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I must say I don’t understand the objection to the photo I posted of Dave and my trip to Deep Lake.
I posted that photo as a humorous addition to the series of photos Dave posted on Flickr. As far as I know, only Ken McLeod has objected to the photo. Now he has inticed Rich Brown into his fold (or was it the other way around??). Perhaps Ken didn’t see the caption I placed on the photo. I repeat it here:
“Dave can’t be bothered to cook”
Those who know me either personally or via my previous posts to this forum know my VERY high level of commitment to and respect for the alpine fishery. I challenge anyone to deny the impressive track record I have in terms of contributions to the fishery over the last 15 years. In addition, as Dave points out above, Deep lake is a perfect lake from which to harvest fish since the fish population in Deep Lake needs thinning. I find it hard to believe that anyone but a vegetarian would object to Dave and I catching, cleaning, cooking , and eating those fish while in camp (in a delicious potato and fresh mushroom stew BTW). It seems to me to be more honest to catch and clean one’s own meat than to go to the local Safeway, buy a package of meat, and then to pretend to oneself that one is not responsible for the slaughter house that did the nasty part for you conveniently out of sight.
I happened to snap a photo of Dave “fooling around” while he was cleaning those fish. The photo is meant as a joke. I readily concede that there is such a thing as a “bad joke” — and perhaps this photo is a bad joke. But it didn’t strike me that way.
I either made a good joke, or a bad joke…..I’ll let the American people decide :-).
I’m the “other guy” in the article. I serve as a sort of citizen focal point for the political side of the NCNP fish stocking issue.
There is no question that personal letters to legislators help a great deal. At this time the best folks to write are the US Senators from our state (Murray and Cantwell). But perhaps even more effective would be a letter to your STATE legislators (your state representative and/or your state senator). A letter to state legislators ought to include: first, your statement supporting continued fish stocking in the NCNP; and second, and most importantly, a statement that it is your understanding that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) does not agree to the language in the current version before the Senate (HR 3227 RFS). Furthermore that although it is your understanding that the WDFW has expressed its desire for amendments to HR 3227 RFS, that you would appreciate it if your legislator contacted Jeff Koenings, WDFW Director, to insure that the State of Washington is bringing sufficient priority and resources to bear in **WASHINGTON DC** to insure that the WDFW amendments are adopted in the Senate version of the bill, and that the modified bill then passes the Senate.
There are several issues involved in the lannguage of the bill, but the most important is that the original bill said in essense that the fish to be stocked had to be:
(A) native to the slope of the Cascade Range on which the lake to be stocked is located; or
(B) functionally sterile.
The word “or” in this original text was changed under lobbying pressure from the National Park Service (NPS) to be the word “and”. This change RADICALLY changes the options the state and federal biologists can use to manage the fishery. The change of “or” to “and” even creates a set of options that are contradictory to the science found in the NPS’s own nearly 1000 page EIS which took scientists 4 years to produce.
To learn more about the background of the fish stocking issue in the NCNP, go to this link and read the historical document you will find there.
Sasquatch, do you volunteer to stock lakes as directed by the Dept of Fish and Wildlife, or are you involved in some other way?
I flew in a small plane over the Chetwoot/Angeline area last Monday. I’d say no snow = 4000′ patchy = 4500′; lakes melted = 5000′; solid snow above that. YMMV of course depending on location and exposure.
One thing I like about the “fill with water” type bubble is that I can fill it 1/2 with water and cast dry flies; but then *without* changing my rig, I can fill it totally with water allowing me to switch to a under surface wet fly.
I could be wrong too. I haven’t been there lately but Downey Creek is what I heard.
If you think about it, DaveW and RichB are up on Sulfer Mtn as we speak. I doubt Dave would plan to meet Rich at the Baths tonite since he started to hike about 2pm today if he had a 9 mile road walk just to get started.
