Rising from the ashes

This is a special week for steelhead anglers, and others who care about the magnificent sea-run form of rainbow trout in its native range of the Pacific Northwest. On Friday at 5 p.m. PST, Wild Steelheaders United will launch “Rising from the Ashes,” a new film on the resurgence of summer steelhead in Washington’s Elwha…

Snake River salmon: Let’s give credit where credit is due

Last week Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) turned up the volume on the issue of recovering Snake River salmon and steelhead.   Not that the issue wasn’t front and center for him before. He has been battling to find ways to bring back Idaho’s dwindling salmon and steelhead populations for years.  But now that a long-anticipated Draft Environmental Impact Statement has outlined a “business as usual” approach – indeed, the preferred alternative does…

TU’s Maryland team meets with Congressional staffs to tout program’s successes

Started in 2018, Trout Unlimited’s Western Maryland Initiative has been making progress improving habitat for native brook trout and other species — work that also benefits the health of the Chesapeake Bay.  Stable sources of funding are critical for the initiative’s success, which is why the program’s coordinator, Seth Moessinger recently joined other conservation organization representatives in Washington, D.C., to meet…

Newsletter highlights successes in New England

From reconnection projects to in-stream habitat restoration, Trout Unlimited’s staff had a great year in New England in 2019, and are teed up for another big one in 2020. The efforts helped improve access to dozens of miles of previously out-of-reach streams for the region’s trout and other stream-dwellers, while also improving habitat in rivers…

Querencia: A love of place

In 2011, when I was still president of New Mexico’s Santa Fe (Truchas) Chapter, I was approached by Nick Streit, president of the Taos (Enchanted Circle) Chapter and owner of the Taos Fly Shop, about restoring a section of the Red River in Questa. The Red had been a workhorse for several decades, impacted by…

Draining pond in Maine has good unintended results

By Jeff Reardon Since 2014, TU’s Merrymeeting Bay Chapter has been focused on brook trout in coastal streams, at least some of which migrate downstream to saltwater for part of their life.   They’ve been working with me to document brook trout populations in previously un-surveyed streams by angling and electrofishing surveys; monitor water temperatures with long-term data loggers; and,…

Battenkill Home Rivers Initiative

Flowing from Manchester, Vt., to the Hudson River near Schuylerville, N.Y., the Battenkill is a historic river. It is a significant contributor to the surrounding economy – drawing fly-fishers, paddlers, and outdoor explorers from near and far.  Additionally, several successful agricultural operations that enjoy the fruits of a highly productive and functioning watershed. To ensure the long-term stability of this amazing resource and economic driver,…