Makes Me Want To Puke!!!!

Look at this picture and if you are not upset to the point of outrage then you don't care about wild steelhead and their well being!

This egomaniac asshole claimed that this wild steelhead had to be killed because it was bleeding profusely from the gills.....BULLSHIT!!!

He ends up contradicting himself in the story and is tripped up several times by people who were there or knew what really happened.

So why is this upsetting? This guy wanted to kill this fish of a lifetime to satisfy his need to feel fulfilled and to feel like someone important. You would think that a man his age would have gotten past the whole chest thumping thing but apparently not and this wild steelhead paid the price.

Why would I curse at the sight of such a thing as a large and dead wild winter steelhead? Well folks if you are new here then go back and read some of the things I have posted in the past! I've done this blog for nearly three years and I have made it abundantly clear as to where I stand on wild steelhead.

Sure it was legal to kill this fish from Washington's Olympic Peninsula. It truly was a fish of a lifetime and no doubt this guy was proud! He must of been in order to brag and lie about the circumstance surrounding him clubbing this magnificent steelhead to death!

I wish I was able to tell this clown to his face that I think him killing this steelhead shows he doesn't give a damn. I hope karma catches up to him and he breaks his Spey rod on a snag.

Our collective psyche as anglers and conservationists cannot sit idly by while this stuff still goes on. We need to mature as anglers and get beyond the harvest mentality that still abound in places like Tillamook county or Forks Washington.

Hey Brother, Can You Spare Some Water?

A winter in the Pacific Northwest is usually feast or famine! In late December of 2008 we had two feet of snow on the ground and lots of water...in fact too much water.
The rivers ran very high and muddy and fishing was an exercise in futility.
January was a mixed bag with rain at the beginning and then it's like someone pulled the plug! No significant rain since.

Late February and my favorite rivers sit at summer lows. The fish, what few there are, are static and it's miraculous when someone actually catches one. The water temperatures are very cold, as can be expected during winter, and of course very low. I can wade at all my usual summer places in the vain effort to find a willing steelhead but I must be mindful that a slip into winter water is nothing to be laughed at.
It's not like these "drought" conditions have not occurred before. Those of you that are from this area might be old enough to remember the winter of 1977. We basically went with out precipitation for almost the entire winter. People were in panic mode and calling for the governor of Oregon to order some cloud seeding. In the end, of course, it rained. The threat of not enough snow pack in the Cascades came and went and we caught our fish.
So even right now as I write this epic blog entry it's blowing outside and the forecast is for blustery winter weather. You know what I am pondering for tomorrow? You guessed it, fishing!!!!!

***** UPDATE *****

And just like that the rivers all rose about 1' and are off color. I guess I should have written about this low water before huh?

Is ODFW the Enemy of Wild Fish?...You Tell Me

Am I asking a rhetorical question here? Maybe! Let's take a look at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's record concerning Oregon's wild salmonids. I'll summarize the evidence on a few key issues and you good folks decide.



Steelhead Broodstock Programs

I've written about this before so briefly it all boils down to the following. The taking of wild steelhead eggs and making them into a harvestable hatchery commodity. With depressed populations of wild winter steelhead does this sound like a good idea?

Coastal Cutthroat Trout Harvest

Again lots of info on this blog about what took place last fall. With an 8" minimum and an uneducated Portland Metro public descending on coastal streams what do you think the impact on juvenile wild salmon and steelhead will be?

North Umpqua Wild Steelhead

After doing the right thing and ending the harvest of wild winter steelhead on this legendary river ODFW regional biologists did not even wait a year before (7 months to be exact) before recommending the repeal of the no harvest rule.


North Coast Chum Salmon Fishery

There are two rivers in Oregon that have a population of more than just a few of these salmon. Their numbers have steadily declined to an alarming point but these endangered fish, which were once too numerous to count, are harassed and abused by idiotic "anglers" with a C&R season that also allows the use of bait.

Salmonberry River Steelhead

ODFW fish biologists have stated that this run of wild winter steelhead is perhaps the most genetically pure and important strain of wild winter steelhead in the state!
To prove just how important these fish are ODFW not only allows a fishery on them but also allows the use of bait!

I've over simplified this evidence but if one cares to dig deeper you'll see all the facts there. The wild salmonid populations of this state are hurting big time folks and we have a Fish and Wildlife agency that is out of control. It's all about angler opportunities according to the agency spokesman.
Sorry but I wouldn't call these actions opportunities, I would call them an all out assault on wild salmon, steelhead and trout....you decide!

Metolius River...More Precious Than Money

I thought this article by Sandy Lonsdale was a good fit here on The Quiet Pool. The Metolius is almost a holy place here in Oregon and it's pristine value cannot be put into dollars and cents. It's unfortunate that some think it can.


Money or Metolius? It’s an easy pick
By Sandy Lonsdale / Bulletin guest columnist

February 15. 2009 4:00AM PST

Is there anything in Central Oregon that is worth more than money? Anything at all that we should conserve and protect in its original form, unimproved? Like a sunny walk on a forest trail under tall pines? Hours of quiet, contemplative fly-fishing on a wild stream? What about sharing a silent sunrise or sunset with your partner while snuggled up in a warm sleeping bag? What’s it worth, or have you missed it?

When we moved to Bend for my dad to start a new business in 1972, Central Oregon was full of million-dollar experiences.

When guests would visit from other states or other countries, we would always make time in their schedules to take them to the head of the Metolius River, walk the West Metolius trail, maybe a picnic at the head of Jack Creek, fishing on the Middle Deschutes, up the road to Mount Bachelor and views of the mighty Cascade peaks, lunch at the Pine Tavern.

These experiences were special to us, and we did our best to show off this place to others and instill the same sense of wonder in them.

Obviously Mr. Lundgren and Jim Kean, the proponents of the roughly 1,500-person development two miles west of Camp Sherman, and others need one of our tours. The idea of an “environmentally sensitive” destination resort in the Metolius basin is about as oxymoronic as anything I’ve heard in awhile. What are these people thinking?

It was bad enough when this entire square mile of ancient forest was clear-cut by the timber industry back in the 1950s and ’60s.

If the new owners want to develop eco-tourism and want a challenge, I suggest they try to bring back the forest that once sheltered this land and nourished its inhabitants for thousands of years.

“Democratize access” to the Wild and Scenic Metolius basin? You mean there is democracy missing now because there are not thousands of people living right on top of it? Today anyone can go there for a visit, the waters flowing and trees growing are owned and managed by and for all of America; they are public resources.

If anything, the Metolian resort, with 450 home sites and 180 lodging units, would privatize and commercialize the area for those who could afford to move there.

