As a rule, public comment periods for proposed regulations are not sexy. They are not attention grabbers. They’re not headline makers. Sometimes, they’re not even interesting enough to garner the attention of a single citizen. For that you need protests. Public displays. But comment periods? While they exude patriotism, practically stinking of the fundamentals of democracy, let’s be honest. …
Oregon’s Nehalem River Fish Passage Project
Oregon’s Nehalem River Steelhead will Face Improved Passage this Year Oregon’s Nehalem River on the North Coast is home to some of the wildest winter steelhead in the region. It also hosts strong populations of chinook, coho, and coastal cutthroat, as well as chum and lamprey. The Nehalem is big water – some 120 miles long winding from its headwaters …
Doing what we can as anglers to ensure the future of the OP fishery
Change is never easy. This is particularly true for anglers. We are passionate about our fishing and our fish – in this case steelhead. We are reluctant to change, if only because we have lost great steelhead fisheries to closure, such as the Skagit, and fear losing further opportunity. But in the face of such change, we must ask ourselves: Would …
Olympic Peninsula fishing regulations a step towards realizing a world-class fishery
Do you fish the the Olympic Peninsula? Do you dream of fishing it? It is time to speak up! Make your voice heard on the OP by Nov 4th! Every few years, anglers have an opportunity to shape the rules and regulations for winter steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula(OP). This is such a year, and it could not come at …
The Wild Steelheader September
September 17, 2015 Hello,At last, the most wonderful time of the year is upon us – the season of wild steelhead. After a scorching summer, we are seeing rain and cooler nights and a renewed sense of urgency among anglers. It’s time to start patching waders, sorting tackle, fixing reels – time to keep one eye to the …
Blueback’s Chapter leading the way in Angler Science
John McMillan Last weekend I returned to the Siletz River on the Oregon Coast to participate in snorkel surveys being led by the Blueback’s Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The Siletz River was my adopted home river during my graduate studies at Oregon State University, and I spent as much time as possible fishing for and observing steelhead. So it will …
Pudding Creek Gamble
By Sam Davidson There’s a little gambling going on right now in an obscure coastal stream in Mendocino County, California, called Pudding Creek. No one is throwing dice or yanking on a one-armed bandit here. We are talking habitat restoration. And the habitat restoration game always involves a bet. Trout Unlimited, a landowner, a timber management company, resource agencies and …
Take Action: Smith River Mining Withdrawal
TAKE ACTION Tell the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to protect salmon and steelhead streams in southwest Oregon and northern California from large-scale strip mines What’s the issue? Two companies, (one foreign owned) have been working to develop surface strip nickel mines in an area that would threaten Rough and Ready Creek (a tributary to the Illinois River and world …
Crooked River Steelhead and Opal Springs
Opal Springs Fish Passage As iconic Oregon fisheries go the Crooked River is an amazing resource. One of the great bread-and-butter trout streams of central Oregon, it not only fishes well, but is amazingly beautiful as well. The Crooked is a working river, providing water for communities and farms as well as recreation for anglers and boaters. As a major …
Recommend the Skagit, Elwah and Puyallup/White a Steelhead Gene Bank
TAKE ACTION The opportunity to make major progress toward rebuilding abundant, fishable wild steelhead populations does not occur often, but that is precisely the opportunity before us between now and August 13th. During that period the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will receive public comment on which rivers to designate as “wild steelhead gene banks” – rivers that will …