Matteo Moretti, Dan Eiden, Dyer Benjovsky and Morgan Bradley spent last summer like most college anglers do—fishing.
However, this was no ordinary fishing trip. Over the summer, the four college students involved in TU Costa 5 Rivers Programs across the country explored the Columbia River drainage for five weeks. Their mission: to gain a greater understanding of what has happened to worlds former salmon stronghold.
In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the S. Kent Rockwell Foundation, Costa Sunglasses, Orvis, Simms Fishing Products and Fishpond USA, the students had the opportunity to visit and fish the river and several of the storied tributaries. Stopping along the way to gain direct insight into the issues from local stakeholders. Meeting river stewards ranging from guides to fly shop owners to field staff with the USFS and Trout Unlimited, the students gained greater appreciation for this iconic watershed and what the river is facing in its road to recovery.
“Resilient Waters” is a film put together by the students to highlight what they learned on this year’s 5 Rivers Odyssey and actions being taken to bring back anadromous fish to the region.
To learn more about the 5 Rivers Odyssey trip, please look at their blogs and the TU Costa 5 Rivers Instagram Page.