Just a heads up to those of you who have noticed a lack of posts but we are in the midst of the ice storm of the century here in Crossville or at least something like that. Power is out across the county so I just came in town to get internet where power was finally restored sometime yesterday. We have numerous power poles and lines down on our road and the yard looks like a tree company pruned all our trees and then forgot to clean up but otherwise we are doing great. Thankfully we have both a gas fireplace and a wood stove so we are warm. The gas hot water heater is a life saver as I really appreciate my nice hot showers.
Anyway, I won't be checking here as much nor will I be able to check my email very consistently until we get power and phone service back up so please be patient if you do not get an immediate response when contacting me about a guided trip. I'll be back in to check email sometime in the next couple of days if we don't get back up and running and possibly as early as tonight.
Until then, please be patient and know that I will be back soon!
Featured Photo: Native Colors
Showing posts with label Tennessee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tennessee. Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
How Did He Know?
A few short weeks ago (or was it months now?), I was doing my usual daily routine of surfing the Internet to see what my fellow fly fishing bloggers had been up to. Coming across a blog that is probably on everyones list of favorites, I was happy to see a giveaway going on. You know the type, you have to accomplish some small task like commenting on the post or sharing it with your friends and you are entered to win something. Now, I never win these things, but hope springs eternal so I left a message.
Shortly after, imagine my surprise when checking back in with Windknots &Tangled Lines to discover that I had indeed won something. Howard Levett, author of the famed blog, had somehow pulled my name out of the hat, or something along those lines. Even more amazing, he had picked me to receive the Korkers Ice Cleats.
Now, we don't have to use Ice Cleats or anything similar very often around here in Tennessee, so I knew something was up when he sent them to me. Clearly he knew something that I didn't know. Fast forward just a few short weeks after they arrived, and Tennessee is bombarded with an epic ice storm. While we see some snow and an occasional thin glaze of ice, it is not every year that we get massive ice storms. In fact, I was in high school the last time we had anything close to this ice storm. This ice storm is so incredible that I can go outside and skate across my yard, and no I don't have a pond out there.
What I want to know is how in the world did Howard know that I would need ice cleats weeks or months before the big weather event? These forecasters around here were changing their forecast from rain, to snow, to sleet, to freezing rain, to snow, and so on and so forth in the days leading up to this big storm. Somehow or another it seems Howard has the inside scoop on the weather.
Really, all I'm saying is that it would be convenient to know the weather so far in advance. This small gesture of kindness by Howard kept me from breaking any limbs. Instead of skating around on the ice, I was able to move confidently on the Korkers Ice Cleats and never once slipped or felt in danger of falling. If Howard knew we would have an ice storm more than two months ago, I want to know how to get him to cough up this summer's forecast and maybe even next fall's.
Imagine how convenient that would be when planning a fishing trip. Hate rainy weather and prefer sunny days for hopper fishing? Just ask Howard when to go. Want to fish under drizzly gray skies during epic emergences of your favorite mayfly? I'm guessing Howard has a way to figure that one out also. After all, he nailed this ice storm.
Shortly after, imagine my surprise when checking back in with Windknots &Tangled Lines to discover that I had indeed won something. Howard Levett, author of the famed blog, had somehow pulled my name out of the hat, or something along those lines. Even more amazing, he had picked me to receive the Korkers Ice Cleats.
Now, we don't have to use Ice Cleats or anything similar very often around here in Tennessee, so I knew something was up when he sent them to me. Clearly he knew something that I didn't know. Fast forward just a few short weeks after they arrived, and Tennessee is bombarded with an epic ice storm. While we see some snow and an occasional thin glaze of ice, it is not every year that we get massive ice storms. In fact, I was in high school the last time we had anything close to this ice storm. This ice storm is so incredible that I can go outside and skate across my yard, and no I don't have a pond out there.
What I want to know is how in the world did Howard know that I would need ice cleats weeks or months before the big weather event? These forecasters around here were changing their forecast from rain, to snow, to sleet, to freezing rain, to snow, and so on and so forth in the days leading up to this big storm. Somehow or another it seems Howard has the inside scoop on the weather.
Really, all I'm saying is that it would be convenient to know the weather so far in advance. This small gesture of kindness by Howard kept me from breaking any limbs. Instead of skating around on the ice, I was able to move confidently on the Korkers Ice Cleats and never once slipped or felt in danger of falling. If Howard knew we would have an ice storm more than two months ago, I want to know how to get him to cough up this summer's forecast and maybe even next fall's.
Imagine how convenient that would be when planning a fishing trip. Hate rainy weather and prefer sunny days for hopper fishing? Just ask Howard when to go. Want to fish under drizzly gray skies during epic emergences of your favorite mayfly? I'm guessing Howard has a way to figure that one out also. After all, he nailed this ice storm.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Winter Storm Warning
Here in Tennessee, we are under a winter storm warning from the National Weather Service. I'm excited as we really haven't experienced much "winter" other than cold temperatures so far this year. I love snow and really any frozen precipitation although I would rather avoid freezing rain as that tends to cause the power to go out once trees start falling on the power lines. Anyway, tomorrow should be a fun day. I will be out and about with my camera enjoying the white goodness!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Early Winter Sunsets
I know that a lot of you will probably want to get on my case for my appreciation of winter and especially the cold weather and that's fine. I'm just glad that so many people dislike the cold months. The fewer people who get outside the more I can feel like I have it to myself.
