“We’re nearing the end of smelt season in the tributaries of the Columbia River. Smelt, also called Eulachon in this region, were always on my list to film underwater, which I finally accomplished on the Cowlitz River. The water was murky from Mount St. Helens silt, but the water was thick with smelt. We learned that these fish were nicknamed “Candle Fish,” because they are so thick with fat and oil that you could light them on fire. They are also called “Salvation Fish,” because they arrived in