A Time-Worn Joke I Know But...

...did you ever dream of seeing it on a sign...an official agency sign at that. Oh, by the way, Fort Steele is near Cranbrook, B.C. and you need to read the "entire" sign...over and out...

Esox Lucious: Not Every Angler's Cup of Tea

Photo Courtesy Montana Pike Masters

Esox Lucious, translates to Water Wolf and for good reasons; not the least of which like their land locked cousins (not really) pike rank numero uno among freshwater piscatorial predators...killing machine is not overstating it.

For reasons escape me pike are most commonly labeled northern pike or great northern pike or in many circles simply northerns. Are there southern pike? And why great northern? Are there lesser northern pike? Northerns is also a misnomer since pike are found all across the U.S. many south of the Mason Dixon Line. But regardless what you choose to call him, mention his name in most any angling circle and don't be surprised to find yourself embroiled in a lengthy conversation; mention the hated word amongst trout lovers and you will find yourself in one damn long and likely heated debate. 

In Montana pike are native only to the Saskatchewan River drainage. Elsewhere he is an alien, for the most part an illegal one at that. According to Jim Vashro, Northwest Montana's chief fisheries biologist the problem with pike isn't so much the fish itself but the bucket biologists who apparently won't rest until every sort of gamefish is well established in every body of water.

Having said that Vashro goes on to say he's not against having a healthy pike fishery and he doesn't believe pike will wipe out trout since their primary victims are forage fish he just doesn't want to see them take over everywhere. Not all trout fishers of course agree and the beat as they say goes on....

I just returned from Seeley Lake one of a string of lakes on the Clearwater River. For many years now the pike population there has been steadily increasing. Yes, trout remain a big part of the local picture but most locals will tell you the fishery is nothing like before pike came on the scene.

Back in the day I chased pike all over eastern Canada in the best pike waters we rarely found large populations of native brook trout but we did find brook trout and most of them were larger on average than where pike were absent. I'm told the reason the average Labrador brook trout is measured in pounds is simply because of the heavy pike predation....the dumb and weak perish and only the strong survive...sounds good anyway. 

That said, bucket biologists are not only criminals they're downright dumb...

NOWA Conference: Not Only a Profitable Learning Experience But Fun Too

Seminars such as Keith Szafranski's entertaining and enlightening presentation on digital photography and Tim Christie revealing an intuitive website development software, "so easy even I a relative computer illiterate" (yeah right Tim) and in a second seminar explaining why we as photographers are missing the boat by not using Adobe Lightroom make attending more than worth the price of admission. But conference is far from all work and no play: Consider the annual Wine Tasting Social, bring a bottle or two share with your friends; the previously mentioned Photo Shoot-Out; a belly-aching, tears running down the cheeks performance by a talented, shamelessly bawdy song and dance group from Helena; several great belt-loosening sponsored meals; during, pre and post conference FAM trips to suit just about every whim; fish, float, paddle a canoe, learn to fly fish, go horseback riding and/or hop aboard a wagon pulled by the magnificient team of Percherons pictured above; hours and hours of co-mingling with old friends and making new ones, most you don't get the chance to see year to year. All in all more to do each day than you can shake the proverbial stick at...

Next year's conference will be held somewhere in Washington state. No matter where one thing sure it'll be more of the same just different scenery...can hardly wait.