Selfishly, this is probably the main reason I like winter. The colder and nastier it is out the fewer people I have to compete with for fishing, and less people also means I am more likely to get uncluttered pictures. In the summer, especially in high traffic tourist areas like the Smokies, I have to often wait and wait and then wait some more for people to get out of my pictures. Winter brings a pleasant change of pace where I can pretty much show up, take my pictures, and then leave for the next spot.
The one silver lining to the short days is that the sun is in the sweet spot for more time both in the morning and the afternoon. I'm talking about that time when the sun has sunk to just above the horizon or perhaps has just made its first appearance for the day. The golden hour of light is a photographers dream.
In winter, that warm light lasts longer and seems even richer than normal. My obvious appreciation of winter may bias me here, but I think that the trajectory of the sun this time of year keeps it close to the horizon longer without actually sinking behind and out of sight.
The result is some of the best sunsets you will find anywhere. If you want to see a great sunset, winter is one of the best times to do so. The air is usually clearer and cleaner so the colors are brighter. Landscapes bask in the glow of the late afternoon winter sun.
Almost daily I promise myself that I'll start getting up early and heading back out in the afternoons to catch that light, but usually I'm doing good to just get the late afternoon version. Still, the sun blesses me with some nice opportunities to photograph the sunset. Maybe I'll get up for the sunrise tomorrow...
Friday, December 26, 2014
Drained Lake
Earlier this week, I was over on the south side of town and decided to make a run by Cumberland Mountain State Park. The rumor that the lake was to be drained had me wondering if it was empty yet as well as wanting to figure out why they were draining it this time. My first glimpse confirmed that it was drained. I've seen it drained several times over the years and this one was as low as I have ever seen the lake. As it turns out, that is a good thing.
For many years, in fact for basically my whole life, I have been enjoying this Tennessee state park. Byrd lake, while not large, provides decent fishing as well as a great environment for seeing birds and even some good wildflowers in the spring. More often than not, when I just want to get out of the house, I'll head over to Cumberland Mountain SP and enjoy a walk around the lake. For most of my life, there has been a footbridge over the lake at the boat dock. On the other side a trail extends up into the woods to the swimming pool. Additional trails loop around the lake and the footbridge provided an important cutoff to keep the walk from being too long. Imagine my shock when the bridge was gone. Here is a shot from the first time I saw the bridge missing.
On Tuesday, after taking some pictures of the lake, I stopped by the Park office to see if anyone was around who could tell me the details of what was going on. Sure enough, I was lucky enough to catch one of the rangers in the office. Monica Johnson has been working at Cumberland Mountain State Park for several years and kindly answered all of my questions and even a few I didn't know I had.
First and most importantly, the lake should be brought back up to full pool sometime around the end of March or in April. The exact time depends on when they complete their work. They are hoping to rebuild the footbridge across the lake. Yes, that is GREAT news!
Local trout anglers have been inquiring if the trout stocking will happen and according to Ranger Johnson, the stocking is tentatively planned for sometime in February. This all depends on the progress of the bridge building project of course, but once the supports are set in the lake bottom, the overall lake level can be brought up somewhat which should allow the yearly stocking of rainbow trout. If fish are stocked in February, we will have at least 3.5 months of fishing before things get too warm.
As a fisherman, I find the low lake level fascinating. It allows you to examine a lot of great underwater structure and plan future fishing trips. I have identified some good drop offs that I plan to fish with sinking lines sometime in the summer.
While I was getting my questions answered, I also asked about some rumors that have been going around in regards to privatizing the Park. Depending on who you were talking to, the plan was for the Park to become a private entity charging for any type of entry. Naturally, those of us who have been enjoying this Park our whole lives were not happy to hear about that. Ranger Johnson informed me that they are currently exploring the possibility of having certain aspects of the Park privatized. A good example of that is the General Store at Fall Creek Falls. In other words, the overall Park will still be there and those of us who enjoy hiking will still be able to hike. The Park itself will still be a State Park but some things might be run by a concessionaire, much like many of the amenities in Yellowstone National Park or many of our other great National Parks. Theoretically it should allow for better services and allow the Park to focus on improving the visitor experience.
Considering that our state parks are free here in Tennessee, I think this is a reasonable tradeoff instead of instituting an entrance fee. As with most parks (both state and national), our state parks are generally understaffed and underfunded and each park is doing a remarkable job considering the resources they have available.
This brings me to the last item which is how you can help. As I just mentioned, state parks are generally short on both funding and staffing which makes it difficult to keep up with everything that needs to be done. Helping out is quite simple. All you need to do is stop by your local state park and let them know that you would like to volunteer. You will need to fill out a volunteer form and then they will put you to work. I'm planning on doing some trail work here at my local state park in the coming weeks. With a considerable amount of free time in the cold months as a fly fishing guide, I have plenty of time to help out and give back to a local park that has provided countless hours of enjoyment throughout my life. If you appreciate your local park, I recommend finding the time to help out as well.
For many years, in fact for basically my whole life, I have been enjoying this Tennessee state park. Byrd lake, while not large, provides decent fishing as well as a great environment for seeing birds and even some good wildflowers in the spring. More often than not, when I just want to get out of the house, I'll head over to Cumberland Mountain SP and enjoy a walk around the lake. For most of my life, there has been a footbridge over the lake at the boat dock. On the other side a trail extends up into the woods to the swimming pool. Additional trails loop around the lake and the footbridge provided an important cutoff to keep the walk from being too long. Imagine my shock when the bridge was gone. Here is a shot from the first time I saw the bridge missing.
