…and the future?

From what is believed to be the first fly fishing book in the English language, the author, a nun, wrote:

“For by cause that the samon is the moost stately fyssh that ony man maye angle to in fresshe water. Therefore I purpose to begyn at hym. The samon is a gentyll fysshe: but he is comborous for to take. For comynly he is but in depe places of grete ryures. And for the more parte he holdyth the myddys of it: that a man maye not come at hym.” – Dame Juliana Berners (attributed), Treatyse of Fysshynge with an Angle, 1496. 

That quotation appeared in the book Atlantic Salmon – An illustrated natural history, by Roderick Sutterby and Dr. Malcom Greenhalgh, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, USA, 2005. The book’s conclusion is titled “…and the future?”

“Provided we continue to improve the quality of salmon rivers, as has been done over the last two or three decades, the future of the Atlantic salmon lies in the Atlantic Ocean itself. There are three possible scenarios:

1.       The oceanic climate continues in its present state. If this occurs, salmon mortality at sea will remain fairly high, especially for fish that would otherwise have returned as MSW salmon. Our efforts to improve the fresh water habitat will result in improved smolt production in rivers. If governments can be persuaded to regulate the salmon farming industry (to reduce sea louse infestations and escapees), we will see runs increase in some rivers and reduced genetic contamination of wild salmon populations.

2.       The oceanic climate improves. If this happens, salmon survival at sea could improve dramatically and match that of the 1960’s. If, as well as this, we continued to improve river habitats, and if the problems associated with salmon farming can be addressed, salmon populations could flourish as they have not done in recent history.

3.       The oceanic climate worsens. Were this to occur, Salmo salar could easily become extinct – everywhere.

If the third of these scenarios were to become a reality, I wouldn’t hold out much hope for Homo sapiens either! But I am an optimist.”

I’m an optimist as well, but, my feeling is that if we lay back and do nothing, nothing is what we’ll get. Now, here’s a great trout fly by the talented angler and fly tyer Lowell Kaiser of Port Bickerton, NS. It is called the Grey Ghost, a smelt imitation originated by Mrs. Carrie G. Stevens of Rangeley, Maine, in 1924. 

Grey Ghost (Lowell Kaiser sea-trout version)

Thread:                      UTC G.S.P. 50 Denier black thread

Hook:                          Mustad 34011 saltwater streamer hook, size 2, 4, 6.

Tag:                            Oval silver tinsel

Rib:                             Oval silver tinsel

Body:                          Orange floss

Throat:                        A few strands of peacock herl and a golden pheasant crest curving upward toward the body

Wing:                          Two grey cock saddle hackles tied back-to-back

Cheeks:                     Silver pheasant

Head:                         Black thread finished with glossy head cement

Please stay on the line …