Site Map

Here's a quick run down of the major sections of this site and the focus of each:

Fly Patterns Habitat Species

Updated! Reviews

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New Content

October 2008 Stream resident Lahontan cutthroatComing this month the EcoAngler reports on a healthy population of stream resident Lahontan cutts.

October 5, 2008 24 inch Lahontan cutthroatJust posted my recent Heenan Lake Fishing Report.

September 30, 2008 Heenan Lake 2008 Heenan Lake angler brings fish to net Rainbows in Heenan? Unfortunately true - California Department of Fish & Game Biologist confirms my fear.

Fall 2008 caddis case makers


The EcoAngler offers an explanation for their abundance in waters throughout the West.

September 21, 2008 Jones Hole Creek Big Horn sheep wading across creek slices down a thin, red rock canyon inhabited by rainbow trout and aggressive-wading mountain sheep.

September 14, 2008 An excellent, remote fly fishing Fly fishing in the High Uintas experience can be had along the high, North Slope of Uintas Mountain Range.

August 28, 2008 Section A on the Green RiverEngineering a more eco - friendly water cooler on the Green River

August 21, 2008 Fremont Indian pictographFishermen welcome since 300 A.D.

August 14, 2008 Large school of rainbow troutTake a look inside what makes the Green River, below Flaming Gorge a proverbial aquarium of fish.

August 7, 2008 Rock Creek brown trout Occupying less than 5 percent of its historic range within the upper Colorado River watershed, the Colorado River cutthroat is considered to be the most colorful cutthroats and possibly one of the most beautiful fish in North America.

July 20, 2008 Big damselflyFlowing through a deep canyon on the West slope of the Sierra the North Fork Mokelumne River below Salt Springs dam certainly looks like a great fishery.

July 12, 2008 Rock Creek brown trout Rock Creek's spring run-off may have been later and larger than usual this year, but the Giant Salmonfly and golden stonefly hatches produced jaw-dropping and jaw-closing responses for anglers and trout alike.

Summer 2008 Big SalmonflyComing in July - Fishing a fat Salmon fly hatch on a historic blue ribbon fishery. View some Stone Love.

June 25, 2008 Fish Eye Volume 3The 3rd Release of Fish Eye doesn't disappoint and features one of my favorite Sierra still-water destinations.

June 11, 2008 Doyle Springs trailhead on the Tule River Hiking the Doyle trail upstream along the Tule River leads to a dense wooded canyon with small, eager trout swimming below.

May 26, 2008 With Spring run-off coursing through Sierra Nevada streams come hatches of Calineuria Californica and Hesperoperla Pacifica.

May 2, 2008 Wild Rainbows sparkle on the Upper Kings RiverIf you're a fan of wild trout and surroundings to match, then the Kings River above Pine Flat Reservior might be your ticket.

April 17, 2008 Rainbow from Lower Kings River
The EcoAngler profiles the lower Kings River. A once great tail-water is on the comeback.

April 2, 2008 Fly fishing the lower Stanislaus River.Added some photos of the lower Stanislaus River along Two Mile Bar.

March 20, 2008 My Story as Told by WaterA collection of essays (some rants) from a passionate fly angler and writer David Duncan in My Story as Told by Water.

March 13, 2008 Fly fishing the lower Stanislaus River.Spilling over the rim of Goodwin Dam, the the lower Stanislaus River emerges as a wild trout tailwater.

February 13, 2008 Putting the spot-light on Caddisflies of the Sierra Nevada. Includes new hatch table for several critical species of glossoma.

February 1, 2008 BackcastLou Ureneck fishes through a turbulent childhood, refuses to repeat the mistakes of his fathers, and oh yeah, guides his son and himself down a wild Alaskan river in Backcast.

January 17, 2008 Salmon and other finned creatures gain the upper hand in the just released Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (PDF).

January 15, 2008 Merced Falls manages a hatchery for chinook salmon.It's a concrete jungle if you are young, a chinook salmon and your parents dumped you just outside of Merced Falls.

December 27, 2007 Fish Eye Volume 2The EcoAngler pushes the Play button on The Season of the Mayfly - the 2nd Issue from the Fish Eye folk.

December 9, 2007 Northern Harrier Northern Harriers are agile flyers often seen skimming grasslands while hunting for prey.

November 26, 2007 Steelhead tags collected from the Trinity River Caption - A Fistful of Tags. Steelheading on the Trinity River can be money.

November 15, 2007 The sun lights the fog as an angler works a run on the Rogue The Rogue River is the largest producer of Pacific salmon in Oregon outside of the Columbia River with nearly 100,000 anadromous fish returning from the ocean each year. Apparently the 2007 spring chinook and summer steelhead didn't get that memo.