Despite high water, the bridge is very obviously missing...
On Tuesday, after taking some pictures of the lake, I stopped by the Park office to see if anyone was around who could tell me the details of what was going on. Sure enough, I was lucky enough to catch one of the rangers in the office. Monica Johnson has been working at Cumberland Mountain State Park for several years and kindly answered all of my questions and even a few I didn't know I had.
Looking up the lake from the boat dock.
Looking down the lake from the boat dock. Check out that structure on the left!
First and most importantly, the lake should be brought back up to full pool sometime around the end of March or in April. The exact time depends on when they complete their work. They are hoping to rebuild the footbridge across the lake. Yes, that is GREAT news!
Local trout anglers have been inquiring if the trout stocking will happen and according to Ranger Johnson, the stocking is tentatively planned for sometime in February. This all depends on the progress of the bridge building project of course, but once the supports are set in the lake bottom, the overall lake level can be brought up somewhat which should allow the yearly stocking of rainbow trout. If fish are stocked in February, we will have at least 3.5 months of fishing before things get too warm.
As a fisherman, I find the low lake level fascinating. It allows you to examine a lot of great underwater structure and plan future fishing trips. I have identified some good drop offs that I plan to fish with sinking lines sometime in the summer.
There is the dam. See how low it is?
While I was getting my questions answered, I also asked about some rumors that have been going around in regards to privatizing the Park. Depending on who you were talking to, the plan was for the Park to become a private entity charging for any type of entry. Naturally, those of us who have been enjoying this Park our whole lives were not happy to hear about that. Ranger Johnson informed me that they are currently exploring the possibility of having certain aspects of the Park privatized. A good example of that is the General Store at Fall Creek Falls. In other words, the overall Park will still be there and those of us who enjoy hiking will still be able to hike. The Park itself will still be a State Park but some things might be run by a concessionaire, much like many of the amenities in Yellowstone National Park or many of our other great National Parks. Theoretically it should allow for better services and allow the Park to focus on improving the visitor experience.
Considering that our state parks are free here in Tennessee, I think this is a reasonable tradeoff instead of instituting an entrance fee. As with most parks (both state and national), our state parks are generally understaffed and underfunded and each park is doing a remarkable job considering the resources they have available.
This brings me to the last item which is how you can help. As I just mentioned, state parks are generally short on both funding and staffing which makes it difficult to keep up with everything that needs to be done. Helping out is quite simple. All you need to do is stop by your local state park and let them know that you would like to volunteer. You will need to fill out a volunteer form and then they will put you to work. I'm planning on doing some trail work here at my local state park in the coming weeks. With a considerable amount of free time in the cold months as a fly fishing guide, I have plenty of time to help out and give back to a local park that has provided countless hours of enjoyment throughout my life. If you appreciate your local park, I recommend finding the time to help out as well.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Paying More: ACT NOW
Here in Tennessee, it looks like we are set to pay more to fish and hunt. Taxes on most outdoor activities that I care about are about to go up. Remember, once the government gets a tax from us, it is very rare to ever go back the other direction. Sadly, as a trout fisherman, I don't believe the increased cost is justified by the quality of the fishing. There are several important things wrong with the current proposal, at least some of which I hope we can get fixed.
First and most importantly for out of state anglers, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) is proposing eliminating the one day fishing license for non-residents. To put this into better perspective, let's look at a scenario where you decide to come take a float with Trout Zone Anglers. As things now stand, you can purchase a one day all species license for $16. Not bad for some decent trout fishing. Under the new proposal, TWRA wants to eliminate the one day non-resident license. The next cheapest alternative? A three day all species license. Guess how much that is going to cost you? Seriously, you don't want to know but this is so important that I'm going to tell you anyway. $40.50. Yeah, ouch. That is a LOT of money considering that is what North Carolina currently charges for an annual non-resident fishing license, and I can fish a whole season in Yellowstone for that price. See what I mean about the increased cost not making sense for trout fishermen?
TWRA supposedly needs funding and a lot of it. Okay, I buy that. I know from my own observations that they are understaffed as it can be really tough to find a wildlife officer when you need one. They are simply stretched too thin and increased funding should theoretically solve that. Unfortunately, by increasing license fees, they will ultimately sell fewer licenses and thus may not obtain much additional funding. A much better alternative would be for the Tennessee state legislature to pass legislation that enables TWRA to keep the majority of ticket money from enforcement actions. That would both encourage officers to get out there and enforce the rules and simultaneously improve fishing (and hunting) by making sure everyone plays by the rules that are in place.
In addition, as trout fishermen, we need to look at what people would pay for licenses in other destinations. I have been fortunate enough to fish in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. I have enjoyed fishing in each and every one of those. In Colorado, an annual non-resident fishing license is $66. In Arizona it is $55. In Montana, the Mecca of trout fishing, a non-resident license is $70. Utah's non-resident license for 1 year is $75. In Yellowstone National Park, I can get a season permit for $40. Currently, in TN, a non-resident license is $81. Our fishing is better than that in Arizona, but not as good as that in any of the other 4 destinations/states that I mentioned.
