The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

bt45,

What I really want is for my son to be able to catch steelhead after school, not once or twice a year on a family vacation.

I have never been to the Trinity, but I hear it's crowded. The problem is that the Trinity is the only game in town.

I think we need to look at the big picture.

Politicians take action when they know that something is important to large numbers of constituents. If large numbers of fishermen let it be known that native fish populations, water quality and habitat were important to them, you'd see some action in places like the San Lorenzo River, Alameda Creek, The Carmel River etc. If the coastal creeks, rivers and their tributaries became quality fisheries, nobody would drive to the Trinity, they'd fish in their own neighborhoods. Who is going to put the political pressure on? You guessed it, fishermen. More precisely, fishermen in large numbers.

I can draw a paralel to another sport I'm familiar with - surfing. When there's a good swell, people spread out, they don't surf at Steamer Lane or the Hook, they spread up and down the coast and everybody has more space.

Good luck with the vomiting. Don't forget to brush your teeth afterwords.