By Ethan Crawford, Fisheries Biologist – WDFW Asotin Creek Project An earlier blog post described the great resiliency of wild steelhead in Asotin Creek and noted that this resiliency is in part due to a combination of a variety factors: improved habitat quality, increased spill at hydroelectric facilities, good ocean conditions, and a great reduction in hatchery origin steelhead spawners, …
Life history diversity: dispersing risk
By Brian Hodge Just as investors diversify their portfolio of assets to minimize financial loss, fisheries managers may diversify their portfolio of conservation strategies to minimize species loss. Another fishy analog for the “portfolio effect” comes from the steelhead—it reduces risk of extinction by displaying a diverse array of life histories, or pathways from hatch to spawn. My colleagues and …
Fire and Steel
By Tim Frahm The Soberanes Fire on California’s Central Coast offers some lessons for protecting and restoring steelhead habitat before and during wildfires California’s central coast is world renowned for its rugged, scenic beauty. But relatively few know of the technical steelhead angling found here, in streams such as the Carmel River and San Carpoforo Creek that tumble out …
The Green Mile
The Green Mile By Bill Herzog Every steelheader greedily guards their favorite stretch of water. A smile inducing section that – more than anywhere – measures up to your ideals. This guy is no different. My cold weather place is always my first choice on gas burning day. Top of the list daydream inducer. The distilled definition of my winter …
Yakima Basin Integrated Plan presents next step in steelhead recovery
By Justin Bezold, Project manager, Yakima, WA No easy, one-size-fits-all solution to steelhead recovery exists in Washington; the state’s western third is often wet and lush, seemingly with water to spare year-round. The eastern two-thirds are arid and sparse, with dry streams common during critical steelhead migration and spawning periods. While part of the underlying cause to low …
Skagit should be managed wild
Wild Steelheaders United, call for Skagit River watershed also to be managed for wild steelhead CONTACT: Rob Masonis, 206-491-9016, rmasonis@tu.org John McMillan, 360-797-3215, jmcmillan@tu.org SEATTLE – Wild Steelheaders United and Trout Unlimited praised the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s decision, announced today, to designate the Elwha and Nisqually Rivers as Wild Steelhead Gene Banks. The groups strongly urged the agency also …
The advantage of avalanches
Here in this timbered, steep, up and down country of Idaho, the forces at work are not merely wind and water. Here, the tumble of rocks and cracking of large trees has been important to shaping river habitat for centuries. Avalanches are not just territory for the backcountry skier. They’re good for steelhead too. Think of them like door-to-river …
Steelhead in Orlando ICAST/IFTD report
Each year in Orlando the entire fishing industry gets together for their trade show, ICAST/IFTD. It’s the place where everyone who makes a living off the tug on the end of a hook gathers to see what is new, take orders from dealers and learn about trends in the industry, including conservation issues. With so many industry professionals present the …
Frank Moore Bill advances in Senate
Portland, OR (July 13, 2016) – A bill that would protect more than 100,000 acres in Douglas County, Oregon took another step forward today as it passed through a mark-up in the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Frank Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary Designation Act (S. 1448) would permanently safeguard an area that contains some of the …
You have to start small to think big
By Sam Davidson In 2006, the Pajaro River on California’s central coast came out of obscurity to make national headlines—for the wrong reason: it was named the most endangered river in America. Historically, the Pajaro was one of the most productive steelhead streams in this region. Old-timers in Watsonville and other local communities recall chromers stacked like cordwood in …