Traditionally under American law the ownership of navigable rivers was "the people" As long as a log could float down the river anyone could use that river. If a land owner owned both sides of a river then he also owned the bottom of the river but not the river itself or the fish in the water. Most farmers and ranchers did not have a problem with fisherman fishing the rivers as long as they did not leave the river beyond the high water mark except to move around rocks or obstructions.

Oregon has begun a campaign to claim ownership of not only the bottom of the river but also the waters running through the river and all the fish or other items that may be found in the river. If someone is moving downstream (or upstream as the case may be) some yuppie land owners are claiming you are trespassing on their property and will not let fishermen pass through. Several people have been arrested for trespass and there has been one case of a shooting over this issue (so much for the peace and love of the Maharishi Yogi in Oregon)

The ultimate end of all this will be fly fishing in Oregon rivers (and we all know this will eventually spill over to other states as well) will be returned to the elite who can buy large expanses of river property. The "poor man's sport" of fishing will be no more.

Anyone from Oregon wish to comment????