Trout Unlimited has a diverse research and monitoring program focused on understanding the basic ecology and habitat requirements of Colorado River cutthroat trout. This work, done with various state and federal partners, helps us identify key habitat needs throughout the year so we can restore and protect important aspects of trout environments, such as over-wintering,
Trout Unlimited has undertaken several movement studies to determine when and where Bear River cutthroat trout move. These studies have helped us identify conservation needs such as removal of barriers blocking spawning runs, and to determine if fish successfully access upstream habitat after barriers are removed. Following trout movement in the Bear River Cutthroat trout
Fishing is, at its heart, a solitary exercise. Just you and a rod and your line a simple connection to a watery world. Don’t get me wrong. Fishing is a great activity to do with family and friends. Some of my best memories are of fishing for snook on the Gulf Coast of Florida with
By Scott Willoughby I’ve never really been what the gang over on Santa Claus Lane might describe as “Christmas-y.” But I’ve always thought I’d make a decent pagan. Never having formally studied paganism, I’m not entirely sure why, although I do enjoy hanging out in the woods quite a bit, especially over a good Yule
Beauty and fishing opportunities abound on Florida’s Captiva Island. By Sam Davidson My grandfather on my mother’s side—who introduced me to fishing— had plenty of reasons to be angry. He lost both his parents to the flu epidemic of 1918 when he was young and was raised by various relatives. He worked hard to become
The underappreciated mountain whitefish. Photo by Chris Hunt. By Eric Booton With a trip to Montana on the books for a wedding, I immediately began penciling out how I could optimize my time with the groom, my family and seek out new finned friends in some remarkable rivers with my wife. The famed waters of
About us The Lower Dean River Lodge was originally built by Rob Stewart and Dick Blewett. In 2012, the lodge and outbuildings were literally wiped off the river by a 200 year flood. We are proud to finally announce that the new lodge and site is finished. As someone not involved with the actual building
Creekin’ on public lands in the central Sierra. By Sam Davidson
By Jenny Weis This’ll be one of my shortest blog posts. For pertinent background information and full appreciation of what follows, first check out this post from earlier this season. (TL;DR: I came so close to catching a great rainbow trout on a beautiful river, on a perfect evening, but it eluded the net and
By Eric Booton The countdown begins every winter when I receive my Trout Unlimited calendar (thanks TU!). I immediately spend several minutes noting the important dates, trips and plans that need to be remembered; several of which are the closures and openers of my favorite Alaska fishing holes. I am surrounded by, or just a
Abandoned mines are a problem for water quality across the West. There are more than a half million sites, many leaking toxic pollution like acid mine drainage and heavy metals into our streams and rivers. In other places, streams and rivers have been re-routed, straightened into unsustainable channels that make it difficult for aquatic life
Nature’s chiaroscuro. Carmel River, June 2018 By Sam Davidson One of the required courses at the high school I attended was a class called Western Civilization. It was basically a survey course of ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture, and Western European art, architecture, and music since the Renaissance. In those days I was
Last week, Trout Unlimited posted a clip describing the proper way to de-bone a trout. Perhaps predictably, this was met by a few howls of outrage. “How can the organization that practically invented catch-and-release advocate eating a trout? Shame. Shame!” The fact is, however, that not all wild fish are equal, and whacking one can
By Mark Taylor You know how time can seem to slow down in an emergency or stressful situation? It’s a real thing, basically a function of the brain sending a big old shot of adrenaline into the bloodstream. The fancy word for it is tachypsychia, and it what I was experiencing as stood waist deep
Photo by Chris Hunt by Dave Ammons There exist a number of memorable fish in my experience. The little brook trout caught in a narrow, tumbling stream whose encounter caused us both to blush. A cutthroat from the depths of a mountain tarn so clear it reflected a Colorado sky all the way through to
The author’s father, Steve, enjoys a laugh with dedicated steelhead angler Pat Wright on the South Umpqua River in Southern Oregon. By Mark Taylor I’ve been hearing the fish stories for years. “Lost a chromer today. Man, she was hot. Jumped six times.” “Hooked three and got a nice 7-pound buck. Pat got a 15-pounder.”
By Mark Taylor BALDWIN, Mich. — My fellow passenger was friendly. “What is that?” she asked, looking at the 3-foot-long, cordura-covered tube in my grasp. “A fishing rod,” I said. “You’re going fishing in Michigan in February?” she said, raising her eyebrows. “Like, ice fishing?” Actually, I was going to a meeting with TU’s Great
“You take it on faith, you take it to the heart. The waiting is the hardest part. “ — Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers I made my plane reservations in December. I booked the little house across the street from the beach in November. It sits in the heart of a little fishing village in
