Over spring break my father and I traveled south to Arkansas to fish the Norfork River. The fishing proved difficult but that is the nature of tailwaters. Constantly fluctuating waters can make fish finicky, other times it seems they will eat anything presented in front of them. This trip proved to be more on the finicky side. That said the important and most rewarding aspect of the trip was being able to spend some quality time with my dad in some beautiful water. 

My father landing the second fly rod trout of his life. 

Days two and three we exclusively fished the Norfork. A 4 mile tailwater which feeds into the White. Every morning they were running full capacity and then would shut it off entirely. Falling water is never easy and this trend proved true this trip as well. Despite this fish were caught, with G-Bug's and Zebra midges proving most effective. We kayaked the entire length of the river each day. Stopping at those locations which looked were both wadable and looked promising at holding fish. The river was more crowded than the previous time I fished the Norfork but we were able to still find some good water with plenty of casting room. Having the kayak as transportation definitely helped get to those locations and away from the crowds. 

If you are like me, finding a gun range can sometimes be problematic and often is downright frustrating. I recently stumbled across a website that helps you locate gun ranges and thought it would be beneficial to share. Simply enter your location and what type (Shotgun, Rifle, Archery, etc.)  of range you are looking for. It then generates a list of nearby ranges with details and contact information. Pretty useful. Here is the link: 

In my previous post I mentioned a fly pattern called an electric chicken, a few of you asked to see what it looks like so I thought I would share with you not only that pattern but also a few of the other patterns I have been tying this week. Hope you enjoy: 

Electric Chicken: Can either be tied using pink and chartreuse marabou on a jig or clouser style using pink and chartreuse buck tail. 

Hog Snare 

 Panty Dropper 

Those of you who follow this blog regularly know there is one local lake that has had my number for years, Lake Shawnee. As illustrated by these posts: Frustration at Lake Shawnee & Thanksgiving Fishing and countless other trips, while I would catch fish I just couldn't catch trout there. Well this week the fishing gods decided to turn their favor towards me. I not only was successful but caught some nice sized, albeit scrappy fish. Two things helped: first I took my Kayak (why I hadn't before I have no clue), and they went absolutely crazy for a fly called an electric chicken. Lost a nice fish before I was able to bring it to hand but that was a lesson in having your net accessible. It was a good day and felt good to get my skunk off at that particular fishery.

This is an incredibly easy tie, yet very effective. It has proved itself numerous times and is always in my box. When the fish seem a little finicky this is one of the first streamers I reach for. Both stripping it  and dead drifting seem to work well. I tie these in black, olive, and a rust brown and always have all three on hand. They are so simple to tie you really don't have an excuse to have a few. Finally, if you are into the carp game try a smaller version on on a stout hook, equally as effective. 

Catch and release is a question of ethics: action precipitated by a firmly held belief. In the not too distant past catch and release was rarely practiced and far from even being considered by most as an option. Like hunting: you fished to attain food, yes pleasure was involved, but the ultimate goal was to acquire sustenance. Now within many fishing communities, catch and release is the norm and some within these communities would not hesitate to shun another for violating it. Fly fisherman, the tournament bass crowd, and muskie anglers all come to mind immediately. In the following brief article I hope to address three topics. 1.) Why I practice catch and release 2.) My take on those who do not 3.) Defend the practice of catch and release against those who think it is nothing but a cruel bloodsport. 

1.) Why I Practice Catch and Release

Beginning in middle school I began to go against the grain in my family and release 99% of fish I caught. To this day I consider myself a catch a release angler. Quite simply I admire the beauty of the animal and find greater pleasure knowing it was released alive compared to any utility gain from eating it. I love fishing and have a deep love and respect for the fish I pursue. Do I keep fish, sometimes but rarely. I may keep a walleye or crappie here and there or a fish that has somehow been severely injured as the result of me catching it (a rarity, and a situation I have not encountered for years), but again I release 99% of what I catch. Finally, I catch a lot of fish each year. I am not trying to brag by saying this. The simple reality is if you spend as much time on the water as I do, and I know as many as you do as well, you will catch a lot of fish, more than you would ever want to eat or is practical to do so. 

2.) My Take on Those Who Do Not Practice Catch and Release

With a few caveats, I am fine with this. I grew up in a family that was almost exclusively catch and take. You fished for a fish fry, end of story. Catch and release is an ethic that I have adopted, NOT something I push upon others. To each their own. However, I do have a few caveats. I am not fine with the following:

a.) Keeping rare or recovering species. 

b.) Killing fish you do not intend to eat (a direct remark to bow fisherman who kill gar in my area then leave them bankside in droves). 

c.) Breaking regulations; if you snag it let it go, if its undersized let it go, if you have reached your limit let it go. The rules and regulations were put in place for a reason, follow the law. 

d.) Keeping more fish than you and your family are able to consume. 

