The Nature of Fly Fishing

Content - 2010

May 24, 2010 Received an email from Ned Morris (CHTC #3,57), looks like California holds another subspecies of redband.

May 14, 2010 Time to feed the beast....fly fishing a Yosemite creek.

April 28, 2010 A classic, high-country fishery in Yosemite National Park - Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River..

April 18, 2010 Inspired by Trout Unlimited's Calendar featuring a California Golden Trout, I give you ... Golden Trout Creek.

March 27, 2010 They can check-out, but they can never leave...

March 19, 2010 Westlands Water District - Can you handle the truth?

March 15, 2010 An excellent behind-the-scenes look at how the Klamath River dam removal agreement came into existence and profiles of the locals who had the courage to agree.

March 6, 2010 Op-Ed on water policy in S.F. Bay Delta and the need to think of local fishing economies impacted.

March 1, 2010 The natal home to wild salmon and steelhead ...it's more than a clean bed.

February 20, 2010 As native fish populations crash throughout California - time to take a long and hard look at the state's water-supply crisis.

February 19, 2010 Over a year later, the signing of the Klamath Settlement Agreements signal the "beginning of the end" for 4 dams on the Klamath River - a turning point for native salmon.

February 18, 2010 Op-Ed on Feinstein's misguided efforts to change water policy in S.F. Bay Delta.

February 10, 2010 Good winter rains fill coastal creeks like this. The creek opens to the sea and attract big-fish-eater.

February 3, 2010 Central California Coho Populations Continue to Crash.

January 23, 2010 In 1996, his man connected-all-the-dots... published a report and no one in CDFG acted. Studying Salmon to death.

January 20, 2010 Death by a 1000 cuts - A summary of the California's Salmon crisis.

January 16, 2010 For Central Coast steelhead who want to experience fine-spawning in Carmel - your table is almost ready. The agreement to remove the San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River.

January 13, 2010 What station are you listening to? Photographs of California Condors soaring high above Big Sur.

January 1, 2010 The EcoAnlger closes out 2009 with the final chapter of The Great Basin Redband Roundup ... Malheur Lake Basin Redband Trout

Content - 2009

December 14, 2009 The third redband profiled in The Great Basin Redband Roundup ... Catlow Valley Basin Redband Trout

December 2, 2009 The EcoAngler profiles the Fort Rock Basin Redband Trout

November 20, 2009 The EcoAngler attends the Junc Show on the Trinity River.

November 12, 2009 Fall fishing on the Upper Sacramento River.

November 4, 2009 The 1st installment of the Redband Roundup leads off with the Chewaucan Basin Redband Trout

October 19, 2009 The EcoAngler drops into the Forks of the Kern River for a closer look.

October 5, 2009 Fishing the famous "rock-pile" near the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River.

September 21, 2009 At the headwaters of the South Fork of the Pit River, you'll find the Warner Wilderness .

September 14, 2009 The yellow sallie hatch had peaked but the rainbows on the Kern River above Johnsondale Bridge were in denial.

September 2009 Scud-eaters and cud-eaters are loose along the East Walker River .

September 3, 2009 The rich color and pageantry that is college football and wild brook trout

August 25, 2009 The EcoAngler hikes into the South Fork of the Merced River

July 26, 2009 A small, isolated population of Whitehorse Creek Cutthroat quietly survive in the Coyote Basin.

July 12, 2009 Underwater photographs of a Warner Lakes redband.

May 31, 2009 The North Fork of the Blackfoot supports a native fishery in a watershed of continual ecological change.

May 5, 2009 Th e EcoAngler heads into Blackfoot C ountry.

April 2009 And the winner for most endangered river of 2009 goes to... Sacramento - San Joaquin River System.

April 6, 2009 The Lower Sacramento River flows through the center of Redding and supports a large urban population of rainbows.

March 2009 National Marine and Fisheries Service issued a detailed analysis of reasons for declining Chinook salmon runs in the Sacramento River. Warning: Large PDF File.

March 26, 2009 For decades, 60 miles of the San Joaquin River has been bone-dry.Imagine all the instream flow.

March 12, 2009 California's State-budget-cutting-axe has hit the Heritage & Wild Trout Program.Read the letter from Roger Bloom, CDFG Biologist, detailing the severe impact to this great fisheries program.

