Breaking Curfew with Inky

Of all the reasons that a summer camp counselor would come into a room full of teenagers to tell them to be quiet, it might have been  one of the most unique. It wasn’t the camp movie comedy tropes of cigarettes or coed mischief. That night, after lights out, four or five of us were up listening to the stories of another counselor – a septuagenarian fisherman and conservationist. In the end we didn’t get scolded for being awake. It was probably because he wasn’t the average counselor, and it wasn’t a normal summer camp.

Founded in 1995, the Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp was the very first of its kind. Today, over 25 camps across the country emulate the model started by a few Trout Unlimited members that sought to fill a niche for young people attracted to the outdoors. At that time, sports camps and other special interest summer programs were becoming more popular, but there wasn’t anything for young men and women interested in conservation. Put together by Dr. John “Jack” Beck, Enoch “Inky” Moore, and a number of other dedicated volunteers, the Rivers Camp was an immediate success.

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Fly Fishing & Outdoor Co. Holiday Meetup Recap

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Last week, the second Fly Fishing & Outdoor Company Holiday Meetup took place in Boston. In the basement of West End Johnnies, a handful of New England enterprises and around fifty attendees spent the evening talking fishing and fishing products.

This was by no means the Somerset Fly Fishing Show. It was something completely different, and something very good. Primarily presented by the Fly Pack and Cheeky, a dozen established and up and coming outdoorsmen and women took a few hours to chat in an intimate setting. It was small, but quaint. There wasn’t the need to hurry around a huge conference hall, and the atmosphere facilitated casual conversation.

I didn’t get a chance to talk with everyone, but here are some quick impressions on those companies I spent some time with:

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The Slow Down

Scrolling Instagram and Twitter, there are a lot of “wishing it was summer” posts. Pictures of short-sleeved anglers against ardent backdrops do make you wish that the weather – and the hatches – was a little different. But it can’t be, at least not for much of the world. So suck it up and deal with it.

Okay, maybe that is some sub-40-degree bitterness coming out. But let’s look at this with a level head. So most of us don’t reside in a perpetual high-70’s climate. For a lot of fly fishers there is a time when ice literally makes a proper presentation, not to mention a drift-free drag, impossible. Is that such a bad thing? Is the promise of spring and a few month’s distractions all that bad? Probably. But is it as bad as we make it out to be?

I wholeheartedly believe that the late fall and winter give most of us a chance to catch up on other things, and that it is a “net good.” Deer and turkey hunting, tying flies, watching the football playoffs, spending time with family… Yeah, imagine if Thanksgiving and Christmas lined up with the green drake or trico hatches. Your behavior would most definitely not help you get that new fly rod for Christmas.

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I Still Want to Go

After thinking and writing about the progress on Big Spring Creek in Pennsylvania last week, it got me thinking about other famous streams that have fallen on hard times. Largely due to the impacts of poor fisheries management and/or environmental neglect, some of the rivers that our grandfathers lauded as destination waters have declined in one way or another. The quantity or quality of the fish just isn’t there anymore. There are still fish present, and there is still good fishing to be had, but things have changed. And people don’t like change.

We could argue the various and sundry issues that face our rivers all day long. Everyone has an opinion as to what the real culprit or culprits are. I’ve heard that the real problem comes from corrupt state agencies, climate change, invasive species, fast action fly rods, twenty-somethings in flat-brimmed hats, strike indicators, the picture of the fish strung up on the Eagle Claw snelled hook package, the media, the internet, or, of course, bait fishermen. Some of those are worthy of consideration, others are simply the curmudgeonly rants of disenfranchised fly fishers. But should any of it keep us off those creeks?

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Big Things on Big Spring

Today the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission released their Biologist Report for Big Spring Creek. It outlines the development of the fishery, particularly the brook trout population and habitat restoration. While there are a number of perspectives on the stream, the PA Fish & Boat Commission, and the way that environmental renewal ought to take place, the results of this August survey are noteworthy.

If you are unfamiliar, Big Spring Creek is one of the many popular South-Central PA limestone streams. Along with the LeTort in Carlisle and the Falling Springs in Chambersburg, Big Spring sits as a historically productive and valuable waterway. Rising out of a (you guessed it) big spring southwest of Newville, the relatively broad stream meanders through the woods and front yards of a gentle valley. The first mile-and-a-half are managed as catch-and-release, fly fishing only.

