Research indicates that special soil mixes containing sand, coconut fiber, and biochar can effectively filter out a lethal chemical called 6PPD-quinone found in tire dust that contributes to coho salmon mortality. (Photo courtesy of the BLM)
May 13, 2025
By Lynn Burkhead, OSG Senior Digital Editor
From bedding bluegills on the Flower Moon full moon to tarpon laid up in the Florida Keys to big Mother’s Day caddis hatches out west in the Rockies, there’s much to be excited about in the month of May.
There’s also plenty of fly fishing news right now, and not all of it is good as political winds swirl and unpopular decision cloud the future. Expect a report on that shortly.
In the meantime, here’s the latest round of Fly Fisherman News Briefs:
"Mic-Drop Moment" for Coho Salmon? King County (Washington) scientists have achieved a potential breakthrough in protecting coho salmon from toxic tire dust, a major threat in urban streams. Their research indicates that special soil mixes containing sand, coconut fiber, and biochar can effectively filter out a lethal chemical called 6PPD-quinone found in tire dust.
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“For decades, observers had watched in agony as adult coho salmon mysteriously gasped at the surface of urban waters before dying,” said an article that appeared on phys.org .
Lab tests showed that these soil mixes dramatically increased the survival rate of juvenile coho salmon exposed to polluted stormwater, jumping from less than around 40% to 100%. Field tests are underway to confirm these findings, with hopes of implementing this solution in stormwater treatment projects by 2027 or 2028.
"To me, this is just like a mic-drop moment," said county science section manager Josh Latterell. "If you had a time machine and took this back 25 years to when people first started looking into prespawn mortality, they would be dancing in the streets to see this."
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Save Wild Trout Absorbs BHRF There's big news involving Save Wild Trout (SWT) and the Big Hole River Foundation (BHRF) as the organizations join forces, an exciting merger that will allow for continued expansion of the BHRF's well-respected water-quality-monitoring program on the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby and Jefferson rivers.
The merger of Save Wild Trout and the Big Hole River Foundation will allow for continued expansion of a well-respected water-quality-monitoring program on the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby and Jefferson rivers. (Josh Bergan photo) As readers of Fly Fisherman might remember, amid a cascade of ongoing environmental problems in recent years, much blood, sweat, tears, money and rhetoric has been aimed at the long-term health of the streams in the Jefferson River Basin . This absorption of BHRF by SWT looks to streamline resources and work to help the "Preserving Paradise" recovery continues on the Jefferson River, the Beaverhead, the Big Hole, and the Ruby rivers.
Also making headlines is the news release announcement that as of May 1, Brian Wheeler has been hired as the new full-time campaign director for SWT, taking the place of Wade Fellin.
"I'm passing the baton because the challenges facing our rivers today demand full-time leadership and focus," said Fellin, former Program Director for SWT . "We couldn't be more excited for Brian to step up to fill this role. He brings the experience, the relationships, the framework, and the vision needed to guide Save Wild Trout into its next chapter."
"Over the past six years, BHRF built one of the most credible citizen-science water quality monitoring programs in Montana," said Wheeler of his new role and the merger of the two organizations. "As the value of this project continues to increase, we saw the need to expand what we've built to the entire Jefferson Basin. Save Wild Trout shares the same commitment to science, community partnerships, and stewardship for our prized water resources as BHRF, and provides the best opportunity to broaden this monitoring effort in a meaningful way. I look forward to this new challenge, and to continue working to protect the rivers we all love and depend upon."
There is certainly more critical work ahead for SWT in the summer days lying ahead and the goal is always to protect and advocate for Montana's wild trout fisheries, some of the best in the world. As Wheeler takes the lead, the organization indicates that it remains committed to science-driven restoration work and advocating for common sense rules and protections for rivers and their wild trout.
The Inaugural Lagoonigan Fishing Tournament The first ever Lagoonigan Fishing Tournament will go to benefit the Marine Discovery Center in Mosquito Lagoon, helping to bring about conservation initiatives focused on habitat restoration efforts and youth educational programs targeting anglers now and into the future. The Mosquito Lagoon is one of Florida's more storied fisheries, home to tarpon, snook, redfish , and spotted seatrout .
