The Caddis Fly: Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

On Sunday February 21, Trout Unlimited members and the public are invited to participate in riparian vegetation enhancement project in the Whilamut natural area of Alton Baker park on the Willamette River. We will be expanding our project area planting an additional 100 or more native trees and plants.

What began 2007 as a blackberry thicket has been transformed into an area where native vegetation may again thrive. As you know, invasive species are insidious and we need to continue our assault.

The site is approximately 10 minutes by foot east of the Autzen footbridge and west of the I-5 bridge on the north bank of the Willamette river.

The work party is scheduled from 9:30 am to 12:00. Meet at the Stream Team’s tent near our site. It will be hard to miss. It isn’t a bad idea to bring your own pair of gloves but Eugene’s Stream Team also provides gloves and tools so you can come as you are.

This is a great opportunity to enhance conditions on the urban section of the Wllamette and to meet people who care about fish and native plants as much as you do. Hope to see you there!

Contact brentross@gmail.com for further info or questions

This week, Trout Unlimited, The Caddis Fly Shop, The Native Fish Society and a host of volunteers and concerned anglers sent out postcards, asking influential Oregonians to reach out to ODFW in favor of wild fish management on the McKenzie River. We have lots of postcards still at the shop if you’d like to take the time to fill some out. The cards are currently going to 25 individuals, postage paid and addressed. The Native Fish Society is using its bulk non-profit mailing code, so we are collecting them in batches and sending them to the Native Fish Society to mail. We will be having another post-card signing party in the near future, so stay tuned.

Here is a video of local anglers, talking about why they came out last week to fill out post cards:

In related news, Trout Unlimited McKenzie-Upper Willamette chapter secured $5,000 to fund a five-year population study of the newly non-stocked section of McKenzie River. The study will begin next month, and will be administered by ODFW and the McKenzie Fly Fishers. The funds came from our Portland supporters and benefactors, the Flyfisher’s Club of Oregon.

You can show your gratitude for this amazing funding by helping us fill a fly box for the FCO auction in May. TU’s Cris Abbot is currently staining a wooden box, with a steelhead fly etched on the glass cover by our friend Kathy McCartney. It will look similar to the box below. If you’d like to help fill this fly box for the FCO’s auction, please drop them off at the Caddis Fly with an envelop labeled “FCO auction fly box”.

-MS

We’re hosting our McKenzie River Native Trout Coalition postcard signing party on Monday, from 4-6pm at The Caddis Fly Shop. This event, sponsored by Ninkasi, will allow you to voice your concerns over the McKenzie River trout hatchery program to state and local politicians, tourism agency officials and fisheries managers.

The McKenzie Hatchery issue is snowballing into a major debate, which is fundamentally important to the future health of Oregon’s fisheries. This is not just about trout in 35 miles of river. It’s about sending a message to ODFW that we do not approve of planting hatchery fish on top of healthy ecosystems and wild populations. It’s about educating the public on the trade off we are making when we support hatchery programs that impact our native fish.

Hatchery fish have their place, in habitat that can’t support healthy runs of native species.

Despite our differences, both sides in this debate wants what’s best for wild fish. It’s up to us to create the political conditions for the agency to do the right thing for our limited remaining wild fisheries.
-MS