Anglers, of all things, have proven to be a force to be reckoned with at the Legislature. They managed to overwhelm the mighty property rights lobby of ranchers and developers. Who'd a thought.

Their emails, calls and willingness to drag a canoe to an impressive rally at the Capitol killed a bill — not once, but twice — that would have limited access to to streams where they flow over private land.

Even after sponsor Rep. Ben Ferry, a feed-lot operator, managed to resurrect the once-killed bill and amend it to make it more acceptable, a flurry of letters and phone calls crushed it again.