A good friend, RP (The Big Pull),  introduced me to spey fishing a few years back along with an initial warning about its addictive nature. At the time I shrugged it off with a laugh but now I find myself fixed in all things spey.

The beginning...

Spey fishing has that extra ‘thing’ that takes hold of you. There is a solitary comfort in working a long run with swung fly. Spey in its entirety requires obsession. Learning the ins and outs of the limitless amounts of gear, to the selection and implementation of each according to conditions takes a commitment bordering on the obsessive compulsive. Spey takes patience. The experts make spey fishing look so simple. The reality is that there is a slow and steady learning curve with a few bumps to the back of your head along the way.

Hang Down | Photo: DYI

For the past 3 years I have been learning as much as possible about spey and collecting a ‘few’ pieces of gear along the way. It helps to have a wingman as fanatical as you are and thankfully I have that in D (Beyond & Back). Now that I’ve settled down after much gear tinkering I find myself leaning towards vintage reels. I’ve traded in my sealed-drag, aircraft-grade aluminum spey reel for a 40 year old Hardy clicker reel. 

The Switch

This high-tech to low-tech shift can be partially explained by the remote and even not-so-remote areas of Alaska I have been fortunate enough to fish. Surrounded by snow-peaked mountains flanked only by your buddies you feel like a you’ve traveled back in time. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to trade in my gore-tex for woolies just yet but there just may be a limit to what technology can offer.

I’ve zeroed in on reels because of the drag issue. Premium modern reels have drags that can stop a great white in its tracks. Which leads me to ask, are modern drags overkill especially for trout? Couple this with hefty price tags ranging from $400 to upwards of $800 and the switch to vintage is a no-brainer.

Time Traveler

Thinking back on my early days of fishing the single hander many of the best fly-caught trout and salmon memories involved minimal drag reels. Painful line burns on fingers and bruised palms are all imprinted in my earliest fishing experiences. This switch is an experiment I look forward to come spring and one that I’m sure to enjoy.

Red Dog Mine in the Northwest Arctic, Alaska. The proposed Pebble Mine
alone would produce 20x the ore output as Red Dog. According to the US
Environmental Protection Agency, Red Dog is the single-largest source of
toxic pollution in the United States. ©Northern Alaska Environmental Center. (courtesy of Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska)

From today’s ADN Editorial Pages…

Is Alaska ready for Pebble?

The recent settlement by Teck Alaska over wastewater discharge violations at its Red Dog Mine and port near Kotzebue testifies to both the value of the Clean Water Act and the risk inherent in world-class mining operations.

For Alaskans, the settlement underscores doubts about the wisdom of exploiting the Pebble prospect, which has world-class gold and copper deposits near the headwaters of some of Bristol Bay’s richest salmon streams.

We’re told Alaska has strong mining laws that will ensure Pebble is benign. Experience with Red Dog suggests those laws have failed to prevent significant trouble….

Read the complete editorial here: http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/945224.html

Our annual July float trip is in the books and it was grins all around. We ate like kings, swung spey and switch rods for 2 days and enjoyed stretching out in B’s new camper. The fishing was tough with abnormally high water from glacier melt-off. Fortunately, the dollies made up for the absence of trout.

The fishing felt like fall steelheading. Hundreds of casts, steps, picking through flyboxes then repeating every fishy run 3 or 4 times. The first day saw B hooking up with 3 dollies to my 1. The second day was more of the same with both of us getting a couple to grab. July trips are typically tough fishing. The massive egg and flesh feeding free-for-all arrives in August and lasts through October. Many fly fishers spend this slow time at home preparing for the fall trout bonanza.

After 20 plus years on the river, our once frenzied approach to catching has shifted into a more ’step back and enjoy it’ mentality. Camping and fishing with B’s kids helped us appreciate the other aspects often overlooked. The comforts of a good campsite, warm fire and great food made for much more than just the typical hold-us-over until fall trip.  

Happy camper… 

Kikkomen…

B's famous breakfast burritos with a side of flies

Father & son…

UPDATED: from Midcurrent…

Former Alaska First Lady Part of New Pebble Mine Suit

By Marshall Cutchin

The big news out of Alaska yesterday afternoon was that former Alaska First Lady Bella Hammond has filed suit, along with native Alaskan representatives and other individuals, against the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. They say the DNR has repeatedly violated the state constitution by allowing mining exploration without regard for the public interest and without required oversight. “‘DNR has neglected its legal and moral obligation to protect Bristol Bay’s subsistence resources,’ said Bobby Andrew, spokesman for Nunamta Aulukestai, a lead plaintiff. ‘Current exploration is having a serious impact on water and wildlife, yet the agency continues to rubber stamp permits and ignore the public interest.’”

