Steve Dobson's Fisherman's Blog

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Blogger FTP Migration Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:38:00 +0000

I have finished the rod I started building the other day and have taken lots of photos of the process. I will do some posts over the next little while on how-to build a rod but first I have to deal with this Blogger FTP migration issue. Steve Dobson's Fisherman's Blog is published via FTP and Blogger soon will no longer support FTP publication.

The existing pages and new posts will need to migrate to either a new custom domain or to a blogger.com address. The old urls will be redirected to the new Blogspot location. With luck this will be seamless to readers.

I will start the migration today but who knows, this may be the last post on this blog? If I get lost in cyber-space please send a search a party. If it all works, look for a post on getting started building a 5wt fly rod.

Building a Fishing Rod

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:48:00 +0000

There is something about building a fishing rod. There is a sense of rightness about it as if I've grown into it. As if this is a logical progression from tying a string to a stick as a child and trying to catch perch. I think about that progression as I prepare my work area and prepare to unpack the parcel containing the bits and pieces that will become a five weight, graphite fly rod.

Handling the blanks I remember my first trout from the Meadow Pond and a trip with Dad and my brothers in the old green boat, all of us armed with worm and bobber. I remember vividly a porpoising rise to my first crudely tied fly by a Rainbow Trout. He leaped clear of the crystalline headwaters of Mission Creek up on Big White Mountain. I remember my first somersaulting grilse careening down a pool on Grandy's Brook and the sullen sulk of a twenty pound Atlantic Salmon not so long ago here in Nova Scotia.

All of those memories and the new adventures waiting imbue these bits of wood and steel and graphite with all of the potential to realize a fisherman's fondest dreams.

Over the next few weeks I'll show you the steps in building a fishing rod and let you know how I am progressing.

The Lost Salmon Rod

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Warren told me a good story the other night. He and his fishing partner were out on the Medway River early in the season. The water was high and very dark. As they lined the boat up with landmarks on the shore to pinpoint their position, Warren got ready to drop the anchor.

Now most boats rigged for salmon fishing on the Medway have a special rig attached to the bow that the anchor rope is passed through and by lifting the rope you can lower the anchor, or raise it, or just adjust it a little.

When the anchor is out of the water it hangs off the bow or can be lifted into the boat.

As long as there is a forward pull on the rope, the line is held fast which makes handling the anchor a one hand job if you need to adjust position to chase a fish or get a better angle for a cast.

That doesn't matter much because this boat didn't have one. The anchor was just tied-off to a thwart with the line in loose coils on the deck under their feet. Once the boat was positioned exactly where they wanted it in the pool Warren heaved the anchor overboard. The anchor line whipped away following the weight into the depths. One of the coils came tight around the tip of one of their salmon rods, flipping it over the gunwale and dragging it deep into the river.

What a commotion as the boys first stared in disbelief at this catastrophe then frantically pulled the anchor back aboard hoping beyond hope that the rod was some how still attached. It wasn't.

The Medway River in the full flow of early summer can be awesome. The water almost black and running free from dams or other human interference has incredible power. It can pull the bow of an anchored boat under if you get your anchor fouled when retrieving it. But that is another of Warren's stories for another time.

The current had moved the boys a fair ways downstream from where the rod went over by the time they got their thoughts organized. Edging the boat back forward, making careful sightings and note of the landmarks, they anchored again at what they figured was the place of the disaster.

Peering over the side into the black and roiling water it seemed hopeless, the rod was lost. The other fellow in the boat who happened to be the owner of the rod, tore a strip of cloth from his brightly coloured shirt and wrapping it around a wrench or some other sinkable from the boat, dropped it over the side. The fluttering strip of cloth faded from sight long before hitting the bottom and there it stayed.

As fierce as the Medway River can be in full spate, come the hot days of summer the river settles more placidly into its banks becoming a beautiful, tea coloured stream. The current flows in a dignified, slow procession carrying tiny islands of foam kicked up from the progression of small falls, Bangs Falls, Bear Falls and so on down to Port Medway and ultimately the sea.

It was August when the boys thought to head out on the river to search for the lost rod. They were optimistic but not hopeful. In short order they were lining the boat up with the aid of meticulously recorded landmarks and carefully this time, dropping the anchor at what they thought was the spot.