When we were through soaking up that sunshine, we picked up the blanket, made sure we left no trace, and headed for home to savor the feeling for as long as we could. Then we worked to protect what we appreciated about this place we called home. We thought and acted beyond self interest for the common interest of all.

The Metolius River, its tributaries and the surrounding national forest and Cascades retain their special character and wonder not by chance. Hundreds and thousands of people have contributed their time, thoughts and energies to keeping this place wild, unsullied and wondrous.

There is an opportunity to act: The Oregon State Land Conservation and Development Commission will hold two more field hearings in Madras to consider a proposal before the legislature to make the Metolius River Basin an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC).

(The exact time and locations have not been finalized. One will be on Feb. 26 and the second on March 11. Call 503-373-0050 for more information.)

Please attend these hearings and learn more about it. Then act to keep this very special place special for all to come and see, feel, enjoy.

Central Oregon already has the resorts, let’s keep the destination intact and protect the environmentally sensitive. It’s our choice. Call your legislator now; tomorrow may take it away.

Sandy Lonsdale lives in Bend.


Is there a more beautiful river and region in Oregon than the Metolius watershed? I'm asking that not as a fly fisherman but as someone who thinks that there are some places that you just don't mess with.
Ms. Lonsdale understands that and so do thousands of others who visit this special river.
After all do we really need another destination resort especially in this economy? What is there about making another 18 hole golf course in the Metolius watershed that is going to improve your golf game? I'm sure there are those who would love to development the area around Crater Lake...they just don't understand or even try to.
It makes me sick to see the lust for money cloud the vision of people who have no soul and cannot stand to see an area of such beauty just left the hell alone?
My gratitude goes out to those who see the Metolius as a rare gem that cannot be exploited.

It's Just Winter

I walk along the exposed rocks of a winter river that is far to low, cold and clear. Runs that were once too swift and deep for my fly are now at a summer level and seem to spitefully grab ahold of my feathered creation to keep as their own.
The slate grey sky and bone chilling cold makes me anxious like I might be trapped in this place by some freakish accident forever. I am mindful that I have strayed above the normal waters of most anglers much like a wayward hatchery steelhead would and I double check to make sure my truck is parked where I left it. The fish are absent and with no apparent precipitation forthcoming I use this trek as an excuse to practice my Skagit style casting. The opposite shoulder technique that my friend John is so good at comes hard to me and I cop out on fishing the river left bank of the winter stream in favor of the double spey which I can do with some ease.
I know that winter is just the price we must pay for spring and summer as any patient angler knows but it seems like the grip that winter holds is relentless.I know it's just my longing for warmth that makes it seem so permanent. I know it's just winter and unremarkable from any winter past for me. With so much uncertainty in the world these days the people I meet on the stream bank have an anxious and worried look about them. I truly feel for those who have lost their homes and jobs because of the recession that has a stranglehold on us all....a cold winter seems to just make the anxiousness and worry more tangible.
The daylight is noticeably longer now however and with the advent of baseball's spring training the hope of spring and rising trout is more than just some whimsical notion by an old, broke down angler like me. It's the promise of spring that sustains me through these winter months.
I've seen pictures of the first March Browns of the season so I am hopeful.
The best part of the winter steelhead season is still ahead though and the torrential rains that will fill the river are sure to return and I will shrug my shoulder as to dismiss my silly winter rants.
Here is hoping that all of you are anticipating the end of winter as you oil your reels, clean your fly lines and tie more trout flies than you'll ever need.

The Good Old Days

When I was a kid I always thought it was cool to listen to my parents and especially my grandparents talk about the good old days.
When they talked about the good old days they meant the 30's and 40's. I would listen to the stories about rationing during the depression and World War II. Not that those were good times mind you but they would sentimentally reminisce about the days when your only entertainment would come via the radio.
Yes I am sure those were nostalgic times for them.
I was thinking the other day, while making one bad Skagit cast after another, on one of my favorite winter steelhead streams about my good old days of fishing here in the Pacific Northwest.
I'm talking about about the early 70's specifically because that is when I first picked up a fishing rod to pursue the salmon, steelhead and trout of this region.
Back in those days there was no internet! If you were pursuing winter steelhead you had to pay close attention to the river levels much like today. The difference, of course, was not a mouse click away like it is today. There was a number you called to get the latest river levels. More times than not the information was not real up to date so you watched the weather forecast and took your chances. Hey it worked too! We hooked a lot of steelhead back in those days. Those good old days were filled with anticipation of a Saturday trip after a long week of work. We boraxed our roe back then because the new super cures were not yet invented. I loved the after Thanksgiving tackle sales where I could stock up on all the gear I would need for the winter.
The reel of choice was the old ABU Ambassadeur level winds that could throw a birds nest big enough for an eagle to nest in. Very seldom did we use spinning rods for our winter steelheading.
Of course the Holy Grail of steelhead rods was the Fenwick FS83C. This brown fiberglass rod was the desire for all serious steelheaders and the $49.95 price tag was out of reach for most of us blue collar guys.
Hey we even read Fishing and Hunting news to get the latest "Metalhead" reports! I sometimes miss that outdated rag.
Then there was the fly fishing world of nearly forty years ago. It was pretty common to find Leonard Duracane or Orvis bamboo rods at most fly shops back then. Hardy reels were also very commonplace too. Graphite was still in it's infancy back then but it was pretty easy to build your own rod out of the best Lamiglas fiberglass blanks.
Jim Teeny was taking the fly fishing world by storm with his epic 16mm films of East Lake in Central Oregon. We salivated about those big rainbows and browns of the Newberry Crater lakes. We all tied counterfeit "Teeny Nymphs" but of course never realized the success of Teeny....wonder why?
Back in those days the Deschutes was still a legendary summer steelhead river and I remember how terrified I was of a potential but ultimately unlikely encounter with a Deschutes rattlesnake. This fear was something my older fishing partners had a lot of fun with.Speaking of legends the master of dry line steelhead fly Fishing, Bill McMillan could be found along the Washougal river back then. I would marvel at his sophisticated but aloof approach to steelhead on a fly.
Bill Bakke was around back then too.We mostly thought his ideas on wild fish conservation were pretty far fetched and over our heads. Bill's hair and beard were still red back then too! Little did we know that the vision of guys like Bakke and McMillan laid the ground work for wild salmonid conservation today.
I was young and impressionable back then and now I am just old and jaded.
While the world wide web has brought a vast amount of information to our computer screens I think it has hurt our resource also. There is no "paying your dues" anymore when it comes to learning to be an angler as most new guys do not have the patience to learn the right way. Of course fishing ethics has not made the transition to the 21st century all that well either and it shows.
Salmon and steelhead seem to be more of a commodity these days with the internet forums where one can post a myriad of photos of his/her heroic piscatorial conquests to the adulation of the cyber world masses.
On a positive note, modern conservation science has made great strides in recognizing the perils our coldwater fisheries face and how to best deal with those perils. Enlightened conservation groups are working hard to make a difference.
So while I miss some aspects of those good old days I am glad of what I've learned over the years. I've matured into someone who thinks wild salmon, trout and steelhead are pretty damn important.
This is a picture of me from 1974 holding my first winter steelhead caught on the Sandy river. A spawner female shooting single eggs!!! That rod was made by me also. Wow things sure have changed haven't they?

