The 2017 winter steelhead fishing season is in full swing on the rainforest rivers of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula (OP). It is the first year under new sport fishing rules adopted by Washington State that prohibit harvest of wild steelhead, require use of barbless hooks and prohibit fishing with bait. Wild Steelheaders United and Trout Unlimited led the …
We Are Wild Steelheaders
Wild Steelheaders United is announcing our “We are Wild Steelheaders Month,” a celebration of wild steelhead across their native range in the Western U.S. For the next month we will be posting videos of anglers up and down the West Coast, discussing why wild steelhead matter to them. Anglers of all persuasions support better management of wild steelhead stocks. But to reach …
Re-opening the Skagit River: More Work to be Done
For years, the story of the Skagit River steelhead fishery has been one of decline and loss. But that story is on its way to becoming one of renewal. The submission of a Resource Management Plan by WDFW has breathed new life into the concept of an open catch and release season on the Skagit. While this is a …
Sportfishing Industry asks Trump for solid review of Snake River Dams
More than 50 fishing companies, trade groups and conservation organizations sent a letter today to President Donald Trump in support of taking a fresh look at removing four large dams on the lower Snake River to recover wild salmon and steelhead that once thrived in the Snake River Basin of Idaho, Oregon and Washington. With a court-ordered comprehensive analysis …
6 Reasons sonar is so cool for steelhead
If you’re trying to manage steelhead, one of the more difficult tasks you will have is getting an accurate picture of what populations are doing over a given time. Unlike many of their brethren, steelhead don’t put all their “eggs in one basket.” Runs are timed throughout the year, often during times of high water and poor visibility. This …
Angler Science opportunities in Washington
It is that time of year again where we all get the opportunity to become citizen scientists on the weekend (basically, we get to have fun playing in streams). I am happy to inform you all that – like last year – TU and Wild Steelheaders United will be conducting steelhead redd surveys in Washington’s Hoh River and sharing …
Suction Dredge Mining Reform Legislation Introduced in Washington State
Suction Dredge Mining Reform Legislation Introduced in Washington State Suction dredge mining is a largely recreational use of rivers and creeks, practiced by a small number of enthusiasts throughout the West. The impacts of this activity on fish such as steelhead and salmon, however, can be significant. That’s why Trout Unlimited and Wild Steelheaders United have been working to ensure …
How many steelhead can you fit into a school?
It depends on how old and big they are. Over the past year we have talked extensively about the value of life history diversity in steelhead, and in particular, that a broader range in spawn timing – which results in a broader range of emergence for juveniles – can help ameliorate density-related impacts by spreading steelhead of various ages …
Time to Take Action on Columbia/Snake River Dams
Take Action The Columbia and Snake Rivers were once prolific producers of wild steelhead and salmon. It is estimated that the Snake River system alone produced 55 percent of the Columbia Basin’s summer steelhead and 40 percent of its spring/summer Chinook. But today all Columbia Basin wild steelhead and salmon populations are just a fraction of their historic abundance …
A solid first step
Wild Steelheaders United praises submission of new steelhead management plan, process of reopening Skagit River for catch-and-release wild steelhead angling As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, recent developments in Washington State give wild steelhead anglers and advocates extra reason for being thankful. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has prepared a new plan for managing winter/spring …