2008 Kids Free Fishing Derby!:  This year's Kids Fishing Derby was another raging success!  Over 2000 kids turned out to have a chance at catching over 7000 fish provided by the national Lahontan Cutthroat Fish Hatchery, state of Nevada Mason Valley hatchery and American Trout and Salmon hatchery in Susanville, CA..

7 Winners were awarded fishing poles, tackle boxes, nets and other prizes for their big catches and kids also had a chance at catching over 300 specially tagged fish that resulted in prizes and fishing equipment.

A special thanks goes out to the 300 volunteers who participated again this year!  The Derby would not be the success that it is without their help!

Congratulations to all the participants, winners and fishers alike!  We hope to see you all again next year!

And from the YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! department....:
NOAA, the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration is proposing a rule to require Saltwater Angler Registration before fishing in federal waters in 2009.

The rule would also require registration by those who may catch anadromous species anywhere, including striped bass, salmon and shad that spawn in rivers and streams and spend their adult lives in estuaries and the ocean.

Fisherman would be required to be registered annually and NOAA will not charge a registration fee for the first two years.  Begining in 2011 however the fee is estimated to be in the $15.00 to $25.00 range.

The effort appears to be aimed at States that do not currently offer a saltwater license and cannot provide sufficiently complete information on recreational angling activities off their coast. 

I guess our take on the issue is a little more critical.  It seems that once you get the feds in on something there's no way you're going to get them out.  You can read up on more of the proposal here: NOAA saltwater angler registration

UPDATE!
Paiute Paradigm?:  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that their efforts to complete the court ordered Environmental Impact Study on Silver King Creek has been delayed. Unforeseen studies as well as additional studies and documents required for the State of California has created funding issues for the project.  The Service reports that the work will not be completed in time to poison the stream in the fall of the 2008 season, however they are holding out hope to complete their work and poison the stream in 2009.

 While the goal of the project for the Service is to restore the Paiute to its questionably "native range" it is not to restore what is currently a phenomenal wild trout fishery. Comments and questions can be addressed to:

Chad Mellison
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1340 Financial Blvd. #234
Reno, NV 89502
775-861-6300

So we've been given another season's reprieve on Silver King Creek!  If you've never fished this area it is well worth the 3 1/2 mile hike into the canyon and you should make it a destination THIS season.  If the hike in and out concerns you, you can always contact Joe Cereghino of Little Antelope Pack Station at 775-315-6222 to make arrangements to be taken in and out on horseback.  You can also visit the Little Antelope Pack Station on the web at http://www.littleantelopepackstation.com.  Be sure and tell them The Angler's Edge sent you!

SEE THE NEW UPDATE BELOW!
East Walker River Oil Spill Restoration PUBLIC COMMENT IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED!!:  The East Walker River Trustee Council that was established after the December 30, 2000 oil spill that occurred when a tanker truck over turned on CA State Route 182, has released a Draft Restoration Plan to restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of the injured natural resources along the river.  A copy of the draft plan is available here (ewr-oil-spill-rp_ea_public_draft_Deleted_Appendix_A.pdf)  (Please note that this copy has a deleted Appendix A which is a Memorandum of Understanding between the entities that form the Trustee Council.  The original Appendix A is a scanned document and makes for a 12 meg download!  A full version including Appendix A is available here: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ospr/spill/nrda/ewr-oil-spill-rp_ea_public_draft.pdf.)

Concerned East Walker River fisherman should pay particular attention to section 6.2.2 Non-Native Fish Removal.  While the appendices' projects do not specify any non-native fish removal for the East Walker and only describe efforts to currently be pursued on Slinkard Creek, the plan does mention that up to two waters per year could be treated.

Additionally anyone involved as a "Stakeholder" with the USFWS efforts to restore and rehabilitate LCT's should be concerned that the notification for this draft plan was only sent to the Reno Gazette Journal, Inyo Register and the Mason Valley News.  It appears that no effort was put forth to notify the various clubs and organizations who are even mentioned in the report and have taken an active part in what happens to the Eastern Sierra fisheries.  Poor form on the Trustees part in our opinion.

The original comment period for this draft plan closed on April 14th however due to our discovery of this by stumbling around the internet the Trustee Council has agreed to accepting further comments until May 16th.  Comments and questions should be directed to:

Damian K. Higgins
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 8
2800 Cottage Way, STE W-2606
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-414-6548

NEW UPDATE!  The USFWS now reports that the new draft recovery plan will be released on August 1st and will include a 45 day public comment period.  An "Open House" describing the proposed projects is scheduled for August 20th at the Walker Community Center.  The time for the open house is still to be determined.  As soon as we receive the revised draft recovery plan we'll get it posted here.

UPDATE!
East Carson River:  The U.S. Forest Service has adopted a strategic management plan for the East Carson River from it's headwaters in the Iceberg Wilderness Forest in Alpine County, CA all the way to Ruhenstroth Dam in Gardnerville, NV.  A copy of the Forest Service "East Carson Strategy" in .pdf format can be downloaded by clicking here (East_Carson_River Strategy.pdf ). 

While the river has not received a specific "Wild & Scenic" designation it appears that a good section of the river will be managed as such.  Questions and comments concerning the management plan should be directed to:

David Loomis
Sierra Zone Environmental Planner
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
1536 S. Carson St. Carson City, NV 89701
775 884 8132


Got News?:  Have you got news that you think should be posted by "The Edge"?  Drop us a line and submit your story!  (Come on Tom We'll watch for your goofy e-mail address from now on!)