Starry Night

I love this particular work by Vincent van Gogh. I've never been to France much less to the Rhone river region that this painting depicts. I've never even visited any important art galleries where such masterpieces hang but I do know enough about art to have a minuscule understanding of what the master was trying to capture with his brush strokes of oil.

You can Google search van Gogh's painting and the experts will try to tell you what you see.

Try looking at it yourself and find what it is that stirs you if it stirs you. Don McLean's "Vincent" is, I believe, his best song and that is saying a lot since his most famous work "American Pie" is something of an American anthem. "Vincent" is a song that captures the torturous life of van Gogh but in the same way it also captures the deep emotions and beauty of van Gogh.

What do you think he was trying to say with the way the stars seem so much more alive and vibrant than they really are. The rural french village below seems almost an after thought to fill the canvas.

I think too many people over the year have tried to psychoanalyze van Gogh instead of just appreciating the vibrancy that seems to spring from his canvas.

I hope you can appreciate the works of this master as I am learning too.

The Evolution of an Angler

To commemorate my very first steelhead on January 17, 1975 I am bringing back this "blast from the past" blog entry from three years ago.
Yes I still remember that Sandy river steelhead. She was a hen and was spitting single eggs but it did not matter to me because I was hooked for life.
I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane.

You've no doubt heard the old saying about the different stages of a fisherman. First stage is to catch A FISH. Second stage is to catch A LOT OF FISH. Third stage is TO CATCH A BIG FISH and so on. I feel that progression is pretty accurate if the end result of your angling life is to put a bunch of fish on your stringer, in your creel and in your freezer. If you feel you've arrived at the hallowed halls of the fishing luminaries of days gone and you're at the pinnacle of your sport! Well if that is all you you wanted to accomplish then you might as well read no farther and get back to inventing the next breakthrough in egg cures because the rest of this epic story on this historical piece of literature I call "The Quiet Pool" will not apply to you.
I would hope that my life as an angler has consisted of a lot more than a bunch of snap shots of me holding dead fish with their vacate fixed staring eyes of death. Oh sure I have plenty of those from those bygone days when I had a full head of hair and could actually see what shoes I was wearing that day. Those pictures do bring back a flood of memories of a time when it seemed that there were plenty of fish to kill and let get freezer burned in the process.
So don't think that I not sentimental that way because I am. I think about the days when there was never a need, or so we thought, to fin-clip steelhead because there were plenty to go around. The hatchery fish were plentiful and who the heck cared about wild fish...what were they anyway?
As I progressed through my angling life I began to see things that troubled me. I would see an utter disregard for not only the wild fish that were suffering more than I could begin to imagine, but also the rivers and the habitat that sustained these wild fish. Don't think for a minute though, that this was some sort of moment of clarity like an alcoholic might have. It was a long tough journey! I mistakenly followed a few of those that I would call "false prophets" of fishery management and conservation. I supported and advocated programs that were harmful to wild fish....I was in a word, naive.
In 1975 I met Bill McMillan and heard him speak at The Anglers Club of Portland. He talked about his beloved Washougal river and the troubling way the state of Washington was managing it. He talked about the importance of wild steelhead to the over all well being of the river.
When the Washougal did finally yield a beautiful thirteen pound summer steelhead on a brown stone fly pattern one July day so many years ago I marvelled at the beauty of this fish. The fins stood straight and full an I thought this must be what McMillan is talking about. This must be a wild steelhead! Remember though, I said this journey was a long tough one and so even though something deep inside of me told me to release this fish I did not. I killed it and still have all the glory pictures from that day.
I cherished the memories of that fish and do to this day but with just a bit of regret that I should have released that fish.
Back then the idea of catch and release was completely foreign to my thinking but the first inkling that there was something bigger than just killing a limit of fish was creeping into my subconscious.
I took a sabbatical from fly fishing for a few years as I pursued other things but the fly fishing "bug" never really left. I saw that the salmon and steelhead runs took a nose dive and the big numbers of my early years of northwest fishing were no longer there.
A few trips here and there with friends kept my interest up and I returned to fishing full force. I plunged head long into what I thought were worthwhile organizations that I also thought did the resource some good. Well they didn't! They amounted to what were pretty much just glorified fishing clubs. I learned that when it came right down to actually standing up for wild fish and their habitat they were conspicously absent. Yes they put on a good show but it all came down to supporting hatcheries and wrong headed programs that did more harm than good.
So fast forward to where I am at today. I believe I've made some good progress to finally being what I would call a good steward.
Am I there yet? No! There are a lot of things I need to learn but I think I am still evolving and instead of beating my self up for the opportunities I've missed or squandered I can look forward to making a difference and hopefully some of you will too!

Why Am I So Angry at ODFW?

Any of you that have read this blog know that I have no love for the way things are run at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. I've been very outspoken at the way they have mismanaged our few remaining wild salmonids and the mismanagement seemingly has no end.
For the sake of those who might think I am just some old bastard who has nothing better to do than complain about a state agency this post is for you.
Let me say right off of the top that I believe there are some talented folks that work at ODFW. I've met more than a few of them over the years and admire their commitment to the mission statement of ODFW. Director Roy Elicker is a conscientious, hard working man who I think wants to do right by the resource and the people of Oregon.
Ian Tattum is one that comes to mind. He is doing a lot of good work over on the tributaries of the John Day river concerning wild steelhead.
Kathryn Kostow is another ODFW biologist I like and admire however I am not sure if she is still with the agency. There are others at ODFW that are very good and intelligent people who have the resource's best interest in mind.
There is, however, some gross mismanagement going on over at ODFW and especially in the way our wild trout, steelhead and salmon are managed.
From allowing a harvest of wild cutthroat trout to the steelhead broodstock programs there is a decaying of principles in some regions of ODFW that flies against that ODFW mission statement that I have quoted on this blog more than once.
The agency is out of control and I would have to think that director Elicker must be having many sleepless nights trying to determine the best course of action to take this agency.
The financial Armageddon that is currently gripping America will no doubt have a huge impact on this agency but in many ways they have only themselves to blame.
Their efforts to increase angler participation and lagging license sales by allowing harvest of sensitive wild trout is as wronged headed approach as ever has been tried. The steelhead broodstock programs is destroying critical populations of wild winter steelhead. This agency is so concerned about raising money that they forward to the commission a plan to allow harvest of wild North Umpqua winter steelhead a mere seven months after they took that very same harvest away. Seven months is not even close to enough time to properly evaluate if these fish have made a strong enough comeback to allow said harvest.
One of their fish biologists from the McKenzie/Mid-Willamette river region dismissed the potential harm of allowing a larger bag limit wild cutthroat trout and the use of bait by arrogantly dismissing them and saying "They are only cutthroat trout after all"
Is this arrogance, ignorance or both?
I want you folks to know that I do not come by this distaste and anger a ODFW without reason.
Heck even long time ODFW cheerleader and outdoor writer for the Oregonian Bill Monroe is criticizing them. I thought hell would freeze over before Monroe made any disparaging remarks about his buddies at ODFW.
I take this stuff very serious and know the well is not far from drying up for our precious wild coldwater fisheries here in Oregon. It's time for all of us to get angry and ask questions because status-quo is not working.
2009 will be an important year for wild fish in Oregon and one has to wonder if ODFW is up to the task....I wonder?

