From The TCRP

 CARE ABOUT SALMON ?

Want Possible Solutions ?

noteworthy posts

SAY GOODBYE  ??

-------  

COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN

 .. A bold and innovative plan to address the dwindling Pacific Salmon resources is put forth. This is a deep read from the TCRP and United States Congressman Mike Simpson from Idaho.

.. The proposed plan has money, insight, stakeholders, and vision. It is only a proposal but it aims to be comprehensive.

.. There is too much to detail here. It ranges from dam removal through alternative energy sources to agricultural and recreational realignments.

The THEODOR ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION TRUST alerted us to the plan. This is a plan for a solution. It is NOT A SOLUTION per se.

Over three years of time and with more than 3oo meetings held this is a broad initiative to attack the problem of the extinction bound salmon of the Columbia River Basin. There are a myriad of problems and probably several possible solutions. Below the video there are resource links for your exploration and edification.

..

RESOURCES

>>  TCRP ANNOUNCEMENT

>>  MIKE SIMPSON WEBSITE

>>  NORTHWEST IN TRANSITION - SALMON

-------  

WALLPAPER:  BACON AND EGGS (& SPUDS)

Nothing You Can Do

LOOK OUT UMPQUA

Oregon To Sell Forest

150 miles of fish rivers going away

ELLIOT STATE FOREST - [courtesy The Oregonian]

-------

.. A note in THE OREGONIAN details the latest maneuvers of Oregon State to sell a publicly accessible state forest to pay for schools.
.. Although the state has responsibly logged in the forest for years it says it cannot make money. It believes that private logging will pay the price, (221 million dollars,) and make some money.
.. No trespassing signs are already going up on public lands. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership suggest contacting a ranger about the signs. HUH?????
.. A bid for the lands has been made by the  Lone Rock Timber Management company and several Native American tribes and 'The Conservation Fund.'
.. The forest is home to two threatened birds, (Northern spotted owl, Marbled murrelet,) and watershed for Coastal coho salmon.
.. This is a proposed state action taken by the Oregon State Land Board. The decision  to sell is in distinct and direct opposition to the plan for saving the forest proposed by the Governor of the State of Oregon, (Kate Brown.) The folks of Coos Bay are divided on the action.
.. If you live in Oregon it's time to get involved before the sale is finalized. If you fish the Umpqua River it's time to get involved.

RESOURCES:

>> The Oregonian
>> The Elliot State Forest - fact sheet
>> The Register-Guard
>> Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

-----

.. Now that breakfast is over and, now that the clouds have rolled in and, now that the sun has warmed the air, it's time for a brief sojourn to the open water for some R & R.

-------

WALLPAPER:  TRANQUILITY WEST

Microscopic Invasion

OUR SALMON GOT IT

Get Your I.D. Right

this can get you

CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases

-------

.. Back in 1999 the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC,) suggested the possibility that Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense could be present in North American Salmon, (LINK-A.)

CDC  Diphyllobothrium latum

..  The genus  Diphyllobothrium is the largest tapeworm that can infect humans and can grow to 30 feet.
.. Because of range and migration changes for salmon populations over the last two decades the CDC noted the possibility of the tapeworm genus moving into the Eastern Pacific Salmonid populations.
.. Now the occurrence of the genus has been confirmed in North American Populations of Pink Salmon, [Humpies,] Oncorhynchus gorbuscha.
.. The current CDC EID Journal contains an "Ahead of Print" note about research that shows Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense Tapeworm Larvae in the salmon  (LINK-B.)
.. Humpies are the smallest and most numerous of the Pacific Salmon and account for the majority of the 'wild caught' salmon in the Pacific by both Russian and North American fishing fleets.

From Wikipedia

.. Something in the neighborhood of 500,000 tons of fish are taken annually. These are the fish that are most often canned, smoked, salted and made into cat food, DAMN!
.. The research also suggests that many misidentifications of the tapeworm in wild fauna, (bears, wolves, foxes, etc.,) attributed to Diphyllobothrium latum may in fact be attributed to the Japanese Tapeworm Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense.
.. Other salmonids in the Northwestern Pacific have also been found to be infected with both species of tapeworms.
.. Because transportation of most wild caught salmon is on ice, the resurgent population of the tapeworm is of concern to folks that eat wild caught salmon. 
..  Recently CNN ran an interesting note about the occurrence of the tapeworm, its distribution, possible infection vectors, symptoms in humans, and what to do if you eat sushi (LINK-C.)
.. We're going to have some kippered herring and soda crackers with a bit of cream cheese.