March 6, 2009
Experience the pure wonder of fly fishing the Golden Trout Wilderness from the couch.

February 26, 2009 In the shadow of Mount Lassen and once home to the Yahi Indians, flows Mill Creek.

February 1, 2009 Impressions from a recent trip to Ano Nuevo.

Winter 2009
Read the chronicles here:

• Swimming with the Smolts
• The Expanding Marsh
• The Expanding Marsh - (continued)
• State Breach
• Uncorking the Creek in the New Year
• No Rain - No Run
• Spawn Blocker
• New! Lance Armstrong and 2 I nches

Content - 2008

December 28, 2008 Dare I say, the best collection of fly fishing essays written -- The Longest Silence by Thomas McGuane.

December 21, 2008 Thanks to contributors - Ned Morris (CHTC #5 & #57) and Scott Lyons (CHTC #65)- the EcoAngler has expanded its Angler Honor Roll .

December 14, 2008 Kelly Creek is one of the West's Blue-ribbon native trout streams. Without foresight and a change to the fishing reg's things would have been different here -- very different.

December 2008 Red Spawn - Midwest invaders continue hatching their plot to push westslope cutts out of their native lakes.

November 20, 2008 You are'nt high - You're just steelheading on the Trinity River 2008.

November 20, 2008 CalTrout issues a detailed status report of California native fish. Warning: Large PDF File.

November 9, 2008 Looking for a quiet, small stream experience just outside of Truckee, California? Then Sagehen Creek might be your answer.

October 26, 2008 Thanks to Katherine Evatt and Pete Bell of the Foothill Conservancy for correcting my minimum streamflow info for the North Fork Mokelumne River below Salt Springs dam.

October 19, 2008 A popular trail with hikers and backpackers leads to the headwaters of the Truckee River - home to a restored population of Lahontan cutts.

October 12, 2008 Some photographs of healthy stream-resident Lahontan cutts.

October 5, 2008 Just posted my recent Heenan Lake Fishing Report.

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

September 21, 2008 Jones Hole 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 experience can be had along the high, North Slope of Uintas Mountain Range.

August 28, 2008 Engineering a more eco - friendly water cooler on the Green River

August 21, 2008 Fishermen welcome since 300 A.D.

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

August 7, 2008 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 Flowing 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'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 Coming in July - Fishing a fat Salmon fly hatch on a historic blue ribbon fishery. View some Stone Love.

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

June 11, 2008 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 If 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 The EcoAngler profiles the lower Kings River. A once great tail-water is on the comeback.

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

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

March 13, 2008 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 Lou 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 It's a concrete jungle if you are young, a chinook salmon and your parents dumped you just outside of Merced Falls.

Content - 2007

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

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

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

November 15, 2007 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 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 Greatly expanded photo gallery of Westslope Cutthroat caught and released in Northern Idaho.

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

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

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

October 1, 2007 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 .

September 2007 If you fly fish for trout in the West, could Gary LaFontaine's Caddisflies be the most important bug book to read?

September 2007 It's official now... California has a water crisis! And we got a web site to prove it.

August 23, 2007 The North_Fork Yuba_River fished well through the early summer.

August 8, 2007 Spent 6 days drifting, fishing, and exploring the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. With nearly 300 Westslope Cutthroat per river mile it's rich in native trout.

July 26, 2007 Photos of wildfire and a helicopter - Two of the EcoAngler's favorite things to watch - from a distance.

July 25, 2007 The EcoAngler ranges into the Mountain West for Westslope Cutthroat.

July 20, 2007 Looking for another high Sierra setting to fish for Lahontan cutthroats? Consider a trip to Kinney Lakes.

July 10, 2007 Captured photos of a red-tailed hawk diving, missing, and flying back to another perch to wait for his next opportunity. I can relate to that...

July 3, 2007 In a major drive to turn around the downward spiral of the McCloud River Redband Trout, Caltrout in conjunction with the Orvis Company and the NFWS announced a triple matching grant challenge. To learn more about this grant challenge, visit the McCloud Redband Challenge.

June 25, 2007 Three days and two flies on one of California's most wild and diverse rivers - the Clavey River.

June 11, 2007 In the shadows of giants, the EcoAngler fishes the North Fork Stanislaus River in Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

May 29 2007 William Tapply shares a collection of fly fishing experiences in his latest book Trout Eyes: True Tales of Adventure, Travel, and Fly-Fishing.

