One of the best days I ever experienced on Idaho’s fabled Henry’s Fork was also one of the coldest days I’ve every experienced on the water. It was one of those bitterly cold January days, but thanks to consistent water temperatures from an inflowing spring creek, the river was open and the fish were on
When I think of glass rods, I think of noodly little sticks meant to pluck backcountry brook trout from beneath overhanging willows or in tight quarters where a short backcast is as vital as a quiet presentation. But I have new appreciation for big glass after a day spent casting for tight-lipped reds and trout
By Chris Wood “Good riddance. Think of all of the money we are saving.” I looked at Max in exasperation. He is one of the most hard-core sportsmen I know. I have hunted for whitetail with him in driving rainstorms in West Virginia, and stalked catfish on the Potomac using hummus-impregnated Clouser-minnows. He is a
By Crystal Elliot What do watershed resilience, high-quality fish habitat and sustainable water supplies look like in the Intermountain West? Probably much like it did before western expansion and trapping decimated North American beaver populations in the 19th century. Once numbering in the hundreds of millions, beavers played a principal role in how water moved and
The Salmon River and the fabled Sawtooth Mountains of central Idaho. Photo by Chris Hunt. Trout Unlimited members in the West have a message for state legislatures that want to keep trying to “transfer” American public lands to the states: Keep your damn hands off our birthright. As noted in this great High Country News piece
Dave Sweet holds a rainbow trout caught in the fall on the Green River in Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Brett Prettyman/Trout Unlimited By Sadie St. Clair The Green River between Fontelle Dam and Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Southwest Wyoming is a robust fishery that draws anglers from all over the country. Fishing has been good
I built my first fly rod 20 years ago—a 9-foot, 4-weight on a St. Croix SCII blank. It was a supple implement that I still have in a case in the rafters of my store room. It fished well. In fact, I caught one of the biggest trout of my life using it—26-inch rainbow on Colorado’s
