-
Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge gives hope to coaster brook trout
For two decades, Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge has been the site of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service efforts to restore self-sustaining populations of coaster book trout. Trout Unlimited has been a partner in the work. The efforts haven't been successful, but have increased knowledge about this unique form of brook trout and what could be needed to restore the fish to Lake Superior tributaries.
Of the many forms of brook trout, one of the more unique is the coaster. Coasters are potamodromous, spending much of their adult lives in nearshore waters of the upper Great Lakes and then migrating into streams to spawn. They can grow to larger sizes than brookies that live their entire lives in streams, and…
-
North Umpqua fire changes complexion of an iconic river
We stopped first at Swiftwater Park. My brother, Greg, and I always start there when we fish the North Umpqua searching for summer steelhead. It’s not much of a park, really. Just some parking next to the river, along with his and her’s vault toilets. The river is the attraction. This is the final upstream spot before reaching the North’s famous fly-only water. We…
-
Finding trout ‘hiding’ in plain sight
Remember the approach we took as kids when fishing? “The big ones are all out in the middle.” So we’d cast as far as we could because, well, we wanted to reach the fish that no one else could. We know now that such an approach is (usually) misguided on a literal level, but it’s…
-
Headed to the beach for vacation? Bring some fishing gear
Millions of Americans in the East will head to the Atlantic's beaches for vacation this summer. Even anglers who don't own saltwater-specific gear can use their freshwater equipment to have fun and catch some fish
An angler fly casts over the first trough between the sand and the surf. Chris Hunt photo. Two weeks ago I was crawling along Interstate 75 north of Tampa, Fla., in the family vehicle. My nav program Waze warned of multiple accidents ahead. Not coincidentally, every 200 yards or so along the road a large billboard advertised legal help for…
-
Summer sunfish come to the rescue as trout waters heat up
As summer continues to heat us up, many trout anglers are looking for alternatives to casting for our favorite cold-water targets, many of which are stressed by water that just isn’t cold enough. Sunfish are a great option. They’re plentiful. Pretty easy and fun to catch. And they are great to eat. What’s not to…
-
Photos capture dramatic salmon rescue in Maine
By Mark Taylor and Jeff Reardon Stranded in an isolated pool below a dewatered dam, the large Atlantic salmon scooted back and forth, knocking its snout into rocks as it frantically looked for escape. Salvation came in the form of a long-handled net. An employee with the Maine Department of Marine Resources scooped up the salmon, hustling the fish to…
-
‘Posted’ signs a sad end to a chapter
How much trouble is it to ask permission to access a choice swimming hole? An Oregon landowner reluctantly posts his property after neighbors repeatedly ignore his requests for a heads up before swimming.
Dad has always been proud of the spot. "It's the best hole on the creek," he has said many times about the spot down the hill from his house. That's something of a guess. Dad hasn't explored the entire creek, a tributary to Oregon's South Umpqua River that runs for probably 15 miles from its…
Author