AFRICAN ELEPHANT DEMO
6 days ago
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Red Gold Won Mountainfilm Award
Felt Soul Media - Red Gold Won a award in Mountainfilm festival. Red Gold is a documentary film that focus on the battle of mining and watershed conservation. There is no room for both in the modern technology. Should we take the risk? Then take a risk for what? The environmental issues are always complicated and debatable. Not a simple thing, but it worth our attention...
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
An Adventure?
Lately, there is some thing developed in my head. An idea! Pretty strange idea that I haven't figure it out yet. It is something about adventure... about exploration. In my daily life, there are so many things need to be done with "predicted results"... I am thinking why those "predicted results" are killing me? Are there any other way to make a daily life into an adventure? maybe... At the same time I am also browsing AEG (angling exploration group) website, and think about expeditions... Life with filming and fishing probably is "the dream" of most of us - keen anglers. However, is this kind of extreme expedition is what I really want and dream about? Not quite?! I am thinking some missing elements... still thinking...still shaping the idea of "adventure"
Sea Lice Problems
Listen to NPR2007 and NPR2005 about the sea lice problems.
The following is the open letter, sent earlier to Prime Minister Stephan Harper and Premier Gordon Campbell of Canada, and signed by 18 respected scientists and researchers. The letter is as follows:
Dear Steven Harper and Gordon Campbell,
We, the undersigned, are convinced by the published scientific evidence that the debate is over; sea lice breeding on farmed salmon are threatening BC's wild Pacific salmon. There are many threats to wild salmon; however there is now extensive peer-reviewed science that sea lice spread from farm to wild salmon and kill juvenile wild salmon.
In some cases, sea lice originating from salmon farms are estimated to have killed up to 95% of the wild juvenile salmon that pass salmon farms during their ocean migrations. This is unacceptable for any industry.
The scientific literature reports that sea lice infestations of wild, juvenile salmon are associated with salmon farms and wild salmon population declines in several countries: Canada, Norway, Scotland, and Ireland.
John Fredriksen, owner of Marine Harvest, one of the biggest salmon farming companies, both globally and in Canada, recently stated publicly: "I am concerned about the future for wild salmon. Fish farming should not be allowed in fjords with salmon rivers" (Norwegian newspaper Altaposten July 19, 2007).
Earlier this year the BC Special Legislative Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture recommended granting no new net pen farm licenses and moving all existing salmon farms into close-contained facilities. Despite this Pat Bell, British Columbia's Minister of Agriculture and Lands, has granted three more net pen licenses.
In consultation with the salmon farming industry and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Pacific Salmon Forum spent $315,000 of the public's funds collecting a baseline dataset to examine sea lice response to fallowing salmon farms. But as of today Marine Harvest and Mainstream Canada have restocked farms spanning the entire Broughton Archipelago.
Consequently this definitive study is no longer possible.
We have united our voices because wild salmon are essential to life in the North Pacific and to the BC economy. We feel the weight of scientific evidence is enough to enact the precautionary principle. For wild salmon to survive in an era of major environmental stresses through global climate change, a pathogen barrier must be established between BC's farmed and wild salmon populations; there are no scientific results to the contrary.
Furthermore, we are warning the BC public that where farmed and wild salmon populations meet in narrow marine passages, as in Broughton and off Campbell River, we can expect long-term wild salmon stock decline if farmed salmon are not quarantined.
When our government ignores the immutable natural law that disease is amplified when host populations are crowded, we pay the price of irreversible loss of a very valuable resource.
We the undersigned agree that based on the published scientific evidence, the only management action that can ensure the protection of wild salmon stocks from farmed salmon is a complete physical barrier to pathogen transmission between wild and farm salmon (closed containment).
We are aware that such changes may have economic consequences for the industry. The science is clear. It is now up to the government and the people of Canada to decide whether the economic benefits of aquaculture, as currently practiced, outweigh the threats to wild salmon and the ecosystems and economies that depend on healthy and abundant wild salmon populations.
We write this public letter out of a sense of duty to future generations.
Respectfully,
David Suzuki, Ph.D.
