From the Chattanoogan:

Catch and Release fishing will be banned in Switzerland from next year, it was revealed this week.

And anglers in the country will have to demonstrate their expertise by taking a course on humane methods of catching fish, under new legislation outlined by the Bundesrat - the Swiss Federal Parliament.

The new legislation states that fish caught should be killed immediately following their capture, with a sharp blow to the head from a blunt instrument. Under the new regulations, the use of livebait and barbed hooks is also prohibited except in certain situations.

The laws come into effect in 2009 but while the Swiss government does not mention Catch and Release specifically, it does say that "it is not permitted to go fishing with the ‘intention’ to release the fish."

Wow. What about tiny, juvenile fish? What about accidental bycatch of other species?

A little more digging takes us to the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association’s site, which covers this story in depth, concluding that:

EFTTA acting president, Pierangelo Zanetta, said: "EFTTA does not believe that forcing anglers to kill their catches is either good for nature or for recreational sport fishing - which makes a significant financial contribution to the EU economy.

“Making the killing of fish obligatory will simply reduce fish population and, at the same time, run the risk of having a negative impact on sport fishing.

"Anglers and the sport of angling invest time and money to improve water quality and create larger and healthier fish populations. We believe is it far better for the fish if the fisherman decides, according to the situation, whether to keep and eat the fish or to release it."

How about it, Undergrounders. Is that fish you just caught better off dead? And has Switzerland just written the epitaph of its sustainable sport fisheries?

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After all, these are the same Feds who wanted tried to escape a workable salmon recovery plan by suggesting the dams are part of the natural landscape, or that the law only required they have a plan — not necessarily one that would recover salmon.

With that kind of mindset driving the creation of some seriously flawed salmon recovery plans, yesterday’s announcement doesn’t exactly come as a surprise — nor the reaction to it. (more…)

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After passing train crew saw (and heard) the group, a Highway Patrol helicopter was called in to rescue them:

Seven rafters were stranded on a rock and awaiting rescue early Saturday evening after their vessel overturned on the Sacramento River near Castella.

Officers from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report from railroad personnel on a passing train who said they saw the rafters and heard them calling for help.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter pilot who took part in the search spotted an upside-down raft and then located the rafters several miles away on the rock in the river.

We’re a little confused (the Sac’s running high, but not that high), and information is a little thin (I called the Underground’s Whitewater Consultants at River Dancers, but they were out having fun on the river).

See you in on the river, Tom Chandler.

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Here’s a portion of the review:

TONE: Flip, breezy and wiseacre. No altar-and-candles devotion to fly-fishing tradition.

INTERACTIVITY: Plenty of back-and-forth over the topics of the day, ranging from dam removals to the beauties of old-school bamboo rods. One mini-campaign drew 1,000 e-mails aimed at the Siskiyou County supervisors over a natural-resources policy.

WHO DOES IT: Tom Chandler, former Silicon Valley marketing writer who chucked it to live in Dunsmuir along the upper Sacramento River.

In addition to having excellent taste, reviewer Marshall Kilduff is also perceptive, intelligent, and (very probably) handsome.

Much like myself, I’d say (oops, I just did).

We’re just going to sit here (buffing our fingernails and waiting for the servants to arrive with grapes and fans) and positively bask in the warming glow of our inevitable fame.

See you in the palace, Tom Chandler.

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The Reader’s Digest version? While Winter storms promised much, a dry spring means the Sierra snowpack has fallen far short of early expectations.

Faster than you can say "rationing," every major paper in the state jumped on the story.

From the Contra Costa Times:

California’s snowpack is low for the second year in a row, leaving water managers across the state grappling with the triple threat of a dry year, depleted reservoirs and new environmental restrictions on pumping from the Delta.

The whole scenario would be amusing if so much wasn’t at stake; a water-hungry state has largely maxed out its supplies — doing an unbelievable amount of environmental damage in the process — and yet somehow, water managers wanted to believe one good year would solve the problem.

Here at the Underground, we’ve got a bridge we’d like to sell to those same managers.

See you at the tap, Tom Chandler.

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The McCloud river is one of the most beautiful stretches of water you’ll ever fish — and given the number of people who crowd it ever year, a lot of people seem know it.

Running the ten days from May 5 to May 14, PG&E will be conducting a series of flow control studies on the Lower McCloud (below Lake McCloud) related to the dam’s relicensing process, which began 1.5 years ago.

Ten more days of flow studies will take place in June (I’ll post a schedule as soon as I get one), and while some of the higher flows might make fly fishing difficult, that won’t be the case all of the time.

Delays Caused by Snow

Curtis Knight of CalTrout said “We really hoped PG&E could conduct these studies in April, but there were some access issues (ed: snow).”

“These test flows may be a little inconvenient, but they’re important when it comes to managing the McCloud River — one of California’s best trout rivers — in the future.”

A preliminary schedule calls for flows at the Ah Di Nah to go to 400 CFS on May 5, then bumping to 600 cfs, 800 cfs, and 1000 cfs every couple days before tailing off again.

