Our credo is simple: We stand united in the effort to recover wild steelhead.

But what does this really mean? The reality — the in-the-trenches truth to what it means to be one of of the Wild Steelheaders United — isn’t for the faint of heart or the lazy.

Wild steelhead are gone, or nearly gone, from many rivers where they once flourished. And as they have faded away, so have our opportunities to fish for them.

But we don’t believe that is, or should be, the final chapter for steelhead. Far from it. We know what to do and we can fix this.

This type of work — bringing back one of North America’s great sport fish — is hard work, but damned meaningful, the kind of work you can take pride in.

Success really comes down to the word “united.” If we bring the talents, know-how, and passion we as a community of anglers have to the table, and we are committed not only to maintaining our heritage, but to each other as fellow anglers, then we’ll succeed.

We may not always agree. We may not always have the answers. But we steelheaders share a common vision for the future. Together, we are a community with strength.

And so, we get to the crux of it all.

WE BELIEVE…

1. Wild steelhead must be protected, restored and sustained.
2. Wild steelhead can thrive and support fishing opportunity.
3. It is not the type of fishing gear you use that counts, but how you fish and how you care for the resource.
4. In using sound science to manage steelhead.
5. In respectful dialogue to solve problems, not rigid ideological positions.
6. In short-term sacrifice for long-term, durable progress.
7. It is not possible to rebuild fishable wild steelhead populations in every river and that some rivers should be set aside for hatcheries.
8. Wild steelhead — and steelhead anglers — cannot wait for Providence or government agencies to deliver solutions.
9. Together we can make a difference.
10. Comebacks are possible.