Conserving the "Blue Lines" We Love

 

As many, if not most of you have no doubt seen, the theme of the September, ‘24 issue of “Trout” magazine, the official publication of Trout Unlimited, is entitled, “Blue Lines.” On a couple of different forums, including Facebook and the TU Community Forum, I have commented, “Welcome to the Backcountry, TU. What took you so long?” For me, trout fishing has always been about those “blue lines” that illustrate the small rivers, brooks, creeks, and streams on topographic maps that I have fished since I was ten years old. I’m not a curmudgeon, (Well, maybe I am now that I’m in my 70s, but that’s a different topic.) it’s just how I have always considered fishing. For the purposes of the magazine, and the commentary, we’re talking about waterways that are, shall we say, less than navigable. Often times they’re named after their predominant feature, such as Fall Creek, or Big Brook, or their source, like Porcupine Creek, Big Diamond Creek, or Johnson Springcreek. Some have numbers, which can indicate either the order in which the mapmaker placed them after running out of other names, or more often, the length of that particular blue line, like 9 Mile, 18 Mile, or 20 Mile. I got my first trout on a blue line called “6-Mile Creek” outside of Brooktondale, New York. Without giving it much thought, it has always been the type of stream I fish.

I have to admit to a certain amount of trepidation about TU (or any other organization) publicizing these so-called ‘blue lines.’ Just yesterday I was listening to an audiobook by the late John Gierach commenting on the influx of new anglers brought about by the COVID pandemic and how it might affect some of his favorite Colorado fishing streams in his book, “All The Time in The World.” This is something which I have witnessed myself, however, I am at least somewhat consoled by the report from the Minnesota DNR that fishing license sales have returned to their pre-pandemic levels, and I am no longer having to pick up litter and other debris at every place I go to cast a line. Like Gierach, I enjoy the solitude of fishing solo, or with my wife or granddaughter. During and for a time after the pandemic, you couldn’t go much of anywhere without having to elbow your way in to the water.

I am a Trout Unlimited member because, despite the organization’s “wokeness,” its various tentacles are doing good things not just in my home waters of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, but nationwide as well. It is their primary emphasis, and as long as it is so, I will continue to support them. But my strongest allegiance is to Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, (BHA) the Missoula based nonprofit that advocates for and fights to protect our public lands and waters. BHA sells a bumper sticker that proudly states, “Use the quads God gave you!” Sometimes I use my bike, sometimes I hike, and many times a combination of both. There are two particular streams, that I consider to be “home waters.” (One of them is one of the places where Trout Unlimited has been doing good work as mentioned above.) From the first time I journeyed into Chequamegon Country, I have had an affinity for the Marengo River. I’m not going to give you the name of the other stream, but slowly, as time, weather, and my physical condition permit, I am using those quads to fish as much of it as possible, from its headwaters to where it empties into a larger stream flowing into Lake Superior.

These “blue lines” may not experience the fishing pressure that their larger counterparts do, but there are other threats. Several years ago, our own Department of Natural Resources had an internal conflict between Forestry and Fisheries over the trees along a highly rated stream that flows into Lake Superior, to the point where the US Fish and Wildlife Service withheld funds that account for a significant portion of the agency’s budget. Externally, there is the never-ending battle between development, whether it be for mining, drilling, or recreation, and their effects on our public lands and waters. “Common logic” is that Democrats are better for the environment and that Republicans are better for business, but in many cases those distinctions are no longer accurate. Politicians and bureaucrats of both parties are beholding to special interest groups, to the detriment of the lands and waters that are our unique American heritage. I find it ironic and disappointing that the voices on the right that are so keen on selling off our public lands are members of the same political party as the president who established them in the first place just over a hundred years ago, Theodore Roosevelt. As Roosevelt, and his first Chief of the US Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, were keenly aware, our seemingly boundless natural resources are not as boundless as they seem.

In this election year, I would encourage voters to look beyond the “R” and “D” in front of the candidate’s name and take a look at the things that are truly important. Too many voters today focus on a single issue, conservative or liberal, whatever it may be. Their focus needs to be wider. A recent survey indicated that as many as ten million hunters and gunowners don’t vote in federal elections, and that number is likely low if you were to add in anglers. Yet, I have no doubt that these would be the people who would scream the loudest when they can no longer access their favorite hunting or fishing spot due to bureaucratic actions directed by whichever party is in charge.

