Summer steelhead in the Elwha rise from the ashes

Rise of the Phoenix: an Elwha River summer steelhead (Photo: John McMillan) By John McMillan Should we invest in dam removal? It’s a question that many communities, businesses and policy-makers are facing these days — partly because of agin g infrastructure and financial liabilities, and partly because of legal obligations to protect water quality and…

TU assists with successful TAPS retreat

For the past five years, Trout Unlimited has had the honor of partnering with TAPS , Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, to support the TAPS  Montana Men’s Retreat. Held at Parade Rest Ranch , located on Grayling Creek near West Yellowstone, Mont., the event brought together nearly 40 men, many Gold Star dads, who have lost loved…

Pinks and steelhead

Pink salmon in its spawning phase. Fall is in the air and it’s time to get on the river. But first, let’s give our steelhead IQs another booster shot.. This week we have a guest writer and scientist, Colin Bailey, a PhD student studying fisheries science at Simon Fraser University under Jonathan Moore (Moore is…

Voices from the River: Potomac treasures

By Mark Taylor “Birds!” We were drifting near the Bloody Point Bar Light in the Chesapeake Bay near Kent Island when Joe McGurrin made the observation. “How did I miss those?” he wondered while firing up the outboard on his vintage Grady White cuddy cabin. A few minutes later we were easing into the fray,…

Trout Tips: Up or down? Dry or wet?

It’s OK to have a plan to fish a stretch of water. Just be ready to change it if the river tells you something different. Photo by Chris Hunt How you approach a stretch of trout water depends largely on how you intend to fish it. Generally speaking, if you’re planning to swing streamers, fishing…