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

Posted by ladelfio at 11:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

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

Posted by ladelfio at 07:17 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

August 17, 2006

Where?

I haven’t been living in Montana for long, but I have been here long enough to have adopted the local vernacular. When I say I want a Moose Drool, I know I want a beer and it doesn’t occur to me that outsiders might consider it an odd request. Likewise, the terms of fly fishing are so engrained in my vocabulary that I forget normal people don’t know what a “6x tippet” is, or even a “5 weight.” So when I say “I’m going to the Yaak,” I forget that most folks don’t know the Yaak is a valley in Northwestern Montana. I highly recommend you check this place out...

Columbia River Redband Trout

The Yaak Valley is unlike any other place in Montana. Snuggled against Idaho and British Columbia, the Yaak has a Pacific Northwestern feel. Morning fog is common, although it often breaks into classic Montana blue sky.

The aptly named “old man’s beard” lichen hangs from the larch, fir, and spruce. Larch, also known as tamarack, is a deciduous conifer that loses its needles each fall. In the protection of the forest, enormous whitetail deer, many mountain lions, and even a few grizzlies live in relative peace and isolation from man.

I find the Yaak to be a magical place. And the term “magical” is not a word that a scientist like me banters about lightly. There are plenty of writers far more capable than me (i.e. Rick Bass) who wax philosophical about the Yaak, so if you are interested, I suggest you read their fine works. I’ll just say that the Yaak is one of those places that I might someday visit and never leave.

The Yaak is also home to the only native rainbow trout in the state. The Columbia River redband trout still inhabit a few headwater streams as they have for thousands upon thousands of years. In the larger rivers, introduced rainbows have diluted the genetics of the original stock, but these fine trout fisheries are still of great interest to the angler, of course.

The Kootenai River is home to the rainbows that probably take the award for the strongest, pound for pound, in the state. The Yaak River is a smaller system that holds feisty trout up to 18 inches. Smaller streams and lakes complete the list of options for the angler.

And the best part is that the Yaak often feels like a private playground. Float the Kootenai and you’ll only see one or two other boats the entire day. Fish the Yaak River or the headwaters and you’ll have the place to yourself.

My friends the Linehans operate a top-notch outfitting business in the Yaak. You may know Tim Linehan as the host of the Trout Unlimited TV show that aired for a few seasons around the turn of the century.

In addition to being the face of TU on TV, Tim is a fine guide and a tremendous human being. Tim and Joanne Linehan are two of the kindest folks I’ve ever met. They have been very generous to me personally over the years. And they do a ton for TU.

On this trip to the Yaak, I searched out a few Columbia River redband trout. While the larger trout in the Kootenai and the Yaak Rivers provide better sport, I wanted to see the native fish.

Tim directed me to Basin Creek. This tributary to the East Fork of the Yaak River is a TU project site. The Kootenai Valley TU chapter worked with the Forest Service to replace the road culverts that cross the creek, making them more fish friendly. Hybridization with non-native strains of rainbows and habitat loss have reduced pure redband populations to a few isolated creeks. The Basin Creek project is just one initiative taken on by the local TUers to protect the remaining stock of these beautiful trout.

Each well-placed cast drew a ferocious response from the redbands. These little guys are obviously hungry! In hand, the redbands show off their richly-colored sides and intricate black spot patterns. They swim off with zest, ready to attack the next poor caddisfly that lands upstream.

Take a look at my photos HERE to see a few of these neat fish.

I have a humorous (sort of) tale of life on the road for you. Every locale has certain creatures that residents would prefer to live without. Black widows, hobo spiders, rattlesnakes, Norwegian rats, and yippy lap dogs come to mind. In western Montana, pack rats are towards the top of the list.

While in the Yaak, I stayed in a rarely inhabited vacation cabin that the Linehans watch for a friend from out of state. Well, no one had been there in a few weeks, so Joanne went to check things out before I arrived and discovered a female pack rat and three big babies nesting in the propane grill on the back porch.

A pack rat looks like a hybrid between a regular city rat and a squirrel. I’m sure that those folks who keep chinchillas and the such would find them quite desirable as pets.

Unfortunately, they are rodents and they like to chew and poop, making them less than desirable neighbors and even worse roommates. Well, Joanne completed the unpleasant task of cleaning the nest out the grill, displacing the four pack rats.

Enter Luca’s pickup. When I arrived, one of the baby pack rats decided my truck would make a fine place to nest and start a family of her own. Overnight, she crawled up into the motor space and built a nest of lichen and dried grass behind my battery. I guess it didn’t fit quite right because she decided to chew through a few wires to attain the proper hominess.

Well, I didn’t discover this until the town of Libby, a 45 minute drive from the Yaak. It’s a good thing she didn’t build the nest on the engine… I’ve had steam come out from under the hood, but smoke is another story!

So when I popped the hood to check my oil in Libby, I was greeted with the sight of the nest, woven and shaped like a bird’s nest. Oh yeah, she had also stashed a mushroom under the alternator.

I cleaned it out and took the truck to the mechanic to get the wires fixed. When I told him why I was there, a look of horror came over his face. It was that look that manly men give when they know they have to do something, but they are really dreading it.

When this guy opened an auto garage, I don’t think he anticipated he’d spend so much time dealing with rodents.

“Is it still in the car?” he asked, “They usually stay with the vehicle.”

“No, I cleaned out the nest, besides, I drove from the Yaak.” I replied.

“It doesn’t matter” the mechanic looked pained, “they’ll just scurry up and down the vehicle the whole way here.”

Well the mechanic took a look and decided it was safe to allow my truck in his garage. He told me a story of impaling a rat with a screwdriver once when one ran out of a patron’s vehicle on the lift.

He fixed my wires and left me with half a dozen humorous pack rat stories and the ominous warning, “Once they pee in it, they’ll always come back.”

So I drove back up to the Yaak and parked as far from the cabin as I could without blocking a public right of way. I listened as my engine cooled down and heard some additional scratching noises. It seems the rat actually had stuck with the vehicle. She was tucked into the space between the frame and the body above the driver’s side front wheel well. I could see her in there with a flash light.

