How to Tie a Simple Scud

 

Posted by: Phil Monahan

Date: 11/30/11

Scuds, crustaceans known as Amphipods, are on a trout's menu year-round—especially in many tailwaters, spring creeks, and stillwaters. Trout love them because scuds are usually plentiful, easy to catch, and they have high nutritional value. There are almost 100 species of scuds in North America, but they all have the same basic shape, with prominent legs and a curved shell back. Mostly what changes from water to water are color and size, so it's always a good idea to collect some naturals to match. In the winter months, try fishing larger scuds, sizes 12 and 14, through slower-moving sections of river where fish may be holding. The takes can be quite subtle, so be ready to set the hook lightly at the slightest hesitation in the fly line or indicator. Try both fishing the fly on a dead-drift and giving it bursts of very short strips.

In this video, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions offers his version of a simple scud pattern, which uses a dubbing that mixes Antron and Australian possum. As usual, Tim shows a couple of neat tricks to make the fly look cleaner and buggier at the same time.

Simple Scud from Tightline Productions on Vimeo.

Simple Scud
Hook: Standard emerger hook (here a Dai-Riki 125), sizes 12-18.
Thread: Light olive, 70 denier or 8/0.
Antennae: Smoky olive Sow Scud dubbing.
Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, small.
Back: Tan and Black Fly Speck Thin Skin.
Body and Legs: Smoky olive Sow Scud dubbing.
Head: Tying thread.
Adhesive: Head cement.
Note: Tie this pattern in different color combinations to match
the scuds in your streams. Tan and gray are good choices.

Tuesday Tip: How to Properly Grip a Fly Rod

 

Posted by: Peter Kutzer

Date: 11/29/11

Welcome to another installment of "Ask an Orvis Fly-Fishing Instructor," with me, Peter Kutzer. In this episode, I discuss the best way to grip a fly rod. This may seem ridiculously basic to some folks, but the grip is the foundation on which your whole cast is built. So it's very important that you establish a comfortable grip that will help you put your fly where you want it to go.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to try to squeeze the life out of the cork. A grip that's too tight won't allow your arm to move properly, and it will cause you to tire quickly. So if you want to be able to fish all day in comfort, start with a light grip. In this video, I offer three options for how you can hold the rod, but the thumb-on-top is my favorite. If you're just getting started, it's your best option. Good luck!

Anatomy of a Fly Rod: A Glossary

 

Posted by: Larry Kenney

Date: 11/28/11

Do you ever find yourself scratching your head when reading about fly rods, or do you find yourself lost when you hear a couple guys at your club meeting discussing their new rod-building projects? Do you know the difference between the prepreg and the scrim?

Some of the terms that describe fly-rod construction are pretty arcane, so here's a brief glossary from longtime rod-builder Larry Kenney that will help you better understand what goes into making a fly rod and keep up with the conversation when the rod-builders start talking shop. It will also make it easier to understand what makes a new rod technology so new—as in the Helios's "thermpolastic resin in the layup and unidirectional scrim"—and how such a new technology translates into better performance on the water.

Blank: The long, skinny thing—generally tubular—to which the handle, reel seat, guides, and often ugly graphics are added.

Butt section: The bottom, thick section of a rod or blank.

Ferrule: The device by which the sections of a rod or blank are connected.

Fighting butt: The short, cork- or foam-covered extension to the rear of the reel seat, designed to keep the reel out of one’s beer belly when fighting a fish.

Fixed hood: A fixed metal shroud over either the top or the bottom of the reel-seat cylinder into which one end of the reel seat is placed.

Layup: The specific way in which patterns of composite prepreg are layered around a mandrel. Specific layups may include different fibers (graphite and boron, graphite and fiberglass), different orientations (unidirectional, woven, or filament-wound) or a combination of fibers and fiber orientations—all designed to produce specific characteristics of flex, stiffness, and durability.

Locking ring: The nut that puts pressure against the sliding hook to keep the reel securely locked in place.

