We’ve seen unbelievable support from the Wild Steelheaders United community for our John Day Steelhead Project fundraiser over the past three weeks. We blew past our $10,000 goal in the first two weeks of the campaign and we’re well on our way to $15,000. All funds raised above our $10,000 goal will help our research partners purchase more acoustic tags, …
Marty and Mia Sheppard Support the John Day Steelhead Project
Last week, Wild Steelheaders United launched the John Day Steelhead Project, a crowdfunding effort during the month of May with the goal of raising $10,000 to help researchers at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University, and partners install acoustic tags on John Day steelhead to track their migration upriver. You can learn all about the research, as …
The Science Behind John Day Steelhead Migration
On Monday, we launched the John Day Steelhead Project raising funds for a study being conducted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and a number of other partners. We’ve been impressed with the response to the crowdfunding campaign, with friends of Wild Steelheaders United coming together to fund $3400 towards our $10,000 …
Support the John Day Steelhead Project
The John Day Steelhead Project is raising funds for a collaborative research project between the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, graduate students at Oregon State University, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and other partners seeking to better understand John Day steelhead migration patterns and how Columbia River dams may be impacting the health and abundance of these fish.
Science Friday: The risks and rewards of barging steelhead smolts
Sea-run Snake River fish species must pass through eight dams, four in the Snake and four in the Columbia. Barging some of them past these dams helps them avoid most of the harmful impacts associated with the hydropower system.
Wild steelhead harvest in Oregon
Southwest Oregon is one of the only places in the United States where you can legally kill a wild steelhead. Regulations used to allow for one wild steelhead harvest per day, up to five per year, but in 2018 bag limits were reduced to one per day and three per year following a petition from a group of southern Oregon …
Meet the team: Kyle Smith
Next up in our Meet the Team series is Oregon Field Coordinator, Kyle Smith. Kyle works to protect public lands and advocates for policies that ensure a bright future for wild steelhead. Home town: Corvallis, OR Home waters: McKenzie, Willamette Favorite way to catch steelhead (gear, fly, etc.)? Mostly fly rods. Boat or hike? Why? If I had to choose one, …
COVID and steelhead: how anglers can stay safe and sane during the pandemic
It’s been close to a month now since the first wave of stay-at-home orders were issued here in the Pacific Northwest due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Anxiety, fear, confusion, sadness, and anger, are all emotions that I’m sure we’ve all felt at one time or another as close to 92% of United States is under a stay-at-home order because of …
ODFW proposes thermal angling sanctuaries for endangered Columbia River steelhead
Late last month, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife held a public meeting on YouTube regarding thermal angling sanctuaries for Columbia River summer steelhead. Wild Steelheaders United covered the importance of thermal angling sanctuaries, also known as cold water refugia, on the blog just before ODFW held their meeting. ODFW’s proposals include thermal angling sanctuaries – limited closures to …
Sea lion strategy helping Willamette winter steelhead
By Dean Finnerty In these hard times, it’s uplifting to see a little good news like this morning’s article in The Statesman Journal detailing Willamette winter steelhead returns. Willamette River wild winter steelhead numbers—once as many as 20,000 fish—fell to just over 800 individual fish a few seasons ago. It appeared this once robust run was about to go the …