The Inefficiency of Inexperience The way you move on the water, the way you carry gear and how you adapt, has a big impact on your experience out there. Yes, we all enjoy the scenery and solitude. We love the sites and sounds of a river. But when that novelty dulls a bit, the process of solving problems and seeing the results of our solutions is what keeps us in the game for a lifetime . . . Continue reading The Inefficiency of Inexperience at Troutbitten. https://troutbitten.com/2026/10/30/the-inefficiency-of-inexperience-3/ #inexperience #yes #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

What’s Being Done for the Future of Trout Fishing It’s no secret that trout need cold water. It’s also no secret that rivers are getting warmer. If you pay any attention to Western rivers, you’ve likely seen the increase in Hoot Owl Restrictions—temporary afternoon trout fishing bans to avoid warm water. This continued warming trend, along with a myriad of other issues, can make the future of trout fishing seem bleak. The good news, however, is that trout fishing has many incredible organizations and dedicated individuals working to ensure anglers can fish for trout for generations to come. Follow along as we explore the ongoing threats trout face across the country and what’s being done to protect their future. Rising River Temperatures While Hoot Owl Restrictions offer short-term relief for trout from rising river temperatures, they don’t address the root cause. The basis of this issue stems from two major factors: not enough snowpack and degraded riparian habitats. Snowpack has been a recurring issue over the last several years, with the 2025-26 winter being one of the worst snowfall years in recent times. Without the build-up of snow, spring runoff—which fuels most Western rivers—is shortened, barely keeping waters cold enough for the summer. Unfortunately for anglers, we can’t control snowfall, but we can make an impact on riparian habitats. Riparian zones across the country faced two key threats in the last hundred years: logging and improper livestock grazing. Early clear-cut logging operations centered on many of the country’s rivers, using them to transport cut timber to mills for processing. The result was a widespread loss of old-growth forest, especially along the banks of many of these rivers. In addition, poorly managed livestock grazing practices dramatically increased riparian zone degradation through erosion and overgrazing. As a result, many of these rivers and streams lack the proper cover and flows needed for consistent cold water. Thankfully, for anglers, that is where organizations like Trout Unlimited come into play. They use their resources and chapter resources across the country on ongoing river restoration projects. Many of these projects focus on replanting key sections of the river, previously void of trees, as well as restoring river sections affected by poor grazing techniques. While there’s always more to do, these grassroots projects actively make a difference in the fight for cold, clean water. Drought and Water Management Another major threat to trout populations across the country is drought. In recent years, drought conditions have formed in every Western state to varying degrees. While this is a concern, the bigger issue becomes how the water that is available is used. Take, for instance, the Colorado River, which flows through 7 Western states. Nearly 40 million people rely on water supplies from the Colorado River Basin, and drought means figuring out how to manage this is a major concern. The Bureau of Reclamation, responsible for managing water usage in the basin, released its Colorado River plans this year. But rather than the states in the watershed working together to ensure this resource remains a viable source of cold water, they’re filing lawsuits against one another. In Spencer Durrant’s breakdown of this ongoing issue, he says, “There doesn’t seem to be a desire to actually find a solution. Instead, we’re watching the blame get shifted in the hopes that it’ll distract us from the reality that’s coming.” The Drift: Colorado River Crisis Deepens The Colorado River is just one example of managing water across the country. As conditions continue to deteriorate, it’s crucial that we demand real action and plans from our government officials, rather than surface-level moves that don’t move the needle in the right direction. For the future of trout in America, proper water management is essential. Dams From the 1920s to the 1940s, America went through its major dam-building phase, constructing large-scale dam projects across the country. Many of these projects stemmed from controlling seasonal flooding while also creating a means to create power. Although these dams weren’t intended to be harmful, they were a disaster for native fish populations. River flows shifted, native species were cut off from their spawning habitats, and some disappeared altogether. As the ongoing battle for cold water conservation continues, several organizations have done their best to battle these dams. Across the West, dams are coming down in