Well, it was time for action. I closed the propane grill (leaving the lid open prevented the rats from nesting there again) and opened my truck’s hood. I had stumbled across an interesting paradox in rat behavior: What happens if a pack rat urinates in both a grill and a Nissan pickup? I wondered if the mechanic, my expert in pack rat nesting habits, knew the answer.

I borrowed the Linehan’s Hav-a-Hart trap, which I set under the truck with a piece of tin foil, a new penny, and a Cheez-it cracker for bait. Why the tin foil and the penny? Pack rats are notorious for collecting shiny items.

That evening I watched the rat make a couple trips for nesting materials to and from my truck. She used the trap as a step ladder, causing me to lose a little faith in my methodology. For a few minutes I stood out there with my bow, hoping to shoot the little bugger, but I felt a little too much like Elmer Fudd to keep at it for long.

In the end, the trap worked and I caught the pack rat overnight. Now that my truck is safely located 500 miles away, I almost wish that I actually Had-a-Heart, but at the time, I wasn’t taking any chances.
I pictured releasing the rat somewhere out in the woods and then racing it back to my urine-laced truck, hoping to get out of there before the rat hopped back aboard.

So I drew the pack rat a bath in the Rubbermaid I use to disinfect my waders. I don’t know if pack rats can swim, because Hav-a-Harts sink, but next time I’m in Libby, I’ll ask the mechanic.

So here I was hoping to let folks know about how great the Yaak is and now I’m scaring them away with pack rat stories. I’ll close with this:

Even while I was drowning a rat, I was looking forward to my next trip to the Yaak. It is truly a unique fishing destination. Go fish the Kootenai, stay in one of the Linehans’ homey and pack rat-free rental cabins (not their friends’), and enjoy this amazing lost corner of Montana.

See photos of redband trout, pack rat trapping, and other classic Yaak Valley scenes by clicking HERE!

Posted by ladelfio at 01:05 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

August 11, 2006

Dear Jeff

Over a decade of drought has been tough on Southwestern Montana’s trout. Each summer, the air seems to get a little warmer and the water a little skinnier. Arguably, the Jefferson River has been hit the hardest. The trout population has declined 75% in my lifetime. While the situation is dire, those in the know have hope for the Jeff. After all, it still holds 10 pound browns…

An Irrigation Diversion and the Beautiful Jefferson River, MT

The Jeff is another river benefiting from TU’s Home Rivers Initiative. Bruce Rehwinkel, Project Coordinator for the Jefferson Home River effort, is no stranger to the area. He was the region’s Fisheries Biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) from 1978 until 1990.

Working for TU provides Bruce with the opportunity to continue to assist the trout fishery he knows so well.

Like many western rivers, the Jefferson is over-appropriated during drought years. In other words, irrigators hold water rights for over 100% of the water. My mother is a math teacher, but none of us need her help to understand that this doesn’t leave anything for the trout.

Before TU hired Bruce, the Jefferson River Watershed Council (JRWC) was already working closely with irrigators on a drought management plan. Just like with other initiatives from coast-to-coast, TU recognized the good work that was already happening and jumped in to assist with a full-time staffer. Bruce works closely with the JRWC to help the Jefferson cope with the drought.

The fundamental first step during low summer flows is working with the irrigators to leave a little water in the stream. Bruce and JRWC aim for 50 cubic feet per second (cfs) at Waterloo Bridge, just below the head gate of a big irrigation ditch. Fifty cfs is still a very low flow, but it is certainly an improvement from the late summer flows, or lack thereof, in the mid-80s when the stream was reduced to damp gravel.

When the water gets low, representatives from the ditch companies, the local irrigators, FWP, JRWC members, and Bruce sit down to try to work out how a little more water can make it down the streambed.

The objective is to coordinate consumption. For example, if one ranch has already cut a crop of hay, they might be willing to let some of their water flow down the channel. The next week, another ranch might cut and then their water can stay in the river while the first ranch begins irrigating the new crop. The meetings are designed to figure out who is using what water when so the ditch managers knows exactly how much water is needed.

Bruce told me the ditch companies have been “wonderful.” “Without them, we wouldn’t have a drop in the river,” he added.

The river is the lifeblood for these ranches, but many local ranchers are willing to sacrifice some of their water to keep the channel wet. These families have lived here for generations and most of the locals have great respect for the land.

Furthermore, these agreements are made with a handshake and faith in the other parties involved. The ranchers are willing to give up their water during low flows with a gentleman’s agreement, not a common occurrence in the water-poor west. Everyone has heard the Mark Twain quote (paraphrased): “In the west, whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.”

Bruce and the JRWC have also brought in engineers to assess the water delivery system for efficiency. If less water is lost during delivery, more can be left in the river. Bruce hopes to help the ditch companies implement some of the recommendations, such as new headgates. Unfortunately, a lot of the inefficiencies in the system are upstream, on the Beaverhead River. Negotiations with irrigators in the Big Hole, the Beaverhead, and the Ruby Valleys are in the works, but these things take time.

During drought years, the 0-1 year old trout are hit the hardest. Fish surveys have shown that recruitment of young of the year is next to nothing after a low flow. It is this loss of baby trout that has led to the overall decline in the total trout population.

To help the young of the year, Bruce and FWP have been working with landowners to restore the valley’s spring creeks. Most of these streams are very small and they flow through private land, but with in-stream improvement work, Bruce has proven that they can produce young rainbow trout.

Bruce started restoring spring creeks in the Jefferson Valley while working for FWP in 1984. There is no way he could have anticipated the success of these efforts. Work includes narrowing the stream channel, restoring the natural meanders, and fencing livestock out of the riparian zone. These improvements create holding water and help the system flush out sediment, exposing quality spawning gravel.

Thanks to spring creek restorations, juvenile rainbow trout populations have increased, despite the overall decrease in total trout numbers.

The river is predominantly a brown trout fishery and the brown trout don’t utilize the spring creeks like the rainbows do. While brown trout numbers have decreased, the size of the average fish has increased. Anglers can't expect to catch many trout on the Jeff, but a high percentage of the fish caught will be hogs.

Bruce and his crew did the first stream improvement with hand tools. Now heavy machinery is used, speeding up the process considerably. At most sites they “finish Friday evening and there are fish in the stream Saturday morning,” Bruce reports.

Trout Unlimited and FWP are currently planning additional spring creek restorations for future field seasons to build on these successes.

Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks also utilizes voluntary and mandatory closures to protect the fish when high water temperatures become stressful for trout. When I visited the Jeff, the river was too warm to fish. By respecting these closures, anglers can help the river in the long run.

The fact that there are any trout in the Jefferson at all is a testament to the resilience of the fish. As I visit project sites from coast to coast, I am constantly amazed at how well trout do in the face of adversity. We just need to give them a little help and the trout will do the rest.

On the Jefferson, we need to keep enough water in the stream to keep the trout wet. If we can carry the fish, including the young one, through the low flows, we can slowly start to re-build this fine fishery.

Trout Unlimited made a smart decision when they hired Bruce Rehwinkel. It is yet another case of TU hiring the right person and giving them the tools they need to do the right thing. Thanks to the hard work of Bruce, other TUers, the JRWC, FWP, and the local ranchers, the Jefferson is on the mend.

Click HERE to see my photos of the Jefferson River

Click HERE for more information about TU's efforts on the Jefferson

Posted by ladelfio at 01:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 08, 2006

BCT: Big Carnivorous Trout

My first cast produced a big flash. My second resulted in a hook-up. From a distance, the large golden fish looked like a carp. Carp-sized trout are always appreciated by the angler. With the 21.5” Bonneville cutthroat trout in the net, I took a second to look around. Let’s just say that this section of the Thomas Fork of the Bear River doesn’t resemble your typical Rocky Mountain trout stream…

We are standing in a rancher’s field. Algae and sediment give the water the turbid look of a bluegill pond. The distant trees may be a mirage in the 100 degree heat. Dust floats off the ground like anthrax. And yet, this beautiful cutthroat, one of the largest I’ve ever seen, calls this place home.

Well actually, this fish is just passing through. Bonneville cutthroat are marvelously adapted for surviving in the harsh, semi-desert conditions of the Bear River system. The Bear River drains the intersection of Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah on its way to the Great Salt Lake. It is tough country for trout and people alike. Migration is one of the characteristics that allows this species to thrive here.

The adult Bonneville cutthroats feed in the main river, growing large on a diet of forage fish. Some individuals exceed 24 inches and 20 inchers are relatively common. Then, in the spring, they migrate upstream into the headwaters. Some individuals move 90 kilometers. The Bonnevilles spawn in the small tributary streams, where their young hatch in a cooler and safer environment than the Bear River proper. After a couple years in the headwater streams, many of the surviving offspring will migrate to the river in search of forage, continuing the cycle.

Until just a few years ago, no one really knew how far these fish were traveling. Warren Colyer’s master’s project shed light on the annual migrations of these amazing fish. Today, Warren works for TU, coordinating a recovery and monitoring effort for the Bear River Bonneville.

The Bear River Bonnevilles face an uphill battle. Water is a limited commodity in the basin and the rivers have been dammed and diverted for over 100 years. These obstructions were not constructed with fish passage in mind and the migratory routes to essentially every tributary were affected.

Migratory fish entering the tributary rivers, such as the Thomas Fork, are stuck between a rock and a hard place. In dry years, the irrigation diversions are in operation during the spawning run, and the headgates block migration entirely. If it is a wet year, fish make it past the gates before irrigation has commenced, but almost 50% of the fish will get stuck in the irrigation ditches and die on their post-spawn journey back to the Bear River.

After a century and a half of neglect, the migratory Bear River Bonneville population is hanging on by a thread. Fortunately, TU hired Warren to continue his study of this amazing fish. His objectives are to both gain a better understanding of the species and implement solutions to give them a leg up.

In just the last few years, Warren has worked with landowners to construct fish screens on three irrigation ditches in the Thomas Fork. The screens allow the ranchers to take the water they need for irrigation, but prevent fish from getting trapped in the ditches.

Last year was the first season that all three screens were operational. The results? An increase from 6 Bonnevilles observed in the stream to 200 in just one year! A true scientist, Warren modestly points out that better water flows were probably a contributing factor, but this figure is certainly a good indicator that the screens are helping the Bonneville spawning run.

The Smith’s Fork of the Bear is the last tributary to hold a healthy run of Bonnevilles. In fact, in dry years when fish have been turned away by the diversions on the Thomas Fork, Warren has tracked them over 75 kilometers up the Smith’s Fork. This stream provides the migratory Bear River fish with the toehold they need to avoid extirpation.

Warren studies the Bonneville cutthroat in the Smith’s Fork and the Thomas Fork, providing an interesting comparison between a relatively pristine fish run and a stream in recovery.

Twenty-five miles from the nearest paved road, Adam Sepulveda and Warren Colyer are huddled over a metal box filled with wires and computer parts. I’ve often heard folks lamenting that kids spend too much time in front of computers and not enough time outdoors these days, but as we played with this radio-tracking antenna, I almost wished I had spent more time futzing with electronics when I was younger.

Thanks to Adam’s expertise, the whole operation went relatively smoothly. Adam is a PhD student at the University of Montana. Part of his project involves the Bear River Bonnevilles. Adam is looking at the ratio of different types of nitrogen and carbon in tissue samples to tell where in the river system a fish has been feeding. Hopefully, this research will lead to an easy, unobtrusive way to test if a fish is migratory. Somehow, Adam also knows about radio antennas.

Warren and his field technicians currently operate fish weirs on the Thomas Fork and the Smith’s Fork. With the weirs, hook and line sampling, and electrofishing, Warren and his crew capture Bonnevilles and tag them with P.I.T. tags, little radio transponders that are inserted into the fish’s belly (see the photos HERE). The P.I.T. tag gives the individual fish a code, allowing it to be tracked throughout the migration, or even year-to-year.

If the crew captures the fish again, they have a wand-like device that will detect the P.I.T. tag, allowing them to keep track of where and when this particular individual has been captured.

The radio-tracking antennas will ease this process considerably. The antennas automatically detect if a P.I.T. tag moves by and records the data in a palm pilot. The use of two antennas in tandem reveals which direction the fish is moving.

These slick devices are another tool that will not only make Warren’s life easier, but will also shed light on the time of migration for the Bear River Bonnevilles. Understanding when these fish move is a crucial piece of information when working to keep the fish out of the ditches.

