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September 29, 2006

The Batten Kill: Past, Present, and Future

Manchester, Vermont is ensconced in trout angling history. The quaint town is home to Orvis, the American Museum of Fly Fishing, and the renowned Batten Kill. Unfortunately, the Batten Kill’s celebrated wild brown trout population has declined severely. Restoration efforts are in the works, but the state’s plan to stock the river threatens these efforts and the health of the fishery. I made a pilgrimage to the Batten Kill to meet with the local TUers, learn about the recovery plan, and try my luck in the famous river…

Angling the Batten Kill, VT

The Batten Kill has clean and cold water. Ample spawning gravels and healthy tributaries ensure successful trout reproduction. Strong populations of aquatic insects and forage fish provide a buffet line for the native brook trout and wild brown trout. The Batten Kill has every component of a world class wild trout stream except for one.

If I were running for mayor in Manchester, my motto would be, “It’s the habitat, stupid.” A comprehensive study of every aspect of river health revealed that the Batten Kill lacks the in-stream structures (such as logs, undercut banks, and deep pools) essential for trout survival.

As a result, Vermont Fish and Wildlife biologist Ken Cox has found that the trout population is “bottlenecked” and few trout survive past the 6-12” mark.

The lack of in-stream habitat is a result of 150 years of human disturbance. The river has been straightened, channelized, and cleared of logs and other “obstructions.”

Still today, canoeists and even a few anglers remove woody debris to make floating the river easier. As Cox describes it, the lack of habitat is a chronic situation that reached a tipping point in the mid 90s. The population of adult brown trout crashed.

Of course, the solution is obvious. Restore the in-stream habitat.

The state of Vermont, the Battenkill Watershed Alliance (BWA), and the Southwestern Vermont Chapter of TU aim to do just that. These groups have cooperated to install root wads and other habitat structures in recent years.

They are currently working on an impressive project called the Twin Rivers Farm Habitat Enhancement. Vermont Fish and Wildlife and the US Forest Service are handling the design and implementation of this project while BWA is spearheading the landowner relations and the fundraising.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Orvis Company tripled private donations, making the project financially feasible.

The end result will be 28 new in-stream structures at the confluence of the Green River and the Batten Kill.

In a recently proposed Interim Management Plan, Vermont Fish and Wildlife outlines four “action items” to restore the Batten Kill. The state’s number one priority is to establish partnerships with groups including TU and BWA to “protect, restore, and enhance” in-stream and riparian habitat.

A partnership between government agencies, non-profits, and private corporations seems like a great way to make big changes on the Batten Kill. All summer I’ve visited projects where cooperation fuels amazing results. The success of the Twin Rivers Farm effort shows that this type of cooperative work is the best course of action on the Batten Kill as well.

Unfortunately, the fourth item in the state’s Interim Management Plan threatens to derail the entire effort. Fish and Wildlife has proposed stocking up to 1000 sterile rainbows per year.

The state held a public hearing about their Interim Management Plan last week. I attended the meeting and listened to a large contingent of TUers and like-minded anglers make it clear that the public wants to keep the Batten Kill wild.

About four out of every five speakers opposed the stocking plan. The Southwestern Vermont TU Chapter did a tremendous job at informing concerned anglers about the meeting and collecting letters from those who couldn’t attend to make sure the public was heard.

Here is what the public said:

The input of even 1000 catchable-sized hatchery fish a year would likely harm the river’s wild trout. Given that the 6-12” wild trout are already dying because of a lack of habitat, it doesn’t make any sense to throw in 1000 more 12” fish.

Not only might these stockies compete with the wild fish, but a stocked fishery would turn this catch-and-release area into a catch-to-keep destination. While the river would remain catch-and-release for brown and brook trout, uninformed anglers might not differentiate between species of trout and keep wild fish. The use of bait could increase unintentional mortality as well.

The Batten Kill is one of only 5 wild trout streams in the state. Perk Perkins, CEO of Orvis, pointed out that stocking is a slippery slope and that it would be difficult for the state to stop stocking after it started. One fishing guide asked, “Where’s the exit strategy?”

Many expressed their concern that stocking would provide a “quick fix,” detracting attention from habitat improvement, the real solution.

“This is about treating an unusually beautiful river how it should be treated,” Perkins said.

While stocking would undoubtedly improve business for Orvis, the company has decided to pull its funding for habitat improvement efforts on the Batten Kill if the state stocks the river. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation would also seriously reconsider their donations.

The loss of financial support from Orvis and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation would destroy the positive momentum of the recent habitat improvement projects. If the state wants to maintain the number one goal, habitat restoration, they are going to have to abandon this short-sighted attempt to provide easily catchable adult trout immediately.

And it isn’t as if the Batten Kill is devoid of trout today. The lack of competition has allowed the brown trout that survive the bottleneck to grow quite large. Expert anglers enjoy hunting these elusive leviathans. Smaller brook trout offer fine angling when the big browns are hiding in their lairs.

Two Southwestern Vermont Chapter TUers, Peter Bellamy and Doug Lyons, took me fishing and I can report that the river offers a fine angling experience.

The bucolic setting is reason enough to wade in the Batten Kill. Covered bridges and old farmhouses complement the clear water and vibrant foliage. The fall colors were just starting to turn during my visit and the green hillsides had a faint glint of red, reminding me of the color of a ripening apple.

The trout were rising during the middle of the day to tricos and small blue-winged olive emergers. I’m sure the last sentence excited some of you and caused others to shudder. I love fishing tricos and we had a blast giving the river’s brook trout sore lips.

If the fishing is slow on the Batten Kill, there is still plenty for the angler to do. Nearby small streams, including the Mettawee, are a lot of fun. After the trico activity ended, we headed up to the Mettawee where Doug showed me how he fishes large dun variants in the stream’s deep pockets.

Off-the-water attractions include the large Orvis flagship store and the American Museum of Fly Fishing.

The museum is the largest repository for fly fishing gear in the world. The exhibits focus on the progression of the sport, fly tying, and famous anglers including Wulff, Williams, Hemingway. The museum also has a library where you can peruse over 7,000 titles! Even Vermont winters aren’t that long.

Depending on where you stay, sitting by the fire and reading is a good option. I stayed at the Battenkill Inn, a beautifully restored 1840 farmhouse operated by TUers Judy and Alan Edmunds. Despite rising trout out the backdoor, I was half tempted to sit in their cozy living room all day.

When you are lodged in a 19th century farmhouse after a day of fishing amongst covered bridges, it is hard to avoid thinking about the history of trout angling. And by looking at the past, we can formulate a vision for the future. The historically robust wild trout population in the Batten Kill offers a great restoration goal.

