Wes and a number of others on the board are touching on an area that most of us also are realizing....there is getting less room for fish.
I kind of grinned to myself when Wes mentioned that Bend is reaching 55,000 in population. An announcement by Newhall Land Company was recently made that they were going to develop a planned community of 50,000 next to nearby Piru Creek, which also happens to be one of the only Wild Trout Streams in Southern California.
On a more positive note, we just got the funding to go ahead with the removal of Matilija Dam for Steelhead Recovery in Ventura County near Ojai. This will be the largest dam within the US to be dismantled . Thus far, all trout fishing has been eliminated, in our local waters since trout plants have been discontinued to protect the Steelhead genepool. The remaining Steelhead which may or may not be residing in our local waters, are off-limits due to it's "Endangered Species" Classification.
So, we Californians drive 700 miles round-trip to our favorite flyfishing waters of the Eastern Sierras. If I desire to get away from the 30 trucks parked at my favorite spots, I need to backpack about 15 miles into the interior. That's how I find room to fish.
Steve Schalla
