Articles

Utah public stream access restored

Judge's ruling deems Public Waters Act unconstitutional

by Ben Kryzinski - Thursday, Nov 5th, 2015

Utah's Upper Provo River (photo: Owen Xu).

After years of efforts by groups such as the Utah Stream Access Coalition (USAC), the public's right to access and recreate on all of Utah's public waterways was restored yesterday in a decision by Judge Derek Pullan of Utah's 4th District Court. The ruling concludes a lawsuit filed in 2010 by the USAC which claimed that the inappropriately named Public Waters Act, which previously barred the public from accessing public waterways where they crossed private property, was unconstitutional. Pullan's ruling affirmed the coalition's claim, restoring access rights in the process.

Winter is coming

Five flies to get you through it

by George C Costa - Wednesday, Nov 4th, 2015

Winter on the Madison River (photo: Christopher Daniel).

Winter is coming. These are our words: five flies. That's all I'm giving you for the next 3 months. No dries. Sure, there might be some olives on January 26th when the mercury tips out at a balmy 46. But those trout are lethargic and don't want to spend the energy to rise. So, here you go. Tie some, buy some, steal them from your buddy's box when he's not looking. These are the flies that'll get you through the tough times when your guides are icy, your knuckles are bleeding and you’re really wondering if standing in 42 degree water when it's 23 outside is a wise life choice.

Little lives of the creek

A system in concert

by Johnny Carrol Sain - Tuesday, Nov 3rd, 2015

Photo: Johnny Carrol Sain

My first memories of a creek trace back to Hacker Creek. As water runs its course, Hacker transforms it from the spirited rapids of the Ozark Mountains to the somber brown might of the Arkansas River. Topography is the deciding influence for any creek’s personality, and Hacker reflects the gentler rolling hills and long stretches of flatland through which it meanders with longer pools, subdued riffles and nary a waterfall of any size. Its water looks like weak tea — clear as air at it’s thinnest points, tannin stained by sycamore and oak leaves at it’s thickest.

Common sense for steelhead, right now

It's time for anglers to step up

by Jonathan Stumpf - Friday, Oct 30th, 2015

A stout buck from the Olympic Peninsula (photo: Reid Curry).

Wild steelhead are more than our passion. They are our soul and our inspiration. Powered by persistence and resolve, steelhead undertake an unimaginably arduous migration to sustain life. Littered with roadblocks and seemingly impassable barriers, it is an upstream journey that demands unrelenting perseverance. It is also a pilgrimage that requires difficult changes as steelhead undergo a physiological metamorphosis as they transition between the salt and freshwater.

Small stream fly fishing

Tips for achieving satisfaction on small creeks and streams

by Constantin Huet - Thursday, Oct 29th, 2015

Sunrise on the Little Pigeon River in Great Smoky Mountain National Park (photo: Brian Furderer).

I began fly fishing at around eight years old and very soon became addicted to the sport. I practiced as often as possible and was taught by arguably one of the best fishermen to have ever waded a stream; Kim Tribe. Kim’s home waters were in Brecon, Wales — a region known for its lakes and long river systems. Because I was so small at eight years old, he handed me a ‘mini’ 6”, 2-3 weight Greys Missionary, a rod that has since become a collection piece. Because I was unable to wade in the fast flowing Welsh rivers, I began my fly fishing journey mainly on creeks and small streams.