Recent articles in Southern Vermont newspapers imply that the state has decided not to stock the river. I hope these rumors are correct. If we can unify our efforts to improve habitat, the wild trout in the Batten Kill will have a bright future.

I took some good photos on the Batten Kill. Please click HERE to see them.

Thanks to Peter Bellamy, the Southwestern Vermont Chapter has a tremendous website. At their site you can read more about the Batten Kill, submit a comment to Vermont Fish and Wildlife about their Interim Management Plan, and learn how to help habitat restoration efforts. Please click HERE.

The American Museum of Fly Fishing also has a website that is worth visiting. Click HERE.

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September 25, 2006

The Candlewood Valley Chapter

The Candlewood Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is a little chapter doing big things to protect and restore their local trout waters. With only eight self-sustaining, “Class 1” wild trout fisheries left in Connecticut, the chapter’s work is both timely and important…

A Connecticut Brook Trout

Deep Brook and the Pootatuck River converge near downtown Newtown, CT. Favorable geology and good vegetative cover allow these streams to support a wild trout fishery. Unfortunately, the streams are affected by many of the problems associated with the semi-urban environment.

Invasive plants in the riparian zone, oil spills in the watershed, pollutants in stormwater runoff, poaching, and eroding streambanks are just a few of the challenges that the wild trout must overcome. As James Belden puts it, the streams are at risk of “death by a thousand cuts.”

James is the President of the local Candlewood Valley Chapter of TU (CVTU) as well as the Pootatuck Watershed Association. Thanks to the hard work of these two groups, the future looks bright for both Deep Brook and the Pootatuck.

In the last few years, CVTU has used funds from Embrace-A-Stream and other sources to restore hundreds of feet of streambank, plant thousands of trees, and remove non-native plants. These projects aim to stabilize eroding streambanks and restore a riparian buffer zone between the stream and developed land.

From what I saw, their efforts are working marvelously. Logs protect the banks and offer trout habitat and the new trees are taking hold. Over 200 school kids and scouts have assisted the chapter with invasive plants removal and tree plantings.

In addition to teaching the next generation about conservation through on-the-ground work, CVTU supports Trout in the Classroom programs in half a dozen towns. If you haven’t read about my visit with Trout in the Classroom in New York, CLICK HERE.

Now that the chapter has completed the habitat work on Deep Brook, they are turning their focus towards watershed level water quality issues. Two oil spills in the last few years have been a detriment to water quality. The daily input of fertilizer and chemicals from fields, yards, and roads is less dramatic, but arguably more detrimental in the long run.

CVTU cooperates with the town and the state to collect water and soil samples as well as monitor water temperature and aquatic macroinvertebrates. The monitoring effort is the first step towards a watershed-wide effort to improve water quality.

These achievements are entirely due to the hard work of James and the chapter’s other active volunteers. If you live near Danbury, CT, get involved! You’ll meet nice people like James and you will help improve your community.

CLICK HERE to see my photos of CVTU project sites.

CLICK HERE to visit CVTU’s website.

If you are a TUer elsewhere in the country, ’tis the season to apply for Embrace-A-Stream grants. CLICK HERE to find out more.

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September 23, 2006

Secret Brooks

What’s more fun than fishing? Searching for an undocumented population of native trout in a mountain stream just might be. Trout Unlimited’s Kirt Mayland wondered if a beautiful creek near his house held brookies. He called Mike Humphreys, Connecticut’s wild trout biologist, and we hit the woods to find out…

A small Connecticut stream

The stream sure looked like it should hold trout. The water was clear and cold. Pools and boulders provided ample holding water. Some of the pools were over 6 feet deep. The stream was surrounded by forest, but this was not always the case.

The forests of Connecticut have been cleared twice during the last few hundred years. Evidence of old farms is scattered throughout the woods. We walked through a network of stone walls and old building foundations, skeletons of early America.

It is hard to picture the buildings that stood here over 200 years ago. It is even harder to comprehend the timeline of the brook trout. For thousands upon thousands of years, brook trout have thrived here. It is scary how quickly we extirpated the brook trout from watersheds up and down the eastern seaboard.

Fortunately, brook trout still find refuge in small streams. Just moments after the electrofishing probes touched the water, we learned that Kirt’s little creek is one such place.

Humans, particularly anglers, find brook trout aesthetically pleasing. Just seeing one is sure to brighten your mood for the day, or even the entire week. The knowledge that these fish are good indicators of clean water and an intact ecosystem makes each sighting more exciting. We all live downstream.

Trout Unlimited and numerous government and non-profit partners have undertaken the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture in 17 states, including Connecticut. The Venture aims to identify the current status of the brookie as well as the threats to remaining populations. This information will provide a foundation of knowledge for preservation and restoration efforts. To learn more, click HERE.

If brook trout bring a smile to your face, take a look at my photos by clicking HERE.

Fishing the Housatonic
After our morning chasing brook trout, Kirt and I headed downstream to the Housatonic. One of the most famous fisheries in Southern New England, the Housy is a great place to catch a few trout and meet new fishing buddies.

We arrived to find scattered risers slurping small mayfly emergers. We also ran into Len, an active TUer affiliated with Danbury’s Candlewood Valley Chapter. Len left us with the proper ammunition for the day, a small snowshoe hare emerger that worked wonders on the brown trout.

I left the Housatonic for Newtown, CT, where I met with other members of the Candlewood Valley Chapter and toured their tremendous restoration efforts. Keep checking back regularly! I’ll write about these projects soon.

If you haven’t already, please take a look at these PHOTOS.

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September 20, 2006

Back East

From large tailwater rivers to small backwoods ponds, the Northeast has something for every trout angler. Unfortunately, a long legacy of disturbance has greatly reduced native trout and salmon populations. The constant threat of poorly planned land development confounds the situation. In the face of these challenges, TUers are doing great things for their trout and their communities…

Autumn on a CT Stream

I drove across the nation once this summer, so I decided to fly east for “round two.” I am always amazed at how fast one can get from Bozeman to Washington D.C. It is a small country when you travel at several hundred miles per hour!

While the flight was quick, it took me ten hours to drive from D.C. to Connecticut. The traffic in Northern New Jersey was horrendous. I got a dose of what it is like to be an east coast commuter. Yuck.

I finally made it to Lakeville, CT, a vacation hamlet for city folks who are sick of their commutes. Kirt Mayland, the director of TU’s Eastern Water Project, grew up in this southern bastion of New England. After a stint in New York City, Kirt returned to Lakeville where he works out of his small but charming home, surrounded by hardwood forest. Kirt specializes in water law and his knowledge has been invaluable to TU’s cause in New England.