After installing the first antenna, Warren, Adam, and I grabbed our fly rods and headed upstream. We alternated pools, casting streamers and hoppers to likely lies. The Bonnevilles were spread out and not every good cast produced a fish, but when one did chase the fly, it was certainly exciting.

These fish are ambitious. Their toothy mouths want a meaty meal. Warren likes to throw mouse flies towards dark, and even the 13” Bonnevilles will attack a small mammal imitation. We slipped P.I.T. tags into the fish that we caught, hoping that soon they would put the new antennas to the test.

Unfortunately, even the pristine Smith’s Fork is at risk. The state of Wyoming is pushing a proposal to construct a dam on this river that would effectively eliminate the last healthy run of large Bear River Bonnevilles.

Despite the fact that Bonnevilles currently occupy only 5%-30% of their original range and key populations (including the migratory fish in the Smith’s Fork) are at risk, the US Fish and Wildlife Service turned down a petition to list the Bonneville cutthroat under the Endangered Species Act in 2002.

The denial of federal protection and the proposed dam are just two new additions to a long list of assaults on the Bonneville cutthroat. Fortunately for the fish, Warren isn’t crying in his beer. He is studying their numbers and habits, working with landowners and government agencies, and doing what he can to help this incredible species.

Migratory Bear River Bonnevilles have survived for thousands and thousands of years in this inhospitable environment. I hope that we don’t squander their entire existence in a few short decades.

For photos of the 21”+ Bonneville, a 13-incher with a mouse fly in its mouth, as well as a glimpse of the scenic Smith’s Fork, CLICK HERE.

Posted by ladelfio at 07:34 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 03, 2006

Magic Act

Say “abracadabra” and the river disappears. Both the Big and Little Lost Rivers flow into sink basins, where they percolate into the ground before reaching another waterway. The isolation of these watersheds from other surface water facilitated the evolution and survival of genetically distinct populations of rare salmonids. I visited these beautiful basins to learn about the local TU work and “hook and line sample” some nice fish…

The Big Lost River, Mackay, ID

The Little Lost
I liken bull trout to lions on the Serengeti. They lounge around for hours at a time, but when they are on the feed, watch out. Bull trout can be voracious. I once watched a 16” bull take a silver dollar-sized chunk out of a 11” whitefish. And this is not a unique story. Every serious angler in the upper Columbia River Basin has a few good bull trout tales.

The bull trout in the Little Lost have been isolated from their brethren. How did these fish end up in a landlocked basin? Well, that depends on who you ask. The general consensus is that geologic shifting and a mountain uplifting event trapped bull trout in this basin a long time ago. The less elegant possibility is that a hungry settler simply brought the trout over in a bucket.

Regardless of how they got here, these fish are now an important population for conservation biology purposes.

In the past, bull trout were outright persecuted because they eat “more sporting” fish like rainbows and cutthroats. While the bounty has been lifted off the bull trout’s head, habitat degradation is still an issue.

Bull trout are highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances, especially sedimentation. Sedimentation from over-grazing, poor timber harvest practices, and road-building have severely reduced bull trout habitat over the years. Today, roadless areas are strongholds for bull trout, yet another important reason to protect these areas.

The construction of dams has also negatively impacted bull trout. Bull trout are highly migratory and dams have reduced the ability of these fish to move from feeding habitat to spawning grounds.

Because bull trout have been reduced to a fraction of their original range, we need to do what we can to protect the remaining populations.

Based on outward appearance, Kim Goodman and Jim Gregory form an unlikely dynamic duo. Jim wears the uniform of a western rancher. His button-up shirt and Wranglers are dusty from working hard on his ranch. Kim embodies the “new west” in her Chaco sandals and shorts. Her legs are ripped from mountain biking and skiing.

However, when you talk with these two, you quickly realize that they aren’t as different as their choice in garb implies. Both are Eastern Idaho natives and both earned master’s degrees in fish-related disciplines. Furthermore, Kim and Jim are both committed to preserving the bull trout in the Little Lost.

Kim serves as the Director of TU’s Idaho Water Project. Jim is an independent Fisheries Biologist who TU has contracted to help with the work in the area. The two are working closely with the irrigators in the valley to increase irrigation efficiency and help the bull trout.

A big part of the effort is replacing old irrigation diversions with models that are more fish friendly. Just like dams, irrigation diversions can block fish passage. Kim and Jim are working with landowners to replace 7 irrigation diversions to promote fish passage in the drainage.

Kim and Jim are also currently spearheading a project on Badger Creek, a tributary to the Little Lost. Historically, much of the water in Badger Creek was diverted for irrigation purposes. Kim and Jim have worked with the irrigator to divert from the Little Lost instead, allowing the water from Badger Creek to flow into the river. This is beneficial to the trout because the water from Badger Creek is colder than the water in the mainstem, so it recharges the Little Lost with a healthy flow. The Badger Creek project is certainly a creative solution that helps the bull trout without negatively impacting the local ranchers.

The next phase of this effort is in-stream restoration work on Badger Creek. The plan is to restore the natural stream channel, opening up new spawning and rearing habitat.

To orchestrate these efforts, Kim and Jim must work closely with landowners and state and federal agencies. Without the cooperation of irrigators and the technical support and funding of the government, these projects would not be possible.

After touring the project site, we headed upstream to try our luck with the fly rod. Our party of five was a little big for the little stream (Chris Hunt, TU’s Public Lands Initiative Communications Director and an avid angler, and John O’Connell, a writer and editor for the Great Outdoors section of the Idaho State Journal, also enjoyed the educational tour on the Little Lost), so we opted to split into two groups.

Jim and I headed upstream, trading shots at spunky rainbows and a couple brook trout. The sight of brook trout in the stream is a little disheartening as this species can hybridize with bull trout, diluting the genetic purity of the native fish. Jim and I did not see any bulls, but when we met up with the rest of our cohort, we learned that Kim caught and gently released one!

It was a beautiful day on a sparkling mountain stream. I hope you will take a look at my photos be clicking HERE.

A Little Lost River Basin rainbow

The Big Lost
Most anglers consider whitefish to be “trash fish.” In actuality, whitefish are a native species and they are members of the Salmonidae (trout and salmon) family.

