Sandy River Chapter Nominates Still Creek for Wild & Scenic Status in Draft Bill

March 24, 2021

Sandy River Chapter Nominates Still Creek for Wild & Scenic Status in Draft Bill

Last year, over 2,500 Oregonians submitted river and stream nominations for inclusion in Senators Wyden and Merkeley’s River Democracy Act, which is intended to add about 4,700 river miles to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Co-President of the Sandy River Chapter Greg Reed and Board Member Norm Ritchie advocated for the inclusion of Still Creek, a tributary of the Zig Zag River in the Sandy River Basin, and succeeded in adding it to the list of streams in the bill.

January 27, 2021

How to Fish Responsibly: 22 Tips for Minimizing Harm to Fish and their Habitats

Oregon’s North Coast steelhead returns were below “critical abundance” thresholds in 2018 and 2019, and though 2020 returns increased some, the long-term decline is concerning. The threshold is defined by ODFW as the point at which “the conservation of the population could be in jeopardy if the downward trend continues.” We must each do our part to ensure the protection of North Coast steelhead. Read our tips for responsible angling!

January 15, 2021

VICTORY: Two-rod Endorsement Approved for Spring through Summer on Lower Willamette River

December 30, 2020

Leaky Waders? Don’t Toss Them! 6 Tips For Repurposing Old Waders

Most of us have been there. After using a pair of neoprene waders for several years, they reach a point that no matter what you do to try to patch them, they still leak. You finally get tired of wet pants and invest in a new pair. So what happens to the old leaky pair? Most probably end up in a landfill where they will likely stay intact till the end of time. But given the fact that this material is so durable and elastic, old waders can be recycled into a host of useful and durable items.

November 11, 2020

Steelheaders Take Veterans Fishing Across 130miles of the Columbia River

Since 2012, the Columbia River Chapter’s biggest and most anticipated event of the year has been the Annual Veteran’s Fishing Event, hosted in partnership with The Fallen Outdoors. The Columbia River Chapter strives to get veterans on the water to fish and foster new friendships, and in spite of the curveball(s) 2020 threw our way, we were determined to continue that work this year. After everything veterans have done for us, it’s the least we could do for them.

October 13, 2020

Our Fishing Heritage is at Risk: Will Our Grandchildren Catch Salmon in the Columbia River Basin?

“The Columbia River is the heart and soul of Oregon, it just is. It pumps through Oregon like the blood in your veins,” said Stevie Parsons, a long-time member, active volunteer, and National Wildlife Federation board member. Many of us throughout the northwest share the sentiment. I spoke to a few of our members to hear about their experiences fishing in the Columbia River Basin.Ultimately, all of their stories centered around one shared concern: whether the fish would persist long enough for future generations to be able to share their experiences.

September 24, 2020

How Stevie Parsons Became a Fisherwoman and How You Can Too

Stevie Parsons, like many women, did not grow up fishing. “In my family, the boys did the fishing and the hunting,” she said. Now, Stevie is an avid angler and conservation advocate. She has been volunteering with Northwest Steelheaders for seven years and is a past member of our Board of Directors. It was well into adulthood that she developed an interest in the sport.

September 21, 2020

Steelheaders Launch Oregon Hatchery Recovery Fund in Wake of Devastating Wildfires

Today, we launched the Oregon Hatchery Recovery Fund to support rebuilding projects at hatchery facilities that sustained significant damage in Oregon’s recent wildfires. The fires leveled Rock Creek hatchery and severely damaged Klamath and Leaburg hatcheries. While ODFW staff were able to release or transfer millions of fish, hundreds of thousands perished. As ODFW transitions from emergency response to recovery planning, we will use this dedicated fund to help pay for the infrastructure projects necessary to get these facilities operating again.