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Chasing native trout across the West and making memories during ‘The Search’
Daniel Ritz places a dry fly hoping to catch an Arctic grayling outside of Delta, Alaska. Gaby Mordini photo. Looking back at Daniel Ritz’s 20 species, 12-state Western Native Trout Challenge journey 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…
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Slamming at 67
“She had crawled half-way over a log that much larger than she was when she spotted a Bonnie in a small pool on the other side of the log,” he recalled. “Not wanting to scare it away, she laid down on the log and pushed her rod slowly in front of her. Before she could get the fly where she really wanted it, another trout rose and took it.”
Beth Lynn Dishman fishes for a Colorado River cutthroat trout to complete one of her seven Utah Cutthroat Slams. Paul Dishman photo. Fishing challenge for native cutthroat trout keeps Utah couple busy and close Beth Lynn Dishman thought her fishing days were over. It had been years, even decades, since she last held a fly…
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Excuse me… just slamming through
Owen Prettyman fishing a small creek while attempting to complete his Utah Cutthroat Slam with a Bonneville cutthroat trout. Daniel A. Ritz photo. Making memories to last a lifetime in Utah 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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Everything you wanted to know: bonneville cutthroat trout
Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) Species summary and status: The State Fish of Utah, the Bonneville cutthroat was historically found in the Bonneville Basin, including suitable habitat within Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Nevada. Although scientists believed pure strains of Bonneville cutthroat were extinct, a few isolated populations were discovered in Utah in the 1970s and…
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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…
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20 Questions: Heidi Lewis
Heidi Lewis. Jenny O'Brien photo. Editor’s note: Every so often, we’ll put movers and shakers in the fly-fishing world on the spot with our version of the Proust profile questionnaire. We’ve asked our subjects to be brutally honest and as forthright as they choose as they answer questions that might make them think, reminisce and look forward in their…
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Utah Cutthroat Slam reaches 700 completions thanks to family of anglers
Effort to catch four species helps raise money for conservation and educates anglers about the value of native trout By Stacey Weaver It was not hard to say yes when my husband suggested we attempt the Utah Cutthroat Slam as a family. The driving force was to get our children off of their devices, out of…
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