One state that I failed to mention is Wyoming. Guess what? The Wyoming non-resident license (including the conservation stamp is $104.50. Can you guess which state I have NOT fished in? I might also add that they have incredible fishing, but I have not experienced it because the cost was prohibitive. If we continue to increase our license fees, we will lose more and more business to neighboring North Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia who all have great fishing including fantastic trout fishing. North Carolina has a delayed harvest program better than anywhere else I have seen or heard of. Again, I should mention here that their non-resident license is less than half of what we currently charge (to be fair they are also increasing license costs this next year from what I have heard).
Finally, one proposal that I am torn on but ultimately oppose is the proposed guide license. The cost is not terrible prohibitive unless there are additional costs associated with getting "certified," but that is not my main concern. A little history would be best here. I started Trout Zone Anglers at the beginning of this year. Already approaching my own year anniversary as a fly fishing guide, I could not have done this except in Tennessee. Let me explain further.
Living and teaching in Colorado was an incredible experience, and a large piece of me misses it terribly and not just for the great fishing and mountains. However, when my job status became murky, and I started looking around for something other than teaching, I knew that I could not stay in Colorado. Starting a business as a fly fishing guide in Colorado was impossible. Literally. You see, the cost was prohibitive and there just weren't permits available to guide in certain areas. Things are very heavily regulated. Just to obtain a guide license in Colorado (never mind insurance or fees from various government entities to guide on specific waters, etc) was going to run me hundreds of dollars. In other words, the barriers to entry to the guide profession were significant. Of course, I could have started guiding for an established business, but with bills to pay I couldn't afford to start on the lowest rung and take just a few trips here and there. The cost of living in Colorado meant that I couldn't afford to follow my dream of being a guide there.
Returning to Tennessee meant I had a chance, however. Arriving back in my home state to start guiding on the waters I grew up fishing, I had just enough money to get important things like insurance and a Commercial Use Authorization to guide in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Things were so tight that an additional "state" guide license would have been more than I could afford at the time.
As a guide, I recognize the value in making sure that the playing field is level. I believe everyone working out on the river should have appropriate guide liability insurance as well as 1st aid and CPR certifications. Guides should be good stewards who teach clients to respect the environment and the quarry and to clean up after themselves as well as others who are less educated.
While my politics are not relevant to this discussion and even my students never knew which political party I supported (if any) because I think everyone should make informed decisions on their own, I will say that I appreciated the fact that Tennessee was a conservative state when I decided to become a guide. Without the lack of barriers to entry in the guide profession, I may very well have ended up in some field that did not suit me, living the rat race of corporate America. However, here in Tennessee, the idea that any individual willing to work hard enough could be successful still lived strong enough that I was able to start my own business.
Thanks to all of my great clients and now friends, my first year as a guide was all that I had hoped it would be and then some. Having learned a lot and hoping to be even better this next year, I'm eagerly looking forward to a great 2015 and already booking trips into the spring, but again, none of this would have been possible if it had cost just a little more to get started.
The whole point of this background history and discussion is this. I have lived in states where you had to pay for everything in terms of access and license fees. I have also lived in Tennessee where fees are only just now on the rise. More and more Forest Service sites will be charging money for use, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park forced through a "Backcountry Use Fee" despite huge (and continuing) opposition, and now TWRA wants to further raise license fees. If you don't think this sounds bad, wait until we also have to pay for entry into our state parks. I have seen where this ends up, and unfortunately here in Tennessee wages are not high enough to reasonably allow everyone to participate in outdoor activities if there is a large fee attached to everything. For years I have camped less and less just because the cost is prohibitive and went backpacking as a reasonably priced alternative. So much for that idea with the fees in the Smokies. A basic economics class will teach you that by raising the cost, you will eliminate some people from buying a given product. This is not rocket science here.
What we need in outdoor sports is more participants, not fewer, or we will eventually be eliminated. We need more education, yes, but not fewer people enjoying things like fly fishing. There are already elements within the National Park Service that would ban all users and leave the land wild for the animals that live there. A noble thought if you are a wild animal, but imagine the day when we cannot even enjoy our own wilderness. I live and breathe wilderness, clean water, and crisp, clean mountain air. We need more people who do the same.
Additionally, the introduction of a guide license will eventually lead to higher guide license fees and ultimately all of that will be passed on to the consumers, those of you who book guide trips. I'm already embarrassed when I explain to potential clients how much they will have to spend on a fishing license. Some have been shocked already at how expensive it is now and if you have been used to fishing North Carolina's fantastic delayed harvest waters, it would be quite a shock to come to Tennessee. By regulating guides, they are simply chipping away at another small area and eventually the sum of all these concessions will be great. Remember, once things are taken, once prices are raised, once rules are implemented, there is no going back.
For that matter, how will they even define the term "guide"? For example, I'm a guide who also fishes for fun. What if I'm out with my buddies on a Tennessee river and we get stopped. When asked if this is a guide trip, I honestly reply no. Then what? I'm sure plenty of people will simply lie. Then the honest ones get screwed by paying more and the others are still out there. Based on the sheer number of people using our waterways, I guarantee they will not have the time to investigate every trip to see if it is really a guide trip or not. As usual, the honest ones get a raw deal.
Finally, as long as we are making changes to the regulations, Tennessee needs to make all annual licenses good for one calendar year from the date of purchase. Having fished in states that do it this way, I can really see no good reason that this is not possible. If they are going to change the rules, at least change rules that actually help.