Material: The fibers (graphite, fiberglass, Kevlar, boron, or some combination of them) that do the work—supporting the load of the fly line or pulling on a fish. Most contemporary rods are fabricated principally from fibers that run unidirectionally along the length of the rod, although many rods also make use of fibers running around or at an angle to the unidirectional fibers, in order to provide additional strength.

Prepreg: The fabric created by impregnating the material with resin. The prepreg is cut into “flags,” which are rolled around the mandrel(s).

A worker at the Orvis rod shop in Manchester, Vermont, prepares some prepreg,
which will be cut into "flags" and rolled onto a mandrel.

photo by Tim Bronson

Reel seat: The threaded metal cylinder on which the reel is secured to the rod.

Resin: The matrix that holds the fibers together. Most modern rods are fabricated with thermoplastic epoxy resins.

Scrim: A lightweight fabric of fiberglass or graphite that forms a lining under the principal fibers and which aids in working with the material when it is rolled around a mandrel. Some scrims are woven, and some aren’t. Scrim fibers that go around, rather than up and down, the blank also add “hoop strength” to the finished product.

Sliding hood: A sliding metal shroud that slides over the end of the reel seat that isn’t under the fixed hood.

Taper: A term often used synonymously with “action” to describe the way a rod performs. Tapers in which the difference in diameter between butt and tip were relatively great (“fast” tapers) produced stiff-butted, light-tipped, fast-action rods. Slow-action rods came from blanks in which the difference between butt and tip diameters was smaller. The taper of a tubular rod is determined by the shape of the mandrel(s) around which it is fabricated. A rod’s action is, in large part, by that taper, but also by the material(s), the layup, the number of section a ferrules, and by the weight and placement of guides and wraps—a complicated alchemy to which this brief overview does benign disservice.

Tip section: The section of a rod or blank farthest from the butt section.

Larry Kenney is a well-known fly-rod builder who lives in San Francisco.

THIS TUESDAY WE NEED YOU TO COME TO SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO SAY NO TO FRACKING AT THE DEC GAS HEARING

 

THIS IS ONE OF TWO CHANCES TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD
IT’S YOUR WATER, YOUR AIR AND YOUR HEALTH

WHEN: 11:15 AM TUESDAY NOVEMBER 29

WHERE: SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, SELIG THEATER, LOCH SHELDRAKE

If you believe that the Catskills and New York State will be at serious risk if gas drilling using hydrofracking is approved in our state, or if you have serious questions about the conditions under which fracking will commence, this is your opportunity to speak up, hear what other citizens like you think and show Governor Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) your opposition and/or concern.  The DEC is holding just 2 more public hearings (see list below) to hear public and expert testimony about their dSGEIS (draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement) - the permitting conditions under which fracking will take place in New York.

According to yesterday's New York Times Expose "Millions Spent in Albany Fight to Drill for Gas" the pro frackers have spent MILLIONS OF DOLLARS on lobbyists in New York State in the last year and have given Governor Cuomo over $100,000 in campaign contributions and UNTOLD AMOUNTS ON SLICK ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.   According the Wall Street Journal we have outnumbered the pro gassers at the last two hearings by 4 to 1.  We know that they are going to spend as much money as they need to to get pro gassers at this next hearing.  That is why we need you more then ever before.  Our home grown grass roots can beat the paid gassers but you need to TAKE THE DAY OFF FROM WORK OR SCHOOL and join us.   Be a part of Democracy in Action.

Mountainkeeper and many other partner organizations are mobilizing our constituencies to attend the press conference and rally at the hearing in Sullivan County on November 29^th at the Sullivan County Community College, Seelig Theatre, 112 College Rd, Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759

The last hearing is in New York City on November 30.

Click here for the Official DEC dates and times of the dSGEIS hearings

IMPORTANT: If you plan to attend and/or testify click here for a summary of the major flaws in the dSGEIS to help you prepare.

Forward this message to your friends, family and neighbors and ask them to forward it on. Get educated, especially about the health issues and threats.

