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Mistakes you don’t get to make twice
An Alaskan rainbow trout prepares to swim away after being caught on a tributary to the Susitna River in Alaska. Daniel A. Ritz photo. Western Native Trout Challenge: Alaskan rainbow trout Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to reach the Master Caster class of the Western Native Trout Challenge,…
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Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
“Arctic grayling,” I responded without batting an eye. “I’ve never even seen one, let alone fished for them before. It’ll signify just how far from home I am on this trip.”
An Arctic grayling from Alaska. Gabby Mordini photo. Western Native Trout Challenge: Arctic grayling Editor’s note: Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to accomplish the Master Caster class of the Western Native Trout Challenge. He will attempt to land each of the 20 native trout species in their historical ranges of the 12…
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The Arctic grayling: all you need to know
Arctic grayling are easily recognized due to their large and colorful dorsal fin. Chris Hunt photo. Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) Species Summary and Status: The Arctic grayling is a cool or cold- freshwater species in the same family (salmonidae) as salmon, trout and whitefish. The defining characteristic of this fish is its large, sail-like dorsal…
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Little water and big hopes
Shortly before departing for the nearly 20-hour drive south from my home in Idaho my contact in New Mexico casually mentioned on a call how the snowpack was only 16 percent compared to the average and to keep my fishing expectations low
Western Native Trout Challenge: Pursuing one of the world's rarest trout across scorched earth Editor's note: Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to accomplish the Master Caster class of the Western Native Trout Challenge. He will attempt to land each of the 20 native trout species in their historical ranges of…
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Meet the angler who is trying to complete the Western Native Trout Challenge this summer
“I felt this was an important chapter of history to experience and record,” said Daniel Ritz. “When I personally started to learn more about the history and status of the West’s native species, I quickly realized how change in the West since the arrival of Europeans and the health of its trout species were intertwined. I also quickly realized I was not the only angler, let alone citizen, who wasn’t aware of the state of our native trout.”
Daniel Ritz heads out in pursuit of native trout ... and more Editor's note: Check in weekly to see updates from Dan Ritz as he travels the west in search in native trout and char. After learning to fly fish on the breathtaking alpine lakes of central Idaho, Daniel Ritz was shocked to learn that…