477 replies to this topic

[AllseeingEye]

What is it with Masons hating humans so much? 

 

You can make an argument humans aren't the dunbest lifeforms on the planet, lol? War, greed, endless exploitation of our global environment, the singular unique inability to get along with virtually every other species on the planet, not to mention our own species....the list is endless.

 

Anyone with any knowledge of - anything - knows or should know you don't introduce an invasive species into another ecosystem. Good god as if native fish like salmon and trout don't have enough to contend with, largely our doing, for someone to do this - and don't tell me it was an "accident", it was either plain stupidity or more likely a "IDGAF" mentality - if they were ever caught they should be fined five different ways from Wednesday and even face some jail-time if I had my way. 

Edited by AllseeingEye, 22 April 2024 - 07:11 PM.

[AllseeingEye]

Pt 1 - Fly Fishing Stuff

 

A couple of people on the forum have asked in the past if I would post - as simply as possible - setup instructions for fly fishing, specifically a fly fishing rig designed to catch fish in west coast/Vancouver Island rivers and saltwater estuaries. And specifically with salmon in mind. I know many people who are interested in taking up the sport but get intimidated due to its perceived intricate and overly technical gear, lingo and the physical makeup of the actual sets.

 

Its true compared to a basic spin casting setup fly fishing is the "NASA moon rover" compared to Henry Ford's Model A.

 

Anyone with no experience at all with fishing can be set up on a spinning set in about 5 mins and be fishing within six minutes. Fly fishing OTOH is certainly much more technical and requires a lot of pre-planning re: what kind of fish are you are trying to catch, which will dictate partially where you fish, and when and which in turn will influence what kind of fly setup (rod, reel, line, leader, tippet) you use. We'll get to "tippet's" later

 

Anyone familiar with Jeremy Wade's excellent BBC series "River Monster's" will recall that Wade, a world renowned angler who has fished every continent except Antarctica, produced the series over about a dozen years fishing everywhere from Oregon to the Fraser River, the Amazon, the Nile River and pretty much everywhere between England and New Zealand. In all that time he produced exactly ONE show featuring fly fishing because, in his words, "....fly fishing scares the hell out of me". Me too, and for several years: I'd watch fly fishers and note the specialized gear and the terminology, the extra knots involved in setting up a "set" - quick who here knows the difference between a double surgeon's knot, an arbor knot and a clinch knot? No cheating by looking on the web either! For the record Wade shot the fly fishing episode in Iceland of all places and yes he caught a fish........

 

As for me I'd consider all that fly fishing "stuff", get flustered and just revert to my go-to: an infinitely simpler spin cast setup that I learned from about age 7 from my dad and grand-dad; and I'd think "one day" I'll get into fly fishing. That 'day' turned into several years but boy once I did was I ever hooked! 

 

Today I have about fifteen rods - two thirds of those being fly fishing rods - and maybe twenty reels, split evenly between spin cast and fly fishing units. Just in rods and reels alone that gear is worth about $20k. Not including waders, boots, flies, lures, accessories, vests, jackets etc etc etc......whatever floats your boat man

 

Although I learned fishing basics from my dad and grandfather they were for the most part salt chuck guys, i.e. they preferred to fish for salmon in places like Sooke or Campbell River with the (very) occasional foray into the Interior on a camping trip to fish BC's rivers - but always on spinning gear. I had to force myself to plunge into the fly fishing world - visions of Jeremy Wade trembling at the very thought dancing in my head. And I am super grateful I did because for the last nearly 20 years the fly fishing - spinning gear 'split' has probably been about 85% - 15% in favor of the fly. Aside from the fact I enjoy the challenge there is a practical reason too: as the climate warms and fish species come under more pressure as ecosystems decline as a result of human activity, the areas where you can use spinning gear are becoming fewer and farther between as DFO and other science-based marine experts mandate "flies only" sections of our largest river ecosystems on an increasing basis.

 

The Campbell River is a good example of this; while you can use "gear" from the river estuary up to the confluence of the Quinsam River where it enters the Campbell system, you can ONLY use flies above the confluence all the way back to the source of the river, i.e. Campbell Lake. Which means for "gear heads" on spincast setups the majority of that river is legally inaccessible to them. Ditto for many, many other west coast and island ecosystems. Also as I learned much later fish are much more likely to take a lure if it looks just like their actual food as opposed to the artifical lures typically used in spin cast fishing.