Read the entire story at Midcurrent: http://www.midcurrent.com/news/2009/07/former-alaska-first-lady-part.html

Posted on Moldy Chum’s site: Bristol Bay Native Leaders to Hold Press Briefing

Alaska Native leaders from the Bristol Bay region will hold a press event, which will be available by teleconference, in Anchorage this Wednesday to announce a significant new development in the long-running controversy over exploration and development of the Pebble mine project.

WHO:
· Bobby Andrew, board member of Nunamta Aulukestai (Caretakers of our Lands)
· Jack Hobson, Nondalton resident
· Other speakers (TBA)

WHEN:
Press Conference and Telephone Briefing
Wednesday, July 29, 2009,
10 AM Alaska Time

WHERE:
In-Person:
Marriot Hotel at H and 7th Streets
Skagway Valdez Room
Anchorage, Alaska
Parking available at Municipal Garage

By Telephone:
Call-in number: 800-311-9402
Passcode: 5729

VISUALS:
In addition to the speakers, there will be maps and photos ready for download

CONTACT:
Harlin Savage, Resource Media, (720) 564-05500, ext. 11, harlin@resource-media.org
Lynda Giguere, Resource Media-Alaska (907) 771-4020, lynda@resource-media.org

I am headed for an adventure myself this weekend of which I will post next week. Until then, here is a snippet from RP’s latest and to-date the greatest blog post ever. Read the full post below:

…I got off my rock and gave chase as quickly as I could, which was not quick. The fish was still peeling off backing. I could see a soft eddie a quarter mile away where I maybe stood a chance of catching up, if a million bits of good luck came into play between now and then. I was breathing and sweating heavily, athletically.Trying to keep ballance as I trod over the boulders, my eyes darted between my feet, reel, rod tip and river. At one point I looked up briefly at the river downstream. At that moment, from the crest of the highest wave in the rapid, the fish skied straight out, it’s head a pivot point as it’s tail arched up and over,. Silver. I smiled to myself there in that little place.”

For the entire adventure, please visit: The Big Pull:  Yokanga, Notes From

Yokanga Atlantic Salmon | Photo: R. Peterson

Check out Ryan P’s latest posts fishing for Atlantic Salmon bankside on the Ponoi, Kola Peninsula:

Amid a stark, powerful riverscape, we casted and caught many fresh summer run Ponoi Atlantic salmon. After catching and releasing two small bright fish on consecutive casts, I made a third cast that swung a double-hooked Cascade through the same water. Ruslan was stoked that we’d found a pod of fresh fish and suggested I keep casting into the same pool cause there might be another and another. The Cascade swung through and – hold on, I have to explain something: So Atlantics like the fly moving much faster than steelhead. They hold in faster water AND they like the fly moving even faster. So you either don’t mend, thus creating a belly that rips the fly across, or if the water is slower, you actually throw a downstream mend to create same effect. With such a big belly, the grabs often feel quite slow, like a silver salmon, just a slow and steady pppppuuuuuuuuuuulllll…”

Check it out from ‘Ponoi Day 0′ and work your way upwards: http://thebigpull.wordpress.com/

Ponoi Pull | Photo courtesy of Ryan Peterson

Gone Fishin' | Photo: www.alaskaseafood.org

In a world full of leaders with massive, blinding egos, ours takes the cake. To say that Sarah Palin is inconsistent is like saying Michael Jackson is not getting enough press coverage. Just days after announcing her ‘official’ premature extraction from Alaska’s highest office, Sarah Palin is now fishing in Bristol Bay. Yes, the very same Bristol Bay in which she is in favor of exploiting for mineral wealth via the Pebble Mine.

Her support of Anglo and Northern Dynasty Minerals is now common knowledge (see: http://tspey.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/down-but-not-out/) made more evident by the fact that the Palin family has taken gifts and paid trips from pro-Pebble Mine suppporters (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503988_pf.html).

In an age when one’s actions speak louder than their lies even steadfast supporters of Palin are now smacking into the broken glass-lined wall of reality. Yes, we have been hoodwinked into thinking that this person was much more than what she really is.

Alaskan politics of late has been marred with corruption. Speculation abounds that Palin’s decision may be a pre-emptive action against this nasty ‘c’ word. Alaskans have been forcefully spoon-fed this type of mush for too long. The time has passed for personal-gain politicos who have worn out their welcome.

The decision to quit makes no sense politically. What is the real reason for Palin’s fall? Family? Tired of the spotlight? Greed? So far up in Alaska, the latter is the speculative and all too common assumption.