I always assumed that water law was almost entirely a western issue. There is a lot more water and a lot less demand for irrigation in the east. This assumption is incorrect and it is becoming less true every day.

Increased development is catching up with the amount of available fresh water. Heavy withdrawal from underground aquifers is affecting the quantity of surface water. Small streams are drying up. These streams are important habitat for amphibians, insects, and fish. They provide the cold water that trout depend on.

Archaic dams and water diversions also leave streams dry. Some utility companies stubbornly refuse to adopt the best available technology, exacerbating the impacts of water withdrawal.

Of course, more water provides more habitat for fish and other creatures. But healthy water flows are also important to mitigate the impacts of chemicals and excess nutrient loads. As they say, “dilution is the solution to water pollution.” The negative effects of golf courses, roads, and malfunctioning septic tanks are more pronounced when water flows are low.

Of course, folks need roads and septic tanks and they like their putting greens and lush lawns. With a little imagination, forethought, and commitment, we can conserve enough water to take care of both trout and people.

This is the crux of Kirt’s job. Kirt works with policymakers and utility companies to enact legislation that keeps water in the streams and provides realistic water conservation goals.

Rather than simply setting a minimum base flow, TU advocates restoring the natural hydrograph. Seasonal variations in flow are a crucial, but often overlooked, component of stream health.

Healthy streams mean more trout. And anglers aren’t the only ones who should care about more trout. Sensitive native species such as brook trout are important indicators of high water quality and an intact ecosystem. Even those people who think trout are just “icky, slimy fish” should be glad that their kids’ drinking water is pure.

Kirt and the other TUers working on New England water law have been highly successful. They have pushed legislation in Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts.

I’d rather bang my head against the wall than deal with politics all day, so I am particularly impressed by Kirt’s successes! We all benefit when hard working folks like Kirt are using the political system to improve the future for our streams.

This is just the first of many blog entries about the Northeast, so “stay TUned.” Tomorrow I’ll write about searching for an undocumented population of native brook trout in a small Connecticut stream as well as fishing on the Housatonic River.

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September 16, 2006

The Big Blackfoot

A 10” cutthroat attacked Jeremiah’s hopper. The fish dove for the bottom, its brilliant flanks matched the pastel gravel. Suddenly, the trout turned towards the angler, but it was too late. A bull trout exceeding 3 feet in length inhaled the cutthroat, hopper and all…

a large bull trout guards its redd

My friend Jeremiah fought the bull trout for a minute or so. It sulked in a deep hole before the hook pulled out, leaving the green giant to digest its meal in peace.

This behemoth still swims in the Big Blackfoot River system today. The bull trout is a threatened species that has been eradicated from much of its historic range. Degradation of water and habitat quality and persecution by anglers were significant factors in their decline.

The Big Blackfoot is a river loved by many, but abused by a few. Mining and other detrimental activities have degraded the river. Fortunately, the river’s many friends banded together and a poster child restoration effort commenced in the 1970s.

By time “the movie” shoved this valley into the national spotlight, the Big Blackfoot Chapter of TU and the Blackfoot Challenge, a local watershed group, had become crucial players in the restoration effort.

The Big Blackfoot Chapter is all business. They don’t have guest speakers at their meetings, they don’t host fishing trips, and they won’t teach you how to tie flies.

They are all about getting stuff done on the ground. This field season alone they are completing 8 miles of major channel work on 3 streams, installing 4 fish screens at irrigation draws, implementing 5 grazing management plans, replacing 3 culverts with bridges, and planting thousands of willows… not to mention a handful of smaller efforts and maintenance on previously completed projects.

The chapter operates with an average annual budget of $1/2 million, largely achieved through government grants. Last year, they invested a whopping $1.3 million into on-the-ground restoration work. The numbers are staggering for a TU chapter, particularly one in a rural valley.

How do they do it?

The Big Blackfoot Chapter is run by some of the brightest conservation minds in the state. It just so happens that these folks are also from the valley. They have an intimate knowledge of the land coupled with a deep commitment to conserve the place.

There is a natural and social heritage here that transcends each individual and the chapter as a whole. The active members of the Big Blackfoot Chapter have devoted a large portion for their lives to protecting this heritage.

The Big Blackfoot River is fed by runoff from one of the largest wilderness conglomerates in the lower 48 and by numerous spring creeks on the valley floor. These pristine water sources are the foundation of the river’s ecosystem, but they are also highly sensitive to disturbance.

We have learned a lot in recent decades about how to manage our lands for the benefit of our rivers. In-stream restoration work, fencing cattle off the riparian corridor, and other simple measures can go a long way.

The Big Blackfoot Chapter and the Blackfoot Challenge work with landowners to restore the valley’s spring creeks and the lower reaches of the freestone streams.

Many of the ranches in the valley have been held in the same family for generations. These landowners tend to respect the land and are willing to do their part to restore the river.

Some of the founding members of the Big Blackfoot Chapter are local ranchers and they understand the importance of working with their neighbors.

By partnering with landowners, the Big Blackfoot Chapter is able to restore the river’s tributaries, improving water quality in the mainstem as well as creating spawning and rearing habitat. Trout in the big river also rely on the cool tributaries during periods of drought.

An underlying philosophy of the chapter’s work is that if you restore the habitat to near pristine condition, the native bull and cutthroat trout will have a better chance to out-compete non-native species.

The chapter took their work to the next level when they hired a full-time employee in the spring of 2005. Not only that, but they hired one with the full palette of skills and the drive necessary to exceed all expectations.

Her name is Ryen Aasheim. A Helena native with a Master’s in fisheries biology from Montana State University, Ryen worked in the valley for a few years before signing on with the Big Blackfoot Chapter. Ryen is happy working for the chapter.

“It is a progressive environment and we can get so much done,” she shared.

The chapter is equally excited that Ryen is getting it done.

Each of these projects requires extensive technical planning, grant writing and fundraising, the actual on-the-ground work, and then follow-up and monitoring. Having a highly-competent, full-time project manager has enabled the chapter to take on projects at an unparalleled rate.

Ryen took me to two of this summer’s project sites.

At Jacobsen Spring Creek, they completed almost 3 miles of in-stream work, narrowing the channel from a flat and shallow 55 feet to a slim and chiseled 6 feet. The narrower channel will offer much improved trout habitat as well as lower water temperatures. Fences will keep cattle off the banks while an off-stream water source will provide for the stock. Volunteers also planted 1500 willows and native grasses.

