A true icon of the west, fly fishing & conservation

The life of Leonard Purdy sits in stark contrast to that of another western rancher currently in the news.

Leonard "Bud" Purdy, one of Idaho's most beloved and respected ranchers, died Monday at his home.

Purdy, 96, hunted ducks and skied with Ernest Hemingway. He hosted Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper at his Picabo Ranch. He led the ranching industry into rest- and-rotation grazing, a system of moving livestock on and off public grazing lands that protected the range and improved cattle production.

Purdy donated a 3,500-acre conservation easement along Silver Creek in the 1990s to the Nature Conservancy, adjacent to its own Silver Creek Preserve. The easement protected the creek and its environs from future development.

Silver Creek, one of the state's premier trout streams, attracts fly-fishermen from around the world.

Purdy didn't even take the tax break on the land easement, valued at $7 million.

Up until his death Bud continued to spearhead restoration projects on his land and beyond. He flew solo in his plane every weekend, watching over his cattle and the meandering flow of Silver Creek.  

LINK (via:The Idaho Statesman)

Area guides give back to Silver Creek

In an effort give back to the stream that has given them so much, for the next week all participating guides and outfitters will donate a day of their guide fees to the restoration efforts of the Nature Conservancy at the Silver Creek Preserve.

LINK (via: Silver Creek Outfitters)

Salad Days

SALAD DAYS - Silver Creek from BLOODKNOTS on Vimeo.

Fly Fishers Disagree on Silver Creek Restoration Proposal

To mitigate the imapct of sediment build up there is a proposal to do restoration work on Silver Creek’s Kilpatrick Pond. Good for the fish but, as always, there are some who don't care for the proposal.

Magic Valley covers the restoration plan and debate in depth, along with instructions on how you can submit your own comments. A public hearing on the proposal will be held on March 19th.

LINK (via: MagicValley)

June Slab of the Month Entry: Silver Creek Brown Trout

Armed with a big stick and some sort of a rodent pattern, Paddy McIlvoy hit lower Silver Creek earlier this week.  Apparently it paid off.

June Slab of the Month: Silver Creek Brown Trout

Shart.

Brian Richter shows us the THE CREEK supports life.