Bristol Bay Salmon, Seattle Restaurants, a Pit Mine, and a Blogger

By Angela Garbes in Food Media

What started as a press release landing innocently in the Inbox a few days ago has erupted into a little storm, complete with an AP story featuring Seattle restaurants and local food blogger Ronald Holden being picked up by The New York Times. So, what the hell happened?
The backstory: this week, up until November 21, thirteen Seattle restaurants (Art of the Table, Chiso, Emmer & Rye, Etta's Seafood, Flying Fish, Palace Kitchen, Persimmon, Ponti Seafood Grill, Rover's, Steelhead Diner, Tilth, Tilikum Place Café, and The Pike Brewing Company) are featuring Bristol Bay wild salmon on their menus to support Trout Unlimited's Savor Bristol Bay campaign. Trout Unlimited, an organization dedicated to conserving coldwater fisheries, is raising awareness about a threat posed to Bristol Bay salmon and fisherman by a proposed open-pit gold and copper mine called Pebble.
It was all simple enough until one of the mine's supporters, Gail Phillips, also a former Alaska state legislator, sent an email out to people (including, oops, Steelhead Diner's chef Kevin Davis and Emmer & Rye's chef Seth Caswell) asking them to boycott the participating restaurants. This prompted Holden, aka the Cornichon, to ask the rhetorical question now heard round the fish news-related corners of the internet: "Seriously, Ms. Phillips, are you nuts?" ''Every single visitor and every single local knows Seattle is famous for salmon,'' Holden responded to Phillips. ''Like it or leave it, salmon is at the heart of Seattle's restaurant economy.''
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. , a subsidiary company of famed mining industry leader Rio Tinto, and Anglo American have a 50-50 partnership to develop Pebble, which they say is one of the largest gold and copper deposits in the world. Plans call for starting the permitting process in 2010 with construction beginning as early as 2013.
The Trout Unlimited campaign is timed to coincide with Seattle's Pacific Marine Expo 2009, the largest commercial marine trade show on the West Coast.
Chatter aside, this important fact remains: you have until this Saturday to support and savor wild Alaskan salmon and the fishermen whose livelihood depends on them. (After the 21st, you can ask for Bristol Bay salmon at your Seattle fish markets, or order directly from this list of family-run businesses.)

Save the Salmon By Eating the Salmon

It sounds like a culinary twist on the famous Vietnam-era statement — “It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it.” — but there’s some logic behind Trout Unlimited’s campaign this week to save Bristol Bay’s wild salmon.

Trout Unlimited is, according to this story in the Anchorage Press, a national non-profit of fly-fishermen, and the group has hit the streets of D.C. like a school of piranha. They’ve been here all week for meetings on the Hill and to prove to Washingtonians that Bristol’s wild sockeye salmon is both tasty and worth protecting from the proposed Pebble mine, which according to Trout Unlimited, is “the world’s largest open-pit gold and copper mine in the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska.”

Maybe you’ve sampled the salmon this week? The fish has been on plates at such restaurants as Blue Ridge, Coppi’s Organic, Equinox, Granville Moore’s, Harry’s Tap Room, Hook, Kaz Sushi Bistro, Poste Moderne Brasserie, Redwood, Rock Creek Mazza, and Sonoma.

Y&H asked Paula Dobbyn, the director of communications and co-director of policy for Trout Unlimited, why they’re targeting Washington diners in the campaign to save the Bristol Bay salmon. What, after all, can a diner do?

Her response is after the jump:


As far as the focus on D.C., we recognize that the nation’s seat of power is there and that many folks in the district and surrounding suburbs have the influence and connections needed to help shape the debate. We’re trying to put Bristol Bay on the radar screens of Americans in general and get it the national recognition that it deserves. Many Americans know about oil drilling and caribou in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or about the timber wars in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. Or they’ve heard of Denali or Glacier Bay. But Bristol Bay is still largely unknown, even though it produces most of the wild salmon left on the planet and it’s an incredibly gorgeous place. It’s also largely unprotected from development, unlike the national parks and forests.