Since the work, much of the silty muck that filled the creek has been flushed out, exposing fish-friendly gravels. The gravel in the valley is the prettiest I’ve seen. I suspect it is copper and other metals that give the rocks their teal and rose hues.
See the photos HERE.

The work on Hoyt Creek began hours before my visit. As you read this, the chapter is cutting over 2 miles of entirely new stream channel. The old channel is in a deep trough that isolates the stream from its floodplain.

By re-routing the water of this little spring creek, the chapter will re-unite the stream with the floodplain, allowing more water to soak into the ground during high flows. If all goes according to plan, this will raise the water table, improving water quality in the stream and making the water more accessible for irrigation. The old channel is being converted into 300+ acres of wetland.

This project is typical of most Big Blackfoot Chapter efforts that benefit both the trout and the ranchers. By cooperating, everyone wins.

There are a lot of parties cooperating on the Hoyt Creek project. In addition to the landowner and the chapter, Blackfoot Challenge, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Department of Environmental Quality are integral partners in this effort.

Elsewhere in the valley, the chapter works closely with the Nature Conservancy and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP).

Volunteer labor is a crucial component of all the Big Blackfoot Chapter’s projects. The donated time allows the chapter to stretch their budget. And yes, these TUers take on so much work that they need to stretch digits followed by Ks and Ms.

National TU employees based in Missoula and Bozeman work with the local conservation circle on state-level water issues. Through the Montana Water Project, TU has secured water rights for in-stream flows. Keeping the stream wet is the first step in trout conservation!

On one tributary, national and local TUers worked with NRCS and FWP to upgrade the efficiency of a landowner’s irrigation system. By installing state-of-the-art technology, the irrigator is saving electricity and money and the trout are benefiting from augmented stream flow.

Trout Unlimited, FWP, the Big Blackfoot Chapter, and the Blackfoot Challenge also collaborated with irrigators on the North Fork of the Blackfoot to reduce irrigation withdrawals in early fall, greatly assisting the fish during their arduous spawning migration.

The North Fork is one of my favorite angling destinations. A well-marked Forest Service trailhead is the gateway to unlimited fishing opportunities in a wilderness setting. The free rising westslope cutthroat trout, including specimens in the 14-17” range, offer great sport. The angler can also expect nearly daily encounters with green giants.

I only had a couple hours on this particular trip, so I walked the river near the parking area, looking for big bulls to photograph. I found one cleaning a spawning redd out of that beautiful Blackfoot gravel.

With a camera instead of a rod, I enjoyed the trout’s presence.

Click HERE to see the photos.

YOU can help the Big Blackfoot Chapter without picking up a shovel or muddying your boots. Buy one of the chapter’s fine art posters! The print, entitled “The Big Blackfoot River, Autumn at Cottonwood Creek,” is the work of Monte Dolack. It will look great over your tying bench and 100% of the proceeds go to the Big Blackfoot Chapter’s on-the-ground work. Government grants often require matching funds, so this revenue is crucial to the chapter’s success. PLEASE CLICK HERE

Further Reading:

Blackfoot Challenge
TU’s Montana Water Project
Montana TU
Article by NRCS

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September 14, 2006

Trueblood TU

The Ted Trueblood chapter of Trout Unlimited is one of the most active chapters in the nation. In recent years, the chapter has focused their efforts in the Boise River Watershed, a river system that offers fine angling close to Idaho’s capital. I journeyed to Boise where a few of the chapter’s most active members showed me their fine conservation work and introduced me to some of the local trout…

A lone angler on the Owyhee River

Andy Brunelle is a quiet, spectacled man with a bear’s chest. He drives a 1971 VW bus. Andy bought the bus in college and hasn’t yet had a reason to replace it. That old van has taken Andy to countless TU meetings and project sites.

“Andy makes us tick,” chapter President James Piotrowski told me.

Most chapters are almost entirely run by a few devoted members, but what makes this situation so unique is that Andy avoids the spotlight. He is content just doing the work, even when other folks get the credit.

This weekend, Andy will receive a well-deserved pat on the back. I won’t totally ruin the surprise, but be prepared to clap for him come awards time at the annual TU meeting!

Regardless of whether they win awards or not, Andy and his friends in the Trueblood chapter have worked hard for the trout of Southwestern Idaho. Heck, I visited a fraction of their current project sites and I still have too much to write about.

The Boise River system is composed of multiple fisheries, each with its own set of conservation challenges. The Middle and North Forks flow out of the mountains, where the scars of century old mines still define the landscape. The South Fork is a tailwater that offers some of the best angling in the state. Right through town, the mainstem Boise River is a fine urban fishery, but it has been affected by development, channelization, and a loss of spawning and rearing habitat.

The Mainstem Boise
Through the town of Boise, the river has been cutoff from many of its side channels. Side channels provide slack waters that are important for juvenile fish rearing. Side channels also provide “a release valve” for the river during high water events, preventing flooding downstream.

Recognizing the importance of these secondary channels to fish, wildlife, and the residents of the valley, the Trueblood chapter has spearheaded side channel restoration efforts with the support of Idaho Fish and Game, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, streamside land owners, and other partners.

Andy took me to two of the most recent project sites. For the Island Creek project of 2003, the chapter restored over half a mile of channel. The ongoing Harris Ranch effort will create a mile of spawning and rearing water.

In both cases, machinery has been used to create a natural meandering channel. The improved side channels are then re-connected to the river. Woody debris, overhanging willows, and riffles provide the structure and habitat variability needed to support spawning and juvenile fish.

TU volunteers, along with school students and community members, do a lot of the work, including the post-work vegetation plantings. Volunteers have planted thousands of willows, sedges, and other streamside plants that will be crucial to the overall success of the project.

By improving the side channels, these projects serve to boost the trout population in the entire river.

I can’t overemphasize how much time and energy Andy and the other core chapter members invested in the planning stages of these projects. The permits, the grants, and the planning all involve countless applications and unforeseen hurdles. The actual on-the-ground work is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to large-scale restoration projects like these.

And these side channel projects are just one of the many ongoing Trueblood chapter programs. CLICK HERE to learn more about Boise’s TU chapter.

The Middle Fork Boise River
Pam Smolczynski lives in Idaho City, a mining boom town at the confluence of two Middle Fork tributaries, Elk Creek and Mores Creek. As a local resident with over a decade of experience with Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality, Pam was the top resume in the pile when TU was searching for a Boise River Watershed Restoration Coordinator.

Pam got the job this last spring and the national TU staff as well as the local volunteers are impressed by what she has accomplished already. Pam has secured a ton of funding for work in the area and has successfully launched a pilot project on Mores Creek.

