Western Rivers Conservancy Helps Open Access on Beloved Colorado Creek

As the days get longer and warmer, the skwala hatch will soon arrive, along with bass moving shallow, the Florida Keys heading towards the heart of tarpon season, and the march to summertime's evening hatches continues. With one of fly angling’s best seasons of the year now unfolding, here's another round of Fly Fisherman news briefs to keep you occupied until you can get out on the water:

Colorado's Tarryall Creek Receives CPW Protection

Earlier this month, Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), in partnership with Western Rivers Conservancy and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), announced a new state wildlife area (SWA) at Collard Ranch. 

According to a CPW news release, the 1,860-acre state wildlife area in Park County will preserve five miles of excellent South Park fishing habitat along Tarryall Creek, a principal tributary of the South Platte River, along with preserving an important elk migration corridor, and providing increased opportunities for the state’s anglers and hunters.

“The Colorado way of life is deeply rooted in protecting and enjoying the great outdoors,” Gov. Polis said in the news release. “By purchasing and protecting this land we are expanding fishing and hunting opportunities for all Coloradans, safeguarding and enhancing the Colorado we love. I look forward to enjoying all the Collard Ranch State Wildlife Area will have to offer once it opens to the public.”

“Tarryall Creek is a special area to so many people in Colorado, with easy access for Park County residents and folks living on the Front Range,” said Allen Law, WRC’s Interior West Project Manager, in a news release. “We are proud to partner with CPW to forever protect this stretch of the creek, especially given its importance to a critical wildlife corridor and its iconic views of Kenosha Pass.”

According to GoCo, the purchase comes from funding from Great Outdoors Colorado’s Centennial Program and the Colorado Habitat Stamp. With everything now complete, WRC reportedly transferred ownership of the ranch to CPW on March 8. CPW will manage the property going forward, including the land's superb conservation possibilities and tremendous recreational values.

Historic Signatures on Columbia Basin Dams Agreement

Leaders for the U.S. government and four tribal nations in the Pacific Northwest signed a memorandum of understanding late last month on Columbia River Basin Dams, including the Lower Snake River.

The inking of the historic agreement comes after decades of legal wrangling over dam operations—and the negative effects they have on salmon and steelhead runs—with the agreement now seeing a rest in courtroom proceedings with a stay of litigation for up to five years, and possibly as much as 10 years.

According to a report from the Seattle Times news site, the agreement comes about after an important compromise between the federal government and the tribal nations. That agreement reduces dam flows for fall-run fish, even though that is noted as "...one of the more robust salmon runs on the river, and a mainstay of tribal and sport fisheries" according to the story’s author Isabella Breda.

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But during the springtime, the spring release would be boosted, helping spring-run Chinook with something akin to a "...spring freshet for young fish migrating to the sea." That allows the Bonneville Power Administration—which reported a $102 million first-quarter revenue loss this year thanks to dry winter weather and high power prices—to sell more power from the dams into the power-hungry California markets.

The signed memo of understanding last month comes on the heels of the historic agreement reached in December when the President Joe Biden Administration promised to spend $1 billion to help restore wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest, help in the build-out of clean energy products in tribal nations, and spill water over dams to help salmon.

The agreement between the feds and tribal leaders—approved by a federal judge in February—aims to help restore wild fish in the Pacific Northwest, as well as helping to meet clean-energy needs, but it also takes removal of the Lower Snake River dams—a long-running goal of tribal leaders for many years—off the table for years to come.

“We need a lot more clean energy, but we need to develop it in a way that’s socially just,” said Gerald Lewis, Yakama Nation Chair, in a White House ceremony for the agreement's official signing. “The last time energy was developed in the Columbia Basin it was done on the backs of tribal communities and tribal resources.”

“Now we have an opportunity to do better and to have the tribes at the table.”

“This is only the beginning,” said White House senior adviser John Podesta. “In a sense this agreement really is just a handshake … it will take all of us committing to this partnership now and for years to come to lift the words off the page and bring this agreement to life.”