We’re trying to get permanent protection for the Bristol Bay watershed so that a massive mine like Pebble could never be built there. That’s why we’re bringing the issue to DC. And instead of just lobbying Congress, we think it’s important to engage people through their taste buds. There are millions of seafood lovers out there. We feel that if they know what’s at stake in Bristol Bay, they will “vote with their forks” and insist that this incredible area and resource be protected. (see http://www.whywild.org/ for more on Trout Unlimited’s Vote With Your Fork campaign.)

Photo by Lindsey Bloom via Trout Unlimited
Story by Tim Carman Washington City Paper http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2009/10/22/save-the-salmon-by-eating-the-salmon/

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A very well connected lobbyist (Hartley and Associates) will fight for the public’s right to Access and Use Utah’s State Waters, but lobbyists don’t come cheap. His fee is $30,000.00 for this year’s legislative session. Half of the fee has been raised already! Times are tight for all of us folks, but if you can spare ANY AMOUNT, please do. Surely we can all skip a fast-food lunch or two and send in the savings. There are 400,000 fishermen in Utah, please pass this on to all you know. Please note, the landowners have hired their guns and will not underestimate the people this next go-around. The legislature is not going to be giving us neither another sympathy vote nor the bad process vote. We need professional talent(s) AND a heavy backed grassroots effort to accomplish this enormous task we are all faced with. The ball is now rolling, we need to preserve our rights and stand-up against those who are trying to take them away! We learned in the first round not one single person is going to do it for us… it’s up to ALL of us, as a unified voice, to stand together to keep our Utah State waters free. Just Click on the Button below.

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South Fork

For almost a year in the making I had been wanting to take a trip down the south fork of the snake river in Idaho. It was midsummer this year before I got an opportunity to go. That trip was so fun I planned a second trip last month. This is a tale of two south forks.
Trip one was much more a family affair involving me my wife and kids and our good friends Dave and Adam on the Cat. Everything was new having never put on to the river before. We chose the scenic trip to put in at Conant and overnight through the canyon & to take out at Byington. The idea behind the trip was get kids out on the water see some nature enjoy a pleasure float through the canyon.

The first trip basically went exactly to plan. In the back of my head I was hoping to actually do some fishing as we were there at peak summer season and all the reports were to throw large foam and hang on. It is tough to row and fish at the same time so the fishing had to wait till we got to camp. Once at camp we off loaded gear and camp was set. I pulled out the cocktail bar dry box cranked up the buffet on the iPod and after I rigged my 5xt I had hour or so of evening light to go out and catch a few. Easier said than done. I headed upstream to a riffle about 500 yards from the boat on the beach. I came back to camp with a lot of hook ups and strikes but very few fish to hand. What was I doing wrong? I tried mayflies & stones, hoppers & fat alberts and everything in the box. I think it came down to user error. It is difficult to hit a new river first time and have a ton success. I was glad to have gotten a few and besides it was the first time I caught some fine spotted & yellowstone cutthroat. After I returned to camp I noticed it very different than how I left it. Kids were just being kids running around with sticks & imaginations in full gear. Adults were… well in to umpteenth cocktail and well… let’s just say the fish put me way behind on meeting the quota. As darkness fell a bull moose wandered by and that must have sobered everyone up to think um, yes we are in the wilderness and potentially hazards do exist. We cooked and ate and had smores over the fire-pan fire. The stars were amazing from our beach camp. What an awesome and wonderful place I thought to myself as I faded off to sleep.

Day 2 was more of the same. I was feeling great. Not so much for the others as they were wondering why there was no more tequila? I also woke to see a cool little mayfly hatch that covered all the dewed object in the camp. The kids got a quick entomology lesson and then they began collecting the little guys. In an hour or two we were on our way down river again. Off to visit the forest service facility at cottonwood boat ramp. I suggest doing this as it sure beats soiling up your own groover. The days were picture perfect with high clouds plenty warm sun. We stopped again for a lunch break and I picked the island that was near a good riffle that looked nice and fishy. This would be it. I had a night to roll through my mind what to do , what not to do and how to land a few more fish. Few being the optimal word there. I did get into one real nice fish. The wildlife is great. Eagles, & osprey moose and deer. All told this was a ton of fun and strongly recommended for family trip, a fun friends float, serious fly casters adventure, or well anyone that loves the outdoors