record numbers, and the effects have been almost immediate. A prime example of this is the work being done on the Klamath River. As soon as dams came down, wild steelhead and salmon returned to waters they hadn’t been seen in generations. It’s an encouraging sign for the future, as anglers and conservation organizations continue to push for more dam removal. What the Future Holds The future of trout fishing in America certainly faces its challenges. Rising water temperatures, prolonged drought, and new threats continue to push many cold-water refuges to the brink. For anglers looking forward, we must be vigilant in every aspect of conservation. As a combined effort, we have made and can continue to make a difference in the future of cold-water fisheries. The post What’s Being Done for the Future of Trout Fishing appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/whats-being-done-for-the-future-of-trout-fishing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=whats-being-done-for-the-future-of-trout-fishing #troutfishing #river #hootowl #owlrestrictions #future #water #coloradoriver #rivertemperatures #riparian #troutunlimited #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

The Lost Cutties of Colorado One disappeared, two were rediscovered, and all three changed what we know about Colorado’s native trout. For more than a century, people moved trout across the West from one watershed to another with little hesitation or care about where they belonged. Hatcheries stocked fish wherever they pleased, causing non-native trout to compete with native populations—the unfortunate truth behind many Western fisheries. The damage to native species was done, and only now are we discovering just what was lost. Recent advances in DNA technology gave biologists the tools to untangle the genetic mess early settlers left behind. Paired with century-old museum specimens and a vast DNA database, biologists are now discovering new species once misidentified or thought extinct. These are the stories of Colorado’s lost cutthroat trout. The Yellowfin Cutthroat Colorado’s biggest cutthroat trout is one of its most mysterious. The yellowfin cutthroat was native to the Twin Lakes near Leadville, CO. While not much is known about them today, reports from the time claim these fish had yellow fins, yellowish skin, and could weigh as much as 10+ pounds. One of the few remaining yellowfin cutthroat trout specimens. Photo from Colorado Parks & Wildlife Scientists in 1889 were the only group to formally document these fish, having collected many specimens that were later preserved in museums. Those old jars hold some of the limited physical evidence that the yellowfin actually ever existed. Just a short time later, surveys in 1902 and 1903 found no yellowfin. Many factors, such as the introduction of rainbows, competition, hybridization, and commercial harvesting, most likely played major roles in the fish’s extinction. Colorado’s other “extinct” cutthroat have shown us that there is a chance that a small population may still be out there. Recently, Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists have begun searching for the lost species in the upper Arkansas River Basin, in small creeks, lakes, and ponds, in hopes they survived in an overlooked area. The search has yet to be successful, and the fish is still considered extinct. The Greenback Cutthroat The greenback cutthroat was declared extinct back in 1937. Then, in the 1950s, people speculated that several populations possibly descended from greenbacks were being discovered in the Colorado mountains. Those fish marked the foundation of a major recovery effort for the greenbacks. They began to reproduce, were stocked into many new waters, and it paid off; soon after, the Endangered Species Act moved them from endangered to threatened. In 1994, the greenback cutthroat was named Colorado’s state fish. But there were slight issues…most of them weren’t actually greenbacks. Photo from Colorado Parks & Wildlife. DNA testing eventually revealed that those years of stocking moved different cutthroat lineages far from their native watersheds. Turns out many of the fish protected as greenbacks were just relatives of the Colorado River cutthroat from the western slope. Finding the real greenback was not easy; scientists had to compare living trout with museum specimens collected from known locations in the 1800s. There was only a very small surviving population that matched, and it was only a few hundred fish that were living in a short section of Bear Creek near Colorado Springs. But this didn’t make much sense because Bear Creek is outside Greenback’s native South Platte River drainage, and it was most likely fishless before humans arrived. The most reasonable explanation points to Joseph C. Jones; he was a prospector who homesteaded along a popular route to Pikes Peak in the 1870s. Jones dreamed of building a hotel and restaurant for travelers heading toward the summit. To help attract visitors, Jones built several fish ponds on his property that historians believe he stocked with greenback cutthroat brought over from the