One thing I do not suggest is water proofing your shanties.  For the most part they are already water resistant from the manufacturer.  So why not give it a little extra protection?

Condensation is the answer here.  Its already bad enough in some cases where the heat buildup inside the shanty can cause water to condense inside your shack.  If  you leave it the way it is from the factory, you get some degree of ventilation.  Look, you are already dressed for winter conditions, so if a little air gets in, so what?  The main reason to fish inside a coop is to stay out of the wind, not to keep you all warm and snugly.  That comes from the wind protection and the amount of clothing you are already wearing.

What is the big deal with a little condensation build-up?  Mold is the biggest reason, which leads to that musty smell, which can lead to some pretty nasty sneezing fits, eye swell and even those raspy dry heaves. I would say a good chunk of the time this won’t bother a lot of folks during the ice season because your shanty is stored in a cold area, but for those who keep them in heated areas.  You don’t go every weekend, mold can build up between trips.  Most of the time the worst cases occur after you put your shelters away for the season,  and isn’t detectable until you open them up for the first part of the season.

So why wait until right before the season starts to approach.  Get the shanties out now, air them out, fix those holes, and maybe make a few modifications while you are at it.

It’s been a quiet day. The L&T and I gathered up Todd - family member and fly fisher - and ran uplake for a couple hours of smallmouth fishing.

We were interested in little more than knocking some of the dust off the gear, and - just like the guides suggested - we caught little smallmouth bass pretty much everywhere we went.

It wasn’t high drama, but it was damned fun.

Later, I snorkled around the dock and boathouse, shadowed by an 11″ smallmouth who clearly didn’t want any pasty white mammal competing for his territory (smallies are agressive).

Luckily, I survived my Brush with Jaws, only to face a larger jeopardy.

Tomorrow is a ostensibly a “big” fishing day - guides have been engaged and gear is being readied - but in truth, much of the drama there revolves around the traditional shore lunch.

Some think of the traditional shore lunch as a social event; something echoing back to a simpler time when even people who were fishing for real had time to relax and socialize a little in the middle of the day.

I know better.

The simple truth is this: the guides know that stuffing clients full of steak, potatoes and piece results in people too sleepy to fish.

Thus, the day ends early, and the tip is preserved.

Of course, having uncovered the Secret of the Guide Lunch, my life is jeopardy.

The Traditional Maine Guide Mafia - desperate to preserve their ugly little secret - would do almost anything to prevent the sprea

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and the Perch fishing isn’t to bad either.

Here is the latest report from Mike and Jason from Matthew’s Bait and Tackle:

I’m writing this from Maine instead of New York, a fact which comforts me greatly.

My latest Brush With the Travel World came courtesy of Delta Airlines in New York, where four undertrained ticket agents tried to make my reservation behave by repeatedly poking and prodding it with the electronic equivalent of a sharp stick.

For a little while, it looked as if New York was going to be my new home, an ironic thought; my friends know I think big cities are a lot like hell, only hell smells better.

And yes, I appreciate the group effort on the part of the ticket people (one repeatedly demanded my “ticket number” when all I knew was staring up at her from the crumpled printout of my online reservation).

And yes, the last year has not been a good one for the airline world.

The faces worn by the airline workers seemed a bit more strained, and they’re a couple seconds less tolerant of stressed, tired travelers.

Profits aren’t exactly rampant in the industry, and the airlines seem bent on maintaining a level of service one notch above the point at which passengers might strip naked in the middle of the terminal in a bid to get some attention.

Making matters worse is the post 9/11 mentality, where disagreeing with airline personnel takes on the flavor of a federal crime, even if you’re only disagreeing with them over the concept of paying extra for a ticket you already bought.

Still, we arrived Grand Lake Stream in Maine at precisely the same time we’d left Mount Shasta, our 24 hour travel circus sending me to bed for 12 more hours when it become clear I couldn’t follow a simple conversation.

I got up this morning and went for a fast hike in the woods, determined to work up a sweat and make sure everything still functioned after 24 hours among the airport herds, where sweating isn’t a sign of hard work as much as it is an example of weakness and perhaps bad breeding.

Part of that hike was a trip into town for my out-of-state fishing license, so now I can cast a line off the dock in front of the boat house with the quiet confidence of someone who is doing so legally, and tonight, I may just do that.

Then again, I may just sit on that dock and relax, soaking up the air of something that feels permanent, but which may in fact largely disappear in a couple years. More on that in an upcoming post.

See you waving from the dock, Tom Chandler.

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The other modification I did to my Fish Trap Pro is something that can be done for 3 bucks or less by anyone, with any make of shanty that has a lip coming out from its base(sled section).

Take any wire rod holder made to fit over the lip of a five or six gallon bucket.  It seems like the easiest brand to track down is made by HT Enterprise,  its either model WRH-1 or -2.  I will Google right now and check.  Its the #2 version, and technically they call it a pail wire rod holder.  There were several site available that carry the item,  but here is the North American Outdoors.  It sells for $2.09, while the other version (WRH-1) sells for $1.99 right below it.

Here is the finished product, then I will get into the simple instructions.