Pam took Trueblood President James and me to the Mores Creek site to see the initial restoration efforts.

Mores Creek was subjected to dredge mining for gold. Dredge mining is highly detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. It involves using machines to remove large quantities of stream bottom, screening the sand and gravel for gold, and then dumping the tailings on the stream bank.

Dredge mining afflicts long lasting damage on the stream channel. The banks of Mores Creek are armored with large gravel and rock tailings piles that channelize the stream, preventing the water from jumping onto the floodplain.

During high water events, a pristine stream will spread out onto its banks, dissipating energy and depositing sediment. The tailings mounds have disrupted this natural process, exacerbating flooding downstream and scouring the streambed.

To mitigate this damage, Trout Unlimited, in cooperation with the Forest Service and other partners, has simply removed the streamside tailings and used heavy equipment to re-shape a natural floodplain on a ½ mile stretch of Mores Creek. The idea is that the stream will start to heal itself when it has the ability to exceed its banks. Also, a floodplain will enable streamside vegetation to become established, reducing the water temperature and making Mores Creek more suitable trout habitat.

If all goes well in the test section, Pam is already set to march the project downstream. Trout Unlimited plans to improve miles of trout water in the Boise River System. This work will benefit two native trout species, redband rainbows and bull trout.

In addition, Pam is spearheading efforts on Elk Creek, the Idaho City water supply. To learn more about how these TU projects will benefit both fish and the community, CLICK HERE.

And you don’t have to take my word for it… CLICK HERE to see what the Idaho Statesman says about the Mores Creek project.

A New Challenge
The Middle Fork of the Boise River is currently threatened by a cyanide heap-leach gold mine. These mines are awesome in a terrifying sort of way. I got to tour one such mine in Colorado for a college geology class. It is hard to imagine that such large-scale destruction is even possible until you see it for yourself.

The first step of cyanide heap-leach mining is to blow up and crush an entire mountain. The Boise River mine, known as the Atlanta Gold Mine, would decimate over a thousand vertical feet of Rocky Mountain high country.

The billions of tons of gravel that are produced are put into a pit that is lined with a couple layers of plastic about as sturdy as a Hefty bag where cyanide, one of the most toxic chemicals known to man, is leached through the rock, chemically binding to the gold. Cyanide leaks from mines in Montana and Idaho have contaminated drinking water and killed trout and such devastation is a real possibility at the proposed mine as well.

After the gold is removed from the cyanide solution, the remaining 99% of the gravel is dumped into a big valley, filling it entirely with highly erosive granitic pebbles that won’t support vegetation for a century or more.

To get the 1.4 million pounds of sodium cyanide, the 2 million pounds of explosives, and the 2.3 million gallons of diesel fuel to the remote mining site, the company will need to truck it in from Boise on winding, narrow, washboarded dirt roads that are heavily used for recreation. Furthermore, these roads run right along the headwaters of the Boise River and a spill would be catastrophic for sensitive and threatened native trout species, not to mention over 20% of Boise’s water supply.

Like the mine I visited in Colorado, the Boise River mine would be operated by a foreign corporation and most of the profits would end up in Canada. Of course, if a spill was to occur, the mining company could always fold and leave the cleanup costs to American taxpayers… they usually do.

Hopefully the Forest Service and citizens of Idaho will block this proposal. Ted Trueblood TUers are doing their part to spread the word and make sure this mine doesn’t become a disastrous reality.

CLICK HERE for more information

Finally the Fishing!
Barry Ross, a founding member of the Ted Trueblood Chapter and an avid local angler, took me to the Owyhee River, just on the other side of the border with Oregon. The Owyhee is a desert tailwater that is popular amongst Idahoans and Oregonians, but relatively unknown elsewhere.

A decade ago, anglers would catch as many as 20 trout over 20 inches in a day. Increased angling pressure and drought may be two factors that have reduced catch rates in recent years, but regardless, the Owyhee remains a fine fishery.

The river is unlike any I have ever fished. Much of the river is slow and pond-like. These large pools are interrupted by steep, short riffles. The water is milky and visibility is less than a foot. Still, the fish will rise to dry flies once the sun descends below the canyon wall.

When we arrived at the river in the early afternoon, Barry and I tried our luck subsurface. I started out with a standard double nymph rig without much success. I then tied on a small black marabou leech that Barry gave me. That fly wasn’t in the water more than 2 seconds before I was tied into an 18” brown.

With the trout in hand, I admired its large spots and sharp teeth. Figuring that if I caught one in less than a minute I was in for an exciting evening, I neglected to photograph this fish. Well, I think I jinxed myself because I didn’t land another nice trout for the rest of the day!

Barry fared better than me with his double Renegade rig once the sun was off the water. The inconsistent risers attacked those flies with gusto. Neither of us landed one of the truly hog-sized trout that lurk in the depths of the Owyhee, but I look forward to returning someday to try again.

As I left Boise in the truck that I bought in college, I thought about Andy and his old van. Will I still be driving my Nissan to TU meetings in 20 years? I hope not, it’s a junk box already! No matter what I’m driving, I do hope to stay involved with coldwater conservation. If I can contribute half as much as Andy has, it could make a big difference.

And it's just a fish story without photographic evidence! CLICK HERE to see my photos from Boise.

You too can get involved! Contact your local chapter to find out how:
Chapter Search

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September 08, 2006

The Land of Salmon and Wine

The rolling hills now known as “wine country” were once salmon country. Trout Unlimited is working with land owners to restore the coho salmon runs…

The North Coast, California

Around the turn of the millennium, the lands of two large timber companies changed hands. The new owners, Mendocino Redwood Company and Campbell Timberlands Group brought a conservation-based approach to land management. Trout Unlimited has been working closely with these companies to mitigate the damage left by the previous owners and improve instream habitat for salmon and steelhead.

While working with the timber companies is the major component of this effort called The North Coast Coho Project, the partnership has expanded to include vineyards, gravel mines, and homeowners. On the government side of things, California Department of Fish and Game and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provide technical support and funding.

Rob Dickerson works for TU, spearheading the North Coast Coho Project from his Santa Rosa office. Rob’s family has inhabited this part of California for generations. With the exception of stints as a geologist in the arid country to the east, Rob has called this coastal region home his entire life.

His 22 years in the geothermal energy business provide ample experience working with government agencies and private landowners, as well as writing the grants and project designs necessary to complete a large-scale restoration project.

