TU applauds proposed full funding for Great Lakes restoration

By Taylor Ridderbusch Trout Unlimited is pleased to see that the Omnibus Appropriations Bill has included full funding, at $300 million, for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The GLRI has proven to be one of the best tools for sparking investment into coldwater fisheries throughout the Great Lakes Basin. TU applauds the work of the…

Go Rogue with the Rogue Forest Cooperative

By Jamie Vaughan It’s not by accident that the Rogue River in southern Michigan offers some of the best trout fishing in the state. This urban river, just minutes from sprawling Grand Rapids, boasts robust brown trout populations and some of the Great Lakes finest steelhead, reminiscent of a more remote, northern Michigan trout stream.…

Flies, flies and more flies

I tie flies like I play guitar. Poorly. An occasional creation will resemble a known fly, and an even more occasional fly will fool a fish, but my skills as a tyer are limited. That may explain my fascination with really-good tyers—people who can create, with a combination of fur, wire, tinsel, and feathers, creations…

TU, partners and volunteers keep an eye on pipeline projects

By Jake Lemon Trout Unlimited and the WV Rivers Coalition are hosting a series of webinar trainings to support volunteer citizen scientists to conduct visual assessments to identify potential pollution events associated with pipeline development. This program will educate landowners, anglers, recreationists and concerned citizens on the erosion control best management practices used in pipeline…

Gear test: Cabela’s Atoll saltwater rod

Sometimes the little things can make all the difference, and the Cabela’s Atoll 8-weight saltwater rod is all the proof I need. Its main purpose is to cast a big fly far and accurately, and it handles these tasks extremely well. In a side-by-side comparison with a considerably more expensive rod, the G III technology…

Voices from the River: Frozen

By Mark Taylor BALDWIN, Mich. — My fellow passenger was friendly. “What is that?” she asked, looking at the 3-foot-long, cordura-covered tube in my grasp. “A fishing rod,” I said. “You’re going fishing in Michigan in February?” she said, raising her eyebrows. “Like, ice fishing?” Actually, I was going to a meeting with TU’s Great…

Wisconsin TU honors retired Forest Service hydrologist Dale Higgins

By Nick Schmal and Laura MacFarland As stewards of more than 220,000 miles of America’s fishable streams and rivers, the U.S. Forest Service has long been an invaluable partner in protecting and restoring coldwater fisheries and their watersheds throughout North America. Perhaps most impactful in recent decades, has been their leadership in the advance of…