 

Getting Started in Fly Fishing

Embarking on a new hobby can lead to information overload, but fly fishing admittedly adds an extra level with its specialized gear, fly selection, and casting techniques. People stop to watch fly anglers IMO because of the allure of their casting techniques, which can be quite intimidating to a new angler. They were for me! Now I can happily be in the midst of a group on any river and feel like I can hold my own with the best of them.

 

On the Campbell River its not at all unusual for groups of tourists from the US, UK or Europe to film your tehcnique and to record the entire sequence of a fish strike right up until you land him. 

 

While everything from rod weights to flies and all that’s in between - um, what is a tippet anyway?? Hey I said we'd get to that. Be patient! - can appear daunting, fly fishing is much easier than you think once you break down the basics.

 

So, let’s “eat the elephant" one bite at a time, and get started with the basics – the fly rod setup.

[AllseeingEye]

Pt 2 - Fly Fishing: the Intricate Stuff

 

The fly fishing rod is the backbone of your fly-fishing setup, and understanding its basics is crucial. While fly rods have numerous nuances, choosing the right rod will depend on two main factors:

 

- What you’re fishing for
- The size of the fly

 

Fly rods are classified by weight, ranging from 00 to 16. The smaller the number, the lighter the rod and the narrower and more delicate the blank.

 

In most cases, you choose a rod based on the size of the fly you intend to cast. For example, a 3 weight is an excellent choice for tiny flies and small mountain streams, ideal for brook trout. Conversely, if you plan to pursue a mature Chinook in saltwater using a foot-long baitfish-patterned streamer, you’ll want a 16 weight rod.

 

While you can easily throw a small fly on a larger weight rod, throwing a bigger fly on a smaller weight rod will prove frustrating and extremely difficult. However, there is an exception to the fly/rod rule. Large, powerful fish like predatory brown trout or aggressive coho salmon eat small flies but you should never target them with a 5 weight rod, even if you could easily cast that fly with that size rod.

 

A 5 weight rod would be underweighted for that size fish. In that instance, you’d need a larger sized rod for a snowball’s chance in a hot place of landing that fish with your rod still intact. The standard length of a fly rod is 9 feet, but they are available in shorter rods and longer rods for specific techniques. Weight, however, isn’t the only thing to consider when buying a fly rod.

 

Fly Rod Action

 

Fly rods are also characterized by their action, which is their overall stiffness which relates directly to how they bend, and what their recovery time is (how quickly the rod returns to its straight position). There are three main actions: slow, medium (also known as moderate or moderate-fast), and fast. 

 

A slow action rod is considered a “soft rod” and will bend starting just above the butt section of the rod (where the cork handle is) and bend all the way to the tip. Slow action rods typically resemble a wet noodle and are normally made of fiberglass. Older rods of this type were made from bamboo. They excel in short distances and delicate presentations, making them excellent specialty rods for small streams. However, they tend to be challenging to cast a for new fly angler and have a longer recovery than other rods.

 

A medium action rod will bend from the mid-section all the way to the tip (with moderate-fast bending a little higher up the rod than moderate). Medium action rods, in my opinion, are the easiest for new and average anglers to cast. They offer great versatility and are typically made of fiberglass or graphite, with the majority made of graphite. These rods provide the most flexibility in casting and presentation and have a medium recovery time.

 

A fast action “stiff rod” will bend only at the tip of the rod. The fast action fly rods are made from graphite or a boron/graphite mix and provide superior fighting power, enabling you to muscle big fish out of cover. They are excellent choices for windy conditions potentially such as a river estuary on either coast of Vancouver Island. Fast action rods have a quick recovery time, making them easier to punch through wind.

 

For novice fly anglers who are looking to purchase their first rod in freshwater, a 9-foot 5-weight rod with a medium to medium-fast action is a solid choice. This is a decent overall freshwater rod that will take you from the a quiet trout stream, and out to the faster water where bigger stronger salmon hang out.

 

While everything from rod weights to flies and all that’s in between can appear daunting, fly fishing is much easier than you think once you break down the basics. So, let’s “eat the elephant one bite at a time,” and get started with the basics – the fly rod setup.