I find it fascinating how the tastes of sports-men and -women change with time. Not too long ago, hunters preferred cow elk over bulls and anglers persecuted bull trout. Now, bull trout and bull elk are revered. I wonder if the under-appreciated whitefish will ever gain such respect.

There is one population of whitefish that needs our support now. The whitefish in the Big Lost River are so genetically distinct that one day they may even be recognized as a unique species. They are the only native salmonid in the Big Lost River Basin.

A decade long drought coupled with high water demand for irrigation has severely impacted whitefish (and other introduced trout) habitat in the Big Lost River. Whitefish numbers are down so dramatically that a petition has been filed to protect this population under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Regardless of whether or not the Big Lost River whitefish get listed under ESA, local agencies are doing what they can to help the fish. Chris Hunt and I joined Jim Gregory and fish sampling crews from Idaho Fish and Game and the US Forest Service to assist with a whitefish rescue.

High spring runoff trapped about a 1000 juvenile whitefish in a gravel pit near Mackay, ID. The government crews were electrofishing the gravel pits to capture the whitefish and move them back into the river. Electrofishing is a commonly used scientific research method that involves sending an electrical current through the water to momentarily stun the fish, causing them to float towards the surface where they can be netted. After the fish were collected, they were loaded into a fish stocking truck and driven back to the Big Lost.

After the rescue, we dropped downstream to fish the Big Lost River below Mackay Dam. This tailwater stretch of river holds big fish, some of the biggest in the west, but public access is limited and relatively few anglers fish this river.

The fly of the day was the Mackay Special, a local cranefly imitation. Midge larvae and small grasshoppers also produced a few nice trout.

While the possibility of hooking a trout as thick as your thigh makes angling the Big Lost an appealing proposition, it is not the only reason to visit this remote river. The Big Lost drains the highest peaks in the state and the views are stunning.

These unique fisheries have certainly found a beautiful part of the country to call home. It’s good to know that folks like Kim Goodman, Chris Hunt, and Jim Gregory are working to conserve these important coldwater resources.

Take a look at THESE PHOTOS to see electrofishing in action under the highest peaks in Idaho.

Posted by ladelfio at 12:55 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 01, 2006

Save 100 Cutthroat Trout, Kill a Rainbow

I like to use blunt force to the head to kill a trout. My goal is to dispatch the poor bugger quickly, but without causing its eyes to pop out. Idaho’s South Fork of the Snake River is a great place to perfect one’s trout whacking technique…

SF Snake River, ID

Hybridization with non-native rainbow trout is a huge problem for native cutthroat trout. Both rainbow and cutthroat trout spawn in the springtime, making hybridization a common occurrence in certain waters. The species are closely enough related that the hybrids are viable, but these “cutt-bows” dilute the genetic stock of the native species. Non-native trout also compete with cutthroats for habitat and food, further threatening the existence of our native fish.

In most large Rocky Mountain rivers, introduced rainbow, brown, and brook trout have totally displaced the native cutthroat trout. Dams have complicated the issue in many systems by blocking access to the tributaries where cutthroat prefer to spawn.

The South Fork of the Snake River is an anomaly. This tremendous tailwater hosts native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, including some really big ones. Over the last five years, TU has been working with Idaho Fish and Game (ID F&G) and numerous other conservation organizations to help this population of sensitive native fish.

While Yellowstone cutts have persevered in the South Fork, their successes must not be taken for granted. Damage to spawning tributaries, low winter flows from Palisades Dam, development in the valley, and hybridization with rainbow trout are very real threats to these fish.

Matt Woodard is spearheading TU’s Home River Initiative on the South Fork. Like all of TU’s “Home River” projects, this one takes a comprehensive approach to coldwater conservation.

I spent a day with Matt and I tired out my fingers while taking notes on all the great conservation work in the valley.

To reduce hybridization with rainbow trout, TU and ID F&G have been advocating that anglers keep rainbows and cutt-bows from the river. The state changed the creel limit so that an angler can keep as many rainbow trout as they’d like.

No one has any illusions about removing rainbows from the system entirely, but angler harvest has proved to be an effective way to help keep the non-native fish population in check.

At first, anglers and guides were reluctant to harvest the rainbow trout, Matt told me, but the initiative has become quite successful. While rainbows will always be known for the aerial acrobatics that follow a hookset, let me tell you, I have fished all over Yellowstone Country and the cutthroat in the South Fork are the strongest I’ve ever hooked.

Besides their broad shoulders, anglers have embraced these fish for their willingness to suck down dry flies and the rich colors on their flanks.

Most importantly, catching a native trout is enjoyable in and of itself. It is nice to know that the fish belongs in the river and that its ancestors have eaten stoneflies here for thousands of years.

The heart of the South Fork River Initiative lies in the restoration of the stream’s tributaries. Cutthroat trout prefer to spawn in tributaries, even the really small feeder streams. Some of the tribs to the South Fork have been disconnected from the main river for irrigation purposes.

A big part of Matt’s job is working with landowners to gain permission to restore the natural stream channels on their land. Most of the landowners in the valley want to do what they can to help the fish, but it’s Matt’s job to assure them that TU will work with them as a constructive partner.

Fortunately for all, Matt is great at this aspect of the job and the trout are truly benefiting from these partnerships.

Matt showed me Garden Creek and Rainey Creek, two of the channel reconnection projects. Work has included replacing culverts under the highway to allow fish passage, updating irrigation systems to increase water use efficiency, and screening the diversion inputs to prevent fish from entering irrigation ditches. In addition, a key irrigator has promised not to divert water from Garden Creek until after July 1st, leaving more water in the stream during the cutthroat spawn.

These projects depend on support and funding from many groups and agencies including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the One Fly competition.

Local volunteers from the Upper Snake River TU chapter have also been actively involved in tributary restoration. Matt Woodard was chapter president before taking his post as a TU employee.

Early results are promising. This last spring, only weeks after the reconnection was complete, a mature cutthroat was observed in Garden Creek.

The adult cutthroat trout are the attraction for the thousands of anglers who visit this river each season. Matt floated me down an upper stretch of the river in his driftboat, a big aluminum steelheading boat that worked great in the South Fork’s powerful flow.

We threw hoppers, yellow sallies (small yellow stoneflies), and general attractor dry flies to likely lies. The weather was scorching hot and we didn’t have one of those epic South Fork days where every fish in the river is looking up, but we stuck a few trout.