November 7, 2007 Water runs clear over rocks on the Saint Joes River The Idaho panhandle is the northern most range of the Westslope cutthroat. In the panhandle flows the Saint Joes River where its upper reaches hold wild and scenic cutthroat.

November 2, 2007 16 inch Westslope Cutthroat taken on a nymph pattern Greatly expanded photo gallery of Westslope Cutthroat caught and released in Northern Idaho.

October 24, 2007 Goose Lake Redband caught on an Adams Posted a gallery of Goose Lake redband photos from a recent trip into Modoc National Forest.

October 16, 2007 habitat destruction Looking to catch a Goose Lake redband? Watch where you STEP.

October 10, 2007 Pit River The Pit River generates lots of power, aquatic bugs, and wild trout.

October 1, 2007 Warner Lakes redband In the remote northeast corner of California, up a long and steep forest service road, runs a tiny creek which holds a native redband trout known as the Warner Lakes redband .

Archive of Content

 

The Nature of Fly Fishing

It's less about how to cast further, or increasing the number of fish landed, and more about increasing the angler's knowledge of the species, the environment he inhabits, and what he likes to eat (real or inmitated). That's the goal of this site - EcoAngler.com.

Colorado River cutthroat trout

Ecological?

By definition, ecological is the interactions and relationships between organisms and their environment. It comes from two Greek words: oikos meaning "the family household," and logy, meaning "study of." The science of ecology teaches the angler, it is impossible to separate the study of a species of fish such as trout from the study of their environment. Freshwater ecology is a broad and complex science, and the scope of this site only allows a brief overview of the critical elements - Fly patterns (a.k.a. aquatic insects), Habitat and Species.

A good ecologist can dovetail into dovetail until the whole thing stretches out of sight. We call it an ecosystem now; earlier Americans called it the Sacred Circle. Either way it can make your little head swim with a vision of a thing of great size and strength that still depends on the underpinning of its smallest members.
Sex, Death, and Fly-Fishing by John Gierach  

Fly Patterns

It starts with a trout's favorite class of food - aquatic insects. (Grasshoppers, ants, beetles, minnows and leeches are also on the menu here.) And in the case of the angler, the fly patterns which imitate these insects.

Salmonfly Pteronarcella

The goal of the EcoAngler is to recognize the insects that freshwater trout survive on, and to the extent possible the ecology of these tiny creatures.

Trout Habitat

Trout are coldwater fish and take up residence in streams, ponds, and lakes that have cold water year round and provide enough food and oxygen to survive. The initial focus of the EcoAngler is trout habitat in the Sierra Nevada and Northern California. Casting to wild rainbows on the Kern River

Each of the fisheries covered in habitat includes information critical to your angling success. This information includes:

Fly Patterns

To improve your chances of connecting with a resident trout - a suggested list of fly patterns is given for a particular habitat. Here's a sample set of nymphs recommended for the East Walker River.

Suggested Fly Patterns for the East Walker River

Map of Area

Sample Map for the East Walker River The EcoAngler includes a detailed topo map of the stream or lake and surrounding area with each of the habitats listed.

To get you to these fly fishing destinations, driving directions from a major city are provided as well. (Look on the left side of the specific habitat page under "Directions.")

Flow Information

Water Flows for the East Walker River Easy access to real-time water flows and levels are available from each of the stream habitats profiled. The link entitled Flow Information - in the upper left corner of the page - takes you to the USGS extensive web-site for water data.

Fishing Regulations

California Sports Fishing Regulations With a majority of the habitat described on the EcoAngler lying within California's Wild and Heritage Trout program, please consult the Department of Fish and Game's Regulations for complete details before striking out on a trip. A reference link entitled Regulations is provided on every habitat page and any special considerations are generally called out on the page.

As anglers, it's up to each of us to protect and care for these unique fisheries.

Species of Trout

No species of fish has excited the freshwater angler through the years as the trout. California is home to two native trout species (rainbow and cutthroat) and numerous subspecies including Eagle Lake rainbow trout, Lahontan cutthroat and Kern River rainbow trout.

Rainbow trout

California Heritage Trout Challenge

CalHeritageTrout Catch, photograph, and release six different forms of California native trout from their historic range and California Department of Fish and Game will send you a personalized certificate featuring the art of Joseph Tomelleri (similiar to this one).

A sort of Angler Honor Roll lists a number of anglers who have successfully completed the California Heritage Trout Challenge since the program started.