One of my favorite sayings is, “In order to participate, you first have to show up.” If we are going to manage and protect our favorite “blue lines,” we need to show up. We need to show up in the field. We need to show up at hearings. We need to show up in the voting booth. We need to be informed, and we need to participate, not just with hook and line, but at every level. Make it happen, not just for ourselves but for the generations of anglers, hunters, and sportspeople yet to come.

Trailblazer: The Ultimate Bikefishing Fly Rod

 

Essentially, I consider the summer of 2024 to have been lost. Having been at my current job for over five years, I was looking forward to the extra week of vacation that longevity provides, as well as no surgeries or recoveries to deal with. However, due to big changes in our department, I was only able to get out camping one night during the entire summer. (Normally, we go up to Beaver Lake almost every other weekend.) So, when my birthday rolled around on the last day of summer in September, we rented a cabin in the Chippewas National Forest just north of one of my favorite backcountry bikefishing locations, Suomi Hills Semi-primitive Non-motorized Area. It would be my first chance to really test my newest flyfishing rod, the Trailblazer from Redington Gear. I had tried it out once or twice, but this would be the first opportunity to use it as it was meant to be used.

Probably my only complaint, and it’s a minor one considering how well the Trailblazer performs, is the garish red color of both the case and the rod itself. Other than that, I can find truly little to gripe about. As I’ve written here previously, most of my bikefishing adventures are done with Tenkara setups. I’ve tried my two 7’6” rods and reels (one of which is also a Redington) but wasn’t pleased with the results. The tube for the Trailblazer is only an inch and a half longer than my Badger Tenkara/TAO U. N. C. Rod, so it fits very nicely on the side of my fishing pack, or alternately, on the Blackburn Outpost cage on my bike’s front fork.

The day we went into Suomi Hills, my birthday, was extremely windy even in the interior. I could barely get the dry fly on my Tenkara onto the water because of the wind, so my expectations for the Trailblazer were fairly low. I was fairly surprised. Using a five weight SA line with a 10-foot 3X leader, taking the wind into account I was able to drop a #16 Copper John pretty much wherever I wanted it. Unfortunately, the fish weren’t cooperating. I had one light strike but didn’t bring anything home. Usually, we pull at least a couple of smallies, perch, or bluegills out of that lake. I was fishing from a USFS dispersed campsite, and we’re already making plans to return for a couple of nights next summer. There is a ridge between the lake and Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway, so the site is serenely quiet except for the wind in the pines and the loons on the lake. The Trailblazer will be my rod of choice when we do.

So, even though I didn’t catch any fish with it, I am extremely pleased with my Redington Trailblazer 590-6 fly rod, particularly in my application which is primarily bikefishing. It handles very well, casts like a dream, putting the fly where I wanted even in 15 mph winds. If you access the backcountry on a mountain bike, like I do, or backpacking, the Trailblazer is perfect. It comes in two lengths, 9 feet like mine, or 7 feet, 6 inches, and both lengths break down into six pieces which fit nicely in their own bright red and yellow padded carrying tube. The tube lashes to the side of a pack, the top tube or downtube of a mountain bike, or the cargo rack on any bicycle. Add a reel (I use a Redington I. D.) and a selection of flies, and you’re good to go. You can find more information at: 

TRAILBLAZER Fly Fishing Rod 5 Weight, 9ft 6in | Redington (farbank.com)

together with a really cool video that ties Albert Einstein into flyfishing: 

https://youtu.be/COlnyamFIkw?si=VMT0-bI8cxd5juFe

I only have one other minor issue with Redington. I wish they would bring back the “good” decals for the I. D. Reel.

Until next time, tight lines!

UPDATE: I retired from my job on Nov. 15. Haven't decided what's next, other than definitely more fishing!

