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Update from the Madison River: Anglers rally to save trout
In the early hours of November 30th Hebgen Dam (the source of the Upper Madison) had malfunctioned, resulting a 70% drop in flows.
Long-term effects of dam failure still TBD When my colleague Bill Pfeiffer and I pulled into Ennis, we were met with some familiar sights. The grocery store parking lot was overflowing with people grabbing a couple of sandwiches to take with them to the river. As we drove upriver 287 nearly every pullout, boat ramp,…
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The art of conservation – sculptor David Richardson of Colorado Fly Fishing Art
When we talk about fly fishing, there's often a bit of debate regarding whether our pursuit is more art or science. While in the opinion of this author it's a healthy dose of both, for some the pursuit of trout on the fly serves as an irresistible inspiration to create actual art. And by that…
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Sawyer Paddles and Oars stands with TU on Lower Snake dam removal
I'd imagine many have heard someone in a fly shop say something along the lines of, "Your fly rod is only as good as your fly line." While I don't know that I've heard it said often, I feel strongly that the same principle applies to the oars rowing your boat. Since 1967, Sawyer has…
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Umpqua Feather Merchants: a company with steelhead in its DNA
"Removing the Lower Snake River dams is a move to make sure that steelhead and salmon can reach their native waters and continue to inspire generations to come. They are simply too important not to remove a giant thorn in their side."
Umpqua's Russ Miller watches a wild steelhead put on a show. - Photo by Noah Thompson When a company is named after one of the most iconic steelhead rivers in the Pacific Northwest, it’s probably a safe bet that the folks working there have some connection to those magnificent fish. As evidenced by the above…
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The Clark Fork Crayfish
With summer's unusually high temperatures impacting trout water across the West, consider chasing smallmouth and largemouth bass that are much more suited to warming waters than trout. Both predatory fish love to eat crayfish, and here's a great pattern that will move big bass from cover. Check it out. https://youtu.be/CKWmCvlvfzQ
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Tying Jake’s Blackout Stone
One of the earliest stonefly hatches is likely about to start on some fabled trout streams in the West. The skwala stoneflies — a dark, greenish-gray bug — should be about ready to pop in rivers like the Bitterroot, the Blackfoot and others in western Montana, and other rivers throughout the region can claim hatches…
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