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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…
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What’s the greatest fly-fishing technological advance in the last 75 years?
While fly fishing is still a very traditional sport involving simple tools—primarily a stick and a string—there have been a number of technological advances that transformed the sport. What would you rank as the most significant, say from your grandparents’ era to present? No doubt, graphite materials and space-age resins have changed fly rods dramatically,…
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Red Rock Lakes shows off its fish and wildlife conservation values
Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be easier if all public lands were just lumped together. I mean, who can keep straight national forests, wildlife refuges, national parks, national preserves, national monuments, national lakeshores, BLM lands—it can all be a bit much to keep track of! But then you experience a place like Red Rock…
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TU and National Parks Conservation Association call for modernizing oil and gas leasing
Millions of Americans are spending more time exploring the waters we fish, the national parks we enjoy and wild places near and far. The benefits of these activities are numerous and they breathe life into the many local economies that depend on booming outdoor recreation — this year more so than ever. At the same…
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Idaho’s bull trout persevere as search for other precious resources continues
Mining in the Yellow Pine pit began in 1938 and has blocked fish passage to the upper stretches of the river ever since. Photo by Daniel A. Ritz 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…
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Everything you wanted to know: bull trout
Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) Species summary and status: The bull trout was once found throughout the Columbia River Basin, east to western Montana, south to northern Nevada, west to California and possibly as far north as southeastern Alaska. The main populations remaining in the lower 48 states are in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, with…
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Anglers, hunters and outdoor recreation companies to Biden administration: The dams must come out
The hunting and angling community is opening a new front in the campaign to restore Snake River salmon. This month, Trout Unlimited joined dozens of fish and wildlife groups and major outdoor recreation companies in calling on the Biden administration to develop a comprehensive solution to the collapse of salmon and steelhead populations that includes…