Salmon and Steelhead Wins
These days, there is often doom and gloom when it comes to wild fish, but read on and I will get to some good stuff.
This past Friday, the Missouri River Fly Fishers hosted the F3T. I always get a buzz from watching the films and my itch to fish gets racheted up even higher. We are fortunate to have lots of great water in Montana with healthy fish populations. The Missouri River Fly Fishing Club has dedicated members who have been helping us with access to those waters as well as supporting FWP with funds for habitat projects. Thank you to those who supported the club at the Banquet and the Fly Fishing Film Tour.
There were a number of great films this year, but near and dear to my heart was the film Long Live The King. I have had the fortune to live and work for 25 season in Alaska. I have fished alongside a number of the folks featured in the film. I feel their pain.
The first King Salmon I slid a net under was 66 lbs. I used to spend about ten weeks each season chasing Kings on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. My buddy Stacy and I would go out and fly fish on the smaller rivers before our guiding seasons got going strong. We shared some amazing days doing battle with chome Kings. Sometimes we'd win, but often we would be left hanging and bowing to the King.
Despite the decline of Kings in Alaska right now, the Columbia River is poised to receive its best return since records began in 1938. That is great news! Here is more good news...
According to TU, the recent designation of the Point Arena-Stornetta complex of public lands in Northern California as a national monument is good for fish and good for people. The area is considered vitally important for salmon and steelhead.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is designating three southwest Washington rivers &ndash' the North Fork Toutle/Green, Wind and East Fork Lewis &ndash'''wild steelhead gene banks.&rdquo' These rivers will now be managed for wild steelhead exclusively, without any hatchery steelhead plants.
The EPA is now officially engaged in a process where they will decide whether to apply advanced restrictions on development of the colossal Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay's headwaters. They recently sent a letter to the State of Alaska, the Pebble Limited Partnership and the Army Corps of Engineers outlining their intent to begin a Clean Water Act''404c&rdquo' process in Bristol Bay.
Long Live the King - Official Trailer from Fly Out Media on Vimeo.