Conservation

California Proposes Delay to Water Rules

Regulators in California recently proposed a delay for new rules dictating how much water residents can use on their lawns, per The Independent. While areas of California have seen record rain and snowfall in recent years, the state has a scarcity of adequate water storage, and still faces critical water conservation issues in the areas that depend on...

Orvis Podcast: Disturbing News on Smith River

We recently discussed the issues facing the Smith River here at MidCurrent, with the approval of a new dam on one of its most important tributaries. Tom Rosenbauer tackles this topic as well in his latest installment of the Orvis podcast. David Brooks, of Montana Trout Unlimited, joins Tom to fill anglers in on exactly what is threatened by the development...

Colorado's Tarryall Creek Permanently Preserved

Earlier this week, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced the acquisition of the 1,860-acre Collard Ranch in Park County. Contained within that ranch is five miles of Tarryall Creek, which will soon be open to the public for angling. “Tarryall Creek is a special area to so many people in Colorado, with easy access for Park County residents and folks...

Ospreys and Trout Behavior

In a recent story over in Fly Fisherman Magazine, outdoor writer Glenn Zinkus did a fantastic job highlighting a potential new problem facing some fisheries. Osprey populations used to be low on Oregon's famed Deschutes River, but efforts to help save them over the past 50 years have resulted in booming populations. And guides on the Deschutes say that...

Searching For The Lost Yellowfin Cutthroat

In this great story by Chris Hunt, you'll learn about a currently extinct subspecies of cutthroat trout - the yellowfin. This fish was thought to grow to 30 inches long, and weigh nearly 10 pounds, according to Hunt. And one biologist in Colorado is tasked with, among other jobs, discovering if any relict populations of the yellowfin cutthroat still exist...

Why Are Mines Bad for Rivers?

After the announcement last week that a copper mine can proceed on one of the Smith River's most important trout tributaries, the collective fly fishing community at once was outraged and depressed. The industry as a whole opposes the mine, but that lockstep opposition got me thinking—do the newcomers to the sport (many of whom joined our ranks in the...

Science In The Thorofare

The Thorofare region of Yellowstone needs no introduction in angling circles. It's a legendary place many of us hope to visit one day. If you haven't been there, but are dreaming of doing so, this recent story in Fly Fisherman Magazine may help you clear your calendar and make a trip happen. Paul Weamer wrote about the incredible science going on to track...

MT Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Black Butte Mine

The Montana Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of Black Butte Copper Mine late on Monday, February 26. This ruling allows Black Butte to build an underground mine along Sheep Creek, which is a tributary of Montana's famous Smith River, per KTVH Helena. The Smith River is highly regarded in angling circles, and floating is allowed only via permit, which...

California Salmon in Trouble

When we talk about salmon and steelhead recovery, we largely focus on the waters of the Pacific Northwest - the Columbia River Basin, the various rivers draining into Puget Sound, and the rivers in coastal British Columbia. Little, if any, time is dedicated to concern about the salmon (and steelhead) fisheries located along California's coast. California...

Indifly Rallies Supporters to Join The Indifly Corps

Community-first nonprofit, Indifly exists to serve Indigenous communities around the globe. Through fly fishing ecotourism, Indifly works alongside Indigenous peoples to innovate ways for vital stewards to write their own future. In order to further their mission, Indifly is inviting supporters to join its community of recurring monthly donors, “The...