For all steelhead and salmon lovers......

[midger]

This is a very interesting movie about the early days of flyfishing for steelhead and salmon in Northern California. If we think the waters are crowded now, they were really crowded in the fifties on rivers like the Eel and Smith.

This movie is 1hour 26 minutes long, but if you've never seen it, it's worth the effort to see what the "good old days" were like, and what impacted/caused the change in the fisheries. The only thing I found troubling was the lack of enviro-sense the early anglers possessed. I guess if you assume the resource will be there forever you aren't as concerned about the resource. I also found it interesting how when an article went into a magazine or a book was written about the fabulous fishing, the regulars were shocked when the hoards descended upon the rivers written about. Some things never change.

The movie is RIVERS OF THE LOST COAST

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/rivers_of_a_lost_coast_standard_edition

[BrownBear]

The only thing I found troubling was the lack of enviro-sense the early anglers possessed.

Yeah, I started fishing the area in the early 1960's, moved there and fished hard late in the 60's through the mid-70's. Got to see both the peak and the decline. Only fish released were those deemed "too small" when there was a derby on, especially the Smith king derby.

All that fish killing had less impact than the habitat degradation upstream and decline in ocean survival, however. By the time I left, whole runs would silt in after a single winter storm. And once the rivers muddied up after the first fall storm, many of them NEVER cleared until low water the following spring. Some of the nastiest watershed conditions in history, exceeded only by what was happening to watersheds in British Columbia. The Smith and Trinity were the only watersheds that were somewhat immune because they did manage to clear some after storms.

Kept close track of the Eel, Van Duzen and Mad (both fishing and working) when I lived there, and all winter the visibility would never get above 2 feet! Most of the time it was less than a foot, unless there was a long spell between storms. Spawning gravels were so filled in and compacted, salmon and steelhead couldn't spawn if they were given jackhammers. I monitored small spawning tribs far upriver, and with the logging they clogged with slash to form impassable barriers to spawning adults, while water temperatures could easily top 80 degrees midsummer due to lack of canopy. Poached fry anyone?

[WestlakeDave]

This movie is 1hour 26 minutes long, but if you've never seen it, it's worth the effort to see what the "good old days" were like, and what impacted/caused the change in the fisheries.

Thanks Mike! And even if you have seen it, it's still worth the hour and a half! Great flick!
Dave.

[briansII]

I have the DVD, but watched it again on the snagfilm site last week. Very good movie, but depressing.

Thanks for the insight Brown Bear. There must be some great memories of that time.

briansII

[BrownBear]

There must be some great memories of that time.

Oh yeah. I'm still using the lessons learned from the geezers I fished with back then. Casting, fishing, fish fighting, and occasional fist fighting, and always a few beers at the end of the day. One thing you learned quick, those grizzly old loggers might be packing a gut, but they learned how to brawl before you were born!

Actually very few brawls, but always a little wrestling around and a punch-out. Punch-outs were when you took turns hitting each other in the gut, with the one who doubled over the loser, kind of a round robin match. Saw guys take punches that lifted their feet off the ground, and they'd smile and point out that now it was their turn!

[midger]

It was interesting hearing the flyfishers talk about Bill Schaadt and Ted Lindner--two of the early steelhead/salmon fishers with the long rod. Obviously they had different approaches to their fishing and personalities that eventually clashed even though they were friends at first. After hearing the differences in this film, I'd be more in Ted's camp. Schaadt may have been good with the rod but his techniques and eccentricities would have driven me crazy, I think. It would've been nice to talk to them firsthand though.

[silverlaker]

I agree - great movie. Absolutely worth checking out. I was drawn to watching it initially because I'd heard so many stories about the rivers and the characters from my father in law who was a steelhead maniac during that time. Funny, he ended up moving north 30 yrs ago and fishing the rivers around the border. Thanks brown bear for the additional insight.

[Jimbo Roberts]

The line about visiting the river to remember what it once was like and reminded them of visiting a graveyard, it almost makes me want to cry. To think of the resource that was once there, was taken for granted, and then destroyed by those in search of the great dollar with no forethought, that's heartbreaking.
It takes a 1000 times the effort to rebuild something than maintain it.

Jimbo

[BradW]

Thanks Mike,
Amazing documentary. It definitely brings a tear to my eyes to think what we did to the salmon and steelhead along the coast.
Brad

[meb]

I, too, have that DVD, but I haven't watched it for awhile, kind of depressing. Hopefully some of the rivers are getting back into shape.

MB