See also Montana! Tell your legislators!
Wild trout management may be one of the greatest ecological success stories never told. The wild trout management policy diverted attention from stocking fish to compensate for habitat destruction caused by pollution, bulldozing, and dewatering streams. The wild trout policy focused attention on protecting and restoring degraded rivers and streams to provide the cool, clean water and healthy streams that trout require. While trout and anglers were primary beneficiaries of wild trout, a long list of species like mink, otter, ospreys, eagles, bears and kingfishers enjoy healthy habitats and a consistent food source thanks to wild trout management. Humans other than fishermen also benefit from the recreational and economic riches of healthy rivers and streams. Floaters, innkeepers, rod and wader makers, restaurants and chambers of commerce each enjoy the bounty that Montana's trout fishing provides. Read the full TU Blog.
Pat Barron led a small team of members to Jenkinson Lake on April 19 and 20 to install the chapters Monofilament Line Collectors. Eight collectors were installed at various sites around the Lake. The collectors were designed to encourage fishermen and others to be responsible in disposing of scrap line. They are also available for casual use for others to pick up found line. The chapter will continue to monitor the collectors to empty them, record their effectiveness and maintain their integrity.
In the fall of 2013, California Trout, along with Keith Brauneis Productions, produced a short film about the golden trout to raise awareness of this magnificent fish, its habitat and its plight.
The film, Liquid Gold, follows a team of six as they embarked on a 2-week journey from sea level to 14,000 feet and all points in between, scouring the creeks and alpine lakes of the Eastern Sierra mountain range seeking out the various descendants and hybrids of protogolden.
At present, Lahonton Cutthroat Trout have gone extinct in all but about eight to nine percent of their historic stream habitats and now occupy less than one percent of their historic lake habitats. They persist as naturally occurring, wild populations in only two lakes in the world, and many of the remaining streams they are found in are small and isolated, with low populations in constant danger of local extinction, especially under the threat of prolonged drought and temperature increase from climate change.
In one corner of Nevada there is a broad coalition of partners (miners, ranchers, government agencies, conservation groups), whose investments in freshwater conservation are, now more than ever, showing just how much more everyone benefits–Lahontan cutthroat trout and ranchers alike–from restoring and conserving coldwater ecosystems. Read the full story.
By Ron Stork, Sr. Policy Advocate for Friends of the River
The House of Representatives seems to live in a world disconnected from the real world but, in doing so, seeks to remake it. Subcommittee on Water & Power Chair Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) continues to speak and write about his vision of an era of abundance where great new brimful reservoirs provide plentiful and cheap water and electricity for our farms and families.
In his world, the annoying voices of economists that speak of the realities of the law of diminishing returns from damming---and re-damming---the same rivers are not heard. In the Congressman's world, the life within rivers can be re-created by industrial reproduction and rearing in hatcheries, and the beauty of natural waterscapes can be replaced by the military discipline of concrete dams and still reservoirs and be banished to aging photographs.
Tom's on a roll too. He's persuaded the House to de-designate wild & scenic rivers to make room for reservoirs, and he and his colleagues have introduced bills to authorize huge dams and reservoirs without the slightest attention to the pesky rules laid down by President Ronald Reagan---you know, like waiting for agency review and recommendations or bothering with any notion of who will pay for them or how they will be paid for. Read the full story.
You can support Trout Unlimited when you shop at Amazon. Select Amazon Smile and you can designate 0.5% to TU with every purchase. Use http://smile.amazon.com and select Trout Unlimited or go direct with http://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-2210993 .
Marijuana growing on our national forests causes significant harm to the land, water and animals. The toxicants and lethal weapons found at these sites are both shocking in terms of amount, and raise concerns regarding the health of the Region's forests. The Forest Service, along with other agencies and volunteers, are working together to restore these impacted lands. View a Forest Service video displaying the scope of these grows and their effects on the forest plant, animals and streams.
Our last member meeting of 2013 will be this Wednesday the 20th at the Eldorado National Forest conference room located on Briw Rd off of Forni Rd. The address is 100 Forni Rd., Placerville. Arrive early to share your recent fishing excitement, have a cup of coffee, cookies and fellowship. Please bring your DFW Survey Booklets for collection. They will be returned after the data is collated and reported to DFW. We will feature a live auction for a horse pack fishing trip to Cache Creek in Yellowstone Natioal Park on July 29-August 2, 2014. We will auction the right to purchase two trips for the price of one, ~$2100. This is a fundraiser for our chapter as are the two raffles we will have. Look forward to seeing you there.
Trout Unlimited is bringing on a full-time Grassroots Organizer to assist and develop the volunteer TU chapters in California. The primary geographic focus will be 5 TU chapters located in the central Sierra Nevada region, with some responsibilities extending statewide. The Grassroots Organizer will educate, outreach and mobilize our membership and other conservation partners in the Sierra region and plan, design and execute on-the-ground restoration and monitoring projects that enhance habitat for wild and native trout. The position is offered through the Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership.
The position is located in Truckee, California. This is a full-time, 8-month position with a potential opportunity for long-term employment. Interested candidates can request the job description or send a resume, writing sample and at least three professional references to:
John Sikora
California Council Chair, Trout Unlimited
Please include the following in the subject line of the email: "TU CA Grassroots Organizer." Deadline for applications is 11:59pm on November 22nd, 2013.
The planning team for the King Fire Restoration Project has reviewed the public comments that were expressed in approximately 60 letters and in person during the January 13 public open house. Based on the comments received, seven key issues have been identified which have guided the development of alternatives to the proposed action.
The team has outlined three alternatives in addition to the proposed action and the no action alternative. In depth analysis of these alternatives is now in progress.
The public is invited to PREVIEW the maps of the alternatives and to ask questions of the planning team and guest speakers during a panel discussion on Wednesday, March 25, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Best Western Plus Placerville Inn. Read the Full Story
Orvis has a fly fishing learning center described as fun, detailed, and interactive. It offers guidance from beginning to advanced tips. Material is provided in video form from an expert teacher. Lessons abound on many topics from beginning casting to advanced presentation. Text material is also provided on paterns, knots, tools, resources. Go to www.howtoflyfish.orvis.com . They are also running a sweepstakes for a dream trip to Montana. Sign up in September.