That was up close, here is what it looks like when I back off just a bit.

Some shanties are big enough for three locations, others only big enough for two.  Its really the Individuals preference on locating them.  Easiest method is to sit down inside your coop, and act like you are fishing, then see what possible placement would be the most comfortable for picking up the rod on a bite.  To cover my bases, I made three holes.  One to the left, one to the right, and one in the middle.  I used a dremel or rotary tool to make my cuts.  The bit I used was round and flat,  I chose the width of the bit by examining the width of the rod holder.  You want a snug fit so the holder doesn’t pull out.  Carefully make your cut just long enough so the holder will slide into the hole, you do not want it too loose.

Once completed you can fish with two rods comfortably, or have two rods in the water while you go off and drill some more holes while searching for fish… good luck

Since you have that shanty out, got all your holes fixed, and have let it breathe and dry out, maybe even sprayed some Lysol to kill the germs………what next?

I like my flip-over style shanties for keeping mobile, and staying on fish, but I still like my comfort too.  Here are two simple things you can do with most styles available today on the market.  Cost is minimal,  most likely 8 bucks or a bit less for the most expensive modification.

If its an early morning bite, I like my coffee.  If a group of guys have gathered around for lunch on the ice, I like a pop, and when its time to settle in for a long night of fishing and talking with friends, I like having a couple of beers.  This is the expensive mod I mentioned, yes the $8 one,  so go down to your local marine supplier.   Take a look at their cup holder section.

I am right handed, which means most of the time I am using my right hand to lift a cup, can or bottle.  So I used the flat front section of the brace on my Fish Trap Pro, from CLAM.  This particular type of cup holder mounts flush to the brace, and has folding pincer arms to secure your beverage.  The base of the holder comes down to a 90′ angle sticking out, thats your platform for the drink.  When not in use the arms fold in, the base folds up, and you have a small square that barely sticks out more than an inch from the base. You might have to drill some holes into your base to make this work, and if it comes with screws, they are alright to use, but I prefer two small bolts with lock washers or nylon nuts.

• Independent report recommends building Peripheral Canal in California: http://tinyurl.com/6hk8n8 #

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In the dog days of summer,  this is great time to take a look at your ice fishing gear.  Specifically your shanties, open them up and air them out.  While you are at it, take a look for damage.  A hole might have been made last season, or maybe you have rodent damage.  Either way, take advantage of the warm weather to get your repairs done now.

Why mess with your coops during the summer?  Because most of the glues on the market that can be used to patch your holes call for temperatures of at least 70 degrees to be effective.  The best adhesive spray I have found is 3M #77.

What do you use for patch material?  In most cases you can call the manufacturer to send you out a square of material.  This is ideal, because then you get the material to match your shack.  If this,  for some reason is not an option, try going to a local canvas shop and purchase the material necessary.  In extreme conditions, you might be able to take some canvas off a non-essential section of the shanty.  That is a last resort option, and like I mention, most of the companies will send you out the proper material, just tell them how big of a section you need to complete the task.

If you have your coop stored in a small area, take it outside to open up.  Get inside and take a good look for holes while the coop is closed up. Light is the best way to detect any new holes that might have occurred.

Another good reason to do this outside is ventilation.  This is a glue, in a spray form, get as much open air as you can.  It also helps in the drying process.  Do it early enough in the day to have sit out for a good portion of the day to dry properly, specially with the humidity we have had lately.

• The real story behind the salmon-skin bikini: http://tinyurl.com/5zmx6v #
• Are southern fly fishermen fatter? (The news ain’t good): http://tinyurl.com/59j683 #

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The health of California’s Delta has been a hot topic as of late, with plummeting native species populations (salmon, Delta smelt, etc) blamed on water diversions, habitat loss and water quality issues.

Last year, a judge dealt the final blow to “business as usual” by limiting the amount of water that could be pumped from the Delta, citing damage to the fast-shrinking Delta Smelt population.

Fueled by unchecked population growth (and a growing demand for water), a drought, and the specter of global warming, Judge Wanger’s decision ignited what had been brewing for years.

The moment Wanger issued his order, California’s modern water wars began in earnest.

Will California’s water wither in the face of population growth?

Hyper Gridlock

The real result of California’s water wars has been a kind of hyper-gridlock, with advocates for irrigators and SoCal residential uses desperately trying to stave off reductions in deliveries while fisheries and environmental groups demand water be used to protect endangered/commercially compromised fish populations.

With proposals predictably spanning the spectrum (”More storage” says the farm lobby, “Use less” say the fish folks), little, if anything, has been accomplished.

Now a widely anticipated report from an independent study group have suggested that the peripheral canal - a project whose very name brings epithets to the lips of Northern Californians unwilling to see any more water shipped south - is the best, most cost-effective strategy for saving the California Delta.

What They’re Saying

The only real constant in all this has been the wide-ranging coverage provided by the Aquafornia blog, which quickly threw together a post summarizing reactions to the report’s announcement.