 

 

The Cogburn: Fat-bikes, E-bikes, and Fair Chase Part 2

I am going to start this blog entry with the request; If you know of an actual case where an e-bike operator has been charged with a fish and game violation or hunting/fishing related trespass violation, please contact me via the “Comments” section below. After researching for several weeks, I have only been able to locate only one case where an e-bike users were charged with using their electric-assist bicycles to pursue and take wildlife, and that was on the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers website several years ago. I’ve found a few cases where e-bikes were used to access closed areas, and one case in California where poachers used e- bikes to transport their illegally taken game. However, it appears from my research that the often-stated belief that e- bikes would be used to run down wildlife, often couched with words like “could,” “might be,” “possibly,” and “potentially,” are based on supposition and misunderstanding. To be clear, I firmly believe that anyone who uses any “motorized” vehicle, whether it’s an ATV/UTV, pickup truck, SUV, or an e-bike to violate Fair Chase laws and ethics should be prosecuted for that violation. I just cannot find any records of it happening with e-bikes despite numerous Google and Yahoo searches.

QBP Photo

The introduction of the Cogburn in 2013 produced a number of articles in publications as diverse as “Petersons Wheels Afield,” “Off Grid,” “Outside,” and even “Bicycling,” that spoke glowingly about how hunting, and by default, fishing, in the backcountry could be enhanced by accessing the area on silent, low impact, fat-tired mountain bikes. They were even touted as being the perfect “bug-out” vehicle capable of carrying a weapon, such as a compound bow or rifle on their specially designed scabbard rack. None of the articles, and I still have a file with most, if not all of them, mention chasing down wildlife with the bicycle. Granted, a pedal powered bicycle is not going to keep up with a fleeing deer, elk, or antelope, but using pedal power, the hunter or angler was (and is) able to go farther, faster, deeper and do it quieter and with less impact. Fat-bikes are even capable of riding over snow and sand when their tire pressure is dropped to 5 to 8 psi. Truly, they are a human powered All-Terrain-Vehicle.

The demise of the Cogburn model marked the end of a human powered bicycle designed specifically
for sportspeople. Of course, you can use pretty much any bike for whatever purpose you want. My very first experience at bikefishing was on my Bianchi Volpe touring bike, accessing various stocked trout lakes in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in central Minnesota. The next time, on the Chippewas National Forest, I used my patrol mountain bike. Since 2014, my ride has been the Cogburn. It’s fun, it gets me to where I’m going faster, and carries a lot of stuff. As I’ve said previously, my next bicycle purchase will probably be an e-bike, but in the immortal words of Aragorn in the “Lord of the Rings,” “it is not this day.”

I have posted the question with which I started this blog post on several different bikefishing and hunting Facebook groups. It will be interesting to see what kind of response, if any, I get back in return. If it happens, you’ll read about it here.

Keep the rubber side down!

The Cogburn: Fat-bikes, E-bikes, and Fair Chase Part 1

QBP Photo

Way back in 2013, before Rambo came out of the Backcountry like a Quiet Cat, somebody at Quality Bicycle Products (QBP), the Minnesota-based 600-pound gorilla of the bicycling industry came up with an idea. Essentially, it was, “let’s design and market a fat-bike for sportsmen.” QBP was the parent company of both Surly, creator of the Pugsley, and Salsa, with it’s fat-bike entry, the Mukluk, both of which were regarded as bicycles with their 4-inch-wide tires primarily to be ridden on snow or sand. They had been around for a few years at this point and were starting to gain acceptance for other types of riding such as commuting and long-range bicycle travel. What the folks at Q envisioned was a wide-tired mountain bike with a sturdy frame, solid rims (wheels) where the Pugsley and Mukluk boasted weight saving rims with holes between the spokes, a robust, reliable drivetrain, and a RealTree ® camouflage paint job. They called it the Cogburn.

The Cogburn drew its name from the tough, fearless one-eyed US Marshal Ruben J. “Rooster” Cogburn played by John Wayne, Jeff Bridges, and Warren Oates in the three variations of Charles Portis’ Western novel, “True Grit.” Cogburn brand manager Bobby Dahlberg said that the name was meant to evoke the spirit of Rooster Cogburn, “a rough-and-tumble guy who gets it done.” Quality’s own advertising for the brand called the bike, “a human powered all-terrain vehicle (ATV) built to take hunters, anglers and foragers quickly and quietly further into the backcountry.” They introduced the brand at Minnesota’s Game Fair, promoting its backcountry capability with T-shirts emblazoned with a deer head and gear cog motif, and the insignia of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) on the sleeve, the sale of which generated a two-dollar donation to BHA for every shirt sold.

