When Field and Stream chose The Trail Creek Restoration Project, a joint effort by the Cutthroat Chapter, the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) and the National Forest Foundation as one of its Hero for a Day Conservation Projects they sent a video crew along to tell the story. The result is a nice little story featuring some people you may know. Take a look:
The U.S. Forest Service has issued a Record of Decision for the Colorado Roadless Rule, thus concluding a nearly seven year process to determine the management of the 4.2 million acres of Colorado’s roadless backcountry. These lands are especially critical to anglers as they are the headwaters to every major river in the state and home to the majority of our only native trout - the cutthroat. Colorado is one of only two states to participate in a state rulemaking process for the roadless lands within their state boundaries – the other being Idaho.
So what does this mean for anglers and conservationists in Colorado?
The main thing it does is clear up the fog lying over natural resource management that occurs in roadless areas.
It is now very clear how management actions in these areas must be conducted. For instance, 1.2 million acres are now managed as “upper tier”, meaning these areas have greater protection and more prohibitions on the type of activities that are allowed. In these upper tier areas any new oil and gas activities must operate without occupying the surface of these lands. Also, any project in these upper tier areas must protect native cutthroat trout and ensure that these populations remain over the long-term. These upper tier areas have greater protections than they were afforded under the 2001 Clinton-era Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
As for the 3 million acres of non - upper tier lands – these areas are generally well-protected but have numerous exceptions tailored to Colorado’s economic drivers and unique management situations such as ski areas, the coal mining areas near Paonia and fire and fuels management in the Wildland Urban Interface or WUI .
Of course, this is an oversimplified account of the vast array of ramifications of such a detailed rule. However, you the reader, would be bored if I went into the excruciating details. Some people love this stuff though and I’m happy to talk with them about how the new rule affects their favorite backcountry fishing hole or their favorite waters far downstream, but still influenced, by the backcountry headwaters. If you find yourself in this category, please contact me. Or, if you want to read the rule for yourself, here’s the link: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5378039.pdf
The best thing about all this is that here in Colorado, we still have wild, un-roaded landscapes where you can be one with the stream, your rod, a babbling brook and nothing else. Make sure you exercise this privilege and take a youngster with you – it is priceless and irreplaceable.
For more information, contact Aaron Kindle at akindle@tu.org.
The Western Native Trout Initiative is a nationally recognized Fish Habitat Partnership that seeks to cooperatively restore and recover 19 western native trout and char species across their historic range by funding efforts to raise awareness for the importance of native trout and focusing limited financial and human resources toward the highest-impact, locally-led, on-the-ground projects.
WNTI covers an area of 1.75 M square miles and includes representation by 12 western states, 5 federal agencies, sovereign tribes, and private conservation groups. Since 2006, the Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI) has helped to invest over $16 million of private and public funding toward 78 projects that have reconnected, restored and enhanced over 430 stream miles, and helped complete over 500 native trout population assessments to guide collaborative watershed planning and management.
In addition to directing and leveraging approximately $600,000 in federal funding annually toward large, on-the-ground native trout conservation projects, each summer WNTI accepts proposals to help ‘jump start’ or complete smaller, high-impact efforts by community groups to restore or recover western native trout in the rivers, lakes and watersheds where they remain.
Projects considered for funding under the Small Grants Program may include riparian or in-stream habitat restoration, barrier removal or construction, population or watershed assessments needed for prioritization and planning, water leases or acquisitions to improve in-stream flows, and native trout community outreach and education. Individual projects will be funded at a maximum of $3,000.
In order to help applicants put forward the best possible projects, WNTI has a set of criteria by which projects are evaluated for funding. Applicants should address these criteria in their project applications.
>>Please click here to review the grant selection criteria and application instructions.
We would like to thank the National Fish Habitat Partnership, Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, state agencies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and our private sector partners like Orvis and Patagonia for contributing funds and resources toward the Small Grants Program.
The deadline to submit a project under the Small Grants Program is August 25, 2012. Questions? Contact Robin Knox at rknox@westernnativetrout.org.
Now in development by Colorado TU’s Youth Education Task Force, Youth Education Coordinator Jake Lemon and TU volunteers like you, the Stream Explorers program is a series of hands-on, science based activities that help students understand aquatic organisms as well as – you guessed it – fly fishing techniques.
On Wednesday August 22, 2012 we will be holding a training/meeting in the Salida/Buena Vista area for people interested in helping Colorado TU host this program in their respective communities. During the day-long session we’ll “model” each activity and then talk about how we might improve and adapt them to various community settings.
Interested? Want to learn more? Click here to read more about the program, or contact Jake Lemon at jake.lemon@coloradotu.org
Session size is limited, so don't delay.
Named after President Dwight D. (I like Ike!) Eisenhower, a frequent visitor to the area and fishermen of the Fraser River, this dedication helps to keep the history of the Fraser alive.