 

For novice fly anglers who are looking to purchase their first rod in freshwater, a 9-foot 5-weight rod with a medium to medium-fast action is a solid choice. This is a decent overall freshwater rod that will allow you to fish in a variety of environments targeting various fish species. If you are looking for your first saltwater rod, that will depend on what species you’re targeting, but a good overall beach fly rod would be a 9-foot, 8-weight with a moderate-fast to fast action depending on the wind.

 

You can find all the necessary information about a fly rod by examining the blank near the cork handle. Fly rods are generally marked with weight, length and number of pieces. A 5wt 9-0 4 pc means a 9 feet long, 5-weight rod that comes in four pieces.

 

Since each person’s casting style is a little different, it’s beneficial to head to the local shop that not only carries fly rods but possesses a level of expertise. For us that shop is Robinson's Sporting Goods on Broad Street. No one else comes close to the expertise offered up by Matt and Zack!

 

Test out various rods before you buy one. Most entry level fly rods on the market today are decent and new and average anglers would have a difficult time telling the nuanced differences between a $100 rod and a $1000 rod, so don’t be duped into just buying the most expensive one. Rule of thumb here: buy the rod in your price point that feels good in your hand. When you cast it, the rod should feel like an extension of your arm.....

Edited by AllseeingEye, 28 May 2024 - 11:32 PM.

[AllseeingEye]

Pt 3 - More Intricate Stuff

 

Fly Fishing Reel Basics

 

Fishing supply retailers are brimming with a multitude of fly reel brands, almost matching the variety of fly rods available. Fortunately, choosing a fly reel is easier than selecting a rod. In general, there are four key aspects to consider when making that choice – arbor size, drag type, weight and price point.

 

Arbor Size

 

The arbor of the reel refers to the diameter of the spool around which the fly line is wound. While there are a number of different sized arbors, the main two are small arbor and large arbor. Today large arbor reels dominate the market, and for good reason. The larger the arbor, the quicker the rate of (line) retrieval. This might not seem like a big deal, but every rotation of the reel handle counts when you’re fighting a big fish.

 

For example, a 5-weight small arbor fly reel like the old school Hardy Perfect probably has an arbor diameter of 1-1/2 inches which would only retrieve about 1-1/2 inches of line for one rotation of the reel handle. That’s not a lot of line. Compare that with the Hardy Ultradisc modern 5-wt large arbor fly reel and the arbor diameter is about 3-1/2 inches of line for each rotation of the handle.

 

In the case of fighting a strong fish in fast flowing river current, know that every inch counts. But I’m a big fan of large arbor reels for another reason. The makeup of a fly line makes them prone to having “memory,” which means that if they are on the same spool for a while, they will retain the coil of that reel. The smaller the arbor, the tighter the coil, and a tightly wound fly line is way more difficult to cast.

 

Drag Type

 

When purchasing a fly reel, there are two primary drag types: disc drag and click and pawl. A disc drag system compresses a washer to create friction against the spool and applies tension to the line, much like the disc brakes on your car. On the other hand, click and pawl is the old school drag method which can be easily recognized by the classic clicking sound it makes when a fish pulls line from the reel.

 

In a click and pawl reel, there is a gear fixed to the center of the frame with a small spring that adds resistance as the pawl passes over the gear on the frame. The type of drag you choose is more personal preference if you’re chasing smaller fish, but you’ll definitely want a disc drag if you’re fishing a rod above a 5-weight.

 

Note: If you’re fishing saltwater, you’ll also want to make sure you have a sealed disc drag to keep out the salt and preserve the life of your reel.

 

Weight and Weight

 

When pairing the fly reel to a fly rod, you’ll want to take into consideration two different weights – the line weight and the actual weight of the fly reel. Fly reels are labeled similar to fly rods so a 5-wt reel will match a 5-wt, so selecting the appropriate line weight is relatively straight forward.

 

The actual weight of the fly reel, however, is also quite important. Aim to choose a fly reel that balances well with your rod. To check if the setup is properly balanced, place your finger approximately one inch below the top of the cork holding the rod horizontally. It should balance at that point. Avoid pairing a heavy rod with a light reel, or a light reel with a heavy rod, since that will feel awkward during casting.

 

*WHEW* I'm pooped and heading to bed I'll finish this tomorrow.....

Edited by AllseeingEye, 28 May 2024 - 11:33 PM.