The Catskill Mountainkeeper website is here as a resource for you, please use it.

OUTDOORS: Fly fishermen hear the call of bamboo

November 19

 

By Deirdre Fleming dfleming@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

SOUTH PORTLAND -- Bamboo fly rods run upward of $1,500 and $2,000. That's not the kind of cottage industry that would make it in a poor economy. Unless you're in Maine.

Recently, four of Maine's most prolific bamboo fly rod makers gathered to teach, talk and maybe preach bamboo fly rod making at Maine's first Fly Fishing Show. And convert after convert stopped at their display tables to ask about the naturally grown material that forms the rods, the silk thread that colors the guides, the process that takes up to 40 hours to produce a beautiful and effective fishing tool.

"His waiting list extends beyond his life span," said Kathy Scott, wife of bamboo fly rod maker David Van Burgel.

It's a hobby for these craftsmen who are dentists, engineers, teachers and yes, fishermen.

But it's a calling more than a pastime. Their work is both part of the thread of history and a celebration of their sport.

"It's like a disease," said Joel Anderson of Auburn, who made his first bamboo fly rod in 2006.

READ MORE: http://www.kjonline.com/outdoors/fly-fishermen-hear-the-call-of-bamboo_2011-11-18.html

Upcoming Seasons

 

The recreational season reminders listed below include season dates that extend over the next two weeks. For all season dates and to view more information about hunting and fishing in New York, visit DEC's Outdoor Activities(http://www.dec.ny.gov/62.html) webpage.

Freshwater Fishing(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html)

(IMPORTANT: Some waterbodies have different regulations than the general statewide regulations listed below; therefore, please review the special regulations by county(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/71546.html) to determine if there are any differences near you.)

November 30. Final day to fish for the following:

· Largemouth and smallmouth bass (catch and release opens on December 1);

· Muskellunge; and,

· Hudson River striped bass and hickory shad in waters north of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

December 1. Opening day of catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Please review the special regulations by county as noted in the important information above to ensure this is permissible in your specific waterbody.

TGF Bulletin

 

DRBC POSTPONES NOVEMBER 21 SPECIAL MEETING New Meeting Date Still To Be Determined

WEST TRENTON, N.J. (Nov. 18) - The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) today announced that the special meeting scheduled for Nov. 21 to consider draft natural gas development regulations has been postponed to allow additional time for review by the five commission members.

No additional information is available at this time.

The DRBC is a federal/interstate government agency responsible for managing the water resources within the 13,539 square-mile Delaware River Basin. The five commission members are the governors of the basin states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) and the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' North Atlantic Division, who represents the federal government.

Please visit the commission's web site at www.drbc.net for updates as they become available.

PERHAPS THE REASON IS DELAWARE GOVERNOR MARKELL IS NOT VOTING IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL.

TIGHT LINES

We are on the road to victory! Delaware River Basin Commission Cancels Fracking Vote!

 

Thanks to all of your great efforts, the state of Delaware announced yesterday that it will vote “no” to DRBC’s proposed gas drilling regulations, which would allow fracking to go forward in the Delaware River Basin. As a result of Delaware’s commitment, DRBC has postponed the vote and set no new vote date!

READ MORE BELOW:

http://river.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=8901.0&printer_friendly=1

Fly Tying (With Common Household Materials)

This looks like it might be of some value, I have not read it but I have read his stuff in magazine articles for years.

 

"Jay Fullum is one of Fly Tyer magazine's most beloved authors. His regular column, titled "Creative Tying," is a favorite with our readers."--David Klausmeyer, Editor Fly Tyer
Seriously...this is a great addition to your fly tying book library. It will stand out amongst the more conventional tying how-tos. Jay Fullum goes into detail about some real cool (and cheap!) everyday materials you probably already have laying around down in the basement...you know, "organized" loosely on that unfinished wooden Home Depot shelving you got right after you moved in. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Jay has chapters on plastic bags, foam packing material, weatherseal, embroidery floss, fake fingernails, paintbrushes and hair brushes. Lots of stuff. I love it. But, the thing I may love the most about this book is what this book can do emotionally to a beginning tyer. It erases this notion that a good fly has to be made with very specific ingredients. These are not tiny magic spells we are creating on a hook shank...they are tools of the sport of fishing. That is all. And you can use whatever works for you at the time. So, yeah...order a copy.
Lyons Press $21.95 Click Here!