I hooked one large cutthroat. We watched it slowly and deliberately rise to my hopper imitation and suck it down. If I close my eyes, I can still re-play this "picture perfect" rise in my head. Well, the fish went upstream while the current carried the boat towards the ocean and the hook pulled out. Still, it was nice to see such a fine native trout.

I got a little taste of the river and saw its potential. I can’t wait to get back and fish the South Fork again. Likewise, visiting the first stages of the South Fork improvement efforts was inspiring. I look forward to following the progress of this impressive conservation effort for decades. This project is the real deal.

I encourage you to visit the South Fork for yourself. Catch beautiful native cutthroat trout on dry flies and enjoy a rainbow cooked over the campfire.

Visit the photo gallery HERE

Click HERE to read more about the SF Snake Home River Initiative

Posted by ladelfio at 10:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 28, 2006

Beating Burnout on the Bighorn

Writing this blog is, of course, a dream job. Still, the constant travel and entire absence of routine gets a little tiring every now and then. These challenges were particularly heavy on my mind after a few days off at home in Big Sky. As I left town for another month on the road, I was suffering from burnout. Struggling artists often search for inspiration in the company of their peers. In the same vein, I journeyed to the Bighorn to fish with some other hard-core young anglers, hoping to stoke my inner drive...
CLICK HERE to read more

Bighorn brown trout

Few anglers have more drive then Jeremiah Heitke. Jeremiah and I worked together for the Forest Service Fish and Aquatic Ecology Unit doing bull trout, steelhead, and salmon habitat assessment in the Upper Columbia River Basin. Over the course of three field seasons, we had many epic fishing trips, both during the work week and on our days off.

Jeremiah still works most of the year for the Forest Service, putting his Master’s degree in fishery biology to good use. A truly devoted angler, he takes a couple months off each winter to go on fishing adventures around the globe. A few years ago, he embarked on a near death slog through the mountains of New Zealand in search of monster browns. More recently, he has “dirt-bagged it” in Belize, angling for bones, sharks, and anything else swimming the reefs and flats.

Our trip to the ‘horn offers further proof of Jeremiah’s fly fishing obsession. One day before the trip, he broke his clavicle while mountain biking. Still, Jeremiah accompanied his brother Dustin on the 7+ hour drive to the river and he fished hard for two and a half days.

Originally hailing from Wisconsin, an annual trip to the Bighorn is a tradition for the Heitke family. Located on the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountain region, the ‘horn is a first stop for many anglers heading west.

I fished the Bighorn on my summer treks to the Northern Rockies in high school. My impression of the place kept me from returning until this trip. It’s not that I didn’t have a good time on the river; it’s just there are a lot of other places I prefer. My main objection to the ‘horn is that it attracts some less-than-sporting anglers. A few of the guys you will meet on the river believe that catching big trout is evidence of their manliness and angling amongst these knuckleheads is not always a positive experience.

That said, the Bighorn is an incredible fishery, the benchmark for tailwaters worldwide. Until the mid nineties, the Bighorn supported ridiculously high fish densities (and obscene angling pressure). Drought, whirling disease, and other challenges diminished fish numbers and fewer anglers visited the river during the first few years of the 21st century. However, the river continued to fish well, particularly for 20+ inch trout.

Last season, fish numbers started to rebound. With another good water year this season, everyone is optimistic that this trend will continue.

The surrounding country is scenic in that desolate, northern plains sort of way. Low light casts striking shadows on the steppes and buttes. This part of Montana gives true meaning to “big sky country” and the high clouds can offer as scenic vistas as the Tetons to those who are willing to look up from their strike indicators.

After a decade of drought, minimum flows are a hot topic on the ‘horn. TU just forged a partnership with the Crow nation that aims to maintain a minimum flow in the river. The tribe, which owns a big portion of the Bighorn's water rights, is an important partner in the management of the river. Check out the write-up on page 48 of the spring 2006 issue of Trout magazine.

This season, healthy flows promise rapid-fire angling. Within fifteen minutes of wetting my first line, I caught the biggest brown trout of my season (so far). It was rather anticlimactic. Usually, my biggest fish of the year is the product of a long day headhunting with size 1/0 woolly buggers, or after compulsively stalking the same behemoth for a month.

All I had to do on the ‘horn was string my rod and roll cast a 2 inch long San Juan Worm into a likely run. I was daydreaming when my indicator hesitated slightly. Fortunately, I do this enough that I can set the hook without paying attention, kind of like how one can drive down the highway without thinking about it. The next thing I knew, there was an enormous golden flash as the unhappy toad rolled and darted downstream. It almost felt like I had cheated when I landed this entirely undeserved chunky 20-22” brown.

The Heitke brothers and I continued to catch 18+” browns, rainbows, and cuttbows on the Bighorn for the rest of the trip. And unlike my first fish, many of these trout were earned.

The Heitkes approach the ‘horn differently than most anglers. They enjoy sight fishing the shallow riffles. The brothers slowly patrol the bank, looking for certain shades of color, motion, and body parts (especially tails) in the shelf riffles, often in water less than knee deep. Until you develop an eye for it, these fish are really hard to see. With years of experience on the ‘horn and countless other rivers, the brothers are fish sighting machines. It doesn’t hurt either that both Jeremiah and Dustin are close to six and a half feet tall, allowing them to look down through the glare.

Sighting a trout is half the battle. Then the angler must deliver a nymph rig to the fish without spooking it. Compared to other rivers, this isn’t that hard on the ‘horn, but it does require accurate casting and a good sense of where your fly is during the drift so you can set the hook when the trout takes. Jeremiah is particularly good at this. Despite his broken clavicle, he was picking off nice trout right and left. “There’s one!” he’d say. Two casts later he’d be into the fish. It was pretty cool to watch.

In the morning, the fish were suckers for the big San Juans. There are a lot of aquatic worms in the system and such an imitation is as realistic as any baetis nymph. Dustin started tying 2.5-4 inch long worms on streamer hooks a few years ago and the Heitkes have been fishing them ever since. Towards noon, the fish switched over to small (#20) scuds and sowbugs. Midge larva imitations and micro pheasant tails did the trick later in the evening.

