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Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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By all accounts, the fishing on the Smith River ranged from good to excellent. The multi-day trip that draws thousands of applicants each year is considered by many to be one of the iconic Montana experiences. Amazing scenery, spectacular cliffs with petroglyphs, abundant wildlife including nuisance bears and the fishing all combine for
 unique experience.
So who would ever want to kill this goose that lays golden eggs year after years? Maybe Sandfire Resources, the Australian mining conglomerate that wants to put a big open pit copper mine in headwaters of Sheep Creek, one of the main cutthroat tributaries. Wielding the tried and true fantasies of job creation and economic nirvana, this project withstood the factually based opposition of
Montana TU,
American Rivers,
Montana Environmental Information Center, and countless private citizens from around the country.
On April 9, the Black Butte mine was give a permit by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, triggering the next phase in the battle against this travesty. Montana TU Executive Director David Brooks and American Rivers' Scott Bosse penned a
news release and Smith River Outfitters wrote an
emotional letter that was reprinted widely. As David and Bonnie Gestring wrote in
The Missoula Current as has happened so may times, "They get the gold and copper, we get the shaft!"
 As shown in this photo on the left by David Brooks, Sheep Creek contributes up to 50% of the water to the Smith at Camp Baker. All
 too often hard rock mining leaves streams looking like the
one on the right. Which one do you want to see entering the Smith at Camp Baker?
The Black Butte mine is not the only environmental issue to have been defeated as everyone wrestles with a world-wide pandemic, but this one hits particularly close to home for trout lovers. Montana TU will continue to battle and there are a number of ways that we can help. To learn how, check out this
Montana TU website.
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Maps with a message from Montana Trout Unlimited and the Three Rivers Collaborative.
Earlier this year Montana Trout Unlimited released an interactive on-line map that showed fishing access sites across the state, including ones that need repair. The map also pointed out locations where additional access sites would enhance fishing across the state. At the time, David Brooks stated,
"The real point is to illustrate that there is need for improvement in fishing access across the state, and that the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been and could continue to be one way of filling that need," said David Brooks, executive director of Trout Unlimited. "The real goal here is to use this as a tool to illustrate the need for Land and Water Conservation dollars, and the need to push our delegates to have a full, permanent Land and Water Conservation Fund bill passed in 2020."
Well, it looks like the Land and Water Conservation Fund is only a whisker away fro being approved by Congress and signed by the President, so maybe our fishing access sites will get the attention they deserve.
You can check out the Montana TU map
here and might be surprised at what you find. There are fishing access sites in places I didn't even know had water!
The second map with a message was recently released by the Three Rivers Collaborative, in conjunction with Destination Missoula, the Downtown Missoula Collaborative and Windfall Design.
This interesting map focuses on the Clark Fork River between the confluence of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers all the way through Missoula down to Silver Park. It shows river access points, parking details and typical times for floating specific stretches. Importantly, this map has water safety information and can serve as a guide for visitors and newcomers.
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| Global warming threatens native fish. |
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Among the truly existential threats to fish is climate change and global warming. BRTU E-news has already published stories about efforts to relocate some threatened species in Glacier National Park to refugia that are predicted to be most resistant to the impacts of warming.
The headwater streams in the Bitterroot and other Western Montana river systems may the best chance that our native trout have. It will be crucial to keep those streams in good shape with ample woody debris or we might be fishing for carp and coelocanth on the West Fork!
This recent article from the Guardian has a nice overview of the threats to fishing that global warming presents. Estimates that 60% of fish species will be unable to live in their current habitats.
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Picture of the Week.
This week's picture was submitted by long-time BRTU supporter Cary Griffin (who also won this week's Puzzler!)
Cary was fishing the The Railroad Ranch section of the Henry's Fork in Idaho on opening day last month. It was 39 degrees and spitting snow. Cary was using a size 18 Baetis parachute after a caddis hatch. A gorgeous photo. The fish was gorgeous, too, but it was so big I don't want to scare people. If I don't get a good picture for next issue, I might use it then.
Please be sure to send me any photos that might be suitable for the Picture of the Week. I promise not to divulge locations.
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The BRTU Puzzler.
I had barely hit the Send button before I received the correct answer to this puzzler from Cary Griffin! Cary correctly guessed that the object is a tippet dispenser This is not the first time that Cary has won a Puzzler.
Les Korcala, who submitted the Puzzler, said that he purchased it in Seattle many years ago. I have seen a lot of tippet dispenser, but had never set eyes on one like this.
Chuck Stranahan has generously offered a prize to all winners of the BRTU Puzzler. Cary can claim a prize of hand-tied trout flies by contacting
Chuck
.
Please feel free to submit any ideas and photos for the next BRTU Puzzler to Marshall Bloom.
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October 2020 BRTU banquet cancelled!
The BRTU Board of Directors has made the hard decision to cancel our 2020 banquet that was scheduled for this coming October. Uncertainties about status of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time and possible reluctance of people to come together in large groups were 2 of the factors.
Plans are being made to have a virtual auction and we have already lined up some exceptional premiums. As soon as more details are available, we will share them.
This would have been the 41st annual fundraiser and this decision was not made easily.
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Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A small number of Pubisher's Proofs of the limited edition "Bitterroot River-Lost Horse Bend" by Monte Dolack are now available at Joe's Studio. BRTU commissioned Monte
 Dolack in 2007 to create this iconic print of the Bitterroot River.
The remaining Publisher's Proofs are $375 and all proceeds support BRTU efforts to protect trout and streams.
Joe's Studio, a regular sponsor of our banquets, is located in Hamilton at 220 Marcus Street (961-4586, joesstudio@aol.com)
The "U" in BRTU
Unlike many groups, BTRU has no paid staff. We are an entirely volunteer organization. We are always looking for new members to get involved in projects or to join our board and assist with maintaining our focus on native fish, clean healthy streams and education. If you would like to help out, please contact BRTU Chapter President Jeremy Anderson
. We could sure use your help!
In other words, how about putting a little "U" in BRTU?
If "U" are not already a member, "U" can join TU today by going to the
BRTU website. Our chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call Clayton at 406-543-0054.
Board meetings are typically the last Monday of every month at 6:00 PM. They are open to all BRTU members. Location varies, so please contact
Jeremy if you would like to come by and learn what is going on.
The BRTU Mission statement is "
To conserve, protect, and restore the Bitterroot River and it's watershed," directly in line with the Montana TU mission statement.
For your information, here is a tabulation of our current
hard-working BRTU officers and board members.
BOARD OFFICERS
Dr. Jeremy Anderson; President; E-mail: mtwildtrout1@gmail.com
Dave Ward; Vice-President; E-mail: dward451@comcast.net
Marissa Sowles, Secretary (acting);
sowlesm@gmail.com
Keith Mullan, Treasurer;
E-mail: keithcmullan@hotmail.com
BOARD MEMBERS
Donna Haglund; E-mail: haglunddonna@gmail.com
Marlin Lewis; E-mail: Lewism@hsd3.org
Shelia Bryan; E-mail: shoe6561@gmail.com
Gavin Marston (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
Dr Trout (
Marshall Bloom);
E-mail: drtrout@mtbloom.net
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