1. Elk Hair Caddis. Easy to tie, floats well, visible and effective.
2. Adams. A good general fly.
3. Carey Special. Sometimes you can puff them to drive fish crazy.
4. Hopper. Fish don’t seem to hit anything quite so hard as a hopper.
5. Black ant. Similar to the Rooster Tail, I don’t fish this fly often, but when they’re keying on ants they often leave everything else alone.
Jesus! I guess I’ve been fishing with you toooooo many times Brian. These are EXACTLY my favorite flies. I don’t remember us talking about this in the field. Great minds think alike I guess!
Everyone should note that these flies are for HIGH LAKES (in nearly any western state). River fishing can be quite different where the fish may key on a specific pattern only on that day and at that time.
For high lakes, the bottom line for me has always seemed to be that you only need 4 types of dry flies: light, dark in small and large. Having lots of patterns is more interesting to fisherman than to high lake fish.
P.S. I will argue against myself (yep, already :D) in one way. I do like to have several terrestial patterns besides black ants and hoppers. Little beetles, even a small mouse! Nymphs are another story, but Carey Specials (especially with red….thanks to DaveW) are still my favorite.
I’m pretty sure Brian has not had much time for email lately. I know he’s been out of town a bit. He’s been very quiet lately. I have little doubt you will hear from him once his life slows for a moment or two.
P.S. Why don’t you PM (private msg) Brian? You will find his name at about #83 on the member list.
P.P.S. Also…..I recommend that you replace your email address above with something like: chuck dot niblack at horizonair.com so that spam bots can’t harvest your email address from this forum.
Ken, I’m sorry you feel that way.
Frankly, I think you are misunderstanding the concern that Virg and I have. No one is accusing you of saying that any clubs stock fish without proper authorization from the WDFW. There is no problem with what you said as far as it goes. I certainly know what you meant, as likley would most others who frequent this forum.
However, what I’m concerned about is not you, but some new or uninformed person who might read a post like yours, and out of not knowing any better, think that clubs or individuals can stock lakes all on their own if they think it is a good idea. You said that no one would think that if they read all the posts in this forum. I would agree with you on that, but there is no guarantee that such an uninformed person would read other posts in this forum. For all we know, someone simply does a Google search, finds this thread, reads it, and then reads nothing else.
I can’t see the harm in making it CLEAR that such stockings must be authorized by the WDFW. Look at my initial follow-on post to yours. I say: “Just to be perfectly clear.”……that’s ALL I was trying to do…..make it clear.
Why that should upset you I don’t understand.
Yes, we all know that only the WDFW can stock lakes……
I don’t see how you can be sure that everyone knows this. Statements such as:
“sportsmen’s clubs have united in an effort to stock local lowland lakes”
could easily create the impression to a new comer to this forum, or to a new comer to high lake fishing, that somehow individuals or private organizations stock lakes completely independently of any gov’t supervision. I’m curious how it is that you think this misunderstanding could never happen.
The absolute WORST thing that could possibily happen to the high lake fishery is if some yahoo thinks they can “help” by taking fish from one lake to another, or can “help” by buying fish at a private hatchery to stock their favorite lake which in their judgment has “gone barren”.
Emphasizing that stocking is ONLY permitted under WDFW supervision can never be said done too often, and certainly when stmts like above are made which could be misinterpreted (however innocently the initial stmt may have been made).
P.S. I know McPilchuckblazer personally, and I know he knows that the WDFW must authorize stocking. I also know he didn’t mean to create the impression I am concerned about; but that does not mean that some newbie wouldn’t get the wrong impression anyway if this thread stopped at his msg.
It should also be said that (at least in Snohomish Co.) some sportsmen’s clubs have united in an effort to stock local lowland lakes, footing the bill for the triploids…..
Just to be perfectly clear. NO sportman’s club stocks lowland lakes, or any other body of water, on their own. Such clubs may advocate for such stockings, they may provide manpower and money for such stockings, but ONLY the WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) can authorize such stockings. It is illegal to stock waters in this state without explicit authorization from the WDFW.
What McPilchuckblazer means to say is that these sportsmen’s clubs are assisting the WDFW with time and money to get these lakes stocked with triploids.
