An historic mill, and its former owner, are playing a key role in a collaborative effort to save native fish in an important Rogue River tributary. This campaign reached a milestone recently with a formal agreement to sell the mill’s historic water right to Trout Unlimited, with two years to raise the funding.
“I felt this was an important chapter of history to experience and record,” said Daniel Ritz. “When I personally started to learn more about the history and status of the West’s native species, I quickly realized how change in the West since the arrival of Europeans and the health of its trout species were intertwined. I also quickly realized I was not the only angler, let alone citizen, who wasn’t aware of the state of our native trout.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2021 Contact: Sarah Zwissler, sarah.zwissler@tu.org, (503) 801-1865 New public-private partnership will invest $1.2M in Tillamook Countyto reconnect aquatic habitat and improve water quality TILLAMOOK, Ore.—Trout Unlimited (TU), Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other partners in the Salmon SuperHwy program will combine forces to
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, I’m not referencing the holiday season in December.
I’m talking about river permit season. Most have chosen their dates meticulously with groups of people on rivers like the Smith, the Green, the Yampa, the San Juan and the list goes on. At this point most of the lucky have been chosen by the various federal and state agencies but what happens if you didn’t draw a permit this year?
Their business exists to serve the local folks who love to hunt and fish here and the people who come from all over the world to experience the Grande Ronde country. They’re hunters and anglers themselves, and they’re concerned about the future of fish in their home water. Like John says, “Time has taught us that we can either have wild fish in the Grand Ronde or we can have dams on the Lower Snake. We can’t have both.”
Dean hollered from upstream as a steelhead took his fly, then hollered again a moment later as the fish released it. At another spot Dean had a nice fish on for perhaps a minute, his rod bowed and bobbing. But that steelhead, too, practiced detachment. Welcome to winter steelhead fishing.
John and Anieta Appleton are avid hunters and anglers. John has been passionate about conservation and worked with multiple conservation groups for the past 15 years. He volunteers and advocates for the protection and expansion of the animals as well as opportunity to pursue them.
