A benefit of working for a river conservation group as an avid angler is that you have a chance to get to know some fine fishing rivers. This past month has been a great example of that, where I’ve been able to visit some amazing rivers, many of which American Rivers has worked on.
The month started on a small tributary to the Watauga River. American Rivers and Mountain True were spearheading the removal of Shull’s Mill Dam on the Watauga, which is a special river to me because that’s where my dad taught me to fly fish. Seeing the dam come out was meaningful, and catching healthy trout in a healthy feeder stream nearby made it even more so. When a river is dammed, there’s nothing better you can do for it than taking the dam out.
From there I had a chance to fish on the Penobscot River in Maine. This river benefited from two major dam removals and a fish ladder around a third that were done about ten years ago in collaboration with the power company that owned the dams. The negotiated deal allowed the power company to generate more power from their tributary dams, and the native fish (Atlantic salmon, alewife, herring, etc.) got access to 1,000 miles of spawning habitat.
That’s a huge number and the fish are now returning in record numbers. And by the way, the fishing was tremendous – working the banks with popping bugs for eager smallmouth bass – and it was fun to be joined by a local Bald Eagle who fished near us.
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The next trip was a driving tour of Wyoming trout streams with my son. We have been taking fishing trips since he was about six, and they just keep getting better. Our first stops were tributary streams to the Snake River near Jackson – cold, crystal-clear creeks that hold native Fine Spotted Snake River Cutthroat Trout. That’s kind of a mouthful, but the fish are gorgeous and have been there since the Ice Age. When you hold them near the river bottom, you can see how their colors match the colors of the rocks, and they blend in perfectly. All these streams have been protected by “Wild and Scenic River” designations (led by my colleague Scott Bosse several years ago), so the creeks and the fish will continue as they were meant to be forever.
From there we went up to Yellowstone National Park where we fished for native Yellowstone Cutthroats. If you’ve not been to the Lamar Valley, I would highly recommend it. Driving past herds of bison and pronghorns was thrill enough, but then to catch native Cutts in the beautiful Soda Butte Creek was icing on the cake. Though crowded, if you’re patient and careful, the fishing is tremendous.
After Wyoming, my son and I met up with the rest of the family in northern California. We stayed on the Middle Fork of the Feather River, which glistens beautifully in the morning sun. Like the Snake River headwaters mentioned above, the Middle Fork of the Feather River is protected by “Wild and Scenic River” designation. There are some small streams that feed into it that have clear, cold water that support native Rainbow trout, which my daughter and I love to fish for. Sometimes they jump several feet out of the water – pretty impressive for a six-inch trout.
For me, my love of rivers is coupled with my love of fishing. We’re blessed to have such wonderful rivers and fishing in this country, and American Rivers is working to keep it that way.
Good luck the next time you’re on the water.