Founder
David Suzuki Foundation
Daniel Pauly, Ph.D.
Director, Fisheries Centre
University of British Columbia
Richard Routledge, Ph.D.
Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
Simon Fraser University
Larry Dill, Ph.D.
Professor and Director,
Behavioral Ecology Research Group,
Dept. of Biological Sciences,
Simon Fraser University
Mark A. Lewis, Ph.D.
Center for Mathematical Biology
University of Alberta
Wade Davis, Ph.D.
Explorer-in-Residence
National Geographic Society
Boris Worm, Ph.D.
Marine Conservation Biology
Dalhousie University, Halifax
John Volpe, Ph.D.
University of Victoria Environmental Studies
Victoria BC
Don McQueen, Ph.D.
Emeritus Research Professor
York University, Toronto.
Adjunct Professor,
Simon Fraser University
Craig Orr, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Coquitlam, BC
Neil Frazer, Ph.D.
Department of Geology and Geophysics
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Rob Williams, Ph.D.
University of British Columbia
St. Andrews University
Pearse Island, BC
Michael Burt, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
University of New Brunswick
Gordon Hartman, Ph.D.
Retired Biologist
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Lance Barrett-Lennard, Ph.D.
Co-chair Resident Killer Whale Recovery Team
Paul Spong. Ph.D.
Director, OrcaLab/Pacific Orca Society
Hanson Island, BC
Helena Symonds
Director, Orcalab/Pacific Orca Society
Hanson Island, BC
Alexandra Morton, R.P.Bio.
Director Salmon Coast Field Station
Echo Bay, BC
The following is the open letter, sent earlier to Prime Minister Stephan Harper and Premier Gordon Campbell of Canada, and signed by 18 respected scientists and researchers. The letter is as follows:
Dear Steven Harper and Gordon Campbell,
We, the undersigned, are convinced by the published scientific evidence that the debate is over; sea lice breeding on farmed salmon are threatening BC's wild Pacific salmon. There are many threats to wild salmon; however there is now extensive peer-reviewed science that sea lice spread from farm to wild salmon and kill juvenile wild salmon.
In some cases, sea lice originating from salmon farms are estimated to have killed up to 95% of the wild juvenile salmon that pass salmon farms during their ocean migrations. This is unacceptable for any industry.
The scientific literature reports that sea lice infestations of wild, juvenile salmon are associated with salmon farms and wild salmon population declines in several countries: Canada, Norway, Scotland, and Ireland.
John Fredriksen, owner of Marine Harvest, one of the biggest salmon farming companies, both globally and in Canada, recently stated publicly: "I am concerned about the future for wild salmon. Fish farming should not be allowed in fjords with salmon rivers" (Norwegian newspaper Altaposten July 19, 2007).
Earlier this year the BC Special Legislative Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture recommended granting no new net pen farm licenses and moving all existing salmon farms into close-contained facilities. Despite this Pat Bell, British Columbia's Minister of Agriculture and Lands, has granted three more net pen licenses.
In consultation with the salmon farming industry and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Pacific Salmon Forum spent $315,000 of the public's funds collecting a baseline dataset to examine sea lice response to fallowing salmon farms. But as of today Marine Harvest and Mainstream Canada have restocked farms spanning the entire Broughton Archipelago.
Consequently this definitive study is no longer possible.
We have united our voices because wild salmon are essential to life in the North Pacific and to the BC economy. We feel the weight of scientific evidence is enough to enact the precautionary principle. For wild salmon to survive in an era of major environmental stresses through global climate change, a pathogen barrier must be established between BC's farmed and wild salmon populations; there are no scientific results to the contrary.
Furthermore, we are warning the BC public that where farmed and wild salmon populations meet in narrow marine passages, as in Broughton and off Campbell River, we can expect long-term wild salmon stock decline if farmed salmon are not quarantined.
When our government ignores the immutable natural law that disease is amplified when host populations are crowded, we pay the price of irreversible loss of a very valuable resource.