Every Picture Tells a Story

This original artwork was done for me by Guy Jacobson. Guy is one of the "Friends of the Quiet Pool" listed on this blog and his website can be found HERE
I think only a person who really cares about wild trout could accomplish this sort of art.
This fish was hooked by me on the Kilchis river last October. He was "slurping" just down from me and I couldn't figure out what it was he was taking. I knew he had a little size to him but I was pretty sure my four weight bamboo could handle him. After trying a at least a dozen different patterns which this trout summarily ignored I moved up stream so my fly would drift down into the slot where he was laying. That was the ticket because this 17" native coastal cutthroat hit my fly so hard it actually took the reel off my bamboo rod. It must have been hilarious to watch me try to fight this hot fish and replace my reel back onto my rod at the same time.
I didn't have my camera on me and of course a wild fish needs to be put back in the water very quickly. Another angler did a quick measurement and before I safely released this wonderful trout.
While I may not have a picture of this fish I did have it forever etched into my memory and Guy did the rest. This fish and the others I caught and released last season are definitely worth fighting for. It breaks my heart that coastal cutthroat trout could be killed in 2009 thanks to the short sighted agency that is put in charge of protecting our wild trout anf failing miserably to do so!
Thanks to Guy I will forever have this wonderful memory to look upon in years to come.
Thanks Guy! You are a great artist and true friend.

My Fly Fishing Absolutes.....mostly opinions

I'll probably add to this as I think of them but these are the things that I am convinced of when it comes to fly fishing.
I'm quite sure that a few of my "absolutes might raise and eyebrow or two but remember it's just my opinion and it is my blog.
1.Salmonids are, in my opinion, the only fresh water species worth fly fishing for (Sorry JM)
2.Strike Indicators....yadda, yadda, yadda! You know what I believe about these.Might as well use a spinning rod!
3.Using bait for coastal cutthroat trout should be outlawed!
4.Fly fishing for summer steelhead boils down to one thing...fish where the fish are! it ain't rocket science
5.Spey casting is easier than traditional single handed fly casting
6.Putting any kind of scent on your fly is bait fishing and shows a complete lack of character and ethics.
7.The Deschutes scares the hell out of me but I love it more than any other river
8.There is no comparison when it comes to bamboo versus graphite
9.There are as many pompous and arrogant assholes that gear fish as there are that fly fish
10.Fly fishing for winter steelhead is tough!
11.Chinook salmon are boring on a fly rod
12.I think Alaska is over rated for fly fishing. I would much rather fish British Columbia
13.Jim Teeny might be a nice guy but his techniques are questionable
14.Spey Pages is the best fly fishing forum
15.Spend the money to get top rate gear and fly tying materials
16.Posing for a picture with a fish and you have your fly rod in your mouth looks stupid
17.The Metolius is a wonderful river and tough to catch fish in.
18.Steelhead broodstock programs will spell the end of wild winter steelhead. This is know opinion either! It's being played out before our very eyes on the north coast of Oregon.




Okay that's it for now. More later

What Did I Learn in 2008?

The older I get the more it seems like there is always something I need to learn. So what did this old broke down fly fisherman learn in 2008 that he will carry over to 2009?...plenty!
First of all I learned the scorched earth approach to conservation is not always the best way to rally folks to your cause. I am abrupt and abrasive and tend to beat up those who do not have the urgency for wild fish conservation I do.
Needless to say I've alienated a few folks with my doomed crusade to save coastal cutthroat trout and I definitely was too insensitive to people circumstances and will strive to do better in 2009.
My passion blinded me to the different life situations that people deal with which might make it hard for them to give time to the causes of wild trout and salmon.
Now bear in mind I still intend to hold those people who make a profit on the backs of wild salmon, steelhead and trout accountable for their actions or, in the case of the owner of the largest internet fishing forum in the Pacific Northwest, inaction. It's just inexcusable to make money but give little back in return!
The same goes for any person(s), whether he be a fishing guide or tackle manufacturer, that makes money on wild salmonids.
So if you think I am talking about you then I probably am.
Okay then, you might be wondering if I learned anything in 2009 about fly fishing. I can assure you I learned plenty.
Whether it was becoming a better spey caster thanks to good friends like Mike McCune and John Bracke or just a more observant fly fisherman in general I learned that this sport I love so much is an ever evolving learning experience.
I long ago abandoned the "numbers" aspect of angling. I had my years of putting up big numbers and catching a lot of fish. Yes it is fun to catch fish but the stress and pressure of being a fishing superstar is something I found to less than desirable.
You take a calm stretch of water on a late summer or early fall day and watch the surface come alive as the various insect hatches take place....it's magic! I think I might just take the point off of my fly a few times this next year just to feel the take.
You cannot love something like that when your only intention is filling a freezer full of fillets or eggs for bait. An angler whose reward is to have as many pictures of himself posted on the internet holding a gasping fish up for a hero picture is, in my opinion, immature and does not get the point of it all.
I am not saying I've reached the "Zen" of fly fishing, whatever that is,but my angling life is becoming less and less complicated the older I get.
In 2008 I am learned to be more contented in my fly fishing experience. I hope to be even more so in 2009.
My hope for 2009 for each and every one of you that pay attention to my ponderings here on The Quiet Pool is simply this.
Learn to enjoy the simplicity which the river offers. We are here for such a preciously short time that any time spent in strife over how many fish you may or may not catch is just wasted time. I am learning this and hope to have many more years of learning this.
I would also hope that you will intensify your fight for wild fish in 2009 because they are worth it.
Happy New Year and tight lines in 2009.