The second day on the river, we rented a drift boat and floated the upper 12 miles of river. Given their predisposition to sight fishing, the Heitkes use the boat exclusively to access good wading sites. We had a blast stalking large fish in skinny water. If you take a look at my photos, you will see a few of the many beautiful trout we caught.

The 13+ hour float was also the perfect cure for my case of burnout. The Heitkes’ enthusiasm is contagious and by the end of the day, I was fired up for the next month on the road. I can’t wait to get down to Colorado and fish harder than I’ve ever fished before. In addition to visiting old haunts, I look forward to hiking into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, exploring a secret spring creek in the Arkansas River Valley, and only time will tell what else.

Please look at these photos. It will be worth your time, I promise! CLICK HERE

Posted by ladelfio at 10:47 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

June 22, 2006

A Weekend Away

What do you do on your vacation when you fish for work? Fish some more, of course. I “took a couple days off” to visit one of my favorite places in the entire world, the headwaters of Rock Creek…

Sarah Braun and a nice cuttbow, Rock Creek, MT

Lower Rock Creek is an internationally-renowned fishery located half an hour east of Missoula, Montana. This time of year, Rock Creek is invaded by a flotilla of rafts. It is salmonfly time and these anglers are enjoying 50-100 fish days, all on dries. Rock Creek is one of Montana’s premier freestone fisheries and the stonefly hatches provide the quintessential Rocky Mountain experience.

While the angling is excellent, I am sick of the early summer hubbub on the lower river. Fortunately, the upper mainstem fishes very well and receives a fraction of the fishing pressure. Also, certain reaches of Rock Creek’s upper forks and many of the tributaries provide excellent angling for those who are willing to explore.

My friend Sarah and I spent the weekend plying the waters of upper Rock. The weather was cool on Saturday, and we were upstream of the stonefly hatch, but the native westslope cutthroat responded well to San Juan Worms. The next day, after a morning in historic Phillipsburg, we headed to the upper mainstem. The big stones were on the water and the fish responded well to medium-sized (#6-8) imitations. We had a lot of fun catching voracious cutt-bows, cutthroat-rainbow trout hybrids, on dry flies.

Since it’s my vacation, I’m not going to write anymore, but look for another post about this part of Montana later in the season.

Please enjoy THESE PHOTOS.

Posted by ladelfio at 04:36 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

June 21, 2006

A Day in Montana’s Backcountry

I left Montana for this gig in late April. Over 9,500 miles later, it feels great to be back. Backcountry areas are a big part of why I live here. I enjoy getting off the beaten path and exploring the mountains. Unfortunately, over 58.5 million acres of backcountry that was designated as “roadless” is at risk. The current Administration has overturned the protection of these areas, against the wishes of most Americans. Trout Unlimited is instrumental in keeping these backcountry areas wild…

Tom Reed and canine friends, Gallatin Mtns, MT

A year ago, I applied for a Roadless Organizer Position with TU. The position would have involved raising grassroots support for backcountry areas amongst anglers and hunters. I was thanked for my interest, but I didn’t even get an interview because TU received so many applications from candidates “with more experience.”

I didn’t realize how under-qualified I was until the bio.s for the folks they hired were posted on the TU staff page. If I had been in charge of hiring, I wouldn’t have interviewed myself either! The Roadless/Backcountry Organizers are highly experienced journalists and authors. Not only that, but they are truly dedicated outdoorsmen who have spent years fishing and hunting their local areas.

Tom Reed is the Backcountry Organizer for Montana and Wyoming. He has published a book about grizzly bears and is currently working on another one about horses. He grew up exploring the mountains of his native Colorado. Tom worked for Wyoming Fish and Game for years, providing him with an inside perspective of fish and wildlife issues in the state. Tom is an avid hunter and fisherman who enjoys horsepacking into remote areas. Always excited to get out of the office and into the backcountry, Tom joined me for a day of fishing and told me about TU’s roadless initiatives.

With the rivers high and largely unfishable, Tom and I hiked into the Hidden Lakes, a chain of eight ponds in the Gallatin Mountains near Big Sky. The lakes are about 3 miles from the trailhead, which is about 20 minutes by dirt road from the highway. I fished here once before as a teenager and I have always wanted to return in search of the resident golden trout.

Goldens are native to the Sierra Nevada, but wild populations have been established in high mountain lakes up and down the Rockies. In full spawning color, these trout are stunning and rival the brookie for the “prettiest salmonid award.” Golden trout are found almost exclusively in backcountry areas, making them appropriate quarry for our trip.

During the Clinton Administration, the Forest Service designated 58.5 million acres of less-disturbed land to remain “roadless.” These lands are outside of designated Wilderness Areas and National Parks, but tend to be remote and ecologically important. Some of these areas do have jeep trails and other un-maintained vehicular trails, but for the most part, they are road-free. The “roadless” designation does not eliminate current motorized vehicle trails, but it does maintain the current state of the land and prohibit the development of new roads.

The Bush Administration has dismissed this legislation, known as the “Roadless Rule,” despite the American public’s broad-based support for the policy. The Administration revoked protection from 9 million roadless acres in the Tongass National Forest, threatening key steelhead and salmon habitat.

During the public comment process, nearly a quarter million Americans wrote the Forest Service in opposition to this policy change. In addition, over 450 rod and gun clubs, many members of which are life-long Republicans, petitioned the Administration in support of roadless protection in the Tongass. Despite the legions of opposition and only 2,000 letters of support, the Administration opened this priceless wildlife habitat to unnecessary exploitation.

The Administration continues to threaten roadless areas in the lower 48 states, against the wishes of the American public. It is important that hunters and anglers work to ensure these backcountry treasures aren’t taken for granted by our elected officials.

The Department of Agriculture has asked the governors of each state containing designated roadless National Forest for input on backcountry protection. The governors have until mid-November to submit a petition that requests certain lands keep their roadless designation. The Administration doesn’t necessarily need to listen to these local requests, but hopefully they will take the advice seriously. TU’s Roadless Organizers have been working hard to raise awareness about this issue amongst anglers and hunters in the Rocky Mountains, to ensure our voice is heard in this petition process.