South Platte drainage. The hotel was never finished, but the fish remained. Eventually, some of those fish most likely escaped into Bear Creek. Natural barriers in Bear Creek kept other trout from moving upstream and reproducing with the greenbacks. This allowed the small population to remain genetically pure while the fish disappeared from nearly everywhere they naturally belonged. The last true greenbacks had survived in a creek they were never supposed to be in, all because someone had moved them there more than a century earlier. Stocking fish across Colorado was one of the main reasons native cutthroat populations became so difficult to identify. But in this one case, stocking a fish in the wrong place may have saved it from extinction. Today, descendants of the Bear Creek greenbacks are being raised in hatcheries and returned to protected waters within their native South Platte drainage. The San Juan Cutthroat The story of the San Juan cutthroat begins with just two fish that sat in the Smithsonian for more than 100 years. A famous naturalist, Charles Aiken, collected the specimens near Pagosa Springs in 1874 and sent them to the museum to be studied and preserved. When researchers began using DNA to better understand Colorado’s native cutthroat, those two fish became incredibly important. After testing the specimens, it was discovered they belonged to a distinct lineage of cutthroat native to the San Juan River Basin. At the time, it was thought that no living populations matched them, and so they declared the San Juan cutthroat extinct. Crews searched remote streams across southwest Colorado, collecting small fin clips from cutthroat along the way. Those samples were then compared with the DNA from the fish collected in 1874. Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced in 2018 that eight small populations had been found with genetics that very closely matched the old museum specimens. The San Juan cutthroat had been rediscovered, nearly 150 years later. That same year, the 416 Fire burned through the San Juan National Forest and threatened one of the recently discovered populations. Ash, sediment, and debris from this massive fire made it very possible that the small population could be gone. A group of biologists sprang into action, heading to two remote creeks to capture 58 cutthroat before post-fire runoff could reach them. They safely transported the fish to the Durango Fish Hatchery, where they were protected and, in time, used to help rebuild the population throughout the San Juan Basin. What Else Is Out There? The stories of Colorado’s lost cutthroat show just how complicated the state’s trout history really is. People moved millions of fish across watersheds before anyone fully understood their genetic differences. Those decisions created many fishing opportunities, but also put many native species at risk. Without the specimens sitting in museums, we may have never known that the greenbacks being protected were the wrong fish. We may have never known that the San Juan cutthroat was different from the other cutthroat in the region. And we would have even less evidence that the massive yellowfin ever existed. Could there be other cutties out there? If these fish have taught us anything, it is that lost does not always mean gone. The post The Lost Cutties of Colorado appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/the-lost-cutties-of-colorado/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-lost-cutties-of-colorado #colorado #cutthroat #yellowfincutthroat #lost #greenbackcutthroat #dna #parks #species #wildlife #lakes #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

An Unbelievably Huge Brown Trout From a Small Creek View this post on Instagram A note from @gc_theflyguy I was indicator fishing a very deep pool with a good friend of mine. The pool we were fishing was deep enough that you couldn’t see the bottom. A few hours into the fishing session, my friend and I started to joke around and talk. We were not really paying much attention to the fishing, and that’s when I noticed my indicator was nowhere to be seen. I set the hook, and it felt like I snagged a rock, then the rock started to move. After fighting that fish for a while, we were finally able to bring it in, and both of us were in shock. The size of the fish was incredible for the size of the creek it came from. Angler story of the week from Giancarlo; make sure to check out his Instagram HERE! The post An Unbelievably Huge Brown Trout From a Small Creek appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/an-unbelievably-huge-brown-trout-from-a-small-creek/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-unbelievably-huge-brown-trout-from-a-small-creek #creek #giancarlo #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Behind the Lens: Where the Bulls Still Swim Bull trout are one of the most underappreciated and misunderstood native fish in the US. So much so that many anglers don’t even know what they are or where to find them. This member of the char family has declined widely across its native range over the last century as the cold