Now for perhaps the most annoying part of this whole discussion. TWRA has been very crafty and has sought no public input on the proposed changes, a real taxation without representation if you will. The goal is clearly to sneak all of these increases through with the least amount of public outrage possible. Towards this goal, the January meeting where this will be discussed is scheduled to happen in Union City. Anyone know where that is? Probably not many of you do without consulting a map. Union City is about as far in northwest Tennessee as you can get and much too far for most of the state's sportsmen to drive to attend so their voices can be heard. There are no public comment meetings in the evenings, just the one commission meeting happening at 9:00 a.m. on a Friday morning in the middle of nowhere. The message is clear: TWRA really does not care about Tennessee sportsmen or their opinions. They are far more interested in raising fees instead of starting a dialogue on how we can address the funding issues in a more meaningful manner that will have a lasting impact.
My recommendation is for each and every one of you to contact the members of the Tennessee Wildlife Commission and let them know that you oppose the fee increases. You can find all of their contact information here. Both emails and phone calls would be a great idea for as many of them as you can. The best idea to email would be to just copy all of them on the same email. There is very little time left to act here, especially since they are making it difficult for us to be heard. I know it will take some time, but if you care about hunting and fishing in Tennessee, please take the time to let them know that you oppose the fee increases and guide license.
First and most importantly for out of state anglers, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) is proposing eliminating the one day fishing license for non-residents. To put this into better perspective, let's look at a scenario where you decide to come take a float with Trout Zone Anglers. As things now stand, you can purchase a one day all species license for $16. Not bad for some decent trout fishing. Under the new proposal, TWRA wants to eliminate the one day non-resident license. The next cheapest alternative? A three day all species license. Guess how much that is going to cost you? Seriously, you don't want to know but this is so important that I'm going to tell you anyway. $40.50. Yeah, ouch. That is a LOT of money considering that is what North Carolina currently charges for an annual non-resident fishing license, and I can fish a whole season in Yellowstone for that price. See what I mean about the increased cost not making sense for trout fishermen?
TWRA supposedly needs funding and a lot of it. Okay, I buy that. I know from my own observations that they are understaffed as it can be really tough to find a wildlife officer when you need one. They are simply stretched too thin and increased funding should theoretically solve that. Unfortunately, by increasing license fees, they will ultimately sell fewer licenses and thus may not obtain much additional funding. A much better alternative would be for the Tennessee state legislature to pass legislation that enables TWRA to keep the majority of ticket money from enforcement actions. That would both encourage officers to get out there and enforce the rules and simultaneously improve fishing (and hunting) by making sure everyone plays by the rules that are in place.
In addition, as trout fishermen, we need to look at what people would pay for licenses in other destinations. I have been fortunate enough to fish in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. I have enjoyed fishing in each and every one of those. In Colorado, an annual non-resident fishing license is $66. In Arizona it is $55. In Montana, the Mecca of trout fishing, a non-resident license is $70. Utah's non-resident license for 1 year is $75. In Yellowstone National Park, I can get a season permit for $40. Currently, in TN, a non-resident license is $81. Our fishing is better than that in Arizona, but not as good as that in any of the other 4 destinations/states that I mentioned.
One state that I failed to mention is Wyoming. Guess what? The Wyoming non-resident license (including the conservation stamp is $104.50. Can you guess which state I have NOT fished in? I might also add that they have incredible fishing, but I have not experienced it because the cost was prohibitive. If we continue to increase our license fees, we will lose more and more business to neighboring North Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia who all have great fishing including fantastic trout fishing. North Carolina has a delayed harvest program better than anywhere else I have seen or heard of. Again, I should mention here that their non-resident license is less than half of what we currently charge (to be fair they are also increasing license costs this next year from what I have heard).
Finally, one proposal that I am torn on but ultimately oppose is the proposed guide license. The cost is not terrible prohibitive unless there are additional costs associated with getting "certified," but that is not my main concern. A little history would be best here. I started Trout Zone Anglers at the beginning of this year. Already approaching my own year anniversary as a fly fishing guide, I could not have done this except in Tennessee. Let me explain further.
Living and teaching in Colorado was an incredible experience, and a large piece of me misses it terribly and not just for the great fishing and mountains. However, when my job status became murky, and I started looking around for something other than teaching, I knew that I could not stay in Colorado. Starting a business as a fly fishing guide in Colorado was impossible. Literally. You see, the cost was prohibitive and there just weren't permits available to guide in certain areas. Things are very heavily regulated. Just to obtain a guide license in Colorado (never mind insurance or fees from various government entities to guide on specific waters, etc) was going to run me hundreds of dollars. In other words, the barriers to entry to the guide profession were significant. Of course, I could have started guiding for an established business, but with bills to pay I couldn't afford to start on the lowest rung and take just a few trips here and there. The cost of living in Colorado meant that I couldn't afford to follow my dream of being a guide there.
Returning to Tennessee meant I had a chance, however. Arriving back in my home state to start guiding on the waters I grew up fishing, I had just enough money to get important things like insurance and a Commercial Use Authorization to guide in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Things were so tight that an additional "state" guide license would have been more than I could afford at the time.
As a guide, I recognize the value in making sure that the playing field is level. I believe everyone working out on the river should have appropriate guide liability insurance as well as 1st aid and CPR certifications. Guides should be good stewards who teach clients to respect the environment and the quarry and to clean up after themselves as well as others who are less educated.