A Great Book!

This book was my 2008 Christmas gift from my dear wife.

I cannot say enough good things about it. Thousands of Atlantic Salmon and Steelhead flies are richly illustrated in this book that could be compared to George Kelson's classic volume on Atlantic salmon flies.
As you know product endorsements are very rare on this blog but I make exceptions when I feel something deserves recognition and this book certainly does.
This book is published by Amato books and is the fruit of 30 years' research by renowned international fly tying author, Chris Mann.

Happy Holidays From Shane at The Quiet Pool

We are in the biggest snow storm in 40 years here in the Pacific Northwest and with warming temperatures predicted for this weekend the possibly of major flooding is very real. We saw this happen in 1996 and it made huge changes in some of the rivers I fish.
In 2006 one of my favorite trout drifts was forever changed and is not even fishable anymore.
I accidentally caught what might have been the last steelhead ever taken from that particular run.
So swinging my fly for some winter steelhead will be delayed but I look forward to a good season.
Photo Courtesy of Bob Meiser

We saw some major setbacks in the cause of wild salmonid conservation but I think Bill Bakke said it best as we were leaving the meeting that saw ODFW take a giant step backwards in wild trout conservation by allowing a harvest of wild coastal cutthroat trout.
He told me "We can walk away from a defeat but those who were victorious must live with their decision"
Wise words from a very wise man.
So from me to all of you that have taken time to read these amateurish writings of mine I thank you and wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season.
Here is hoping that all your fly fishing dreams come true in 2009

Cheap Crap!

One would think that after over 35 years of fishing in the Pacific Northwest I would learn. Hell no! After all these years I have not learned the lesson of not buying cheap fishing/outdoor gear.
The latest cheap crap I bought was a boot dryer. I was in Harbor Freight, the mecca of cheap crap, and found this boot dryer for $10. I was so excited at finding a cheap boot dryer that I didn't bother to check and see that it ran four "D" cell batteries and in order to run it on household current I had to buy a six volt adapter. So after determining that I had no six volt adapter I ventured out to the Dollar Tree to find come cheap "D" batteries.

I don't know if they have Dollar Tree stores in other parts of the country but I have three of them within two miles of me. You could probably buy the entire store's inventory for less than $1000.
See the pattern here? In order to know that the Dollar Tree had cheap batteries meant that I had been in there before...I'm hopeless! So I got the $1 batteries and of course browsed the cheap Christmas tinsel to see if they had any new colors that I hadn't already bought for use in fly tying.
Well needless to say the crappy boot dryer did what cheap and crappy things do. Yes it crapped out and now resides in the plastic recycle container out in the drive way.
I have a long history of cheapness and it seems like some sort of evolutionary process with me. I'm evidentily still evolving when it comes to cheap crap.
It started with fishing line back in my gear days. I would buy this blue stuff that was about $1.79 for a thousand yards. After losing a huge steelhead I learned my lesson.
Then it was hip boots. I found some for $19.95 and of course in the middle of winter when the water is 38 degrees they leaked and I learned my lesson well at least until the introduction of cheap neoprene waders and cheap breathables.
It went on into rain coats. I found a really nice and cheap one at the local Bi-Mart and when I got wetter than I would have without a raincoat I learned my lesson.
Oh I could go on but I think you get the idea. Cheap rods, reels, line, rifles, sunglasses etc. will fail you at the most critical moments...take it from someone who knows.
So the moral of this story is to buy the best fishing/outdoor gear you can afford! You'll will save yourself from frozen toes, fingers and lost elk hunting opportunities(don't ask) when you purchase quality gear.

Goodbye Bettie

My favorite fantasy girl from bygone days passed away yesterday at the age of 85.
There was just something about Bettie Page that us guys really liked. She became somewhat of a cult figure in recent years and with the picture below you know why.

River Access - Who's Right, Who's Wrong...Who Knows?

One of the hot topics among anglers here in Oregon is the one of who owns the beds and banks of the rivers of this state.
Should be simple shouldn't it? The Oregon State Constitution says they are public domain! The public is entitled to their use and even the state attorney general agrees.
Not so fast friends!
Seems that someone way back in the seventies in the Oregon legislature thought it politically expedient to muck up the water...no pun intended. In some kind of back room deal they allowed the individual landowners the right to limit access along the river unless that river has been declared navigable.
So here is where we are today! In order for the public to legally access the bank of a river up to the high water mark that river has to be declared navigable by the Oregon Department of State Lands or DSL. The whole navigability process is a long and ponderous process and typically political charged not to mention expensive and extremely divisive.
River front landowners claim they hold deed to the middle of the river their land borders. Some do and some are mistaken but it just isn't that simple.
If their land deed is in fact accurate then unless the river that their land borders has been declared navigable (Eleven rivers in Oregon have been declared navigable in part or whole)then they have say so as to who may traverse the river along their property.
So you can see why this is such a confusing and emotionally charged topic.
The Association of Northwest Steelheaders has been at the forefront of the whole access issue. They have spent a great deal of their money and been subjected to more than a few IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue audit that challenge their non-profit status to determine who is right or wrong. They have been successful in getting most of the Sandy and John Day rivers declared navigable and I applaud them for their efforts.
One would think that the ultimate bad guy in all of this is the landowner! That is not the case at all. Sure there are some that are combative and down right belligerent when it comes to this issue. Some river front landowners have taken the law into their own hands and actually built barbed wire fences across some Oregon rivers along with illegally taking gravel out of rivers where salmon and steelhead spawning occur! Other landowners will let their cattle graze along the river bank which destroys critical stream side riparian zones.

The majority are simply trying to protect their property from litter, vandalism and abuse. They do not own huge tracts of land and in many cases their land has been family owned for several generations.
I cannot imagine owning riverfront property along the more popular salmon and steelhead rivers of this state. I've witnessed the vandalism and littering that occurs and am, without going into the sickening details, disgusted at what I've seen left by those who care nothing about the property of others.

Some over zealous river rights advocates have decided that the confrontational "in your face" approach is the way to handle this explosive issue. This has done little except to piss off landowners who might have been worked with on access issues.
So who is right? Landowners and public use advocates both are! Who is wrong? They both are!
There is no solution to this in the near future because the politicians have not had the intestinal fortitude to tackle this issue. Whether they be on the side of the river using public or whether they be on the side of landowners both large and small it is the politicians of this state that need to sort this out and the sooner the better.
My approach is to only fish where I am allowed to fish. I will respect a landowners request to leave his property and will do so immediately. I have never had a serious confrontation with any landowners because I will not belligerently take the attitude of some who think being confrontational and obnoxious and therefore getting what private land is open taken away. I have taken this stance which is surprisingly unpopular among the majority of fellow anglers but hey when have I cared about taking an unpopular stand?
So my best advice is always respect someone else's property. Do not litter and leave the river bank in better shape that you found it. I suggest knocking on some doors of private landowners and politely asking permission to fish their property. Take along a litter bag and collect up as much garbage as you can. That really impresses a landowner.
I feel this approach will win more friends than enemies in the long run.