Throughout my angling career I have heard something like the following numerous times: "it is cruel to inflict pain on another animal purely for your own enjoyment". I think we have to take these statements seriously and for me it is something I have thought of both often and deliberately. To be blunt, yes we anglers forcibly puncture and inflict pain upon another animal, fight it, then let it go. The end to those who see the logic thus far would be that at least anglers who catch and eat their fish are serving an end. So then the question becomes, to what end are we serving? In summary, I believe the end we ultimately are serving is something much higher than face value, I truly believe the net impact of catch and release on the environment is positive and outweighs and harm we may cause. 

a.) We as anglers act as a sentry to our waters. Most avid anglers I know are keenly in touch with their local waters; they know its rhythm, fluctuations in fish populations, and deviations in water quality. We work to enhance and raise awareness when things become off kilter. Your average joe may visit such and such water say a couple of times per year, most likely on a sunny day and will have no bearing on its ebb and flow. Fisherman are out year round, sometimes multiple times per week. When something is off, we know it. 

b.) We as anglers act as stewards and advocates for improving water quality. Because we have a passion for our hobby and genuine respect for the fish we pursue, we more than anyone have worked to increase the quality of habitat. Here are a few examples:

     i.) Restoration of the Driftless Area from muddy streams with threatened native trout populations due to poor agricultural practices, to clear healthy water restored with native trout and increased biodiversity.

    ii.) The complete and full protection of Bonefish, Permit, and Tarpon throughout all of Belize.

   iii.) Initiative by several organizations including the Eastern Brook Trout Join Venture to reverse declining water quality and restore clean water to protect and promote Brook Trout.

   iv.) Campaigning by many to protect Bristol Bay and its Salmon from the Pebble Mine Project which could cause severe disruption to the historic salmon run so vital for its continuation as a species.

   v.) Efforts from groups like Sturgeon for Tomorrow, to protect and ensure Sturgeon populations can rebound.

   vi.) The work of World Muskie Alliance, to help protect Muskie spawning grounds, protect water quality, and to reintroduce populations where they have previously been eradicated.

c.) Given increasing populations and increased angler pressure, without catch and release, many of these fisheries would be void of viable populations. 

d.) We as anglers through the sale of permits, licenses, park passes so forth support the DNR and Biologist whose job it is to protect and promote these waters. 

I apologize for the length of this post. As you can tell it is something I have thought long and hard about. I welcome all and any comments or criticisms. 

Well mother nature was finally kind enough to me to grace Kansas with enough consistency to be able to ice fish. All winter we have cycled between temperatures from the 50's* to sub zero, sometimes within the same  week. What that has meant is a thin layer of ice--too thin to ice fish, and just thick enough to prevent conventional fishing. I have been hoping for consistency one way or another just so I could have a little time out on the water. Two weeks ago my wish was granted. I was able to escape studying for a couple of hours and drilled a few holes at Lake Henry. Caught six Rainbow's: two on a Northland Puppet Minnow, and four on a small tungsten jig. All in all, not a bad way to spend an afternoon. That said, every day I am growing more eager for spring.   

This is the film that started me on my addiction to "fish porn" and in many ways highly influenced the subsequent wave of fly fishing films industry wide. From Confluence Films in 2008, Drift is still a great film and if you haven't seen it or own it, it is worth picking up. The film travels first to Oregon's Deschutes River in pursuit of Steelhead on a Spey Rod, then moves to Belize for Permit, to a variety of Western Tailwaters, the Bahamas chasing Bones, and finally to the unlikely Kashmir Mountains. Had you told me in 2008 I would travel to two of the locations featured in this film (Abaco, Bahama's & The Frying Pan), let alone be confidently fly fishing I would have thought you were crazy. Watching now I look at these places with longing for my return, but until then I have the film and its a damn good one. Here is the link to the trailer. 

I attended an event last night regarding fishing in the Driftless and picked this up. The Driftless is by far one of my favorite places to fish and if you haven't been I highly recommend it. So much water and a variety of streams. The chart notes it is for Wisconsin, but I am sure it would prove useful for the Minnesota and Iowa side of the Driftless as well. 

Eating Aliens challenges the conventional thinking surrounding hunting and the stereotypical hunter. Raised a vegetarian, Jackson Landers wished to transition to eating meat in the most environmentally sustainable way possible. Eating Aliens, is his journey to pursue and hunt invasive species which are negatively impacting the environment. Rather than the net negative impact on the environment caused by most modern agricultural practices, Jackson explores if hunting can help restore the natural balance. 

In the book Jackson tells the tale of his hunts to pursue the following species as well as how they are wrecking havoc on the environment: Black Spiny-Tailed Iguanas, Green Iguanas, Feral Pigs, Armadillos, Lionfish, European Green Crab, Asian Carp, Nutria, Giant Canada Geese, Tilapia, Plecostomus, Armored Catfish, Snakeheads, Chinese Mystery Snails and also his experience with the game farms in Texas which recently have introduced African game such as Zebra and Antelope. The book chronicles his successes as well as failures, details how he prepared the meat, and closes each chapter with what he views the potential impact hunters may have in helping eradicate the species from their alien environment. 

