Consider some of the major factors in the decline of native salmon, steelhead and trout in North America. Extensive loss of habitat from dams and other development. Too much water diverted from streams. Degraded water quality from poorly maintained roads and leaky old mines. In California, you can add cannabis cultivation to this list of
TU’s work in West Virginia is improving conditions for trophy wild brook trout such as this 15-inch fish. By Mandy Nix Some have said that our history is in our trees, but for many others, there’s a blueprint of history in every ripple of water. It’s in the icy trickle from a limestone spring, and
TU and Wild Steelheaders support Oregon decision to help decimated wild summer steelhead
Why one Alaskan guide is paying attention to a proposed industrial access road, and you should too
By Chris Wood Are we a conservation organization or a fishing club? That was the question for the Trout Unlimited Deerfield watershed chapter in northwestern Massachusetts when they formed almost ten years ago. Kevin Parsons tells the story: “A buddy approached me and said, ‘Let’s create a TU chapter.’ ‘Fine,’ I said “You be the
By Jake Lemon The Allegheny National Forest spans more than 500,000 acres in the headwaters of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. With over 1,000 miles of trout water, excellent hunting opportunities and an extensive trail network, including the North Country Trail, in the ANF and surrounding area draws recreationists from throughout the region. The area
Goals The White Mountain National Forest, a popular New England vacation destination, is home to hundreds of miles of hiking trails spanning over 4,000-foot mountaintops, 1,250 square miles of wilderness and 600 miles of rivers and streams. The relatively steep topography makes these streams great candidates for strong Atlantic salmon and brook trout populations. When
TU is working hard to address a serious problem impacting Washington’s watersheds and threatening the health of our native fish populations: unregulated suction dredge mining and other forms of motorized mineral prospecting. Most recently, TU helped to introduce HB 1261and SB 6149 which would bring Washington in compliance with Clean Water Act rules and would ban suction dredge
By Chris Wood Last month’s release of the draft “environmental impact statement” to permit industrial-scale mining in Bristol Bay, Alaska, made me recall the first time I set eyes on that remarkable landscape nearly 12 years ago. Trout Unlimited was looking to expand our presence in Alaska, so I consulted Tim Bristol, a long-time Alaska
They look nervous. Until camp started, most hung by their parents, belying their teenage trend toward independence. Most are from Pennsylvania, but surprisingly at least seven of the 23 attendees at the 2019 Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp are from other states—including one from Kansas. They are nervous about meeting new people. Nervous
Hunter and Alliegh getting it done Every year Trout Unlimited brings together 20-30 teenagers from all over the country for a teen summit. They are mostly veterans of TU youth camps. This year’s group met at Georgetown Lake in Montana. It is not a one-and-done experience for them. After the summit, they commit to serving
For immediate release Sept. 20, 2019 Contact: Eric Crawford Trout Unlimited (208) 596-5866, ecrawford@tu.org Shauna Stephenson Trout Unlimited (307) 757-7861, sstephenson@tu.org Clearwater closed to steelhead anglers: Time to address dwindling salmon and steelhead populations With dismal fish returns, Idaho places stringent restrictions on steelhead seasons (Sept. 20, 2019) BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Fish and Game Commission announced today that they would be
As an angler, this is where the problem sinks in. It’s a visible focal point for the issue at hand. On one side, a massive freshwater lake, on the other, a salmon stream that once supported all 5 species of Pacific Salmon sits bone dry.
Growing up in New Mexico, I took for granted that there were fishing spots where no one would want to go. Steep hikes, brush and snags everywhere, places that required too much work to get to. “Joke’s on them,” was my thinking; if only people knew that it was so much more fun than work. The people who knew
What would happen if TU went away?
Born in Colorado, the mighty Colorado River serves over 40 million people and irrigates nearly 5 million acres of farmland before it enters Mexico. It is the hardest-working river in the West. The river also provides some of the finest trout fishing in the country and attracts millions of dollars in associated outdoor-related revenue to local communities.
Thanks to Arlin Grimes and his Aqua Terra Restoration business, the Rattlesnake Dam near Missoula, Mont., is now down
The best way to protect Bristol Bay is to advance and acquire permanent legal protections for the streams, lakes and wetlands of the region that are supported by the local community and durable to withstand attacks from the hard rock mining industry.
Many of the decades-old policies that govern management of our public lands were established before we realized the spectrum of impacts and how long-lasting some of these impacts could be
One of America’s last wild Atlantic salmon populations now numbers in the dozens. But we have a chance at recovery. Two centuries ago, Atlantic salmon returned to Maine’s Kennebec River by the tens of thousands, with runs topping an estimated 200,000 some years. The fish supported important commercial and recreational fisheries, and were culturally and
