Marmot Dam 2008

Marmot Dam 2008 - After The Fact
Patty and I took a tour of the Marmot Dam Site 02/06/08 with PGE fishery biologist, Doug Cramer. The dismantling of Marmot Dam started in July of 2007 and by September the spillway and fish ladder had been removed from the river. This fifty foot tall structure was the largest dam ever removed from a river in Oregon. Below are some pictures so you can compare what the river looked like before and after the dam was removed. The coffer dam was breached on October 19, 2007. The major gravel bed load shift happened in the first seven days.
You can click on each picture to get an enlarged view.

One of the biggest worries was that the large amounts of sediments stacked up behind Marmot Dam would be released down the river and have detrimental effects on fish habitat. ODFW even captured a significant number of wild Sandy River Fall Chinooks and spawned them artificially as a hedge against a disaster form sedimentation released by the dam removal. This is the first hatchery rearing of Sandy River Fall Chinooks since 1977.  This may have been a prudent move against extinction, but completely unnecessary as most the gravel and sand that was trapped behind the dam has only moved about a mile and a half since the dam was taken down.  So far all the effects from removing the dam look positive. PGE has documented every step of the dam removal process. This should take a lot of the guess work out of taking down similar dams in the future. You can find many interesting facts at marmotdam.com.

NEW! 2200 Series Traveler Vise
This handsome new addition to the Renzetti product line offers you the great features of the proven Traveler Series, but with incremental improvements, such as a longer lasting finish, and a 7 inch stem for the added comfort of a higher tying plane. The Traveler Vise is a true rotary vise which will handle all hooks from #28 to #4/0 with exceptional gripping power. The Traveler is ideal for taking on trips or to the stream since the C-clamp model only weighs 8 ounces. Many excellent fly tiers use a Traveler as their "only" vise. Novice as well as the experienced tiers will find this vise highly functional and of excellent quality.  True rotary, which means that the hook may be rotated 360 degrees while the shank remains in the same plane. The Traveler 2200 Series has a clear and black industrial grade anodized finish which makes every piece of each vise harder and more rigid. Standard features are a bobbin cradle, case hardened cam jaws, rotary tension screw, and black powder coated base or c-clamp. Features and functions mimic much more expensive vises. Please specify right or left. Hook range #28 to 4/0

Scissor/Pliers

Besides for the bench, the vise is the largest fly tying tool and normally gets the most attention. However, the tier might remember that while hooks, threads and materials can be held in the hands while tying the fly, it might be much less comfortable to trim materials & threads with one's teeth.  Scissors may be the most essential of all the fly tying tools.  Certainly scissors are very important in determining the quality of any fly that is tied.

Get Ready For
The Greatest Spey Rod Party On Earth !!!
The Sandy River Spey Clave, May 17-18, at Oxbow Park on the Sandy River
Free on-the-water demonstrations, free lessons, free food, and the largest collection of spey fishing tackle ever assembled in one place next to running water.  You can touch & try all of it.   Meet all the pros up close and personal.  This years show is expected to draw spectators from both sides of the Atlantic and Pacific.

George was one of the chosen ones to appear in the new epic DVD, Rio's Modern Spey Casting.  It probably won't surprise you that all of the chosen ones for this tutorial DVD have given key presentations at previous Sandy River Spey Claves.  See George Cook, May 17, 10:30am-11:00am and May 18, 1:00pm-1:30pm. 

Nets are elementary tools for landing fish.  In the sport of fly fishing nets are a secondary method for landing fish.  The rod/reel/line are the primary tools.  In this sport many fish are landed without nets.  However, in the sport of trout fishing, nets are often helpful, practical tools for landing fish that are hooked with tiny flies and played on light leaders.  Often the anglers is in a position that the fish may not be beached or grabbed.  The preferred method is to lead the fish over the net and then the net is lifted and the fish sinks into the bag which is supported by a bow.  The more the

fish struggles the deeper it sinks into the net. Nets are essential for landing fish when the angler is in a boat or float tube.  The intended use will influence your choice in size and shape of your net.  Size-range of fish will dictate the size of the net.  Nets used from floating devices usually have longer handles than nets that are used while wading. Nets with rubber bags even though heavier are gaining popularity over nets with mesh bags.  They injure fish less and are easier to clean.  The nets listed here are most useful for landing fish that are under six pounds.