Upper Chattahoochee Chapter #436 - Trout Unlimited
May 2017 
 

This month we're paying special tribute to all of the folks who participated in this year's (and last) Trout in the Classroom youth program. Our upcoming chapter meeting on Tuesday, May 23 will honor this hard-working group of members and teachers. Please be part of this event and come out to join in the night's program.

On a different note, as we experience the last days of spring and welcome summer, many of us will be hitting area streams and rivers to fish, camp, hike and outright enjoy what nature has put in place for all of us. Take special care this summer by being aware your surroundings. Be vigilant of the critters sharing this space too. Snakes habitat trails on sunny days (click HERE to see more detail on how to spot poisonous snakes in GA). Spiders build some impressive webs near the water's edge. Ticks abound throughout the woods, and while a  ball cap will help keep them off your scalp, a buffed and brimmed hat will also offer the best protection from our harsh Georgia Sun. One last precaution... B e sure to apply sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 30 every 45-60 minutes to any exposed skin. Be sure to concentrate on your arms, ears and neck. Sunburns can be especially brutal during cloudy windy days when you won't feel the heat on your skin.

Also, be careful of changing river conditions and sudden rainstorms. Water flow and depth can change quickly. It's always best to check the forecast, and if going in the Hooch, call the Buford Dam hotline (770-945-1466) to see what release schedule is the day you'll be fishing. And, always fish with a buddy.

See you all next Tuesday!
Tight Lines,

Ken Mock,  President
Upper Chattahoochee Chapter #436 
Trout Unlimited

B lue Ridge Trout Festival -- Recap
Trout Fest held in Blue Ridge in late April was a HUGE success in its second year! Thousands of people showed up to celebrate one of the things we all love. Trout-Good Food & Good Times with Friends! Be sure to attend in 2018.

 








May Speakers: Carl Riggs, Jim Byrd & Trout in the Classroom Teachers -- Don't Miss This Meeting!!
This month we are honored to have a long time leader of Georgia Trout Unlimited, Carl Riggs kick-off our May meeting celebrating our highly successful Trout in the Classroom program. Carl's extensive resume includes being President of both Upper Chattahoochee and Blue Ridge chapters of Trout Unlimited, State Council member for 8 years, and is currently Georgia State Chairman and State Fundraising Chairman. 
Carl Riggs Doing What He Loves
Carl is passionate about fishing and teaching anyone who will let him, whether it be veterans with Project Healing Water, women with  Casting for Recovery, Scouts, or just family and friends.

"I've been lucky to have fished for trout in over 25 states, and couldn't have done that without  my wonderful fishing wife Doris. I love living in the North Georgia mountains on the Toccoa River and I have made lifetime friends being associated with TU. I feel very blessed to be able to serve our state and it's 5000 members." -- Carl Riggs.

Carl will be joined by the teachers who represent the four schools UCCTU sponsors in our Trout in the Classroom program. Jim Byrd, chairman of our TIC program will give a review of the 2016/17 year and present plans for 2017/18.

Wrapping up the night will be a special presentation by chapter President Ken Mock (no clues--you have to be there!).

Come join us on on Tuesday, May 23 at Ippolitos.
Hunting and Fishing Bill Signed!
Governor Nathan Deal held a signing ceremony for  House Bill 208 at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Regional Headquarters in Brunswick on April 25.  
House Bill 208 makes changes in Georgia law to simplify the hunting and fishing license structure while also adjusting fees for resident hunting and fishing licenses for the first time since 1992. More than 5,000 Georgia residents provided feedback about the content of House Bill 208 through a series of 8 public meetings held around the state. Over 85% supported the proposed changes. 

With the additional revenue, DNR will improve wildlife and fish habitat and management on public and private lands and waters; create more shooting ranges; improve boating access in fresh and salt waters; add youth education opportunities; increase fish stocking; and add approximately 40 conservation rangers.

The legislation, which becomes effective July 1, 2017, will rank Georgia in the middle of its Southeastern neighbors for resident hunting and fishing license fees."   
Article taken from a Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources press release. To read the bill itself click  HERE.
From the DNRSnakes
Snakes!
From spring through summer, calls and emails about snakes are a given at Georgia Department of Natural Resources offices. Yet most of those contacts involve only two questions: What species is this and what do I do with it? Generally the underlying question is, "is this  venomous". Chances are the answer is usually no.

