When it comes to the Lower 48, it’s undeniable. The Snake River basin is the last best place to restore salmon and steelhead. And that isn’t just bias coming from an Idaho guy who loves and cherishes the wild landscapes and waters of the Gem State. The Snake River basin was once the preeminent producer of summer steelhead to the …
Twenty Years of Snake River Hindsight
Eric Crawford is the North Idaho Field Coordinator for Trout Unlimited and the Wild Steelhead Initiative. Before coming to TU, Eric worked a 25 year career as an enforcement officer with Idaho Fish and Game. He’s based in Moscow, Idaho. It was a fishing trip on a balmy November day, back trolling plugs with an old boss in an even …
Snake River Week: Why We Need a Free-Flowing Snake River
Science shows the four lower Snake River dams have negative impacts on salmon and steelhead. If we want to recover those fish, the dams must come down. This morning, Wild Steelheaders United and Trout Unlimited launched Snake River Week. We’ll take a look at TU’s new report- “Why We Need a Free Flowing Snake River.” Throughout the week, we’ll bring …
COVID and steelhead: how anglers can stay safe and sane during the pandemic
It’s been close to a month now since the first wave of stay-at-home orders were issued here in the Pacific Northwest due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Anxiety, fear, confusion, sadness, and anger, are all emotions that I’m sure we’ve all felt at one time or another as close to 92% of United States is under a stay-at-home order because of …
Meet the Team: Eric Crawford
Home town: Moscow, Idaho Home waters: Living in very close proximity to both the Clearwater and Snake Rivers it’d be hard to show anything but equal deference for the two. Favorite way to catch steelhead (gear, fly, etc.)? I’ve got to be honest, I’m an equal opportunity angler. Whatever technique is going to catch fish on that river system I’m doing …
Take Action: Restoring the Lower Snake
As a steelheader, you may already know the incredible story of Snake River salmon and steelhead, and the precarious position those populations are in now. Today, we have a chance to help Snake River steelhead and salmon. TAKE ACTION TODAY: TU has setup a website with all the information you need to get a handle on Snake River issues and …
Meetings on Lower Snake Dams available via teleconference
If you are interested in weighing in on the recently released draft environmental impact statement regarding the Lower Snake and Columbia River dams, you can do so via telephone: –Days: March 18, 19, 25, 26, 31–Times: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT–Toll-free: 844-721-7241–International: 409-207-6955–Access Code: 5998146# You may also provide comments online by April 13. Trout Unlimited will provide more information on …
Cold water refuges in the Columbia River- what are they and why are they important?
After months of winter steelheading, and with spring a few days away, wet-wading and sunshine are starting to sound pretty appealing. But warmer temperatures also bring some complications for summer steelhead in the Columbia basin. Tributaries like Herman Creek, Eagle Creek, Little White Salmon, and the Deschutes River deliver cold water to the Columbia even when air temps climb. Summer …
Of chukar and steelhead in the Snake River country
By Michael Gibson Nothing clears the mind like a good chukar hike. So, when the boss called for a work/chukar retreat in lower Snake River Country, I got excited. Late-season chukar in some of the best, and most rugged, chukar country the planet has to offer. About now, you are probably wondering, what’s this got to do with fish? We’ll get to that. Our new North Idaho …
Idaho needs your help on steelhead catch and release study
I’ve never given much thought to what happens to a steelhead after a successful release. I guess, Iike most anglers I assumed it ran upriver to spawn and die. Or if it’s one of the very lucky few, it might pull off a second spawn. For those of you that have been losing sleep over the years, worrying about what …