We the undersigned agree that based on the published scientific evidence, the only management action that can ensure the protection of wild salmon stocks from farmed salmon is a complete physical barrier to pathogen transmission between wild and farm salmon (closed containment).
We are aware that such changes may have economic consequences for the industry. The science is clear. It is now up to the government and the people of Canada to decide whether the economic benefits of aquaculture, as currently practiced, outweigh the threats to wild salmon and the ecosystems and economies that depend on healthy and abundant wild salmon populations.
We write this public letter out of a sense of duty to future generations.
Respectfully,
David Suzuki, Ph.D.
Founder
David Suzuki Foundation
Daniel Pauly, Ph.D.
Director, Fisheries Centre
University of British Columbia
Richard Routledge, Ph.D.
Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
Simon Fraser University
Larry Dill, Ph.D.
Professor and Director,
Behavioral Ecology Research Group,
Dept. of Biological Sciences,
Simon Fraser University
Mark A. Lewis, Ph.D.
Center for Mathematical Biology
University of Alberta
Wade Davis, Ph.D.
Explorer-in-Residence
National Geographic Society
Boris Worm, Ph.D.
Marine Conservation Biology
Dalhousie University, Halifax
John Volpe, Ph.D.
University of Victoria Environmental Studies
Victoria BC
Don McQueen, Ph.D.
Emeritus Research Professor
York University, Toronto.
Adjunct Professor,
Simon Fraser University
Craig Orr, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Coquitlam, BC
Neil Frazer, Ph.D.
Department of Geology and Geophysics
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Rob Williams, Ph.D.
University of British Columbia
St. Andrews University
Pearse Island, BC
Michael Burt, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
University of New Brunswick
Gordon Hartman, Ph.D.
Retired Biologist
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Lance Barrett-Lennard, Ph.D.
Co-chair Resident Killer Whale Recovery Team
Paul Spong. Ph.D.
Director, OrcaLab/Pacific Orca Society
Hanson Island, BC
Helena Symonds
Director, Orcalab/Pacific Orca Society
Hanson Island, BC
Alexandra Morton, R.P.Bio.
Director Salmon Coast Field Station
Echo Bay, BC
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
My Two Loves - European Nymphing and High Sticking
Below is a modified article about European style nymphing (a.k.a Polish nymphing) and High sticking from a member_SilverCreek_ of the forum of flyfisherman.
I think he did a good job in summarizing the European nymphing style and compare them to the similar American Style (high sticking). To me,both techniques are all elegant, joyful and deadly fishing technique. I use them in different river habitats. Basically, I use European style for fast pocket water, nymph them deep. On the other hand, I use high sticking for slower waters,e.g good runs, shallows and pools. I love those styles so much as some of friends call me a nympher... I think the main reason to do nymphing,to me, is not about catching! (althogh, catching is very important to me as well) The main reason is the "zen factor" (as cheech describeb), there is "no obvious" visual cue between you and fish, just a connection of a fine line and feel. I have to image what my flies are doing under the surface, what fish are doing, what current and lines are doing... all mystery are enclosed under the surface... "THE FEEL", Yes, I am pursuing the feel! It's a ZEN. (More information will be coming soon) Now... see what other people say...
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This system of nymphing was first introduced at the World Championships of Fly Fishing by a Polish fisher, Wladyslaw Trzebunia ("Vladi") in the mid 1990's. I think it was in '94 or possibly '95 when he won the World Championships by the largest margin in history. The Czechs and later the Spanish copied his method and the methods became better known as Czech Nymphing and a modified version for deeper waters called Spanish Nymphing.
It is not high sticking which originated from the earlier Brooks method of nymphing. High sticking was a well know method of nymphing at the time Vladi introduced Polish Nymphing. Do a Google Search on Polish, Czech or Spanish nymphing and you will find the appropriate history and articles.
