Steelhead on a Fly, That You Tie

Rickie landed this beautiful wild hen, his first Steelhead on a fly that he tied, last cast of the day.

Grande Ronde

WILD!

How to hang a hatchery Steelhead.

How Big was that Fish?

Convincing an angler how big the fish was. And it got away!

Escaping the Rat Race

It's not always about catching Steelhead. It's about getting away from the rat race, enjoying the beauty that surrounds us, and feeling the elements that beat down on us. Reminding us that we are only human. I feel so luck to get on the river as much as I do and share that experience with other anglers, my friends, and family.

Photos by Mia

Gone Fishing

Postings will be limited the next month due to a busy Steelhead season. Keep checking back!

Hold It!

If you really want a great photo of you holding a fish, lay down and kiss it!

Greased Line

First, I am not an expert at the greased line method. I'm only going on my first hand experience of actually "getting it" for the first time.

The intention of greased line presentation is to keep the fly swimming just below the surface of the water, broadside without disturbing the presentation of the fly with unnecessary mending.

In low, clear water, using small sparse flies, with a floating head, the greased line presentation is a highly effective way to fish for steelhead, so I just found out the other day. The way it works, you cast your line across and at a slight downward angle, I would call this a 45 degree angle to the currant of the river. Make a very slight mend if necessary, as the fly line straightens and comes under tension, the rod leads the fly line, don't force it or drag the fly. This method gives the fish a side view so that they take the fly from behind, according to Trey Combs.
I found myself unintentionally fishing this style the other day. It was the best day, getting hookups, and watching Marty get grabs, hook-ups, and land steelhead.

Read more about greased line presentation in "Steelhead Fly Fishing" by Trey Comb.

ROGUE RIVER

A flotilla of rafts, driftboats and kayaks celebrated the breaching of the Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River by floating through the remains of the 88-year-old concrete structure today.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/flotilla_floats_through_remain.html

Victory!

At 11:00 this morning, Savage Rapids Dam was breached. This culminates nearly 20 years of work by WaterWatch, and will open 125 miles of steelhead and salmon habitat on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River in Southern Oregon.

October 10th: Celebrate the Removal of Savage Rapids Dam in Southern Oregon with a float, tour, dinner and auction.

http://www.waterwatch.org/

Bring it On!

Hold it!

We Blog

Check out a few blogs that Native Fish Society River Stewards have created. You can stay updated on conservation issues related to wild Salmon or just read daily rants.

Will Atlas, NFS North Puget Sound Steward, Osprey Steelhead News .Will Atlas graduated in 2008 from the University of Washington's school of Aquatics and Fisheries Sciences. Starting in the fall of 2009 he will be starting graduate work in the department of Biology at Simon Fraser University. A life-long angler, he is passionate about the conservation and recovery of wild trout and salmon throughout the northwest, and in 2006 he joined the FFF steelhead committee which publishes The Osprey: The Conservation Journal of Wild Salmonids. In 2008 he became a member of The Ospreys editorial committee. In addition to contributing to the Journal, as Vice Chair of Communications, he regularly updates the Osprey blog in hopes of sharing relevant news regarding the management, science and politics surrounding steelhead and salmon in the Pacific Northwest.

Bill Bakke, NFS Executive Director, Home Waters and Wild Fish Bill grew up fly fishing rivers and streams throughout Oregon and Washington. Early on, he noticed a difference between hatchery steelhead and their native counterparts. Bill soon began studying the science behind that observation - specifically, the damaging effects of hatchery fish on wild populations. He continues that work to this day, more than 30 years after he began it. Whether the topic is fishing regulations, dam removal, salmon farms, hatchery controversies, drought, water quality concerns or endangered species listings - Bill Bakke is the local authority on fish issues.

Russell Bassett , NFS River Steward Coordinator, WildFish4Every1 Russell's passion for salmon, steelhead and trout brought him to the Native Fish Society from a career in journalism, where at one time or another he worked as a newspaper reporter, photographer, designer and editor. The more Russell has researched fisheries in Oregon, the more he is appalled by the emphasis placed on harvest and hatcheries. Russell is an ardent supporter of natural production to produce sustainable fisheries and is committed to stopping the threats to wild salmonid recovery in the Pacific Northwest. Russell serves as the NFS Steward coordinator, grant writer and newsletter editor, and assists with administration and development duties.

Shane Stewart , NFS Sea-run Cutthroat Steward, The Quiet Pool Shane is a strong advocate for wild fish and especially wild coastal cutthroat trout. He is a native northwestern who has fly fished for over 35 years and served with various conservation groups in the region. He feels we are obligated as sportsmen to care for and conserve whatever wild coldwater resources there are in this region and has dedicated himself to that end.After retirement hemade a commitment to help restore the wild salmon and trout populations on the north coast of Oregon. The steelhead broodstock programs on the north coast are especially troubling to Shane as it involves what boils down to "strip mining" wild eggs and turning them into hatchery fish.Shane is not necessarily the most "genteel" person when it comes to wild fish issues he believes wild salmonids are the heritage we must pass onto future generation.