Trip two was later on in the year, September to be exact. This time we were in a drift boat and there were three serious fisherman. We all could row and split the duties on the oars. The trip was thrown together last minute and all I had to bring was my rods reels a sleeping bag and a bottle nice whiskey.. I could handle that. I thought I would throw in another 2 dozen crevasses to top off the already chilled thirty pack of PBR. We met Montana native Paul who was at the parking lot waiting for us Utah slow pokes. We rigged and put in all before 9:30 am. Right off the bat we saw action out of the fish that is. Foam hoppers were pursued but no fish onfor nearly two hours. Streamers would show fish but nothing to the net? Uggh this is not what you want when you have three guys all eager to land fish. So we did what any self respecting fisherman would do to get the fishing groove on. We hit the bottle. Fortunately we all agreed that 90 proof smooth Kentucky single barrel straight bourbon is a great choice, Unfortunately we all agree on that fact a little too much. After we parked the boat and waded in the river we started catching a few. Doug I believe had the fist fish, Schweew ! we got that monkey off our back. Then Paul. “One reason Paul caught more fish than anyone else was that he had his flies in the water more than anyone else. 'Brother,' he would say, 'there are no flying fish in Montana. Out here, you can't catch fish with your flies in the air.” - Norman Maclean This is apparently true in Idaho too. I think as the bottle got less & less liquid in it, this and other phrases of smack were said with fervent jousting ball busting enthusiasm. Not quite the same vernacular used as on the first family trip. I would like to tell you more about what happen on this day one of the trip but to be honest I can’t tell you. This is what I do know. They tell me I had only caught one rainbow. There was no whiskey once we arrived to camp. I am told I fell in the river not 1 not 2 but 3 times. I got water in my waders, soaked my iPod & speakers, & I met and BS’ed with some neighboring campers from MT. One of them was a bobcat fan and so I must have stirred some shit up as I was drinking from my Grizz nation beer coozie. Oh well, who cares? Everyone knows that U of M is the better team. Bobby Hauck & the No. 4-ranked Grizz, are undefeated at 4-0 as I this blog goes to post.

The next day started fuzzy but good. I think I was still drunk. After we left cottonwood I was lucky to landed a real nice cut. We were not hitting the fish like we expected but nonetheless we did get a few. I was sapping a few pics of the morning. The time had come for me to row that morning. That more or less did me in. The drunk was over and the hung was on. I had to take few minutes out to let some of that pent up alcohol from the night before loose. After that I had a sandwich, cracked a PBR and felt like a million bucks. Hair of the dog right? Right ! Paul & Doug got few too. One of Doug’s cuts had a crazy hole in his bottom lip. Was this guy trying to evolve a lower jaw like a whittey? After another fish or two or shall I say a lack of, I even resorted to nymphing. That only brought up one brown. We pulled in to the take out and al said it was fun. Plans were made to attempt another go at the South Fork this year. We shall see. Cheers to South Fork! A great time is always there for you, just turn you boat and car in direction to the Swan Valley Idaho.

