Feather Duster are staples in our Spring assortment. The yellow color is most popular. However, about this time each year the pink makes an appearance - probably taken for an egg - who knows? Sizes: 6 - 18.
.. Yellowstone Coachman: The occasional day in early Spring that allows a good hatch is an unanticipated joy. The fish are seldom very selective, (well - sort'a,) and this fly works wonders. Sizes: 10 - 18.

.. The Yellowstone Cinch: This is our other choice for early Spring dry fly days. It is a local adaptation that floats like a cork, and can be quickly tied at home or on the water. Size is the key to this and other early season flies in Yellowstone. Later the fish become much more selective. Sizes: 10 - 18.
.. Yellowstone Spruce Fly: This fly was developed by some neighbors that use a bubble on a spinning or casting rig for Fall fishing. It is an exceptional fly when casted with a fly rod in the spring. It's a bit gaudy for many of our purists, but with a nice slow presentation in the cold waters of the early Spring it looks like a big sack of groceries to hungry trout. Sizes: 4 - 12.
.. Yellowstone Morning Glory: This is an all season fly that we like to keep handy for fishing in the film, or slightly submerged in the Spring. It is a traditional 'early morning' fly for those that find the right foggy morning after the rare early Spring hatch. In the Summer it's a useful attractor. There are many flies similar to this local variant and most will do - we use this one. Sizes: 10 - 16.
.. Yellowstone Winter Grub: This looks like nothing other than something to sample - or some such. We fish this all Winter and carry it into the Spring. It's a heavy fly, though it casts well, and is useful for 'dredging' those big fish that you know are there. It's apparently an old fly from the Salmon & Challis area in Idaho. We usually have this in a variety of sizes for the desperation moments. Sizes: 4 - 10.
.. Woolly Worm: Spit the words out of your mouth if you must - it's a great Spring fly in Yellowstone country. Sometimes we use small ones on the surface when the snow flies are out. Black or yellow seem to be the colors of choice, we've got more yellow ones. Sizes: 10 - 18.
.. Yellowstone Badger: This prickly little devil is one that serves a multitude of purposes. Float it, sink it, splash it, strip it, or just dap it - it is a winner. This fly is similar to the other nymphs that are popular around here - the Pheasant Tail, and the Hare's Ear. We use them all, but keep coming back to this one. Sizes: 12 - 18.
.. Stiff Hackle Nymph: This variant of the soft hackle variety is not a favorite among many folks in the fly fishing community. It does work well and it is used by some of our 'more mature' neighbors. We've used it since the 80's and found it to be a useful resource - but we tend to forget it too. This is an all season fly that we just put in the fly box because we have them. Sizes 12 -18.
.. Deer Hair Caddis: This little fly we borrowed from Jason Neuswanger over at The Trout Nut. We fished it all last year along with the local versions and it was a standout performer. It's a dark fly that is consistent with some of our early Caddis hatches and we like it very much. Sizes: 10 - 18.
.. The Quick -N-Easy is one of those flies that makes many a fly fisher cringe. It is gaudy, flashy, big, and effective. It is famous for its spectacular refusals, and that's it's purpose. Tie it on early and then fish the fly that the fish are taking. This will show you that there are really fish in the water, and it may even catch one or two. Sizes: 8 - 14.
.. Hellifiknow: This pattern is reminiscent of the Black Nose Dace and Micky Finn patterns. It is useful when the water is murky and you need to get a bit of twinkle down deep. It's a Spring staple and often a 'what if ?' kind of fly for prospecting. Sizes 4 - 12.
.. Scarlet Ibis: We've carried this fly since the early 60's. Back then they came on a card and you got four for a dollar. They were imported from Japan and attracted the novice and expert alike. Bit of color never hurts the old fly boxes. This traditional wet fly is one that we fish for fun. It may be taken for an egg, a flying saucer, a cowboy's bandanna, or "who knows ?" - but it takes a few fish every year. Sizes: 8 - 14.

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.. Here's the post on the Shop Vac. It's proven its worth in subsurface fishing over the last few seasons. Tied a bit larger than the traditional sizes it is a fine upper fly in a tandem rig and can be seen on a slow shallow swing.
.. We have an irrational fondness for the local Feather Dusters, (Original, Montana, Egg,) yet we always have a few Shop Vacs as well. For year-round success these nymphs rank very high. Most people use the bead head variety. Contrarians that we are, we stick with the fluff sans bead.
.. The recipe lets you know why we're fond of these by the dozen.
Recipe. Hook: size 12 - 18, Thread: black, Body: pheasant tail fiber, Rib: medium, (or fine,) copper wire, Wing: gold or white Zelon, (cul de canard works fine.)
Instructions. Move thread to the rear of the hook, attach pheasant tail fibers and the wire, return thread and fibers to head, counter wrap the wire rib to the eye, tie off, attach zelon, (or cul de canard,) on top of the hook shank, whip finish a large clunky head.
.. These can be greased up real heavy and floated if you choose. The smaller sizes float very well.

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.. New research results have been released from the Montana State Piscatorial Institute, (MSPI) detailing the findings of fish vision. The results had been delayed for about three years due to the problems of replicating the results from the implantation of sensors in the visual centers of the living trout brain.
.. The results are scientifically astounding.
.. Trout have as their main brain component the optic lobes. These highly developed brain tissues are capable of a higher resolution than previously thought, and are capable of providing the necessary stimulus/reaction response to a wide variety of external phenomena.
.. The single most astonishing finding is that the trout uses this highly developed cerebral mass for a process of transliteration.
.. The transliteration of visualized objects into desirable objects takes place at the interface of the cerebrum and the optic lobes. This is facilitated by neuro-synaptic activity that was also traced to both the hypothalamus and the olfactory interface. The resulting interplay of these electrochemical processes produce a cognitive impression of an object with attributes of both food and sex.
.. In simple terms: the trout sees food items as desirable objects in a way exactly similar to the way fisher folks see desireable objects. And the trout sees subsurface objects as the most desirable of all food objects.
.. Of all the subsurface food items, nymphs are seen as the most desirable of food items and they produce responses that are similar in intensity to the desire for sexual objects . . . in both fish and humans.
.. The transliteration phenomena was successfully captured by the researchers and reproduced as an image comprehensible to humans.
.. The image is the product of newly developed technology that not only implants sensors in the trout's brain, but produces output in visual terms. Although some transliteration algorhythms are informed by food of the fish, others are informed by research in humans and adolescent canines as well.
.. We are fortunate to be chosen as the first place to release this image to the public.
.. Below is what a Feather Duster nymph, (we provided the research props,) looks like to a trout. We have to admit that the trout has good taste!