Smalma,

Of that there is no doubt, especially throughout most of the range of the Bull Trout/Dolly Varden in the Columbia system.

Thanks to the information you've shared with me and others over time, it looks like Bull Trout need cold, clean water in the headwaters, and all the other micro-ecosystems that all different types of salmonids need. Summer run steelhead need the same cold, clean headwaters as Bull Trout, Chinook and winter run steelhead need the same healthy main river habiats as bull trout, and coho need the same side channel/beaver pond environments as bull trout...and so on.

Am I right in saying that if the Bull Trout/Dolly Varden complex is doing well throughout a system, that it means good news for all the other anadromous salmonids in the system?

If that's true, then it would seem that ALL of the listed salmon and steelhead in the Columbia would benefit from a healthy Bull Trout population.

Not to mention the enormous financial returns from robust fisheries and the removal of ESA limitations on every human activity around the River...

Typical "pinch a nickel now" to spend a dollar later.

Fish on...

Todd