What type of work is TU doing? Rob told me that much of the instream work involves restoring spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon. This requires removing culverts to restore migration corridors, decommissioning or repairing poorly-designed logging roads that leach sediment into streams, and planting logs and root wads that scour pools and protect the fish. Coho salmon, an endangered species, are also very sensitive to light and restoring overhanging riparian vegetation is a boon to habitat quality.

The North Coast Coho Project is a massive effort, encompassing 10 major watersheds spread out over hundreds of miles. The first TU work in the area was undertaken by the North Bay Chapter in the 1980s. Their tremendous success in Lagunitas Creek encouraged TU to devote a full-time staff member to the project.

So far, TU and their private and government partners have removed countless culverts and replaced them with fish-friendly bridges. They have also decommissioned or repaired over 400 miles of dirt road, preventing tons of sediment from entering the streams.

Rob showed me the work on Austin Creek, a tributary to the Russian River. Substantial disturbance in the watershed has left the lower reaches of Austin Creek wide, straight, and choked with sediment. The stream acts as a migration corridor to the headwaters, but the water temperatures are warm and it lacks the pools and structure required by juvenile salmonids.

In the last few years, TU and their partners have placed boulders and logs to scour pools and create holding water. The local gravel mine has also agreed to modify their practices to reduce their impact on salmon migration.

The next step is starting a captive broodstock program that will use the offspring of wild salmon in neighboring Russian River tributaries to kick start the Austin Creek population.

Click HERE to see photos of the Austin Creek improvement work and the scenic California coast.

Click HERE to read more about the North Coast Coho Project.

Elsewhere in California

While in CA, I also had the opportunity to fish the McCloud River. The town of Redding is within striking distance of numerous world-class trout waters. I read about Hat Creek, the Sacramento, and the Pit in the glossy magazines as a kid; however, it was an article about the McCloud that struck the deepest chord and I was glad to have the opportunity to visit this river.

The McCloud is a lot like the Metolius… crystal clear, fast, deep, and cold. I was surprised by its backwoods location. I figured fishing in Cali would involve streamside latte stands and tons of anglers, but I had the place to myself deep in the forested hills.

In the midday heat, the fishing was tough. Translation: I was skunked! I tried fishing the fast pocket water, the slow, deep pools, and everything in between, but I hardly saw a fish. I look forward to someday returning to the McCloud and the other rivers in the area when I can put in a little more time.

Click HERE to see a few photos from the McCloud.

I also talked to Howard Kern, an active TU volunteer from the Los Angeles area, via telephone. While Howard and I couldn’t find a mutually convenient time to meet, I want to mention the impressive golden trout project that Southern California TUers and a cohort of non-profit and government partners have undertaken in the Sierra Nevada.

The colorful golden trout is California’s state fish. I angled for an introduced population of these beauties in Montana earlier in the summer. Click HERE to visit that blog entry and see photos of a golden.

Back in California, TUers and their partners are installing riparian zone fencing to protect the fragile high alpine streams from cattle. They are also planting willows to help stabilize the banks and surveying the creeks to determine the genetic purity of the remaining goldens. Click HERE to visit a great website about this project.

Now I’m traveling from Napa to Nampa, to meet with Idaho’s Ted Trueblood Chapter. Stay “TUned!”

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September 06, 2006

Unfinished Business

I’ve left runners on base in Oregon. I simply couldn’t cover it all in my first two posts. Well, the clean-up batter is warmed up and it’s the bottom of the 9th, so read on about TU in Oregon…

Mt Jefferson looms over the Metolius River

In the Portland area, I fished the Clackamas and the Salmon Rivers briefly. Portland is not a bad spot for the city-bound angler. Situated at the junction of the Willamette and the mighty Columbia, there is no shortage of flowing water.

Elizabeth Dubovsky, a Portland-based TU staffer working on the Pacific Salmon Program, took me to the Salmon River after a day in the office. Yes, residents of Portland can easily make it to the river for a little post-work angling.

As Elizabeth tied on an elk hair caddis, we watched a 10 or so pound salmonid swim by. In the late evening light we couldn’t determine if it was a salmon or a steelhead, but I opted to swing a steelhead fly either way. Elizabeth caught rainbows on her dry while I got skunked with my big purple leech.

The next day, I checked out the Clackamas. The Clack is another favorite haunt for Portland area residents. In fact, the Portland-area TU chapter chose to name their group after this river. One of the more active chapters in the state, the Clackamas River Chapter also works in the Metolius River Watershed, improving conditions for bull trout.

I met Matt Stansberry of the new McKenzie- Upper Willamette Chapter (Eugene, OR) on the Metolius after visiting the Deschutes (Click HERE if you haven’t already read about my experience on the Deschutes). The Metolius is a major tributary to the Deschutes. It is an interesting river that is fed by large, ice-cold springs. The surrounding ponderosa pine park country resembles Central Colorado… except for the looming volcanic cone of Mt Jefferson that is.

The water is crystal clear and the trout are tough! Much of the river is deep and the parts that aren’t deep are fast. The trout definitely have the advantage and they demand proficiency on the part of the angler.

Matt and I decided to chase bull trout with large streamers. The Metolius is one of the nation’s top bull trout fisheries. Bull trout thrive in the clean, 40 degree spring water. We waited out the hot part of the afternoon and hit the water at the same time as the shadows. We tossed heavy, gaudy streamers towards likely lies, including one pool known as the “dolly hole” (bull trout are often referred to as dolly varden, a similar char).
Unfortunately, the resident trout were not impressed.

The McKenzie-Upper Willamette Chapter is not the only new TU group in the state. TUers in Bend have started their own chapter on the Deschutes. Unfortunately, I was not able to coordinate schedules with the new Bend TUers, probably because all of us were too busy fishing! There is a lifetime of angling options in the area.

After meeting with Mike Cooley of the Middle Rogue Steelheaders (click HERE to read more), I journeyed to Medford, where Mike Beagle serves as TU’s Oregon and Washington Field Coordinator. Beagle spends much of his time raising awareness and interest amongst sports-men and -women about the importance of roadless and wilderness areas.

One current proposal is the Copper Salmon Wilderness, 12,000 acres of steep country above the Elk River. The Elk is home to salmon and steelhead runs and protecting the headwaters can only help these sensitive species.

Elsewhere in the state, the proposed Mt. Hood Wilderness would protect fish and game habitat in Portland's backyard. In Southern Oregon, a grazing buyout bill would establish a 23,000 acre wildlands area within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

Before joining TU’s staff, Beagle taught history and coached baseball at Oregon high schools. While he remains a baseball fanatic, he enjoys his new post with TU.

“I work for my kids every day,” Beagle told me. By protecting hunting and fishing grounds today we can ensure the next generation will have a place to enjoy these pastimes.

