And without a trout at the end of any of those drives – and all my little small streams closing as the General Trout Season ended on Saturday – you could say my “regular” season ended not with a bang, but with the whimper of tires on the highway.

Fortunately, California’s progressed to the point that they carelessly left a few places for us to fish during the winter, and yes, I damn well plan to take advantage of them (starting this afternoon).

Still, I gathered this collection of interesting bits (often Internet stories) that don’t quite fit anywhere else, and thought I’d turn you on to them, if only for the opportunity they afford to rant (never pass an opportunity like that).

Yes, my fishy friends; it’s the Monday episode of the Underground’s Internet Wrapup.

State of Our Trout by Ted Williams

While enviro writer Ted Williams doesn’t quite walk on water, nobody writes about the liquid stuff better, at least not when it comes to fish, fisheries and wildlife. Thus, when Williams starts writing about the “State of Our Trout” it’s time to start listening, and as a bonus, you don’t even have to subscribe to Fly Rod & Reel to read it.

Part I and Part II have been posted on William’s regrettably oft-broken blog, so now you can read his cut-to-the-bone accounts of the fight to save Lake Davis from pike (and potentially California’s salmon & steelhead populations along with it), plus follow along the path taken by cutthroat recovery efforts.

Williams infuses his stories with drama, and unlike so many writers seeking a non-existent “balance,” doesn’t take prisoners from either camp.

In turn, he castigatges anti-rotenone activists for blocking recovery of native species; puts a bulls-eye on the backs of “environmental” groups willing to selectively apply the Endangered Species Act; attacks those attempting to gut the ESA; and even hammers outfitters actively opposing native trout recovery.

Williams gets two fins up from the Underground.

State of Our Industry (Sorta)

In the fly fishing industry – where most of the market “leaders” can’t even get their shit together enough to send a regular email/enewsletter to their customers (the marketing equivalent of going fly fishing without knowing how to tie a fly on a leader) – this Internet Retailer article about Orvis should open a few eyes.

Orvis is plowing ahead with all sorts of interesting e-commerce moves, and you don’t need my 23 years in marketing (or read my engagement marketing white paper) to know that companies survive downturns by doing what’s smart right now instead of waiting for the next Movie to save your ass once the weather turns ugly.

And yes, I can already hear the “dog-bed” mafia getting ready to savage Orvis for their lifestyle sales, but frankly, I’m not interested. Find me someone else in the industry – outside of Green Poster Child Patagonia – who’s doing as much to restore fisheries, and I’ll spotlight them.

Underground Namesake Shoots, Scores

Many of you think you know all about me from the Underground, but I’m here to point out you don’t.

For example, most have no idea I wile away the winter hours shooting target airguns (I suck, but I do it), which is why I can’t possibly pass up an opportunity to bask in the glow of target shooting success – even if that glow is only reflected on me by Air Force Academy Student Tom Chandler, who shoots scores I never will.

You, my friends, have stumbled on the story where we name Tom Chandler (the young one with good eyesight and non-shakey hands) The Official Underground Director of Shooting Sports and Pathetic Ego-Gratification by Proxy.

You can read about Chandler’s triumph in a recent match (overall points winner with 1172: smallbore 587, air rifle 585), and yes, you can expect more reflected-glory bragging as Chandler’s competitive season progresses – despite the fact I don’t know this kid, and he sure as heck doesn’t know me.

And here you thought it couldn’t get any stranger here at the Underground.

And you were wrong.

See you on the river, Tom Chandler.

fly fishing, fishing, ted williams, target shooting, orvis, patagonia, wild trout recovery, native trout, wild trout

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