Monday Morning’s Fly Fishing Links at the Underground

It’s Monday, and I’m back from my quick trip to the Wine Country, where the L&T Nancy and I did what most would technically call “living it up” a little bit.

Waiting for me at Underground World Headquarters is a drift boat load of work, and some interesting upgrades to the Trout Underground (coming soon to your favorite fly fishing blog).

Since I don’t have the time to be thoughtful or craft an intelligent chunk of content, I’m going the route I always go when I’m pressed for time:

It’s Monday Morning’s Fly Fishing Links

First, from our “The People You Love to Hate Because They’re Fishing More Than You” file comes the Fly Fishing for Native Trout blog, who posted an extensive account of his 12-day trip to Belize — complete with pictures.

We’ll get you for this. After we read all about it first.

The Worldwide Slaw Dog Controversy Continues

Sure, the Trout Underground just owns the Internet’s ongoing Slaw Dog conversation, but the Tennessee Valley Angler — in what can only be described as linkbait — pens a Russian-novel-length post about the vaunted Phillips 66 slaw dog — perhaps Townsend, TN’s single greatest contribution to the world.

He opens with:

During our recent Smokies TVangler group trip, I finally came face-to-face with the famed Phillips 66 slaw dog in Townsend. Now it was my previous claim that the Five Points Dairy Bar in Scottsboro, AL has the best slaw/chili dog the world has ever known. So, how does it stand up? Well, before giving away my final verdict, let’s take a look at the Phillips 66 dog in more detail.

After much in-depth analysis, he decides his Alabama slaw dog still rules, a faulty conclusion that can only lead his life in rapid downward spiral, followed by humiliation, hair loss and death, but there it is.

After you’ve read his post, feel free to come back and let us know what you think.

Beer Pouring Robot?

Sure, other blogs help you catch more fish, but at the Underground, we’re all about helping you not care as much about getting skunked.

That’s why this quickie from Spluch about a beer-pouring robot.

This is the R2D2 that everyone’s truly been waiting for — the one that stores beer in a compartment and pours it on command.

The hell with saving Princess Leia from the storm troopers. Every fly fisher should have one of these streamside. That’s all we’re saying here.

The Quiet Pool Makes Some Noise

Shane at Oregon’s “The Quiet Pool” blog wonders why recreational anglers (of all stripes) don’t have more political clout, and his conclusions aren’t always pretty.

Thoughtful column and worth a read.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

After last year’s West Coast commercial salmon season was almost completely closed — due largely to the need to protect failing Klamath salmon stocks — the commercial salmon fishermen took it in the shorts.

Now — while PacifiCorp fights every attempt to remove the four Klamath River dams doing the most environmental damage — the Feds are sweeping in with $60 Million of aid for the commercial salmon industry.

It’s yet another example of how damaging the Klamath River dams are to the local economy — and how the public at large foots the bill for PacifiCorp’s inability to do the right thing.

Instead of “Save a Salmon. Eat a Dam,” maybe we’d gain broader appeal with “Level a Dam. Lower Your Taxes.” What do the Undergrounders think?

Coming Up

We’ve got some new interface goodies headed your way, and a serialized report from our Alert Underground Saltwater Correspondent about a recent Baja trip. You won’t want to miss it.

See you on the river, Tom Chandler.

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