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Desperately seeking steelhead in Alaska for science
After a long float plane flight back to Juneau, a hurried meal and a handful of Ibuprofen, I turned in for the night with one last thought – Tomorrow. Tomorrow we’ll find the fish and all of this will be worth it.
By Mark Hieronymus After the first couple of hard-earned, bushwhacked miles, about the time we had fished every inch of beautiful holding water in this wild, remote river, and just after we finished post-holing our way through a couple hundred yards of thigh-deep snow, I started to second-guess myself. Months of reviewing fisheries and habitat…
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The wild Tongass and common-sense policies
If you’re an angler, throughout the year you can search out the elusive steelhead in small creeks, swing flies for all five species of wild Pacific salmon, catch sea-run cutthroat, Dolly Varden and rainbow trout.
I grew up in the Tongass, the largest national forest in the United States. Most days, I feel like my upbringing here was like winning the lottery. My home bursts with diverse attractions and incredible recreation opportunities no matter my thrill of choice at any given time. One of my favorite parts about the area…
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British Columbia mining along the transboundary rivers of Southeast Alaska
As the locals are busy preparing and repairing our nets, tying flies, climbing mountains, harvesting berries and smoking our salmon; the vibration of salmon season can be felt throughout Southeast Alaska. In the Southeast Alaska region, the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk Rivers form the backbone of the salmon culture. All are un-dammed, largely pristine and…
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Roadless Rule Repeal in Alaska? Bad idea.
Keeping track of efforts to save the “Roadless Rule” in Alaska hasn't been easy. But if you one day hope to visit the Tongass National Forest, nicknamed "America's Salmon Forest," or if you value public lands — and the jobs, cultures and recreation they sustain — you’ll want to tune in. The Roadless Rule in Alaska’s national norests could be…
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Prepping for Southeast Alaska Fishing
Getting ready for spring fishing in Southeast Alaska.
The days are beginning to get longer, the temperatures are starting to rise and the ice is melting on many lakes and streams around Southeast Alaska. After six months of cold and darkness, and the last month of hunkering down, a lot of anglers are beginning to dust off their fly rods and reels, tie a few new flies, and begin…
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‘Salmon Forest’ residents won’t be ignored
by Kayla Roys I am lucky to have grown up exploring the awe-inspiring stands of massive, old-growth trees within the Tongass National Forest. I have spent countless hours tromping through muskeg meadows and dense forest with a fly rod or rifle in hand, and eventually made my early career out of what I learned, working…
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Two 20-something women put their heads together to protect the Tongass
If you’ve followed along with Trout Unlimited’s campaigns in Alaska over the past few months, you know that from Pebble Mine advancements to Roadless Rule rollbacks, incredible places like Bristol Bay and the Tongass National Forest are at great risk. In response to the increased need for capacity on these TU campaigns, the Alaska program brought me and Kayla Roys on…
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