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Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers and Weed Warriors unite

Special to the Sun
Meghan Jewett of the Truckee River TU Chapter brings some skill and smiles to the group of new fly anglers.
Courtesy Scott Thompson |

On July 12 Trout Unlimited (TU) and the Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers (TTF) joined the Truckee River Watershed Council’s (TRWC) Weed Warriors to do some fly fishing for conservation.

The experience of fishing for wild trout has given birth to many conservationists. There are thousands of wild trout lakes, rivers and streams located on public lands in the Sierra, creating a true paradise for the angling public.

The wild brown trout and rainbow trout found in the Truckee River are famous. Just like the historically native Lahontan cutthroat trout, wild trout require healthy rivers, streams and lakes, which face environmental threats.



One such threat in the Truckee River watershed is the spread of non-native invasive plants (NNIP) — or weeds that compete for water, nutrients, space and light — with native vegetation. Examples of these NNIP’s include terrestrial weeds like Musk thistle (Carduus nutans) and perennial pepperweed or tall whitetop (Lepidium latifolium), and invasive aquatic weeds such as Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and didymo (Didymosphenia geminata).

Citizen-led action can make a real difference. TU, TTFF and TRWC organized 15 conservationists along the Truckee River near Glenshire to pull weeds including musk thistle, bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), and teasel (Diplacus fullonum). Volunteers cleared hundreds of non-native invasive plants from this popular recreation access site.



Conservation of land and water is a smart economic investment. At least one in 20 U.S. jobs relies on having a healthy environment. Outdoor recreation alone contributes more than $700 billion dollars annually to the economy, according to The Wilderness Society, http://wilderness.org.

Investing in land, water and wildlife helps support natural areas and good jobs.

To report weeds or find out more about Truckee River Watershed Council Weed Warriors, visit http://www.truckeeriverwc.org. For more information visit tahoetroutbum.org and ttff.net.


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