Today President Trump signed an executive order that will being the process of unraveling the Clean Water Rule. The rule provides important protections for all who fish or simply enjoy clean water, protecting nearly 60 percent of the stream miles in the U.S. and ensuring the drinking water for nearly one in three Americans. Trout…
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is in the news again, as the oil and gas industry—sensing more friendly political winds— takes another shot at the effort to sink oil wells into the permafrost north of the Brooks Range. A couple of summer ago, I topped the Brooks Range on the Dalton Highway and got my…
About us Solid Rock Masonry Heat is close knit company of stone and brick craftsmen based out of Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our passion is building the most efficient, functional and beautiful fireplaces, masonry heaters and wood-fired ovens in North America. Eric is a 3rd Generation Master Stonemason that is physically involved on every project.…
I first met Bob Jacklin as a new arrival to the Yellowstone region some 20 years ago—he was tying flies at the Eastern Idaho Fly Tying Expo here in Idaho Falls, and I immediately did my best to soak as much of his fly fishing wisdom as I could. From his shop just outside the…
Finding 45 brook trout in a single pool in a small creek may sound like a good thing. In the case of a small stream in Virginia’s mountains it was anything but. The fish were trapped in a small plunge pool beneath a perched culvert on Railroad Hollow, a small brook high in the Dry…
Nestled on 65-acres in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia, Beaverdam Falls is a private nature preserve that maintains ¾-mile of Sweet Springs Creek, the main tributary of Dunlap Creek, & offers 7-unique lodging options on-site & off-site. Nestled in the old community of Earlehurst in Alleghany County, between Covington & Roanoke, Beaverdam Falls are an…
Blonde sand beaches. Warm, clear Caribbean flats. Soft breezes. Bright sun. Stop me if you’re not tired of winter yet, because I can go on. And on. And on. This is the time of year when I toil over the travel sites and search out the best deals for tropical fly fishing retreats. Even getting…
There are a lot of great things about working for Trout Unlimited. There are even more great things about working with TU Business members. But the best part is the people you get to know. The people who support conservation, the ones who go the extra mile in everything they do—they’re the ones who make…
Scuds are an important year-round source of food for trout, but I find flies mimicking them to be even more effective in fall and throughout winter. Scud patterns are also great for tailwater trout hunting—small flies dead drifted through fishy runs often get the attention of trout that have seen damn near everything. Video of…
Tying in hackle that faces rearward can be a bit tricky at times, particularly if you’re using small hackle and small hooks. But, for some patterns—many small soft-hackle recipes come to mind immediately—this is a necessary step in tying the fly. Above, Tim Flagler shares a great tip for crafting a tool that will do…
Each fall, TU Camp and Academy graduates are invited to enter the TU Teen Essay Contest in which they share their camp experiences. This year we had four finalists, and Natalie’s essay is the first in this series as the third runner-up. Natalie is from Georgia and is pictured above on one of her favorite…
By Chris Hunt Every move I made seemed amplified in the little jon boat—every time I set my fishing sling down on the aluminum deck or shifted my flip-flopped feet or repositioned a fly rod, it sounded as if I was ringing an off-key church bell. The little boat was new to me, as was…
This year, TU and Orvis asked teens to write about their special connection with nature. Read what the next generation of conservationists have to say.
I have often heard of a seemingly mythical place where you don’t really care if you catch any fish or not. “Bull-corn,” I thought.
By Ben Tayloe A spoiled, seven year-old yellow lab named Chester and a six-week stay in Germany for my wife’s job made the drive across the country a necessity. The only family member who volunteered to watch our dog happened to live on the central coast of California, a great place to visit but nearly…
Thoughts of recreation and even fishing now feel indulgent
By Rob Shane For those in the Mid-Atlantic, or for anyone who’s been trout fishing long enough to have a bucket list of rivers, you’re certainly familiar with the Delaware River. Aside from being the source of drinking water for more than 15 million people in two of the largest cities in the United States (New York and Philadelphia), it…
“This was a very complex landscape given it was spread over 15 million acres across three states. The RCPP exceeded my expectations with all the projects and practices that were implemented. Nicole Sullivan did a great job coordinating this work,” said Curtis Elke, Idaho NRCS State Conservationists.
For those of us born of water, sky, forest and meadow, for whom nature and the natural experience is not only a desired condition, but a necessary one, good writing about this world fuels our souls.
This cherished river is one of Trout Unlimited’s Priority Waters, and I’m here to tell you more about it and our work there.
