7pm West Park Middle School
Monday, March 28, 2016
Sight Fishing Presentation - Red Deer
7pm West Park Middle School
Thursday, March 17, 2016
The importance of altruism
I find myself seeing the world differently in many different ways and realizing the difference. The past 2 years I did some soul searching regarding a couple repetitive patterns in my life that impacted some of my relationships, and part of my personal evolution has been observing the importance of altruism. Obviously, I fall short of it.
I've had quite a few positive comments and emails about the New Fly Fisher tv show I did with Phil & Tom. I think the reason the show was so well received was each of us afforded the other to do what we each did best for the greater good of the show. I wasn't pumping my guide company's tires, Tom wasn't pumping his rounded fly fishing abilities, fishing contact network, nor Orvis, and Phil wasn't trying to be one of those "look at me" hosts. Instead, I had a skill to share with hunting and sight fishing browns, Tom has a wonderful charisma about him, and Phil brought out the information with subtle questions, taking a back seat in many instances. It helped that we got along fabulously. Each simply did what we do and made no extra bones about how good we are/aren't. The goal was the bigger picture - to make the show the best it could be. And the show was very well received, which was my hope from the get go - far more than worrying about how I look or how much exposure it brought our company.
The above is nice, but not the jogger for the post.
I attended a Red Deer Fisheries Round Table meeting recently. I've written here about pursuing an updated Fisheries Management Plan for the Red Deer R for years. The local biologist Vance has committed to it many times the past 12 years I've been pressing, only to see other things get in the way - can we not only focus on lake dwelling walleye in this region? The RDR FMP was to get going, but a new gov policy has come down the pipe where intensive public involvement with government must gain approval from a cabinet committee. Yes, something so trivial as this faces up against health care, education, finance, o&g issues, etc. This wouldn't be a big deal, except the concern that caused this motion is that the gov is attempting to minimize negativity coming back to MLAs and cabinet.
If you look at the past 15 years on the Red Deer R, there has been a group hot to implement their plan to change fisheries management policy, procedure, and protocol - by implementing an aggressive stocking plan of triploid rainbows, a daily license fee, trophy license, a dedicated river bio & officers, amongst other things for the Red Deer R. Without commenting on the meat of it, the reality is that it flies in the face of how fisheries are managed in this province. Time & time again they tried to ram their proposal through by going over the local biologist's head, meeting with MLAs, environment ministers, etc. I doubt you can find an MLA near the Red Deer - Rocky Mountain House area that hasn't heard from them. All I can comment on is that the result has been that each MLA and cabinet minister has to rely on its staff expertise and the policy, protocol, and policy. Hence, the group's hope has been quashed at every turn and the experience has generally been negative. The great irony is that the group has not attended a single Red Deer Region Fisheries Round Table meeting, choosing to circumvent procedure and go straight to upper government.
The connection now is that the Red Deer R needs an updated Fisheries Management Plan. The one existing was printed in 1994, was supposed to be update every 5 years with science occurring. Time marches on, a massive flood alters the river, and things change. The walleye population has changed upwards dramatically, the whitefish are in the dumps, the browns are holding their own, and pike remain a bit of an enigma most of the year save opening 2 weeks. We need a fall closure for the whitefish and browns, and whitefish regulations need to shift downwards. And we need some new guiding principles, public input and support for direction on the river - a fisheries management plan. It's obvious.
However, a group that has pushed so long and hard to get changes on the river, the changes they deem fit, has caused such a stir of negativity in government that - get the irony - the public process may not be granted by cabinet for fear of negative government interaction. How do you like that?
It's one thing to see an issue, see areas where change is needed. It's another to have personal thoughts. But it's altogether another position to honor the system, the people, the policies, procedures, and protocols while trying to 'improve' things that you might hope to. The altruistic see these things and hope for a positive change that benefits the whole, not just themselves. Is it possible to have altruism in a completely different dimension - yes. But if your altruism in your dimension is completely opposed to reality, yet you fervently oppose those in reality, that's where it breaks down. And that's exactly where the Red Deer River Fisheries Management Plan may never get off the ground.
My encouragement is to those seeking to get involved in any issue to make our society or resources better - seek out the foundations of what you trying to change first, get in touch with the guiding principles, policies, protocols, and procedures and see how they might work/blend with your ideas. If they can be worked with or modified and you work within the procedural boundaries to effect change, perfect. Even if we are going to simply support a cause it's up to us to know these things before supporting it.
Yes, I'm fully aware that even talking on the level of altruism I'm going to get raked over the coals by these people, even though I've not mentioned if I agree with their points or not. I only hope they appreciate the intent is not directed solely at them, rather, using their example as a basis to the point for everyone who is considering involvement. Speaking altruistically of course.
