BIG, BIG FISH.......STORY

I received this text the other day out of the blue from a good friend and fellow fly fishing nut:

Text Message Received July 7, 2013

At first glance my heart skipped a beat and thoughts of grabbing my 8 wt and running out the door flashed through my mind.  Then the skeptic took over.  I got online and did some digging.  First, I could find no pictures or reports of the fish.  Next I tried to verify some other information.  For instance, if the record was greater than 38 lbs. I could assume that this was an old mass text that was circulating around and just happened to be passed on to me.  The all tackle record is 41 lbs., but upon further digging, I found that the fly fishing record for brown trout on 20-pound tippet is 36 pounds, 6 oz., caught by Hans-Peter Schaar, from Obervellach, in the Moll River, Austria, July 2, 2007.  This confirmed the fact that "it would have been a new world record if it was caught", assuming that it was caught on 20 lb. or smaller tippet.  On that note, I don't even own 20 lb. tippet.

So, I am unable to either confirm or deny the validity of this story.  This is where I turn to you, the few readers that actually stumble upon this blog.

Is it true?  Is it an old, circulating text that pops up every now and again?  I know I passed it along, so I can see how it could do that...  Perhaps this was started to drive a little more traffic that way... who knows.

Can anyone provide some more information on this rumor?  Much obliged.

- Sky

Waxing....Waxing....Waxing....

The moon is waxing, which is only the case every 15 or so days per month.  That means that we should be fishing.  By the way, a waxing moon is the time period after the new moon when that bad boy is on its way to being full.  There is a great lunar calender at http://lunaf.com/english/moon-phases/lunar-calendar-2013/ .

Bristol Bay - Wrong Mine, Wrong Place

70 permits is all that stands in the way of the Pebble Mine going in at the headwaters of one of the last remaining strongholds of wild salmon.  This may sound like a lot of hoops to jump through, but in all reality, 69 of the 70 are pretty much foregone conclusions.  Of the 70 permits required, 69 are through the state of Alaska, which has all but turned its back on wild salmon and the industry it supports.  The one remaining obstacle that is the last hope..... the ONE (yes 1) federal permit that is required to dispose of the waste and tailings.  This permitting process is overseen by the EPA and Corp of Engineers, and must therefore fall in line with the Federal Clean Water Act.  Right now the war has begun, with many battles on many fronts.  I'll be posting some information on what you can do to help in the following weeks.  In the meantime, check out the work that Alaska Fly Out is doing at www.alaskaflyout.com.  Magnetic North is a series of films that they have put together showcasing the absolute beauty, and importance, of Bristol Bay and its inhabitants, human and otherwise.  Let's get the word out.  www.savebristolbay.org

Sharp Hooks,

Sky

Public Lands v. Madison County

For all of you law nerds, and fish nerds, and nerds in general, the Montana Supreme  Court is hosting oral arguments in case DA 12-0312, Public Lands v. Madison County, at the Strand Student Union Building on the campus of MSU this coming Monday.  Every year the Montana Supreme Court holds this sort of "off-site" event, and this one strikes close to home, as this case regards stream access...something we should all care very much about.  Below is a link to the court docs on the Montana Supreme Court Website in case you want some light reading to get caught up on the case.

Good luck to my buddies down the street with this one.  Go get 'em.

http://supremecourtdocket.mt.gov/search/case?case=15355