Only six of the over forty  species native to Georgia are venomous and only one - the copperhead - usually thrives in suburban areas, where the majority of Georgians live.

So,  if you do spot a snake, what then?

1.) Remember, m ost snake bites occur when a snake is cornered or captured, prompting it to defend itself. So, give it the space it needs t ry to identify it from a distance . Resources such as GeorgiaWildlife.com/GeorgiaSnakes , includes DNR's "Venomous Snakes of Georgia" brochure.

2.)Remember that snakes are predators that feed on rodents, insects and even other snakes. There is no need to fear non-venomous snakes. Georgia's native non-venomous species are protected by state law, and one - the eastern indigo - is federally protected as an imperiled species.

3.)If a clearly identified venomous snake is in an area where it represents a danger to people or pets, wait to see it moves away first. If not, contact DNR's Wildlife Resources Division for a list of private wildlife removal specialists. 

Non-venomous snakes such as scarlet kingsnake, eastern hognose and watersnake species can be confused with their venomous counterparts. Pit vipers, which include all of the state's venomous snake species except for the coral snake, are often identified by their broad, triangular-shaped heads. But many nonvenomous snakes flatten their heads when threatened and may have color patterns similar to venomous species. 

Use caution around any unidentified snake. For more info:

Other Snake Notes
-Benefits: Most snakes eat creatures Georgians do not want near their homes like rodents,  snails, slugs, centipedes and even  and some even venomous snakes .
-Babies: Often the concern when smaller snakes are spotted: Are larger parents nearby? While some species are live-bearers and some are egg-bearers, snakes do not exhibit parental care. If there are parents, they're not watching over their offspring.
-Prevention: To reduce the potential for snakes near your home, remove brush, log piles and other habitat features that attract mice, lizards and other animals on which snakes prey.
"Info taken from Ga DNR website"
Fundraiser on the Horizon
There are plans in the works to partner with Red Brick Brewery here in Atlanta to enjoy an evening of beer, food and festivities while raising money for UCCTU. So, mark your calendar for the evening of Thursday,  July 20. 


Tickets will go on sale early next month. Bring some friends to enjoy  some of  Red Brick's award winning beers and maybe win some raffle prizes.  This would be a great way to introduce some friends to Trout Unlimited and maybe to Fly Fishing! 



Also, UCCTU will be raffling off an excellent pair of Patagonia Waders & Korkers Boots this summer - tickets will go on sale next month for the drawing at the August Meeting.

More details in the June and July issues of Newsline.
Casting for Recovery News
TU works and supports Casting for Recovery across the country on many levels and with your help, CfR seeks to enrich the lives of women with breast cancer. CfR accepts donations in the form of money or time. Casting for Recovery is an organization fueled by volunteers. They rely on the enthusiasm and dedication of their volunteers for fundraising, planning and staffing their retreats. Click HERE to help.
Casting for Recovery® wants to enhance the quality of life of women with breast cancer through a unique retreat program that combines breast cancer education and peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing. The program offers opportunities for women to find inspiration, discover renewed energy for life and experience healing connections with other women and nature. CfR serves breast cancer survivors of all ages, in all stages of treatment and recovery, at no cost to participants.
National Park Symposium- From Bill Lott 
On May 15th, I attended the Chattahoochee National Park Symposium at Island Ford State Park. There were approximately 45 attendees representing organizations all up and down the Chattahoochee. It was a very interesting luncheon and I was surprised at the number of organizations that are working hard to improve the Park. There was much concern expressed as to how Gwinnett County will develop their land along the river.

Sally Bethea of the Chattahoochee RiverKeeper personally thanked UCCTU and another TU Board attendee who made a personal donation at our last meeting. Sally is planning to periodically hold similar meetings in the future and genuinely appreciated our participation.

Bill Cox, Superintendent of the  Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, gave a brief history of the Park and outlined a series of 5 year plans he will be implementing. Each 5 year plan will emphasize 3 areas for improvement. The first plan includes partnering with the  Cumberland Improvement District   to design a major renovation plan for Paces Mill park, then to work on Victory Creek and finally to improve the river itself including portage at Morgan Falls and enhancing the overall River Park experience. Another goal is to redesign and improve Park signage, to study and improve Park trails and ultimately connect them to trails both inside and outside the Park. Connectivity was key.