While my politics are not relevant to this discussion and even my students never knew which political party I supported (if any) because I think everyone should make informed decisions on their own, I will say that I appreciated the fact that Tennessee was a conservative state when I decided to become a guide. Without the lack of barriers to entry in the guide profession, I may very well have ended up in some field that did not suit me, living the rat race of corporate America. However, here in Tennessee, the idea that any individual willing to work hard enough could be successful still lived strong enough that I was able to start my own business.
Thanks to all of my great clients and now friends, my first year as a guide was all that I had hoped it would be and then some. Having learned a lot and hoping to be even better this next year, I'm eagerly looking forward to a great 2015 and already booking trips into the spring, but again, none of this would have been possible if it had cost just a little more to get started.
The whole point of this background history and discussion is this. I have lived in states where you had to pay for everything in terms of access and license fees. I have also lived in Tennessee where fees are only just now on the rise. More and more Forest Service sites will be charging money for use, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park forced through a "Backcountry Use Fee" despite huge (and continuing) opposition, and now TWRA wants to further raise license fees. If you don't think this sounds bad, wait until we also have to pay for entry into our state parks. I have seen where this ends up, and unfortunately here in Tennessee wages are not high enough to reasonably allow everyone to participate in outdoor activities if there is a large fee attached to everything. For years I have camped less and less just because the cost is prohibitive and went backpacking as a reasonably priced alternative. So much for that idea with the fees in the Smokies. A basic economics class will teach you that by raising the cost, you will eliminate some people from buying a given product. This is not rocket science here.
What we need in outdoor sports is more participants, not fewer, or we will eventually be eliminated. We need more education, yes, but not fewer people enjoying things like fly fishing. There are already elements within the National Park Service that would ban all users and leave the land wild for the animals that live there. A noble thought if you are a wild animal, but imagine the day when we cannot even enjoy our own wilderness. I live and breathe wilderness, clean water, and crisp, clean mountain air. We need more people who do the same.
Additionally, the introduction of a guide license will eventually lead to higher guide license fees and ultimately all of that will be passed on to the consumers, those of you who book guide trips. I'm already embarrassed when I explain to potential clients how much they will have to spend on a fishing license. Some have been shocked already at how expensive it is now and if you have been used to fishing North Carolina's fantastic delayed harvest waters, it would be quite a shock to come to Tennessee. By regulating guides, they are simply chipping away at another small area and eventually the sum of all these concessions will be great. Remember, once things are taken, once prices are raised, once rules are implemented, there is no going back.
For that matter, how will they even define the term "guide"? For example, I'm a guide who also fishes for fun. What if I'm out with my buddies on a Tennessee river and we get stopped. When asked if this is a guide trip, I honestly reply no. Then what? I'm sure plenty of people will simply lie. Then the honest ones get screwed by paying more and the others are still out there. Based on the sheer number of people using our waterways, I guarantee they will not have the time to investigate every trip to see if it is really a guide trip or not. As usual, the honest ones get a raw deal.
Finally, as long as we are making changes to the regulations, Tennessee needs to make all annual licenses good for one calendar year from the date of purchase. Having fished in states that do it this way, I can really see no good reason that this is not possible. If they are going to change the rules, at least change rules that actually help.
Now for perhaps the most annoying part of this whole discussion. TWRA has been very crafty and has sought no public input on the proposed changes, a real taxation without representation if you will. The goal is clearly to sneak all of these increases through with the least amount of public outrage possible. Towards this goal, the January meeting where this will be discussed is scheduled to happen in Union City. Anyone know where that is? Probably not many of you do without consulting a map. Union City is about as far in northwest Tennessee as you can get and much too far for most of the state's sportsmen to drive to attend so their voices can be heard. There are no public comment meetings in the evenings, just the one commission meeting happening at 9:00 a.m. on a Friday morning in the middle of nowhere. The message is clear: TWRA really does not care about Tennessee sportsmen or their opinions. They are far more interested in raising fees instead of starting a dialogue on how we can address the funding issues in a more meaningful manner that will have a lasting impact.
My recommendation is for each and every one of you to contact the members of the Tennessee Wildlife Commission and let them know that you oppose the fee increases. You can find all of their contact information here. Both emails and phone calls would be a great idea for as many of them as you can. The best idea to email would be to just copy all of them on the same email. There is very little time left to act here, especially since they are making it difficult for us to be heard. I know it will take some time, but if you care about hunting and fishing in Tennessee, please take the time to let them know that you oppose the fee increases and guide license.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Be Prepared
One of the most important lessons any fisherman can learn is to always be prepared. As a fly fisherman, it is easy to take this to the extreme. This is why we have boxes and boxes of flies that we rarely if ever fish, instead opting for the same old Parachute Adams or Yellow Stimulator. Of course, when you are always prepared, you can effectively fish any hatch that comes your way.
I've had to learn this lesson the hard way more and more than once I might add. On a recent float with David Perry, I showed up prepared to toss streamers the whole way. On the spur of the moment I tossed a 5 weight in the boat just in case. Of course, when we found fish rising to midges I remembered that my midge box was back in the car. Oops. One good thing did come of this trip. At some point we rigged that 5 weight up with a bead head nymph and one of those pinch on indicators. Then, at the end of the day, I just kept the whole thing rigged and ready.
Well, I fished that rig a few times over the last week or so. I caught some panfish at Cumberland Mountain State Park, and a nice big delayed harvest rainbow on the Tellico. All of this was done in between the episodes of high water.