They followed that with two cautionary pieces, one suggesting the problem isn’t conveyance, it’s that water’s going where it shouldn’t, and yet another SF Chronicle opinion piece cautiously endorsing the idea of the Peripheral Canal provided more than lip service is paid to salmon recovery efforts:

Any proposals for new infrastructure, whether a Peripheral Canal or new water storage, must go beyond lip service about restoring salmon, and actually do it. There must be a complete package that ensures sustainable restoration of the delta’s valuable fisheries. We need to provide the water that fish need when and where they need it. There must be money available to ensure that key restoration projects are not merely planned, but executed. We need to create financial incentives that will encourage everyone to do a far better job of conserving water. Most critically, we need guarantees that our water  anagers will be held accountable to ensure that promises are kept.

For those not familiar with it, the Peripheral Canal would divert Sacramento River water before it even reaches the California Delta, reasoning that it’s far less environmentally damaging than using massive pumps to remove from the south end of the Delta.

Most experts agree in theory, but the environmental and fisheries communities - groups with little faith in those running the Central Water Project - can’t see past the potential for massive diversions of water around the Delta, which - combined with pumping - would almost certainly lead to the complete collapse of the fishery.

In essence, the Peripheral Canal issue comes down to trust.

Can We Trust the Water Project?

Enviros - most of whom can’t forget the nightmare of the Trinity River, where a pair of dams - which were “guaranteed” to be operated so as not to damage the Trinity’s robust fishery - immediately began robbing the river of as much as 90% of its water.

(The majority of that water was shipped to Westlands Water District - the same politically-connected water district who now want to flood miles of trout streams by raising the Shasta Dam.)

After literally decades of litigation, groups like the Friends of the Trinity got a little water returned to the Trinity River, and the result has been steelhead fishing so good that fishermen can’t find places to park on weekends.

More recently, the water project’s massive pumping from the Delta and apparent disregard for the health of the Delta (and the state’s commercially viable fisheries) has pretty much soured the milk when it comes to enviro groups.

Yet Another Water Grab?

Where some see a Peripheral Canal as a solution to the state’s water woes, many environmentalists see yet another water grab, and sadly, history (see above) suggests they might be right.

Even those who believe the Peripheral Canal could be helpful fear its potential for shunting massive amounts of Sacramento River water south (that trust thing again), and there’s not much faith that - should water supplies tighten even more - water divertors would resist the intense “keep it flowing” political pressure.

Interestingly, a Sacramento Bee writer (Dan Walters) wrote an opinion piece stating it’s time for everyone to abandon their agenda and get the peripheral canal built, and actually accused environmental groups of sacrificing the delta for their own causes, a startling statement given that environmentalists have not been the people pumping record amounts of water from the Delta the last five years:

While shedding public tears over the Delta’s plight, they have been, in effect, willing to sacrifice its environmental health for their other agenda.

Even more interestingly, a majority of the normally conservative SacBee commenters (on the SacBee Web site) weren’t in favor of the canal, a signal to proponents that they’ve got an uphill battle in front of them.

That’s fine with some environmental groups, who feel that rather than look for better ways to move more water south, California needs to seek real solutions to its problems, including residential conservation programs, taking marginal farmland (and its water rights) out of production, incenting farmers to grow less water-intensive crops, etc.

They too face an uphill battle; a water-hungry southern half of the state wants water, not sanctimony, and in several Southern California communities, calls for voluntary reductions in water use actually resulted in net increases in water use (fearing mandatory conservation, people used more water so a compulsory 20% reduction would hurt less).

What’s Next?

Just last night (Friday),Federal Judge Wanger ruled that pumping water from the Delta almost certainly imperils endnagered salmon populations, though he hasn’t yet outlined a plan of action.

This is yet another shove forward into the abyss for the state’s water project.

Meanwhile, Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Diane Feinstein have jointly floated legislation for a $9.3 Billion water bond, and opponents were quick to note the state has yet to spend all the money from a previous bond issue.

The plan includes some money for fisheries restoration efforts, but most will be directed at increased storage and infrastructure spending projects, so the bond carries the support of irrigators and the business community.

It’s tempting to look at the bond issues as long-overdue spending on badly needed infrastructure, but in truth, prospect for a solution that will make everyone happy are slim.

The Prognosis? Not that Good, Really.

To those looking to preserve and restore what’s left of California’s native fisheries, the problems are clear. Too many people are using too much water, and until now, nobody - save fish - has been asked to do without.

Yet the state’s political apparatus runs on money, and the money here lies in Southern California and with agri-busiensses (often corporate farms), and pure political clout isn’t likely to result in limits to growth, radical conservation measures, or farmland retirement.

It’s easy to suggest that farming water-intensive crops in arid regions - and building cities in virtual deserts without their own water supply - is a bad idea.

Yet turning back that clock - and instituting draconian water use restrictions seems unlikely. The state hasn’t instituted much in the way of water usage restrictions for new construction, and even cities in dry regions are only now getting around to it.

In other words, the political will to do the right thing - before we do the Peripheral Canal Thing - is apparently wholly lacking.

That reality can’t help but force us to ask some troubling questions about our willingness to destroy every last shred of what’s natural in the name of money and convenience - especially in light of looming challenges like global warming.

Stay tuned. The wars have really just begun.

See you in the water, Tom Chandler.

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