Articles

Trout Unlimited Backs EPA Proposal to Reinstate Clean Water Act Headwaters Protections

by Chad Shmukler - Wednesday, Mar 26th, 2014

Pennsylvania Trout Stream Headwaters (photo: Chad Shmukler)

The well-heeled saying that "what goes up must come down" is a fairly basic concept. So it is probably fair to say that most people would consider it a matter of common sense that the health of our streams and rivers is directly influenced by the conditions found further upstream in their headwaters, the smaller streams and creeks which feed them. Unfortunately, common sense often fails to play a role in our nation's politics and lawmaking, a reality which has driven a decade worth of degradation of Clean Water Act measures that protect sensitive headwaters resulting from multiple Supreme Court decisions and poor EPA policy making.

According to information released by Trout Unlimited yesterday, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have released a draft proposal of rules intended to clarify Clean Water Act jurisdiction and restore protections to countless miles of headwater streams, a proposal for which Trout Unlimited has announced its support.

“[This] proposal speaks to the heart of the Clean Water Act—making rivers more fishable and swimmable,” said Chris Wood, president and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “The waters affected by today’s proposal provide vital spawning and rearing habitat for trout and salmon. Simply stated, the proposal will make fishing better, and anglers should support it. Restoring protections to these waters ensures healthy habitat for fish and a bright future for anglers.”

3 Tips for Presenting Flies to Permit

by Chad Shmukler - Tuesday, Mar 25th, 2014

One of the shots from our recent photo collection, Permit: Your New Obsession (photo: Chad Shmukler).

Having recently returned from chasing permit in Mexico's Ascension Bay, we've been doing a lot of talking about permit. It's sort of hard to resist. In our recent photography feature, Permit: Your New Addiction, we hopefully helped to dispel the myth that only the most masterful of anglers should hope to land a permit. You can do it too. That said, successfully presenting a fly to a permit and hooking that permit is a distinctly different task than doing so to other fishy quarry -- even the other fish that share the flats with permit -- so being prepared will up your chances for success.

Over the course of a week with the insanely permit-focused guides at Ascension Bay's Palometa Club, we received a lot of schooling on how to best present a fly to a permit feeding on the flats. Here are a few of the tips we received.

Water, Trout and Politics in Utah

by Steve Zakur - Monday, Mar 24th, 2014

The Provo River in Utah.

In these politically charged times, it's hard for any legislative body to make progress on the most mundane of matters. And when powerful forces that fund the political machine are allied against the public will, elected officials seem even less interested in taking a stand. The fight to restore stream access to the public in Utah is just such a case study.

In 2008 the Utah Supreme Court ruled in Conatser v. Johnson that the public has a right to “engage in all recreational activities that utilize the water”. But this wasn't the controversial piece of the ruling. The court further clarified the public right by saying that the right was not limited to “activities that can be performed upon the water.” It affirmed the rights of sportsmen, including anglers, to wade in public waters even if this meant touching stream bottoms that were privately owned.

William Joseph Outs Five All-New Fly Fishing Packs for 2014

by Marshall Walker - Friday, Mar 21st, 2014

Clockwise from top left: The Release, The Cinch, The Sprint, The Escape, the Path.

Fly fishing accessory and apparel makers, William Joseph Fly Fishing, recently announced the addition five new packs for the 2014 fly fishing season. Each new pack features what William Joseph refers to as an "innovative carrying system," which allows anglers the ability to attach or store the appropriate gear for a variety of fly fishing situations.

The Release is a 1 lb chest pack that offers one hand access to its main compartment, which is intended to prevent anglers from needing to set their rods down. It is also features additional storage for extra gear such as a hydration bladder, an integrated tippet dispenser, and it is equipped with a shoulder harness system with an "easy to use" magnetic closure system. The Release is available for $79.95.

For the Swing: Tying the Chubby Cousin

by Aileen Lane - Thursday, Mar 20th, 2014

The Chubby Cousin, an attractor nymph, was originally tied by Hogan Brown for the Yuba River in California. This pattern, typically swung or fished like a traditional wet fly, has a great deal of movement and action in the water. It is a favorite of many an angler for trout, steelhead, salmon and more. Though most people swing the Chubby Cousin, you can also nymph or dead drift it.

When I fished the Firehole in West Yellowstone in May, this was the only fly I needed.