Beta Version Released for Fish Washington 2.0 App

Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) has launched the beta 2.0 version of its Fish Washington mobile app, a smartphone product designed to give users up-to-the-minute fishing regulations for water bodies and marine regions in the state.

According to a WDFW news release, the app includes interactive mapping to help users find nearby fishing spots, gives detailed harvest limits, notes allowable gear for species in each water body, accesses the Fish Washington website and it's instructional videos, gives the location of boat launches and fishing access points across the state, provides the ability to add waypoints on maps, provides downloadable updates and offline capabilities where mobile reception is poor, and allows for reporting of a poaching incident in progress.

Costa Announces New Look Classic Frame, 580 Gold Glass Lens

It's been a busy month for Costa Sunglasses, as the Jupiter, Florida-based company has announced a new look classic frame and a brand new glass lens color.

First up is the return of one of Costa's iconic retro frames, the Grand Catalina. If you're familiar with some of the past and present icons of fly fishing dating back to the 1980s, the 1990s, and on into the early years of the 21st Century—a fly angling list that includes hall of fame legends like Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez, Stu Apte, and the late Jose Wejebe among others—then you've seen these frames, even if you weren't sure of the model’s proper name.

In bringing them back, Costa is keeping the same aviator shape and famed removable side shields, although the remastered Grand Catalina features Costa's latest tech innovations including sweat management channels, vented adjustable nose pads, removable side shields and that feature’s two-look possibilities, and seamless surfacing. 

Costa is also debuting its new 580 Gold lens, a new rose-based lens that offers unparalleled clarity and added scratch resistance. Designed with a lighter Visible Light Transmission (VLT), the 580 Gold gives enhanced versatility across a wide spectrum of lighting conditions according to the company. Inspired by angling possibilities in the afterglow of sunrise's golden light hour, these lenses play on the softer and redder light conditions found at this time of day.

“The Gold Mirror lens is not just an addition to Costa's portfolio, it's a new chapter in the brand's storied legacy, promising to bring the world into view with an intensity and passion that only Costa can deliver,” said John Sanchez, Costa’s Vice President of Global Product Strategy, in a company news release. “With this launch, we're offering more than just a new lens, we're providing a new way to experience life's most breathtaking moments, reinforcing our dedication to excellence and our continued commitment to the Costa community.”

CalTrout Urges Petition Signing to Help Save SoCal Steelhead

With Southern California's steelhead on the brink of extinction, CalTrout is urging its members and all interested parties to be a part of turning the tide with the signing of a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission by April 4, 2024.

That petition is designed to let the Commission know in loud fashion that those signing it are in full support of listing the Southern California steelhead under the state's Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

"The evidence is undeniable: Southern California steelhead teeter on the brink of extinction," notes CalTrout representatives. "Southern steelhead serve as crucial indicators of watershed health and river ecosystem integrity. These fish play a role within the ecosystem that you, your family, neighbors, and friends are also a part of. If one piece of the ecosystem changes or disappears this ripples throughout the rest of the ecosystem affecting every other species—plant, animal, and human.

"Historically, Southern steelhead thrived, with tens of thousands of them swimming through Southern California rivers and streams. Today, it’s rare to see them in double digits. Their dwindling numbers stem from habitat loss, fragmentation, and the encroachment of urbanization. We must act urgently to prevent the irreversible loss of this species."

Consider signing the petition before the April 4 deadline.

Conservation, Habitat Proposals Making News in Montana

Improving habitat for Montana's wild trout, along with increasing angler opportunities within the Big Sky State, are some of the aims of habitat and conservation work ongoing in Montana after the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission recently approved 19 future projects for the state's fisheries.

These fisheries improvements—which will benefit a host of native and non-native species ranging from Yellowstone cutthroats to bull trout to westslope cutthroats to brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout among others—includes restoration work to get streams back into their natural condition, the installation of riparian fencing, the improvement of lake habitat, the restoration of streambanks, fish passage improvement work, spawning habitat creation, keeping fish from accessing irrigation diversions, leasing water for instream use and more.