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Cold and Rainy

Today is a cold and rainy day. Cold and rainy days in late fall are awful, and the funny thing is that they’re only a few meteorological variables away from being cold and snowy days. Unless you’re a bad driver, flurries in late fall are great days. But try as I might, I couldn’t will the atmospheric conditions to bend in my favor. So, today is a cold and rainy day.

Call it what you will, but days like this have an effect on people. Even fly fishers, the heartiest breed after postal workers and Alaskan crabbers, will stick indoors on days like today. Sure, there are some days when I will say “forget it” and hit the water, regardless of conditions. And there are certainly the fishing bros in the culture that thrive on “killing it” when the weather stinks. That is a young man’s game. Younger than me, at least.

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High Up The Creek

Like many anglers, I have a soft spot for small mountain streams. The solitude, the scenery, and the familiarity of a high-gradient creek are comfortable commonalities that you’ll find across the world. Aside from the difference in riparian foliage, streams I’ve fished from South Carolina to New Hampshire to Colorado all feel very similar and, to a certain degree, approachable. If you’ve fished these waters, you’re well aware that it isn’t difficult to fool some very opportunistic trout. That doesn’t mean that all the fish, particularly the bigger or older ones, are pushovers. But fishing plunge pools can be one of the highest percentage fly fishing ventures out there.

But do you remember the first time you fished a small mountain stream? If your experience was anything like mine, the only facets of the day that you could call high percentage were “parts of the body below the waist that got wet” and “flies left in the trees.” I stumbled and snagged my way through six hours of fishing on a rocky little Virginia creek called the Conway River in the Shenandoah Mountains.

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Angling for a Gift

Black Friday. A day when we eat everything we ate on Thanksgiving, only in one sandwich. It is also a day when door buster-crazed, credit card-wielding Americans frantically spend like their lives depend on it. I suppose the need for calories after such retail battles necessitates a turkey/stuffing/cranberry sauce/gravy hoagie.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for buying Christmas gifts. In fact, I’ve given some specific hints for the angler on your list. However, the personal touch that can make gift giving so special is often lacking these days.

If you are a fly angler, consider taking someone fishing as part of a gift this year. This doesn’t mean they tag along while you fish. Actually take them fishing. It doesn’t matter if you’re not some fishing phenom. Just take them out on the water, show them how to cast, tie their knots for them, and share your appreciation for the sport. If you make them wake up early, buy breakfast. Preferably something with bacon in it.

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Gifts for Fly Fishers (If You Don’t Fly Fish)

Fly fishers are a very particular bunch. The vast majority like what they like, and have what they need. When it comes to giving gifts this puts the non-fly fishing buyer in a quandary. You could ask for a specific list, and then just do the buying for them. Or you can hop on Amazon, type in “fly fishing,” and hope you don’t end up with something they’ll have to pretend they are happy to receive.

Giving gifts is supposed to be fun, meaningful, and thoughtful. Getting it right and seeing the recipient’s reaction of joy and surprise is great. There are some things that you can get a finicky fly fisher if you don’t fly fish and still get that kind of response. I’ve put together a list of some universal, high quality items that nearly every angler would enjoy using. Even in the chance that they already have it, a duplicate would probably be appreciated. Hopefully this will be a helpful way for you to get started shopping… or an opportunity to forward an article to give that certain someone a hint.

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Stained Black Lines

Anthropologists believe that a cave painting in the Czech Republic is the earliest example of a map that we have. The markings seem to represent local mountains, valleys, and rivers. It isn’t hard to understand that for millennia we’ve wanted to do what we can to identify where we are and what is around us. These ancient peoples obviously did what they could to construct something that helped them comprehend their natural surroundings. The features on the map were of the fields and hunting grounds that they depended upon. Although unconfirmed by leading historical cartographers, there was also probably a section of river on the map that is designated as catch and release, fly fishing only.

Regardless of the authenticity of Neolithic special regulation waters, generations of anglers have relied heavily upon maps. There is a lot of water around, and without a map there might be countless hours of fruitless scouting or fishing. Some might find this adventurous or the purest form of experiencing nature. These people might be unemployed or otherwise burdened by too much free time. The rest of us, to one degree or another, utilize maps.

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