By Natalie Stauffer-Olsen, PhD. It is always exciting when new technology becomes available that can help us understand, manage and protect wild steelhead, the mavericks of the Pacific salmonids. Steelhead and rainbow trout populations can be difficult to predict, model and understand because of their very plastic (scientific term for highly variable) life histories, from juveniles to
If “the tug is the drug” for anglers swinging a fly for wild steelhead, then bringing a surface-snarfing summer steelhead to a skated fly is crack cocaine. There is no bigger adrenaline dump than seeing the glass-smooth surface of a tailout explode as a 10-pound native summer steelhead pounces on your hapless little skater. “Skaters”
Dave from the Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Blog interviews the biggest names in fly fishing and fly tying today. He digs out all of the best fly fishing tips and tricks to help you understand how to choose the right gear, find fish, present the fly, discover new patterns and more. Find out about
A Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout. Cutthroat trout today occupy less than 10 percent of their native habitat, and the waters where they do persist are largely headwater streams that could impacted by the EPA’s decision to gut the Clean Water Rule. If the fly fishing media didn’t cover the issue, many anglers wouldn’t know
“We are products of our environment.” There is much truth to this adage, and I know I am a product of my Alaskan fly-fishing environment and exposure. Six years ago when I arrived in Alaska, I was still a mere “padawan” with the fly rod. With time, I found more seasoned anglers to fish with, picked up some tips at the
Molly as a pup, first day on the boat. By Dean Finnerty My canine sidekick Molly has two kinds of days: good and great. I have said this to many fellow steelhead anglers over the years, with a mix of apology and embarrassment, as Molly greets them on the trail by shoving her back half
What if there was a program encouraging anglers to scour the amazing landscape of the West for elusive and beautiful fish while promoting conservation at the same time? Thanks to the Western Native Trout Initiative, its 12 member states, federal wildlife partners and Trout Unlimited, there now is such a thing. The Western Native Trout