water and wild places it needs continue to shrink. But one angler and artist, Martin Gerdin, sets out every summer in search of wild bull trout. Huk’s newest film, Where the Bulls Still Swim, follows Gerdin’s journey into the backcountry to find these elusive fish while documenting the ongoing fight to protect them. Recently, we sat down with the film’s director, Eric Braker, who, alongside his brother Andy, runs Braker Bros Productions. Follow along as we dive into what it took to bring this film to life, why coldwater conservation matters, and more in this Behind the Lens feature. Flylords: The film centers around Martin Gerdin. Can you tell us how you came across Martin and his story? Eric Braker: My brother and I had been aware of Martin and his incredible glass fish art that he posts on Instagram for years. But we actually learned about his bull trout journey at the Denver Fly Fishing Show. Martin approached us after seeing the historical films we posted about brook trout and greenback cutthroat trout. He’s a native fish fanatic and essentially pitched us on the spot about the bull trout piece because he’s so obsessed with chasing them every year. Flylords: With a talented artist and angler like Martin, I’m sure there were a lot of angles you could have taken for this film. What drew you to the bull trout one? Eric Braker, director of Where the Bulls Still Swim. Eric Braker: Bull trout, for us, like many fly anglers, have been at the top of our fishing bucket list for a long time. The stories we hear about chasing them, how cool they look, where they live, and how hard they are to find all played a big part in our fascination with them. When Martin pitched this project to us, it was easy to say yes. Flylords: A large portion of the film focuses on bull trout conservation. Were there any big takeaways you found when working with these fish? Eric Braker: Bull trout are a very interesting fish to learn about from the conservation side of things. I think one of the biggest takeaways for me was seeing how much these people care about this particular species. Many of the people we talked with were anglers themselves and obviously love chasing bull trout with a streamer, but now they respect this fish so much that just searching for it and seeing it is enough. Some even bring snorkeling gear and swim in pools just to observe their behavior, without even bringing a rod. The deep appreciation for bull trout and the places they live was definitely cool to see. Flylords: Do you have a favorite shot or sequence captured in this film? Eric Braker: One of my favorite shots involves Lasso, Martin’s dog and fishing partner, who is featured throughout the film. Going into the film, we weren’t really planning to involve him as much as we did, but after fishing, we realized how important he was to the trip and to Martin’s story. One shot in particular stands out: after Martin caught the biggest bull trout of the film and we made it back to camp. Lasso was lying on his bed, and it was a cold morning, so steam was coming off of him. The combination of that beautiful morning golden hour, the steam coming off Lasso, and the feeling after catching that fish all came together in this perfect shot and memory. Flylords: What challenges did you face in bringing this film to life? Eric Braker: My brain immediately goes to the logistical challenges of making a film like this in the backcountry. Making a film like this is tough enough when you’ve got a place to stay and a solid source of electricity, so doing it all off the grid was definitely challenging. We were camping in a tent essentially for eight nights. Thankfully, Martin built an incredible rig out of his Tacoma, and we could charge most of our gear with his solar-powered system. Aside from that, it was just a matter of setting aside time every day to be super organized with the gear and shot list. Flylords: What would you say to people who might be worried that you’re bringing attention to an already threatened species through this film? Eric Braker: We are true believers that it is essential to connect people to a resource in order for them to care about it, and a step further, bull trout specifically, there’s a lot of education that needs to happen. A lot of people don’t even know this species exists, and by their nature, they’re so aggressive that people catch them all the time, even when they’re fishing for other species. Our goal was to create a film focused on the conservation and true story of the bull trout, in hopes of educating people who go out to chase them. We wanted to educate people on how to handle them better and make sure they’re fishing for them when the water’s colder, rather than making another bull trout hype film full of grip-and-grin shots. Flylords: What message would you like anglers who see your film to take away from this? Eric Braker: We really want anglers to take away just how much goes into protecting and managing the health of these fisheries for the future, and how they can get involved. No matter what you fish for, anglers are the ones who know the resources, wild places, and who care about