December 2022
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, happy holidays. Welcome to the Zane Grey Chapter December 2022 newsletter.
We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying our Autumn weather. While the mountain creeks may be cold, there are still many opportunities for fishing here in the valley. One opportunity is this coming Saturday, December 3, 2022, where we are co-hosting a Salt River Saturday event with Desert Fly Casters Club. More information is below and here.
Speaking of the holidays, Orvis once again has Gift Boxes for a Great Cause, and again this year, Zane Grey chapter is the beneficiary. See more later in this newsletter.
Next month we announce a series of conservation work projects. Watch for the announcements, with the specific times and dates.
More about conservation work in Ron Sterns Public Policy section later in the newsletter.
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And guess what – we’ve entered the 21st Century . . . we can now text you with important updates, reminders, and other information. We promise we won’t SPAM your phone, the most we’ll send is three-messages a month. But you’ll need to ‘opt-in’ to get our text messages. You can opt-in here
The Arizona Trout In the Classroom (TIC) program held its 2022-23 School year introduction earlier this month. See Jim Walker’s article below. We delivered eggs to 33 schools around the state, and we have another ~12 schools awaiting delivery this month.
We thank you for your help and support!
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Board Meeting - We’ve gone virtual!!!!
Please join us for our monthly board teleconferences
the first Thursday of each month @ 7:00 – 8:45 PM
Until then,
Tight Lines.
Alan Davis
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Help Wanted Needed!
Consider volunteering for a position with your chapter. We are currently looking for a number of volunteers. Scroll down to the Volunteer Section for more information. Or, contact any board member, or me.
Can you write in complete sentences, and spell most words correctly? Then we may have a job for you. Our newsletter editor is looking for an assistant editor. If interested, contact Wayne Miiller for more information.
Here are some of the articles in this month's Newsletter.
- Your Zane Grey Chapter of TU has a great Instagram! Follow us here!
- Arizona TU (@trout_unlimited_arizona)
- Conservation & Fishing
- Salt River Saturdays - 2 Dates in December!
- Public Policy
- Legislative Update
- ADEQ Comment Period regarding Surface Water Protection Program
- Officer Succession Plan
- Upcoming Events: Meeting Thursday December 8th @ 7PM
- National Leadership Council
- Thomas Rhett and Trout Chacos Footwear!
- Education
- Trout in the Classroom (TIC): Eggs Have A New Home
- Support AZTU and WIN A FORD RAPTOR
- Volunteer Opportunities and Updates:
- See above in the President's Message and below
- ZGTU Strategic Plan
- Other Angling organizations
- ZGTU and affiliates calendar
- Follow ZGTU on Social Media
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Christmas Boxes for a Great Cause! |
Stop by the Phoenix Orvis Store to grab some gift boxes for wrapping at the great price of $2.50. With each purchase, ZGTU receives 100% of the $2.50 cost.
Thanks again to the great people at Orvis!!
Orvis Phoenix
2011 E Camelback Rd. St C10
Phoenix AZ, 85016
602-626-7558
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Partnering with Desert Fly Casters Club and Arizona Flycasters Club, we plan a series of Salt River Saturdays.
Come out for coffee, conservation, camaraderie, and an opportunity to fish the Salt River. Oh, and of course we'll have donuts
We'll hold these events more or less fortnightly beginning in November, and generally follow this schedule: Click Here for Schedule
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Saturday, Nov. 5th -- CANCELLED
Saturday, November 19th
Saturday, December 17th
Saturday, January 7th
Saturday, January 21st
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Saturday, February 4th
Saturday, February 18th
Saturday, March 4th
Saturday, March 18th
Saturday, April 1st
Saturday, April 15th
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Legislative Update
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law this past August. It delivers major wins for public lands, native and wild trout and salmon fisheries, and communities already facing the impacts of a changing climate. Read more about how this legislation will help TU’s mission of conserving coldwater fisheries.
TU was awarded a $200k grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to start our phase 1 planning work in the headwaters of the West Fork Black River. Eventually this restoration work will consist of building beaver analog dams, planting willows, forest thinning and culvert improvements. Read our proposal HERE
The Rural Groundwater Working Group has been working to pass resolutions at the city and county level that outline the need for groundwater monitoring outside of AMA units. This might sound familiar because it’s similar to legislation we’ve been trying to pass at the state capitol for three years now. Unfortunately, this resolution failed to pass in Pinal and Maricopa County. With increasing concerns over water conservation, we’re expecting to see a more formal push for this legislation in the upcoming 2023 state legislative session. Read the resolution HERE.
