Coastal Cutthroat Coalition

Coastal Cutthroat, the role of the Coalition and the road ahead.

We first heard about the Coastal Cutthroat Coalition back in January when we met James Losee, fish biologist for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. James has the energy of 10 kids on Halloween and he pours all of it into family, surfing and fish science. He told us about how WDFW and volunteers have been tagging Cutthroat around the Puget Sound to track and collect invaluable data to improve our understanding of Coastal Cutthroat. Losee went on to tell us about the public's formation of the Coalition as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds in order to sustain these types of projects. 

Ever since that conversation, we've been trying to figure out how we can help! Coastal Cutthroat have captured the hearts of many but very little is known about their environmental needs and uniqueness, such as life history, anadromous, resident or a combination of the two. We felt the Coalition could be an opportunity to do the right thing from the start by taking action to understand & monitor these fish for future generations.  

But we're not fish experts, and we just started fly fishing 9 months ago, so head on over to the Coalition page for greater insight into the science and data.

In the meantime we would love to have you join us for our Fly Swap on September 15th, to raise awareness and funds for the Coalition.

The information gathered from this project will also help biologists define annual abundance, evaluate management plans, ensure the long term stability of the Coastal Cutthroat Trout population throughout the Northwest, and maintain sustainable fishing opportunity.

This video by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife goes over tips and techniques to improve success at catching sea-run coastal cutthroat trout in marine waters by flyfishing. Catch-and-release fishing and safe handing techniques were also provided to help anglers release fish unharmed, as was work being done by WDFW to better understand this native fish.

Fun Fact: We Dears first dipped our toes into fly fishing by fishing for Coastal Cutthroat. We love (trying to) catch these wild fish!

Photos provided by Coastal Cutthroat Coalition, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Richard Malzahn, Ryan Lothrop, & The Roving Dears.

Powder Practice

Day One, Sixteen Inches of Powder

|  Mt. Hood Meadows, OR

Like newborn lambs our knees were a shakin' as we hit our first run of the season. With 16" of fresh powder the stoke was high! FRESHIES ALL DAMN DAY.  

Crammed like sardines into a 10x15 cabin we woke at the crack of dawn and hit the hill. A lot was riding on this day. Pride. Joy. Pain. Practice. Our upcoming backcountry trip to a yurt on the Montana/Idaho border meant sink or ski and we couldn't let each other down. Neither blizzards nor bourbon could take us from those powdery slopes!

La troupe!

A little warm-ya-up pit stop in the powdery pillows and folds. 

Practice wouldn't make perfect, but it was definitely gonna help.

Arriving back at the car, our scientific snowfall measuring device (empty beer can), was buried deep in powder. With a full day under our belt and bruises slowly blooming, we felt good and ready for a long cat nap. Tomorrow would be another day, bring it!

More Mustard, Less Beer

Backcountry ski adventure into a yurt on Idaho and Montana's stateline

|  Stateline Yurt, MT/ID boarder

There's no such thing as packing too much beer, #amiright? WRONG! 

The slow road, where there are actually no roads at all. 

Mary and Jane break the mold as kitten mittens. They are troopers.

The place you fall is always the most convenient place for a group break.

Hollow trees and empty threats. 'Wood' he really dare to get snow down your neck?

Finally. Finally. Finally. There. Nailed it. Earned it!

You can work up the BIGGEST appetite when playing outdoors.

The longest trail can lead you home. We decided to make the long trek out of the backcountry to reunite with friends and family at Lost Trail Powder Mountain. 

 Damn,  if that smile isn't related!

Fail. Fail. Fail. Flourish? We believe that failure is a symptom of learning. And learning is a component of flourishing. But sometimes you just fall. A lot. 

Lumieres do not like the cold. Let's go back inside!

Bluebird mornings. 

We never had a cross word. We encouraged each other when we fell and we goofed off in spectacular ways!

Just the dawn of powder days. Avalanche training. Champagne hot tub parties! 

More will follow.....

Fort Flagler Coho

Puget Sound Coho Salmon, 8 wt and all that jazz

|  Fort Flagler, WA

4am. Wake-up. Gather your gear. Aeropress the coffee, mug up! There was no time to waste with 2 hours to sunrise, our window for fishing those Coho was governed by the early morning tides.  

On the road with tunes a-blarin' and miles to go, we couldn't wait to get there: Fort Flagler on the Northern tip of the Olympic peninsula of Puget Sound.

Pulling up, we saw the clouds making way for an epic crystal day. Get ye to the beach!

There's a gravity when you arrive somewhere at dawn.  A weightless feeling in your gut as you launch into that brand new day. You're there as a witness but will mutually shape the course. Make it a great one!

It's all about the fishing...and relaxing and snacking and beersing and cheersing! 

 

 

Word to your mother. No, but seriously. How amazing are these fish?!

Judgement wanes as we search for objects to practice our juggling; knives are not advisable!

Stomachs were growling as the sun set and we headed back to basecamp. It's all hands on deck as we prepped to celebrate a bountiful day.

It's just SO early...

Sometimes you just need to crack the champagne and serve up some beach mimosas! 

You. Yes, you are a champion. We believe in you. 

Blame it on the sunshine. Nobody could help but crack a smile on a day like that!

That sunny, brisk, Coho weekend forged new friendships. Rods were bent and bread was broken. Smooth beach pebbles decorate our homes as cornerstone reminders of a foundational weekend. 

It's the moment you leave it all behind, that it all comes together.  

8-Weight

A Steelhead-kinda Saturday

|  Sandy River, OR

We try to get the heck out of dodge come the weekend, even if it's just for a short jaunt outside of Portland. Sticking close to home for the weekend, we decided a day-trip was in order and headed out to the Sandy River to sling for Steelhead. While there wasn't a single fishy nibble, we still caught some spring fever with a little casting, slinging, singing and soaking up of that rare February sunshine.

Pick your trail and find your way. There's no wrong direction if the purpose is to explore!

Dipping our toes into the strong Sandy river currents! Laura is seasoned at fording rivers from spending her summers working in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho, counting fish populations.

Tangled up in blue. Rebecca was a flying fish in another life, so it only makes sense that she now loves to fly fish.

That calm steely stare. Kd explores at the pace of a river and is an equal force to be reckoned with. 

Layin' it all out on the line. That moment when it all comes together for the perfect cast. 

We like to stand and stare at water a lot. There's a magic in knowing something so vast is the cradle for so much life. We exist because these rivers exist. Hidden and mysterious life is suspended in those waters which are the major thoroughfares for our treasured Steelhead. We are grateful, and a cold beer sure does make it all more enjoyable!