Currently browsing… Tongass National Forest
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Helping trout and helping America
As he was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States this week, Joe Biden made a powerful call for unity as the necessary foundation for tackling our nation’s challenges. Many celebrate and welcome the change. Others are angry and frustrated. Here is what I wrote four years ago when President Trump was…
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Four areas where a new administration can help trout and salmon
On his first day, President Joe Biden unveiled an executive order aimed at confronting climate change and conserving natural resources. A number of the actions identified in the order are Trout Unlimited priorities as we engage in the federal decision-making process on behalf of trout and salmon. The executive order, Protecting Public Health and the…
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Tongass Roadless Rule repeal makes no sense
By Austin Williams This week, the U.S. Forest Service announced it is exempting the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule, and in the process removing protections for more than 9 million acres of the nation’s top salmon-producing forest. This is the latest effort by politicians catering to a failing old-growth logging industry that refuses…
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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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Brad Elfers from Alaska Fly Fishing Goods gets in on the Tongass fight
“We don’t have any more chances left. There aren’t any more Tongasses. This is an American forest, not an Alaskan forest. It belongs to every American."
Fly fishing in Alaska -- it’s a dream for many of us. If you’d like to make that dream come true, Brad Elfers is the go-to guy. Brad has owned Alaska Fly Fishing Goods in Juneau since 1998, and he knows fly fishing in Alaska. Brad has worked as a river guide, fly fishing guide…
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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…