But as of late, the fishery near Titusville, Florida has been in a bit of a bind . While still holding to a raw, wild beauty featuring some fair fishing opportunities, the old days of abundance have dwindled down and the fabled spot has seen some better days. It's the same song sung in other Florida fishing hotspots, the complexity of population growth, urban development, habitat degradation, lesser water quality, and other issues .
Put simply, the Mosquito Lagoon is in need of help, the kind that brings passionate advocacy, an influx of money and time, and of course, cutting edge science that helps something as old as time remain vibrant and robust in the 21st Century .
That's where the Titusville headquartered Bajio Sunglasses steps in, getting ready to host a unique one-day fishing tournament with fly tackle and conventional gear, the first ever Lagoonigan, a tournament for a watery cause where all proceeds will go to benefit the Marine Discovery Center in the Lagoon, helping to bring about conservation initiatives focused on habitat restoration efforts and youth educational programs targeting anglers now and into the future.
The tournament is simple–artificial only, both fly and conventional. Teams of up to three anglers can enter at $150 per team and the tournament boundaries are from the Mosquito/Indian River Lagoon from the South Causeway to the Max Brewer Bridge. Ticket sales began in March and continue to Friday, June 13, a date when the event's Captains Meeting will occur at Bajio headquarters from 6-8 p.m.
The following day, on Saturday, June 14, lines can go in at 6 a.m. and lines go out at 2 p.m. After the fishing concludes, there will be an after party and awards ceremony at the Marine Discovery Center from 6-9 p.m., one where food, drinks, live music, and bragging rights will be available.
The awards categories for the event are First Fish - Conventional , First Fish - Fly , Largest Fish - Conventional , Largest Fish - Fly , Total Length - Conventional , and Total Length - Fly . In addition to crowning the inaugural 2025 Lagoonigans, there will also be thousands of dollars’ worth of gear giveaways and a whole lot of good times and fish stories.
Interested in being a part of this event? Then visit the Bajio Sunglasses web page and/or the Fishing Chaos tournament registration page .
Two February Fly Fishing World Records Announced by IGFA Fly angler Graig Hale caught and released this massive red drum while fishing near Port Sulphur, Louisiana on February 9. (Photo courtesy of IGFA) The month of February was a good one for at least two anglers in the southern U.S. That seems evident from the International Game Fish Association's recent announcement of two world records being caught, one in Louisiana and the other in Georgia.
On February 9, just two and a half weeks after the record-setting Gulf Coast snowstorm had dumped upwards of a foot of snow on locations near New Orleans, fly angler Graig L. Hale was fishing with Capt. Scott MacCalla on backwater marsh areas near Port Sulphur, Louisiana. When a huge bull redfish ate a crab fly that Hale was fishing. When it did, he landed the massive wintertime red drum that the region is well-known for.
Upon landing the redfish, Hale was able to use his official IGFA Measuring Device to get a length and girth measurement before returning the fish to the water for a quick release. Thanks to the 95-centimeter length (37.4 inches), the IGFA certified Hale's tying of the IGFA All-Tackle Length Fly World Record for the species.
(Editor's Note: For the record–pun intended–Hale's big bull redfish ties the previous IGFA All-Tackle Length Fly World Record mark set by fly angler Carl Welborn while fishing in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay area on April 20, 2023.)
A day later it was like Groundhog Day all over again when fly angler Pamela Moss was fly fishing on February 10 at Georgia's Lake Lanier. On the chilly outing, she landed a 4.22 kilogram (9-pound, 5-ounce) landlocked striped bass, something commonly referred to as landlocked sweetwater stripers or "Sodium Free Stripers" as Lake Lanier fly fishing guide and Umpqua Feather Merchants Signature fly-tying guru Henry Cowen calls them.
