BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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#274: Jan. 8, 2023
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Breaking News: BRTU's Trout in the Classroom at Hamilton High School gets front page coverage in today's Ravalli Republic! Thanks to Michelle McConnaha for the wonderful story. If you would like to support TIC or other BRTU youth education programs, please contact BRTU President Dave Ward.
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January 19 BRTU Meeting Reminder- Upper Clark Fork River, Little Award, and Elections |
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One of the numerous health warning signs that dot the banks of the Upper Clark Fork River. Photos courtesy Casey Hackathorn |
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The Upper Clark Fork, near Galen. |
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A brief reminder for BRTU's January 19 meeting.
TU’s Upper Clark Fork Program Manager, Casey Hackathorn, will explore the history of the Upper Clark Fork, its embattled fishery, and the multi-decade effort to bring it back to its full potential - what he likens to an extreme makeover.
Casey's talk will begin at 7:00 PM on Thursday, January 19 at the Hamilton Elk's Club, 203 State Street. The public is invited to attend and there is no charge for admission.
At 6:30 PM, BRTU will have a brief Annual Meeting. The annual report, the financial report, and election of board members and officers will be covered. All members are encouraged to attend this part of the meeting. Immediately following the annual meeting and before the program, we will present the Earl and Joan Little Award to Geoff FitzGerald.
Once again, the Elks will be serving their excellent grilled brats and beer starting at about 6:15.
If you would like additional information, please contact BRTU Chapter President Dave Ward.
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Metcalf Refuge Restoration Project - Environmental Assessment Is Out for Public Comment. |
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Removal of this antiquated barrier culvert will enable fish migration and connect 2.5 miles of North Fork of Burnt Fork Creek as it traverses the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. |
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The dense invasive reed canary grass which infests the riparian area of North Fork of Burnt Fork Creek. One aim of the TU project is to remove it and rehab this stream section. |
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Newsletter readers will recall reading about the exciting project on the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge for which our chapter won TU's Embrace A Stream Award last July. The basic idea is to remove a long standing barrier to fish migration and restore several miles of the North Fork of Burnt Fork Creek as it flows through the Refuge.
The project is moving ahead and there has been a recent important development. Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), in partnership with Trout Unlimited and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, has released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project. The release of the EA was also covered in the local media.
Culvert removal and restoration are proposed to improve fish passage and riparian habitat, while maintaining visitor access, through the National Wildlife Refuge in the Bitterroot River Valley of southwestern Montana.
A 30-day public comment period for the draft EA will run from January 5 through February 3, 2023.
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Comments can be submitted by email to: leemetcalf@fws.gov with the subject line “Burnt Fork Creek Culvert Comment”.
- Comments can be submitted by mail to: Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, Attn Burnt Fork Creek Culvert Comment, 4567 Wildfowl Lane, Stevensville, MT 59870
- A public meeting, with brief introductory presentation and open house style information sharing, will be held on January 18, 5:30-7:30pm at the Lee Metcalf Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Center: 4567 Wild Fowl Ln, Stevensville, MT 59870
Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, in partnership with Trout Unlimited and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, has released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) proposing to remove a barrier culvert and open approximately 2.5 miles of stream habitat on North Burnt Fork Creek as it passes through the refuge.
This project has the potential to dramatically improve the trout fishery in this section of the river, so please take a minute to submit a comment. Comments need not be very detailed and even a simple note of support is helpful. If you'd like more information, please contact Christine Brissette.
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This issue's Picture of the Week was submitted by long-time BRTU supporter and newsletter subscriber John Gray. John divides his time between Phillipsburg and Charlotte, North Carolina, enjoying superb fishing for native, wild trout in both parts of the country. The photo is of a native, wild brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) that John caught in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
John noted "Unbeknownst to many, the Southeast actually has very good trout fishing as long as there is sufficient cold water. That generally means either higher altitudes or a bottom-release dam. Although brook trout are considered by many in the West to be an invasive, nuisance species they are the only native trout, actually a char, in the Southeast. In our neck of the woods a wild brook trout that is more than ten inches long is generally considered a trophy. In fact, all species of trout that we have in the Southeast are usually smaller than those found in the West in my experience. While I am not a fisheries biologist, I believe this is because our streams are not nearly a fertile as most that are west of the Mississippi unless they have some limestone in them."
Probably the US's most famous brook trout is the one that Daniel Webster (of dictionary fame) caught on the East Connecticut or Carman's River, a Long Island stream, on a Sunday after services at the South Haven Presbyterian church in 1827. The fish weighted 14 1/2 pounds and is thought to have been a sea-run brook trout or "salter."
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.
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This week's BRTU Puzzler was from my peripatetic friend and colleague Seth Cooley.
There were 3 correct entries to this BRTU Puzzler, but the first and most comprehensive came from local flyfishing luminary, Chuck Stranahan. Chuck's entry read:
"Order, Capnia; common designation, snowfly, sometimes early black stone.
They hatch whenever they feel like it, whenever the river is warm enough to flow beside snowy banks. If they can soak up enough photons to keep from freezing they’ll crawl around on the snow, mate, and return to the river to lay eggs. You’re looking at micro habitat, localized hatches for the most part.
Which species? According to flyfishing entomologist Rick Hafele, there are over fifty identified species in this order and the taxonomy, even at that, is incomplete – therefore, I won’t go beyond capnia for the scientific designation.
These little bugs can range from a grayish #14 (often mistaken for nemoura by anglers but the trout are a bit more ecumenical than the various denominations of anglers) on down to #18’s and #20’s, common here in the Bitterroot but not ID’s for size differentiation between the sexes, and #22 or smaller here and in other Rocky mountain locations.
Some are yellow when they hatch but rapidly turn black to the naked human eye (actually a very dark green upon closer examination) after exuviation. The nymphs, accordingly, can range from black in appearance a washed-out yellow or golden stonefly-like coloration.
This hatch is prized by Colorado anglers but largely ignored here on the Bitterroot. Capnia are the first stoneflies to appear as winter dissipates, and they last through the larger nemoura and skwala hatches if water temps hold. And yes, they can be significant.
I tied a few of my favorite capnia patterns for angling author and former guide Greg Thomas; he and few other underground specialty fly patrons tell me they work. I wouldn’t risk the embarrassment of sending those flies to Greg if they didn’t. When needed, that little capnia bug can make the difference between a skunker and an exciting day of fishing. ‘Nuff said."
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 than big online giants?
Chuck can collect his gift card by stopping in at the book store.
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.
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Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A very few Publisher's Proofs of the limited edition "Bitterroot River-Lost Horse Bend" by Monte Dolack are still 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 BRTU sponsor, 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
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