Ed Sanchez with the AZ Game & Fish Dept. will be speaking to the Public Policy Committee on December 8th and will update the Committee on the recent changes that have occurred at the AZ State Legislature. Ed has stated that he does not believe that the AZ Game & Fish Dept. will be initiating any new bills this session.
ADEQ Comment Period for the Record of Decision for the Surface Water Protection Program (SWPP)
On August 18th, ADEQ issued their Record of Decision (ROD) in the Arizona Register. This is the official announcement by the Department to the public that they are issuing their final plan to implement the SWPP. The comment period closed on September 17th. On behalf of the AZTU-PPC, Tom Osterday submitted a comment letter. Jim Strogen also submitted a comment letter on behalf of the Gila Trout Chapter and the AZTU Conservation Committee. Our comments focused on two areas:
1) One of our greatest concerns is that the Social and Environmental values are often underestimated in the Economic, Social and Environmental Cost/Benefit Analyses. It is quite easy to identify the fees developers will pay, the taxes to be paid on a new development or business or the additional jobs to be created. But the Social and Environmental values are often harder to quantify, as acknowledged in the Technical Paper. We are proposing that ADEQ capitalize on a new report.
We emailed Senior Staff on July 13th, 2022, informing them about a report published by the United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Science-Policy platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). 139 countries have endorsed the report. The "authors hope the guide they've drawn up with the help of experts from a wide range of disciplines will make it easier for governments to consider more than the economic benefits of a project when deciding whether and how to go ahead with it."
Here is a link to the press release done by IPBES:
We ask that ADEQ use this state-of-the-art approach to assessing the social and environmental value of waters while executing the cost/benefit analyses when considering adding or deleting a water from the Protected Surface Waters List.
2) We have notified the Department multiple times, most recently on August 6, 2022, that there are 6 waters that are on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Coldwater Sport fisheries Strategic Vision Document for 2019-2029 which are listed as waters for native or wild trout that are not on the Protected Surface Waters List (PSWL).
Here is the list of those 6 waters:
1. Benny Creek (LC)
2. Benton Creek (LC)
3. Grapevine Creek (Agua Fria drainage/MG)
4. Black River (SR)
4. Hayground Creek (SR)
5. McKittrick Creek (UG)
As waters where AZGFD is either currently managing populations of native or wild fish, or where they are planning to do so in the future, these waters should be protected. Please add them to the PSWL.
We will continue to monitor the SWPP implementation plans.
Execution of Officer Succession Plan
Ron Stearns has ascended from the Vice Chairman role to the Chairman position effective October 1! Ron was raised in Winslow, AZ. His dad was a fisherman and a hunter and he got Ron started at an early age. He had a bamboo fly rod that Ron started using in high school. Ron received an accounting degree from ASU in 1974. About 10 years ago, Ron started getting active again with fishing and hunting, his passions, after years focused on his career. After retirement, he contacted Alan Davis in February 2021 to get active in the Zane Grey TU Chapter. In April 2021, Tom Osterday invited him to get more involved in the AZTU-PPC committee. Ron took on the Vice Chairman role in May of this year.
Dave Rozema, from the Gila Trout Chapter, has started serving as Secretary of our Committee. Dave Rozema retired as the Coconino County Attorney in 2017 and has been fly fishing throughout Arizona and North America since then. Dave has a special love for small streams and wild trout. He is a member of Payson Fly Casters and the TU Gila Chapter. Dave has been married to his childhood sweetheart Linda for forty years; they have four daughters, fourteen grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Tom Osterday will continue his participation in the leadership of the PPC as the Former Chairman.
Upcoming Events
December Meeting: Thursday, December 8th at 7:00 PM. Our guest speaker will be Ed Sanchez with the AZ Game & Fish Dept.
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The AZTU Public Policy Committee (PPC) hosts a virtual meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Ron Stearns at PublicPolicyChair@az-tu.org .
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Just In Time For Gift Giving! |
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It’s that age old dilemma: What gift to give the angler who has been very good this year? Great news! Trout Unlimited has teamed up with country music star Thomas Rhett and Chaco Footwear to launch a limited-edition line of fishy sandals perfect for wading and other outdoor adventures.
