19 April 2012

Simms Ice Out 2012

ICE-OUT

Simms Ice Out is here.  Checking over the itinerary it look something like this:

Day 1


Drinking
Watching fish porn
Drinking while watching fish porn

Day 2

Product testing (fishing)
Fish porn watching
Guide Olympics (lawn games)
More fish porn
Drinking

Day 3

Same as Day 2
Possibly more drinking while watching fish porn

There are a few things I'll point out.  Robert Younghanz knows his little critters and will be giving a presentation on streamside ecology.  He guides out of Anglers Covey in Colorado Springs, good friend and good flyfisher.

I'll be here in DC, but you should go.

18 April 2012

No more broken legs

So last summer, while wearing rubber-soled boots, forging a creek to retrieve the umpteenth fly a friend snagged on a rock, I broke my leg.  This led to x-rays in Seward then surgery in Anchorage two days later.  I have a plate a screws to show for it... see HERE.

Patagonia has taken a page out of the mountaineers handbook with this nifty piece.  Something I'm including in my next order.

Why, because they're awesome.  You can take them off (which is great if you spend any time in boats).  They're not studs so they won't rip stuff up when you step in the wrong spot, and hopefully they'll save my legs. I'm completely convinced, they are one more piece of gear to keep track of, put on and take off, and actually seem a little unstable.  But I trust Chouinard

Yvon Chuinard is a blacksmith by trade, and this came right from his workshop.


15 April 2012

Skiing the Sacred Headwater



A few friends of mine from Colorado have recently returned from an adventure to learn about, teach and experience the value of headwater systems.  They skied to the headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena, and Nass rivers in British Columbia, the proposed location of a new mine.

They recount it better that I can:

13 April 2012

Patagonia Provisions

You may have read HERE that Patagonia is releasing Patagonia Provisions, a "naturally perfect food."  It has arrived and is available online and in these stores:

New York Soho
Chicago Lincoln Park
Boston
Seattle
Portland
Ventura
Atlanta

Wild Salmon Jerky - Smoked Black PepperFor $12.50 you get salmon that is "healthy, delicious, and sustainably harvested from the clean, cold waters of Northern British Columbia."


Smoked black pepper
Smoked chili pepper
Smoked teriyaki

12 April 2012

Urban Angler Grand Opening; Simms & Anglers All Trout Clave

For those in Colorado, make sure you check this out.

 

Join Simms at Anglers All April 21, 2012 for the 3rd Annual Anglers 
All Trout Clave! Beginner and expert fly anglers are welcome to 
come explore the wealth of information provided by a collection of signature fly tyers, guides and angling personalities. Trained Simms staff will be there to assist you with the exciting 
2012 line of Simms products. In addition, there's a lot more at Anglers All:

  • 50% off Trout Flies from 9am to 11am
  • Spey Casting demonstration with Dec Hogan
  • Fly Tying and Rigging Techniques with Frank Smethurst
  • Anglers All Guide Service Presentation on Streamer Fishing
  • 15% off guide trips booked during the event!
  • Fly Fishing Turneffe Flats with Wes Osborne
  • Wader fitting for men and women by Simms Trained staff
  • Win a $500 Simms Shopping Spree! - Must be present to win
  • Winter clothing clearance sale
  • Door buster specials, free hot dogs & drinks
  • End-of-Day Gear Giveaways - Prizes TBD, Must be present to win

We hope to see you at this one-day-only event to help get
the 2012 fishing season started in great shape.
Anglers All 3rd Annual Trout Clave
April 21, 2012 9:00am - 5:00pm

5211 S. Santa Fe Dr.
Littleton, CO 80120

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - BRING A FRIEND!




And if you're in DC, VA, MD Urban Angler is having their Grand Opening this weekend.




Urban Angler Delivered
Urban Angler Fly Shop
Saturday, April 14th from 6:00-8:00pm.
Come share in the fun and enter to win some great stuff!


Raffle prizes that that will be given away at the party:
  • The Grand Prize is a 3 Night/2 Day trip for two to Five Rivers Lodge*in Dillon, Mt
  • Sage 4200 series reel of your choice
  • Pair of Simms G3 Guide Waders
  • Pair of Smith sunglasses of your choice
  • Patagonia Great Divider bag
  • A day trip with Eastern Trophies guide service
*The winner can arrange to visit Five Rivers Lodge anytime 
during the 2012 or 2013 fishing season, subject to availability. 
Airfare and ground transportation not included.

Please join us...this is one party you won't want to miss!

Grab a drink and help us celebrate our wonderful new store.

See you on Saturday.

Urban Angler - Alexandria VA
108 N. Washington Street, 2nd Floor
Alexandria , VA 22314

Phone: (800) 800-2018 or (703) 527-2524

10 April 2012

New Photos

Including my mother, monster chinook (54', 75lbs), blue fish, strippahs, and more.

RIGHT HERE

Do you have nay bragging rights? Send your slabs to me.

02 April 2012

Eat More Salmon

For hundreds of years the ability to use and continue to use has been the motive behind conservation.  Hunters, anglers (who until recently killed what they caught), farmers, ranchers, even loggers concerned themselves with their resources, their interests, their livelihoods.  Today it's rare to see an environmental organization, such as the Sierra Club, ally with Ducks Unlimited, or Colorado Cattleman's Association, but now and then it does happen. (TU is more of a "green group" when it comes to use.)  Green groups , NRDC, Earthjustice, Sierra Club, Alaska Wilderness League, have their ideological anchor fast in the rocks of righteousness - I mean no harm, however, time and again it would behoove those groups to partner with Pheasants Unlimited to help save the Greater Sage Grouse from being listed as Endangered, or to back the RESTORE Act and give millions of dollars to rehabilitating gulf estuaries and coastlines (despite 35% going to 5 shitty Governors who hate clean water). It's great that they throw their weight behind national causes such as Keystone XL, Pebble Mine, National Monuments, student activism, but teamwork, even in compromise, lightens the load.

These middle-ground platforms are not unheard of in conservation; they've been around for decades. Conservation was a republican ideal, Theodore Roosevelt, designator of the Grand Canyon, hunted around the world, Ducks Unlimited actually likes ducks, and now Patagonia has established another middle-ground, use-based platform this time for salmon production.  As they've done with clothing, they hope to take a big enough share of the market, by selling to smart and caring consumers, to pressure other manufacturers to adopt some of their ideals and practices.  This is conservation based in use.



Saving Salmon by Eating Them