Skip to main content
All Posts By

HemingwayTU

Redband Trout study on the Big Wood River

By Conservation, Education, Regional and National

Local anglers have long valued the Big Wood’s wild trout, but new evidence suggests they’re even more special: they likely represent a unique lineage of native redbands.

The Big Wood River flows through 137 miles of south-central Idaho, originating in the stunning Sawtooth Mountains and flowing through the resort towns of Ketchum, Sun Valley, and Bellevue. A Western freestone river, it offers excellent dry-fly fishing for rainbows. The headwaters offer classic small stream habitat, with many eager fish willing to hit attractors. The main stem offers excellent opportunities to match the hatch, especially in the summer and fall.

The entire watershed has excellent public access, even when it flows through resort neighborhoods in Ketchum and Hailey. For many anglers, a couple of days on the Big Wood can save a trip after frustrating experiences on Idaho’s more challenging waters like the Henry’s Fork and Silver Creek.

I often head to the Big Wood after a morning on Silver Creek, because I enjoy fishing attractors and, admittedly, to restore my ego. Casting an Elk-hair Caddis into pocketwater is refreshingly simple after a few hours of fishing with #22 Tricos.

Like many Idaho waters, the Big Wood was once heavily stocked. Between 1913 and 2000, more than 80 million rainbow trout were released in the river. Most of these originated from California hatchery strains. While the main stem of the river hasn’t been stocked with fertile trout since the 1990s, most assume the river’s wild fish trace their origins back to hatcheries. Some questioned whether rainbow trout were ever native to the Wood River watershed in the first place.

One of those skeptics was Matthew Campbell, fisheries genetics program coordinator for Idaho Fish and Game. Campbell’s state-of-the-art lab in Eagle, Idaho, primarily focuses on the genetics of Idaho’s anadromous salmon and steelhead. But he also pursues other research, including the origins of Wood River’s rainbow trout. Hypotheses and rumors about these fish have circulated for decades.

This confusion has in part been abetted by the names used by anglers and others. “People have always put names to fish, but haven’t always been consistent,” says Campbell. “In the early 1900s, there was a lot of confusion about what a rainbow trout was and what a redband trout was.”

Steelhead are rainbow trout that migrate to the ocean and back, whereas the term “redband” typically applies to rainbow trout that remain residents in streams. In Idaho, all rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) share similar genetics, what is commonly called the “interior redband” lineage. Most hatchery fish trace their origins to California and the Pacific Northwest, which is another lineage, called the “coastal rainbow.”

“If you saw evidence of coastal genes in Idaho rainbow trout, you assumed it was evidence of hatchery stocking,” says Campbell.

Numerous genetic investigations conducted on Wood River trout over the last 30 years, using a variety of genetic markers, found genetics similar to coastal rainbow trout. This was regarded as evidence of significant hatchery influence.

“Everything we sampled looked heavily influenced by coastal hatchery lineages,” says Campbell. “Our assumption was that every native redband in Idaho should look like an interior redband. These Wood River rainbows did not. We thought there were probably no pure fish left in the Wood River.”

Case closed? Not quite.

Nagging at Campbell, and other fish geneticists, were some historical hypotheses. The earliest surveys of the watershed identified the Wood River trout as cutthroats. The late trout expert Robert Behnke described Wood River rainbows as a relict form of redband trout, based on a single museum specimen. Clearly, questions about these fish remained unanswered.

Campbell looked at the swirling hypotheses and couldn’t find consensus. What exactly were the Wood River rainbows? Native fish? Hatchery descendants? A mix of the two? Something else?

In an attempt to answer this question, researchers greatly expanded the sampling and genetic screening completed on previous studies.

The latest research compared the trout to other native and hatchery rainbow trout genetics, as well as rainbows from the Henry’s Fork, where the trout are not native. And while there were similarities between Wood River’s rainbows and hatchery coastal rainbows, their genetic makeup was quite different.

The results were presented at the Wild Trout XIII Symposium . Basically, the paper concludes that redband trout were indeed native to the Wood River Basin, that many of the fish show very little sign of hatchery genetics, and the trout represent a unique, previously undescribed lineage of redband trout.

