Colorado River, June 10, #18 Blue Psycho Prince |
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Conserve, Protect And Restore |
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Due to Covid concerns, the following Spring/Summer events have been cancelled...
All Chapter Meetings will be virtual via Zoom through at least August
Project Healing Waters Crystal Lake Trip - June CANCELLED
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CCTU JUNE CHAPTER MEETING – ZOOM MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 7PM ON ZOOM
PATRICK BLACKDALE, THREE RIVERS RESORT & OUTFITTING, SOURCE-DOWN, AN OVERVIEW OF THE UPPER GUNNISON DRAINAGE
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If you haven’t had a chance to fish the Gunnison, Taylor, or East River, or cast for cutthroats on Spring Creek, you will want to hear this presentation from Patrick Blackdale. Three Rivers Resort & Outfitting is the Orvis Endorsed outfitter in Alma, Colorado…right near the junction of the Taylor and East Rivers, which join to form the Gunnison.
Patrick will give photo-laden look at the Upper Gunnison Drainage. He will do a broad overview of the fishery, touching on high alpine lakes, small streams, freestones, tailwaters, and reservoirs. The presentation is not extremely detailed on any one particular waterway, but rather meant to highlight the incredible diversity of the Upper Gunnison drainage.
Three Rivers Resort is located in Almont, Colorado on the Taylor River. The resort features rustic cabins from the 1800s, as well as brand new cabins with the comforts of home. They have access to both public and private water and set you on amazing fish in stunning surroundings. Patrick oversees the fly shop and Willowfly Anglers guide service, in addition to assisting in the management of the entire outfitting operation. He is a Colorado native, went to college in Leadville, guided on the Arkansas before arriving at Three Rivers Resort.
The Zoom meeting portal will open at 6:30pm, feel free to pop in early and talk with various CCTU members.
To join the meeting, click on the link below prior to 7pm, or go to Zoom.com and enter the Meeting ID and Password.
Meeting ID: 874 9073 5042
Passcode: trout
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COME FISH WITH US - JUNE EVENT
JUNE 16, 5-8PM, LAKE LEHOW
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CCTU Come Fish With Us is back again on Wednesday, June 16, 5-8pm at Lake Lehow. No BBQ this time, but hopefully plenty of fish and camaraderie. Always great if you can RSVP to David Coward at dpcoward@hotmail.com, but given the lack of capacity constraints currently on the lake, you can also just show up that evening.
The Come Fish With Us program is designed for chapter members and non-members to explore local fisheries with experienced chapter members also there to answer questions, offer tips, and provide help on casting, fly selection, hooking, playing and landing fish. Lake Lehow is a private lake (Denver Water) that is heavily stocked with bass, panfish, and trout.
Lake Lehow can be entered from the east side of the Waterton Canyon Parking Lot. Wadsworth south to Waterton Road, left into the parking lot. Veer to the right as you enter (toward van/trailer parking) and drive east down the dirt road to the green gate in back. A CCTU representative will be at the gate at 5pm and for an additional 5-10 minutes. The gate chain will then be “soft locked” for any late arrivals. If you arrive after 5pm, please redo the chain “soft lock” before proceeding to the lake.
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CCTU JULY CHAPTER MEETING – ZOOM MEETING
TUESDAY, JULY 20, 7PM ON ZOOM
NOAH PARKER, LAND OF ENCHANTMENT GUIDES, FLY FISHING NORTHERN NEW MEXICO & SOUTHERN COLORADO
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The New Mexico border is less than a 5-hour drive from Denver, and Northern New Mexico watersheds have some truly amazing fishing. Even better, not including the San Juan, these waters simply don’t see the pressure experienced on Colorado and Wyoming rivers. Noah Parker is the owner and guide for Land of Enchantment Guides, and they will talk about the areas they fish in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado and what each season offers to the angler. They will hit the key fly patterns they tie and use and in what type of water they work best. Check out this page on their website Best Time To Fish. And, if you’ve got a less focused fishing spouse, a trip to Santa Fe or Taos has tons of fantastic non-fishing activities to enjoy.
Land of Enchantment Guides is an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing guide service offering guided fishing trips on the best rivers, streams, lakes and private ranches in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. Waters include the Santa Fe, Chama, and Taos areas as well as the San Juan and in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. They have exclusive access to over 24 miles of private rivers and streams. To book a trip or find out more info go to Land of Enchantment Guides
The Zoom meeting portal will open at 6:30pm, feel free to pop in early and talk with various CCTU members.