Sarah Palin announced today on KTUU Channel 2 News that she will resign as governor of Alaska effective in 3 weeks.

In a press conference from her Wasilla home held just minutes ago, Palin mentioned the various ethics complaints directed at her both personally and her administration as being one reason as to her early departure. Additionally, she mentioned that a vote of Palin’s family members had an influence in her decision to resign in just her first term as Alaska’s governor… more to follow…

FBI says Palin isn’t under investigation – ADN  7/6/09 – (The strange gets stranger…)

http://www.adn.com/palin/story/854318.html

Alaskans: Palin Had Gone Fishin’ On The Job - Huffpo 7/6/09 – (Interesting: Palin Fishing Bristol Bay today – Open Pit Mining tomorrow?…)

National politicians question Palin move – ADN 7/6/09

http://www.adn.com/palin/story/854613.html

Here’s What We Know About Sarah Palin’s Decision - Huffpo 7/4/09

‘Palin to resign as Alaska governor’ – ADN 7/3/09

http://www.adn.com/palin/story/852419.html

Gov. Sarah Palin to resign her office July 26 7/3/09

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10641495

‘Health director says she was forced out’ (by Palin) – 7/3/09

http://www.adn.com/palin/story/852044.html

“… One of the state’s top public health officials says she was forced out of office because Gov. Sarah Palin felt she wasn’t in step on social issues…” – ADN

Watch the FULL press conference at:

http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/

 

The re-opener was an epic display of old-time Alaska. Thousands of black-gray backs of schooled salmon in packs of 30 to 50 as far as the next bend. Fortunately, there were still trout to be had via the properly waked dry in-between the intermittent upstream rushes of first run sockeye.

The salmon run is the earliest and by far the biggest in my 20+ years on the river. The run’s strength was revealed during our trouting below the falls. At our favorite hole normally filled with hungry rainbow was a wall of sockeye. The holes were filled with fins. Even the swift water was packed with salmon raising their heads to get a view of the strange gore-tex-clad visitors. 

As the day neared noon, D and I looked at each other from across the river as we simultaneously said ‘let’s get our limit’. Fred already made the switch 30 minutes sooner and was quickly on salmon after salmon. With 3 being the magic number, our plan was to quickly catch, clean and pack the fish then re-focus our sights to trout (easier said than done). This year’s sockeye are also much bigger in size than normal. Couple that with trout rods and you have a recipe for split graphite disaster.

The catching was the easy part. One cast = one fish. Landing them was another story altogether. On the 3rd and final sock, an unexpected last run and tangled-rod-to-tree nearly ended my day prematurely. Fortunately, the rod was intact. With the sounds of my buddies’ stream-muffled laughter reaching my ears as I kneeled looking at the securely tailed salmon, I knew I was lucky. Just one more second and that rod was broke.

The harvest

The trip was as close to the old days as one could imagine. Seeing that many salmon in one small stream during a time when we are facing a threat of open pit mining in an area with an exponentially larger annual run of wild salmon puts everything in perspective. There is something much more to be had in a continuously healthy river than in a gold chain.

Trees growing from trees

1:1,000,000

Every year, the culmination leading up to the yearly trout re-opener is a flashback to my childhood and its ’are we there yet’ days of family fishing trips. My family went fishing every year for as far back as I can remember. Fittingly, my July birthday was celebrated each year in either a tent or camper next to the river that I consider my second home. 

It may sound strange to anyone besides a beaver or fish to describe a body of water as a home but for some of you out there I suspect you know the feeling. Upon your arrival to a favorite stream or lake, the comfort is immediate and subliminal. Everything around you is familiar. The trees are in the same places but in their 20 years of incremental growth spurts now tower over you. The trout are still there, descendants of the first caught and released rainbows on your Dad’s salmon fly rod.

Standing bankside the movement is automatic. Lining up the guides, fastening tight your reel, tying on your favorite fly to light tippet. The memories are always a blur until the fly lands softly on the water. The senses then come alive with focus until that moment and the rise.

The trip is being mapped out as we speak but in reality it’s been been in planning mode since last June. There is something special in the first trip of the year to your home stream. As each year passes I’m finding myself stepping back more to enjoy the subtle nuances.

Last year, I noticed a tiny shrew swimming near the bank looking for a decent landing spot. Oddly enough, on the same trip, I had no clue about the black bear sniffing just 15 feet away from me while fishing midstream until D caught my eye downstream. After seeing his wide eyed face I immediately knew what was behind me bankside.

The plan this week is to tie up a few dozen flies and enjoy a full day on our home water. You can bet that there will be plenty of ‘are we there yets’ come early Saturday morning.