Main Salmon River

People would asked me, upon my return from vacation in Idaho, “where did you go,” & “ what did you do?” Many are in disbelief that I would take may family with young children on 5 day trip through Class IV whitewater in one of the most remote regions of the whole lower 48 which also doubles as fantastic fly fishing destination for the same reason. The Main Salmon River from Salmon River Rafting Vacations & trip from Sawtooth Adventure Company offers the perfect opportunity to escape your regular life and reconnect with your family and friends. The trip begins at Corn Creek Boat Ramp, 40 miles west of Salmon, Idaho. Trip ends 30 miles east of Riggins, Idaho, for 82 river miles in all. The Salmon River boasts fun rapids, hot springs, historic homesteads and HUGE sandy beaches. Our guides were exceptional and take care of every detail insuring a safe and relaxing week in the wilderness with your friends and family. Not to mention they are incredible cooks and will amaze you with their riverside cuisine. What to expect : Hmmm…Well. As you approach the first big rapid of the day, you hear the roar. Salmon Falls is a five-foot wave drop around car-sized rocks, and now you and your family drift toward the edge. “one stroke forward & relax” our guide Jenna requests, as we paddle to gather momentum. The boat surges forward. Everyone paddles together to power the raft onto the blue tongue of water that will take us to the center of the foaming froth below. “Okay, team, here we go!” the she yells. The boat then sets up to face dead ahead into the roller coaster maelstrom. “Looks like fun! Let’s run it. All forward hard!” The raft speeds into and over several waves. Paddles fly. We all whoop and holler, especially the kids as we bounce up and over and through the heart of Salmon Falls. After gracefully moving through walls of white and mountains of waves we reemerge, soaking wet and elated. We then pat the backs of family members and new friends, as our paddle raft team celebrates a successful run through an unbelievably fun rapid. “We did it,” we all unanimously say. Here we are, whitewater rafting in Idaho. It’s more fun than I could have dreamed. And the trip had only just begun. This is the classic "River of No Return," and BIG is the best word to describe it. Big river, big canyon, big rapids, big wildlife and big sandy beaches, perfect for camping. The Main Salmon is the second deepest canyon in North America and drains over 14,000 square miles of land form the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area. It's rapids range from big (Split Rock, Salmon Falls, Cascade, Dried Meat and Five Mile) to huge (Big Mallard, Bailey Falls, Chittum, Vinegar and Elk Bar). It is also the home of wolves, black bear, deer, moose, elk, big horn sheep and cougar. The first wolves re-introduced in the Central Idaho Wilderness were released at Corn Creek, where we begin our trip. All of which were seen in plane site by members of our trip except for the elusive wolf & cougar.
The river itself is a great diverse ecosystem with species of fish, otters, beavers, ducks, and various water fowl. The river at different times of year contain 3 species of salmon, ocean run steelhead, mountain whitefish and the most beautiful native west slope cutthroat trout. Because of the rapids we did not do a lot of casting from the rafts, so most of the fly fishing was limited to fishing from shore at camp in the evenings or in the mornings before we pushed off into the rapids. The side canyons produce cold clean and often spring fed water that the cutthroat loved. It was in the feeder creeks that were the most rewarding when casting a fly for trout. One particular morning me and few other guys set out with our sons to a nice feeder creek. It was there that the majority of trout were caught & these pictures come from.
It was on this morning my son, Hunter, out fished o’l dad 8 fish to 5. I pre occupied to help another novice trip partner with his cast & I would turn my head & my son would say “Dad I got another one”. We would no sooner let that one go and then again I would hear him say “ Dad ” . I don’t think for any father you could ever be any prouder. Nice job son!
Fantastic food is another feature of provided by Sawtooth Adventure Company, that is often an unexpected pleasure. Guides have long prided themselves on presenting healthy and filling meals with a flair. There is nothing quite like sitting around a campfire on a starry night and sinking your teeth into a deep dish of Dutch-oven lasagna or a juicy piece of Tri Tip steak. Accompanied by a fresh green salad and garlic bread, the evening meal is likely to be capped with a delicious piece of cake, also direct from the Dutch oven. Our river guides double as master chefs. Regardless of who cooks, you will be able to eat to your stomach’s content. Furthermore, Sawtooth Adventure will customize meals to meet any dietary requests or needs you or your children may have.

AAfantastic experience awaits you on the white waters in Idaho. Our journey through Idaho took us through stunning landscapes and along crystal clear waters. We discovered paradise, and we were exposed to the wild side of Idaho on our adventure along Idaho's Main Salmon River.

- Jarrod K.

A place called Stanley

There is a place tucked underneath the rugged mountain peaks know as the Sawtooths called Stanley Idaho. There in the valley where the Salmon River runs is a sense of the old west that is hard to find in many other places. See for yourself http://www.sawtoothcamera.com/ . One thing Stanley lacks as far as tourist towns go is the newly paved streets lined with galleries & overprice boutiques & this is to its own credit & benefit to see something that stands for the authentic or the real west as it was, or should I say still is in Stanley. What Stanley does have is dirt streets where one can stroll from the fly shop to the bakery to the post office to 2 different pizza shops & to the bar in just a hundred steps or less.

