Been meaning to do brief interweb recount of recent mission to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina -- where every long-forgot fast-food chain in the country continues to thrive, as do a multitude of fish species in the unbelievably beautiful salt marshes and coastlines.

Photo: Fishing on the Elwha prior to Aldwell Dam. NPS.

For anyone who has been paying attention, you knew it was coming. Given the ESA listing for Puget Sound Chinook, bull trout and wild steelhead -- and a clear conflict between the science of their recovery and a $16M tribal hatchery scheduled for operation post dam removal -- it was only a matter of time before someone tied on a lawyer pattern and cast into the fray.

We have to admit we are partial, here among the FFJ SMOTM judging coven, to the micro bucketmouths out there. How can you say no to a face like that? For his basstastic efforts, we are proud to award Rob Yaskovic the coveted Smolt of the Month award for August 2011 for his Garden State largemouth. Hold your head and your tiny hog high, Mr. Yaskovic, you went small instead of went home.

Epic.

And say what's up to Snooki for us.

Although salmon season threatens to derail everything during late summer/early fall, we at FFJ are committed to bringing you all the small. With several fine specimens to consider for August smolt of the month, our illustrious judges will convene and return with an SMOTM winner next week.

Fall is prime smolting time folks, get out there and get tiny. Send 'em in. Win stuff from  Kleen Kanteen and FFJ. Stay Radical.

We're outta here to go chase some rather non-smolt Chinooks.

The black ops SMOTM judging committe has met and discussed in the bunker next to the FFJ heli pad. After a few days of determined deliberation and intense Power Pointing, the traditional large puff of smoke emerged from the compound signalling a chosen winner...

Check out the July Smolt of the Month entrants; the judges will be convening, um, right after, the, uh, NW summer salmon run slows down. Right after.

Winner announced Tues, Aug 9th.

For the last several summers, we've been carefully watching the retention pond next to our Area 542 Funny Feelings LLC (FFJ publisher) headquarters, as mergansers, herons and other fisher birds occassionally gulped down small fish. Unsure as to the species, or even if they were surviving each year, I would load up the three weight and cast out small bugs, terrestrials, little poppers and each summer, there were no takers.