Stop Pardee Expansion

Act Now to Save the Mokelumne River from Proposed Pardee Expansion

East Bay MUD has announced its intent to expand Pardee Reservoir as part of its latest water plan. The expansion would flood the entire Middle Bar reach of the Mokelumne and nearly a mile of the Mokelumne above Highway 49. These miles of river are popular for fishing and kayaking, and used by local people and visitors to our area.

The expanded Pardee would flood nearly a mile of the Mokelumne found eligible for designation as a National Wild and Scenic River by the Bureau of Land Management.

EBMUD is including the Pardee expansion in its plan to help meet its water needs in dry years. Conservationists believe EBMUD can meet those needs in other ways – by adopting higher conservation standards, using the water it will soon obtain from the American River, and by other less destructive means.

Tell East Bay MUD you care about the Mokelumne River

The Mokelumne River is an iconic part of our area. For thousands of years, it was home to native people. In the Gold Rush, it was popular prospecting and settlement site. Later, it was home to some of the earliest hydroelectric development in the state.

Now people take their kids there for family picnics and to learn about the nature. Locals fish, swim, pan for gold, watch birds, and walk there. Others kayak, raft and inner tube the river. Still more visit its historic sites, including the Middle Bar Bridge. And the river draws anglers and paddlers from elsewhere who spend money in our local businesses.

But EBMUD thinks it's OK to drown more of our river and historic and cultural sites rather than ask East Bay residents to save more water in dry periods.

They need to know you disagree.

These shots were taken at the Meeting in Amador County on Monday. 

Over 150 Amador and Calaveras area residents turned out to show opposition to the project.   Way more than the little room EBMUD chose for the meeting could hold.  
Chris Wright from the Foothill Conservancy made it very clear that they do NOT support this proposal.  

So far, Friends of the River, The Foothill Conservancy, The Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited, Oars rafting company and hundreds of individual local residents have spoken out to show their opposition to the proposal.  You should speak up as well.  Mail or e-mail comments to Tom Francis at EBMUD today.  

Letters with Comments for EBMUD must be emailed by April 6, 2009 and sent to:

Thomas B. Francis

Tfrancis@ebmud.com

375 11th Street MS 407

Oakland, CA 94607

Learn more on this issue at:

http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=InterviewMikeyWeir

or

www.foothillconservancy.org/pardee

FISH EYE 4 "Through Anglers Eyes"

Available Now!!

FISH EYE 4 "Through Anglers Eyes" from Mikey Wier on Vimeo.

Featuring:

California Backcountry- Follow along with David Lass from Trout Unlimited, Bernard Yin from the Fisherman’s spot, Joe Nosek and Mikey Wier on an epic down hike deep into the California Wilderness. Along the journey they encounter bears, sleep on rocks and find some huge trout that have never seen people before. When temped with streams, these fish go crazy. You’ll have to just watch to see what happens next.

Trinity River- The 07/08 steelhead season on the Trinity was Legandary. It was an amazing season that guides and clients will be talking about for years to come. In this installment we were lucky to capture one of the best days of the year with Jon Copeland, Jason Lozano, Kevin Price, Tom Faukner and Slim.

Bass N Fly Challenge- Come ride along on a high speed adventure in the Bass boat of Robert Johnson as he and Mikey Wier compete in the first fly rod only bass competition on the San Joaquin Delta.

Panama- This is a fun, action packed segment filmed during an exploratory fishing and surf expedition through some of the most remote coastlines and outer islands of Panama. Join Mikey as he catches Tuna, Dorado, Skip Jack, Snapper and Roosterfish off the coast and Peacock Bass in the Jungle of this Central American fishing Mecca.

Super Hopper Dropper- This highly instructive and informative segment shows how to rig and fish Mikey’s Super Hopper Dropper set up featuring the Hoppicator and Trout Candy nymph collection. This innovative system will help you fish for Trout more effectively without split shots or conventional indicators.

Trout Tips with T-Bone- Long time fly-fishing guide Trevor Wine gives a guides eye clinic on rigging and fishing a multiple knot hopper double dropper system that is easy to change flies and depths quickly for different river conditions. Learn some of Trevor’s secrets and have a laugh or two in this funny and informative segment.

TU California- Trout Unlimited is a cold water conservation organization working to protect Americas last best places. Check out some of the work the dedicated California Chapter of Trout Unlimited is doing to insure that we will have healthy stocks of fish in their native water for future generations to enjoy.