[Mike K.]

Amazing stuff ASE, thank you.

[todd]

B.C. First Nations want apology from William Shatner, Ryan Reynolds after salmon farm video goes viral

“..“Repeat after me: F*** off open net pen salmon farms! Your a**hole salmon farms are f***ing up our wild salmon population,” Shatner, the 93-year-old Star Trek star, says in the video, which was uploaded on June 20. “It’s a s*** stain on our nation.”…”: https://www.cheknews...al-1211007/?amp

“F*** Off Open-Net Pen Salmon Farms“: https://youtu.be/pyi...uhiJ-Yy0IsvRqyg

[AllseeingEye]

While I wholeheartedly support the message I agree they could have toned down the language. I think the point could easily have been made without resorting to the f-bombs. Like many other FN issues there is nothing even close to universal agreement among the various bands on this subject - some obviously want the industry to remain as it provides significant employment opportunities for band members. Other FN are very much opposed to open net/farm hatcheries the drawbacks of which are well documented.

[Nparker]

That's the problem with assuming any ethnic group thinks exactly alike.

[Mike K.]

A question that has come across my desk is, is the research being done sincere, or is it a question of competition between the farmers and the fishing license holders?

[Victoria Watcher]

I suspect both are grey areas.

[AllseeingEye]

There is no ambiguity on the subject IMO - none: the evidence is pretty overwhelming from a variety of sources, none that I've reviewed from "license holders" (which is not to say no ONP "anti" arguments exist from that group I've simply not seen them). Regardless whenever humans decide to muck with the natural order bad things usually ensue. Atlantic salmon have no place being raised on this coast especially in OPN's.

 

https://watershedwat...r-8-20171-1.pdf

 

As concluded in this study perhaps the best option, which has been advocated for many years by various interests, is to move on from ONP's to land-based containment facilities which would fully insulate and protect local fish populations from transmitted 'offshore' diseases, while presumably still affording employment opportunities for FN or other operators:

 

"........Research on these topics is badly needed, and indeed is ongoing, but in the meantime it seems that the evidence of risk to wild salmon is sufficient that the precautionary principle should be invoked, and Governments should mandate and support the  aquaculture industry’s move from ONPs to land-based closed containment production systems."

Edited by AllseeingEye, 25 June 2024 - 09:20 AM.

[todd]

While I wholeheartedly support the message I agree they could have toned down the language. I think the point could easily have been made without resorting to the f-bombs.

It’s possible.

However some people can be polite to their detriment(overly beat around the bush). People have sometimes criticized me for being over polite/mannered, I find it usually finds me well.

Thanks,
Todd



“What's the truth behind Dutch directness?“: https://www.bbc.com/...tch-directness-

[AllseeingEye]

^ Its already an explosive enough issue IMO without the profanity. Right now I'm watching Global Noon news and multiple FN's are furious at the message but more so the tone of it. Again IMO the inflammatory nature of the video only lit a match where a match didn't need to be lit...

[Mike K.]

There is no ambiguity on the subject IMO - none: the evidence is pretty overwhelming from a variety of sources, none that I've reviewed from "license holders" (which is not to say no ONP "anti" arguments exist from that group I've simply not seen them). Regardless whenever humans decide to muck with the natural order bad things usually ensue. Atlantic salmon have no place being raised on this coast especially in OPN's.

 

The key here is "IMO," in your opinion.

 

That link you shared also says via the author: "In my opinion the risk to wild salmon from sea lice produced in ONPs is unambiguous."

 

Science is not opinion.

[todd]

^ Its already an explosive enough issue IMO without the profanity. Right now I'm watching Global Noon news and multiple FN's are furious at the message but more so the tone of it. Again IMO the inflammatory nature of the video only lit a match where a match didn't need to be lit...

I don’t like Star Trek.

[AllseeingEye]

The key here is "IMO," in your opinion.

 

That link you shared also says via the author: "In my opinion the risk to wild salmon from sea lice produced in ONPs is unambiguous."

 

Science is not opinion.

 

You realize he is a scientist, right? Anyone can have an opinion, formulate it as a statement of fact and try to back it up whether its true or not. That happens a lot on VV on certain threads. Regardless even scientists are allowed to have opinions, they are human after all and as the UK Science Council emphatically states ".......don't go thinking that scientists don't have opinions — opinions often help to guide their research."