Urgent Alert_Army Corps of Engineers taking Tally of Calls Pro/Con DRBC ...

TGF Bulletin

Urgent Alert_Army Corps of Engineers taking Tally of Calls Pro/Con DRBC ...

The Army Corps is "tallying" the number of calls for and against approving the regulations for drilling in the Delaware River Basin. The deciding vote is on Nov. 21.
Call the Army Corps of Engineers:

703-697-4672

You'll get the secretary for the fed govt's DRBC representative, Jo Ellen Darcy. Just leave your message urging the Army Corps to vote NO FRACKING in the Delaware River Basin and that we expect leadership on this issue from Pres. Obama!

The DRBC (Delaware River Basin Commission) was funded by Congress under US Supreme Court to "protect and manage" the waters of the Delaware River. Unbelievably, despite this watershed providing drinking water to 15.6 million people -- 5% of ALL Americans -- including NYC, Philadelphia, Trenton, Camden, most of S. Jersey. almost all of Delaware State, the DRBC plans to vote on finalizing draft fracking regulations on Nov. 21.  Composed of governor-appointed commissioners from NY, NJ, PA and DE, plus the Army Corps of Engineers as the federal representative, this body needs 3 votes to pass a resolution.  NJ and PA will vote for fracking.  NY and DE very likely will vote against it.  That makes the federal government the deciding factor.

Ramblings

I am not advocating this program just thought I would send it on for you to decide, you can go to their web page and read all about it, its called Green Fish.

http://www.greenfishmovement.com/scripts/learn.asp

'Rock snot' infestation shuts Vermont hatchery

 

An infestation of the invasive algae didymo, or "rock snot" has prompted the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission to close the Bethel Federal Fish Hatchery in Vermont so it can be thoroughly decontaminated. Some 3,000 hatchery salmon will be donated to Native American tribes, while the fate of 434,000 lake trout will be decided later. Via AP.

More Ramblings

I was looking through my computer stuff and came up with this site http://globalflyfisher.com/ it is without a doubt one of the most informative sites for FlyFisherman on the Internet and all the info is free. Go take a look I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

The Global FlyFisher - The Internet's Cutting Edge Fly Fishing Site
Site Developed by GFF Partners: Martin Joergensen, Steve Schweitzer, Bob Petti, Bob Skehan & Kasper Mühlbach

Ramblings On A Cool Fall Day

Sitting here and thinking about the funny weather we have had in our our area this year. I was reading where in the Southern Tier of NY they as we had rain in he Spring really heavy now they say the tribs are low.

I was reading a Flyfishing mag this afternoon and there was an article about the Battenkill River on the NY side, it gave a site to go to to get map of the River, here it is:

pfrbattenkil.pdf
I hope you enjoy this pdf, by the way the area around the Vermont side of the Battenkill is beautiful, and it has The American Museum of Flyfishing in Manchester, VT, just up the road and The Orvis Company too.

