Open Season on Open Spaces: The biggest attack in history?

When did it become open season on our open spaces? First, Congress slashed conservation and environmental programs. Then we saw a backroom deal that stopped the BLM’s new Wildlands policy in its tracks. Now, to add insult to injury, we’re facing a new bill that could end efforts to protect approximately 60 million acres.

This new House leadership bill, The Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act, introduced by House Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), would roll back existing protections and place at risk tens of millions more acres of wilderness-quality but unprotected National Forest and BLM public lands. It also prevents Congress or future administrations from using a national policy like the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Ruleto protect these lands in the future.

Read more: Open Season on Open Spaces: The biggest attack in history?

Cogswell Reservoir, which is the source of water for the West Fork, has been drained.  Please see the default draft letter  from Barry Wetherby of Pasadena Bait Club

Scientists Discovery What Make Trout & Salmon Migration Possible

Perhaps for centuries, people have marveled at the abilities of trout and salmon to navigate long distances. Scientists have theorized the presence of some sort of internal compass in addition to a finely-honed sense of smell as the means to cross open water and return to spawning streams. Now, a team of scientists from Munich, Cambridge and Cal Tech have combined to isolate magnetite-based sensory structures from the nasal passages of rainbow trout.

Magnetite is essentially an iron-rich crystal inside the trout’s nasal cells that orient to magnetic fields just like a compass. The crystal’s magnetic response supports the contention that these fish have a” magnetic sense” that enables them to judge their movement and direction in response to the earth’s weak magnetic field. Salmonids, tuna and some other fishes are likely to have this magnetic sense. This may also help explain how power lines or other sources of magnetic fields could disrupt trout and salmon migrations.

Jack Williams , TU’s Senior Scientist

We lost a couple of fly-tying innovators; Bob Quigley and Harry Lemire. Bob passed away June 12, 2012 after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer he was 62 years old and his most significant contributions to the fly tying world were his transitional flies that imitated specific stages of emerging aquatic insect life. Harry passed away June 4, 2012 after a brief illness. He was well known for his steelhead flies and also for his in-hand tying of classic Atlantic salmon flies.

They will always be a pillar of our sport. So in their memory pass along your knowledge of fly tying and fly fishing on to others so the art of fly fishing and tying is not lost.

Quigley Cripple (green drake).
By Bob Quigley
HOOK - #8-12 Tiemco 200R
THREAD - Brown 8/0 UNI
TAIL –Amber Z-Lon topped with brown ostrich tips.
RIB- Brassie size green UTC ultra wire.
ABDOMEN- Brown ostrich herl.
THORAX- Green Antron dubbing.
WINGCASE/WING- Natural deer hair.
HACKLE – Grizzly.

By Associated Press
Published: July 11

SEATTLE — Scientists knew ocean-going fish would eventually return to the Elwha River on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula, once two massive concrete dams were torn down. They just didn’t think it would happen so soon.

Biologists tracking fish in a tributary of the Elwha last month spotted wild steelhead that likely made it on their own past the site where the Elwha Dam stood for nearly a century — before it was dismantled in March as part of the nation’s largest dam removal project.

“We’re wildly excited,” said Mike McHenry, fish habitat manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. “It just confirms what we have known all along — that these fish are quite capable of recolonizing the Elwha once we get the dams out of the way.”

Read more: Fish begin return to Washington’s Elwha River

Commission rejects striped bass eradication proposal

By Dan Bacher 

In a move celebrated by anglers and conservationists, the California Fish and Game Commission in Sacramento on Thursday, February 2 took final action to reject the Department of Fish and Game’s controversial proposed changes to striped bass regulations.

In a unanimous 4-0 decision, Commissioners voted not to pursue a proposal that would have liberalized sport fishing regulations related to anadromous striped bass, including increasing bag limits and decreasing size limits. Hundreds of anglers from an array of fishing groups attended the meeting and dozens spoke in opposition to what they described as the striped bass “eradication” proposal.

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More Articles …

  1. Kern River Tournament
  2. How to contact your elected representative
  3. Protection for Deep Creek is proposed in Federal legislation
  4. history of the conservation efforts in California
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