Roads dramatically diminish habitat quality for wildlife, including threatened and endangered species and popular game animals. Roads provide easy access for invasive species, cause erosion that damages water systems, and fragment habitat. Roadless areas provide strongholds for elk, bull trout, cutthroat trout, and other important game species. In addition to being wildlife havens, our roadless areas are vestiges of the past, places where we can get away from it all. They offer the best places to hunt, fish, and camp.

Furthermore, the Forest Service’s road maintenance budget is insufficient for the agency to maintain the roads that have already been built. National Forests are closing roads from coast to coast because they are no longer needed for natural resource extraction and it is so costly to maintain them. Building new roads in remote areas when we can’t maintain the existing network is economically unsound. Why would anyone want to waste taxpayers’ money on additional roads that will damage our most precious natural treasures?

Well few people do. Tom told me the most pleasant surprise of his job so far has been the overwhelming support for the cause. Backcountry conservation is an easy sell, even in the most conservative circles of the northern Rockies.

A great example is the Wyoming Range, prime cutthroat trout and mule deer habitat in Western Wyoming. Energy companies want more roads in these mountains to facilitate oil and gas extraction. However, even the local AFL-CIO is opposed to road construction in this amazing backcountry.

As Tom puts it, folks who live in the Rocky Mountains do so for the outdoor opportunities. Even the guys who make their living working on gas lines and in trona mines want our remaining backcountry areas preserved so they can visit these places to hunt, fish, and camp. I think all hunters and anglers can agree that we don’t need 18-wheeled oil tankers driving through our backcountry so some energy company executive can afford another yacht.

Tom and I chose a beautiful day to explore the Hidden Lakes. The sky was a vibrant blue, accentuating the high country snow and the green forest. On our hike, we encountered folks of all ages and recreational interests, each of whom was enjoying a day on our public lands.

After taking a wrong turn and exploring a fish-less lake, we found a deep pond that held some nice goldens. The trout weren’t easy. They would swim 30 feet to look at a nymph and then refuse to take. I was able to tempt one 11 inch male with a scud. This golden, in full spawning regalia, was a nice bonus to a great day in the woods.

I look forward to sharing my experiences in roadless areas throughout the West with you. I hope you will take the time to read about roadless protection through these links:

Where the Wild Lands Are: Wyoming (note: this is a big file)
TU’s Roadless Homepage

Also, please take a look at my photos HERE.

Posted by ladelfio at 04:01 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 25, 2006

Springtime in Montana

Greetings from Bozeman!

After much anticipation, I have begun my summer travels near my winter home, Big Sky, Montana. Last week, I was focused on ski slopes, but a few warm days have turned my attention to trout streams. To kick off the fishing season and this site, my good friend Matt Handy, who also happens to be TU's map services and web manager, came out for a few days to teach me the technical end of running the blog. Fortunately, we also found time to do a little field research on local fisheries…

The Madison River in Beartrap Canyon on April 25, 2006

I am pleased to report that we achieved the primary goal of Matt's trip: I now have the technical ability to update this blog without crashing the entire TU website! We hope.

As for the fishing, well, we weren't quite so successful. The conditions were classic for Montana in April. We saw rain, snow, sun, wind, clear water, dirty water, warm air, and cold air, all within a 36-hour period.

On our first trip out, we fished Depuy Spring Creek near Livingston, MT. For those of you who are not familiar with this private stream, access is by reservation only, and a limited number of anglers are allowed each day. I was a bit hesitant to kick off my summer travels and this blog on a “pay-to-play” fishery, but a substantial rain-on-snow event and the warmer temperatures have left most of the other local fisheries high and unfishable. Besides, Depuy is such a productive fishery that if the opportunity presents itself, you should definitely visit this creek. To quote Matt, purchasing your spot on Depuy is essentially "buying a hatch and rising fish."

Working the PhD Pool on Depuy's (April 23, 2006)

We left Bozeman that morning under cloudy skies and light precipitation. This weather boded well for a great hatch of blue-winged olives on the creek. Unfortunately, the spring showers were accompanied by strong winds. While the wind kept insect activity to a minimum, some fish were still looking up. We were able to consistently catch 12" and smaller browns on midge and blue-winged olive patterns throughout the day. The larger trout, however, must have been primarily feeding sub-surface and remained elusive. Overall, it was a fun way to kick off the '06 fishing season and a great break from the glow of the laptop screen.

To see more photos from our day on Depuy Spring Creek click HERE.

Two days later, we took another break and hiked 4+ miles into Beartrap Canyon, a rugged chasm carved by the lower Madison River, immediately downstream of Ennis Reservoir. The river roars between the steep canyon walls, making for scenic and exciting fishing conditions. Unfortunately, the average depth of the reservoir is quite shallow, and the lower Madison is plagued by high temperatures in the summer. The trout in Beartrap Canyon endure stressful conditions from June through September and the fishing is often slow (and sometimes even harmful to the fish) during these months. As a result, many out-of-area anglers who visit in the summer have never heard of, let alone fished, this section of the Madison. The Beartrap stretch can be quite productive in the spring and fall and is a popular fishery for local anglers. These anglers, their TU chapters, and other conservationists, have pushed for changes that might improve the summer temperature situation, but a solution has yet to be reached.

In addition to being a capable tech guy, Matt has a Master's in Fisheries Biology from Montana State University, and during his time in school he fished Beartrap frequently. Through experience, he discovered that the large (18"+) brown trout in the canyon tend to hold in slack pockets amongst the boiling rapids. To fish for these bruisers, it is best to dead drift a heavily weighted streamer, such as a woolly bugger, through the whitewater and into the pockets along the stream bottom and behind the large boulders. This is pocket water style fishing taken to the extreme (See Photo Gallery).

We hiked into Beartrap on the first nice day after 48 hours of rain, snow and high winds. It was a great to get out, and the sunshine was a welcome break after a long winter. Unfortunately, the fishing hadn't heated up quite like the weather. Strong winds had churned up the reservoir, causing the river to run off color. Despite water visibility of less than 10 inches, we fished the pockets hard for a couple hours. Our efforts failed to produce so much as a tap, but we sure had a nice afternoon in the beautiful canyon. Beartrap is a neat fishery and I hope to write about it again later in the season, hopefully when the fishing conditions are a little better.

For now, I've loaded the old truck and I’m leaving Montana for an entirely different fishing experience, the Ozark Mountains.....

Posted by ladelfio at 07:54 PM | Comments (4)