A Steelhead Story: The Legacy of Bill McMillan

Bill McMillan has been volunteering his time and energy to steelhead recovery on the Skagit River in Washington for decades—helping to lead fellow volunteers in the collection of data for spawner surveys. These spawner surveys are designed to offer a baseline estimate for returning fish to the Skagit River and its tributaries every year. Bill is a wellspring of information on fish and fishing and remains a steadfast steward of conservation and is an inspiration in his community. As Bill nears his retirement from volunteer work, he is passing on the torch of the invaluable information he has collected over the years as well as his process of data collection into the capable arms of other driven volunteers.

This Waist Deep Media production pays homage to Bill’s years of volunteer work and his shining example of citizen science. We hope that this short documentary will also inspire others to get involved in the work that Trout Unlimited is doing to protect and restore coldwater habitat around the country.

Produced, Filmed & Edited By: Joey Mara
Additional Imagery Provided By: Bill McMillan, John McMillan & Nick Chambers