6 Things Guides Do That You Shouldn't

Posted: 11 Nov 2011 08:45 AM PST As a guide, Bryan Eldredge can get away with things that you can't on the river. photo courtesy Bryan Eldredge I was was nine years old when my brother Scott gave me some advice I've applied to all sorts of things since then. On that Saturday, we were playing catch after watching our beloved Red Sox on NBC’s Game of the Week when I made an imaginary relay throw pretending to be the Red Sox' shortstop, Rick Burleson. Scott, who was already a high school star, caught my near-perfect throw and proceeded to chew my butt for throwing side-armed. "But Burleson throws side armed," I objected. At this, Scott walked right up to me, pointed the finger of his ungloved hand at my nose and said, "He's not a pro because he can do it; he can do it because he's a pro." After giving me a few seconds to process this profundity, he spoke again—in a slightly less intense tone—and explained how throwing overhanded reduces the number of variables in calculating a release point:  Overhand throws can miss high or low, but done properly the ball doesn't end up right or left. The importance of mastering the basics, as taught by my brother that day, has application in a lot of arenas, not the least of which is fly fishing. I’ve listed below six things that my fellow professionals in our fair sport, namely guides and instructors, do regularly that others might best avoid. 1. They twist their wrists while making a backcast. This is sometimes called “poor tracking." The effect is such that someone standing in front of the caster sees the side of the reel rather than the line housed in it. It’s something akin to throwing a baseball sidearmed. The problem here is that this little outward twist, magnified over 9 feet or so, does funky things to your rod tip, making it travel in several directions. And, as the truism says, wherever your rod tip goes, the line will follow. 2. They fish without a net. The fact is that a lot of guides fish on their own without a landing net, especially when walk/wading. There is actually a case to be made that landing a fish without a net can be less dangerous to the fish, but only in the case of very experienced hands. But this argument isn’t why guides do it. Usually it’s because they can, and it’s less trouble than carrying a net. For most folks, using a net greatly reduces the potential of injuring fish. It also increases the odds of getting a nice photo. 3. They grab their leaders while landing fish. Want to see a guide panic? Reach for your leader as he or she prepares to net your fish. Grabbing a leader removes virtually all of your tackle's shock-absorbing capacity, making a broken tippet very likely. Interestingly though, the pros will very often grab their own leaders, particularly if they aren't using a net (see #2). It can be done, but you have to properly manage a whole bunch of variables. For most people, it makes much more sense to just bring a fish to net by touching only your rod handle and the reel. 4. They carry their lines off the reel in loops while moving along a river. The frustration of trying to get your line free from brush, rocks, boots, and legs is one of the universal experiences of fly fishing. It is not, however, one of the more pleasurable ones. Given that rivers are furnished with all manner of line-grabbing objects (not to mention feet and legs that come with the angler), it’s usually a better use of time to reel in before moving very far. 5. They cast heavy nymph rigs overhead, even when using a series of split shot, weighted flies, and strike indicators. Timing the backcast is tough for lots of fly fishers. An early forward stroke creates snarls for which guides have a name, “do overs.” Nymph rigs, with their arsenal of two or three flies, multiple split shot, and a strike indicator, complicate things all the more. To avoid spending your day on a monofilament Rubik’s Cube, stick with simple flip casts made by letting the current pull the line downstream and then lifting the line in a high arc upstream in one simple motion. 6. They wade and fish at the same time. Wading is inherently dangerous, and doing it well is more of an acquired skill than it appears. Trying to manage line while wading is an unnecessary risk. Do one, then the other. Live to fish another day. There are easily more than six things the pros do that don’t bear imitation. In most cases, the pros will be the first to tell you what those are; in the end, that’s what their profession is all about. In this case, it’s almost always better to do as I say, not as I do.

OUR LAST CHANCE TO PREVENT FRACKING IN THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN!

 

Drilling is likely to begin in the Delaware River Watershed - the source of drinking water for 15.6 million people - in a matter of weeks or months

What’s Happening:

On Monday, November 7, 2011, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), made up of representatives from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and a representative for President Obama, issued revised Natural Gas Development Guidelines for the Delaware River Watershed that establish the basis on which fracking will take place in the Delaware River Watershed, the sole or major source of fresh drinking water for over 15 million people.   On November 21, 2011, the DRBC will vote on whether to adopt them.