On February 10, fly angler Pamela Moss landed this 4.22 kilogram (9-pound, 5-ounce) landlocked striped bass, which has been certified as the new IGFA's Women's 4-kg (8 lb.) Tippet Class World Record. (Photo courtesy of IGFA) With this landlocked striper, Moss, who was fishing with guide Dillon Lancaster, has now set the IGFA's Women's 4-kg (8 lb.) Tippet Class World Record for the species. After the weight was recorded on her certified scale, the sizable striper was released safely to fight another day.
Introducing Simms ReCast: A New Chapter for Proven Gear Holding to the idea that a good piece of fly fishing gear should never retire too soon, Simms Fishing has launched Simms ReCast . Powered by Archive, the platform allows anglers to buy and sell pre-owned Simms products, everything from footwear to waders to clothing and accessories.
“Simms ReCast is more than just a resale platform–it’s about fostering a stronger connection within the angling community and ensuring our gear stays in use for as long as possible,” said Simms' head man Ben Christensen. “By making our products more accessible through resale, we’re expanding our reach and welcoming new anglers into the Simms family, all while staying true to our commitment to quality and conservation.”
Simms ReCast allows anglers to buy and sell pre-owned Simms products, everything from footwear to waders to clothing and accessories. Because Simms is committed to product longevity and also sustainable manufacturing, the ReCast platform helps gear that still has more life ahead to find a suitable owner who will help keep that life going in the stream, on the sand, and around the post angling day campfire.
“Resale is a natural fit for Simms, a brand built on quality and gear that’s made to last,” said Emily Gittins, co-founder and CEO of Archive. “With Recast, Simms is not only opening up its products to a broader community of anglers but also reinforcing its commitment to keep great gear going. We’re thrilled to power this program and help Simms bring circularity to the fishing world in a way that feels authentic to its brand and customers.”
A part of the Bozeman, Montana brand's vision for now and beyond, this Recast effort underscores Simms' commitment to key company values including sustainability, innovation, and strong community among anglers. Because as the company notes, great gear deserves a second run, right?
Wulff School of Fly Fishing Acquired by Local Entrepreneurs Charlie VanDercook & Paul Barnett The famed Wulff School of Fly Fishing , founded in 1979 by Joan and Lee Wulff, has a new owner after being acquired by Charlie VanDercook and Paul Barnett, to local entrepreneurs who aim to preserve and expand the school's legacy in the days ahead.
With its birth in the late 1970s, after Joan and her husband Lee moved to the Beaverkill River and followed up on the dream to open the school, the well-known institution has been instrumental in teaching thousands of anglers the art of fly fishing and fly casting techniques. Lee was named a part of Fly Fisherman magazine's Mount Rushmore in 20212011 inductee into the American Fly Fishing Museum Hall of Fame , was one of the greatest 20th century practitioners of the sport and a legendary fly-casting instructor.
For more information on the school and/or to enroll in a school session, call Mark Wilde at (802) 528-8546 or visit the school's webpage . (Photo courtesy of Oakpool) With six school sessions scheduled for this year on the historic Wulff property, the commitment of VanDercook and Barnett is to maintain the school's traditions, immersive hands-on learning experiences, while introducing a new audience to the school. They will reportedly work alongside the school's four long-time master instructors including director Sheila Hassan, Mark Wilde, Craig Buckbee, and Dusty Wissmath.
How does the school's namesake feel about this transaction and move into the future? The first lady of fly fishing is quite confident and enthusiastic that more good days lie ahead for her beloved school in New York's Catskills region .
"It brings me great joy to pass the Wulff School of Fly Fishing into the capable hands of Charlie and Paul, both longtime members of the Beaverkill community who deeply respect the art and tradition of fly fishing," said Wulff. "Having known them for many years, I have no doubt they will uphold the principles and disciplines that Lee and I established when we founded the school in 1979. I am also grateful that our exceptional instructors will continue in their leadership roles, ensuring that the passion, skill, and love for fly fishing we have fostered will be carried forward for generations to come.”
For more information on the school and/or to enroll in a school session, call Mark Wilde at (802) 528-8546 or visit the school's webpage .