them. I think the film was a good reminder to find and support local groups that are doing great work. There are a lot of cool volunteer opportunities out there, like saving juvenile bull trout at night, that add another layer of connection to you and the species you love so much. I hope this film inspires others to get out there and join local, conservation-focused groups, no matter what they fish for or where they are. Flylords: Who are some of the people who made this film possible? Any ‘Thank yous’ or dedications you want to make? Eric Braker: From a conservation perspective, we couldn’t have made this film without Mid-Columbia Fisheries, the Bull Trout Taskforce, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All these groups do incredible work and were pivotal in telling the ongoing story of bull trout conservation. I’d also like to thank the main characters, Martin, Amy, and Zac, for letting us into their world and sharing their stories with us. Lastly, I’d like to make a mention that this film is dedicated to D.D. Gerdin, Martin’s mother, who tragically passed away the morning we released the film. She was hugely influential in Martin’s life and taught him how to fish, so the film wouldn’t have been possible without her. The post Behind the Lens: Where the Bulls Still Swim appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/behind-the-lens-where-the-bulls-still-swim/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=behind-the-lens-where-the-bulls-still-swim #bullsstill #stillswim #ericbraker #bull #martin #lens #gerdin #flylords #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

History of Brown Trout in the US: From Europe to North America I caught my first brown trout in Wyoming four years ago. I didn’t know how to hold a trout; I didn’t know how to differentiate them from other species; I didn’t know where they came from; and I sure as hell didn’t know how this moment would change the course of my life. This catch triggered a passion—arguably an obsession—that would take me around the world to fish and research the incredible propagation of brown trout. Last year I settled down in Montana, a fly-fishing mecca satisfying my brown trout cravings. It was here that I began researching the history of brown trout in the US. Gloria’s First Brown Trout in Wyoming, USA. How the Brown Trout Came to America Brown trout, native to Europe and Western Asia, were introduced to Michigan from Germany in 1883. Eighty thousand fertilized eggs were delivered to the United States and incubated. Despite some initial propagation issues, in spring of 1884 close to five thousand fish were released in the Baldwin River in Michigan. Since then, they have been released into most states, and in some places their populations are self-sustaining (they no longer stock the rivers). Evidence shows in certain places that this aggressive trout has displaced native populations—this must be balanced with angler demand, as brown trout are a highly sought-after sport fish. Environmental and Ecological Impacts of Brown Trout in America: Brown trout are on the top 100 invasive species list of the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUSN). Although they hinder native populations through predation, competition, displacement, hybridization, and occasionally extinction, they have indirectly benefited river ecology in most states through policy and protection. People love to fish for brown trout and because of this, people are motivated to protect their habitats. This then helps other species who rely on the river. In some rivers, brown trout negatively impact the native fish species and in other rivers, they survive where other trout cannot. It is hard to say whether the benefits of brown trout outweigh the drawbacks or not. This introduced species is here in the United States and not going anywhere; for now, all we can do is monitor populations and follow Fish and Wildlife guidelines on how to handle brown trout river to river. Economic and Social Impacts of Brown Trout in America: As one of the most coveted sport fish, brown trout motivate anglers to buy fishing licenses. The funds from these contribute to maintaining fishing access and boat ramps, improving water quality, restoring fish habitat, teaching new anglers, and planning for long-term conservation. These trout also attract anglers from around the globe to fish in rivers across the United States. Fishing tourism supports Fish and Wildlife funds to reinvest in protecting the rivers through out-of-state fishing licenses, but also the local economy through fly shop purchases, fly fishing guides, hotel bookings, and food and beverage. This adds up, and we must consider that brown trout are somewhat to thank for our clean rivers and local economies. Conclusion: They Are Here to Stay. I think we can all agree, there is nothing like the tug of a brown. Their aggressive takes and streamer eats combined with their pronounced jaw hooks make them a prized catch, no doubt about it. They have made both positive and negative environmental, ecological, economic, and social impacts in the United States. They have made a home here, and at the moment they are not going anywhere—but if time travel were plausible and given all that we know now, would you have chosen to release those eighty thousand eggs into the Baldwin River over a century ago? Article and photos from Gloria Goñi, @lapescadora. The post History of Brown Trout in the US: From Europe to North America appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/history-of-brown-trout-in-the-us-from-europe-to-north-america/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=history-of-brown-trout-in-the-us-from-europe-to-north-america #browntrout #northamerica #fish #firstbrown #europe #unitedstates #species #river #history #wyoming #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

