First a disclaimer. I’m not a very enthusiastic lake fisherman. I should be, because lake-dwelling trout are generally bigger, burlier and stronger than their river-dwelling brothers and sisters, simply because they don’t have currents to fight and food is situated throughout the water column, from the bottom all the way to the surface. And that’s
It’s the oldest marketing “hook” in the fishing book. “This is going to help you catch more, bigger fish… guaranteed!”
I suppose there are people – perhaps many people – who do not immediately think of fly-fishing when the hear the word “California”. There was a time when I might not have, either. But I’m over that now, mostly because of great people like my friend Matt Heron.
Experience all five of those things together on the same day, and that’s my “trophy” experience.
This is Maya. Shortly after she jumped in the river, wrapped around my leader, and thus caused me to lose what I thought was at least a 16-inch brown trout that I had hooked on a dry fly.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, I’m not referencing the holiday season in December.
I’m talking about river permit season. Most have chosen their dates meticulously with groups of people on rivers like the Smith, the Green, the Yampa, the San Juan and the list goes on. At this point most of the lucky have been chosen by the various federal and state agencies but what happens if you didn’t draw a permit this year?
Anyone who has tried to explore new fishing spots knows that it can be difficult and time-consuming to find and access high-quality trout streams. A free mobile app called TroutRoutes may be the way to change that. Zach Pope, founder of TroutRoutes, has made it his life’s mission to map out every trout stream in
Thirty five years exploring the waters of Wyoming’s Carbon County as a fishing guide connected Jeff Streeter to the landscape of the region in a way few come to realize. After three decades of leading clients to fish on the Encampment and North Platte rivers, among others, Streeter was preparing to hang up the waders.
Most of trout country is in the grips of winter, but that doesn’t mean trout fishing has to stop. Fly fishing for winter trout can be just as productive as spring, summer or fall fishing if anglers take care to adjust to the changes in trout behavior, habitat and, of course, cold temperatures that might
Region: Southern RockiesActivities: Fishing; Hunting; RaftingSpecies: Brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout; bighorn sheep; elk; mule deer Where: Browns Canyon National Monument rests in south central Colorado, between the communities of Buena Vista and Salida in Chaffee County. Its 21,586 acres encompass rugged lands along the upper Arkansas River; here, spectacular granite walls rise from the
Location: Mid-AppalachiaActivities: Hiking; biking; hunting; fishingSpecies: White-tailed deer; black bear; wild turkey; ruffed grouse; brook and brown and trout; largemouth bass Where: Canaan Valley (pronounced “Ca-nane”) National Wildlife Refuge protects 16,550 acres in the Allegheny Mountains in Tucker County, in north central West Virginia. It rests at 3,200 feet, making it the highest elevation valley
Region: Northern RockiesActivities: Hiking, Sightseeing, FishingSpecies: Rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout Where: Ninemile Valley is 20 miles west of Missoula, in west central Montana. The valley bottom consists mostly of private property; the upper lands are part of the Lolo National Forest. Ninemile Creek is a major tributary of the Clark Fork, Montana’s largest river.
Region: RockiesActivities: Fishing, huntingSpecies: Colorado River cutthroat; Mule deer; Elk Where: The Greater Little Mountain Area (GLMA) is a magical high desert region of over 500,000 acres in southwestern Wyoming’s Sweetwater County. This habitat of badlands, aspen groves and pine forests – simultaneously rugged and fragile – is one of Wyoming’s most sought after hunting
Region: Pacific NorthwestActivities: FishingSpecies: Steelhead Where: The North Umpqua flows 110 miles from its headwaters in the Cascade Mountains (near Crater Lake National Park) to its confluence with the mainstem Umpqua west of Roseburg, in southwest Oregon. Of particular interest is the river’s fly-fishing-only water, beginning near Rock Creek and continuing 31 miles upstream. Why:
Region: Pacific NorthwestActivities: FishingSpecies: Steelhead Where: The North Umpqua flows 110 miles from its headwaters in the Cascade Mountains (near Crater Lake National Park) to its confluence with the mainstem Umpqua west of Roseburg, in southwest Oregon. Of particular interest is the river’s fly-fishing-only water, beginning near Rock Creek and continuing 31 miles upstream. Why:
Region: Southern RockiesActivities: Hunting, FishingSpecies: Elk; cutthroat, brown and rainbow trout Where: The Thompson Divide encompasses 221,000 acres of public land within the White River National Forest in Pitkin, Garfield and Mesa counties, just south of the Roaring Fork Valley in west-central Colorado. Why: The Divide is home to one of America’s most prodigious elk
Region: Southern AppalachiaActivities: FishingSpecies: Brook, rainbow and brown trout Where: The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests span nearly 900,000 acres across 26 counties in northern and central Georgia. The region provides some of the state’s most outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities and natural wonders, including Georgia’s tallest mountain (Brasstown Bald, at 4,784 feet), 75 miles of the Appalachian
Region: Southern RockiesActivities: Mountain biking; Skiing; 4WD; Fishing; Hunting, campingSpecies: Colorado River cutthroat trout; elk Where: The Hermosa Creek Watershed comprises 107,886 acres in La Plata and San Juan Counties, in southwestern Colorado. The area, just north of the town of Durango, is in public hands, managed as a combination of wilderness, roadless and special
Our Trout Unlimited Veterans Service Partnership Advisory Committee gathered at the TU headquarters on Saturday to help move forward the work of bringing the full weight of TU’s 155,000 members and 400+ local chapters to deploy across the nation engaging and supporting local military and veteran families through angling and community. We are so grateful
The Rogue River Home Rivers Initiative culminated in a celebration this spring with the wonderful community of partners, businesses and volunteers that worked together for coldwater conservation for a memorable 13 years.
