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Updated 2004-11-12 Swedish version |
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Updated 2004-11-12 Swedish version |
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| Column nr. 11 2004 | |
CLEAN WATER CHAMPIONS "By adverting to
the dignity of this high calling, Edmund Burke 1729-1797 This north America once vast untouched wilderness existing in a complete state less then three hundred years ago, has undergone dramatic negative metamorphoses since Mr. Burkes time! Unbridled growth and unchecked industrialization has eaten up vast tracks of wilderness without much control over clean water issues for fly fishers or anyone else that drinks clean water. Champions of clean water and river, stream restoration come in all sizes, shapes and political persuasions, old established groups and the unsung pure wild water hero’s who are the little guys who own and manage thousands of private acres kept pristine. The great state of California has many thousands of remote acres few can imagine. Crystal clear fly waters exist year around full of healthy fat trout and salmon if you know the right rich people of course.
Yes, damage does exist and large rivers are in a constant state of siege over where the water flows. Groups like Caltrout with its distinguished record of success saving and enhancing many rivers, a glorious history, contact www.caltrout.com. The Sierra Club known world over for its dedicated work helping to save wild habitat is heart felt by all sportsmen, contact www.sierraclub.com. and Trout Unlimited. Charles F. Gavin President & CEO, a get things done kind of guy. Trout Unlimited has helped reshape the "Farm Bill", advocated barbless hooks in New Hampshire, spotlighted and reacted to help end in some places wild trout stocking that endangers spawning brook trout (all trout photos from T.U. 2005 calender) Contact www.tu.org.
Trout Unlimited has been around since 1959 with over 130,000 members, its main goals are; water flows, in stream flows, organizing sportsmen and woman to conserve public lands, Pacific and Atlantic Salmon, wild native and salmon conservation. This group actually completes projects and follows through on long term commitments that impact water quality and fish habitat. A group that advocates protecting pristine wild fish sanctuaries by cleaning them and restoring original flows hampered by mining equipment and old railroad material. Watershed restoration is of the highest priority if we are to turn the tide back toward a more balanced stewardship of this nations remaining watersheds. A special thanks to all the non profits who work on water quality issues, I look forward to awarding my second Annual Joel Blanco Clean Water Cup this spring, the cup was created to honor Berkeley California fifth grader Joel Blanco for taking action and leading an effort to clean a small creek that runs at his middle school.
There are also private citizens who are setting high standards in maintaining wild habitat where both wild and second, third, fourth generation trout thrive in perfect water never above 48 degrees constantly flowing year round. Diggercreek located about forty miles from Redding California owned by Jim Tomkin’s is a pristine trout habitat The Duke of Diggercreek has created a fly fishers utopia with several large natural fed ponds and hand dug meanders that can challenge any fly fisher, the Dukes meanders rival those in Scotland or Ireland! Diggercreek sits in a natural valley where perfect water flows and all 600 acres are flat and perfect for fly fishers looking for wild lush habitat and serious big fish, constant year round hatches of all California bugs. Diggercreek itself runs on the property and can be waded. This private trout sanctuary is equipped with a 100 year old lodge built with old growth and pine. I had the place to myself for a night and was up on fish at 530am, no one in sight, only rain drops and ducks, one very large racked buck walked by. Guests could not be more pampered and the fly fishing is superb year around. Contact Jim Tompkin’s at www.diggercreekranch.com.
"ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL"
"Not all the
water in the rough rude sea Shakespear, Richard 2nd Only minutes before the celebrity strewn dinner only chefs of Ravens Haven caliber could conjure an odd incident set the evening’s tone. "Say Quill old boy did I or did I not just witness a veritable army of wee tiny lads and lassies in party get up strolling right through your castle foyer and then disappearing right into the rock walls?" "Yeah, this means something huge has just happened and we will shortly hear know doubt?" Timba has been bolting and skidding across all the highly polished marble castle floors rugs going everywhere, then the red phone appears like Boris Karloff or Slick Brainy on a rainy dark night! "Son. Lets talk about you running that Dept of Interior deal we were discussing, looks like I fooled em again, four more glorious years of my Texas dialect New Yorker Magazine fancy ass patter hey Quill. Now how do you pronounce nuclar or that other dam tongue twister humilty r homelier, you know the one winners always use?" "I told ya, I was with ya weather you crashed and landed back in Midland sellingyour library bonds or lecturing with Phil? I do hope we can spring our little Martha in time for spring planting sir, and maybe now we can get my good buddy and the best fly tyer I know a position maybe keeping and eye on lake Michigan for two million a year, Jason could use the help, you know he just got hitched, and one more thing Mr. President." "Hold on son, wow, put Sharon on the line again pronto." "Yes sir, you rang?" "Honey I want you tell Martha to pack her long johns and get ready for freedom back in her garden by Christmas, Now you will be at my Thanksgiving dinner with Quill. Put that mad flyman I mean Mr. Secretary back on sweety." Now a contingent of both newly arrived space aliens and the king of the little people who inhabit the Fairy Mound are standing and demanding to be put on speaker phone. "Mr. President we have come to an agreement with the little people who live underground in all the worlds countries, by the way we like them much better then the rest of you pathetic Earthling Sheep. When was the last time any of came up with an original thought? We of the Blue Universe have been studying you creatures for many years and have decided not to take over your planet as planned, instead we will compromise. If you give us all of California and let only our selves the little people and the true owners of that golden state north American Indians rule it and cultivate California as an international gambling Mecca. This will make up for your ancestors destroying the Indians, lying to them, stealing their land etc." "Done deal Oopoo baby, nothing gives me more pleasure except making Quill new Secretary of the Interior, you want California, you got it!" "Sharon here, but sir, I make movies out there and all those wonderful shops and beaches and" "Dry those eyes movie star peepers sweety, I got much bigger plans for you and Quill helping me and Slick Brainy organize the first Arctic deep Northern Bear Hunt on my oil friends brand new roads getting paved as we speak." Suddenly the sound of a powerful super fast Hollywood type chopper descending on Ravens Haven roof can only be the Govonator and his in shape low body fat are crew now about to find out The Cowboy has just given away his state and govonator status as well. Good thing ARRRnold is an action hero in real life and will quickly rebound like Spiderman off a Teflon wall baby. "Fletcher Quill San Francisco’s protigal long lost poet son turned inetrnational diplomat presidential advisor, is that the sound of our fearless leader on that speaker phone?" "Hows my favorite campaigner mr. Terminator, now did I not pronouce that rightly boys? Mr. TERMINATOOOR. Looks like your quest for my office will have to take a DETOURRRRRRR little buddy, had to anti up your California or risk loosing the whole 49 other religous settlements. I mean states! Now before you go getting that 12 gauge or pull up bar , I got a few ideas that might wet your rule the world whistle their Mr.Kindergarten Cop, loved that flick." "You must be joking, I just got the hang of lying and pretending to be moderate while threatening to grab another bulls— ballot propostion and all that jazz, Sharon get that flabby ass over here girlfriend!" "Hey between you and too good looking Gavin Nusiense running San Fran, I get nothing but the heebie jeebies thinking what either of you boys might come up with next, now I got space aliens and by by California baby, your outta there and sooner the better you iron pumpin cartoon character." The mood quickly changes when the castle lights grow dim and another rather ancient authoritarian voice not unlike Johnny Gielgud reciting Lear, "All of your souls in this great room know my name and my voice, I’m Dagda spirit chief of all Irelands gods and spirits, this castle sits on a portion of my sacred Fairy Mound therefore I must intervene in your sad affairs earth spirits. My great palace Sidh of Brug na Boinne still exists here though cannot be seen by your poor earth eyes. Now you space aliens have not delt with my confidants Thor, Zeus, Artemis, and all the other historic spirit rulers of this grand planit. You sir will get your vibrating ugly as- looking blue colored self and your associates and get the he– off my planet or you will instantly become rocks for the next ten thousand years, your call I have other work to do." "Dagda you doll, thank god real men exist somewhere in this ugly world!" "Sharon if might comment, Fletcher Q uill boy you do throw insane dinners- how about we get out the guitars, cowbells, drums, and let Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, take this gathering to new place, how about that my fellow American’s?" Aliens put in their place? Will the Govonator find a new gig?
Read about Fletcher Quill in earlier chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Written by Dan
Fallon © 2004 For Dan Fallon's earlier
and later columns; visit the table of contents
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