This vote will come just 14 days after the guidelines were issued, and the public will not be given a chance to comment on them. While an ongoing comprehensive analysis of the revised rules is being done by technical experts and legal staff, we've already seen glaring problems in the revised rules, some of them substantial changes from the original draft. These span the gamut from the weakening of water quality protections to the lack of any cumulative impact controls to public health.  For example, DRBC regulations continue to allow very large open pits to hold toxic flowback and gas drilling wastewater over long periods of time that would create risks of surface and groundwater contamination and be a constant source of air pollution.

What Does It Mean?

This means that the commission could start issuing permits for fracking in the Delaware River Watershed in just weeks or months, and that the public will have no say about as many as 20,000 wells that are planned for the area. In the year since the commission first took testimony and comment, dramatic amounts of new scientific data have become available showing that fracking in this national treasure creates significant risk of damage to the area’s water and air, as well as substantial threat to the health of humans and animals living in the affected area.

What Can You Do?

This is a travesty that cannot go unchallenged!

Catskill Mountainkeeper along with many other organizations are organizing an extremely important demonstration in Trenton, NJ on Monday November 21^st at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, NJ beginning at 8:00 AM.  Our State and Federal lawmakers and leaders, the media and our fellow citizens must hear our protest and outrage.

If you live anywhere in the Marcellus Shale or in the affected area, your ecosystem, your health, the water you drink and the air you breathe is at high risk of being negatively affected. Put this date on your calendar. Be there.

Come to the Hearings on November 21!!!!

Please join us on our bus going from Liberty, NY.  To find a bus in your area click here.

Public pressure makes a big difference. Call the Governors of the member states and President Obama today. Tell them “I am extremely opposed to drilling in the Delaware Watershed especially without proper due process and environmental impact studies”.

            NY - Governor Cuomo  (518) 474-8390

            NJ - Governor Christie  (609) 292-6000

            PA - Governor Corbett  (717) 787-2500

            DE - Governor Markell  (302) 577-3210

            President Obama          (202) 456-1111

How You Can Help:

We are up against the richest and most influential industry in the world. Catskill Mountainkeeper and our allies have surprised many critics by being so effective to date.  But it continues to be a long, hard fight and we need your financial assistance to continue. Please give as generously as you can.

Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline: Join Hands Around the White House, November 6th

 

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 05:26 PM PDT

[Demonstrators in front of the White House protesting a proposed pipeline that would bring tar sands oil through the U.S. from Canada. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images]
From mid-August to early September this year, concerned citizens gathered at the White House to protest the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline. Over 1200 people were arrested during this peaceful protest, and their act of civil disobedience, along with similar events and petitions nationwide, sent President Obama a simple message:  Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline.
The Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline would originate in Alberta, Canada and pass through the West and Midwest of the United States ending up in Houston where most of the oil will be shipped overseas. Six companies have contracted for three-quarters of the oil. Five are foreign.The New York Times in an editorial opposes the pipeline. 

Nebraska Cornhusker football fans booed when a Keystone ad showed up on the Jumbotron at a recent game. The next day the university ended their sponsorship deal with Trans-Canada Pipeline.

Tribal leaders from both sides of the border and private land owners from South Dakota and Nebraska signed a ‘Mother Earth Accord’ opposing Keystone XL. The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu along with seven other Nobel Peace Prize winners oppose the pipeline.
Ranchers and farmers are fighting the pipeline. Ben Gotschall grew up in Nebraska's Sand Hills. His family has been ranching there for four generations. He opposes the pipeline even though the Tar Sands XL is being sold as oil from a “friendly” neighbor.
"Where I'm sitting, having an oil pipeline in my backyard, in my drinking water, that's not a very friendly neighbor," Gotschall told NPR. "That's not what neighbors do, at least where I was raised."
Corruption and accusations of a too-cozy relationship with the State Department plague the pipeline.
On Sunday November 6th, the movement returns to Washington. Exactly one year before the next presidential election, thousands of protesters will encircle the White House, to remind the president, our government and the nation that the Keystone XL Pipeline has no place in a national vision of clean energy.
We know it’s hard to get to Washington, but if you can, this is the moment.
1) If you live in the USA, go to TarSandsAction.org for ideas on getting involved. The action begins at 2 pm in Lafayette Park.
2) Call the White House
3) Sign the petition at 350.org demanding President Obama to reject the pipeline.
3) You can stand in solidarity with everyone taking action in DC by sending a message and photo to the protesters in DC.
4) If you're on social networks, please share the petition to President Obama with just a couple of clicks on Facebook and Twitter.
5) Be a “ human microphone” for Tim DeChristopher, a protester who is serving time in prison for his peaceful protest against oil and gas leasing on federal lands. Tim can’t be at the protest on November 6 but you can be his microphone.

