Short list of steelhead problems:

1. Decadal Oscillation (i.e., marine conditions)
2. River habitat (water quality, shade, woody debris, dams, other passage issues, plus 100 other)
3. tribal harvest
4. recreational harvest
5. hatchery fish/hatcheries
6. upland habitat
7. shifts in predator/prey relationships

That's a very short list...and blaming it on one or a few things, when the blame lies with 100 things, is a bit shortshighted. That being said, it's no excuse to not fix the ones that we can.

As fishermen, only a few of the issues are within our control, and we should make an effort to make them better. Not only will it make a real world difference for the fish, it will also give us the political clout to point fingers.

It would be a much better world if we all gave back to the system at least as much as we get out of it. We all enjoy steelhead fishing...a lot. How much do each of us individually, and collectively as a group, do for the resource?

Fish on...

Todd