Heenan Lake contains a fish population of a federally listed threatened trout species, the Lahontan cutthroat trout (CT-L). Heenan Lake provides an important brood stock source of CT-L used in many waters throughout the State of California for the California Department of Fish and Game (Department) hatchery system. Heenan Lake is a California Fish and Game Commission designated wild trout (1983) and heritage trout (1999) water, and provides an important sport fishery for anglers from throughout
the western United States.
Our El Dorado Chapter is planning a fishing outing in September or October. Heenan is only open for fishing on Friday Saturday and Sunday in September and October. The Wild Trout personnel have prepared a management plan for Heenan which explains the use of Heenan and indicates propagation process for the Lahonton Cutthroat. See the Management Plan
After 15 years of operation, a youth fly fishing camp called Rivercourse, held annually in the heart of North Carolina’s mountains, continues to inspire 13- to 15-year olds to pick up a fly rod, and explore the natural world around them.
The camp itself is a four-day event organized by North Carolina’s Trout Unlimited, where instructors stress the concepts of conservation and resource stewardship, as much as they do fly fishing techniques.
“The objective of the camp is not to make fly fishermen,” 75-year old founder Bob Doubert said. “The objective of the camp is to help kids appreciate cold mountain streams and hopefully in the future they’ll work to protect them.” Read the Full Article
Tenkara is a very simple and elegant style of fly fishing. Mike Willis of Reverse Hackle Tenkara (
New Zealand mudsnails have taken up residence in the Yuba River — and the invasive species could pose a threat to the river’s native fish populations. This news should be a clarion call for us all to practice clean angling. Clean angling means we should clean and dry our equipment after use especially when moving to a new water. It is a modest task to clean and dry your equipment after use and it can pay big dividends.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has detected the presence of the aquatic creatures both at the Sycamore Ranch park and campground in Yuba County, and at locations on the lower Yuba River above and below the Highway 20 bridge crossing in Nevada County.
A release from the agency said it’s possible the species originated from a population of mudsnails discovered recently in the lower Feather River; the snails have been known to hitch a ride between bodies of water on the gear of unsuspecting boaters or fishermen. Read More. For more background Read Background.
Filmed on a little known mountain stream deep within Montana's back-country, this video portrays a fisher-womens solo adventure and the freedom of that particular day on the river. Reflect in the classic experience that most anglers have when they get out on the water alone with a fly rod, fish and nature in its solitude. A magic window of time and space opens up for pure reflection.
Don’t leave your pals behind. Alaska is a grand playground, especially when you share your fishing with kids.
By: Greg Thomas, Photography by: Greg Thomas, Fly Rod and Reel
Many of us travel far to tackle the great flyrod species, such as tarpon, permit, steelhead, Atlantic salmon and big brook trout, but fewer take on the true test of our angling resources, that being how to travel, fish and remain sane with young kids in tow.
I faced that challenge last June when I packed up my girls and headed to Alaska for 14 days on the Kenai Peninsula, following a road system that visits the quaint towns of Nikiski, Kenai, Clam Gulch, Homer and Seward.
The Kenai is a kids’ wonderland, with wildlife viewing available around almost every turn, including glimpses of humpback and orca whales, grizzly and black bears, long-legged moose, sea lions, bald eagles and, for the observant and slightly lucky ones, wolves. But I wasn’t on the Kenai just to see wildlife—I wanted to catch king salmon on my Spey rod and to get the girls hooked into some red salmon.
Truckee River Trout Unlimited has participated in some great events, celebrated some accomplishments and are excited for future opportunities to conserve, protect, and restore our waters. Among other things, our cleanup efforts on Donner Creek and the Truckee River were effective and we had large volunteer turnouts to help augment spawning gravels for our wild trout. We are celebrating the completion of the Little Truckee River Fish Habitat Improvement Project, a major milestone for our watershed. Additionally, we have some new projects that we are excited to share with you in the near future. John Jewett, Truckee River Chapter President.
John wrote these words as his message in the current Truckee River Chapter Newsletter. The newsletter is artfully done to describe their recent activities on the Little Truckee and elsewhere. It provides insight into the dynamics of a successful chapter and provides some hints of places to fish. Truckee River has been very successful in defining objectives and gathering funding to conduct projects.
Read their newsletter for a full description of their activities.
The winter of 2015 was the driest winter in California’s recorded history. But despite the great drought—and perhaps the worst arid spell for California in 1,200 years—spring-fed water flows steadily in Northern California.
You read that correctly. Even with a fourth consecutive summer of record setting drought, water from the depths of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, and the Medicine Lake Volcano rises insistently to the surface providing life for people, fish and wildlife, agriculture, and hydropower.
As the drought reduces rain water and snow melt, spring water acts as an emergency reserve, currently pumping 1.7 billion gallons a day into Shasta Reservoir. Read More
The Pebble Mine in Alaska is being contained with the aid of the EPA. Did you know that a similar larger threat is growing on the border of Southeast Alaska with Canada. Canada is allowing increased mining opportunities in British Columbia that threaten the habitat and environmental resources of major rivers flowing into Alaska and the sea. Ten major mines are in development on the Stikine and Unuk Rivers. Each of these mines would contain a massive tailings dam. These dams would have to contain thee tailings in perpetuity to avoid damage to the $2 billion fishing and tourism business of Alaska. This is the type of dam that failed at Mt Polley in 2014 damaging the Frasier River watershed. Trout Unlimited and Salmon Beyond Borders have produced a film illustrating the risks to Alaska. View the film at salmonbeyondborders.org.
A 1909 treaty with Canada states "Waters flowing across the boundary shall not be polluted on either side to the injury of health or property on the other". Yet Canada is willing to continues supporting the development of these mines.
The El Dorado Chapter of Trout Unlimited has scheduled its Welcome Back Member meeting for WEDNESDAY October 15th at the American River Resort in Coloma from 5:30-8pm. This event was moved from the september date because of the King Fire interference. We will have a free BBQ and social hour before the meeting starts. The ARR owners have graciously donated this site and we will be indoors in their conference room.
Our guest speakers will be Jon Fisher from Cal-Tip telling us how we can help slow down the poachers as well as tips on obtaining grants from their agency.
As an additional bonus, we will have Eldorado National Forest Supervisor, Laurence Crabtree, giving us a report on the King Fire, its status and how our Chapter can work with them to restore the fisheries so severely damaged from this fire. You won't want to miss this report. Our Chapter is gearing up for at least one, if not two, years of continuous work on this imposing recovery and restoration project.
AND we WILL have some great prizes for our Welcome Back raffle including an auction for an overnight guided trip on local waters.
Mark your calendars for this event, and please RSVP to our President, Berni Bahro at
Business for the October meeting will comprise the election of a Chapter Board member. The term of Board Member at Large, Erik Holst, will expire this year. Erik is willing to serve another term; however, he encourages others to run for this position.
Nominations are now open for this position and someone will be elected at our October meeting.
If anyone is interested in being more active by donating some time and sharing their ideas to improve the chapters activities and to support its overall mission of conserving , protecting and restoring cold water fisheries, please contact Lew Archuletta at
Numerous commitee positions are also open. If you would like to participate in cooperation with the Forest Service, data collection in the field, monofilament collector maintenance, field work days, maintenance of the chapter web sites or other activity notify Lew, contact a board member in October or hold your hand up at the meeting.
Knots giving you trouble? Can you tie a perfection loop or tie on those tippets. These and many others are pictured by Bass Pro Shops. See their Fishing Knot Library.