-------

WALLPAPER:  CAPELLI D'ANGELO & SAUSAGE GRAVY

Snow And Snow Flies

FINALLY A DUMP

Sleds Become Pertinent

big fish and little flies
big flies and big fish too

WALLPAPER:  FEELING BLUE ?

-------

.. And the snow arrived on little cat feet, (sorry Carl.) It was a gentle winter storm with far less wind than anticipated. Fully 16" is blanketing the village and more in the high country. The temperatures are moderate and the blanket of white is a nice addition to the trails and roads.

DOWN WING MIDGE - SIZE 18

.. Some bits of local water are now only accessible by snowmachine. The USFS has issued an advisory and mentioned some closures for our favorite tracks. Saddle up like the neighbors do. It's time for the sleds.
.. As the winter matures we will be flinging smaller and smaller flies, (along with larger and larger ones as well.) The snow flies, or midges, or whatever they are, become an important adjunct to our winter arsenal.
.. We rely on the neighbor kids to provide us with the miniscule flies that are needed. The patterns are familiar and consist of bits of debris affixed to hooks in the size range of match heads.
.. Many of the flies are skillful renditions of recognized and named patterns. Others are just the right size - nothing more. A few are traditional black. Many are cream or white or brown. We use them and the fish eat them.
.. The snow has driven the casual visitors from the village. The fair weather fishers have long gone. Hunters skulk about in the dark of dawn or dusk. A few religious neighbors and knowing visitors are plying the fishing discipline with dedication that belies the weather conditions. Catching is somewhere between spectacular and outrageous - snow be damned!

-------

WALLPAPER:  GHOST TOWN WEST

-------

NEED SALMON ?

Slightly Off Topic

NOT OUR LOCAL CRISIS

Chetco Deadline Looms

really big fish at risk

 These Good Folks Released This Wild 20# Chetco Steelhead  

-------

.. We have a long association, (from our youth,) with the sea-run salmonids of the Southern Oregon Coast and the Northern California Coast.
.. One of the great Pacific Salmon, (and pretty good Steelhead,) rivers has recently been threatened by dredge mining activities.

.. A small group of friends of the Chetco River has brought about an administrative action that may soon be enacted.
.. The deadline for a signature by the United States Secretary of Interior is about a week away: July 31, 2013. The signature will place a five year withdrawal from new mining claims on this wild and scenic river.
.. You may want to read about the good folks that have worked hard to bring this about: HERE.  The link is always in our sidebar.
.. Just sayin'.

-------

BROOKINGS SUNSET

THE CHETCO EFFECT FROM THE FRONT PORCH

Is It October Yet ?

Let's Go To The Bar

YOU GOT IT !!

ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE !!

M.O.A.L.

SEEMS FASHIONABLE

Here's A Video For Big Fishers

finesse for the left coast

..
..

-------

.. We can only hope!
.. For the past two or three years the MOTHER OF ALL LEACHES, (MOAL Leach,) has become the go-to fly on the left coast -- for fish of the large and chrome variety, (and others as well.)
-- Fished with gear or fly tackle, (one, two, or three-handed,) it has an especially seductive bit of action. Across and down, up and across, stripped, bottom bounced from a drift boat, slung beneath a bobber, etc, // it just works.
.. It comes in all sizes, (mostly big,) and has sprouted a rainbow of color combinations. The colors seem to be personal and idiosyncratic.
.. The key to a successful execution of the fly is the string and the judicious application of a bunny strip with Cyanoacrylate glue. Done right this fly seems to be the wonder drug for catching. We'll see.

-------

.. This can be a raging river if given the chance. High surf warning, high wind warning, heavy wind warning. The system is in for a flushing. The neighbors are pissed. The fish, on the other hand, will have some fresh smells to follow. It's all good.

Thick Or Thin ?

RAIN FOR A WEEK: CHETCO

60# Kings

steelies sighted - crowds aplenty

-------

.. After a good opening week, the water on the Chetco River has slowed - and so has the catching.
.. A week of rain should provide the needed bump to bring in some more fish. It looks like MOM is going to cooperate.
.. This brief report brought to you by the anticipatory weather scan.
.. Pray for drearyness and increased, (but not catastrophic,) river flows. Beware the winds. Trees are falling.
.. Fly folks on the Chetco River are a distinct minority. The gear folks tolerate us with a smirk and a smile. They cheer when we hook up. We hope to be there in a week or so. The river has one of the highest recruitment of Wild King Salmon of any river. The steelies like this because they follow and gorge themselves on the roe. YUM!
.. Some of the folks around the harbor in Brookings, Oregon - and further inland are connoisseurs of the traditional. They, (and we as well,) tie RAT's, GP's, Durham Rangers, and so forth. Instead of putting them on the wall in a shadow box they rip lips with them.
.. The current debate is just how THICK  --  OR  --  THIN should the wing be? And, is a hair wing acceptable? Squirrel, or elk, or calf. This is the sort of thing that wars are fought over.
.. We'll update you.