Fly fishing Dos and Don'ts According to Me

There are, no doubt, countless lists about how one should conduct himself while enjoying the sport of fly fishing. I am quite sure that they are all encompassing and some would even claim to be the final authority as to what to do and what not to do along the stream.
Well not exactly...
You will have to suffer through yet one more - Namely Mine!

So here goes and you are welcome to agree or disagree with my wit and wisdom.
Let's dispense with the obvious because I am sure you all are aware that littering, vandalism and other such vile acts are definite Don'ts. If you are not aware of those absolutes then I am truly amazed that you are able to make use of a computer much less knowing how to communicate abstract thoughts on that computer.
Don't enter a stretch of river and immediately start fishing directly below another angler. This is impolite and if you are found doing this during the fall salmon season then you might likely wind up in the river or having that 13 foot spey shoved in an uncomfortable location where a visit to a proctologist might be necessary.
Whenever I am limited to fishing in close quarters with other anglers I either leave and find some less crowded waters or I ask permission to fish in the same area.
I have yet to be turned down when I use this approach.
Do carry a plastic bag to pick up garbage along the stream bank. This is especially important when fishing, with permission of course, along private land. Nothing impresses a land owner more than an angler cleaning up trash.
Don't have a picture taken of you and your fish with your fly rod in your mouth. Nothing looks stupider than some guy posing for his hero shot with a rod clenched in his teeth. If you must have an ego shot taken then leave the damn fish in the water at all costs! I saw a picture on Ifish.net of some attention seeking moron with a wild Deschutes river spring chinook hauled out of the water and up to the road where his camera was...what a clown!
Do avoid completely all spawning fish and their redds. Be watchful where you wade and never ever cast your fly towards active spawning fish.
Again the enticement of visible fish in the water might be too much for the weak minded to resist but hey we are fly anglers and should know better or at least I hope we should.
Do become involved in conservation at some level. Hey If you can take the time to read the drivel I write on this blog then you can take the time to write your state fish and wildlife department to voice your concerns. They do read this stuff and they do pay attention to what you have to say.
If you can be involved beyond letter writing then so much the better. There will always be plenty of those who like to make like they care but in truth it's little more than lip service. There are a lot of folks who get little if any attention with their conservation efforts and that is the way they like it.
Don't make money off of wild fish and natural resources then give little back! This is one of my biggest pet peeves! I'm not saying it's wrong to make a buck or two off of wild fish and natural resources but it reprehensible to never go beyond that. This goes for anyone from guides to internet website owners who have huge followings. If you think I'm talking about you then I probably am.
Finally by all means Do enjoy what a river and a day outdoors have to offer. Certainly there are fewer and fewer fish available to catch but take the time to consider your surrounding out on the river.
Isn't it a great thing to be alive and along a beautiful stretch of water with your fly rod? Yes catching a few fish is nice to but is it absolutely necessary to salve your ego by catching a fish?

Our rivers out here are sparkling diamonds...every one of them! They may have become tarnished over the years by miuse but they are still a resource of immense enjoyment that you and I are able to utilize. I intend to take that attitude in the coming year. We have suffered some severe setbacks this past year when it comes to protecting wild fish but it's the beauty of where we are and where we live that makes us, or at lest me, fight so hard for it in the first place.
Enjoy that beauty and keep ever mindful of those that fought for your right to be there...it makes a difference when you approach it that way.

I Am the Older Generation

Hey all you baby boomers.Do you remember that old song by The Who titled "My Generation" ? For those of us from that era it was kind of our defiant anthem that proclaimed our independence from and differences with our parents.
We told the older generation "Don't try to dig what we all say"
This week we journeyed north to Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with our children and to see our son's band perform for the first time.
Remember I am a child of the 60's and cloaked myself with all the trappings that came with that period of time. I immersed myself in the music and lifestyle of the times and the music? The louder the better.
Hendrix, The Who, The Doors and Black Sabbath were just a few of the bands I enjoyed.
I attended more than a few ear splitting live concerts in venues like the Hollywood Bowl, Anaheim Convention Center and the old Paramount theatre in Portland.
Well my friends, those high decibel days are just an ear ringing memory now because the second I entered the place where my son's band "Skeletons With Flesh on Them" was playing I swear the fillings in my teeth were about to vibrated out.
Of course we were the oldest folks present and it was then and there, between my sons pounding drum beat, that I realized that I had become a member of the older generation.
Where did the years go? Even worse! Where did those long brown locks of flowing hair go?
Much of the music of today does not appeal to me much but I can appreciate the musical talent of those preforming it. That was definitely something my parents and most parents of those old days could not do.
Basically all it took is one look at someone like Jim Morrison and that did it. If my parents would have known what Morrison was singing about in a song like "The End" I would have had my LP's confiscated.
Though I am now the "Older Generation" I think the disdain that my parents held for my acid rock helped me appreciate my kids music.

The Time to Act is Right Now!!!!

The following was sent to me by Matt Stansberry and The Oregon Fly Fishing board.
Let's get on board with this!

Wading into northwest forest policy is kind of like skinny dipping with piranha only more dangerous and probably dumber. Nonetheless, as anglers who care deeply about the health of our salmon and steelhead runs and the rivers that nurture them we can’t sit quietly by as the BLM puts great local rivers and the fish that inhabit them at risk.
The Western Oregon Plan Revision is the BLM’s attempt to ramp up logging and dramatically reduce riparian protections on 2.6 million acres of land in the western part of the state managed by that agency. The timber industry asserted in a lawsuit that the Northwest Forest Plan cannot apply to Oregon BLM lands, most of which were acquired through the Oregon and California Railroad Act. Instead of defending itself, the agency rolled over and scrapped the Northwest Forest Plan in favor of the WOPR.
Now, the Northwest Forest Plan is far from perfect and federal timber managers have at times had difficulty getting the cut out–but no parties are blameless in that regard. There is middle ground but industry, federal agencies, conservation interests and environmental groups have not always sought it.
Despite its perceived shortcomings, the Northwest Forest Plan has had remarkable success in at least one regard: improving riparian conditions. It is no secret that salmon, trout and steelhead need cold clean water with complex habitat in order to thrive. The Aquatic Conservation Strategy implemented by the Northwest Forest Plan is a cornerstone of Oregon’s salmon recovery efforts and has been successful. Scientists have documented improvement in riparian conditions in over 64% of the streams sampled since implementation of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy. The new plan would eliminate this proven management tool on BLM land.
It gets worse. The BLM also plans to reduce existing Northwest Forest Plan riparian buffer widths by 50% on fish bearing waters as well as on intermittent streams. This will result in over 130,000 acres of previously protected riparian forest being opened to logging. This is not just an academic issue. It puts the waters we love to fish at risk:

