Finding new waters to fish is a lifelong quest for most fly fishermen, who dream of secluded, “secret” spots where they can escape the crowds and find eager, unpressured trout. One way to strike out on your own is by “bluelining,” or poring over maps to find small streams off the beaten path. On Midcurrent.com, my friend Brant Oswald–a Livingston, Montana-based guide–has written a thorough and enlightening article on the subject called “Small Streams Under Big Skies.” Although the article is focused on Western fishing, anglers from all over the country can benefit from Oswald’s strategies.
Modeling their event on the ground-breaking Orvis Casting Course in Bend, Oregon, southwestern Idaho’s Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited is hosting a “fly-rod golf” tournament to raise money for a large culvert-replacement project. The tournament–held at Eagle Island State Park near Boise on May 14–will offer a 14 “hole” course, which will feature hoops at various distances and will require competitors to navigate different kinds of casting obstacles. For more information, visit www.tedtruebloodtu.org.
Reestablishing populations of westslope cutthroats in Montana is a huge undertaking, but the project has just received a big boost: The Missoulian reports that a new hatchery facility dedicated to westslope cutthroats is in the works. “The hatchery will allow biologists with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to raise genetically diverse populations of wild westslope cutthroat trout, hold them in isolation until they are certified genetically pure and pathogen-free, and then introduce them to Montana’s lakes and rivers where the fish have historically thrived.”