It was not too late into this spring when plans were made to go in late July of 09’& take a family vacation up from Salt Lake to the see the sites enjoy the western paradise of Stanley. Our invitation to visit Stanley Idaho was extended from our good friends Jared & Roni Hopkinson. They are the owners and proprietors of a very busy place in Lower Stanley called the Sawtooth Adventure Company http://www.sawtoothadventure.com/ or SAC for short. Sawtooth Adventure Company offers professional whitewater and scenic river trips on 2 different sections of the mighty Salmon Rriver. As well as professional fly fishing guided trips. Moreover there is horseback and mountain biking trips to round out the list of adventures to do. It was the SAC home offices or more specifically the good eats and coffee dished up on site at Palmer’s Café that served as the hub for our morning adventures each day. Upon arrival to Lower Stanley we were greeted with cold beer & a plan was made to visit nearby Redfish Lake then on to some natural hot springs in the area.

Each day of vacation started and ended the same by waking up to the convenient camping spot right along the river where I would fish the daybreak for a couple of hours until the family woke drive, the oh so close 1 mile, where we were ready to grab breakfast at Palmer’s. From the relaxed porch under the shaded awing sipping coffee, plans for the day were made. Then the close of day would near and dinner plans were made at one of the many restaurants then as the majestic sun set & kissed the Sawtooth’s mountain and sky in alpenglow we proceeded soak in nearby hot springs to reminisce in the fun of the day just had.

On one day we played in the upper headwaters of the Salmon river & saw the returning Chinook Salmon make their way up the ladders at hatchery from where they started their 900 mile journey from central Idaho to the Pacific Ocean and then back again. Another day we rafted the daily stretch just below town. On yet another day I was fortunate to hook up with SAC’s own fly fishing guru Jimmy Kofoed awesome fisshing companion Leroy Brown.

Jimmy started the day with coffee at Palmer’s & I headed to the convenient Orvis sponsored fly shop in town where we picked up a handful of flies. One in particular was like nothing I’d seen before or since. It was a #14 bullet head sally with rubber legs. It might as well have been called cutthroat Krack. After a little searching for where the cuts were, we rolled up to spot on the Salmon that was sure to be good. A quick little jaunt down to rivers edge & few cast out I had a fish on. As I brought him in I was just in awe of how absolutely gouges these Westslope Cutthroats are. This hen was pale yellow with pink and heavily spotted sides. The slashes under her chin were very pronounced and deep in dark orange. I couldn’t believe how excited I was over one fish but this was such an awesome trout I didn’t want to send her off, but hey wait a second, this was just the first fish of the day. Shortly after we waded out further & Jimmy had another one on, so on it went for the next hour or two. The Cutthroat were exciting to see as the rolled up and took these sallies down. As the morning turned to afternoon I cast a fly out and saw another cuttie roll & this time my line sped out of my reel instantaneously. In less time than you could say “Jimmy Krack Korn and I don’t care” I was into my backing. Wow! what a rush. I was already up to my belly button in the river & now I had a choice. Do I stand my ground & fight or do I head down river in pursuit of my big shouldered prize cut. Like the vision of Paul Maclean chasing down river I too leapt out into the mid-river current to get soaked and gave pursuit. I eventually made my way to shore and to an eddy that provided me the advantage to take up line on to the reel. It was then that I could bring in Mr. Cutthroat to come in much easier. After about 6 or 8 reel ins and then run outs I had this big fish to hand. Bright green and gold cutthroat that glistened in Salmon River sun. It just doesn’t get much better than this. Although the day continued and we both caught more fish, this guy will for me go down in my personal history as one of my most absolute favorite fish of my lifetime to have ever caught. The days spent in & around Stanley Idaho are something all should get out and enjoy our trip was only made better by the good friends at SawtoothAdventure & to just think this was only the beginning, we had a launch date to spend another 5 days on the Main Salmon, stay tuned…