George Dusenbury, of The Trust for Public Land, talked about the land acquisitions most of which are planned in the near future and are likely to be around Atlanta. 

The  was present and will continue to, support various State and local Park projects.  

I was proud to be a representative of the only TU chapter in attendance and look forward to pushing other Chapters to represent TU at community outreach meetings in the future.

The Marietta Daily Journal also covered this in an article. For more information Click HERE to read their article.
April's Rizzio Clinic Recap in Pictures -- A Fun Day for Everyone!


Trout in the Classroom on 11Alive News!
Two of our TIC schools held trout releases this spring.  Brookwood Elementary released their trout on March 11th with 20 students, teachers and principal attending.  On March 25th, St. Pius X Catholic High School held their release with 33 students and teacher attending. The event was covered by 11Alive news! ( If you want to see the Video from 11Alive click  HERE ). Both releases were held at Jones Bridge Unit, Chattahoochee National Recreation Area.  

 

Thank you to all of the TU members that provided excellent supplemental events: 

Bill Malloy - conservation discussion
Bob Schmitt - healthy/unhealthy stream exhibit
Ken Mock - fly rod rigging and knots exhibit
Bill Lott - water testing and analysis demonstration
Jim Harvey - casting demonstration
Cullen McClure - photos

Come to our May 23 chapter meeting to learn more about our TIC program -- you might want to help next year.
Sweep the Hooch Results
With our Help the 7th Annual Sweep the Hooch Cleans 16.7 Tons of Trash!

ATLANTA - 733 volunteers, a 25% increase from 2016, pulled 16.7 tons of trash from the Chattahoochee River during the 7th Annual Sweep the Hooch on Saturday, April 8 in partnership with Upper Chattahoochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.  This one-day event took place at 43 cleanup sites covering 100+ river miles. 
If anyone has any pictures from their respective cleanup sites please pick your top 5 and upload them HERE.

Thanks to all our UCCTU members who volunteered for this annual river clean-up event.
EarthShare Speaker in June
Next month we have the pleasure of being joined by Madeline Reamy, who has been the Executive Director of EarthShare of Georgia since 2006.  EarthShare of Georgia is a non-profit that connects people to trusted non-profit organizations dedicated to conserving and protecting our air, land and water. Since coming to EarthShare of Georgia, she has helped secure new employee-giving campaigns with Cox Enterprises, the Atlanta office of Accenture, Acuity Brands, Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, Hannah Solar, Interface and many other companies while developing strong partnerships with business leaders for EarthShare of Georgia's annual corporate Earth Day events and marketing initiatives.
Her background includes more than thirty years of non-profit work, mostly in Director of Education positions and also as an Executive Director for two organizations. For fourteen of those thirty years, she worked in the environmental field, including six years as Director of Education and (for one year) as Interim Executive Director of the Chattahoochee Nature Center, one of EarthShare of Georgia's member groups, managing a staff of twenty, developing the education programs and securing a variety of grants to help support organizational growth.  

Before coming to EarthShare of Georgia, she was the Education Director with a Keep America Beautiful affiliate from 1998-2006 (Keep North Fulton Beautiful), where she was responsible for extensive community partnership development, including the creation and management of an award-winning urban forestry education program, funded by the Urban and Community Forestry program of the Georgia Forestry Commission.  

She is a 2011 graduate of the Institute for Georgia
Madeline Reamy EarthShare of GA
Environmental Leadership, a 2004 graduate of Leadership Sandy Springs, serves on the board of EarthShare National based in Bethesda, MD, and is a mentor for the WomenLead program at Georgia State University. Madeline has served on the Board of Directors of Georgia's Environmental Education Alliance as Vice President, and was President of the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries in her previous museum career. She holds a Master's degree in museums/non-profit management. Madeline is the mother of two grown children and enjoys animals, hiking as well as painting.