-------

They All Hate Us

THE SUN CAME OUT

The River Went Down

the fish are waiting

-------

.. It just seems to be our talent. For two years now we've stopped the chinook run on the Chetco River. All we had to do was show up.
.. Along with our arrival, (both this year and last,) came the sun: bright, persistent, blinding, and warm. Mind you this is the end of November!
.. It's not what the local fisher folk want: not now, not last year, and certainly not next. We've explained that we have no more desire to see a low river than any of the residents. They scoffed at us and told us where to go fish
.. Well then, as far as seasonal weather for salmon fishing on the Chetco River goes -- it's great for surfing. We've included some images for H2O JOE down in the city by the bay. It ain't the wave of the day, but it is left coast surfing.
.. We've been soundly chastised and are filled with remorse for having brought sunshine and warm weather to the gloomy neighborhoods of 'California Heights.' It's hard to get a cup of morning elixir without getting mugged by the piscene hunters. Down at the shore it's a different story. They think we're a hero.

.. Since we've killed the fishing here, we've decided to head north and spread more brightness and warmth to a little known local trout and steelhead stream.
.. The folks up there will only be able to figure it out after they discuss the weird vehicle and foreign license plate seen skulking about their favorite haunts.
.. More later, if we survive the ordeal. Below are some pictures of the low river and both the happy and grumpy residents of Brookings, Oregon and other neighborhoods affected by our strange powers of light and warmth. Images large enough for wallpaper - just click.

-------

.

Sneak To California

IT'S WAY EARLY
FOR STEELHEAD

It's Just Right For Salmon

good bye Chetco / hello Smith

-------

.. Just a brief note: gone south of the border for a couple of days. The 30# salmon of the Chetco River are interesting - BUT; how 'bout some from the main-stem Smith River? (READ THE LATEST CHETCO REPORT HERE!)
.. Shameless plug: GET YOUR GUIDE HERE!
.. It's such an easy drive from Brookings, Oregon to Crescent City, California that we decided to spend some money on a ticket for the Bear Flag Republic.
.. Reports to follow.

--------

What Would Woody Say ?

A BIT OF INFORMATION

Yes Mable
Montana Drains
Both Ways

$$$$$$$$$ vs. FISH

.. The salmon of the Columbia River are getting fingerprinted, [LINK,] a judge refuses to hear a case brought by Oregon, [LINK,] massive flooding is impacting young salmon survival, [LINK,] Canadians agree to catch fewer Columbia River Salmon, [LINK,] and light rail is coming to Vancouver, [LINK.]
.. The perspective of resource management is culture-bound and temporally constrained by history. Time and place dictate concerns. Are introduced carp a resource or a curse? Is it 1820, or1920, or 2020?
.. Are the trout above Firehole Falls an invasive species? Boon or bane? 1890 or 1990 or 2030? Is the Madison River a better river because of Hebgen Dam? 1925 or 2005, or 2035?
.. Just how do we address our resources? Do we love dams and tailwaters for the right reasons? Do we hate dams and tailwaters for the wrong reasons?
.. In the spring of 1941, on the cusp of the Great Depression and Pearl Harbor, a 28 year old, unemployed Dust Bowl balladeer, Woodrow Wilson Guthrie took a one month, temporary job with the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) on the Columbia River.
.. The BPA needed a folksinger to promote the benefits of building dams to produce cheap electricity. Guthrie, and his wife and 3 kids needed the paycheck. He wrote 26 songs in 30 days - classics like Roll on Columbia and Pastures of Plenty.

..
..

.. Below is the contemporary take on the river situation some 67 years later. What would Woody say today?

..

-------

.. Not to stretch the analogy too far, but - Montana, today is growing rapidly and stressing the infrastructure required for the contemporary "plush life." The similarity to the Columbia Basin 'boom' of the 50's and 60's is striking. And, yes, Mable, there are parts of Montana in the Columbia Basin.
.. Our trout waters are diminishing under the onslaught of expansion, rural gentrification, visitation, diversion, and drought. We desperately need a clear spokesperson for the habitat that nurtures our fish. A spokesperson with a bell-clear voice willing to sing the song before it's too late.
.. Are feather merchants the contemporary balladeers of today's rivers? Do we love fishing, or fish, or rivers, or resources? Time will tell.

-------

P.S. Did you know that there is a dam on the Firehole River? Maybe we should make it bigger! Could it generate some electricity for the new Visitors Center? Perhaps a lake and a new tailwater fishery? Who's to say?