We sat down with Sylvia Strike of Southern California (virtually!) to learn about her angling passions and hear how her travels from Ohio to Southern California shaped her conservation passion.
Hi, Sylvia! You’ve been a member of CalTrout for over ten years. What drew you to CalTrout?
I became a member because you are a conservation group well known for your determination to conserve the habitats of fish. I’m most interested in the projects in Southern California because I would like to see the steelhead here saved from extinction. The preciseness of your initiatives and comprehensive approach bring results.
Those are some great reasons! We’re happy to have you here. What does being a CalTrout member mean to you?
It means that although I would be ineffective acting alone to assist in the conservation of California’s fishing habitats, by contributing to your efforts I can help.
We understand you are a fly fisher, too. How did you get into the sport, and what is your favourite angling memory?
I was a fly fisher for many years until some physical disabilities made it difficult for me. After my first husband died I remarried and my second husband was a fly fisherman. It looked like so much fun that I took it up and fly fishing was something we did together for many years. We belonged to a trout club in Zanesfield, Ohio. One day I hooked a brook trout that probably weighed only 1 1/2 lbs. but he fought like he was a Tarpon. I netted him and gently removed the hook and he swam away. I have caught other larger fish in many other settings but not a fighter like he was.
Memorable fish are the best fish. Do you have a favorite river in CA?
I have fished in Montana, Michigan, Idaho, Wyoming and mostly in Utah because I owned a ski condo in Park City but I have never fished in California. I hope to see the steelhead migrating in Trabuco Creek someday here in Southern California.
Thanks for sharing with us!
If you’d like to share your CalTrout story, please e-mail Ashley at AWhite@caltrout.org
Sign up to hear from California Trout! CalTrout’s mission is to ensure healthy waters and resilient wild fish for a better California. Hear about our work and how to get involved through our monthly newsletter, The Streamkeeper’s Blog, “Trout Clout” action alerts, article from our e-magazine, The Current, event invites, and much more! We respect your privacy and will never sell or share your information with other organizations.
Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.