At the turn of the century, the industrial revolution ran like a wildfire up and down the west coast leaving ecosystems in tatters and the once iconic salmon runs a mere shadow of their former selves. Dams were erected, forests were chopped down, mines constructed, and irrigation diversions all sapped the once vibrant salmon rearing grounds of what was needed to sustain their populations.

The Olympic peninsula, in all its grandeur, is the gem of the Pacific Northwest. The peninsula is home to a diverse ecosystem that drives the peoples people that call it home and the waters that bless its coast.

The swirling eddies at the end of every long rip rap wall was where the slab smallies ambushed their prey. Wham, any good cast thru the lazy water would result in a slashing strike from one of these predators. The dog days of June when temperatures spiked into the high 90s was prime time.

Ever since dead whitefish began sloshing up on the shores of the mighty Yellowstone River, a lot of ink has been spilled over the status of this most iconic of rivers.

Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) are the most widespread native trout in the park and were the dominant fish species here prior to Euroamerican settlement. They are an important species in Yellowstone National Park, upon which many other species depend.

Bull trout are a char native to the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Bull trout exhibit one of the most complex life history strategies of the Pacific salmonids. This species exhibits four different life history strategies. These strategies include a non-migratory or resident bull trout form, a riverine or fluvial bull trout form, a lacustrine or adfluvial bull trout form and a rare marine or amphidromous/anadromous form.