I’m pleased to report that TU is “going to bat” for future hunters and anglers from coast-to-coast. Contact your local chapter to find out how you can help.

TU's "Chapter Search" page

Click HERE to learn more about our nation's last roadless areas

Click HERE to read a .pdf about roadless areas in Oregon

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September 03, 2006

TU's Rogue Steelheaders

I watched a giant chinook porpoise in the day’s first light. The salmon’s exposed back revealed its enormous size before it returned to the dark depths of the Rogue River…

The Rogue River, OR

“Try a little more scent,” Mike Cooley, president of the Middle Rogue Steelheaders Chapter of TU, suggested.

We were angling one of Cooley’s favorite holes from his aluminum driftboat.

I have spent a good portion of my young life on rivers and streams, but I have never fished like we were today. We were throwing a diving crankbait complete with a sonic chip and extra concentrated crayfish scent. This was also my first time chasing the king of all salmonids, the chinook salmon.

Since I was “a fish out of water,” I did my best to follow Cooley’s instructions.

The crayfish scent masks foreign odors, to which the finicky chinook are highly sensitive. After coating the 4” long, neon-colored lure in the stinky stuff, I flicked it overboard and let the current take it downstream. This was all for the best because I probably would have back-spooled the bait-casting reel had I tried to actually cast. I was a spin fisherman until the age of 9 or so, but since then I have rarely put down my fly rod.

The fly rod would have been largely ineffective for these chinooks, Cooley informed me, and if I wanted a decent shot at a salmon, I’d need the appropriate set-up.

My lure hung in the current 50’ or so downstream from the boat. The large lip caused it to wobble, relaying a twitch to the rod tip. Cooley slowly rowed the boat upstream, positioning my lure in the best lies. He was doing the real work, I just had to hold the rod and keep my fingers crossed. We both hoped a chinook would be moved to strike.

The Middle Rogue Steelheaders (MRS) chapter is the most active TU group in Oregon. Based out Grants Pass in the south-central part of the state, the MRS chapter keeps busy on the middle section of the Rogue River, one of the best steelhead and salmon fisheries in the lower 48.

The chapter focuses its efforts on tree plantings, stream habitat improvement projects, and improving river safety.

One such safety project is the re-construction of the Hog Creek Boat Ramp. The ramp, one of the most heavily used access points on the Rogue River, was plagued by serious safety hazards. The MRS approached the situation proactively and raised the awareness and the money necessary to re-construct the ramp.

The strong and active membership of the MRS regularly assists watershed associations and government agencies with tree plantings and stream habitat improvement projects on the Rogue and its tributaries. The level of hands-on physical labor performed by the chapter is particularly impressive considering that most members are retirees in their “golden years.”

The MRS chapter also conducts regular stream cleanups on their home river and maintains signage to educate anglers and the general public about salmon and the importance of the Rogue.

Local home owners don’t always keep the health of the river in mind. On our float down the Rogue, Cooley pointed out numerous examples of illegal riparian zone clearing. Riverside homeowners have removed riparian vegetation to “improve their view.” Unfortunately, stripping the banks also subjects their property to erosion that will eventually whisk their lawn (and maybe their home) towards the sea, depositing harmful sediment in the river. A few property owners have even trucked in sand to create private riverside beaches!

Middle Rogue Steelheaders actively report these illegal activities to numerous agencies, but so far no officials have paid them much heed. Small non-point sources of water pollution like these add up towards a considerable detriment to river health. Hopefully the county and the state will get their act together and start enforcing the law.

In the meantime, the MRS chapter has started an educational campaign to inform riverside property owners about the value of an intact riparian buffer.

While the Middle Rogue Steelheaders donate a lot of time and their back muscles to conservation projects, they also enjoy chapter sponsored fishing outings. Cooley tells me that the opportunity to learn about angling the Rogue is the number one draw for new members.

The chapter’s annual fall salmon derby is a fun opportunity to fish the Rogue as well as raise money for the chapter. The derby is held at the peak of the chinook salmon run in late September.

Needless to say, I did not time my trip with the peak of the run. After a full morning on the water, I was still fishless. I guess I used up my beginner’s luck while steelheading earlier in the week.

If you visit the Rogue this fall or winter, your odds will be much better. The salmon and steelhead will soon enter the river en masse and the Middle Rogue Steelheaders will be there to greet them.

Click HERE to see my photos of the Rogue.

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September 01, 2006

Oregon Steelhead

Tying into a steelhead was my number one goal while in Oregon. I had never fished for these powerful sea-run rainbows and I was eager to make the most of my time on the water. Well I guess the photo ruins the suspense of this story, but keep reading and I’ll spill the details of my steelheading experience as well as share what I learned about some fine conservation efforts in the Beaver State…

Deschutes River Summer Steelhead

I crossed the Columbia River and found myself in Portland. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a city with so many bridges and overpasses. I maneuvered my way across the Willamette to downtown, where TU’s west coast office is located.

Elizabeth Dubovsky and Kate Miller gave me a sunny Oregon welcome. At a nearby seafood restaurant, Elizabeth and Kate filled me in on the activities of the Portland office.

Elizabeth has been working on the “Why Wild?” initiative. Through this effort, TU and their partners hope to educate the public about wild salmon. “Why Wild?” recommends a holistic approach to salmon restoration. The campaign stresses the importance of focusing our actions on the “4H’s:” habitat, harvest, hydropower, and hatcheries.

While most anglers recognize the difference between hatchery and wild salmonids, your average fish-market patron is not so savvy. One of the goals of the “Why Wild?” program is to educate consumers about the benefits of eating wild salmon captured from sustainable American stocks.

These wild-caught fish taste better and contain fewer harmful chemicals than salmon raised in fish farms. In addition, managed harvest of healthy wild fisheries is environmentally sound, while most commercial fish farms do tremendous harm to our coldwater and marine resources.

By improving our management of the 4H’s, TU believes we can protect our remaining wild salmon stocks (primarily in Alaska) as well as restore the fish runs in the lower 48.

Saving our salmon will be a long uphill battle. Twenty-five different major populations of Pacific Coast trout and salmon are recognized as threatened or endangered.

In the lower 48, large dams complicate migration in most of the major rivers. Over a century of heavy logging, grazing, and development has diminished habitat quality in the smaller streams and rivers. The remaining pristine rivers in Alaska are threatened by large-scale mining proposals as well as road construction and heavy logging in steep, sensitive watersheds.