Fast forward to yesterday. I'm heading down to Chattanooga for a few hours and as I'm driving along, I remembered reading something about a delayed harvest stream right along my route! Can things get any better? Well, yes and that is where being prepared comes in. I had that rod still rigged and ready to go. It didn't take me too long to figure out that I should probably just stop and do a quick investigation.
Fifteen minutes later, I had landed 3-4 rainbow trout and was back on the road after one of the better detours I've ever taken while out driving. Never even got my feet wet either. That rod is still in my car. In fact, I'm contemplating a trip over to Cumberland Mountain State Park again this afternoon and if I make it over there, it is always better to be prepared. Of course, I might end up just taking the camera for a walk which is great as well, but if I see trout rising, I guarantee I'll be ready.
I've had to learn this lesson the hard way more and more than once I might add. On a recent float with David Perry, I showed up prepared to toss streamers the whole way. On the spur of the moment I tossed a 5 weight in the boat just in case. Of course, when we found fish rising to midges I remembered that my midge box was back in the car. Oops. One good thing did come of this trip. At some point we rigged that 5 weight up with a bead head nymph and one of those pinch on indicators. Then, at the end of the day, I just kept the whole thing rigged and ready.
Well, I fished that rig a few times over the last week or so. I caught some panfish at Cumberland Mountain State Park, and a nice big delayed harvest rainbow on the Tellico. All of this was done in between the episodes of high water.
Fast forward to yesterday. I'm heading down to Chattanooga for a few hours and as I'm driving along, I remembered reading something about a delayed harvest stream right along my route! Can things get any better? Well, yes and that is where being prepared comes in. I had that rod still rigged and ready to go. It didn't take me too long to figure out that I should probably just stop and do a quick investigation.
Fifteen minutes later, I had landed 3-4 rainbow trout and was back on the road after one of the better detours I've ever taken while out driving. Never even got my feet wet either. That rod is still in my car. In fact, I'm contemplating a trip over to Cumberland Mountain State Park again this afternoon and if I make it over there, it is always better to be prepared. Of course, I might end up just taking the camera for a walk which is great as well, but if I see trout rising, I guarantee I'll be ready.
Monday, September 08, 2014
Drift Boat for Sale
Okay, let's try this again. I'm looking at a new to me boat which means the current boat has to go. Check out the Craigslist ad here. The first time I posted this I had a lot of interest but had to pull the ad when the other boat I was looking at then sold quickly to someone else. The boat will sell quickly at this price so if you want to spend the cooler months out chasing monster trout with streamers, jump on this before someone else does. This is a beautiful boat that has already seen some big fish by me and people floating with me and is ready to get you out through the winter float season that is almost upon us. Please contact me at TroutZoneAnglers@gmail.com if you are interested in this boat. Thanks!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Watauga Morning
On my recent trip to upper east Tennessee, I fished the South Holston and Watauga rivers as well as a high elevation freestone stream. Of the three streams I fished, the Watauga was the easiest by far. The fish are less sophisticated than on the South Holston and would eat most any nymph I drifted through their living room.
I only fished the Watauga for a few hours in the morning but probably caught 30 or 40 trout during that time. None were large but all were in great shape. Some of the browns I caught looked like they were wild. For that matter some of the rainbows did as well although I'm not sure how many wild rainbows are in that river. Once the clouds started to break and the sun peaked through, the fishing tapered off a bit but was still very solid.
The only downside of this trip is that now I'm wishing I lived closer to these fine streams so I could fish them more often.
Here is one of the browns I caught on the Watauga that is a strong candidate for prettiest fish I've caught this year. Just look at those spots!!!
Friday, May 30, 2014
New Boat!!!
Yes, you read that correctly. I have a new boat! Well, new to me at least. While not a brand new boat, this beauty is in extremely good shape and will bring many pleasant days on the water for both myself and any lucky anglers who choose to fish with me. If you are interested in a day of drift boat fishing, please head over to Trout Zone Anglers to explore your options.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Attention TN Tailwater Anglers
Good news for those of you who live in Tennessee! The current forecast for the Caney Fork (and the Cumberland as well) indicate that flows are going to be decreasing within the next week or so...finally I might add. Since I'm planning on heading back to TN for a couple of weeks in the middle of June, I like the sound of fishing my old home tailwater.
If you want to see for yourself, check out this great spreadsheet from the Army Corps of Engineers. It includes lake elevations as well as predicted inflow and outflow for all area lakes. The interesting piece is that they plan on cutting back generation once Center Hill Lake reaches an elevation of around 633.5'. In recent years, with work taking place to address seepage around the dam, elevations were kept below 630'. Thankfully the target elevations seem to have increased a bit which will be a good thing for the tailwater fishermen!
If you want to see for yourself, check out this great spreadsheet from the Army Corps of Engineers. It includes lake elevations as well as predicted inflow and outflow for all area lakes. The interesting piece is that they plan on cutting back generation once Center Hill Lake reaches an elevation of around 633.5'. In recent years, with work taking place to address seepage around the dam, elevations were kept below 630'. Thankfully the target elevations seem to have increased a bit which will be a good thing for the tailwater fishermen!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Home
My trip home is nearing completion, but I can already declare it a success. The Smokies were visited, and I even caught some fish despite high, cold water. The last fish of the trip, the big one, escaped with minimal evidence beyond a couple of eye witnesses, so the makings of a great fish story are in place. Lots more on this trip will be coming in the next few days. In the meantime, I need to enjoy the last day here in Tennessee...
