I first fished the North Umpqua a dozen years ago, and I was way late to the game. It’s been a river iconic in the steelhead community for at least a century, from before Zane Grey, to Frank and Jeannie Moore, to the present moment. And the situation in the present moment is unbelievable. After reading about it in emails and social media, I lined up a visit with Jim McCarthy of Water Watch of Oregon and Kirk Blaine of The Steamboaters and Native Fish Society. If you were upset by the social media posts, listen to the conversation, and get really mad. Then act. Sign the Native Fish Society petition, and then go ahead and write your state representatives and the governor, and ODFW. And call. And let them know that in the face of innumerable challenges to the survival of wild steelhead, a public and valuable resource that brings incalculable financial benefit to Douglas County, we are watching a small, select group bypass all meaningful regulation and oversight for their own benefit.
Senators, ODFW, and the Governors contact is listed below. Jim and Kirk both volunteered their contact information for any additional information or any possible help someone can offer.
Petition- https://nativefishsociety.org/action-alerts/ask-you-state-and-federal-representatives-to-stand-up-for-the-north-umpqua-river
https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/directory/contact_us.asp (https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/directory/contact_us.asp)
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/senate/Pages/SenatorsAll.aspx (https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/senate/Pages/SenatorsAll.aspx)
https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/share-your-opinion.aspx
jim@waterwatch.org
kirk@nativefishsociety.org (mailto:kirk@nativefishsociety.org)
Episode 102 - Tom Mahan
Another Tuesday means another River Rambler and this week I'm joined by Tom Mahan. We talk about growing up with a backyard fishing spot, firefighting, learning the many forms of spey, guiding, different fishing ideologies, Alaska's chinook and rainbows, jiujitsu and martial arts mindsets, muddlers and Swedish Fish.
Episode 101 - Mike Kohler
On this week's episode I'm talking to Mike Kohler. We discuss his time fishing as a whipper snapper, accents, lobstering, getting into steelhead, dogs and kids, his introduction to spey, striper fishing, the benefits of night fishing, photography, observation and learning, and marine predators.
Episode 100 - Bill Pfeiffer
We've made it to triple digits and for the 100th episode I'm joined by Bill Pfeiffer. We discuss his time in Cuba, picky fish, parents, parties & food, Sculpin, Bill's Super Secret Fly and his incredibly difficlut fishing apporach, trout spey, law schoold dogs, Zach Williams, and Bill's moose rivalry.
Episode 99 - Alex Worth
On this episode I'm talking to Alex Worth. He tells us all about his Mother's influence both in fishing and cursing, gross New Jersey fishing, catching his first steelhead at 10, Colorado and trout spey, conservation and conversations, the Klamath, some big fish stories, and we experience some canine difficulties.
Episode 98 - Alice Gilibert, Elaine Gong, and Whitney Gould
On this episode Alice Gilibert, Elaine Gong, and Whitney Gould are going me and we have a fantastic chat. We cover how they all got into fishing, competitive casting, pace cars and medicine chests, competition nerves, The American Casting Association, spey casts vs Belgian casts, movie recommendations, Golden Gate Angling Club and Angling Foundation, and the host's absolute denial of being an East Coaster.
Episode 97 - Dan Gates
Dan Gates of the Grey Drake is joining me for this week's episode. We talk about the Nashville Network, fishing with his dad, skating, tying at expos, Yellowstone, the OP, conspiracy theories, The Grey Drake, Trout in the Classroom, conservation, trout spey, fish tacos, and Sasquatch.
Episode 96 - Mark Martin
On this week's show I'm talking to Mark Martin. We discuss how he started fly fishing, James Sampsel, the Middle Fork, hybrid trout, his internship turned job, starting his steelhead obsession, western fishing culture, home repair, and muddlers & drinKing.
Episode 95 - Erik Skoog & Hank Rolfs
On this week's episode I'm chatting with drift boat fanatics, Hank Rolfs and Eric Skoog. We discuss their early start to fishing, learning from A.J. McClane, how they started working together, their introductions to drift boats, the problem solving of boat repair, how not to land a drift boat, atlantic salmon, looking for a new workshop, and so much more.
Episode 94- Patrick Lookabaugh
This week I'm talking with my friend Paddy Lookabaugh, of Liquid Sunshine Fly Fishing. We discuss the advantages of growing up in a Civil War battlefield, college, fires & firefighting, our shared love of indicator fishing, Alaska, his rod building journey, guiding, and who not to accept party invitations from.