How to Tie: Olsen’s Doppelganger In this week’s “How to Tie” feature, Tiesflies shows us an easy nymph that tyers of any skill level can master in minutes, Olsen’s Doppelganger. Learn How to Tie This Fly: Difficulty: Easy We have reached peak fall in most places and with this season comes many happy anglers employing a myriad of styles to entice our aquatic friends. From streamers to dry flies, you’ll find willing fish by nearly any method used. One of the more popular ways to target trout today is through tightline nymphing, also referred to as Euro nymphing. These patterns are typically tied with slim profiles and substantial weight to reach feeding trout quickly in moving water. Devin Olsen’s Doppelganger does just that and has earned a solid reputation among tactical anglers through its productivity and durability while fishing for trout. By trading natural materials for synthetics, you create a durable weighted bug that will sink quick and hold up even after several fish. When it comes to durability in euro nymphs, you want ones that can get dragged over rocks, logs, and debris on the bottom as you search for the right depth the trout are feeding at. This is the perfect pattern for novice tyers who are looking to practice with simple nymphs, as there is little room for error due to the few materials and simplicity of techniques needed. Olsen’s Doppelganger is a quick tie that balances synthetic flash with organic texture, making it an essential addition to any technical nymph box this fall. To fish this fly effectively, deploy it on a tightline or euro nymphing rig where its heavy bead can quickly plummet into the strike zone. Lead the fly through deep pockets and along the bottom structure of fast riffles, keeping your rod tip high and a taut sighter line to detect the slightest hesitation. Because it rides hook-point-up to minimize snags, don’t be afraid to let it tick along the gravel beds where trout actively feed on drifting nymphs. Many flies will produce fish this time of year, but Olsen’s Doppelganger’s versatility and durability are two reasons to add it into your nymph rig rotation. Ingredients: Hook: Fulling Mill 5125 – Size 18 Bead: Saluda Beads Thread: 30D GSP Hot Spot Thread: Fulling Mill 110D Floss Tail: Coq De Leon Body: Peacock Herl Chenille Thorax: Fulling Mill Euro Nymph Body – Light Hares Ear Tools: TheFlySmith Now you know how to tie Olsen’s Doppelganger! Video courtesy of Tiesflies. The post How to Tie: Olsen’s Doppelganger appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/how-to-tie-olsens-doppelganger/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-tie-olsens-doppelganger #doppelganger #olsen #tie #fullingmill #euro #fly #devinolsen #nymph #easy #beadsthread #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

The Hook Set and Go (VIDEO) I use a ten-inch hook set — fast not far — at the end of every drift. And I use this for all underwater presentations. This is not just about setting the hook. Instead, this simple motion — this quick lift up and over — gets the fly activated. It releases surface tension and gets the fly moving, preparing it for the backcast. Continue reading The Hook Set and Go (VIDEO) at Troutbitten. https://troutbitten.com/2026/10/28/the-hook-set-and-go-video/ #hookset #instead #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Two Fish, One Net: Bull Trout Attacks a Hooked Whitefish View this post on Instagram A note from @rockymountainreels Ever wonder what happens when a hungry Bull Trout meets a whitefish? Over the weekend, me and my buddy headed out in search of Bull Trout. After taking a break from throwing streamers, I decided to switch things up and throw a nymph rig. I ended up hooking into a small whitefish, but on the way in, it got absolutely SMOKED by a Bull Trout! Luckily, my buddy was there to net BOTH fish! UNREAL EXPERIENCE! Reel of the week from rockymountainreels; make sure to check out his Instagram HERE! The post Two Fish, One Net: Bull Trout Attacks a Hooked Whitefish appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/two-fish-one-net-bull-trout-attacks-a-hooked-whitefish/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=two-fish-one-net-bull-trout-attacks-a-hooked-whitefish #bulltrout #whitefish #fish #net #smoked #experience #unreal #both #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