They leaned out over the sides of the boat scanning the tannin coloured water. The bottom was clearly visible. There, a couple of feet away was the calmly waving strip of torn shirt. About three feet downstream from it was the lost rod.

And so the salmon season on the Medway ended with a few new stories and a valuable lesson or two. I wonder if the boys caught any fish that year? I must ask Warren next time I see him.

Never Too Old to Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:31:00 +0000

I was thinking today about one of my favourite fishing spots up in the Musquodoboit River valley. Brad McCaughan and I used to fish there often, always with good results. If memory serves it was the place where Brad became a committed fly fisherman after we fished it side by side, he with a spinning outfit and me with a fly rod.

Anyway, I started out thinking about an old timer who used to stop by and see me when I worked in Liverpool many years ago. Once a week we would have a good bull session. One day he told me about fishing the Meadow Pond brook back in the late 50's or 60's. He described how the brook had undercut banks that sort of floated when you walked on them. Most people would walk down stream fishing short casts with worm and spinner. It used to be a pleasant place to fish although only a very small handful of fellows ever caught more than one or two small trout for a hard day's fishing.

The handful of guys who did catch fish there did extremely well, catching lots of fish and more than a few big ones. The difference between " most people" and those fellows was knowledge not luck.

The thing was that every time a fisherman would take a step down stream on those floating banks the trout would be spooked and flee downstream. This would in turn frighten the fish the angler was casting to and so it would go as the fisherman worked his way along. To catch one while fishing like that would truly be lucky. For us kids, who normally travelled in noisy packs, it was down right miraculous to get one of those lovely speckled trout up on the bank .

The secret to fishing the boggy, Meadow Pond brook was to start at the other end, the down stream end, and fish upstream with just a worm or a worm and one split shot. You had to go along stealthily, casting upstream and letting your bait drift as naturally as possible through every bit of cover and especially letting it sweep in under the banks.

You might still have spooked a fish or two but it didn't seem to put the fish down upstream of you.

By applying this little bit of hard earned wisdom a brook, that most people thought of as pretty but not very fishy, revealed itself to be a haven for big, wily, speckled trout.

So to get back to the original thread of this story, there I was remembering this little brook I'd known since my childhood, its secrets only revealed in the light of adult knowledge, when it struck me: I know another brook that is almost its twin, my little spot up in the Muskie!

Now here is the darnedest thing, even though I have enjoyed this place for years, have had some great days there and more than my share of trophy trout from its waters, I have been fishing it wrong!

I had forgotten the lessons of Meadow Pond brook and its floating banks. I can only guess that I'd gotten away with it in this spot because there is a lot of room to cast so I could fish it fine and far off.

Come spring I will return there and fish it again, this time with some sophistication as befits a grown man.

I guess I just never really outgrew the little boy who couldn't wait to get a line in the water. Heck, I still usually run those last few steps to the fishing hole even though I know better. No Sir, this spring will be different. I can't wait to see what that brook really holds.

A Good MicMac Steak and Great Fishing Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:20:00 +0000

My brother Warren and my nephew Drew stopped in for a visit the other day. Best of all they took me out for a great steak and beer at the MicMac Tavern. In my opinion, Nova Scotia's tavern food is one of the most underrated schools of world cuisine. It is simple, delicious, filling and totally unpretentious. Besides, if you don't like it you can just have some more beer until you do.

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It was great to sit back and spin some yarns about places we have fished, often together, sometimes apart. The Pinware, Grandy's River, Garia River, the Old Fort, the Gander, the Humber, the list goes on and on.

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Each with its fame, its stories, its legends,and best of all, its memories.

These pictures are of a trip to the Pinware in Labrador back in 1995 I think.

Why I Don't Like Ice Fishing

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:27:00 +0000

When I lived in British Columbia my enjoyment of fishing blossomed. I had always liked fishing but when I discovered a book by R. Haig-Brown and through it Fly fishing my enjoyment turned to a passion It is hard to explain how something so fundamentally simple can be so engrossing. It is just difficult enough to be a challenge yet straight forward enough to reward any effort.

The advantage to making this discovery while living in B.C. was that it seemed that every brook and puddle was full of fish. One didn't need to be an expert to connect with a trout or two, even from the first. Seasons were long and the weather tolerable throughout the year so fishing could be a year round avocation. I was living on Richter Street in Kelowna at the time.

One crisp, January day my fishing buddy and I set out to try our hand at ice fishing. I stood in the yard beside my car and absorbed the pure, crisp morning. The sun was rising, bathing everything in a reddish glow. There was just the hint of a fruity, grape scent from the winery barely penetrating my awareness as I tried to blow a smoke ring with the puffs of vapour my breathing created with each exhalation.

The promise of the morning, as I crunched through the the snow the last few feet to my car, washed over me like the sun finally topping the roofs of the neighbouring houses.

We were headed for Bear Lake, a beautiful alpine pothole nestled in the hills above the west side of the Okanagan Valley. I knew this lake to be loaded with small Rainbow Trout. The trout in this region are a unique strain known as Kamloops Trout. Feisty and aggressive, they can grow to tremendous size but my experience on this lake was that the trout were small but plentiful.

It was a perfect place for a fledgling fly fisherman so doubtless a great spot for some January ice fishing.

We used a hatchet to cut a hole in the ice. Take my word for it when I tell you, that is the worst way to do it. About six inches down, the water started welling up into the hole and the next few minutes were a cold, soaking, splashing, mess.

Each stroke of the axe sent ice water flying but didn't make much progress toward opening a fishable hole.

Eventually we got an unsymmetrical gouge hacked through the ice. Of course we were so wet and cold by then that we took another hour to gather some wood, build a fire and warm up enough to be interested in fishing again.

In the meantime the hole had frozen again but that was quickly dealt with and we soon had lines dangling.

One eye for the rod tips, one eye for smoking boot tips, we waited, huddled just a little too close to the fire to avoid being scorched. Man it was cold.

For bait we were using the West Coast traditional ice fishing bait -Niblets Brand canned corn. I don't know why, but it works. One kernel on a tiny hook and a small handful thrown into the hole is the standard recipe. Within a few minutes we had our first fish.

The rod tip started shaking and I snatched it up off the ice. There was a substantial weight on the other end which I just derricked straight up and out of the hole. Within seconds and with no ceremony at all there lay flopping on the ice the biggest trout I had ever caught.

I didn't even know that there were fish of this size in this lake. Just then my partner's rod started thumping and he repeated the snatch and derrick to leave another trout laying at our feet. This one was if anything a little bigger than the first. And so it went until we each had three magnificent Kamloops Rainbows and decided to call it a day. It was barely ten o'clock in the morning.

I should have been happy but the truth is I was flummoxed. Having spent hours carefully crafting flies to match the fauna of this particular lake, having spent days reading the water and sweat practising with wispy leaders to put the perfect cast in front of a cruising fish, I had never managed to land anything even close to these trout, these trout taken almost off-handed on a kernel of Niblets corn.

I guess that it didn't feel sporting or even gentlemanly. The poor buggers were probably so cold that they were willing to do anything to get a little closer to the fire we had going up on the ice.

The day was pleasant and the company superb. The fishing though, well I guess it was too good. I was faintly ashamed of myself and resolved that if I couldn't entice fish like these fair and square with a well planned and well placed fly I would leave them unmolested henceforth.

And so it is that I don't ice fish. I do however tie a great imitation of a Niblets corn kernel in a number twelve and am presently working on a little fly pattern I call the Kraft Mini-marshmallow.

Belated New Year's Wishes and Future Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:49:00 +0000

So a man comes in the door, returning from his Cardio Rehab class. His wife smiles and says,"The kids are both out Honey. Let's run upstairs and make love."
The man just shrugs his shoulders and says,"It's got to be one or the other...take your pick."

Ha, that joke was a big hit at Cardio Rehab last year. It doesn't seem so funny now that I'm feeling better. People are amazingly resilient.
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Last year this time I was just emerging from heart surgery and was so feeble and weak that I couldn't really do anything. A five minute walk was a work-out! Now I do a 5 km walk most days. By this time next year, if all continues to go well, it should be as though this heart business had never happened.

I'm trying to think of a trip or project that I can embark upon to celebrate. In effect to re-stake my claim on life if that's not too dramatic.

Off and on I've thought about how close I can get to the Hudson Bay by car. I'm thinking about a drive and camp expedition up through Nova Scotia into New Brunswick and Quebec. I figure I can get at least to James Bay, the little dangley bit on the map just below Hudson Bay.

Using the Quebec route I would pass through some of the most spectacular wilderness and pristine fishing this country still has to offer. There is a river in Northern Quebec that claims so many world records for Speckled Trout that it is a legend in itself. That is just one of the literally hundreds of brooks and rivers I would pass along the way, each with its own story, each with its own legend.

The main equipment would be a tent, fly rod, gold pan and camera. The rest is just details. The plan is to drive until I see a spot I'd like to fish or explore, heading roughly North, leap-frogging from spot to undiscovered spot. The destination is not the point, it is about the journey.

The "to do" list would read something like: get some money together, find someone who would like to go with me, get the RAV4 tuned up and ready, start collecting maps and information.

I'm not sure that this trip is do'able this year. My fall back is either Cape Breton or the Gaspe in Quebec. The logistics are not very complex but finances are always a concern. Time is really the most limited resource when dreaming of an expedition.

Anyway, I'll mull it all over and come up with something to satisfy this urge to celebrate my second chance. Maybe I'll surprise myself.

Belated wishes for a great New Year to one and all.

Not really a Fishing Joke

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:21:00 +0000

Here is joke I got from a fellow at work. It is not really a fishing joke but kinda' funny:

Curtis & Leroy saw an ad in the Kentville Advertiser Newspaper in Kentville, N.S. and bought a mule for $100.

The farmer agreed to deliver the mule the next day.

The next morning the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry, fellers, I have some bad news,
the mule died last night."

Curtis &Leroy replied, "Well, then just give us our money back."

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

They said, "OK then, just bring us the dead mule."

The farmer asked, "What in the world ya'll gonna do with a dead mule?"

Curtis said, "We gonna raffle him off."

The farmer said, "You can't raffle off a dead mule!"

Leroy said, "We shore can! Heck, we don't hafta tell nobody he's dead!"

A couple of weeks later, the farmer ran into Curtis & Leroy at the Co-Op grocery store and asked:

"What'd you fellers ever do with that dead mule?"

They said,"We raffled him off like we said we wuz gonna do."

Leroy said,"Shucks, we sold 500 tickets fer two dollars apiece and made a
profit of $898."

The farmer said,"My Lord, didn't anyone complain?"

Curtis said, "Well, the feller who won got upset; So we gave him his two dollars back.

Hats off to Brad McCaughan

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Congratulations to my buddy Brad on the publication of his first (of many) book. Brad did the photography for Sydney Crosby's "My Day With the Cup". Sydney is the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup.

Brad is a great photographer who has recorded Sydney's career from his minor hockey days in Cole Harbour to his triumphant return with the cup. Great work Brad.

Sackville Rivers Association, Fisheries and Aquaculture Staff Stock 2,000 Speckled Trout

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:02:00 +0000

"Members of the Sackville Rivers Association helped Fisheries and Aquaculture staff stock 2,000 speckled trout in five locations of the Sackville River watershed on Thursday, Dec. 10.
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Volunteer Shaunna MacKinnon, right, and assistant co-ordinator Colin O'Neil, both of the Sackville Rivers Association, release speckled trout in the Sackville River.

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http://gov.ns.ca/news/Photos/2009/Dec/pc102136.jpg

A close-up shot of volunteer Shaunna MacKinnon and assistant co-ordinator Colin O'Neil,of the Sackville Rivers Association, releasing speckled trout in the Sackville River."

http://gov.ns.ca/news/Photos/2009/Dec/pc102124.jpg
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Trout Stocking Effort in Response to Little Sackville River Oil Spill

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:17:00 +0000

"- December 10 th 2009 - Trout Stocking Effort in Response to Little Sackville River Oil Spill

On December 10 th the Sackville Rivers Association will be assisting the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture McGowan Lake Fish Hatchery workers with a trout stocking effort, in response to the November 7th oil spill on the Little Sackville River.

On November 7th an estimated 200 - 300 litres of furnace oil leaked into the Little Sackville River as a result of a severed oil tank line at a nearby business. The oil has impacted fish habitat within the Little Sackville River.

Roughly 2000 Speckled trout fall parr will be released at four sites within the Little Sackville River and Main Sackville River, to compensate for damage to fish habitat within the watercourse.

The Sackville Rivers Association would like to thank MLAs Dave Wilson (Sackville-Cobequid) and Mat Whynott (Upper Sackville-Hammonds Plains) for initiating this stocking effort.

Anyone interested in attending this stocking event are asked to meet at the Sackville Heights Community Centre, 45 Connolly Road on Thursday December 10 th at 1 pm.

For further information regarding these stocking efforts please contact:

Stephen Caines

Coordinator

Sackville Rivers Association

office: 865-9238

cell: 476-1001

email: sackvillerivers@ns.sympatico.ca

Walter N. Regan

cell: 476-6276"

Springer Spaniel Puppy

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:38:00 +0000

We have welcomed another puppy into our home. Meet Schalke, a field bred, Springer Spaniel. He is a sweet tempered little guy and seems to be pretty smart. He is also as clumsy as a ballerina in clown shoes.

One puppy is fun. Two puppies is like turning your house over to a gang of drunken yobs after a home-game.

The process of house breaking is well under way both literally and figuratively. The little Maltese is nimble and quick while the Springer is a big, lumbering dinosaur by comparison. It is hard not to laugh out loud at the sight of my daughter holding two leashes and trying to coax them in to peeing outdoors when all the pups want to do is chase each other in circles.

Lots of cuddles, lots of puddles and lots of laughter at the Dobson household for the next few months. Or to put it more simply, "the circus is in town!"

Sad News for the Little Sackville River

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Funny weather this time of year. On October 31st I was fishing in the sun and by Nov 6th we had our first snow.
Today, Nov 11th, I was wearing a light jacket to walk to the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the little park down the street.
It is sunny and warm with no trace of snow.

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Towering over the waterfront for the last few days is this deep sea oil rig waiting to be towed out around Sable Island or across to the North Sea I suppose. It is an impressive sight and unbelievably huge.

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Here is a shot of the waterfront to show what a nice day it was for a walk.

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Here is some sad news. After years of effort and countless volunteer hours the work of the Sackville Rivers Association may have been undone by vandals.

Someone cut the feed line from an outdoor, furnace-oil tank and the oil drained out of the tank into the ground, through a storm drain to the Little Sackville River.

This is when the salmon are in the river to spawn ! Some will likely turn away from entering the river, others may have already built their redds and nests but the furnace-oil must be deadly for any eggs already laid. Who knows what damage has really been done?

Here is the press release:

Sackville Rivers Association Press Release

Media Advisory - For Immediate Release:

Oil Spill on the Little Sackville River

November 9, 2009

The Sackville Rivers Association (SRA) would like to highlight the

environmental damage that may have happened due to the oil spill into

the Little Sackville River.

Our organization has for over twenty years done our best to protect the

Little Sackville River and improve the Atlantic salmon and Brook trout

habitat in the watershed. It is important to understand that the impact

of this oil can have far reaching affects.

"This couldn't have happened at a worse time. It is this time of year

that Atlantic salmon spawn, and this spill may have a major impact on

the population. Many of the adult Atlantic salmon have come back to the

river and their eggs especially will be extremely sensitive to this oil.

This has been a rough year for Atlantic salmon populations around the

province, and the Sackville River no longer has a dedicated stocking

program, so this may really hurt the sustainability of our Atlantic

salmon and Brook trout runs. Our Atlantic salmon population is the main

run in Halifax Harbour"

Walter N. Regan

President SRA

This oil may have far reaching affects on the river. In addition to

stressing Atlantic salmon and Brook trout populations there are many

other concerns: pressuring other fish species, including the American

eel a species of special concern, killing aquatic plants and insects as

well as other river animals including ducks, frogs and turtles. The oil

may also soak into the river soil remaining as a problem long after the

initial spill.

The SRA hopes that we will be able to work with the community to manage

this terrible accident and help ensure it does not happen again.

For additional information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Sackville Rivers Association

45 Connolly Road, Room 206 P-902-865-9238

Sackville, N.S. C-902-476-6276

B4E 2Z6 F-902-864-3564

email: sackvillerivers@ns.sympatic.ca

Nova Scotia Fall Salmon Season Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:53:00 +0000

The fall salmon season is over.

It ended on Halloween day. All told the season was great, lots of big fish hooked in the rivers draining into the Northumberland Strait and Gulf of St. Lawrence.
My season was not great in terms of fish landed but was superb in terms of feeling great and being able to spend a couple of days bumming around the river. Water temperature was 4 degrees.

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Last year this time I was wondering if I would ever again enjoy the pleasures of a frosty October morning on the water.

Next year I will spread my days over several weeks in October rather than putting all my hopes into the last week of October. It is salmon fishing after all and we all know that the fish were filling the river the week before we were there.

Here are a few photos of my trip last week with Aaron and another day I slipped off alone.

No fish, but a great couple of days nonetheless.
Who said something like, most of us fish our whole lives without ever realizing it is not the fish we are pursuing?

Nova Scotia Fall Salmon

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Well, I'm finally feeling well enough again to go after some of those Nova Scotia Fall Salmon.

I stopped by the Fishin' Fever shop to pick up a salmon licence and Mr. Short confessed to having had some considerable luck connecting with fish in the last week or two. He also was good enough to pick out a handful of flies for me to try.

Wahoo! Can't wait. Hope I can get a few vacation days in the next two weeks.

If you are wondering why I am so excited about our fall salmon fishing I'll post a few pictures from seasons past. Above is my Dad with a beauty

Brad with a nice one.

Me with my best ever.

That is why we love the fall here in Nova Scotia.

Fall Salmon and New Puppies

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:18:00 +0000

Get a load of this. We've added a new puppy to the family and another is on the way in mid-December. This little guy is Shorty, a Maltese puppy we have had for three days. I'm going to add a new cliche to my lexicon, "as cute as a new puppy" 'cause cute barely starts to describe this thing.

Later in December we are getting a Field Spaniel too. I am really looking foreword to that. Field Spaniels are my perfect definition of what a dog should be. I'll keep you posted.
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The fall rains have started. The weather forecast is calling for rain every day this week. That means the rivers will be filling and the salmon will be running.

It's big flies, big fish and all of the glory of fall foliage on a smallish river. It's the best time of the year.

Now then, when it comes to some happy, positive thoughts for your day, what can beat new puppies and fall salmon?

Effects of Culverts on Fish Passage

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:26:00 +0000

If you looked at the press release below you will see that the grant is to study the effects of culverts on fish passage in the St Marys river system.

Turns out that this a problem in many, maybe even most river systems - around here anyway.

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According to Pierre Martel, Resource Management and Public Safety Specialist with Kejimkujik National Park, there are 165 culverts in the park.

Only 36 of those are on fish bearing streams.

But get this, recently park staff discovered that of these thirty-six culverts, only fourteen were working as planned, allowing water and fish to pass without interference.
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Fourteen of them were blocked to some degree and eight of them were completely impassable for fish.

This is in a National Park where people care and will work to repair the problem.

What the heck is happening elsewhere?

The St. Mary’s River Association (SMRA) Got a $7,500 Shot in the Arm!

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:52:00 +0000

"The St. Mary’s River Association (SMRA) in Sherbrooke, NS got a $7,500 shot in the arm recently from the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASCF). The Association is using the funds to identify culverts that interrupt spawning migration and develop a restoration plan for remediation of the river.

Stephen Chase, left, Executive Director of the ASCF, visited the project recently and presented a commemorative cheque to Megan Myer, center, and Dr. Sean Mitchell, right, of the SMRA."

This press release went on to explain:

Poorly placed or non-maintained culverts can interrupt wild Atlantic salmon spawning migrations, restrict access to ideal habitat and food sources, and increase the chance of predation. Previous work in other parts of Nova Scotia indicate that 50-60% of existing culverts are barriers to fish migration.

The St. Mary’s River Association is using its ASCF funding to assess this problem by: evaluating and quantifying culverts as barriers to passage for upstream migratory Atlantic salmon in tributaries of the St. Mary’s River; evaluating and quantifying culverts as barriers to passage for upstream migratory Atlantic salmon in tributaries of the river; evaluating the extent and quality of habitat lost due to impassable culverts; prioritizing culverts for restoration; and developing a restoration plan for culvert remediation.

Contact: Sean C. Mitchell, PhD, Executive Director

Phone: 902-522-2099

E-mail: smitchel@stfx.ca

Fly Line Weight Question From the Mail Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Here is an email exchange I thought might make for an interesting discussion. What do you think? Am I full of it or making sense?

Hi Steve;

...Fenwick sent me a beautiful, brand-new AFTM 7-weight rod. I tried it with an 8-weight line and it threw it out beautifully. In your opinion, does it hurt a rod to use a line one number heavier than the specified weight recommended by the manufacturer?... Cheers, Dan

Hello Dan;

My opinion for what it is worth on line weights:

The normal conditions we face here in N.S. with its almost constant wind, defy the guidelines established by another region's conventional wisdom or even the physics of average conditions calculated by rod manufacturers.

If one uses the low end of the recommended line weight for a rod, one has to overpower the cast with a haul or two which takes away all delicacy of presentation and also promotes fatigue. That certainly re-enforces a tendency towards a sloppiness of fly presentation.

The result is on an average Nova Scotian day one could expect to miss a lot of chances due to poor line control as the wind blows the cast and bags the line, as well as squandered opportunities because of simply bad presentation - totally missing the target or crashing the fly on top of it .

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In a more moderate climate where wind is less of a factor I believe the lighter the line weight, that will still load the rod, the better the finesse side of the game can be practised and enjoyed.

For here, my inclination is to go a weight heavier than recommended to load the rod on shorter casts. That will give the power needed, the finesse comes in calculating the line of attack so that the wind will assist in straightening the leader and aiming the cast.

I suspect that the reason most fish here are caught on wet flies as opposed to dries is not because most of their diet comes in the form of nymphs and other sub-aqueous creatures but rather that the days when a dry fly can be presented with the accuracy and subtlety required for success are so rare as to be remarkable.

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Unfortunately on perfect dry fly days, when they do come, most of us are rigged so heavily because of our constant battle with the wind that we can't really take complete advantage of the unusual conditions.

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Traditions such as "an upstream dry fly being the only really sporting way to take a fish" could never have evolved here because of our climate and topography.

Other traditions and tactics, that most of us in the fly fishing community cherish as gospel, are equally inappropriate for this area but that's a rant for another day.

Despite what I said above there is really nothing like a good fish on the lightest possible tackle.

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See ya'
Steve

Fiirst Time Float Tubing for Bass

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Had a good day on the water this weekend. My daughter Nancy had been wanting to try float tubing for Smallmouth Bass for the longest time and this Saturday we finally got around to it.

What a hoot! I had forgotten what it is like for someone to try a float tube for the first time.

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Everything from knowing that it is easier to walk backwards in flippers to how to actually get into the thing, it all has to be learned. And then comes the magic moment when their feet leave the bottom and they are free.
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There are the first tentative kicks with the flippers just to see if you really do stay upright and then the big grin. 'Hey this really works and is it ever fun"

Well, it was great fun. I caught a handful of small ones. Nancy caught her share of little ones and one big one. Big enough to give her bragging rights anyway.

If you haven't done it in a while, take your kids fishing. I know that Nancy isn't exactly a kid anymore, to the rest of the world anyway, but I swear in that place, on that day and for those few hours, we were both much, much younger.

Where did the Name "Nova Scotia" come from?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:28:00 +0000

One of the Google searches that brings people to this site is the question,"Where did the name Nova Scotia come from". I am not sure why the search leads them here but I figured I'd answer the question so it wouldn't be a wasted trip.

The Origin of the name of Nova Scotia is that in 1621 King James the First of England, who also happened to be King James the Sixth of Scotland, claimed this land as part of the kingdom of Scotland. Nova Scotia is the Latin translation of New Scotland.

Nova Scotians are also known as Bluenosers. The famous schooner Bluenose, that you can see on the Canadian dime was built here in Lunenburg and was the fastest schooner of her time.

No one really knows why we are called Bluenosers. I've heard that it was because the weather is so damp and cold that your nose turns blue here. Some say it was because of that damp and cold that the sailors would constantly rub their runny noses with their mittened hands and the dye would come off on their noses.