QBP Photo

The volunteer mountain bike patrol that I belonged to (and still do) had been gifted two Surely Pugsleys, so I was familiar with fat-bikes. I had seen the Cogburn at Game Fair, bought one of the T-shirts and camo ball cap with the logo embroidered on it, (I still have both) but it wasn’t until the Winter Camping Symposium the following October that I was actually able to ride one. It was “love at first ride.” With its upright seating position and longer wheelbase, the Cogburn was a joy to ride. I’ve said elsewhere in this blog that two years earlier I had purchased a custom-built mountain bike, and it’s a great bike built for the rigors of bike patrol and emergency medical services. But, if the Cogburn had been introduced two years earlier, I probably never would have bought the patrol bike. I ordered one shortly after arriving home from the symposium, and took delivery at the end of December, just after Christmas.

It’s been said more than once that I put the “angler” into Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the national public lands and waters advocacy organization that I had been part of for several years before the Cogburn came out. Indeed, initially my bike was used to access backcountry streams and lakes, but it was such a great ride that it quickly became my primary mountain bike. Although I have great fellow feelings for both gun and archery hunting, I am not a hunter. I use the Cogburn to seek trout.

There were some very good magazine articles, videos, and even some syndicated TV programs that featured the Cogburn in its native environment. Publications as diverse as “Petersons Hunting,” “Wheels Afield,” “Bicycling,” and “Outside” featured stories about the Cogburn. The bikes appeared on several different episodes of "My Outdoor TV" streaming service. Word got out, and sports men and women responded positively.

Sadly, the Cogburn’s run lasted only a few years. In October of 2017, just four years after it was introduced, QBP announced on social media that they were shutting down the Cogburn program, thanking those of us who had bought the bikes for our support and wishing us the best. While it was never revealed the exact cause for the shutdown, marketing pressures being what they are, what had been a unique niche had attracted competitors, and many of those utilized pedal-assist electric motors. Where the Cogburn could get you farther, faster, and with minimum impact, E-bikes did the same thing, expended less human energy, and came in a variety of camouflage paint jobs.

I know that it’s been a while since I posted here, weather-wise, it’s been a very strange spring and early summer. The nearly snowless winter we went through was followed by rain of near-biblical proportions. So much so that it’s been difficult to even get out and ride, although I did my annual Lewis and Clark 5K fundraiser on my road bike in May and other short rides. Hopefully, the rest of the summer will see drier conditions, not so much as to bring back the drought that experts had predicted after the lack of snow this winter, but enough to get in rides and fishing between the raindrops. In my next piece, coming soon, I will discuss the issue of “fair chase” and bikes in the backcountry. One of the issues that has risen up with the popularity of e-bikes is the use of them to take wild game. I’m still doing my research on this to determine if the problem is genuine or just overblown, or a bit of both. As an angler, it’s not really an issue for me, but as a cyclist, a conservationist, and a retired park ranger it is. I’ll be looking into it more the next few weeks and I’ll get back to you.

Wishing you dry trails and tight lines.

Stream Trout Opener

 Minnesota Stream Trout Opener, (Clover) Hay Creek, St. Croix State Park, Cloverdale (Hinckley), MN. Water level: Moderately high Temperature: 46-48°F (Measured 3x) Air Temperature: 79°F. Wind: S 10-15 MPH, Gusts 25.

1 rise, no strikes, Badger Tenkara UNC w/ hare's ear nymph.

Bikefishing for Trout

 

Get Ready for the Big Day!

 

Countdown to Stream Trout Opener: Only Two Days!

 

Three More Days Until Opener!

 

Countdown to Trout Tuesday

 

Countdown to Trout Opener

 

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Rendezvous Update

 

IMPORTANT RENDEZVOUS UPDATE:
This year Rendezvous will now take place at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis, MN, on April 18-20, marking the first time our annual gathering will be held outside the northern Rockies.⁠
⁠
This is a venue change from our initial announcement. President and CEO Patrick Berry shares, "We weren’t comfortable with the somewhat surprising prohibition on safely displayed firearms, knives, and other tools of the trade for hunters and anglers. In keeping with BHA’s steadfast commitment to both the core constituency of the BHA community as well as some our corporate partners, we unapologetically decided to find a new location where we could enjoy Rendezvous in our distinctive way.”⁠
⁠
More information to come, but grab your tickets now at https://rendezvous.backcountryhunters.org/