August 28, 2003

Hello, Sis and I trust this finds you well and content.

This summer has been hotter than any since Sis and I have been on the pool. During July, late afternoon temperatures have risen to 81 ° on three different occasions. During this time, the steelhead were dependant on the cooler flows of Big Bend Creek for their survival. Big Bend Creek was 14 ° to 15 ° cooler during these hot times.

August has cooled things down considerably, the later afternoon temperatures dropping below 75 ° the incipient lethal temperature for steelhead about half the time. This is great and a life saver for the summer steelhead.

About two weeks ago there was a thunder and lightning storm in the early evening accompanied by a rain that rose the creek about a foot. The number of fish in the pool dropped from about 250 to around a 100 in twenty-four hours and then began to climb. Within a few days the number of fish in the pool had climbed above 500 fish and, yesterday, we made a count of 615 steelhead in the pool. Fortunately, only one of these fish so far has been identified as an artificial steelhead of hatchery origin.

There have been no poaching events so far here at the pool and not evidence of any—so far—anywhere along the creek within three miles upcreek or downcreek.

This year we have been passing something out to people who visit the pool, particularly the fly anglers who show an interest. Please click on the following link to download the paper.

SOME OBSERVATIONS ON STEELHEAD AND
ANGLING ETHICS IN WARM WATER

Please Note: The above article is in PDF format and requires you to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to read it. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, it is free and easily downloaded by clicking on this logo