Thomas Rhett, an avid outdoor enthusiast, is often out on rivers fly fishing with his wife and daughters. Rhett has been an ardent Chaco-wearing angler for years. So when Chaco designed some Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout-inspired sandals that are adventure-ready, comfortable, with solid tread that provides non-slip traction, Rhett was all in. And part of the proceeds will go to Trout Unlimited to support our mission of protecting the environment.
If you want to be the Star of the Show on your next outing, click here to start shopping for yourself or your favorite angler.
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Trout in the Classroom (TIC) Eggs are Delivered |
Monday November 14th was another BIG day for the Arizona TIC program. After two years of challenges caused by COVID-19 volunteers were anxious to deliver eggs to 33 schools throughout the state.
An additional delivery to remaining schools is being scheduled for early December.
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A must-see 3 1/2 minute video just released provides an overview of the Arizona program with testimonials from the students and teachers on the positive benefits they receive from the program. The video can be seen at www.aztic.org at the bottom of the page.
Interested in the TIC program to spread the word or to volunuteer? Information on the Arizona program can be found at www.aztic.org and questions can be directed to info@aztic.org.
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REMEMBER:
Your Conservation License Plate Supports Our Programs
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The Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) license plate fund is derived from the sale of wildlife conservation license plates and member organizations as well as non-member organizations are eligible to apply for those funds.
The Arizona TU Council and Chapters have received funds over the past seven years in support of the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences, Fish Camp, Trout in the Classroom programs and conservation projects.
The next time your registration comes up for renewal, choose the conservation license plate option at registration to show your support for conservation and our projects.
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The Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited and chapters have received numerous grants from the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) over the past seven years to support our conservation and youth programs. |
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Please support their fundraiser. Entries close December 22, 2022.
Remember, it only takes one ticket to win!
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ZGTU Volunteer Opportunities |
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Recently the Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited (ZGTU) Chapter Board of Directors developed a Strategic Action Plan aligning our many diverse activities and helping better define our mission while setting our organizational course for the next several years.
Our focus, in formulating this plan, are the key factors that drive the Zane Grey Chapter as an organization:
- conservation;
- membership outreach;
- external and community outreach;
- chapter sustainability and leadership development; and,
- fundraising.
The ZGTU strategic plan is a dynamic document covering the next three-years and created as a map for ZGTU’s future. Our intention is implementing and updating often. Here is a link to the Plan or click on the picture below.
We are now looking to you, our chapter members, for help in reaching our Chapter goals! We know we have many talented chapter members that could assist in various ways, and we encourage you to become involved. Whether it’s an hour a month or more we want you! This will be a fun and rewarding endeavor! If you would like to know more and or are ready to “jump in” please reach out to:
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Desert Flycasters, Az Flycasters and Zane Grey Chapter are co-sponsoring Salt River Saturday Conservation and Fishing events.
There are 2 dates in December!
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Social Media:
Check out the Instagram page for
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Looking for a Fishing Opportunity? |
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Below is a list of fishing organizations in Arizona. Feel free to join, explore, visit their websites or attend a meeting to find out more information: |
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AZ Flycasters Club
@ The American Italian Club
7509 N 12th St
Phoenix, AZ 85020
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Fly-Fishing Social Event night - 2nd Tuesday of each month. Great speaker and awesome raffle. Donations support our Community outreach partners from Veterans to Youth activities.
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Desert Fly Casters
Check website for details.
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General meeting 2nd Wednesday of each month. Social Event 6-7 Meeting @ 7PM Great speakers; check website for details.
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AZFISHBOOK offers a variety of social activities. Listed below are some of the activities available.
Check out the AZFISHBOOK Groups at:
Looking for buddy to fish with?
Signup for AZFishBook Newsletter:
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Join Trout Unlimited Today!
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Committed to
Protecting, Connecting and Restoring Arizona's watersheds and fisheries.
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Combined Calendar
AZ Trout Unlimited & Chapters, Arizona Flycasters Club and several other area fishing and conservation calendars
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You may access our calendar here.
Zane Grey Trout Unlimited
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Protect. Reconnect. Restore. Sustain. Conserving coldwater habitat in the desert southwest. |
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