The difference between high sticking and Polish nymphing is that the rod is kept low and is not raised as the nymph comes toward you as the "high" in high sticking does. There is no mending in Polish nymphing. Instead, the nymphs are led and, if necessary, gently pulled downstream. This maintains a tight line to the nymphs and the rod leads the flies. In high sticking you try to keep a drag free drift, mending as needed and the rod does not lead the flies, but is kept directly above the flies. The rod is gradually elevated well above your head (hence the name - high sticking) to keep the line off the water as the flies drift toward you. The high rod position is then lowered as the nymphs pass you and go downstream from the angler's position. In Polish nymphing the nymphs do not pass the anglers position but rather the rod is picked up with a wrist twist at that point and another cast is made. The drifts are very short, 5 ft. long at the most, whereas the high sticking attemps to prolong the drag free drift as long as possible by casting well above the angler's positon and extending the drift well below the angler.
The Polish method was developed for the restrictions of the World Championships which allow no strike indicators and no added weight to the leader such as split shot. And for more difficult fishing conditions where the fishing pressure is much greater than in the USA and the fish are more difficult to find and catch. As a result, it is the most effective form of nymphing yet developed. It is not uncommon for the top competitors to C&R 50 or more fish in the 3 hours of competitive fishing. That includes hooking, fighting, and landing, the fish in difficult fishing conditions. If you subtract the time it takes to do this, the best fishers are hooking a fish for every few minutes of actual fishing time.
If you look at the pictures of the URL below, you will notice that in none of the photos is the rod angled "high" above the anglers head. It is kept parallel to the water and notice also that the rod is leading the flies (photos 3 and 5).
You will also notice that in every picture the water is knee high or lower and that the water is riffle water. Obviously picture 2 is not a Polish nympher.
See:
http://www.globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/czech/
Here is Oliver Edwards article on Vladi. Notice that Vladi is releasing the fish in riffle water also and it is only mid-calf deep.
http://www.flyfishing-and-flytying.co.uk/technique/poland.html
Since the Polish method is limited to relatively shallow riffle water, you know why the Spanish developed a technique for deeper water. They use 13 to 14 ft rods and 25 to 30 ft leaders with a section of coiled optic yellow 14 lb. test Stren as a visual indicator. To make the coiled mono, wrap the Stren around a pencil and use a cigarette lighter to heat it and "set" the coil. The coil then acts as the "indicator". Here's the article on the Spanish technique:
http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/newsletter/march06/nymphing.htm
Jeff Courier is the first American to win an individual medal in the World Championships and he used the Polish method. Here is a short article:
http://www.jeffcurrier.com/in_the_news/jeff_article_001.pdf
Podcast episode 15 of Fly Fish Radio Radio interviewed Jack Dennis on the US team and on the Polish Nymphing Method. He mentioned that a regionial trial for the US national team were held in California on a very difficult river(?Kings River?). One resident fly fisher, who fished it regularly, had never caught more than 6 fish in an entire day of fishing on that river. The top finisher in that regional competition caught almost 30 fish in under 3 hours using the Polish Method.
http://www.flyfishradio.com/
For those that are interested, there is a recent podcast interview with Doug Palmer at Ask About Fly Fishing internet Radio dated 6/4/06 at the National fly fishing Championship in Colorado. Doug is on the Steering Committee for the Championship and was a beat monitor. He describes his experience viewing the effectiveness of Czech nymphing during the competition and gives short explanation of what he saw.
It is at this URL
http://odeo.com/channel/87191/view
Josh Stevens, who just made the US National team is a professional guide. He won one of the regional competitions on the Fly Fishing Master's competition which I think was on the OLN network.
He calls Polish nymphing much more effective than other forms of nymphing. This is from a guide that won a regional Master's competition using strike indicators. He no longer fishes with strike indicators during his personal fishing both because Polish nymphing is more effective and his need to practice what he has learned.
His podcast is on this site: http://odeo.com/channel/87191/view
It is important to realize that this is a form of nymphing that is different from any previous style of nymphing practiced in the US. It is NOT steelheading or high sticking or any other non-indicator nymphing. If you believe it is, then you will never open your mind to the differences and learn this new technique. I'm certainly not an expert in this technique. However, from what I've tried and read it is a very specific form of nymphing that requires:
(1) A specific leader design and way of attaching flies.
