KirkSouthTrout

The first ST "Legends of the Fly" Hall of Fame inductions will occur this February 3rd at the Fly Fishing Show in Atlanta, GA. Six well-known southern fly fishermen are grandfathered in the Hall of Fame, and voting to determine the six inductees is underway between now and the end of the year. Go to hhtp://www.southerntrout.com/hall-of-fame/ to learn more or vote.

The July/August issue of Southern Trout Magazine is up for viewing atwww.southerntrout.com according to its editor, Jeff Kirk. “Since the first issue of Southern Trout we have gone from 67 to 100 pages,” says Kirk. “Southern Trout remains the only publication anywhere with an editorial focus that is 100 percent on trout fishing in the South. It’s tough to beat the cost of Southern Trout, as now as always, it is free.” Southern Trout Magazine: Distilling fishing for trout since 1959

Prompted by the announcement of the discovery of the bronzeback trout, a consortium of environmental groups has petitioned government agencies mandated to enforce the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to expedite efforts to verify the existence of the bronzeback trout and to move preemptively to preserve critical habitat areas of these fish. At the center of the controversy is a move by Southern Trout Magazine to designate a popular game fish, the smallmouth bass, as the bronzeback trout. Fan of fishing for the bronzeback trout have overwhelmingly favored this noting that it has only been in recent times the rainbow trout was reclassified as Oncorhynchus mykiss when for over a century it was listed as Salmo irideus. “We anticipated some raised brows at our decision to reclassify the bronzeback trout for purely editorially related reasons, but we had no idea this was such a volatile issue,” says Jeff Kirk, editor of Southern Trout Magazine. “It is especially odd when you consider that a few years back the federal government reclassified catsup from the condiment to a vegetable. Would a rose by any other name still smell as sweet?

Fished Bald River (below the campground). Creek is silly with wild rainbows. Above the campground there is lots of brook trout. Had great success on Little River Ant. Did not see another angler the first day, then one the second. It was like old times although trout fishermen appear to be more fashion conscious than in the old days. Do any of you old timers have any thoughts on that, or do I just dress like a hobo when fishing?

Veteran outdoor writer, Soc Clay recently agreed to join the Southern Trout Magazine team as columnist. The July/August issue of the publication will feature his first installment of “Mountain Musings” which will be a reflection of his life spent fishing the waters of the South. Perhaps the most revered active outdoor writer in the country, Soc was first published in Field & Stream and Outdoor Life magazines in the 1950s. He was one of the first members of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, served as director for the Outdoor Writers Assoc. of America, founder of the Kentucky Outdoor Press Assoc. and is an inductee of both the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and The Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame. He is a Poet Laureate of Kentucky. “Convincing my old mentor to allow us to publish his stories is a real high water mark for Southern Trout Magazine,” says publisher, Don Kirk, who has been a close friend and associate of Clay since the meet on Hazel Creek in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in the mid-1970s. “Soc is an old school story teller with a perchance for mischief that he has never outgrown. We are of the same tribe as the saying goes.” A lifelong resident of South Shore, Kentucky, Soc Clay is not only an award winning writer, but is universally acknowledged as a dean of outdoor photographers as well. Over the years his photography has graced the covers of scores of magazines including 11 of 12 issues of the fabled BASSMASTER Magazine in one year!. His latest book SOC CLAY’S MAD TRAPPER SOURDOUGH BAKING BOOK, portrays the romantic history of the use of sourdough starters and recipes used to sustain the rugged men and women of the Gold Rush periods in Alaska. It is the most complete authority for the use of sourdough in baking in the world (www.Whitefish Press.com) .

"The world of fly fishing is changing fast ïn Dixie," says Jeff Kirk, editor of Southern Trout Magazine. "However, nothing prepared us for the discovery of the bronzeback trout in the waters of Tennessee." Kirk is referring to recent decisions made to include the game fish that was formerly known to most as the smallmouth bass, as an honorary member of the Southern Trout family. "The bronzeback trout will have full editorial honors, privileges and content coverage as is afforded to the rainbow, brown and brook trouts," says Kirk. "This change of status for the bronzeback trout enables us to maintain our strict policy that Southern Trout Magazine is the only publication in the world devoted exclusively to trout fishing in the South.

The first Southern Trout newsletter mailed June 4th. If you would like to know more about it or sign up for free, go to www.southerntrout.com Cheers, Don Kirk

Iron skillet on open flames--Don Kirk talks about campfire cooking live on Sirius/XM channel 106 this Saturday (6/2/12) at 8:00am ET. Join in the fun and call in to say good morning to the Interstate Sportsman on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, channel 106-THE ROAD DOG. The subject this week is iron skillet cookery on open flames--Don Kirk talks about campfire cooking live on Sirius/XM channel 106 this Saturday (6/2/12) at 8:00am ET

Roger Lowe, who is arguably the best tyer in western North Carolina, has re-released his book, Roger Lowe’s Fly Pattern Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains; 101 Traditional Fly Patterns. A gorgeous, full color 11”x 9” title, I for one am exceedingly pleased that Roger is back in the fold. The book retails for $20 plus shipping from the author. You can reach Roger at Loweguideserivce@charter.net. If you want to know what correctly tied flies such as the Sheep Fly, Secret Weapon or George’s Nymph look like, this attractive book is a must inclusion to your southern trout fishing library. Roger Lowe has also agreed to author the Fly Tying Column that will appear in the next issue (July/August) of Southern Trout Magazine. He brings a tremendous store of fly tying knowledge to the pages of this new online magazine. Your can see the magazine free at www.southerntrout.com dk

Hi everyone. My name is Don Kirk. I have been an avid trout fisherman since 1959. I look forward to getting to know other board members. I live in Montevallo, AL, but home is East Tennessee. I grew up in a place called Morristown. The waters of GSMNP, Cherokee National Forest, and TVA tailwaters such as the South Holston, Clinch and Little T is where I cut my teeth. Check out my first attempt at a free, online Southern only Trout Magazine at www.SouthernTrout.com/mag. Tell me what you think! I look forward to the give and take about Southern Trout fishing.