BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
Hi, you're receiving this email because either you are a member of Bitterroot Trout Unlimited or you have expressed an interest in BRTU. Don't forget to add drtrout@mtbloom.net to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! We make very effort to make sure this list is current. If you are receiving it by mistake, please let us know right away! Please feel free to forward on to friends and have them contact me if they would like to receive the BRTU E-News.
Permission is herein granted to forward or to use the content and photos in this newsletter. A credit would be appreciated. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the publisher and may not represent those of BRTU or others featured in the newsletter.
You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.
#266: Oct. 10, 2022
|
|
Brats & Brews & BRTU - October 20. |
|
|
|
The Art of Monte Dolack - Vision-Myth-Mystery. There will be a drawing for a copy at the Oct 20 meeting. Source: Monte Dolack Fine Art. |
|
This is the banner story because October 20 is the first BRTU meeting since early 2020 and we are hoping for a good turnout!
There will be Brats & Brews & BRTU on October 20 at the Hamilton Elks Lodge starting at 6:15 PM. Come on down as we kick off our first general meeting since February 2020.
The Elks are well known for their brats - cooked in beer and then finished on the grill, and they have offered to cook some up on the 20th. For $10, you will be able to get a brat and one of the brews that the Elks offer at their full service bar. They will start taking orders at 6:15 but the number is limited, so plan on getting there in plenty of time before the meeting begins at 7:00.
After the program, there will be a special drawing for a copy of The Art of Monte Dolack - Vision-Myth-Mystery. This is a new hard cover book that collects more than 180 well known and privately held pieces of artwork by this uniquely Montana artist. We will also be giving away some BRTU caps featuring the current logo.
And the program will be special, too. Brant Oswald will give a very interesting presentation about Paradise Valley After the Flood. The floods caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure up and down the Yellowstone, but you are likely to be pleasantly surprised about impacts on the fishing. Brant is often referred to as "a guide's guide" due to his sophisticated approach to casting and flyfishing. He has been very busy this past season and has documented a lot of the changes to the spring creeks as well as the river itself.
If you make it down for a brat & a brew, you'll get a chance to visit with Brant - a brat & brew with Brant.
The public is invited to attend all BRTU events and there is no charge for admission.
Here is the list of the upcoming BRTU programs so that you can mark them down on your calendar.
-
Thursday, November 17, 2022 - Morgan Case, Trout Unlimited In-Stream Flow Specialist. Saving Trout with a Lawbook.
-
Thursday, January 19, 2023 - Casey Hackathorn, Trout Unlimited Upper Clark Fork Program Manager. Restoring Native Trout to the Upper Clark Fork.
-
Thursday, February 16, 2023 - Birch Fett. Secure River Golden Dorado.
- March 2023 - pending.
-
Thursday April 20, 2023. Jason Lindstrom, MFWP. Bitterroot River Report.
Be sure to mark these dates on your calendar now! The public is invited to attend all BRTU events and there is no charge for admission.
|
|
Revving up for Trout in the Classroom. |
|
Students in Vanessa Haflich's Hamilton High School string up rods in preparation for casting instruction. Source: Greg Chester. |
|
With the Bitterroot's as backdrop, the students learn to keep their backcasts high. Source: Greg Chester. |
|
As mentioned in earlier newsletters, this year BRTU is underwriting Trout in the Classroom at 5 schools in the valley - Florence, Corvallis, Hamilton, and Darby. Plus, the students at the Trapper Creek Job Corps Center are also adding the program to their curriculum. Trout in the Classroom is TU's flagship environmental education program for connecting kids around the country with nature and the basics of trout.
BRTU provides all the equipment, like tanks, aerators, pumps, water treatment and chemistry supplies, along with instructional materials. Once everything is set up, BRTU provides fertilized trout eggs from the state hatchery in Arlee. The students hatch the eggs and raise the fish until they are large enough to release. This requires constant monitoring of the water chemistry and temperature.
At the end of the school year the fish are released into the pond at Hieronymus Park in Hamilton. The program is done with the support and cooperation of our MFWP fisheries professionals, Jason Lindstrom and Leslie Nyce.
Vanessa Haflich at Hamilton High School and Jeff Kaiser at Corvallis High School were the first teachers to sign up 3 years ago. Recently, Vanessa's class took some time out from classroom "book learning" to spend part of a gorgeous fall day learning to flycast with professional casting instructor and BRTU advocate Chuck Stranahan. The chapter provided the rods and reels for the session.
