My Introduction To Northwest Coast Native American Art
My Introduction To Northwest Coast Native American Art
I had lived in Vancouver very briefly as a child and it was during that time when I was first exposed to the art of the Northwest Coast Native American Indians. It was the towering colorful totem poles out in Stanley Park that everyone gazed at with wonder and appreciation. It took about 30 years later during a return trip to Vancouver when Northwest Coast Native American art caught my eyes again.I was in Vancouver for business and landed at the city's new airport terminal. One could not help but notice the huge native carvings near the arrivals area. Later on during my stay, I decided to wander around in the Gastown district. It was in these shops and galleries in Gastown where I fell in love with Northwest Coast Native American art. I saw many wonderful wooden plaques representing different animals. There were also art prints, paintings, masks, wooden bowls and even furnature with these animals either painted or carved right into the pieces.The colors and designs, which might be considered a bit exaggerated to non-native eyes, were striking as well as bold. I knew at that time that I wanted to include some of this magnificent artwork on my walls back at home. So I bought two plaque carvings and carried them home like newly found treasure.Historically, the native Indians who lived along the river valleys and coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest were all hunters and gatherers. The region was blessed with abundant resources from both the seas and forests. These people captured in their artwork the animals they hunted and observed. These included bears, killer whales, eagles, ravens, salmons, wolves, hummingbirds and even frogs. Chiefs and mythical characters important in their legends such as thunderbirds were also included as art subjects.Northwest Coast Native American art is just only recently gaining some major attention in some galleries and museums around the world. Compared to other native arts such as Inuit (Eskimo), exposure of Northwest Coast Native American art is still rather limited to the northwest coast of Canada and the United States.This form of artwork is virtually unknown to most parts of the world including many regions of North America. This will hopefully change as more people from around the world travel to Vancouver. The future winter Olympics in 2010 up in Whistler, BC will also have a positive impact on the region's Native Indian art. I personally believe that Northwest Coast Native American art has a lot of potential to be internationally recognized and accepted.Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca), an online gallery specializing in Inuit and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.
Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State
Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State
Tide rips are one of the most common areas to fly fish for salmon at Neah Bay. I'm addicted to fly fishing tide rips for coho salmon in the saltwater. The stronger the current and the rougher the water, the more I love it.Tide rips are a general term used by many people but not always meaning the same thing. Many people define tide rips as where two opposing currents meet. Others define rips as any ripple caused by current on a glassy sea. Both are correct, but I think of tide rips as where huge amounts of water are moving causing the ocean to resemble a river. This can be caused by current crossing a shallow bar or reef (the northern tip of Waadah Island is an example of this) or where a large volume of water is constricted and/or crosses a shallow (or not so shallow) reef. A prime example of the latter is where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean north of Cape Flattery. The water in these areas can go from glass calm to rough in a very short time.The rough water is where I spend most of my time fly fishing the rips. The movement of water is also moving large amounts of feed (mostly baitfish like herring and anchovies) into the tide rips. The fast, turbulent water disorients the bait, making them easy prey for aggressively feeding coho salmon. The salmon use the current as a massive marine conveyer belt that brings them an easy supply of food. The chop on the water also seems to make the salmon less spooky and they will hold in the upper part of the water column, which puts them well within the fly fisherman's reach. All of these factors combined make fly fishing tide rips one of the best experiences in northwest saltwater fly fishing.We've found the conditions that concentrate salmon within reach of our flies. Now we have to enter the prime water. This is where things become interesting. I mentioned the rough water previously, and I must add even more caution to those attempting this type of fishing for the first or even the one hundredth time. Many times, the top end of the tide rip will contain breaking waves, much like rapids in a river. In the beginning start fishing rips that are not as strong. Look for days with less tidal movement to get used to the way your boat drifts and how to cast flies while being tossed around before casting flies in stronger tide rips. A sound boat is necessary. You need a boat that's a minimum of 18' long to deal with the strongest rips. Make