Mark down Tuesday, June 27 to attend this meeting.
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In This Issue

Coming Events
May
20 - AO Intro to Fly Tying ($25)
23 - Chapter Meeting
25 - AO Saltwater Fly Fishing Clinic

June
4 - Fishing Dayz and Lunch
10 - 11 AO Euro Nymphing Clinic ($99)
27 - Chapter Meeting

Fly Of the Month
 

Be Safe and Check the FLOW Before You GO!Checktheflow
Call  770-945-1466 , or toll free at  1-855-DAM-FLOW (1-855-326-3569) , for the Buford Dam water release schedule. Or visit their  Hydropower Generating Schedule  website for release times and amounts for the current day. 

Visit Current Conditions website to check for any closures or anomalies before heading out. 
Useful Fly Patterns on the hooch

Useful Knots

New Faces
New members since our last Newsline went out are:

Kimmar Anderson
Jeff Bernier
Patrick Callahan
Christopher Carlis
Zachary Copeland
John Desantis
Charles Downs
Edwin Hendricks
Griffin Hendricks
Hugh Hofer
Will Hudgins
Paul Jacxsens
Luke Long
Alex Marquardt
Ronald Morishige
Ray Murray
Benjamin Odonnell
Mac Platt
Brad Ross
Andrew White
Michael Wilson
Cameron  Yates

New members, be sure to join us at our meeting Tuesday, May 23 and you will receive a raffle ticket for a great prize! 

Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at  Ippolitos Roswell. Dinner/happy hour starts at 6 pm and "business" starts at 7 pm! Be sure to bring some cash if you want to buy raffle tickets for great prizes. All proceeds go to UCCTU activities and conservation efforts!
Beautiful May Fishing Dayz!
The weather was beautiful (check out the picture below). The sun was bright and high in the sky. The water was slightly stained. Sounds perfect, right?  Nope. The fish were nonexistent. That was the consensus of the group's Fishing Dayz on Amicolola Creek on May 7. 

You know what they say, "
A bad day fishing is better than a good day doing anything else."

Our group was the victim of the recent heavy rains that hit the North Georgia area earlier in the week. The creek was very high and running very fast. The fish, as smart as they are, were hugging the bottom and not coming up for any bug life...at least anything we put on the line. 

It was, however, a good day to practice a few skills unique to our sport .
(1) Maintaining balance and "enhancing core strength" while fighting strong current
(2)  Retrieving snagged flies from nearby mountain laurels
(3) Not tripping over big boulders hiding under stained water 
(4) Not falling in the creek due to the raised water levels

We'll try again next month at Jones Bridge for fishing and lunch on June 4th!
June Fishing Dayz
Sunday, June 4 we will be fishing one of our favorite stretches of the Chattahoochee -- Jones Bridge! As usual, we will meet at the Waffle House at 1470 Holcomb Bridge Rd, Roswell, GA 30076. Breakfast is from 7:30 - 8:30 am, and after, we'll head over to the river and fish till 12 pm.

Wading or floating is good in this stretch. If you're wading, it's recommended that you use a wading staff.


After fishing, sandwiches and drinks will be provided! Email president@ucctu.org and let us know if you are coming so we can bring plenty of food and drink. 
Dukes Creek Closed
Unfortunately, Dukes Creek fishing will be closed and no reservations for fishing will be taken from Jun 1, 2017 to October 1, 2017, however, the stream may be reopened sometime earlier during September depending on water flow and temperature conditions. Re-stocking plans are under development and will be initiated sometime before the stream is reopened. During this time, no fishing at all will be allowed on Dukes Creek except to cabin guests who may fish the cabin section only. 

Fishing reservations will be taken starting for October 2017. To make a reservation in October or later call the reservation number 706-878-3087.
Discount Code for UCCTU!!
UCCTU has a new business partner, Compass 360! And d ue to this partnership we all benefit! Use the promo code in the picture below at checkout to receive our exclusive discount!
"
Since our inception, our goal has been to raise the standards of quality and performance, dependability and overall value in the Outdoor outerwear and wade wear industry. We also promise to provide exceptional service, honesty and clarity to all of our customers, as well as to provide individual attention and appreciation for every customer." Ultimately our goal is to provide products and services that exceed expectations and raise the standard of service to their highest level. To treat customers in the way that we would want to be treated, and to do what is right, at all costs."

Check out their site at www.compass360gear.com.
What a Catch!
One of our volunteers, Jason Caravella, saved the day this past weekend by taking one of SHARE vets, along with his service dog, Annie, fly fishing in his drift boat on the Hooch!