The Siuslaw, the Umpqua, the Alsea, the Rogue, all will suffer. Look at the Smith for god’s sake! (You can see a larger version of the map by clicking on it.) It isn’t just conservation and environmental groups sounding the alarm. The Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (state, federal and tribal biologists) had significant concerns about the WOPR and these concerns were largely echoed by NOAA Fisheries and the EPA.
There are over 700 miles of streams under the BLM’s control listed as water quality impaired under section 303d of the Clean Water Act. The largest culprit is water temperature affecting 569 river miles. Reducing buffers could lead to further damage to our rivers and streams due to raised water temperatures as well as increased salmon smothering sediment. Kicking them while they are down: is this how we want to manage our treasured runs of salmon and steelhead?
In addition to further harming already degraded habitat, the Plan will degrade existing high quality habitat. Anchor habitats are pockets of high value habitat that serve as strongholds for endangered salmon and steelhead. This map of the Siuslaw basin shows anchor habitat and BLM land:

The bottom line is that the BLM’s Plan will harm the waters that you fish. This aggression will not stand.–KM
Currently, the WOPR is sitting on the Governor’s desk as he evaluates the plan for consistency with Oregon law. Please write him a personal email as an angler expressing you concern about this plan. If you don’t have time for a personal email just copy the following text and paste it into this link:

Dear Governor Kulongoski:

I am writing you as an angler to express my concern about the Western Oregon Plan Revision. The BLM’s plan to reduce riparian reserves on fish bearing streams and eliminate the Aquatic Conservation Strategy is unacceptable. The WOPR is certain to harm our already struggling populations of salmon and steelhead.

Resource production is an important use of public land; however, the BLM is also an important partner in restoring our salmon and steelhead populations. As such it is critical that they follow the sound, scientifically based standards of the Northwest Forest Plan. They have not. The BLM’s proposal does not do enough to protect or restore beleaguered salmon and steelhead populations.

Angling for salmon and steelhead occupies a special place in northwest culture and the fish must be protected. Thank you for your consideration of my comments.

Sincerely,

(Your name here)

ODFW... It's All About Saving Their Own Ass!

The 2009 Oregon fishing regulations are out and the cold, hard slap to the face of all of us who worked hard to save wild coastal cutthroat trout is in print for all to see! Northwest Zone Trout: 2 per day, 2 daily limits in possession 8-inch minimum length The harsh reality of it all will not fully sink in until I see some Powerbait using idiot carrying a stringer full of wild steelhead smolt with his wife and kids in tow along the river next season.

What this all boils down to is the fact that the dysfunctional state agency AKA Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is full of people that only care about saving their jobs! The governor of this state says all state agencies must cut back as much as ten percent and so the bureaucrats at ODFW are scrambling like cockroaches when you turn the kitchen light on at night to save their asses! It's not really about increasing angling opportunity anymore. The management of ODFW knows that they better generate revenue because the governor's budget ax is going to cut deep on any programs falling under the general fund.
This is an agency who will send up to ten empty suits to a budget meeting where only four members of the general public show up. This is an agency who was, until recently, using gas guzzling pick up trucks to drive up and down the Nestucca river to check a single fish trap! This is an agency that planned an important public meeting about the welfare of cutthroat trout on the Friday before Memorial Day when they know they will get minimal public participation.Finally this is an agency who will spend money on cleaning out mud at a worthless boat ramp that filled right back up with mud at the first high water!
These geniuses at the Salem headquarters and Tillamook regional headquarters were just waiting for the opportunity to screw over wild cutthroat trout in the name of creating angling opportunities. They waited four years to stick it to the wild fish conservation groups and they did with the help of a seemingly detached and disinterested commission.
Their laughable angler review board ramrodded all these harvest proposals through and only one conservation proposal made it through the commission at the final vote.
These are the people charged with the stewardship of our wild fish and after they have summarily mismanaged nearly all wild salmonids into near extinction they set their eyes on the last wild coastal trout population on the west coast...the coastal cutthroat trout.
The old Billy Preston song "Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing" should be the anthem at ODFW headquarters in Salem because that is exactly what is going to be left when these save asses are done!
My good friend John Bracke coined the phrase "Oregon Department of Failure and Waste" and is certainly is an apt description for an agency so top heavy and out of control that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.
I'll tell you folks I am disgusted beyond anger at what has transpired this regulation cycle. Wild fish will get killed and grilled and the heritage of this state is dying!
The fabled Tillamook fall Chinook run has been a no show the last two years. The north coast chum salmon are on the verge of disappearing and the wild winter steelhead redds are few and far between! So now it's the cutthroat trout! Who as an indicator species as to the health of wild salmonids in an anadromous coastal river, have not fully recovered from the last interference and folly by ODFW!
ODFW will have to do the mandated cuts that the governor demands but what programs will be cut? None of the sacred cows that should be cut mind you. By sacred cows I am referring to hatcheries and hatchery programs that are obsolete,outdated and polluting!
So any of you that are thinking of visiting Oregon to partake of some "blue ribbon" trout fishing you'd better come soon if you want a chance maybe hook a nice trout! They are quickly disappearing while ODFW and especially those at the Tillamook regional office do their best Emperor Nero impersonation and fiddle while our wild fish burn.

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

Here I sit on this cold November night pondering a trip to the Deschutes tomorrow for one last shot at summer steelhead. Any other time it would be a no brainer but we have had some pretty serious rain this week. Who would have thought there would be torrential downpours in mid-November in the Pacific Northwest but as hard to believe as that is we got buckets full.
The coastal streams are out of their banks and it will be at least 3 or 4 days before they are fishable and besides chinook salmon on a fly are about as exciting as pulling in a log! Some might disagree but they are not an exciting game fish on a fly.
Seriously though, the Deschutes is up a bit and I hear the water clarity is not the best. We will be having a cold clear night and so that might mean a dropping and clearing river but since there is a dam on the Deschutes that pretty much negates that whole theory.
So do I take the chance and go?
I could certainly use the Skagit casting practice but it will burn a tank of gas to get there. I might get lucky and hook into a late summer steelhead but it's bound to be cold. There probably won't be many guys fishing but it gets dark so early I would be leaving the river at 5pm.
Oh the conundrums I am dealing with!
It is the Deschutes though. A magical and beautiful place to be at any time of year!
So what if I don't catch anything it would be nice to get out for one last time before the winter comes.
I might see a bald eagle or perhaps a coyote or deer. I do love this river after all and hey gas is just a "scant" $2.09 a gallon soooo yeah I think I'll go.....maybe

UPDATE: 11/14 10:00 AM
I know some of you must be hanging on the edge of your computer chair while this fishing "drama" plays out.
After seeing that the river spiked up after a water release from Pelton dam my common sense kicked in and sadly I opted not to go.