The EcoAngler describes a number of these native trout that qualify for the challenge including:

Book and Video Reviews

Get Bent: Fish Eye Video Issue 3

Mike Wier's Fish Eye Volume 3 Get Bent offers plenty of rod bending material - translation: lots of big, juicy trout. The jazz track accompanying this section almost keeps pace with the video action on screen. This opening moves with rhythm and energy. A video mosaic of rivers I recognized like the East Fork of the Carson, the Truckee (appears to be footage from Fish Eye #2) with some of the usual faces which Mikey has fished with - including an eight year who takes a rainbow on a dry fly. It wraps up with another youngster Loren Elliott hooking and landing a 20 inch rainbow on the East Fork of the Carson.

Read the entire review of this video in the Fly Fishing Reviews section.

The Season of the Mayfly: Fish Eye Video Issue 2

Mike Wier's Fish Eye Volume 2 The video magazine opens with a twisted tribute to the opening scene in the movie Jaws... instead of a young, female swimming substitue a mayfly. Watch the serenity of a mayfly floating carefree. Then witness the death from below reality when a trout goes on the feed.

Read the entire review of this video in the Fly Fishing Reviews section.

Caddisflies

Caddisflies As LaFontaine states midway through the book, "The study of caddisflies is the graduate school of an angler's education." His book clearly mirrors both the diversity and complexity of its subject matter - caddisflies. LaFontaine mastery of the bug and how to present it to trout in it's varying life stages is apparent. But the crowning achievement in these pages is the bridge LaFontaine builds between this insect's world and the mind of the angler. It's a bridge every angler must eventually cross in order to master the complex interaction between these bugs and feeding trout. I couldn't really come up with the number of days and the river miles you would need to wade in order to gain the knowledge Lafontaine distills onto paper... but a lifetime wouldn't be a stretch here (wearing out many pairs of wading boots along the way).

Read the entire review of this book in the Reviews section.

The Trout and the Fly

The Trout and the Fly If you wish to get inside the small, primitive brain of a trout, then read The Trout and The Fly. Most theories passed around in angling circles for how these critters behave is commonly hearsay. The authors, Brian Clarke and John Goddard - both avid fly fishermen, reveal trained and measured observations. More than any sport, fishing lends itself to word-of-mouth and story telling. Clarke and Goddard take a more analytical tact - providing the angler fundamental knowledge of trout behavior.

Read the entire review of this book in the Reviews section.

The Angler's Bamboo

Angler's Bamboo I received Angler's Bamboo as a gift from my cousin, Gib Cooper who along with his wife owns and operates Tradewinds Bamboo Nursery out of Gold Beach, Oregon. The book provides a concise history of how "tea stick bamboo" came to be revered by anglers around the world.

Read the entire review of this book in the Reviews section.

Many Rivers to Cross: Of Good Running Water, Native Trout, and the Remains of Wilderness

Many Rivers to Cross

M. R. Montgomery goes fishing. Well, to be precise the author goes in search of rare, hard-to-find, native trout. The places and the numbers of native fish he finds are as telling as the sharp observations he gives the reader. I initially picked up the book on account of it's subject matter - fly fishing for native trout around the West. As I read the last couple of chapters I found myself less interested in the author's fishing activity and more drawn into his commentary and writing style.

Read the entire review of this book in the Reviews section.

Trout Eyes

Trout Eyes

The qualities of Bill Tapply's work which jump out are: (1) the craftsmanship of his writing - first class, and (2) the universal themes anglers have grown to know and love. Bill describes settings which transport our minds to the beloved dream-world of casting a dry fly to a large feeding brown trout. And he transports us from our real world of suburban spawl and traffic jams to our favorite escapes faster than 2 large aspirin.

Read the entire review of this book in the Reviews section.

Fly Fishing Articles

Southwest Fly Fishing

Southwest Fly Fishing Article featuring Golden Trout Wilderness and Kern River Rainbow

I wrote a feature story for the July/August 2007 issue of Southwest Fly Fishing. The article details a five day span spent angling for Kern River rainbow trout along the upper Kern River within the Golden Trout Wilderness.

Northwest Fly Fishing

Northwest Fly Fishing Magazine Cover Another, shorter article I wrote appeared in the July/August 2007 issue of Northwest Fly Fishing. It's a piece about one of my favorite still-water destinations in the entire Sierra Nevada - Heenan Lake.



I contributed a feature story for the January/February 2008 issue of Northwest Fly Fishing. The article covers the upper Merced River in Yosemite Valley flowing down through the Merced Canyon until it meets the South Fork of the Merced.

Northwest Fly Fishing Article featuring the Wild & Scenic Merced River