We were the first overseas colony to receive a flag. It is the flag of Scotland with the colours reversed. We also have a very nice plaid tartan and a provincial bird. Our provincial bird is the Osprey, a real beauty and well known to all fishermen.

So there you go, nova Scotia in a nutshell.

I have not been able to post images lately so have not been updating this blog as often as I might. Hopefully Blogger or I will get it figured out soon.

Even When the Fishing is Great, There is Always “One Little Thing”

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:52:00 +0000

"An old fisherman was walking beside his favourite stream. The sun was
setting and he just had time to try one more cast through the run
called Jim’s Legs. It was a fast piece of water with a smooth boulder
dividing the current into two distinct and slightly curved paths that
met up again after a short distance. The run was named after his
life-long friend and fishing partner Jim, who had recently passed on.

It wasn’t named after him because Jim had figured out the complex
presentation required for the conflicting currents, or that he caught
the first salmon there; nope, it was because Jim was as bowlegged as a
cowboy even though he had spent his whole life here on the East coast.

Well, the Old Fellow thought,” This one’s for you Jim” and flicked his
Brown Bug above and to the right of the smooth boulder. He was
concentrating on the bug and preparing to flick the critical upstream
mend that would slow the fly down as it passed the usual lie when he
heard a whispery voice.

“Nice cast.”
The Old Fellow started and turned to the shadowy figure beside him.
“Jim” he said “is that you?”
“It’s me” said Jim. “I’ve just come to say hello and thank you for
thinking of me. By the way, the fishing in Heaven is fantastic. Every
evening there is a fly tying class and the next morning that is the
fly the fish will be rising to. It is all good except for one little
thing.”
“It sounds fantastic Jim” said the Old Fellow, “What’s the one little thing?”
“Well”, said Jim “Next Tuesday night you are giving a class on tying
your famous Brown Bug.”"

From the Mail Bag its Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Dobson Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:14:00 +0000

Here is a note I received recently from a reader. He has some interesting things to say about my name. Wonder if I'm related to the Arizona Dobsons?

"Hello,

I am in town working for TeleTech for about a month and a half. I was looking for a place to do some fishing for either Trout, Bass, or Salmon that was close to Amherst. I don’t want to go that far, but I want some good fishing. I am used to fishing for Trout or Bass, but never Salmon. I am an avid fisherman back home in Arizona.

I grew up in an area named “Dobson Ranch” and I went to “Dobson High School” The Dobson’s owned a lot of property in Mesa, AZ. USA.

Anyways, I just want somewhere to relax on the weekends that is close to Amherst, any suggestions?

Thank you!

Enjoy the Largemouth Bass and the Crappie Picture, From Roosevelt Lake in AZ.

Respectfully,"

etc.

Luckily, he is in a great fishing area so it was easy to offer some suggestions for spots to try.

The Origins of Smallmouth Bass in Nova Scotia

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:07:00 +0000

"Where did the Smallmouth Bass in Nova Scotia come from ?", is one of the more common questions I get asked via email from this site.

I didn't know the answer until my brother, Warren, told me some of the history recently. Here is the story.

Before the 1870's Nova Scotia was renowned for its Trout and Salmon but the only bass were Striped Bass, which ran annually along the coast.

Smallmouth Bass were introduced into a private pond in Maine somewhere around 1870.

Whether by flood or finding other escape routes through brooks or streams, the Smallmouth Bass in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia today are thought to be descendants of that original planting.

They made their own way into New Brunswick but our Bass were officially planted in 1942 in Bunker Lake, Yarmouth County.

There were other government sponsored stocking efforts in the mid 60's in King's County and again in the 70's in Digby County but I suspect that by far most of the spread of Smallmouth Bass in Nova Scotia was done by private citizens trying to stock their favourite ponds and lakes with something fish'able as Trout became more and more difficult to find due to the ravages of acid rain in the 70's.

Whatever the case, we got 'em now and I spend a lot of time during the dog-days of summer flicking bugs and poppers at them. They are a game fighter and can be as easy to catch as Perch or as fussy and sullen as any Trout that swims.

I can't say I don't long for the old days of pristine Trout waters but Heck, I've always figured if a fish, no matter what kind, is willing to take a fly - I'll oblige by throwing one at it.