(2) Specific flies designed for this form of nymphing - slim heavy flies that will sink quickly.
(3) A unique cast, downstream sweep, and wrist flip that keeps the fly "in the zone", induces strikes, and covers virtually every inch of the river - hence the term "vacuum cleaner" to describe how this system catches just about every fish in its path.
Modified by SilverCreek at 4:36 PM 6/28/2006
Monday, May 26, 2008
love documentary photography
...if you know me long enough, you will smile while watching this video... enjoy it : ) BTW, I got $500 small funding for my summer trip from a Behavior Society. I am excited...The summer trips, I am coming!!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
BC Salmon War - Part1
"...sea lice problem is in the principle of ecology... it has been predicted... "
Fiberglass Friend In Japan - Hitoshi-san
One of our good friends in fiberglassflyrodders - Hitoshi (a.k.a japantravelingflyfishers) have his new web-blog opened. There are lot's new perspectives about fiberglass from Japan. I thought you might be interested in visiting his nice/in depth blog. Use Google Translate you can read them in English.
Springtime Riverside Flowers
I went a quick fishing with a friend this afternoon, a nearby state park creek about 5 minutes away from home. The weather is wonderful for wet wading! We arrived around 4:00 pm, the hiking trail is so beautiful, lot's of plants are blooming now, a bit distracting me from fishing : ) . What a great treat! The water is almost gem clear with a little milky blue color.
There is a lot of trees along the bank, roll cast is the necessary. It's a new lesson for Martin. I let him use my trusty Heddon Pal 5wt with Rio Nymph line - a perfect match for the roll cast. It roll cast very easy that only took him 10 minutes to master out a fishable distance : P I was very surprised! I was using my "little yuhina" Lamiglass 3wt 6'6. We were targeting something different than bluegill this time... the long_eared sunfish. Here is the photos...
There is a lot of trees along the bank, roll cast is the necessary. It's a new lesson for Martin. I let him use my trusty Heddon Pal 5wt with Rio Nymph line - a perfect match for the roll cast. It roll cast very easy that only took him 10 minutes to master out a fishable distance : P I was very surprised! I was using my "little yuhina" Lamiglass 3wt 6'6. We were targeting something different than bluegill this time... the long_eared sunfish. Here is the photos...
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
fishing alone with documentary eye
...I don't like fishing alone, I love fishing with friends... but there is times you have to do this and it is good to be alone sometime... I am thinking doing this kind of fishing report soon, a report not for others, just for myself, a documentary (diary) thing for "the future me". I climb mountain alone sometimes, and it was scary, be honest with you, but with a camera I felt I wasn't alone, I was actually talking to "the future me"... : ) weird ha! try it, you might like it...
steelhead nymphs
...received those flies from a avid steelheader...i think i am ready for my first step...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
grease line nymphing
since i am not very busy this week...i am going to post a series of videos about the way i like to fish...here is the first one...nymphing light...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Count down 1
yes... it's about time to do the final count down again! I am really excited about the annual bird meeting this year because it is magically match with my dream land Utah again! I have received a meeting entry permission last week... now everything is coming true again! How exciting! I thought it would be a good idea to do a seies of "count down" photo from the fabulous 2007 summer trip. It is also good to publish those unseen/secret photos in "stream x" and remind myself I had a gret time! : ) Brother... I am coming very soon!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Patagonia rule!
Just received this "repaired" waders after send it in for few weeks. It was "a perfect and flawless repair" to me! How come? because it is a NEW WADERS! Unbelievable! Patagonia Ironclad Guarantee.
Not only try to satisfying their customers, but also involved in the eco-friendly industry. The CEO said, you don't need many, you just need a good one! I agree! Thank you! Patagonia/ Pacific Iron Work.
Not only try to satisfying their customers, but also involved in the eco-friendly industry. The CEO said, you don't need many, you just need a good one! I agree! Thank you! Patagonia/ Pacific Iron Work.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Slough Creek - years ago
It was years ago in the yellowstone national park... a great trip with all the wildlife and beautiful scenery...fishing was great! You know... cutthroat are forgiving! : )
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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