Knight said “We’re really looking at the effects these flows will have on the river, including elements like gravel movement — which is important for long-term maintenance of the fishery — and how the dam and its operations affect the lower river in terms of sediment and turbidity.”

“There are lot of studies going on — even whitewater studies, where rafts will be sent down the river at different flows.”

The Underground’s Plan for the Undergrounders

Included in the relicensing process is the opportunity for feedback from recreational users of the river (re: fly fishermen).

The Underground’s spin? I say fish the river all ten days in May, using the excuse that you’re contributing to the existing body of scientifically derived knowledge about the McCloud.

“It’s a science project” you’ll say to your family/boss/loved ones. “I have to go and contribute to our understanding of our imperiled natural world.”

“Sometimes,” you’ll intone gravely, “science demands sacrifice.”

See you at the McCloud Science Fair, Tom Chandler.

Technorati Tags: mccloud river,caltrout,flow control studies,mccloud dam relicensing,fly fishing,fishing,science!

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[UPDATE: You can see all the Pebble Mine auctions here (and it’s a lot of stuff)]

Valued at a whopping $13,400, the starting bid is $8,000, which places it squarely outside the Underground’s Monetary Comfort Zone (only by about $7900).

Still, it sounds pretty damned deluxe:

Rainbow River Lodge is located on private land in the heart of Alaska’s phenomenal Bristol Bay and Lake Illiamna “Trophy Alaska Rainbow Trout” watershed, conveniently adjacent to the Katmai Wilderness. The lodge offers magnificent views of the Alaska wilderness and the “Home River” is the beautiful Copper River, one of Alaska’s original “fly fishing only” designated streams.

Rainbow River Lodge hosts 12 guests per week, and they sell out every season.  This is your chance to get one of their last spots for 2008.

Rainbow River Lodge has been rated as one of the “ten best fly fishing lodges in Alaska” and the Copper River, our “Home River” has been rated by Trout Unlimited as one of the “top 100 best Trout streams in the world.” Truly outstanding accolades from the finest fly fishing authorities in the world today.

Retail value of this trip is $13,400!

Let it be known that if an Undergrounder wins this puppy, I fully expect to occupy the second spot.

See you buying a 10-weight, Tom Chandler.

Technorati Tags: fly fishing,alaskan sportsmen alliance,pebble mine,bristol bay,rainbow lodge

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Face it: the odds of the Trout Underground winning any auction in excess of $20 are slim (I don’t have more than $20), but if a wealthy Undergrounder won and sent me (hint), I know what I’d do; I’d take that very, very cool trout-painted trailer for a joyride while Smethhurst fished.

Imagine the babe-pulling potential of that baby (chicks dig trout-painted airstreams).

I wasn’t wholly in love with the first On The Rise episodes, but it’s smoothing out, getting better, and maybe what it really needs to get over the hump is a daylong dose of the Underground.

See you in makeup, Tom Chandler.

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The California State Assembly passed Joint Resolution 39 (46 to 29), which recognizes the Wintu Tribe (who deserve it):

Assembly Joint Resolution  39,  Huffman
Recalls the history of relations between the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and the federal government, which includes the relocation of exhumed remains of tribal members and of the Tribe’s community in order for the federal government to create Shasta Lake with Shasta Dam on the Tribe’s aboriginal lands. Effectively codifies the state’s recognition of the Tribe, and encourages federal officials to recognize this tribe.

What’s this got to do with raising Shasta Dam?

Plenty.

Formal state recognition of the Winnemem Wintu tribe means state funding to raise Shasta Dam is far less likely to appear than before (and it’s unlikely the Feds will foot the whole bill).

And that means the Wastelands Westlands Irrigations District — the folks who happily drained the Trinity River all those years, and the same people who want to flood miles of the Upper Sacramento, McCloud, and Pit Rivers so they can sell subsidized water to cities — finally took one in the shorts.

This doesn’t end the dam-raising issue by any means, but it’s one more roadblock in the way of a bad idea.

And yes, Undergrounders, rumor has it the legislator who introduced the bill is a fly fisherman.

See you on the river, Tom Chandler.

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I learned (via the Sacramento Bee) that the Weed-based Mt. Shasta Brewery is in trouble with the Feds because his bottle cap contains the words “Try Legal Weed.”

Puuleeeze.

Weed brewer Vaune Dillmann faces possible sanctions or fines from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau if he continues to brew and sell beer with bottle caps printed with the label “Try Legal Weed.”

Bureau spokesman Art Resnick said Monday that the bottle caps tell consumers to support an illegal drug – a policy that violates rules of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as well as the agency’s predecessor, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.

Does anyone else notice that saying “Try Legal Weed” is specifically NOT supporting the use of an “illegal” drug? How about the Undergrounder Hordes band together and buy a “basic English literacy” text for Bureau Spokesman Art Resnick?