 

Scientists also make assertions - they're called hypotheses. But in science - unlike so many posts on certain VV threads - every claim must be supported by what is called evidence. In this instance you also cherry-picked to back up whatever preconception you have on this topic: you jumped on the comment "In my opinion....." which BTW was in reference to a topic (a video) completely unrelated to and utterly divorced from 'science'. So let me do some cherry picking only this time pull out the actual science from the scientific paper. Per the critical executive summary, which you apparently chose to ignore:

 

".....conditions inside the farms are exactly those which evolutionary theory predicts will lead to selection for increased pathogen virulence, i.e., an increased negative effect on its host, and there is evidence that this has happened in aquaculture facilities."

 

"......The risk to wild salmon from sea lice produced in Open Net Pens (ONPs) is unambiguous and substantial. Lice have been shown to reduce productivity of both wild pink and coho salmon populations in the Broughton Archipelago, and there is no reason to think they are not having similar effects elsewhere on the BC coast. The mechanisms by which lice impact individual survival are well understood, and these individual and population level effects have been found consistently throughout the world and are supported by large-scale experiments.

 

"...A number of other viruses and disease-causing organisms (bacteria, myxozoansand microsporideans) are known to be present in ONPs."

 

"...Lice (and to an extent, viruses) have been shown to affect the vulnerability of wild salmon to other mortality agents, including starvation and predation".

 

"....The evidence of risk to wild salmon is sufficient that the precautionary principle should be invoked, and Governments should mandate and support the  aquaculture industry’s move from ONPs to land-based closed containment production systems".

 

Did you actually read his bio? Cuz...again.....you know...'scientist'. Per that bio "During his career he has published nearly 170 scientific papers in refereed journals". Sounds like the article is pretty well grounded in science to me. How many published peer-reviewed papers have you produced on this subject?

 

Finally Mike I don't whether you do this on purpose or whether you genuinely have issues following the logic in particular posts but you take things out of context entirely - and you do it frequently. That or you miss the point entirely. Its like you get lost in the idea being posited: the first "IMO" you refenced regarding me was specifically with regard to my impressions of the inflammatory nature of a video, which many people happen to agree with. It is not an opinion in fact held just by me. Many FN's and even in the media were disappointed with its tone. Nevertheless it had ZERO to do with your next sentence with which you linked it i.e. the "IMO" comment made by a scientist and "science". Totally apples and oranges, and not remotely a comparative..... 

Edited by AllseeingEye, 25 June 2024 - 09:25 PM.

[Mike K.]

I just asked whether the farming industry is in a corporate fistacuff with the wild fishing industry. It's a reasonable question, no? I thought science was all about asking questions.

 

I also don't easily form a final opinion from opinions on divisive or market-impactful issues. It has nothing to do with following subjective logic, but being reasonably open to alternative view points, and not jumping to conclusions because a scientist has an opinion. Plenty of scientists have been terribly wrong, about a lot of really important things. They do not get a veil of protection because they're a scientist, unless they can prove their theory.

[Mike K.]

Mixed messages from DFO, which has not concluded what is fact, and what is opinion.

 

"Recent science indicates that there is uncertainty with respect to the risks posed by aquaculture farms in the Discovery Islands area to wild Pacific salmon, and to the cumulative effect of any farm-related impacts on this iconic species," read a statement from the office of Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Joyce Murray.

 

 

A 2020 study found mandatory sea lice counts performed by the operators of the fish farms drop by between 15 and 50 per cent when they're not being done during an audit.

 

Brian Kingzett, executive director of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, said the industry and First Nations stakeholders were blindsided by the federal announcement after years of collaboration and consultation. Kingzett said the salmon farm industry has become a target for environmental activists and "a convenient scapegoat for the decline of wild salmon."

 

"Years and years of data have been provided by farm monitoring, by our licensed veterinarians and independent wild fish monitoring, that was commissioned by the industry," said Kingzett, speaking from Nanaimo.

"They could not find a causative correlation there. That goes along with what we've known for a long time from our internal data and the minister chose to ignore all that science."

 

 

There are always two sides to every story.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...ience-1.6756824
 

Researchers agree the question has turned not just divisive but toxic, resulting in online mudslinging and accusations of cherry-picking data.

 

Indeed.