Campbell is quick to note that some trout in the basin do show signs of hatchery trout influence, particularly in the lower basin. In some headwaters, there are rainbow-cutthroat hybrids, likely due to stocking of cutts in high-mountain lakes. (This stocking is now transitioning to triploid cutthroats, which are unable to reproduce.)

But much of the Wood River Basin was and is home to a unique redband trout, presumably found nowhere else in the West.

How could this redband be so different from Idaho’s other native rainbow trout? The story of native trout in the Western United States is, so often, a story of geology.

The Wood River flows into the Malad River before joining the Snake River near the town of Hagerman. The Malad Gorge has a nearly 200-foot waterfall, impassable to fish except under the most extreme floods. This natural barrier may have existed for more than 60,000 years. (As an aside, the Malad Gorge itself is an underrated trout water, especially noted for its excellent dry-fly fishing all winter long.)

A population of redband trout may have become isolated above the waterfall, and remained so during the various floods and geologic changes that influenced other rainbow trout populations in Idaho.

And the uniqueness of the Wood River’s redband trout is similar to what is seen in other fishes in the watershed. The Wood River sculpin is found only in the basin. Mountain whitefish and bridgelip suckers found in the Wood River are also genetically different from other populations of these species.

“These fish have been isolated for a long time,” says Campbell. “And despite extensive stocking, introgression from nonnative hatchery rainbow trout of coastal origin appears to be limited.”

What about those 80 million trout stocked in the Wood River? It could be that these fish were not well adapted to local conditions and did not outcompete the native trout. As many were stocked when “catch and keep” was the norm, it could be that anglers quickly caught the stockers. Whatever the case, today’s Wood River redband trout are, largely, native and unique.

Idaho anglers have always regarded the Wood River as special. It’s a place to take novice anglers, as they can often fool a few trout on dry flies. There are great sections of the Wood River just a couple minutes’ drive from the area’s resort hotels. But you can also experience trout fishing in a wilderness setting, with jaw-dropping mountains as a backdrop.

The Wood River system faces similar challenges to many Western rivers, particularly drought and increased demand for water. But the river’s trout population remains robust. Fly fishers remain among the watershed’s most important allies.

A growing number of anglers have a passion for native trout, pursuing “cutt slams” and recording catches through initiatives like the Western Native Trout Challenge. This interest has highlighted the plight of native trout; most species and subspecies occupy only a fraction of their historic range. But the increased attention and research have also brought some welcome news. The greenback cutthroat, once declared extinct, isn’t. And anglers are now fishing for it in Colorado. Ditto for the San Juan cutthroat trout. The uniqueness of the Wood River redband is another new finding that offers hope for native fish.

I’ve written about Idaho conservation for more than two decades, and I’ve sat in the meetings where speakers noted that rainbow trout weren’t native to the Wood River. This was based on information that looked scientifically valid. But, as Campbell warns, you have to be careful about assumptions.

It turns out the Wood River redband trout should be considered a jewel of the Wood River, different from those found in any other river. “There’s something special about the Wood River drainage,” says Campbell. “I have been speaking to local angling groups about this research. They love this river and now they have another reason to be proud of what they have.”

November 21, 2023By Matthew L. Miller. **HTU does not own the rights and did not write the article

Original Article in the Fly Fisherman

Public Comment: Kilpatrick Bridge

By Conservation, Education, Regional and National, Volunteer

Need for Public Comment: Deadline November 17th, 2023

Please consider filing comments in support of sustained ADA and public access. Public comments on the design plans are due by November 17th, 2023, before finalization in the spring. You are welcome to use our email template below and submit it to Sarah Beardsley at sarahb@bionom.com.

Background: Kilpatrick Bridge Update

  •  The County has funding to replace Kilpatrick Bridge. The bridge is structurally unsound
    and needs replacement – full details here: (Project Plans and Timeline).
  •  The County is seeking public comment on the project.
  • Construction of the new bridge is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2025.
  • The new bridge will be 108 ft by 28 ft, considerably larger than the existing structure.
  • This will allow for pedestrian flow on the bridge as one car passes through,
    increasing safety and ADA access.
  • The bridge will not have a center pylon in the stream, which will improve flow,
    and the abutments will be considerably larger.
  • Existing public access points to Silver Creek must be shifted, including the back access to the s-turns, and the duck blind.
  • The Save Silver Creek Alliance (SSCA) hopes to move the ADA access/fishing
    platform downstream.
  • The Nature Conservancy is committed to improving the backside float tube
    walk-in and duck blind access.
  • The existing parking area will get a new layout, and the bathroom will remain.
  • The working group involved in construction – TNC, SSCA, Blaine County, Keller
    Associates, and LHTAC – state they intend public access should remain available and
    accessible in a similar manner as it is now, with shifting entry points.

Email & Public Comment Template:

Subject: Public Access in Kilpatrick Bridge Redesign

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing as a concerned community member regarding the proposed redesign and replacement of the Kilpatrick Bridge.

While I understand the need for bridge improvements, please design those improvements
in an manner that preserves the existing or equivalent public access upstream and downstream of the bridge via footpaths and float tubes.

Maintaining established public access points to the waterway is crucial. All users of the Silver Creek Preserve and Pond rely on this access for recreational and professional reasons. Before construction begins or plans are finalized, please ensure access is preserved in a manner equal to or better than it currently is during and after bridge construction.

I appreciate your time and consideration in addressing these concerns before finalizing the construction plans. Please provide clarity on how public access will be preserved and consider alternatives that balance the bridge and it’s functionality with minimal environmental impact.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]

Spaulding Recipients 2023

By Education, Regional and National

2023 Spaulding Scholarship Recipients: Franco Ocampo and Gretel Huss

We chose two students to represent the Spaulding Scholarship for 2023. Each student will be eligible for $1000/year or $4000/four years.

We are so proud to honor Franco Ocampo, a first generation college student, graduating from Carey High School this year. Franco, who never received a grade lower than A – in four years of high school will be attending Idaho State University to study electrical engineering. He is the 2023 recipient of the “Dave Spaulding Memorial Scholarship” awarded by Trout Unlimited each year to a deserving Blaine County student. Franz grew up working alfalfa fields with his dad and credits both his mom and dad for teaching him the virtues of “hard work and honesty.” His teachers describe Franco as “humble, creative, focused and possessing integrity.” Felicidades Franco!

We are also pleased to present a $4,000 scholarship award to Gretel Huss, who will be attending Dartmouth this fall. A passionate outdoors woman who loves to kayak and backcountry ski, Gretel plans to major in applied mathematics and environmental studies. We can’t wait to hear how college goes! Congrats Gretel!

The Spaulding Scholarship is financially supported by the Trout Unlimited Hemingway Chapter as well as 65 individual and foundation donors. We look forward to growing the scholarship fund and supporting students in their college journey! If you are interested in supporting future and current students please CLICK HERE.

Empire Mine

By Conservation, Regional and National

Empire Mine update from Mike Gibson August 2022

Greetings Hemingway TUers,

The Empire Mine proposed for Mackay in 2021 is a significant development for all fishermen and residents who use and occupy the the Big Lost River and its valley.

Below is the best current analysis to date of the status of the proposed mine-reopening as well as a list of serious issues that must be weighed before the mining operations are permitted.

Please see below for an important and timely update on the Empire Mine in Mackay from our friends that are monitoring the issue. As of yet the Managing Agencies have not launched a public scoping process on the issue, but will keep you informed of any opportunities to comment when they occur.

Nicholas Miller
Hemingway Chapter President

To Our Concerned Friends of Mackay and The Big Lost River,

You have likely seen recent communications from Phoenix Copper in both the Idaho Statesman and Idaho Mountain Express. Both pieces are intended to appeal at the highest level to readers to support the clean energy transition with American minerals, copper especially, while also following the standards for public companies in the Environmental, Sustainability and Governance areas. These are very appropriate goals BUT they do not give companies the green light to mine in all places.

As you know, collectively our objective has been to follow Phoenix Copper diligently and ultimately to shape the Empire Mine project and follow-on mining to follow the highest standards to protect public lands, the Big Lost River valley, the town of Mackay and the Big Lost River itself. Community participation is essential to ensure that mine development considers all impacts to the environment, not just the company’s business plan.

In doing so, we find Pheonix Copper’s public facing information focused on current exploration efforts and securing additional mineral leases. But that information is often lacking and inconsistent with respect to mine financing, development, and operation. Our concerns are greatest in the following areas:

1. ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY – While likely the critical study for determination of mineral reserves, operations plans, and obtaining financing, this study has yet to be released to the public.

2. MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – A Konnex Resources (mine operator) local action committee was formed in March with membership skewed towards mine supporters. A monthly newsletter was also started. While touted as a source of community input, no meetings have been held since April and the newsletter has not been published since then. It is unclear whether these efforts will continue. While occasionally mentioning the importance of this project to the local community, it should be noted that Phoenix Copper is a London, England-based company with a Board of Directors that is almost exclusively non-US residents, chartered outside of the United States, and answering to shareholders that are not from Idaho.

3. WATER RESOURCES – Conflicting statements have been made about the quantity and source of water needed for mining operations.  While the Big Lost River water is fully allocated and the arid valley is extremely water limited, little outreach has been done with local stakeholders pertaining to current and possibly future water needs.

4. JOBS AND LOCAL/REGIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS – While the proposed Empire Mine site and processing operations are located literally on Mackay’s “back doorstep”, access is proposed through the center of town and processing is near and upslope from the Big Lost River. These issues have never been defined, even generally. Other issues like changes to the valley and the town of Mackay (roads, bridges, traffic and other infrastructure) are also not identified. Air quality issues from tailings dust and noise pollution from blasting, transportation, crushing, and processing have also received minimal disclosure thus far.

5. SITE REMEDIATION AND RECLAMATION – It is simply unknown at this time if Phoenix Copper will ultimately have the financial resources necessary to provide the cash bond for this mining project based on the accuracy of their estimates of future costs. There are many examples of mine failures where the State and local communities were ultimately required to bear that burden. The Zortman and Landusky mines in Montana, the Grouse Creek Mine near Stanley and the Triumph Mine in Blaine County are all relevant and ongoing cautionary examples.

The original Plan of Operations (PoO) for this project was filed in June 2021, but the BLM deemed that initial submission to be incomplete. As of early August 2022, Konnex has not yet filed a revised plan to the BLM to our knowledge. The BLM must have a complete PoO in hand prior to initiating the Environmental Impact Statement process (which will include public participation).

Thank you for your continued support and interest in the proposed Empire Mine and its potential adverse impact on the Big Lost River Valley, town of Mackay, and the Big Lost River.

Regards,

Josh Johnson (ICL), Michael Gibson (TU), and concerned citizens Joe Chlebowski, Terry Ring, and Mark Ullman

 

If you have questions or comments please reach out to nickpmiller2011@gmail.com or michael.gibson@tu.org

*Photo from Idaho Conservation League: looking from behind the mine towards the town of Mackay

International Fly Fishing Film Festival 2022!

By Volunteer

International Fly Fishing Film Festival 2022!

Friday, May 20, 2022  at the Argyros Theater in Ketchum, Idaho.  (There will not be a virtual showing.)

Click here for the sizzle reel

Doors Open at 5:30
Movie is at 7:00

Come early to purchase raffle tickets for your chance to win great fly fishing gear!

Bar Available

Buy your ticket in one of the following ways:

1. Click HERE
 to purchase from the Argyros website

2. Scan the QR code below 

3. Walk into the Argyros Theater or call (208) 726-7872

ERC Clean Sweep

By Regional and National, Volunteer, volunteer opportunities

ERC CLEAN SWEEP

Come join the trash pick up party! 

Join the Environmental Resource Center (ERC) for our annual community-wide trash pick-up! 

Early registration is available at the ERC office 9:00AM- 5:00PM

Monday, May 2nd through Friday, May 6th

May 7th, 2022- event registration starting at 9:00AM

  • ERC office (471 Washington Ave., Ketchum)-please come to this location to join the Hemingway Trout Unlimited team!
  • Hop Porter Park (by the arch, Hailey)
  • Memorial Park (between Cedar & Elm, Bellevue)

There are prizes for individuals and team trash pick-ups. 

For more information visit the ERC website or call 208-726-4333

Follow @hemingway_tu and @ERCSunValley

 

 

 

Hemingway TU Chapter Meetings

By Volunteer

May 4th: Doors open at 5PM at the Argyros Theater in Ketchum

Daniel Ritz’s Western Native Trout In Western Public Waters’ Presentation

Title: Western Native Trout in Western Public Waters Length

Summary: Daniel Ritz takes us on a journey around the West, sharing his experience completing the Western Native Trout Challenge over the summer of 2021. Over the course of his trip, Ritz completed a 40-part series for Trout Unlimited’s digital magazine sharing his experience pursuing each of the 20 available native species of the Western 12 states over a 6-month period.