Commercial fish farms, comparable to floating cattle feed lots, pollute estuaries and the escapees threaten the genetic purity of our wild fish. We are becoming more and more dependent on hatchery reared salmon and steelhead for recreational fishing as well, but many scientists doubt the fitness of these man-made specimens. Hatchery reared fish provide us with another tool in our quest to save the salmon, but they can also mask the underlying problems created by habitat loss, dams, and decades of over-harvest.

While the situation is dire, I believe there is a little light at the end of the tunnel. For starters, these fish have evolved to survive and they continue to surprise us with their tenacity and ability to overcome the odds. We just need to give salmon a chance and they’ll persevere.

Secondly, there is strong economic incentive to restore wild salmon. The loss of commercial fisheries is a huge blow to coastal communities. Viable fish stocks have financial and social value on the Pacific coast. Recreational angling is another important money-maker that depends on salmon.

And while the benefits of wild salmon to the ecosystem, the health benefits to the consumer, and the joy inspired by a tugging Chinook on a fishing line are tough things to quantify, they are all important reasons to restore our wild fish stocks as well.

In Washington, I visited with TUers who are making real progress improving spawning and rearing habitat as well as getting fish around large dams. Trout Unlimited is involved in similar initiatives in Oregon.

The Portland TU staff is comprised of policy experts who go to bat for salmon in the legal arena. Kate Miller is the newest addition to TU’s roster. After interning with TU, going to law school, practicing law in her home state of Washington, Kate is back with TU as a Legal Analyst.

Dam relicensing provides a great opportunity for TU’s salmon gurus to improve the future for wild fish. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issues hydropower dam licenses for 30-50 years. When that time is close to expiring, the dam owners must apply for a new permit. To get their permit, the owners must prove that they are taking appropriate steps to help fish and wildlife.

The Deschutes River is arguably the best fishery in Oregon. The face of the river changed indelibly in 1957 when construction of the Pelton-Round Butte Dam complex commenced. The complex is composed of three dams. The big ones named Pelton and Round Butte produce electricity while the third is a reregulating structure that helps control water flow to mitigate some of the negative impacts to the fish.

While water flow has been successfully maintained, the original measures to maintain fish passage flopped and the dams blocked off to over two hundred miles of spawning and rearing habitat.

Adult fish could make it upstream through a network of ladders and other fish passage measures, but swirling warm and cold water currents in Billy Chinook Reservoir prevented the smolt from finding the route downstream. Fifty years later, this problem has yet to be resolved.

Fortunately, the lower 97 miles of river still provides some of the most productive steelhead and salmon water in the lower 48. Not only that, but the trout fishing both above and below the dams is excellent. The Metolius River is a stronghold for bull trout. The mainstem Deschutes offers a healthy population of feisty redband trout.

Still, with the dam complex’s license up for renewal, the owners, government agencies, and conservation groups (including Trout Unlimited) agreed to collaborate with the interest of fish in mind. Portland General Electric (PGE) and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation share ownership of the dams and both parties have actively studied the needs of trout and salmon in the Deschutes.

The owners are now planning on investing $121 million (in 2003 dollars) for fish-related projects over the next half a century. The cornerstone of their efforts will be a 270-foot tall selective water withdrawal tower that will hopefully re-direct the lake currents, allowing the smolt to find a new fish passage facility, as well as give dam operators control of the downstream water temperature. Restoring the historic temperature regime will assist Chinook salmon in the lower river and bull trout in the reservoirs.

The new withdrawal tower should be completed by 2008. By 2010, everyone hopes that adult steelhead and salmon will once again return to the upper Deschutes.

Don Ratliff, senior fisheries biologist at PGE, gave me a tour of the facilities. See the photos by clicking HERE. Don has been working on the Deschutes for 35 years and I couldn’t have found a better guide to teach me about the fisheries in the area.

Of all the interesting things I learned while on the Deschutes, I was most surprised to learn that steelhead spawn in tiny streams. Even the tributaries that can be entirely dry in the summer offer important spawning habitat.

I visited one small tributary, Wychus Creek, with a PGE electrofishing crew. The crew is sampling resident trout populations in historic sea-run fish spawning waters. Steelhead and salmon smolts will compete with these trout for habitat and food. Click HERE to see the photos.

After touring the project site, Don and I went steelheading downstream near the town of Maupin. At one of Don’s favorite riffles, we swung flies methodically. The technique seems simple, but it takes years to master.

The angler casts a fly down-and-across the river and then lets the fly swing with the current. The fly rides a few inches under the surface of the water. When the fly is directly downstream, the angler takes a step towards the ocean and then repeats the process.

The trick is to swing the fly at the right speed through the right water. Steelhead often hold at the drop-off immediately downstream of a riffle, but they can also be found in fast pocket water and even slow moving pools.

Local knowledge is key and I was glad to approach the Deschutes with Don’s guidance. We had a couple hours of fishing time after the dropped behind the canyon wall but before sunset. Towards the bottom of the first beat, I felt the distinct tap of a fish on my line. Immediately my adrenaline was pumping, but the fish must have just nipped the tail of my egg-sucking leech.

Steelheading is an exercise in faith. The best steelheaders always believe the fish are out there, even when they haven’t seen one for days. Still, it is a lot easier to stay focused when you’ve had a strike and I plied the water with increased zeal.

One riffle down, I was swinging my fly through Don’s most productive water. The riffle broke in front of a large boulder, creating great holding water. “You should get a strike right there.” Don predicted as my fly swung in front of the rock. On my second cast, I again felt the electric tap of a fish on the line, but again the fish avoided the business end of the hook.

Already I’d had a world class steelheading experience. Steelheaders must expect to go days, weeks, months, and even entire seasons without a strike. I was definitely benefiting from beginners luck and loving every minute of it.

With ten minutes of fishing light left, a third fish interrupted my drift. This one took the hook and the fight was on. After one quick run and a jump for good measure, I wrestled the fish to hand. My 8/9 weight striper rod was a little overkill for the 23” hatchery-raised steelhead, but I didn’t want to lose a fish if I was lucky enough to hook one and there are some 20 pound brutes in the brawling Deschutes.

I now have the steelheading bug and I look forward to returning in search of my first wild steelhead trout. I encourage you to make the trip yourself. I’ve heard that one 1/4th of all the steelhead in the Columbia River System enter the Deschutes for at least a little while. This river is definitely the place to be for those of us who can’t afford the journey to Alaska or British Columbia.

And the improvements in fish passage and water temperature will only help the fishing for decades to come!

If you can’t shut down your computer and catch the next flight to Portland, visit these links; it's the next best thing:

My photos of the Deschutes River
TU’s Why Wild? Campaign
TU’s Pacific Salmon Page

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