On Monday, October 10, the students will put their lessons to the test on a day of fishing!
Trout in the Classroom is just one of BRTU's youth education programs. Our flytying program for middle school students clocked more than 25 years, and is still going strong in spite of a hiatus due to the pandemic. Greg Chester and Joe Byrne ramrod the Buggers, and planning for the 2023 Buggers class is well underway.
If you'd like to put a smile on your face by helping out with Trout in the Classroom or the Bitterroot Buggers, please contact Greg or BRTU Chapter President Dave Ward.
|
|
Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Up for Renewal. |
|
The Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program, first established and funded by voters in 2006, will be up for renewal at the November 8 election. Over the past 17 years, the Open Lands Program has funded more than 38 projects that have permanently conserved more than 10,000 acres. The program evaluates each project according to rigorous criteria through a publicly transparent approval process. Properties approved include high value agricultural land, wildlife habitat, streamside properties, as well as public recreational access and parks.
The Open Lands Program facilitates this conservation work by partially compensating willing landowners for giving up development rights on their properties. In some cases, the program has helped properties transfer into public ownership. All $10 million in bonds originally authorized to fund the program have now been sold and will soon be fully expended on projects that are now in process. Voters will decide on November 8 whether to authorize another $10 million to ensure the program can continue.
Several of these Open Lands projects are of significant value for watershed and fisheries, including Skalkaho Bend Park. BRTU was a strong advocate for this project and former BRTU President Jeremy Anderson produced an exceptional video in support of the project.
There is detailed information about Open Lands Program, including a complete inventory (with pictures) of projects approved to-date, on the Ravalli County website.
|
|
This issue's Picture of the Week is a little bit different. Given the beautiful fall weather that we have been enjoying, I though I'd share a recording of a little bluegrass song written by Milan Miller and Beth Husband.
The song is called "Trout Don't Live in Ugly Places," and as the website notes "Hidden just beneath the surface of the quirky and comical title, this new single offers a great reminder about the simple pleasures and restorative powers of the great outdoors."
Please send me any fishing or conservation related photos to be considered for the "Picture of the Week." Make sure that the files are less than 5 mB in size. Note that in most cases I plan to not to use "grip and grin" photos, but rather pictures of fish in the water or net.
|
|
Noone submitted an entry for this BRTU Puzzler and I am not at all surprised. The photo was submitted by Otis B. Driftwood from Hamilton. Mr. Driftwood was hiking near Baker Lake when his partner, Mrs. Claypool, noticed this specimen in the duff near the falls between Baker and Middle Lake. They had to return for a night at the opera and did not have time to look for additional ones.
Mr. Driftwood informed me that Mrs. Claypool, who fancies herself a mushroom expert, told him this was a Devil Mushroom or Clathrus archeri. However, I think Mrs. Claypool may have been ingesting some different mushrooms, because I cannot find a description of a mushroom like this occurring in Montana, nor did it appear in a May 2021 Montana Outdoors article about mushroom identification.
So, I guess that this is a real BRTU Puzzler!
The BRTU Puzzler now has a new sponsor - Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton. Chapter One is offering a $10 gift card to each winner but it must be picked up in person. The book store is a long time BRTU supporter and has an unbelievable inventory of books and magazines. If Chapter One doesn't have the tome you want, they can get it in a jiffy. Shouldn't we be patronizing local small independents rather the big online services?
If you have a cool fishing, outdoor activity, or conservation related photo, consider submitting it to BRTU Puzzlemaster Marshall Bloom for the BRTU Puzzler. BRTU E-News will no longer publish grip and grin photos of native fish out of water but will highlight photos of actual fish in the water.
|
Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A small number of Publisher'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 Dave Ward. 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 the BRTU website. chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call the Montana TU office at 406-543-0054.
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
Donna Haglund; Vice President; E-mail: haglunddonna@gmail.com
Vacant, Treasurer;
BOARD MEMBERS
Charlie Harris; E-mail: hmgharris@gmail.com
JuliAnne Thomas; E-mail: thomasjulianneh@gmail.com
Vacant; (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
|
|
Company Name | Phone | Address | Website |
|
|
|
|
|
|