I've had quite a few positive comments and emails about the New Fly Fisher tv show I did with Phil & Tom. I think the reason the show was so well received was each of us afforded the other to do what we each did best for the greater good of the show. I wasn't pumping my guide company's tires, Tom wasn't pumping his rounded fly fishing abilities, fishing contact network, nor Orvis, and Phil wasn't trying to be one of those "look at me" hosts. Instead, I had a skill to share with hunting and sight fishing browns, Tom has a wonderful charisma about him, and Phil brought out the information with subtle questions, taking a back seat in many instances. It helped that we got along fabulously. Each simply did what we do and made no extra bones about how good we are/aren't. The goal was the bigger picture - to make the show the best it could be. And the show was very well received, which was my hope from the get go - far more than worrying about how I look or how much exposure it brought our company.
The above is nice, but not the jogger for the post.
I attended a Red Deer Fisheries Round Table meeting recently. I've written here about pursuing an updated Fisheries Management Plan for the Red Deer R for years. The local biologist Vance has committed to it many times the past 12 years I've been pressing, only to see other things get in the way - can we not only focus on lake dwelling walleye in this region? The RDR FMP was to get going, but a new gov policy has come down the pipe where intensive public involvement with government must gain approval from a cabinet committee. Yes, something so trivial as this faces up against health care, education, finance, o&g issues, etc. This wouldn't be a big deal, except the concern that caused this motion is that the gov is attempting to minimize negativity coming back to MLAs and cabinet.
If you look at the past 15 years on the Red Deer R, there has been a group hot to implement their plan to change fisheries management policy, procedure, and protocol - by implementing an aggressive stocking plan of triploid rainbows, a daily license fee, trophy license, a dedicated river bio & officers, amongst other things for the Red Deer R. Without commenting on the meat of it, the reality is that it flies in the face of how fisheries are managed in this province. Time & time again they tried to ram their proposal through by going over the local biologist's head, meeting with MLAs, environment ministers, etc. I doubt you can find an MLA near the Red Deer - Rocky Mountain House area that hasn't heard from them. All I can comment on is that the result has been that each MLA and cabinet minister has to rely on its staff expertise and the policy, protocol, and policy. Hence, the group's hope has been quashed at every turn and the experience has generally been negative. The great irony is that the group has not attended a single Red Deer Region Fisheries Round Table meeting, choosing to circumvent procedure and go straight to upper government.
The connection now is that the Red Deer R needs an updated Fisheries Management Plan. The one existing was printed in 1994, was supposed to be update every 5 years with science occurring. Time marches on, a massive flood alters the river, and things change. The walleye population has changed upwards dramatically, the whitefish are in the dumps, the browns are holding their own, and pike remain a bit of an enigma most of the year save opening 2 weeks. We need a fall closure for the whitefish and browns, and whitefish regulations need to shift downwards. And we need some new guiding principles, public input and support for direction on the river - a fisheries management plan. It's obvious.
However, a group that has pushed so long and hard to get changes on the river, the changes they deem fit, has caused such a stir of negativity in government that - get the irony - the public process may not be granted by cabinet for fear of negative government interaction. How do you like that?
It's one thing to see an issue, see areas where change is needed. It's another to have personal thoughts. But it's altogether another position to honor the system, the people, the policies, procedures, and protocols while trying to 'improve' things that you might hope to. The altruistic see these things and hope for a positive change that benefits the whole, not just themselves. Is it possible to have altruism in a completely different dimension - yes. But if your altruism in your dimension is completely opposed to reality, yet you fervently oppose those in reality, that's where it breaks down. And that's exactly where the Red Deer River Fisheries Management Plan may never get off the ground.
My encouragement is to those seeking to get involved in any issue to make our society or resources better - seek out the foundations of what you trying to change first, get in touch with the guiding principles, policies, protocols, and procedures and see how they might work/blend with your ideas. If they can be worked with or modified and you work within the procedural boundaries to effect change, perfect. Even if we are going to simply support a cause it's up to us to know these things before supporting it.
Yes, I'm fully aware that even talking on the level of altruism I'm going to get raked over the coals by these people, even though I've not mentioned if I agree with their points or not. I only hope they appreciate the intent is not directed solely at them, rather, using their example as a basis to the point for everyone who is considering involvement. Speaking altruistically of course.
Friday, March 11, 2016
The Wonders of Winter at Fortress Lake
It's hard to believe that it's mid March and the mounds of snow outside our front door are still 6 ft tall and the temps are ever so slowly getting closer to average for this time of year. Winter seems to have stayed on longer this year and despite most of us wanting to see it melt, the snow itself has brought some beauty with it. A few weeks ago, we headed into Fortress to do our annual winter trip to shovel snow off the roofs of our cabins and Yurts to keep them safe and secure.The day we went was cold. The temperature was -32 to start our day and it only got up to a balmy -26 as a high. It was cold, but the sun was shining and the wind stayed away for most of our day, which made it bearable.
