Ambler Road Nixed and Other Much-Needed Fly-Fishing News

It’s ICAST time in Orlando as this is written, and the show’s new fly fishing emphasis has attracted some of the industry’s top companies and fly fishing celebrities, including Andy Mill and Chico Fernandez to name a couple.

And if you live near great trout water, don’t forget to keep a box of hopper patterns handy (along with your thermometer) as summer hits full stride. 

With that, it’s time for another round of Fly Fisherman's News Briefs as July runs its course:

Big Win for Fly Anglers and Conservationists in Alaska

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its Record of Decision recently that prevents the proposed Ambler Industrial Road in Alaska's spectacular Brooks Range.

In hailing the important decision, Jen Leahy, Alaska senior program manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), noted that the decision is a big victory for local residents, Alaska Native Tribes, and nearly 14,000 hunters, anglers, and conservationists across the U.S. who had urged the decision in order to keep the Brooks Range region wild and pristine.

The proposed project was a 211-mile-long corridor that would have impacted part of the home range of one of Alaska's wild treasures, the Arctic Caribou Herd, as well as moose, migratory birds, and fish. It also helps bring about protections for 28 million acres of wild terrain in Alaska according to the Wild Salmon Center, some of the largest intact landscape left in the world and a region that supports all five species of Pacific salmon.

"We thank the BLM for recognizing the importance of these public lands to hunters and anglers, and for basing this critical decision on the best available science and robust public engagement," said Leahy, in a news release about the decision. The BLM selected the "No Action," indicating that it wanted to prevent the proposed industrial corridor from taking place.

The project would have crossed 11 major rivers, created some 3,000 stream crossings, and degraded vital the fish habitat for native fish subsistence populations as well as gamefish species like sheefish. The jeopardization of fish and wildlife species and their habitat would have negatively impacted more than 100 Alaska Native communities according to the Wild Salmon Center.

Thankfully, that project has been nixed.

"The recent decision to deny the proposed Ambler Road permit is an unequivocal win for the declining Western Arctic Caribou Herd that will keep, at least temporarily, its home range intact,” said Jim Dau, retired Western Arctic Caribou Herd biologist with Alaska Department of Fish & Game, in a Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Project news release. “Caribou rarely use their entire range in any one year; however, over the course of decades, they use–and need–their entire range. This is increasingly important in a rapidly warming Arctic. What’s good for caribou is also good for the people who value or depend on them.”

“This decision is a great step toward ensuring that current and future generations have the opportunity to experience this majestic, unbroken landscape,” added Lewis Pagel, owner of Arctic Fishing Adventures in Kotzebue, Alaska. “The Brooks Range truly is a place like no other.”

Pacific Bluefin Tuna Rebound to Record Levels

Catching any sort of bluefin tuna on the fly–or any form of pelagic tuna–is a difficult endeavor.

But protecting wild species like the Pacific bluefin tuna is an important thing in a world of wild critters that need help. And according to a National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) news release, there's much to celebrate in the deep blue realm of the Pacific bluefin tuna which has hit a major milestone thanks to the rebound of the species beyond the hoped for schedule of that recovery.

It's a case of fisheries management success according to NOAA and a case where international organizations across the Pacific can celebrate success and the reversals of decades of overfishing. Such news comes after the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species (ISC) in the North Pacific Ocean recently gave its scientific expertise on conservation measures, measures that were adopted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

With the ISC recently finalizing new stock assessments at a meeting in Victoria, Canada, the assessment showed that the Pacific bluefin tuna stock had reached a second rebuilding target back in 2021. With continued adherence to the current management measures, the population should continue to rebound. What's more, the stock assessments help confirm decades of high-quality data on the species and a thorough understanding of the biological needs of the species, an understanding that should bring continued accurate forecasts for the species and its future population status.

While this news isn’t indicative of permanent success in the Pacific bluefin tuna rebound story for future years, it’s a great triumph for conservation success now.

All of this translates into good news for the Pacific bluefin tuna, which NOAA reports can reach nearly 10 feet in length and weights of up to 990 pounds. Among the fastest swimming fish species on the planet, these tuna live an average of 15 years.

"This is an amazingly resilient fish and the new assessment is showing us that," said Dr. Huihua Lee, a research mathematical statistician for NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center, in an agency news release. 

Montana Celebrates Encouraging Trout News for Big Hole River

It's a story that we've been following here at Fly Fisherman magazine, and one that now brings more reason for celebration.

That's the news from Montana recently, where Montana Governor Greg Gianforte recently joined with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Director Dustin Temple to celebrate trout counts that are rising at the Big Hole River after important habitat improvement work.

"The Big Hole is one of our prized rivers that supports the livelihoods of thousands of Montanans," said Gianforte, in a State of Montana news release. "It’s great to see encouraging numbers for trout across all areas of the Jefferson Basin,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I’m grateful to FWP for addressing community concerns with declining populations and for their dedication to finding solutions.”

The Montana Governor's pronouncement came as he visited a FWP project site near Wise River, a gathering where the Governor heard from FWP biologists who were confirming that the results of their annual spring fish population survey work had shown that there were stable or increasing population counts of brown and rainbow trout in all four sections of the river. 

"The most promising piece of data from the spring survey is the rising number of 2-year-old trout–the largest sample of young juvenile fish collected in the last 6 years,” said FWP Biologist Jim Olsen, in the news release. 

“While we’re still well below long-term averages, these numbers are encouraging," he added. "We don’t get big ones unless we get little ones, and we haven’t seen a strong year like this in a while.”

Such news comes in contrast to the discouraging headlines of recent months where population declines have been noted and a year after the governor and FWP convened a roundtable discussion of stakeholders.