May 11, 2007 The EcoAngler explores the Merced River in Yosemite National Park. With a light snow pack, Spring and early Summer will be ideal.

May 3, 2007 An overview of aquatic insect ecosystems with a focus on the Sierra Nevada range.

April 16, 2007 Added several key caddis pupa fly patterns important to fishing Western fly waters.

March 28, 2007 Buy a t-shirt and help the California golden trout. Patagonia's World Trout Initiative is now sponoring the The Golden Trout Project through sales of this t-shirt.

March 27, 2007 The Golden Trout Project needs volunteers for this summer! Howard Kern is looking for folks to staff a couple of key projects in Mulkey Meadows in the southern Sierra Nevada. Read here for further information.

March 21, 2007 A window of time exists - after the winter rains and before the spring run-off - to fish the Merced River outside the Yosemite National Park boundry. Besides rainbows, the Merced Canyon serves up an amazing assortment of wildflowers this time of year.

March 6, 2007 Two chinook salmon runs - one in serious decline on the Klamath River and another completely expired on the Lower San Joaquin River - are profiled in river restoration.

February 28, 2007 If you have ever ventured into the Trinity Mountains, steelheaded on the Klamath or Smith Rivers, or stocked native trout in the high deserts of Northeast California, then you'll enjoy the scenery of The Klamath Knot.

February 12, 2007 Expanding the Species section with Endangered Listings status of all trout, salmon, and steelhead species in the Western United States and detailed range maps of all the major trout species within the state of California.

January 24, 2007 Splitting Cane doesn't realize its full potential to inspire.

January 14, 2007 Caught the Skwala stonefly hatch, but no big rainbows on the Lower Yuba River.

Winter 2007 We're talking bigger, more powerful, trout. The EcoAngler makes room (and beefs up his gear) for Steelhead with Species description and expanded Habitat coverage.

Content - 2006

November 21, 2006 Explored a remote section of the East Carson River in the Iceberg Carson Wilderness.

November 10, 2006 The best of Fall - fishing the big October caddis hatch on the McCloud River.

November 3, 2006 Photographs of the McCloud River redband taken from a creek within the McCloud watershed are now available.

October 19, 2006 Expanded the habitat description of Eagle Lake with additional information and photos.

October 14, 2006 Added more photos of Eagle Lake rainbows I caught and released. More photos here.

October 11, 2006 Have a special place in your heart for native trout? Looking for a good read? Many Rivers to Cross gets a thumbs up.

September 23 - 24, 2006 Steelhead are creeping upstream into the Lower Sacramento River.

September 16, 2006 Posted my Photos from Heenan Lake. Lahontans in the 16 to 22 inch range, caught, photoed, and released.

September 2006 View more photos and info from my recent Golden Trout Wilderness Trip.

August 27, 2006 Added some photos of native Kern River rainbow taken in the Heritage Trout Section of the Kern River. More photos here.

August 24, 2006 Split Kern River content into 2 unique sections - Kern River - Johnsondale Bridge & Below and Kern River - Heritage Trout Section

August 5, 2006 Lake Alpine - Home to an aquatic mob of junk food junkies.

July 4, 2006 Caught and released over 10 California golden trout on Cottonwood Lakes including one around 15 inches.

July 2006 Read my Hot Creek Chronicle.

June 2006 Detailed topo maps are now available for each destination listed under Trout Habitat.

Winter 2006 The EcoAngler expands the Fly Patterns section with more flies, photos, and info to give the angler an effective fly box for the Sierra Nevada. Starting in February with 3 essential mayfly patterns: Blue Wing Olive, Pale Morning Dun, and Trico

2006.1.21 A trip to the upper Kern River (upstream of the Johnsdale bridge) looking for Kern River rainbow. The Kern River rainbow is subspecies of rainbow trout found only in California.

Content - 2005

2005.11.10 The East Walker River within California is open to anglers until November 15th. Low water levels and reduced flow from Bridgeport Reservior made for challenging conditions.

2005.10.29 Attended a clinic lead by Jay Fair and Denny Rickards at Eagle Lake.

2005.10.7 Enjoyed a clear autumn day cruising Heenan Lake. The mid-day proved the optimal time yielding several healthy Lahontan cutthroat in the 14 to 22 inch range.

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