Thursday, March 07, 2013
Traveling
Traveling is a huge part of our sport. Exotic destinations call from the pages of fishing magazines and most anglers long to go to places like New Zealand, Chile, or maybe even just Yellowstone. That's a good one huh? Just Yellowstone....that place never ceases to amaze me. And of course there's always the good ol' reliable home waters. That one place that you could probably fish in your sleep and still catch something. For me, even though I now live in Colorado, that place is Tennessee and specifically the Great Smoky Mountains.
As home waters go, it is easy to undervalue the Smokies. Blessed with lots of fish including some nice big ones, the Smokies are fishable year round. With ice locking down the local creeks for the most part, it is easy to yearn for the days of fishing whenever I wanted to back home. Now I'm heading back to visit friends and family for spring break. The Smokies are a must so I'm taking the fishing gear as well. My tying sessions are complete, or at least I'm out of time to continue, and now I'm anxiously waiting for the day of work to be over so I can get on that plane and head home.
Yep, Tennessee is still home and probably always will be. I just hope I can remember that once I'm catching monster browns and rainbows out here this next summer. Each new place has a way of selling itself and inviting you to settle down and stay awhile. Right now though, I just want to go visit home. I'm hoping that while I'm traveling, I'll have time to share the journey. Early spring pictures from the Smokies and maybe some fish stories plus some time on local ponds should all add up to make some good entertainment. Stay tuned for more and come along on the trip with me as I am traveling.
As home waters go, it is easy to undervalue the Smokies. Blessed with lots of fish including some nice big ones, the Smokies are fishable year round. With ice locking down the local creeks for the most part, it is easy to yearn for the days of fishing whenever I wanted to back home. Now I'm heading back to visit friends and family for spring break. The Smokies are a must so I'm taking the fishing gear as well. My tying sessions are complete, or at least I'm out of time to continue, and now I'm anxiously waiting for the day of work to be over so I can get on that plane and head home.
Yep, Tennessee is still home and probably always will be. I just hope I can remember that once I'm catching monster browns and rainbows out here this next summer. Each new place has a way of selling itself and inviting you to settle down and stay awhile. Right now though, I just want to go visit home. I'm hoping that while I'm traveling, I'll have time to share the journey. Early spring pictures from the Smokies and maybe some fish stories plus some time on local ponds should all add up to make some good entertainment. Stay tuned for more and come along on the trip with me as I am traveling.
Friday, March 01, 2013
Patiently Waiting
Every year for the past 3 years or so, east Tennessee has had a cold first week of March. I was always glad to be heading out-of-state to places like the Everglades and the Grand Canyon for spring break. Also, each year had a warm second week of March. Since spring break out here in Colorado fell on the second full week of March, I was hoping to hit the weather right in Tennessee. So far it looks like everything is working out!
With snow and cold temperatures in Tennessee right now, I'm glad that I'm not walking the banks of Little River looking for a hatch that may never start. The long range forecast calls for moderating temperatures. That means that while the bugs haven't exploded yet, they might be trickling off in fishable numbers upon my arrival.
I've been patiently waiting for spring break but my patience is quickly wearing thin now. With only a week to go, I'm now tying flies during every available moment. Last night it was #18 Parachute Adams to match the Blue Quills. Today it will be more of the same as well as larger #12 and #14 flies for the Quill Gordons. I've stocked up on my Copper and Partridge Soft Hackle as well to match the caddis that will also be around. I tied plenty of Tellicos and other stonefly patterns weeks ago and am fairly confident with my supply there. Still, there is rarely a fishing trip that I feel completely prepared for. If all else fails I'll be stopping by to see my friends at Little River Outfitters and picking up a few extra flies if I run low.
Lately I've been paying special attention to Ian and Charity Rutter's fishing report as well as Josh Pheiffer's. Both are excellent area guides that frequent both the mountain streams as well as the tailwaters. The most recent reports indicate that bugs are hatching sporadically but in general the big hatches have yet to happen. I guess I don't have a lot of options and will have to try and stay patient for another week. Going home will be a nice treat for spring break!!!
With snow and cold temperatures in Tennessee right now, I'm glad that I'm not walking the banks of Little River looking for a hatch that may never start. The long range forecast calls for moderating temperatures. That means that while the bugs haven't exploded yet, they might be trickling off in fishable numbers upon my arrival.
I've been patiently waiting for spring break but my patience is quickly wearing thin now. With only a week to go, I'm now tying flies during every available moment. Last night it was #18 Parachute Adams to match the Blue Quills. Today it will be more of the same as well as larger #12 and #14 flies for the Quill Gordons. I've stocked up on my Copper and Partridge Soft Hackle as well to match the caddis that will also be around. I tied plenty of Tellicos and other stonefly patterns weeks ago and am fairly confident with my supply there. Still, there is rarely a fishing trip that I feel completely prepared for. If all else fails I'll be stopping by to see my friends at Little River Outfitters and picking up a few extra flies if I run low.
Lately I've been paying special attention to Ian and Charity Rutter's fishing report as well as Josh Pheiffer's. Both are excellent area guides that frequent both the mountain streams as well as the tailwaters. The most recent reports indicate that bugs are hatching sporadically but in general the big hatches have yet to happen. I guess I don't have a lot of options and will have to try and stay patient for another week. Going home will be a nice treat for spring break!!!
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