We’ve all heard stories about the healing power of water and fly fishing. At Trout Unlimited, our chapters and volunteers devote significant resources to helping physically and emotionally wounded veterans heal from the horrors of war. But it’s more than that. Ask any die-hard fly fisher why they fish, and, after getting through all the…
By Taylor Ridderbusch For the third consecutive year, the Trump Administration’s budget proposal looks to cut critical programs that protect and restore coldwater resources and that form the foundation of multi-billion dollar commercial and recreational fishing economies. The proposal would significantly cut funding to the EPA and other agencies, essentially eliminating programs such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), Section…
Trout Unlimited’s efforts in the Great Lakes region continue to expand and 2018 was a big year for accomplishments in both the field and in advocacy efforts. TU staff and volunteers worked on dozens of major stream restoration, protection and reconnection projects in the region. TU’s active involvement in important issues helped move the needle on issues…
TU’s government and policy staff. By Chris Wood Several of the bright lights in the Trout Unlimited policy world came into the intergalactic headquarters last week. Their recent accomplishments are pretty amazing. Dave Kinney of New Jersey helped organize efforts to pass and then fund legislation for restoration in the Delaware Basin; Taylor Ridderbusch of…
As I watched Tim Flagler tie the Last Chance Cripple Hendrickson, I inadvertantly cringed at the language used in the video below. Fly tying may the last refuge for the antiquated term, “cripple.” Meant to imitate a mayfly that, for some reason or another, is struggling to break loose of the water’s surface film while…
By Chris Wood “Good riddance. Think of all of the money we are saving.” I looked at Max in exasperation. He is one of the most hard-core sportsmen I know. I have hunted for whitetail with him in driving rainstorms in West Virginia, and stalked catfish on the Potomac using hummus-impregnated Clouser-minnows. He is a…
The brook trout is actually char, native to Appalachia, eastern Canada and the upper Midwest. Photo by Chris Hunt. Editor’s note: This the third in a series of posts geared toward new fly fishers. More installments will follow. A couple of years ago, I was fishing a small, backcountry trout stream on the Island Park…