Background information on the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline

§ New York Times: "Tar Sands and the Carbon Numbers"

§ NPR: "An Oil Pipeline From Canada? Some Say 'No Way'"

§ Grist: "Keystone XL pipeline would screw over farmers, threaten aquifer"

§ Huffington Post: "Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Arrests Mount As Climate Activists Push Obama"

§ Peaceful Uprising: "New video about the Tar Sand Action by Josh Fox (creator of Gasland)"

Please share this action alert and any of these links with your social networks. Thank you for raising your voice.

Recreational Sporting Season Reminders

 

November 1 Seasons

In our last issue, we missed reminding you of several recreational sporting seasons that started on November 1. These November 1 openers are listed below:

Saltwater Fishing
Black sea bass fishing re-opened and will continue through December 31. The minimum length limit is 13 inches per fish and the daily catch limit is 10 fish.

Hunting
The following hunting seasons opened for Long Island.
(Click on the links to view the season map)
- Bobwhite Quail(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29447.html)
- Cottontail Rabbit(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29449.html)
- Pheasant(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29453.html)
- Squirrel(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29460.html)
- Weasel, opossum, raccoon, skunk, and fox(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29455.html)

Trapping
(Click on the links to view the season map)
- Beaver(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29044.html) and River Otter(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30513.html) trapping opened for northern areas of New York.
- Weasel, opossum, raccoon, skunk, and fox (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30507.html)trapping opened for Long Island.

Upcoming Seasons

The recreational season reminders listed below include season dates that extend over the next two weeks. For all season dates and to view more information about hunting and fishing in New York, visit DEC's Outdoor Activities(http://www.dec.ny.gov/62.html) webpage.

Youth Hunting (Ages 12-15)(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/52495.html)

For Waterfowl (Duck, Coot, Merganser, Canada Goose, and Brant):

• November 12-13 - Two-day youth waterfowl hunt(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28503.html#Youth) weekend on Long Island (Nassau & Suffolk Counties). Juniors must register with HIP(http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6405.html) and have a junior hunting license(http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6094.html) prior to going afield. Junior waterfowl hunters do not need a federal duck stamp. Juniors must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter (including current HIP registration and duck stamp), but the adult may not shoot any birds unless the regular season is open. The daily bag limits for Canada geese are two per day. For duck, coot, merganser, and brant, the daily limit is the same as the regular season bag limits(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28888.html).

Deer & Bear (Big Game) Hunting(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7857.html)

(view the big game hunting map(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28605.html) to identify hunting zones)

• November 18 - Final day for bowhunting in the Southern Zone.
• November 19 - Opening day for firearm and crossbow hunting in the Southern Zone. Please view the rifle, shotgun, and bow area map(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/35010.html) to identify where and what weapons you may legally use when hunting. Additionally, hunters in Southern Zone Wildlife Management Units 3C, 3H, 3J, 3K, and a portion of 3A (south and west of Route 28) must abide by antler restriction regulations(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27663.html).

Turkey Hunting(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8366.html)

(view the turkey hunting map(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29461.html) to identify hunting zones)

• November 4 - Final day for a portion of New York's central and western regions (e.g. Lake Ontario regions).
• November 18 - Final day for all remaining open areas. This closes turkey hunting for all of upstate New York.
• November 19 - Opening day for Long Island (Suffolk County). This season remains open through November 23. Hunters may take only one turkey of either sex for the season.

