Didymo...YECH!

Fly fishing: Verdict still out on Didymo’s longe-range effect
Thursday, August 28, 2008
MORGAN LYLE
We’re a full year into the age of didymo now, and the most popular trout streams in eastern New York and New England have, at least so far, been spared devastation by the indestructible invasive algae.
What the future holds, time will tell.
Scientists in Vermont, New York and other states in the region reported the alarming news last summer:
Didymosphenia geminata had been confirmed present in the Battenkill, the White and Connecticut rivers in Vermont and the East Branch of the Delaware.
Because we anglers love to hop from river to river, gas prices be damned, no one was surprised when didymo was reported this summer in the West Branch of the Delaware, probably the best trout stream in the eastern United States. I for one will be surprised if it doesn’t show up in the rest of our big-name rivers in the months to come, despite efforts by state agencies and groups like Trout Unlimited get us to thoroughly clean and dry our waders before moving from one river to another.
Didymo has the potential to grow into long, thick, streambed-smothering mats that have been compared to brown fiberglass insulation. It loves cold, clean water, and once it’s in a stream, there’s no known way to get rid of it.
Didymo does not directly threaten fish, but it can wreak havoc on their habitat. The worst kind of bloom buries the substrate where aquatic insects live, and those insects are what keep trout alive.
It’s thought to have contributed to a marked decline in the fishing on Rapid Creek in South Dakota. And yet, didymo has been around in the Colorado Rockies for decades, and people still visit the mile-high state in large numbers to fish for trout. In a couple of spots in the Pacific northwest, it went away on its own.
In New Zealand, where huge trout challenge skilled anglers in gin-clear water, felt-soled wading shoes have been banned as of Oct. 1. Damp felt is considered the number one way didymo spores get transported from one river to another.
Norm McBride of the Department of Environmental Conservation has spotted didymo in the Downsville Covered Bridge and Airport pools on the East Branch of the Delaware and in the the West Branch, above and below Deposit. His office has posted signs at access points along the rivers in hopes that awareness of the precautions will slow the algae’s spread. And he’s alarmed at how quickly it has grown.
“The didymo growth seen in the East Branch this year above Corbett was far worse than anything I saw last year,” he said. As for its long-term impact, “we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Nonetheless, over the summer he said his office had received no complaints about the impact of didymo on the fish or the fishing.
Nor had Dale Robinson of Saratoga Springs, who crosses the Battenkill eight times on his way to work as the fishing manager at the Orvis Co. flagship store in Manchester, Vt.
“I saw a stretch last year below Route 22 in Salem where the water was low and there were areas where the slime was exposed to the air,” he said. “But I have not seen any floating dead fish. I have not heard one person tell me that ‘Hey, my favorite run that used to have lots of fish has no fish now and it’s full of rock snot.’ ”
Still, he added, “I can’t imagine it does any good.”

Early Friday Bacon!

I present the Bacon Mary!

Recipe:

Prepare B.M. as normal + 1/2 tbsp. of BACON SALT

Garnish with olives, pepperonchini, lime, pickle or pickled bean + BACON.

Enjoy!

Next Week's Agenda...

Cape Cod!

Stripahs!Blues!
Lobstah!

Chowda!
Beeyah!

Fishing stories & pics. to follow upon return...

Salmon River Lodging

Stew's call list for Salmon / Steelhead Fishing:

The Portly Angler 315-298-4773
The Drift Boat Inn 315-298-4104
Double Eagle Lodge 315-298-3326
Steelhead Lodge 315-298-4371
Trapper's Place 315-298-6655
Malinda's Fly Shop & Lodge 315-298-2993
Angler's Roost B & B 315-387-5690
Fox Hollow Salmon River Lodge 315-298-2876
Golden Fish Cabins & Lodge 315-345-0463 / 315-963-7613
Salmon Heaven Lodge 315-298-5695
Douglaston Salmon Run 315-298-6672

New Exhibit @ The American Museum of Flyfishing in Manchester, VT

Touted as one of the most respected and influential outdoor artist of all time, Ogden Pleissner was recently honored by the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Pleissner was most famous for capturing scenes of Wyoming's Wind River Range, Atlantic salmon fishing scenes, and the trout streams of the New England.

Beaverkill Bridge: Watercolor on paper, ca. 1952. The reverse of this work is inscribed, "Scene near Rockland, Sullivan County, NY." The Beaverkill, flows 44 miles through the Catskill mountains before meeting the Delaware River near East Branch, NY, is one of the most hallowed and historic fly fishing streams in the east.

Emma's New Gun

Check out Emma's new birthday gift.

She can already shoot better than John.

Buyaa!

Fur Bearing Trout, VERY RARE....

Fur-Bearing Trout
Kingdom: Animalia
Location found: northern North America (particularly Canada, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana)
Fur-Bearing Trout (also known as Beaver Trout) possess thick coats of fur that help to keep them warm in the cold northern waters where they live.According to legend, the fur-bearing trout was first encountered by Europeans when Scottish settlers emigrated to Canada during the seventeenth century. One settler wrote home remarking about the abundance of "furried animals and fish" in the new land. Asked to provide more information about the furried fish, he duly sent home a specimen. Fur-Bearing trouts mounted as trophies can be found hanging on walls throughout the Great Lakes region of North America. Other fur-bearing aquatic animals besides trout are sometimes encountered.