The Fight to Restore the Snake River Rages On–TU’s New Film Series Shows What’s at Stake Idaho’s Snake River flows 1,080 miles, forming the mighty Columbia River’s largest tributary. But after the toll of hydroelectric dams and decades of political inaction, this incredible river system is dying. Trout Unlimited is not giving up on its effort to save Snake, to remove the four lower Snake River Dams, to restore the millions of wild salmon and steelhead that once swam hundreds of miles from the ocean, or the people who need a healthy river. Authorized in 1945 and built between 1962 and 1975, the four lower Snake River dams—Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite—transformed a free-flowing river into a series of reservoirs to support hydropower, navigation, and regional development. For salmon and steelhead, the dams have slowed (or in some cases, prevented) migration, increased exposure to warm water and predators, and caused mortality as juvenile fish travel downstream. Efforts to remedy declining runs of salmon and steelhead with half-measures of improved fish passages and hatcheries haven’t worked, leading to these fish becoming listed under the Endangered Species Act. The resulting declines in wild Snake River runs—including iconic, long-distance steelhead and Chinook populations—have made the dams a central flashpoint in the fights to restore healthy, fishable rivers and protect the future of Northwest fly fishing. For nearly three decades, Trout Unlimited has worked in the Columbia River Basin and advocated for breaching the four lower Snake River Dams. The science is clear: these dams are holding wild salmon and steelhead, but removing them will give these fish a better chance at recovery. Peer-reviewed research stated, “Breaching the four lower Snake River Basin dams is an action likely to prevent extirpation and extinction of these fishes.” So why are these four dams still standing? The industries and services that stem from these dams, coupled with the lack of political will to address the issue, explain why these dams remain in place, harming salmon and steelhead. The four lower dams produce roughly 3,000mw of hydroelectric power, facilitate commercial barge transport for agricultural commodities, and provide semi-reliable reservoirs for agriculture and municipal water supplies. At what cost, though? While these dams do provide benefits and services to the region, those benefits and services are entirely replaceable or adaptable. Wild Snake River salmon and steelhead are not, and they are running out of time. Trout Unlimited recently released a film series that highlights the communities and people who also stand to lose. The series is called When Fish Return. TU tagged along with local business owners and advocates who both depend on healthy wild fisheries on the Snake and believe that recovery is possible. Terry Meyer “Between 40-50 years, we’ve had a relationship with salmon and steelhead. And I would say the last 20 years we’ve really noticed a painful lack of fish,” Terry added. “I have hope, because I’m naturally optimistic and I’m invested after so many years. How could you give up now?” Grant Richie, Owner and Operator of Minam Store Outfitters “As far as steelhead recovery, the biggest thing is the four Lower Snake River dams…I think there are enough positive things happening that we can have steelhead in the future.” Greg Webster, Owner of The Bent Rod Outfitters “Basically, we got to the point now that when we budget for the next year, we don’t really count a whole lot on having a good steelhead or salmon season…it’s called the salmon river for a reason…We need to have steelhead back.” Roy Akins, Rapid River Outfitters “And this salmon and steelhead recovery effort, I truly believe could reunite this nation…these fish are resilient. They can come back. To allow a species to go extinct, is the ultimate failure…” Stand with Trout unlimited today to support salmon and steelhead recovery on the Snake by breaching the four lower Snake River dams. “The 2026 summer steelhead return to the Columbia and Snake Rivers is shaping up to be one of the poorest in modern history,” said Eric Crawford of Trout Unlimited. Crawford adds, “[These films] remind us that recovery is not simply about keeping salmon and steelhead from disappearing. It is about getting back to something we have nearly forgotten; healthy and harvestable wild fish returning in numbers that support anglers, tribal cultures, rural communities and generations of families who have built their lives around salmon and steelhead. Support Snake River recovery and Trout Unlimited today! The post The Fight to Restore the Snake River Rages On–TU’s New Film Series Shows What’s at Stake appeared first on Flylords Mag. https://flylordsmag.com/the-fight-to-restore-the-snake-river-rages-on-tus-new-film-series-shows-whats-at-stake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-fight-to-restore-the-snake-river-rages-on-tus-new-film-series-shows-whats-at-stake #snakeriver #riverrages #newfilm #filmseries #dams #columbiariver #troutunlimited #stake #fight #fish #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit