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The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

Removing the Snake River Dams, with Chris Wood

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Podcast

James Hathaway

Bass, Fishing, Bonefish, Wilderness, Flyfishing, Trout, How To, Steelhead, Bluegill, Fly, Orvis, Sports, Salmon, Panfish, Education, Rosenbauer

4.81.9K Ratings

🗓️ 17 December 2021

⏱️ 97 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As part of Trout Unlimited's weeklong emphasis on the Snake River salmon and steelhead restoration plan, my guest this week is Chris Wood [50:25], president and CEO of Trout Unlimited. Our topic is the plan to remove four dams on the lower Snake River, a monumental project that offers great benefit to this river's historic anadromous fishery, which has been in great decline over the past 50 years. When I first heard of this, I thought it would be a pipedream to even think of removing these dams that supply hydropower, transportation, and irrigation. But Chris has convinced me that those beneficial uses can now be replaced with alternative means, and there is a real possibility of seeing these dams removed in our lifetime. Hopefully, he'll convince you as well.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some great questions and tips shared by listeners, including:

How can I land large trout on tiny size 22 nymphs?

What can I do to move a big fish that sulks on the bottom?

Can you share a few of your DIY hacks for your fly-tying desk?

A tip from a listener never to buy or tie just one of a particular pattern.

Can I use an old Battenkill 3 reel on my new Clearwater 10-foot 3-weight for Euro nymphing?

If you hook a fish deep in the mouth, is it OK to leave the fly in the fish?

What is the best way to fish a dry fly directly downstream?

Are there special casts I can use? Why did the brown trout in my stream disappear around the middle of October?

Why do trout eat my nymphs after they have been hanging below me for 10 seconds?

What is a formula for a 15- or 18-foot knotted leader?

If I see creek chubs in a pool, should I expect brook trout will be there as well?

What is Tom's opinion on the practice of stocking cutthroat trout in eastern rivers?

A tip for keeping Sink Putty from sliding up your leader.

What are Tom's thoughts on what social media has done to fly fishing?

What are some techniques for catching trout that live in undercut banks?

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hi, and welcome to the Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast.

0:14.3

This is your host, Tom Rosenbauer, and my guest this week is Chris Wood, who is president

0:20.6

and CEO of Trout Unlimited, and Chris is going to be telling me about a monumental conservation

0:30.5

project, which is the potential removal of four dams on the Lower Snake River in Idaho.

0:40.0

It's a groundbreaking project, and it has many facets and many issues surrounding it, but

0:48.6

Chris does a really good job of explaining the potential for this project, and I hope

0:54.1

you enjoy that.

0:56.0

But first, let's talk about fishing.

1:00.0

I'm going to try to answer some questions in the fly box.

1:03.6

And if you have a question for the fly box, you can send it to me at podcastatorvis.com.

1:10.1

You can either just include your question in the body of an email, or you can attach a

1:18.0

voice file if you want.

1:19.6

Please try to keep your voice file questions and comments under two minutes, if you can.

1:26.3

Thanks.

1:27.3

Anyway, let's get on to the fly box.

1:32.2

First question is an email from Mike from California.

1:37.0

I never figured I'd be the one writing in, but I haven't heard this question before,

1:42.1

although I certainly could have missed it.

1:44.0

I'm from Northern California, and live fairly close to a heavily fished tailwater.

1:48.9

Tailwater is known for finicky fish, lots of pressure, and also for the chance it's

1:52.5

some really large trout.

1:53.8

While there's some mayfly hatches in a few catties, this fishery, like most tailwaters,

...

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