The Underground’s Director of Libertarian Political Crusades (SLF) is no doubt formulating an angry letter to the Feds, and frankly — once we’ve removed the threatening language — it’s one I’d be willing to sign.

The beer — if you haven’t tried it — is sublime. Brewed only 25 minutes north of the Trout Underground/Man Cave World Headquarters, I’m a huge fan of the Shastafarian Porter, and the quality of this stuff makes it easy to “buy local” (as mandated by the economically literate L&T).

I spoke to the folks at the brewery, and while there’s no letter-writing campaign in place, I did suggest the creation of a “Protest Brew” — a beer perfectly suited to slaking the thirst of Thomas Paine wannabes worldwide. (Can I get an “amen” from the Undergrounders — or maybe just a burp?)

This one’s picking up steam really, really quickly, and because Good Beer is one of the things truly worth fighting for (I’d say it’s a critical underpinning of Contemporary American Society), the Trout Underground — clearly the world leader in fly fishing blog-based protection of your sovereign first amendment beer drinking rights — will stay on top of it.

UPDATE: As of Thursday AM, this story was spreading quickly across the US, and had even landed in the International Herald Tribune (pub’d in France).

See you at the keg, Tom Chandler.

Technorati Tags: weed brewery,shasta brewing company,ATF,try legal weed,you can have our beer when you pry it from our cold dead fingers

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“Our research has shown that inter-breeding between farmed and wild brown trout lowers the ability of the offspring to survive in the wild, and could have serious implications for the future of the wild brown trout. This decision has been made following work with leading authorities on trout fisheries management and research, and an extensive consultation process,” Dafydd Evans, head of fisheries for the Environment Agency, said.

It’s an interesting move, though I suspect stocking infertile brown trout still depresses the wild fish populations because of competition for food and a few other nasty things (like disease).

In other words, it looks like a step in the right direction, but it’s far from the whole journey.

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A San Jose man died after he and two companions were thrown from their drift boat and into the Sacramento River after they hit the North Street Bridge in Anderson Monday afternoon.

Construction workers building the new North Street Bridge spotted the three men and were able to pull one of them from the water. Two others were swept down river by the strong current, one clinging to the overturned boat, said sheriff’s Lt. Jerry Shearman.

Daniel Scott McMillan of San Jose was declared dead, and while the story’s not clear as to the cause, it seems a contributing factor might have been the construction at the bridge:

Construction on the new North Street Bridge is well under way. Two 30-foot openings allow boaters to pass between the pilings that will support the new six span bridge, Pat Minturn, Public Works Director, said in November.

This certainly casts the closure of the Lower Sacramento River at the Cypress Street Bridge (also undergoing construction) in an interesting light.

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If you’re one of the lucky few who lives near the right city (the tour touches down in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, with a trip to Orvis in Vermont), then consider making plans to see fly fishing’s most popular writer.

It seems like a lifetime’s passed since I first read Gierach’s Trout Bum (late 1980s), and in one sense, it was a lifetime ago.

Back then, I lived in the kill-or-be-killed Silicon Valley, and today I live minutes from good trout water in a sparsely populated rural county.

I won’t pretend Gierach’s wholly responsible, but yeah, his books did suggest there was an alternative to slowly growing heavier, angrier and more desperate in the grip of "civilization," and though I didn’t make a play for the whole trout bum lifestyle, I worked things out well enough to get a little chunk of it.

My favorite Gierach book? The answer varies almost hourly, but I seem to keep returning to Even Brook Trout Gets the Blues, mostly for the title essay.

What about the Undergrounders? Can you pick a favorite Gierach title?

See you at the bookshelves, Tom Chandler.

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Something Fishy

Published in October 2007, I made a note to get a copy and promptly lost the note, though I’m rectifying that oversight right now.

Williams is one of the handful of writers that sets Fly Rod & Reel apart from most other mainstream fly fishing magazines; he attacks environmental subjects with energy, taking few prisoners and leaving few questions unanswered.

His unabashed defense of thoughtful environmentalism (he’s taken the greenies to task on more than a few occasions) has converted me into a lifelong fan — and no doubt cost Fly Rod & Reel a few subscribers and advertisers.

I’ll review it as soon as I get it, though if you’ve ever wondered why our salmon are disappearing, our saltwater gamefish are in trouble, and our management policies are making things worse, then just order the thing today.

See you at the reading lamp, Tom Chandler.

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Regarded as an anachronism just a decade ago, Orvis is moving into the 21st century in a big way (they’re even using Live Chat features on their commerce site).

They just announced a pair of podcasts (essentially on-demand audio recordings): one aimed at fly fishermen, and one at dogs (like most people, we have trouble telling the two apart).

We’re not going to get all snarky by pointing out the dog is far better looking than Rosenbauer, but we will say we’ve given the "Reading Water" podcast a listen and it’s going to be of interest to a lot of fly fishermen.

Of course, with the stubborn, "that’s great but I’ll do what I please" Wally the Wonderdog pushing 90 pounds, I probably should listen to the dog podcast too.

See you in podcast land, Tom Chandler.

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