“The rivers in southwest Montana including the Big Hole are one of the agency’s top priorities,” FWP Director Temple noted. “I am proud of our biologists who work every day to provide incredibly valuable insight into this issue. While we still have a long way to go, these numbers are encouraging and give me hope for the future of this fishery.”

IDFG Says Angler Assistance Vital for Invasive Species Management in Salmon, Steelhead Waters

Hoping for their own success story, Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) officials are reminding anglers to report any walleye caught in the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater Rivers as the agency looks to help salmon and steelhead populations in the Gem State to avoid any more challenges than they already face.

This effort is necessary according to the agency as walleye–a voracious predatory fish that can target young salmon and steelhead that are rearing or migrating–continue to be found creeping up the Snake River after being illegally introduced. To know how many walleye the state is dealing with, and to better target them in management efforts for salmon and steelhead, it's critical for IDFG to know how many are out there through anglers catching, keeping, and reporting walleye encounters.

"Anglers have been great about keeping us informed about walleye they’re encountering, and we greatly appreciate that,” said Dobos in a news release. “We know it can be an inconvenience to their fishing trips, but catching, keeping and reporting walleye is the best tool biologists have to monitor where these fish are migrating, estimating how many might be out there, and also removing some of them.”

Anyone who catches a walleye in an Idaho river should kill it, take a photo, and should contact IDFG biologist Marika Dobos at (208) 750-4228 or marika.dobos@idfg.idaho.gov.

Redfish Future in Louisiana

When you think about Louisiana, you think about chicory coffee and beignets at Cafe du Mond in New Orleans, crawfish boils in the spring, LSU Tigers football on Saturday nights in the fall, and of course, some of the country's best fishing. But this marsh paradise drag is threatened.

This redfish population is facing hard times and according to the American Saltwater Guides Association (ASGA), the number of adult redfish in Louisiana have now fallen to levels not seen in decades at least partially because anglers are harvesting redfish at an unsustainable rate.

On July 6, the fishing guide community in the Bayou State swamped the Louisiana Wildlife and Fish Commission meeting to let the state know that recommended reductions aren't enough for the fishery and the sustaining of Louisiana's fishing guide business. And according to ASGA, the state surprising listened and moved to protect the redfish resource.

With the state's angling economy at least partially driven by the bull redfish, the state had previously suggested a 35 percent reduction in harvest at that time, something that would have allowed the escapement rate to hit 30 percent. That would not be enough to rebuild the “spawning ratio” until 2050. 

"Furthermore, the Escapement Rate represents just a percentage of juvenile fish surviving to adulthood," said a ASGA update from Tony Friedrich, ASGA policy director. "If there is a bad spawn related to a lack of adult fish, a 30% Escapement Rate can still be achieved. In simpler terms, we would rather have 30% of 10,000,000 than 30% of 100,000. Spawning Potential Ratio (SPR) may not be used for management, but it could be even more critical than Escapement Rate for the future of this fishery. 

"A Notice of Intent (NOI) was issued for an 18-24” slot with no take for bull redfish and no guide limit. This NOI represents a 55% reduction that would rebuild SPR in only 12 years (versus an almost 30 year x 35% reduction proposal). While this proposal is outstanding in theory, this meeting proposal is only the first step. This NOI has to be approved by the state legislature–and will now having a hearing on November 7th."

While Friedrich notes that the NOI Public Comment period has passed, he urges anglers to remain engaged in being an advocate for the state's redfish resource: "The regulations have not been updated since 1988. These opportunities do not come around very often. This could be our only chance to support the LWF Commission’s extremely courageous and conservation-minded decision to do something impactful for redfish, our guides, and future generations of anglers.  

"Whether you’re a Louisiana resident in love with the iconic residents of your home waters, a returning angler who prioritizes experiencing the bayou every year or a hopeful angler aiming to visit one day, your voice matters."

Bass Bash and Fishing for a Good Cause in Oregon

In an effort to target non-native smallmouth bass in Oregon, a series of "bass bash" events have been taking place in the Beaver State.

While the bronzeback bass are an important and celebrated gamefish species in many other spots across the U.S., they aren't native and are detrimental for beleaguered native salmon and steelhead populations in Oregon. And with smallmouth numbers going up in several Oregon rivers like the John Day, Umpqua, Coquille, Upper Willamette and Molalla, that's not great news. 

What can be done about it? How about fishing derbies and festivals that have a goal of taking smallmouth bass from such rivers.

"They’re definitely having a negative impact on native fish by eating salmon and particularly steelhead smolts,” said Mark Sherwood, executive director for the Native Fish Society, in a Salem Statesman Journal news story by Zach Urness. 

"They are just eating machines on the river,” added Brenda Meade, chair of the Coquille Indian Tribe. “And they’re eating the salmon smolt.”

To help combat this, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) officials have been removing size and bag limits for smallmouth on the state's rivers. Spearfishing is also now allowed for smallmouths on the South Umpqua and Coquille Rivers, something that Urness describes as an “all hands on deck.”

"If you’re really working at it, people catch 100 bass in one day with very little problem,” said Stephan Charette, the John Day District fish biologist for ODFW, in the Statesman Journal story. “The goal is for people to catch the small- to medium-sized ones and remove them, which helps improve the habitat and keeps them from venturing off to find new habitat and spreading into other parts of the river.”

A derby was held several weeks ago with 70-plus participants. A total of 344 smallmouth bass were harvested with the Andras family catching the most fish. Rusty Spoons caught the biggest bass, while Josh Kirby had the smallest smallie. For conventional anglers, the top lure was a black Ned rig while the top fly was a crawfish pattern. 

And with nine boats being in the mix, organizers also note that there were too many fish tacos eaten to even count. Please pass the salsa!

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

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