States Included: Arizona, Alaska, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana

Species Included: Apache trout, Dolly Varden, Alaskan Lake trout, Arctic Char, Alaskan Rainbow trout, Arctic Grayling, Colorado River cutthroat trout, Bonneville cutthroat trout, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Gila trout, Lahontan cutthroat trout, California Golden trout, Kern River rainbow trout, Little Kern Golden trout, Redband trout, Coastal cutthroat trout, Bull trout, Westslope cutthroat trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Eagle Lake rainbow trout

About Daniel Ritz, 33, is an outdoor journalist and writer based in Boise, Idaho. The former editor of the Dana Point Times has had his work published by Trout Unlimited, Orvis, Western Native Trout Initiative, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers,Outdoor Idaho Magazine, Alaska Sporting Journal, Fish Alaska Magazine and Visit Idaho: Idaho Department of Tourism.

His editorial focus is contemporary issues regarding conservation, the environment, outdoor recreation and legislation.

Most recently, Ritz created a 40-part series sharing the experience of his Western Native Trout Challenge that was published by Trout Unlimited, Orvis and Western Native Trout Initiative and Montana Fly Company. In it, he wrote personal experience based essays and natural history and science based “Species Profiles” for each of the 20 available native trout and char species of the Western 12 states of the United States.

Ritz is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the Idaho Wildlife Federation and volunteers as the communications coordinator for the Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Ritz graduated in 2009 from Salisbury University on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with Bachelor’s Degrees in Journalism and Philosophy. He resides in Boise with his partner Holly, their Wirehaired Pointing Griffon named Trout and an oversized cat named Julio.

Survey of the Lower Big Lost River 2021

By Conservation

Big Lost River Tailwater: Fish Population Estimates

In early April of this year, we conducted our seventh population estimate to survey the fish populations in the tailwater of the Big Lost River, where we caught 1,012 Rainbow Trout in the survey.  We are most interested in gathering data on the Rainbow Trout and Mountain Whitefish populations in this portion of the river.  Referring to the figure below, abundances of both species are increasing compared to our last surveys conducted in 2018.  Rainbow Trout abundance has increased 26% and Mountain Whitefish abundance has increased 57%.

Read the full article here: https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2021/04/big-lost-river-tailwater-fish-population-estimates

Fish Rescue Program

By Education, Regional and National, volunteer opportunities

Every year thousands of trout and other fish species inhabiting the Big Wood River migrate into irrigation diversions and canals never to return to the river. At the end of each irrigation season when the water flows are shut off, the fish become trapped and perish. We try to relocate as many as possible and in areas that our permit will allow with the help of volunteers and other NGO’s. This is a cornerstone initiative of TUH’s and one that we look forward to each year. 

In 2021 we rescued 23,00 fish, in 2022 we rescued 15,000 fish. 

If you want to know more about this program please go to our website http://hemingwaytu.org.

The Rescues often occur with little notification resulting in times and locations changing at the last minute.

If you would like to volunteer for this meaningful and fun program please email me a apilgram@cox.net with your email address and phone number. I will put you in a list that gets contacted when we do the rescues. I look forward to hearing from those of you who are interested.

Ed Northen: apilgram@cox.net, mobile: 949-246-9372

 

Past Projects

By Conservation

Lake Creek Project

Lake Creek Lake sits in a beautiful setting and is one of the places families in the community gather to teach their children about fishing.  There is little stream habitat below the lake  in which fish can hold and survive.  This project was done enhance the stream to provide better habitat for trout to live in.

Volunteers and Staff from TU and the US Forest Service performed a stream enhancement project on Lake Creek this October 2015.  The enhancement  consisted of adding large woody debris in-stream to add fish habitat and assist with stream hydraulics.  Volunteers moved log sections, secured them in-stream, and performed additional riparian enhancement work in 2014.  In 2015 phase 2, took place over three days.   Volunteers planted a variety of stream side vegetation that will provide, shade, habitat and stabilization to the habitat.  Lots of digging through rocky soils presented a challenge but the volunteers were undaunted.

Restoration of this area may continue in the future.  We will evaluate the impact of work completed in a few years to see if more restoration is viable.