Something to keep Curli warm at night...

Advance Copy - The Friday Bacon

Bacon topped chocolate chip cookies!

Mmmmmmmm, bacon...

New Minion Shirt?

Thinking Clay Green with the Minion logo on the upper left chest. Shirts are $45 and logo will be another $7.50, total should be ~$52.50

Thoughts?

Weekend Roundup

Got out twice this weekend, stuck a rainbow and a brown. First try was Friday on the extreme Upper D just below the riffle at the farm flats.

The rainbow fell for a PMD parachute I dug out of the Western box as I didn't have any good Cahills. Tied a couple of Cahills Friday evening, #14 with CDC wings which fooled a nice brown below the cornfield riffle.

Friday saw an unexpected realease increase from the Cannonsville Reservoir which caused an immediate watercraft hatch. The guides apparently had advance warning as they were out in force with sports in tow by lunchtime. The farm flats had surprisingly few anglers. I was able to gain access to some good water through sly application of the secret slap & tickle technique. After trying various sulphur dries I switched to the PMD to match the Cahills. There were also very pale sulphurs on the water. The waxwing flycatchers were having a field day. Friday evening was concluded under a party tent at the Chestnutt Inn for their Friday evening Rock on the Dock. The tent was required due to torrential downours.

Saturday was very crowded at the farm flats. The pipeline crews are making final preparations for laying the gas pipeline under the river just below the farm flats riffle. There are two parellel sets of survey stakes spanning the river at the pipeline crossover point. All this activity convinced me to head downstream to the Men's Club access. Following the long walk I arrived to my favorite riffle and found it belssedly angler free. Nymphing the pockets in the riffle dredged up nothing but big gobs of stringy green algae. Cleaning the hooks, split shot and strike indicator was required after every 3 to 4 casts. The Cahills and Sulphurs started popping and the flycatchers started feasting as I reached the run returning to the main flow below the island. A scan of the flat pockets below the riffle showed some nice fish rising near the far bank. I broke out a new CDC Cahill and immediately got a take and LDR. A few more of my longest, and not necessarily prettiest casts, later got me into a nice 15 inchish brown. The fish were still rising as I fought the brown. Shortly after unhooking, the watercraft hatch started in earnest. First a single canoe floated right over the risers. I gave 'em the stink eye! The first riser to start back up after the canoe was quickly put back down by a string of 7 more canoes. I hadn't given up hope until 2 drift boats and a pontoon boat made their way through the run. A quick trip upstream to see what was happening showed 3 more drift boats anchored on the flats. Oh well, back to the house for an evening campfire and a couple bottles of wine.

Thunderstorms on Sunday chased me off the water and over to Roscoe for the Catskill Flyfishing Museum's Jubillee Day. Rain chased about a third of the vendors away also. Looked over lots of bamboo rods and antique reels, none purchased. Found a couple of nice artistic maps of the Delaware river system in the museum shop. Look for them soon on a wall at Coach's.

Later!

The Friday Bacon, (slightly delayed due to Olympic coverage)

A new home for you greenbacks, pork belly!

Summerfest-Anglers’ Market-Jubilee Day

Super Sunday at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center
Summerfest-Anglers’ Market-Jubilee Day
Sunday, August 10 2008, 8:30 AM-4PM

Phone: 1-845-439-4810

The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum has combined it’s Annual Summerfest, Angler’s Market, and Jubilee Day to create the largest single day event in it’s 27 year history. Traditionally held on the last Saturday of August, The Anglers Market and Summerfest, now moved up to August 10. This single event brings out the best in fishing treasures discovered over the past year from the closets, attics, and basements. Every year attendees search over 100 tables in the quest to find that unique outdoorsy thing, hard to find fly tying material, fly fishing collectible, gadget or obscure book. Combined with the highly successful Jubilee Day it will be a Super Sunday in the Catskills.

The Catskill Fly Fishing Center will come alive at 8:30AM with the opening of the Anglers Market, Summerfest and Jubilee Day that will include many local civic organizations, health centers, farmers produce market, crafts and games for kids. The CFFCM will once again celebrate birthday and anniversary milestones ending in a 0 or 5. Everyone is welcome and cake will be provided. . Share your celebration with your family and community. It’s a great day for families and friends to gather. Call the CFFCM and be included, the more the merrier.
The days activities will include a ‘kids only (12 and under) fishing derby’ will be held at 11:30AM at the CFFCM pond with prizes for first fish, most fish, largest fish and smallest fish. Kids are to bring their own tackle and favorite baits.

Many features include: Mike Canazon and the Bamboo Guys will host a bamboo rod casting clinic and be glad to assist those interested in cane rods.

The Fly Fishing Antique Roadshow will be held from noon until 1PM to help you identify and appraise attic finds.

The Great Willowemoc 50/50 fish race at 1:30 and cake will immediately follow.

And there is more…live fiddle music, BBQ, petting zoo, pony rides, and: guaranteed fun for all.

Curli - PONIES!

The Friday Bacon...

This Friday's Bacon is, mmmmmmmmh, candied bacon ice cream.

Mmm, bacon...