It was the flight in and the flight back that made this day so memorable. We left from the Springbank airport this year in our friends Cessna 185, and proceeded to fly west towards the Rockies. The path our pilot, Steve took was incredible. The mountains were looking the most dramatic I've ever seen them in the winter. Over the course of the day we must have flown over 80% of the tallest peaks in our Canadian Rockies and some of the largest glaciers in the parks. Some of these mountains seem like old friends, for the number of times I have either driven past, seen them from the air or hiked them. To see them so heavily layden with snow and to get the birds eye view above them on such a winter day was a treat for the eyes. Mt. Columbia,Clemenceau, Tusk, Assiniboine, Storm, Alberta, McCarthur, Temple, etc. Many of you who have spent time in the Rockies will be familar with many of them. Seeing Storm Mountain Lodge from the air bought back some old memories from the summers back in my 20's when I used to waitress there. The other neat memory came when our pilot few us past Abbots Hut, which is highest mountain hut in our Rockies.
We arrived at Fortress to find a fairly typical snow load on the cabins, so our shovelling efforts went smoothly, which gave us some extra daylight hours and time to sitesee from the air. Steve, our pilot was keen to fly over the Clemenceau Icefield and a few of the other major glaciers that hang in that same general area, and make his way to Golden to fuel up before heading back to Calgary. Turns out, this little side trip involved a stop on a glacier at about 10,000 ft. Amazing stuff. The video tells the story well of our day. More fun with our fish eye lens.
It was the flight in and the flight back that made this day so memorable. We left from the Springbank airport this year in our friends Cessna 185, and proceeded to fly west towards the Rockies. The path our pilot, Steve took was incredible. The mountains were looking the most dramatic I've ever seen them in the winter. Over the course of the day we must have flown over 80% of the tallest peaks in our Canadian Rockies and some of the largest glaciers in the parks. Some of these mountains seem like old friends, for the number of times I have either driven past, seen them from the air or hiked them. To see them so heavily layden with snow and to get the birds eye view above them on such a winter day was a treat for the eyes. Mt. Columbia,Clemenceau, Tusk, Assiniboine, Storm, Alberta, McCarthur, Temple, etc. Many of you who have spent time in the Rockies will be familar with many of them. Seeing Storm Mountain Lodge from the air bought back some old memories from the summers back in my 20's when I used to waitress there. The other neat memory came when our pilot few us past Abbots Hut, which is highest mountain hut in our Rockies.
We arrived at Fortress to find a fairly typical snow load on the cabins, so our shovelling efforts went smoothly, which gave us some extra daylight hours and time to sitesee from the air. Steve, our pilot was keen to fly over the Clemenceau Icefield and a few of the other major glaciers that hang in that same general area, and make his way to Golden to fuel up before heading back to Calgary. Turns out, this little side trip involved a stop on a glacier at about 10,000 ft. Amazing stuff. The video tells the story well of our day. More fun with our fish eye lens.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Thursday, March 3, 2016
25 quick pro photo tips
From Outdoor Photographer Magazine website:
"We polled a number of professionals for some of their best photo tips, and in the spirit of our 25th Anniversary issue, we’ve come up with a list of 25 that are sure to help you make better photographs. There have been some astounding innovations in photography over the past 25 years, and several of these tips apply to digital technology, but it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Some of our pros’ thoughts apply just as much to shooting with a DSLR today as they would have if you had been standing next to Ansel Adams on the roof of his car with a wooden 8x10 view camera and emulsions coated onto glass plates. Give these tips a try. We guarantee results..."
Read more at the link:
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/25-pro-tips.html
"We polled a number of professionals for some of their best photo tips, and in the spirit of our 25th Anniversary issue, we’ve come up with a list of 25 that are sure to help you make better photographs. There have been some astounding innovations in photography over the past 25 years, and several of these tips apply to digital technology, but it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Some of our pros’ thoughts apply just as much to shooting with a DSLR today as they would have if you had been standing next to Ansel Adams on the roof of his car with a wooden 8x10 view camera and emulsions coated onto glass plates. Give these tips a try. We guarantee results..."
Read more at the link:
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/25-pro-tips.html
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Orvis Tech Guide
Just fyi for anyone out there that likes this kind of knowledge.
http://www.orvis.com/orvis_assets/files/2010Tech_Manual.pdf?CampaignID=1805&ADV=113876&cm_ite=BOT2&cm_ven=orvisemail&cm_cat=ELOG_03_01_11&cm_pla=05
http://www.orvis.com/orvis_assets/files/2010Tech_Manual.pdf?CampaignID=1805&ADV=113876&cm_ite=BOT2&cm_ven=orvisemail&cm_cat=ELOG_03_01_11&cm_pla=05
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