Game Bird Hunting(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45568.html)

For Snipe, Gallinule, and Rail:

• November 9 - Final day for hunting in all open areas of NY (upstate NY, north of Bronx-Westchester County boundary).

For Woodcock:

• November 14 - Final day for hunting in all open areas (all of upstate NY and Long Island).

Report Your Harvest

Don't forget to report your harvest of turkey, deer, or bear within seven days

Waterfowl Hunting(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28888.html)

(view the following maps to identify waterfowl hunting zones (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28497.html) and Canada goose hunting areas(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28496.html) that are described below)

For Duck, Coot, Merganser:

• November 5 - Opening day in the Southeastern Waterfowl Zone.

For Canada Goose:

• November 18 - Final day of split season in the following Goose Hunting Areas: East Central and Hudson Valley.

For Brant:

• November 19 - Final day in the Northeastern Waterfowl Zone.

Furbearer Trapping(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/355.html)

• November 10 - the following furbearer seasons open for eastern portions of upstate NY - Hudson Valley and Catskill Regions.
  (Click on links to view season maps):
  - Beaver(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29044.html)
  - Otter(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30513.html)
  - Mink & Muskrat(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30510.html) - also available are special mink/muskrat hunting(http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45559.html#Muskrat) opportunities.

As our state leaders move closer to allowing unsafe drilling across New York, the time to stand up against fracking is now.

I'm writing to you today because as concerned residents of the Catskills, we cannot stand by and watch as our water, our air and our health are threatened.  We cannot afford to take a backseat and watch as our vibrant lands and communities are turned into an industrialized fracking site.  The price that each of us will pay is too great.  We have only to look as far as our neighbors in Pennsylvania to see what a fracked future will look like for us.

Like many of you, I have been to Albany. I have stood outside the Capitol with hundreds of you who have been tirelessly fighting to protect our great state of New York from the dangers of fracking. I have met with our elected officials and articulated my opposition to the destruction and pollution it would bring to our state.  And I have heard the stories of devastation from around the country – some from neighboring communities just over the border in Pennsylvania.
Parents who have watched their children sickened by contaminated air

Farmers dealing with the loss of livestock from polluted waters

Homeowners reeling from ravaged property values as a result of their proximities to drilling operations

Whole communities losing their drinking water due to "accidents"

We cannot stand idly by and allow these stories to become our legacy.  I cannot and will not stand back and watch as these irreversibly damaging practices come into my community – destroying the lands that I love and endangering the health and livelihoods of my family, friends and neighbors.
I’m writing to urge you to take action TODAY.
In this fight, every voice matters. Stand up, speak out to say we won’t let fracking go forward in New York State.
Join the movement and ACT NOW!
What you can do:

There are a number of very important public hearings coming in November.  It’s critical that we get a huge turnout at each one because these are the hearings that will determine whether we STOP FRACKING in New York State and the Delaware River Basin. PLEASE COME TO AT LEAST ONE OF THESE HEARINGS - WE NEED YOU NOW.

            November 16 – Public Hearing on the dSGEIS - Dansville, NY

            November 17 – Public Hearing on the dSGEIS - Binghamton, NY

            November 21 – DRBC Hearing - Trenton, NJ

            November 29 -  Public Hearing on the dSGEIS – Loch Sheldrake, NY

            November 30 – Public Hearing on the dSGEIS – New York City

Click here for the dates and times of the dSGEIS hearings. If you cannot attend a hearing you can submit your comments to the DEC online here.  Use the  Catskill Mountainkeeper website as a resource.  For more information on the DRBC hearing click here.

Call Catskill Mountainkeeper at (845)482-5400 if you need more information regarding the hearings and the public comment process.

Forward this message to your friends, family and neighbors and ask them to forward it on. Get educated, especially about the health issues and threats.
Please make your voice heard and please support Catskill Mountainkeeper.
Thank you.
-Michelle