Henry's Fork

Many factors took place as to how, when, and why I decided it was time to become an owner, no make that a ½ owner in a river boat. I have always had a desire to run rivers in a whitewater sense. As the love for fly-fishing grew over the past few years it became a huge desire to incorporate both sports. I have done river trips in a drift boat and liked that way of fishing. I have fish from a raft and thought they were a little sluggish in the maneuverability. It was then that I knew the right tool for the job would be a cataraft. This is the best of both. Cats have a rugged & ridged reputation to handle big whitewater. The same stability along with maneuverability works to an advantage when stoking trout hideouts too. So then I knew what I wanted but where to find a cat that I can afford. After countless internet searches and phone calls the deal for me appeared like angles opening up the ark of the covenant. The email from the seller open to my eyes like shekinah glory. For those not familiar with rubber craft I have learned as with fly rod companies there is a pecking order of good manufactures and those made overseas. I am no snob but do believe in quality American craftsmanship especially when there is a manufactures guarantee. Sotar was the brand of this cataraft and I was psyched. I made some calls and was able to find a co owner within a week and then I was on my way to Idaho where the cat had been in good care. Once home again I needed to locate a flatbed trailer to carry the 16’ foot floating trout & whitewater battle craft. This proved to be where I may have turned the wrong direction. With enough gumption and determination I was going to buy the cheapest and biggest flatbed ksl. Had to offer and make it work damnit. A couple weeks latter and several hundreds of dollars spent on odds and end that all boats need I was planning my first trip to float a running river of swift water. Where better to take my new boat than to its home water of origin the Henry’s Fork.

The day had come for our departure fishing partner Doug and I were still fine tuning little details on the boat, the trailer, the hitch everything else, you name it. Two hours later than planned we were actually off and going. Our efforts only to be derailed by 2 factors. One a absolute deluge of a storm that hammered us as we departed SLC on the legacy highway. This was not nearly as bad as the constant sway in trailer swinging side to side. Any speed greater than 56 mph was a jackknife ready to spring out of control. “Oh Crap Hold On” was a constant muttering as we continued northward. By the time we got to Tremonton the rain had passed and we then reshuffled the load moving weight forward and more on the tongue. This proved to work better as now I was able to increase speed to 61 mph before we got the dreaded sways. Somewhere in the rain and before complete darkness I realized I was driving with no headlights. “Damn” lets pull over again see what’s up now. Fuses are ok, check. Tails light on, check. Trailer lights working, um no. We the rolled off to the nearest exit. We arrived at the Sinclair station 30 miles somewhere into Idaho with the last fleeting light of the June sky was fading to darkness very fast. We were able make camp with permission and purchase some non UT beer. We proceeded to curse the lights and discuss how we were still going get to fish the next morning in the mean time drinking beer & bourbon and throwing kube. Kube is Norwegian game of kings matching wits and strategy against you opponent my throwing sticks across a field of play.
Next morning we were up early and pushed on to ID falls to find a mechanic to fix the headlight issue on my rig. A stop at Cedric's Family Restaurant on Broadway where they specialties is world famous scones. After the carbo load we ran through the wally world to get beer ice and a set of new trailer lights. By ¼ to 10 we were on our way to Ashton to get a shuttle and then down to the river. At the Premier shop in Ashton they took good care of us. Within the hour we were putting in and floating.

Both Doug and I were a little overwhelmed on the Henry’s Fork. It was just so different than fishing a UT river. We picked up some tips and flies from so other SLC brothers who needed to borrow my air pup for their toons. After the afternoon set in we felt more comfortable with how to get a fish on and we were loving the atmosphere of just doing guy stuff. Fishing, Drinking Beer, relaxed ride down a river in my new rivercraft. The new cat preformed more amazingly than I could have ever expected it to. By the evening time we were just a few oar strokes away from takeout when the caddis hatch was going off. Rainbows in amazing numbers were all over these bugs. I was messing with anchor and oars but Doug was slaying left & right. I even manage to catch one without even seeing the take. Some big fun.

We made for camp after take out and plotted the next day. More whiskey, more beer & more kube. We woke to a slight chill being almost immediately erased by a blazing hot sun and skeeters all over us. That was motivation for some quick eats and putting on for day 2. The fishing was less productize in quantities but much better in size. Doug and I figured out the team aspect to rowing for fish. I got him right by the seam of a nice whole and bam the rod bent over big. I back ferried off to shallow spot dropped anchor and grabbed for the net and plunged in to the thigh high water. After a several minute run a nice brown showed face and we scooped him in to the boat. This was what we has struggled the past couple days & nights & woes to get to. A moment like that when it all comes together and we had a big one in the net. Yes I say "we" because rowing and netting is just as important as hooking a reeling. The same recipe proved to work again a few minutes later when a big bow was on the line. This time the football took off into the air like a Jay Cutler pass. I love to see that. All in all we made the most of circumstances and had a blast casting catching on the new cat.

The first of many more adventures to come.