To join the meeting, click on the link below prior to 7pm, or go to Zoom.com and enter the Meeting ID and Password.
Meeting ID: 873 2153 6343
Passcode: trout
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CCTU EARTH DAY – THEN, NOW, AND THE FUTURE |
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In order to celebrate Earth Day in April 2021 members of CCTU recently planted native cottonwood trees and shrubs along urban Bear Creek. This project was in cooperation with the City of Lakewood and has been an annual chapter event since 2017. The project was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, as were most of our chapter's other activities. It was nice to get out with friends to do something constructive for Mother Earth.
It is one thing to buy a plant, put in the ground, and then forget it. It is quite another thing to nurture that plant and ensure its long term survival and growth. The City appreciates our chapter's donation to buy these plants as well as our chapter's volunteer labor to plant them. The City takes our investment in the survival of these plants very seriously. They make sure the saplings are protected from beavers with fencing and they make a point to water the plantings regularly while the young plants are becoming established.
After the most recent Earth Day event, Jerry Shin took some time to go back and check on the cottonwood trees he helped plant in 2018 and 2019. He was glad to see those trees thriving, several feet taller and inches larger in circumference compared to when he helped put them in the ground. This is clear evidence the City intends to nurture these trees, and that those trees will be a lasting legacy for all the Cutthroat Chapter members who's fundraising and labor are helping to protect and conserve that urban riparian environment. Thanks to all their hard work these cottonwoods will likely be here years in the future, continuing to protect this urban oasis long in the future after we have passed from this Earth.
The pic with John Cristantiello and Jerry was from 2018 showing one of several cottonwoods they planted that day. The pic of Jerry alone is from 2021 showing one of those same thriving and much larger cottonwoods.
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CCTU SOUTH PLATTE CLEAN-UP
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 8AM-12PM
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CCTU will be hosting a clean-up half-day of the South Platte River near Deckers on Saturday, July 10, from 8am-12pm. We will meet at the parking lot near Flies & Lies in Deckers and then branch out to various sections of the river to pick up trash, bag the trash, and leave the bags for the county to remove. After four hours of work, we will have sack lunches available for all volunteers. Following lunch, volunteers are welcome to stay and fish and enjoy the river.
Due to limited parking in the Deckers area, we will be encouraging car pooling. Carpooling information will be provided shortly.
Any members, family, friends, etc. that would like to join us for this volunteer event, please RSVP via email to John Egan (john.j.egan@icloud.com). We need to a reasonably accurate headcount so that we can figure out lunch needs, carpooling opportunities, as well as plan trash pick-up routes.
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MAY MEETING PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE ON CCTU YOUTUBE CHANNELON-LINE |
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We had an excellent chapter meeting last night, May 18, with two local biologists. Tawni Riepe was our Steve Bailey Memorial Scholarship recipient at CSU and a doctoral candidate at the Dept of Fish, Wildlilfe and Conservation Biology. She spoke about the growing danger of bacterial kidney disease in Colorado Trout, both hatchery and wild fish. Something few of us knew about, and definitely a looming threat. Tyler Swarr, the CPW Aquatic Biologist for the Upper South Platte Basin gave fascinating presentation on the daily/annual responsibilities of a State Fisheries Biologist. He touched on a ton of things from CPW fish sampling techniques to the role of state fish hatcheries…it is amazing the diversity of responsibilities each biologist has, and how busy they truly are across the entire year. Thanks to both speakers for excellent discussions. Catch the presentations at the CCTU YouTube channel at May Presentations on CCTU YouTube Channel.
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COLORADO’S CUTTHROAT TROUT – EXPLORING THE HERITAGE OF OUR STATE FISH, DOUG KRIEGER
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Courtesy of Wild Connections May Zoom meeting, Doug Krieger takes us sleuthing into the genetic science behind the “discovery” of the original distribution (endemic range) of the State’s cutthroat trout subspecies with emphasis on the greenback. Doug retired from Colorado Parks & Wildlife after a long career that included managing the aquatic resources within the Arkansas River Basin and serving as Chief of Fisheries. It is a great story of ancient origins, split-ups and moving from one river system to another and even getting back home again.
Wild Connections is a science-based conservation organization that works to identify, protect and restore wildlands in the Upper Arkansas and South Platte watersheds.