However, the river's future continues to be in jeopardy. Colorado TU's David Nickum summed it up this way - "I would rather see a healthy Fraser Creek than a dead Fraser River."
Read more about the Fraser and TU's ongoing involvement in the Sky High Daily News.
The Bristol Bay region of southwest Alaska is home to the last great wild sockeye salmon fishery in the world. It's also home to enormous mineral deposits – copper, gold, molybdenum – estimated to be worth some $300 billion. Now, two foreign mining companies are proposing to extract this mineral wealth by digging one of North America's largest open-pit mines, the "Pebble Mine," at the headwaters of Bristol Bay. "Frontline" travels to Alaska to probe the fault lines of a growing battle between those who depend on this extraordinary fishery for a living, the mining companies who are pushing for Pebble and the political framework that will ultimately decide the outcome.
View a promo: http://ow.ly/cmhEJ
Superfly is one of Colorado's premiere fly fishing competitions. It's a great opportunity to fish some great (often private) water, hang out with some of the state's best anglers and help raise money for both the Gunnison Angling Society and Colorado TU.Low water conditions and higher temperatures have prompted some rules modifications, but Superfly is still on target for September 7 & 8 in Gunnison.
You must register your team - and submit your fee payment - by August 7th. Applications are available for download at our website at GunnisonTU.org
Please read the important information below regarding the new rules and contacts.
SCHEDULE
Friday, September 7: • 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM: Register, meet guides, get shirts, etc., and enjoy snack buffet at The Almont Resort Saturday, September 8: • 6:30 AM: Breakfast buffet and register flies • 8:30 AM to 5 PM: Fishing • 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM: Social period, posting of scores • 6:30 PM: Dinner Buffet • 7:30 PM: Awards and prizes • 8:00 PM: Raffles and auctions
Please note: if the outflow at Taylor Dam is reduced to below 100 cfs during mid August, the event will be cancelled.
TEAMS
Teams will consist of two anglers. Professional guides may enter the contest, but no more than one guide will be allowed on a team. One monitor will be assigned to each team and will stay with the team for the duration of the contest.
CONTEST RULES
1. Teams may fish anywhere they like and can work out locations with their monitor. Please take into consideration low water issues and any potential negative impact to fish. There will be no pre-assigned beats. 2. Fishing will be between 8:30 AM and 5 PM. The first six fish caught by each contestant will be scored. Fishing for the contest will end at 5 PM or when six fish are caught by each contestant, whichever comes first. 3. Kokanee salmon will not count in the contest. Only trout or char caught during the time allowed for the contest will be counted on the scorecard. 4. No more than two flies may be used by each contestant during the contest. Only one fly may be used at a time (no droppers). All hooks will be barbless. 5. All fish caught under the scoring rules must be fair hooked in the mouth (with the hook inside the mouth) and landed by the contestant, not the team partner or monitor. The team’s monitor will then measure the fish to the nearest 1/8 inch. After release, the fish will then be recorded on the individual’s scorecard. All fish caught must be released safely or they will not be counted in the contest. 6. The individual scoring the most inches for the maximum six fish allowed will be declared “TOP ROD” and the team with the most inches, “TOP TEAM.” The contestant who catches the largest fish will also be presented an award, and the fly which caught the fish will be declared the “SUPERFLY.” 7. In the event of a tie, whoever scored their first fish in the least amount of time will be the winner. 8. The Superfly monitor for each team will be the final authority for resolving any dispute or interpretation of the rules while on the stream.
SCORING RULES
1. The first six fish caught and landed by each contestant must be entered on the scorecard. A maximum of six fish can be scored by each angler. 2. Once a fish has been entered on the scorecard it may not be removed. 3. Scores must be reported in person no later than 6 PM. 4. A 20% deduction will be applied to fish scored on private water.
Contact John Bocchino (john@riffleandrise - 970-641-4828) for questions or further information. Gunnison Angling Society The Gunnison Chapter of Trout Unlimited www.GunnisonTU.org PO Box 365 Almont, CO 81210
For the next year, you'll receive all the benefits of a paid membership:
Colorado TU's Summer Meeting will begin with dedication of the "Eisenhower Reach" of the Fraser River, at 9 am at Lions Park in Fraser. The Eisenhower Reach was established by a Colorado General Assembly legislative resolution earlier this year. After the dedication, the summer board meeting will re-convene at The Beavers Lodge in Winter Park (79303 Highway 40). The meeting is hosted by the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter.
Rooms are available at The Beavers for $60 per night; to make your reservation you can call: TF: 800.525.3561 x 0 / PH: 970.726.5741 x0
If you plan to attend the summer meeting, please RSVP to David Nickum to help us get an accurate head-count for lunch.