What's for Sale?
If you have a new or gently used piece of fishing equipment or a boat, float tube, or other related item and would like to sell it to another chapter member, here's your opportunity. Just send a short description of the item(s) to: President with a photo (if possible).
Ads received before the 15 th of the month will be placed in that month's issue of Newsline. Clean out your cave or garage and get some cash for items you no longer want.
Our Annual Chapter Fundraiser Needs YOU!
While the annual fundraiser isn't until October, it's not too early to get started.  So, if anyone has a fishing item (new or slightly used) and would like to donate it for the auction, please let us know - we had some great ones last year.  Also, we could use some volunteers to help solicit businesses for raffle prizes.  If interested please contact us at 770-992-9242 or  fundraising@ucctu.org.

It's Reading Time at UCCTU

We recently announced that a new 'free magazine and book library' would be introduced. Simply put, this means if you have fishing magazines and books that you no longer need or want, bring them to the chapter meeting and put them on the bar for someone else to take home and enjoy.
Fly Line Has a Second Life


We've been contacted by this small business that uses fly & fishing line to make lanyards, bracelets and other gift items. This organization will send us a few of these items for use as future raffle items but we need to send them a respectable quantity of line. So, if you're planning to re-spool your reel this spring or summer, keep the line and bring it to the next chapter meeting!
SOHO Fishing Trip Dinner!
For those of you signed up for the summer trip to the South Holston River in mid July, we're holding a pre-trip planning meeting and dinner on Monday, June 19 at the Red Lobster restaurant on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell. The meeting starts at 7 pm.

If you haven't signed up for this trip, and would like to go, you can! ONE BED remains. Once gone, you'll have to bring an air mattress or cot. If interested, send an email to  President. Also, everyone going on this trip should come to the pre-trip dinner. 
Embrace a Stream
Embrace-A-Stream (EAS) is a matching grant program administered by TU that awards funds to TU chapters and councils for coldwater fisheries conservation. Since its inception in 1975, EAS has funded more than 1,000 individual projects for a total of $4.4 million in direct cash grants. Local TU chapters and councils contributed an additional $13 million in cash and in-kind services to EAS funded projects, for a total investment of more than $17 million.
To donate to the Embrace a Stream Program click HERE
Be a Trout Unlimited Ambassador
Next time you are out on the river, in the parking lot at Jones Bridge, or in a business meeting and the subject of Trout Fishing comes up -- hand the interested party one of your new UCCTU Chapter Cards. 

Pick up your cards at the monthly meeting!
Roswell High Fishing Club
We are seeking volunteers to help with fly fishing. Anyone interested in helping the next generation of fly fishers should contact Jim Harvey at 404-933-5976.
Bring Equipment to the Meeting
Don't forget to bring new or gently used fishing gear to the May meeting for our ongoing "Donate Gear to the Vets" program. So far we've received some great items including rods, reels, boots, fly tying materials, a rod building kit and much more.
Quick Links







Click the Fish to read the Story
After the Dam release
Jones Bridge
Show Your Support!
TU License Plate
Buy a Georgia TU Plate

When you buy a new car or renew your tags, consider getting a Georgia TU plate and help support this important wildlife effort. Go here for more details.

News Bites
Don't forget to pay your 2017 UCCTU Voluntary Dues  Here .

President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, delivers the 2016  State of TU speech at the TU Annual Meeting in Bozeman, MT.


Contact Fulton County's DNR Officer Mark Puig if you see any poaching or violations while you are out fishing.

Hotline: 800-241-4113
Cell: 404-997-3214

Check out our Chapter Website at  UCCTU.org and leave comments in the Shout Out box.

Social Media:
Visit our info-packed  FacebookTwitter, and Instagram pages. Don't forget to share us with your friends! 



   
      
Atlanta Fly Fishing School  





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Backcasts
*** Send in your pictures for the Newsline **
We want to show off the fish you are catching and the places where you are catching them. Send your photos and descriptions to Newsline Editor.  

Denny Desmond on the Soque
Bruce Payne at Fern Valley
Roman Figurilli Catches a Fern Valley Palomino!
Ken Mock fishing at Amicolola Creek Steel Bridge May 2017
Ken Mock fishing at Amicolola Creek Steel Bridge May Fishing Dayz
Picture