The State of Fish Address

When I first started this blog it was my intention to fill its pages with flowery prose and humorous anecdotes about the "affliction" we call fly fishing.
I have managed to post a few funny stories about my stumbling along the rivers of the Pacific Northwest and I hope you've enjoyed them along the way.
These days my heart is just not into funny, John Gierach type tales of fly fishing. The tragic decline of our anadromous north American species of trout and salmon is nothing to joke about.
When the once too numerous to count Columbia river Chinook salmon have dwindled down to nearly nothing then where is the humour in that? The north coast Chum salmon runs which were so plentiful that they over crowded the river and would actually move upstream via roadside drainage ditches are just a memory. I witnessed these fish in huge numbers so that the old cliche of being able to walk across the river on the backs of spawning fish was no exaggeration.
Wild steelhead have been in trouble for a long time and no Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife dog and pony shows like the steelhead broodstock programs can bring about a semblance of what once was and in fact have proven to be a set back to wild steelhead recovery.I've made my affection for coastal cutthroat trout well known here and to imagine the killing of these wonderful fish breaks my heart.
The state of wild trout, steelhead and salmon in the west is dreadful. I searched a thesaurus to adequately describe the adjective "bad" and dreadful is what I thought best described what I wanted to say. We cannot soft soap the state of our wild coldwater fisheries and there is nothing to warrant being upbeat about their state at this point in time. So not to sound totally all doom and gloom I think that if there is a glimmer of hope it is that more and more people are aware of the sorry state of things. I have been fortunate enough to live through some real boom periods for salmon, steelhead and trout. I saw the wild summer steelhead of the Columbia tributaries in large numbers and I've seen the abundant coastal fall chinook and coho.One lingering image of those heady days of the not too distant past was the sixty six pound Trask river fall chinook that was laid out on a picnic table by the angler that had just landed him.The days of huge fall salmon are gone and perhaps forever. I've seen a glimpse of the glory days of an early SW Washington summer run of wild steelhead that defied description in their beauty and the phenomenal fighting ability. I even caught a few of them! These "springers" were the fish that made Bill McMillan the fly fishing and conservation legend status he holds today. Their decline broke his heart and he moved away from his rustic cabin on the banks of the Washougal.
There are stories from all over this region about how great it all was.Rivers like the North Umpqua,the Rogue and the Washougal were rivers of legendary fish and fishermen.
I am uncertain that we can once again bring wild salmonids back from the brink as it seems there are many more obstacles than there were just twenty years ago but if people become angry and will not allow this "heritage" to just disappear then maybe there is some hope.
I had to learn to care for wild fish and if an old guy like me can get clued in then so can others.

Northwest Steelheaders....What Happened?

I have been involved with the Association of Northwest Steelheaders (ANWS) since 1973 and I am a life member. I also served on the ANWS executive committee for two years as secretary so I know more than a little bit about this group.
This organization has been, in the past, at the front line of wild fish conservation issues. They spearheaded the drive to make steelhead trout a game fish in Oregon and I can remember collecting initiative petition signatures at Portland's Rose Parade to get this measure on the 1974 ballot.
The ANWS was a very vocal grass roots wild fish advocacy group in Oregon, Washington and Idaho with thousands of members all with a common goal!
Through their association with Trout Unlimited they became a force to be reckoned with.
Look at ANWS today!The ANWS is no longer active in Washington and Idaho and their association with Trout Unlimited is just a distant memory. When taking on important conservation issues of the day the Steelheaders are no shows! When trying to save wild coastal cutthroat trout from harvest the Steelheaders were actually in favor of it with one of their most "legendary" members actually testifying in favor of killing these wild fish. They "canonize" people for enshrinement in their Hall of Fame who are not deserving while ignoring those warriors from the past who made them what they once were.
Their focus now is river access and they have indeed made some progress in that fight. At the same time though, they have succeeded in alienating landowners who could have been worked with. Some of their members are confrontational and belligerent when dealing with river front landowners and have generally set back the cause for access.
In 2002 they initially backed a ballot initiative that would have provided riparian protection in the upper reaches of north coast rivers that would have protected wild salmonids. When members of a couple of mid-Willamette valley chapters threatened to pull out of ANWS because of their support the executive committee backed down and rescinded their support and it was then I left.
There are many fine and dedicated members of ANWS but by in large they have become little more than a big fishing club. They no longer have any clout in fishery politics and seemingly care little about wild salmonids except to increase the sports harvest of these same wild fish.
Too bad! I miss this group and their fight for our fishing resource and am no longer an active member. Maybe someday they will return to their mission statement of "Anglers Dedicated to Enhancing and Protecting Fisheries and their Habitats for Today and the Future"

Putting the Wraps On My Trout Season

October 31st was the final day of my 2008 trout season and it was a memorable one. I was fortunate to hook many nice cutthroat trout and this season will provide me with many great memories to sustain me through the winter.
I could never seem to quite get it all together for the Deschutes this year and while I did manage to catch and release a few rainbows east of the mountains high gas prices definitely kept me close to home.
I took some large coastal cutthroat trout with many different patterns and in many different rivers this year. One very large trout literally removed my reel from the sliding band reel seat of my rod! Picture me fighting a large trout while trying to reattach my reel to my rod. I managed to do it and land the trout!
Why do I have such an affection for these trout? Cutthroat trout are a simple fish in that they strike with abandon and fight ferociously belying their smaller size. While they are a simple trout they are most affected by the interference of man. As I've posted before there are many species of cutthroat trout that simply do not exist anymore.
The coastal variety that I fish for are affected by habitat degradation and that is the number one culprit in their dwindling numbers.
So next year these trout face yet another obstacle and that is a harvest. It saddens me to no end that this is happening but it is and we will just have to rededicate our efforts to save these fish.
So now I face the winter season with the rain and cold. The steelhead of winter will provide a great challenge but I will still long for those days of spring and will anxiously await them.
I hope all of you had a great trout season. Whether you fish in the large freestone rivers of the west or the small chalk streams of the UK or even the wind swept shores of Patagonia we all love our trout don't we?