Overall the book is quite enjoyable to read and shouldn't take most readers long to finish. Length is 226 pages. The book is eye opening and again challenges what it means to eat meat and brings a remarkably fresh perspective to the question of environmentally sustainability. In fact the book was a large part of what persuaded me to personally take up hunting as a ethic. If you hunt, are considering hunting, are environmentally conscious or just looking for something out of the box to read pick up Eating Aliens, you won't be disappointed. 

No other fly has proven itself more effective in catching trout for me compared to the Zebra Midge. This lowly, small, unassuming fly is also perhaps one of the simplest and easiest flies to tie. But don't let this dissuade you. From the White, to the Driftless, to Lee's Ferry (where it was invented) this fly produces. As it is my most effective pattern; I have learned and employed several variations based on the original black/silver bead head design. Below are several of the variations I employ and if applicable comments on when I use that particular one. I find that sizes #20-16 seem most effective regardless of variation. 

Original

          Often one of the first flies I try at all times of the year in all conditions, along with hares ears and pheasant tails, the zebra midge is one of those "go to" nymph patterns.  

Growing up in the Boy Scouts, if you carried a Gerber Knife you were viewed with a sense of awe. It was the top of the top anyone could carry for a pocketknife in my teens, or so it seemed. Fast forward a number of years and it is of no surprise that for my first knife and the one that introduced me to the idea of everyday carry (EDC) I picked up a Gerber Paraframe I. That purchase was five years ago. Since that time I have learned a lot more about knives, steel, and what I like in a edc role. And within the knife community no single company seems to receive such a hard time and receive bad press as Gerber. So which is it: is Gerber truly a quality knife company or are they not worth the effort and in the end a pile of junk? 

As I noted, this was the knife that introduced me to edc without even understanding that term. It wasn't a purposeful move. Rather the job I had at the time required me to open dozens of boxes each week, box cutters were always getting lost and so from a purely utilitarian stance I went to a local hardware store and purchased a pocketknife. From my background in the Boy Scouts, the choice in a Gerber seemed obvious. After carrying the knife for work I found the immense utility of carrying a knife daily and it just became part of my daily habit. Now I have many more knives to fulfill that edc role and without one I just feel naked. 

Onto the stats themselves: Gerber doesn't specify the steel but through research I have learned it is 7cr17, somewhat analogous to 440A. The benefit of this steel is it is very corrosion resistant due to its high carbon content and cheap to produce. The blade itself is a 3 inch clip point design, and total length when open is 7" Weight is 2.6 oz. The locking mechanism is a frame lock and the overall design is an open frame. MSRP $25.

The Good: I love the feel of this knife. I can open and close it easily with one hand and though others have berated the open frame design I really do like it and it feels natural in my hands. This may be due in part from it being the only knife I carried for many many years. Secondly the price, if you lose this knife you won't break the bank to replace it. MRSP may be $25 but looking around online and at stores over the past few months you can find it as low as $15. Finally the weight and size of this knife allow you to easily forget it is on your person. It doesn't bulge out and the blade length is perfect for light edc. 

The Bad: the steel--it is a pain to sharpen and will not hold an edge very long. Out of all the knives I own, this is the one I look the least forward to sharpening. If you are new to sharpening, all the best luck to you. Gerber went with a cheap steel that wouldn't corrode easily, I get that, but what you lose is a sharp edge. Secondly, the frame--this knife is really only good for light use. In preparing for writing this review I submitted my knife to some hard work. Nothing crazy but some serious work. Two things happened: 1.) the knife began to have a lot of play when "locked" both side to side and even vertically 2.) the framelock is not very secure and will collapse relatively easily if you place moderate pressure on the opposing end. In fact I broke my knife testing it. Finally, if you are left handed, when opening the knife your fingers may slip into where the blade lies. For us righties the pocket clip will keep your fingers from going in, but I can't say this knife is ambidextrous. 

Verdict: though I broke my knife of 5 years while testing I have replaced it. I have much much better knives to be sure but I just can't get away from how nice this knife feels in my hand. It is well balanced and smooth. Its not a great knife by any stretch and the steel is pretty crappy and this is what most of the criticism online centers around. That being said you are spending only $15… not $100 on a Benchmade. I will probably always carry this knife from time to time though I have others I like better. If someone is looking to try EDC and wants an entry level knife I wouldn't hesitate putting this in the running. If you lose it no biggie. It also wouldn't be a bad knife to throw in your tackle box or other place where you can forget about it when not using it. Great for light EDC, a knife to carry when fishing and need to cut line, or a first knife in general, and not a big deal if you lose it. Wouldn't be my choice for a camping knife or survival knife for sure--I just wouldn't trust the durability. If I were asked to assign it a grade I would give it a 6.5/10 (points for ergonomics  and cost, reduced by steel quality and construction). Hope you enjoyed my first knife review, I had to start with the knife that started it all for me, many more to come.