Pick up a copy today at:  http://www.burlproductions.com

Tin Shed-Mewuk Canyon

The new Tin Shed just launched on Patagonia's website.  This installment features a short video clip from Burl Productions called Mewuk Canyon.  It's a segment from FISH EYE 4 "Through Anglers Eyes".  The video takes you along on a hiking trip deep into the backcountry of California with Dave Lass of Trout Unlimited, Rock Star Bernard Yin, Joe Nosek and Me .   We didn't know quite what we were getting ourselves into when we left.  It turned out to be one of the most brutal hikes ever!!  The hike in is about 15 miles with a 4,500 foot elevation change.  The last 4 miles there was no trail at all and we were just bush whacking and taking bear trails.   That was the easy part.  Hiking back out was the hard part.  Bernard and Joe took two days to hike out and were consequently picked up by a friend at the top of the canyon.  Dave and I stayed an extra day to fish more and ended up hiking the whole way out in one day!! Then we had to ride mountain bikes another 16 miles to where my car was parked!!!  Insane mission but well worth it to see one of California's most pristine canyons and trout that have never seen people.   

I called the segment Mewuk Canyon after the Mewuk peoples that used to live in that area.  There is evidence of their society everywhere.  Grinding stones, arrow heads and old fire rings.  You can feel the energy in air and almost hear their spirits talking to you in the wind.  It's a wild feeling.  

Make sure you check out the whole line up on the Tin Shed.  There's surfing, rock climbing, skiing and more.  Mine is probably the worst one in there.  There's a couple really nice trailers for different up coming films this year.  Lots of good work being done out there documenting our planet.  

Check it out

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/tinshed/index.jsp?ln=240

Trout Trek

The Trout Unlimited show, On the Rise featuring Dave Lass, John Roberts, Richard Anderson and myself fishing with Frank Smethhurst on the Little Truckee aired this weekend.  I don't have a T.V. and haven't seen it yet, but i got some nice comments from some of my friends who did see it.  

Here's a comment form Vance, a hard core trout fisherman who travels around the country in search of the ultimate trout and posts his adventures on youtube under trouttrek.  

"Just saw you on TUTV w/Frank! Nice work and nice Brownie (twice).  Keep up the awesome footage and the fight for wild places. You are one of the "good guys!" 

Thanks Vance!!

Granite Camo

More Granite camo photos from the high country.  

Having the right gear can make a big difference between a sucessful day and a long day of trying.  Being able to blend with your surrounding can sometimes be the ticket to fooling a stealthy brown.  

Color isn't the only factor in determining what your going to wear on a day out to the lake or river.  Think about how much your going to be casting, walking wading or climbing.  Think about being comfortable outside during varying wether conditions that can occur.  
The Soul Patrol shirt is my favorite for these types of conditions.  It's light but durable and blocks the sun while not sticking to me and making me sweat while I'm climbing or hiking.   

Photos by: Megan Smith

Here's a better look at the Patagonia Fishing 09 Catalog.  Check out all the latest styles and gear from team fish.  It's eco friendly and downloadable.  

Get your own - Open publication

Late Season Lake Fishing

When the leaves start to fall off the trees and the first snow falls, can be a good time to get some late season fishing in the high country.  Sunny days are the best for spotting fish cruising the shore looking for some last meals before the lake ices over.  It's a tough game because very often the fish see you first.  I like to try to dress to blend with the surroundings as best possible.  When presenting a dry fly to a weary fish, you need all the advantages you can get.  

The Patagonia 09 fishing line has some great granite camo color ways.  Check out the line at: 

http://issuu.com/patagoniaflyfishing/docs/catalog/3?mode=embed&documentId=090120235258-0ad6f948da064884bf4e11cd2c2792ec&layout=grey
A stealthy and observant approach can yield nice brown trout on a dry flie.  
Just one of the cool old cabins off of Hwy 88.  
Tall Juniper tree basking in the late fall sun.  
This is the mother tree.  She's the second biggest juniper tree in the world. 

Winter X games

Elijah Teter takes 4th in the super pipe at winter X.  Check out the sticker.  Elijah was representing SOULFISH and holding it down for the crew here in S. Lake Tahoe.  

SOULFISH stickers help with extra boost.  
Hannah and Elijah holding it down for the Teter Clan.    Hannah got 3ed for the women at this years winter X.