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The first thing I thought of when I read the story about Iowa’s Lake Delhi dam break was how interesting it would be to see what monster fish were stranded in those shallow waters between the mud flats…but I know this was a tragedy for those who had (and lost) homes around the lake and for those who loved to fish it.

As I read the story, though, it occurred to me just how many of these “record rain events” and “catastrophic floods” we have been experiencing across the US.  Why so many, and why are the costs- for just one example, the Nashville floods in May this year have cost an estimated $1  billion- going through the roof?

An answer can be found in the Associated Press story about the Delhi Lake dam break:
"More water came down than ever had been planned before," he said. "Things were different when it was built, the watersheds were different, field drainage was different, we're working with a situation that the designers of the dam couldn't have foreseen." End Quote [ Read Full Post ]

I hate to admit it, but Pritch and I have slid backwards this summer. In Charleston, we’ve had a month of record-breaking temperatures with heat indexes climbing well into the one hundreds on a daily basis. The gators are thicker than ever in the ponds. (Click here to read about the 500-pound alligator that was captured yesterday in nearby Hilton Head.) And, as evidenced by the above photo, we’ve spent entirely too much time fishing and goofing around in the boat.

This reality hit me hard when I realized that I have a little over a month until the September 5th opener of dove season in South Carolina. It hit me even harder when I took Pritch out to do some serious training this week. She looked—and performed—like she’d rather be sunning at the beach. So I made a quick call to my crisis manager, otherwise known as Pam Kadlec of Just Ducky Kennels, and I asked for some advice on how to get on track quick. Here what she had to say: [ Read Full Post ]

The Walden & Bork purse in this picture is made of ostrich skin, which, for all I know, is not an unusual accessory among those better-heeled than myself. What makes it unusual, and appropriate for this space, is that W&B will take the hide of an animal you shoot and custom make it into a high quality leather piece. I think that’s a very cool idea: besides the head on the wall and the meat in the freezer, you can have the hide of almost any trophy animal you take made into a wallet, a checkbook holder, a three ring binder, a purse, a money clip, gloves, all kinds of stuff. You send Walden & Bork a tanned hide, wait 8-12 weeks, pay them a goodly sum of money (the purse above sells for $745) and you’re all set. Yes, it costs a lot, but so do ostrich-hunting trips, from what I hear.

I recently had a chance to look through a box of Walden & Bork leather goods and the workmanship – which is done here in the USA – is outstanding. All in all, as someone who... [ Read Full Post ]

Here’s one from the archives, written by Greg Staggs. For what it’s worth, ever since Greg wrote this piece for me a couple years ago, I have tied my own D-loops exactly as he describes below—and I do think it makes a difference. –Dave Hurteau

The Scoop On Your D-Loop
With the current wild popularity of short axle-to-axle bows, more and more archers are adding a D-loop to the string to shoot with a caliper-style release. This is smart on the one hand. Because of the very sharp angle created when you draw a short bow, the added loop makes for less torque, less nock pinch, and less serving wear compared with shooting directly off the string.

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First, some of you probably noticed that I did not put up a new buck last Friday for the current scoring contest. It’s not my fault. The editor-in-chief insisted I meet him on the best dry-fly trout water in the East to discuss a few work-related things and figure out if the fish attached to the great big heads breaking the surface were taking size 18 sulfurs or size 20 olives, as well as whether the butterball browns we caught weighed a little under or a little over 4 pounds. I think a little over.

So again, it’s Anthony Licata’s fault, and I just want you to know that I’m pefectly happy to forward to him any complaints you might have. I’m working on a new buck now, which I’ll post this Friday.

Meanwhile, it’s time to announce the winner of the moose-shed scoring contest, which was included as a bonus in the last buck-scoring contest post. The winner and soon-to-be recipient of the ruggedly handsome B&C Limited Edition 27th Big-Game Awards Coffee Mug below is…CoyoteHunter, who guessed 31 inches. The actual score, as measured by B&C... [ Read Full Post ]

At no time did the Obama administration’s disconnect from reality shine more brightly than last November, when Attorney General Eric Holder announced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his four fellow 9/11 conspirators would be tried in Federal court in lower Manhattan. People who had some grasp of reality pointed out to the A.G. that such a trial would turn lower Manhattan into an armed camp, cost millions which New York did not have, create a backlog of other trials that would take 15 years to clean up, and paint a big bull’s-eye on the Big Apple. The AG snorted and farted and announced that other venues would be considered, although New York was still in the running.

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Senior Editor Colin Kearns and photographer Kevin Cooley spent three days exploring what’s at stake in the battle for water in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the consequences of irresponsible drilling for oil and gas in Wyoming’s Little Mountain region. Here’s what they found on day one.

Our Cessna 210 races down the runway. The wings catch air, the vessel climbs, and we fly toward a dropoff, which, I’ve been told, is sheer and deep. The instant we shoot past the edge, the view briefly silences the six of us inside the cabin.

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Crabbing is a lazy sport. I don't mean it's easy, because gauging just how fast to pull your hand line without spooking the crab, then being swift and accurate with the scoop net takes skill. I mean that I associate crabbing with those dog days of summer when it's just too hot and you feel too lazy to do anything but anchor the boat in the back bay and mellow out. Given that blue claw crabs rank high on my delicious meter, I personally find the tug of a big pincher just as exciting as the strike of a fish.

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For most of us it's hard to imagine life without the multi-tool. These days virtually everyone offers some variation on the basic theme of Tim Leatherman's original design. The multi-tool is as common as the pocketknife, and perhaps even more so. But if you're interested in the evolution of the design that revolutionized portable readiness (and ended the primacy of the Swiss army knife as the ultimate do-all), then click here or on the photo to check out this cool slideshow at Popular Mechanics that charts how the Leatherman evolved from idea to prototype to reality.

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Conservationist blogger Hal Herring and photographer Kevin Cooley spent three days exploring what's at stake in the current rush to develop the energy resources beneath Colorado's unique Roan Plateau -- some of the best big game hunting and trout fishing in the United States. Here's the video recap of what they found.

From this story in the Boston Herald:
A 41-year-old Porterville, Calif., man faces federal poaching charges after agents tied him to the alleged killing of a golden eagle and found several bird parts in a subsequent search of his home.

Kudura Clark entered a plea of not guilty this month on misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of migratory birds and unlawful taking or possession of bald or golden eagles.

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It's rare that I tie a nail knot these days as most fly lines come with pre-welded loops, as do most leaders. Knowing how to tie a nail knot though can save a day on the water when damage might have been done to the end of your line or when absolute stealth is needed presenting small lines and leaders to spooky fish.

If you've forgotten or want to learn a couple of neat tricks check out Tim Flagler's how to video over on Midcurrent.com or just click on the photo. - TR

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