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LITTLETON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUMMER PROGRAM – JUNE 21-24...CTU NEEDS VOLUNTEERS |
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CTU has an urgent volunteer need for an upcoming event scheduled with Littleton Public Schools from June 21-24. CTU will be hosting four mornings of activities focused around watersheds, macroinvertebrates, fly tying, and fly casting. Geoff Elliot, CTU Youth Education Coordinator, would like to have at least 2-3 volunteers each day to support the activities. Volunteers will primarily be supporting breakout activities, as Geoff will be leading each day’s activities. The program will be held at Heritage High School (401 W Geddes Ave, Littleton, CO 80120) and the daily agenda is as follows…
June 21 (8:00AM-12:00PM – two time blocks with 30-minute break between)
Topic – Watersheds and local stream habitat survey
June 22 (8:00AM-12:00PM – two time blocks with 30-minute break between)
Topic – Macroinvertebrate Survey/Fly-tying (each group divided in 2)
June 23 (8:00AM-12:00PM – two time blocks with 30-minute break between)
Topic – Macroinvertebrate Survey/Fly-tying (each group divided in 2)
June 24 (8:00AM-12:00PM – two time blocks with 30-minute break between)
Topic – Fly-casting/stream flow measurement (each group divided in 2)
Geoff is at the CTU Youth Camp through June 19. If you are interested he is happy to talk to folks about volunteering on Sunday, June 20. You can also email him at geoff.elliot@tu.org, but he may have limited internet access until he returns June 19.
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FLY OF THE MONTH - JUAN’S JEDI MASTER BAETIS
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Another highly realistic Baetis pattern from Hopper Juan Ramirez. Imitates the smaller Baetis nymphs commonly found on most Colorado tailwaters. This fly has a very slim profile and along with the Slim Shady and Stalcup’s Baetis, is one of the most realistic Baetis patterns around. Works all year round but is especially effective in the spring and fall.
Hook – Daiichi 1110 18-24
Thread – Unit 8/0 Olive Dun
Body – Juan’s Slim Rib, Clear
Tail – Hen Saddle, Olive
Wing Case – Black Holographic Tinsel
Legs – MFC Midge Body Thread, Black
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NEW READS & RE-READS
BOB SAILE, TROUT COUNTRY
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Bob Saile was the Outdoor Editor of the Denver Post for more than 25 years. This collection of essays is set mostly in West and talks fly fishing in trout country – the fish, the people, and the places. If you care about rivers, trout, and fishing, this should be on your bookshelf. Lots of familiar Colorado fly fishing places and people make their appearances throughout the book. Well written with solid insights into fly fishing techniques as well as info on some local waters. Bob was very frank in his opinions on virtually everything…expect no less in this book. CCTU BOD member Ray Nagashima was Bob’s eye doctor and friend, grab him at a meeting for some great Bob Saile stories.
Available at Amazon, but don’t forget to sign up for Amazon Smiles and focus donations to CCTU.
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Aaron & Johnny Gardner - Deckers, South Platte
Austin Stark - Mysis Shrimp, Blue River
Scott Tampa - Pat Dorsey Guide Trip, Deckers
Meg Reton - Pat Dorsey Guide Trip, Deckers
(caught more than Scott)
May Come Fish With Us BBQ at Lake Lehow
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CCTU EVERYDAY FUNDRAISING VEHICLES
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King Soopers Card Program – Link up your King Soopers Rewards Card to CCTU for their Community Rewards program and get King Soopers donations flowing to the Chapter. Requires no ongoing effort on your part. Set up is very simple….check the CCTU website at CCTU Website for the directions how to link your King Soopers card to Community Rewards donations to CCTU.
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Amazon Smile - Amazon Smile provides .5% of the price of your Amazon purchase to the charitable organization of your choice. When buying something from Amazon, simply go to the Amazon Smile website (https://smile.amazon.com) to sign into your Amazon account, rather than going to Amazon.com. Once you sign into your Amazon account via the Amazon Smile website, you will be transported to the Amazon website and all purchases will register for the .5% donation to CCTU.
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6/15 CCTU Chapter Meeting, Virtual Meeting via Zoom, 7-8:30pm
6/16 CCTU Come Fish With Us, Lake Lehow, 5-8pm
7/6 CCTU BOD Meeting, Virtual Meeting via Zoom, 7-8:30pm
7/10 CCTU South Platte River Clean-up, 8am-12pm, Deckers
7/18 CCTU Come Fish With Us, Lake Lehow, 9am-12pm
7/20 CCTU Chapter Meeting, Virtual Meeting via Zoom, 7-8:30
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Cutthroat Chapter Trout Unlimited
9444 Dolton Way
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
(303) 249-7524
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