sure you have all the safety equipment required and more. Life jackets, VHF radio, and a GPS are absolutely required. Make sure your engine is tuned up and operating properly. This is no place to have a breakdown.Okay, you are now in the rip holding the cork of a fly rod with a baitfish fly pattern in your other hand. What now? It depends a bit on how your boat drifts through the current. My boat drifts straight with the current, but others drift sideways. For me, I cast straight across to up-current a bit. Usually the boat is drifting slower than the current underneath, so casting a fly up current will give the fly more time to sink and still allow you to strip the fly back to the boat across the current. I usually strip the fly back at varying speeds. Often, I'll start the retrieve very fast and then slow it down as the fly gets closer to the boat. I think the initial fast burst gets the coho salmon's attention and the slower strips with pauses is what triggers the coho salmon to strike the fly.The tide rips can also be a great place to try casting poppers for saltwater salmon. Bringing salmon to the surface is a thrill.Of course, an article can only get you so far. Time on the water is the key to being confident fly fishing the saltwater for salmon in Washington State. I hope you will give the Olympic Peninsula a shot for your saltwater fly fishing adventures.Chris Bellows, owner of Topwater Charters, Inc, which runs fly fishing charters off the Washington Coast. His websites offer more information about Saltwater Fly Fishing and Neah Bay Halibut
Fishing Fall Bass – Early Fall Fishing for Bass in the Northwest as the Seasons Change
Fishing Fall Bass - Early Fall Fishing for Bass in the Northwest as the Seasons Change
You have just rolled out of bed, poured you coffee and there it is. You knew it
was coming, but it is real, it is here. What am I talking about? It's not taxes,
the Grim Reaper or even your in-laws coming for an extended stay. It is the first
foggy Fall morning. If you have spent any time in the Northwest you know what
that means. From here on out the weather will never get quite as hot as it did
all summer, and the nights will be cooler. Sure, we may get an Indian Summer and
some nice days, but the fact is, things are cooling off. Now it is time to start
thinking about what that means for our Bass fishing.
With the falling temperatures, Bass will start to build up their Winter reserves.
This can offer some fantastic fishing opportunities if you know what to look for.
Big Bass that have been hiding deep all Summer are now moving up and looking for
as much food as they can. Their feeding periods will also lengthen as the Sun
drops to lower angles. All the better for us!
Most experts would agree that Fall Bass are suckers for the right crank bait.
This means you probably will grab lures that are a little bigger than you have
been using all Summer. The Bass that have made it to Fall are smart and will be
looking for lures that closely match the size and color of the prey fish that
spawned in the Spring. Check out what is in your lake and match up to that. Another
good choice is to grab your top water lures. Again, the big Bass are looking to
load up on food and will be watching for any easy meals above them.
Finding the Bass is of course key. But where are they? The simple answer is, where
the bait fish are. These are most likely going to be found in closer to shore
than they previously were, hanging out in the shallows and around the green plants.
My favorite tactic to find bait fish is to bring along an extra pole rigged with
a small jig and bobber and when I am exploring a lake, drop it out in front of
me and let it sit on a hole before I start throwing my Bass hooks at it. I also
toss it out when I am changing or re-tying lures. If there are bait fish there,
then odds are, the Bass are lurking near by.
Important things to look for are areas where there is cover for the Bass to move
between their deeper holding areas to the shallow feeding areas. Also remember
on cloudy and windy days or in stained water, the Bass may not retreat at all
to their holding areas, but may spend the day feeding in the shallows. Pay attention
to water that is shallower than you would normally expect to find big fish. I
have seen large Bass lurking in water as shallow as one foot.
On bright days or after a cold front has moved in, you will have to go back to their mid-day holding areas to find the Bass. Remember that a cold front will affect the shallow water first and the Bass will most likely hold to the deeper water and its more stable temperatures. In this case, it is time to finesse fish a little bit and work the deeper structure. Remember drop shotting?
Don't think that the falling temperatures means a let up in the Bass fishing. Lunker Bass are waiting for you. Grab yourself an extra pull over and get out there on the water, the fish are waiting!Chris Cliff is a long time fisherman that hails from the remote lands of Northern Idaho, but has now moved to the big city. He and his crew fish the waters of the Northwest filming episodes of their own web based fishing show 'Fishing with Cliff'. You can find it at http://www.FishingWithCliff.com/ and features more great articles, photos, links and of course episodes of their show. Think of it as a fishing show crossed with reality TV.