Friday, January 7, 2011

Fly Tying Tip #106

I recently read a post on a local chat forum about a new product to use as a substitute for epoxy.  I tried it and it performs really well.  Copper Johns and Hard Heads can be finished easily using Aleene's Fabric Fusion.  Dries hard and clear.

No Mixing Necessary!!!!!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Giant Tuna $526.00 Per Pound

I do love the taste of fine quality Tuna.  Maguro, o-Toro, seared or right out of the can in a sandwich.  It has seemed reasonable to me until I saw this photo today.

This hedonistic slaughter is insanity.  There are but a few of these monsters left in the ocean and the numbers are dwindling.  Certainly, it is not necessary for a fish like this to be targeted for profit.  The fish was sold for $396,000.00 and purchased for consumption in Japan and China.  Japan now accounts for 80% of the worlds catch.  A single piece of Sushi smaller than the size of your thumb will sell for $24.00. 

I'm trying to make sense of it all.  Reductions in catch limits have been put in place but I just don't see how the Giant Tuna's demise can be averted.  It seems to be a case of supply and demand in hyper mode.

William

Sunday, January 2, 2011

A Day Of Tradition

January 1st has become a day of tradition for me thanks to a dear friend.  It is a day to fish and start the year in good company.  January 1, 2011 was like no other with the high temperatures over the entire Northeast.  I still felt cold even though the thermometer read well above freezing. We arrived riverside in the dark at 6:30am and were not the first kids on the block.  Our number one location was open and we moved in quickly.

Hours went by without so much as a showing fish.  We were about to give it up when my buddy started to throw a few casts into the rapids below the pool.  He has done this year after year without result.  Like I said this was not a typical year.   One, two and three came quickly to hand falling for his Smelt pattern. The largest was a beautiful 21" bow.  The forth came a bit later and took a black leech.

My day ended with two fish hooked and none landed.  Not exactly what was imagined.  Even so, I love January first because it is a beginning of a New Year as well as the start of my twelve month fishing cycle.  I can also reflect on 2010 with great fondness as many of my days were used in the pursuit of the catch.  Much was learned in a sport where the knowledge is never ending.

William