Going Tight in Gabon

Add another destination to the bucket list.

Light Tackle and Fly Fishing in Gabon with Tourette Fishing.

Frozen in Time

Magnetic North

Magnetic North tells the story of the draw of Alaska, told through the voices of guides and anglers who live and work there. For anyone who has spent time in the Last Frontier, you know that there is an intangible connection to the land, wildlife, water, and culture. Magnetic North focuses beyond the incredible fishing by presenting the human attraction and intrinsic connection to this truly wild place.

The 5-part web series showcases the variety of landscape, fisheries, and adventure in Alaska. Four distinct locations are featured including a float trip in remote Southwest Alaska, a fly out adventure in Bristol Bay, a trip down the Upper Kenai River, and an incredible heli-fish experience in the Tordrillo Mountains. These world-class adventures together embody the spirit of the Alaska experience.

Magnetic North gives a taste of the dream of Alaska and its alluring pull.

See all the episodes for Magnetic North.

Fly Fishing Wallpaper

Spruce up your desktop with some fly fishing themed wallpaper from Yellow Dog.

You Dropped a Bomb on Me

While well known to anglers around the globe as a tropical fishing paradise, Christmas Island also played a starring role in the testing of the hydrogen bomb and subsequent efforts to ban nuclear testing.

Between 1957 and 1962, the island played involuntary host to 30 nuclear explosions conducted by the British and U.S. militaries. Code-named Operation Grapple, Britain’s tests at Christmas and neighboring Malden Island ranged from a 3,000-kiloton explosion 8,200 feet in the air and far out to sea, to a 24-kiloton balloon-suspended air burst over land. For reference the bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a yield of 15-kilotons.

For reasons of economy and logistics, the later bomb drops were carried out off Christmas Island itself rather than over the distant Malden Island, the eyewitness descriptions of theses tests and their aftermath is chilling.

A partial test ban treaty signed in 1963 put an end to testing in the area but the cleanup of debris and the question of radioctive contamination is still being debated today. It wasn't until 2007 that the British Ministry of Defense completed a clean-up operation and 3,500 tons of scrap vehicles and equipment were removed.

Thousands of serviceman who took part in the bomb tests sued the British Govermnent for compensation for illnesses they attribute to exposure to the radioactive fallout. In March of 2012 the British High Court ruled their suit could not go forward.

Janes Resture has a number of pages and photo galleries dedicated to the history of the Christmas Island bomb tests.

ODFW 2013 Winter Steelhead Guide

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently released its 2013 Winter Steelhead Guide.

The guide offers novice steelhead anglers an overview of where and when to fish during the upcoming winter steelhead season. For more experienced anglers, the guide also includes updates on access and regulations, and lists other changes that could affect fishing.

LINK (via: Outdoor Hub)