The approved projects will happen in areas including Butte, Bozeman, Dillon, Glasgow, Hamilton, Missoula, and Lewistown. With a total of 21 proposed projects for this year’s funding cycle, the 19 that were approved come thanks to funding matched by $6.5 million contributed from outside sources. That money will go to the nine projects west of the Continental Divide and the 10 projects to the east of the Divide according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

In addition to announcing the approved projects noted above, FWP recently wrapped up public comment on a draft environmental assessment for a proposal that aims to restore westslope cutthroats in Dutchman Creek, a tributary to Prickly Pear Creek in the Elkhorn Mountains near Jefferson City. 

"Westslope cutthroat trout are native to this area. However, competition with and predation by brook trout have nearly eliminated westslope cutthroat trout in Dutchman Creek. FWP staff estimate brook trout will eliminate remaining westslope cutthroat trout in Dutchman Creek within the next five years if no action is taken." 

The proposed project includes the construction of an upstream fish passage barrier this spring, removal efforts this fall for existing brook trout in a 3.5-mile section of Dutchman Creek upstream of the proposed barrier, and restocking the creek with genetically pure westslope cutties upstream of the fish barrier for a three-year period that would begin in 2026.

Cold Water Connection Campaign Reopens Rivers for Olympic Peninsula Salmon and Steelhead

In response to fish populations that are declining on the Olympic Peninsula, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Habitat Conservation is throwing its support behind the Cold Water Connection Campaign.

The campaign aims at work in and around the cold-water rivers of western Washington, that come from high glaciers and snow-capped mountains in Olympic National Park. Those waters offer some of the last, best freshwater habitat left for salmon and steelhead in all of the Lower 48. So valuable are these waters that even in the face of predicted climate change, those high-elevation waters are believed to be able to remain cool enough for the area's iconic salmon and steelhead for at least the next half century.

But the campaign is necessary because many roads in the region are left from the logging industry and crisscross these vital watersheds, often forcing streams to flow underneath them through small, poorly designed culverts and tunnels that effectively block fish passage (see the April-May 2024 issue for more about fish passage nationwide). With more than 4,000 of these on the Olympic Peninsula, salmon and steelhead can't reach the historical habitat they need to spawn and reproduce.

Supported by tribal, local, state and federal agencies, the Cold Water Connection Campaign has partners that include the Wild Salmon Center, Trout Unlimited, Coast Salmon Partnership, the Hoh Tribe, the Quileute Tribe, the Makah Tribe, and the Quinault Indian Nation. 

Thanks to the Cold Water Connection Campaign and the combined efforts of the partnerships associated with it, the reopening of 125 miles of critical spawning and rearing habitat is the aim over the next 10 years. Thanks to $19 million in funds through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, this project plans to remove high priority barriers in three watersheds, finalize culvert replacement plans, expand the ability of tribes to do the restoration work, inject funds into regional economies by hiring local and tribally owned contracting companies, and mitigate flood damage risks through culvert installation aimed at handling high-capacity flows.

“We are running out of time to recover and protect these salmon and steelhead populations,” said Luke Kelly, Western Washington Program Director for Trout Unlimited, in an NOAA news release. “We need to pull out all the stops now, so it’s been great to see all of our government, tribal, nonprofit partners, and private landowners coming together to get this done.”

North Platte River Flushing Flows

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is alerting anglers and river users about a planned increase in water flow on the North Platte River. This ten-day "flushing flow" project is set to begin on March 25th and aims to improve fish spawning habitats and boost food production for fish in the river. The Bureau of Reclamation will execute the project by releasing additional water from Gray Reef Reservoir.

Here's what to expect:

• The flow will increase from roughly 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to a peak of 4,000 cfs.
• This surge will occur daily between 3-7 am, followed by a gradual decrease back to 500 cfs by 10 am.
• This cycle will repeat for ten days, from March 25 to April 3rd.
• After the project, the flow will return to a stable 500 cfs.

While the project benefits fish, the WGFD advises caution to anglers and anyone using the river during the increased flow period. The flushing flow is strategically timed to coincide with rainbow trout spawning season to maximize its effectiveness.

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Lynn Burkhead is a Senior Digital Editor with Outdoor Sportsman Group.