Steelhead Recovery in Puget Sound Petition

Will Atlas writer of the Osprey Steelhead wrote a petition to Steelhead Recovery in Puget Sound. The Petition states that in watersheds where wild populations have been deemed too fragile for catch and release sport fishing the state MUST substantially reduce or eliminate hatchery supplementation to comply with federal mandates for recovery in threatened Puget Sound Steelhead.

Its really tragic that in the last two years rivers such as the Skagit, and Skykomish, have closed down in January do to low wild returns. Let Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife know they need to make a change in management and sign the petition.

Casting for Recovery Pledge Drive

I would like to thank everyone that has donated so far. I'm very close to meeting my goal of raising $5000.00 for Casting for Recovery.

In the spirit of having fun at competitions, good sportsmanship, and having another purpose at Spey-O-Rama this year, I'm raising money and awareness via a pledge drive for Casting For Recovery. Casting for Recovery (CFR) is a national non-profit support and educational program for women of all ages, in all stages of breast cancer, helping woman find strength and courage through flying-fishing, as a tool for recovery.

CFR provides retreats at no cost to participants, which allow women whose lives have been profoundly affected by breast cancer to gather in a beautiful, natural setting and learn to fly fish. The retreats incorporate counseling, educational services and the sport of fly fishing to promote mental and physical healing. CFR currently has 45 retreats in 35 states scheduled for 2011.

On April 17th, 2011, I will be casting at the event Spey-O-Rama, in San Fransisco. Spey-O-Rama is a distance casting event with a double handed rod. Donations are based on my longest cast, per foot. For example, if my longest cast is 125 feet and you donate $1.00 then you will write a check to CFR for $125.00. (last year my longest cast was 127 feet) 100% of donations go to CFR. Please help by spreading the word and donating any amount you can give.

Click on the link below to complete the pledge drive form, after completing, click the submit button at the bottom of the form. Casting results will be announced on April 17th, 2011. I will contact you shorty after that date.

http://www.jotform.com/form/10195517743

Below is more information about Casting for Recovery.

Each Casting for Recovery retreat accommodates 14 women, who apply and are selected through a random lottery, and immerses them in the world of fly fishing for two-and-a-half days. They learn to cast, tie the basic knots and all about the bugs . . . “What Fish Eat”. They attend a medical session to learn about and share the latest medical treatments available. Participants also attend an evening gathering to share their emotions and feelings about breast cancer with an experienced Psychosocial Facilitator. On the last day of the retreat, the women are in the water practicing catch and release fishing assisted by CFR staff and men and women “riverhelpers” from local fly fishing clubs. Many of the participants have never picked up a rod in their life but go on to become active in the sport or become volunteers for the Casting for Recovery program.

Retreats are staffed by trained women volunteers. There are fly fishing instructors, as well as professional medical and psychosocial volunteers who provide education and support at the retreat. Participants need only to get to the retreat locations. Once there, they are outfitted with fly fishing gear from head to toe which they use while at the retreat.

Keep updated on Spey-O-Rama here, at Metalheads . Results will be posted on April 17, 2011.

Thank you for supporting CFR!

Mia Sheppard

Little Creek Outfitters

503-944-9165

photos courtesy of Casting for Recovery

Action for Oregon Rivers

Conservation of wild fish and health rivers starts with water and you.

To better understand and meet the water resource needs in Oregon, the Legislature has directed the state of Oregon to develop Oregons first Integrated Water Resources Strategy. (IWRS) This plan will initially address water quality and quantity in stream and out of stream needs for people, agriculture, recreation, and endangered anadromous species.

Tee water resource department is holding pubic meeting throughout the state of Oregon to hear recommendations and feedback from the public on water issues that are important to us. I attended a meeting a few weeks ago in Gresham, it felt good to have a voice for rivers and wild fish. Here is a link to meeting that will be held in Oregon. If you can't attend a meeting submit your comments at: http://www.wrd.state.or.us/OWRD/LAW/Integrated_Water_Supply_Strategy.shtml .

Here are just a few Key points that Waterwatch of Oregon recommends making for more key points contact Waterwatch:

1. Oregon rivers need more protection.
Urge the state to adopt instream water rights on all streams across the state. Over 1400 stream reaches in Oregon are protected by "instream water rights," but hundreds of others are not.

Urge the state to protect peak and ecological flows before allowing new storage projects. In recent years Oregon has seen a land rush mentality with regard to building new water storage projects. These storage projects which would grab the last of Oregon's unallocated winter water. Currently the state does not protect "peak and ecological flows" when issuing new storage permits.

Urge the state to both identify peak and ecological flows needed by fish and rivers, and to protect those flows before allowing new storage.

Urge the state to protect more of Oregon's beloved streams though scenic waterway designation. State scenic waterway designation protects rivers and streams from being drained dry and also from the building of new dams. The state has not issued any new scenic waterways in nearly two decades.

2. The state needs to better manage Oregon's rivers.

Oregon is lucky to have many good river and stream protection laws on the books. However, the state does not utilize these tools to the full advantage of Oregon’s waterways.

Please urge the state to use its existing authorities to:
Require measurement of all diversions in the state. Unless the state knows how much water is being diverted, and when, it cannot adequately manage our water resources.
Require water use efficiency standards for municipal and irrigation uses. Oregon's water rules call on the state to establish basin efficiency standards for water use, but the state has never done so. Oregon's streams and rivers are already over-tapped; requiring efficient water use is one step to meeting new demand without putting further strain on our rivers.

To read more about the (IWRS) go to the Water Resource Department website or if you have questions about water issues or want to get involved go to Waterwatch of Oregons website . Since 1985 Waterwatch of Oregon has fought to protect and restore water flows in rivers for us and wild fish.

Salmon Watch

Salmonwatch is a program through the Freshwater Trust that educates kids about the value of wild fish and healthy watersheds. Kids get to watch Salmon spawn, see a red, learn about macroinvertebrates, riparian, and water quality.

Our first stop to the Clearwater was the John Day River. With a generous donation of two Coho Salmon from Cedarcreek hatchery on the Sandy River and a hatchery from the Deschutes River that our friend caught, Ian, a fish Biologist and I spent the day showing Condon High school students the anatomy of Salmonoids. We also taught the students the difference between hatchery and wild fish, demonstrated what a red looks like and shared the life cycle of a Salmon. The students also learned about riparian and macroinvertibrates that make up the John Day watershed. Such a great program to get kids familiar with the rivers they live near. Next stop the Clearwater.Jedi shades