Thompson River steelhead runs in 2008-09 lowest ever recorded

British Columbia's Thompson River, among the most storied steelhead rivers in the world for its huge, hard fighting fall steelhead once supported thousands of spawning steelhead annually. As recently as the 70s numbers were over 10 thousand.

Steelhead biologists confirmed this week what was predicted last fall -- Thompson River steelhead returns for 2008-09 are the lowest ever recorded.

850 returned to spawn this past spring and only 500 are expected next year.

LINK (Via: Osprey Steelhead News)

Fishing for monster Nile perch

Henry Gilbey goes fishing for Nile perch below Murchison Falls in Uganda.

But there is a fish that lives here, a fish that grows to such large proportions that actually the mind slightly boggles at how such bulk enables a fish to inhabit conditions so treacherous. But the Nile perch is nothing if not resilient, with huge glowing eyes that surely must have extra special capabilities for seeing all manner of sorry prey, and such muscled flanks that serve to give the intrepid angler a gloriously torrid time.

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An Unsightly Algae Extends Its Grip to a Crucial New York Stream

Esopus Creek, a legendary Catskill Mountain fly fishing stream that is an integral part of New York City’s vast upstate drinking water system, is one of the latest bodies of water to be infected with Didymosphenia geminata.

LINK (Via:The NY Times)

Vintage Alaska

In Depth - America's Best Urban Fishing Spots

Forbes jumps on the urban fishing bandwagon.

And like New York, most of these urban spots, despite their proximity to millions of people, remain underfished. You are more likely to get elbowed off some famous trout stream in the Rockies than you are within sight of skyscrapers. Just be prepared for the incoming airplanes.

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A Hobo Runs Through It

While travelling last week in Salt Lake I was able to catch the rockin sold out Fly Fishing Film Tour stop at the Tower Theater and spend some quality time with tour crew pals Thad, Matt and Mad Dog.The following day we had the choice of throwing some delicate dry flies on the Lower Provo or going Brownlining for Golden Bones in downtown SLC.

Golden Bone on the bank.

Matt with the slab of the day.

Could I have a piece of bread please.

Ty toad, probably won't make the Patagonia fly fishing catalog.

Matching the hatch.