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Hatcheries can’t save Snake River salmon and steelhead
A chinook salmon headed upstream to spawn. John McMillan photo. Editor's note: This is the third in a series of posts that show why the four dams on the lower Snake River must come out to ensure a future for Snake River salmon and steelhead. In the mid-20th century heyday of large dam construction, when…
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Alaskan lake trout: All you need to know
Alaskan lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Species summary and status: Lake trout have a body shape similar to that of trout and salmon. They generally have small cream or yellow, irregular shaped spots on a silvery-to-dark background. Males and females are similar, with males having a slightly longer, more pointed snout. Lake trout can be distinguished from…
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The deep, dark secrets of Alaskan lake trout
“This might really, really suck,” I said to Ancans with a halfhearted laugh. We then laughed together because we knew we were already unquestionably committed
Walking to "the spot" hoping to land a lake trout for the Western Native Trout Challenge. Daniel A. Ritz photo. Chucking and ducking heavy lines to check the lake trout off the list Daniel Ritz is fishing across the Western United States this summer in an attempt to reach the Master Caster class of the Western Native…
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Four essential ways to get your kids geared up for fishing
Mason and Morgan enjoying a day on the river. Having the right gear ensures family outings are comfortable, safe, easy and fun!
By Nelli Williams During the week our kids can usually be found running feral in the open spaces near our home. On the weekends their play area opens up to the vast and glorious Alaskan backcountry. In many ways our weekend routine is like our pre-kid days, but add 10 times the snacks, s’mores and plenty of random stuffed animals. It is amazing how…
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Keeping an eye out for wildfires
Sunset over the Caribou National Forest, Idaho. Chris Hunt photo. I've spent the last couple of days working from one of my favorite places in the world -- an out-of-the-way campsite in the middle of the Caribou National Forest. Some years back, while fishing the little trout stream near camp, my phone rang in my…
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The old man’s fly rod
Some years back, I got a gift package in the mail right around Christmas time. It was from my uncle John, my mom’s brother. Long and slender, the package was a complete mystery to me--we’d long since stopped receiving gift packages from aunts and uncles, so I was really curious. Come Christmas morning, I watched…
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Mistakes you don’t get to make twice
An Alaskan rainbow trout prepares to swim away after being caught on a tributary to the Susitna River in Alaska. Daniel A. Ritz photo. Western Native Trout Challenge: Alaskan rainbow trout 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,…
