BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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April 11, 2021
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Swiftwater Rescue Awareness Course!
The Bitterroot is a deceptively hazardous river to recreate on. In just the last few weeks, there have been multiple near tragedies. Fortunately, there have been no serious injuries or deaths, but several boats have been damaged, rods broken, and expensive gear lost.
One cause is that many floating anglers or other water-based recreationists are unfamiliar with reading water and proper use of PFDs, as well as identifying, avoiding or negotiating hazards like logjams, strainers, sweepers, and hydraulics.
Thanks largely to the efforts of Jenny West and Kent Myers, a Swiftwater Rescue Awareness course will be offered here in early May. If you want to become more proficient at understanding and negotiating rivers like the Bitterroot, this course is an excellent opportunity.
The course will be taught by Whitewater Rescue Institute Lead Instructor Alan Burgmuller. Many of you are likely familiar with Alan who lived in valley for many years, before recently moving to Bellingham. Alan taught canoeing and water safety here. Thus he is very familiar with the type of hazards that the Bitterroot presents to floaters.
Alan noted that he may cover topics like throwbags, aggressive & defensive swimming, strainers, shallow water crossings (an often overlooked low tech rescue option), Z-drag, V lowers, etc.
There will be 2 day long courses on either May 1 or 2, and registration price is $100. Space is limited so preregistration is needed. To register or for more information, contact Jenny West by email or by phone 406-360-2644.
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Another hazardous situation with nary a PFD in view
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Gird Creek Project Needs Volunteers!
We really need a few more volunteers if this project is to be successful! Please try to save next Saturday morning and help out!
Few creeks on the eastside of the valley have been battered as badly as Gird Creek. This stream which heads in the Sapphires has been over grazed, channelized, rerouted and just about everything else you can imagine.
Ultimately it runs through Teller Wildlife Refuge where a considerable restoration project has already taken place. That project has clearly shown the fishery potential that Gird Creek has.
Now BRTU is joining up with the Refuge to begin restoration on a section of Gird Creek just off of Tammany Lane east of Hamilton (map is below).
As noted in the image above, volunteers are needed on Saturday, April 17 from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm to plant trees and install weed fabric. If you can help out, please email BRTU Chapter VP Dave Ward.
Please dress accordingly, and bring planting tools, gloves, a hat or cap and eye protection. BRTU will be providing bottled water and snacks.
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At long last and just in time for the 2021 fishing season, the new BRTU caps and drybags have arrived.
BRTU Vice President Dave Ward reports that the new BRTU soft cotton caps are now available in 5 pleasing colors.
As you can see from inspecting our professional models, one size fits all. However, we were unable to perfect a canine version.
Included with each hat is a small Montana TU dry bag. The size is perfect for stashing your lunch and phone in the boat.
The price for a hat and a bag is just $20.
The hats may be viewed and purchased at Chuck Stranahan’ s Fly Shop in the Safeway parking lot in Hamilton. Supplies are limited, so don't wait too long!
Please cash or check only. Make checks out to Bitterroot Trout Unlimited.
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Although a clear passage around the hazard existed, the logjam just downstream from Lone Pine was cut out without a permit.
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This view clearly shows the cut ends of the logs. Woody Debris Task Force Chair and BCD Supervisor Kent Myers said sawdust was still visible.
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Lone Pine Logjam illegally cut out.
As alluded to in the last issue and in the first story in this one, logjams 300 yards below Lone Pine and just below Rock Creek above Wally Crawford presented partial channel blockages that had hung up several floaters. It was possible to avoid both of these logjams if the proper approach was made. This was exactly the type of situation that the local Woody Debris Task Force was designed to deal with.
On Friday, April 9, Woody Debris Task Force Chair and Bitterroot Conservation District Supervisor Kent Myers and Associate BCD Supervisor Mike Hansen floated from Lone Pine to Wally Crawford to observe the logjams and to propose a solution. Unfortunately, the entire logjam had been cut out as can be seen in the photos that Ken provided.
In an email, Mike Hansen stated
"After receiving email complaints over safety concerns on the Lone Pine to Wally stretch of the river, Kent Meyers and I decided it warranted an inspection. Kent Meyers and I floated that section of the river today in an effort to stay proactive and informed on current river conditions. Last year Jenny West’s 310 permit was approved to remove woody material to open a safe passage river right around a large log jam just north of the Lone Pine launch point. It was determined at that time that the large log jam was beneficial for fish habitat and could if not blown away by high water and allowed to continue to form could help protect the eroding stream bank, private property and homes to the west. Unfortunately our float revealed that the log jam HAD BEEN CUT OUT. This event took place between last week when we received emails and pictures and today.
Both Kent and I are in shock."
This illegal act completely short circuited the cooperative approach that the Woody Debris Task Force is intended to foster.
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This week's picture of the week was submitted by my friend Anne Anglim, who is with the Lewis & Clark County Health Department and is actively working on the COVID-19 vaccination effort in that county.
This photo was taken on Thursday, March 25 at Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig, Montana. The photo can also be seen on the Headhunters Fly Shop website where the following text by Mark Raisler reads:
" Second vaccination clinic here at Headhunters Fly Shop in downtown Craig Montana.
Big day. Snowing now. Fishing is good. The reports coming in daily are increasingly better and better. The nymph bite is on.
The dry fly bite? Some here and some there. Although as I write todays entry the trout are probably rising. Light snow falling from the sky with no wind. Oh man. Looking pretty good!
Swingers? you bet. Getting them.
Still masks in the shop. L & C County still requiring masks."
Wow! How cool is it that a fly shop is making its premises available to COVID-19 vaccine clinic. A shout out to Headhunters!
Maybe one of our shops will be interested in doing that? They can contact Eric Hoover at the Ravalli County of Emergency Management by email or phone at 375-6657.
BTW, if you haven't gotten a COVID-19 jab and want to, there is an ample supply in Ravalli County and shots are available for anyone over 16. With summer and fishing season around the corner, we are going to see a huge influx of visitors whose concern for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our community may be debatable. Just contact Eric for information, or call Bitterroot Drug, Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, Sapphire Community Health, or Ravalli Family Medicine. The infection can be very serious and would sure put the hurt on your fishing this year. The vaccines are about 94%-95% effective in preventing serious illness, and the side effects are pretty minimal.
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Morgan Case of Helena successfully identified the BRTU Puzzler. Although some question remains about the grinning giddy angler, the fish was a "3 spot bream - Oreochromis andersonii and the location was the Cubango/Okavango River."
Morgan spent time in Africa working in the Peace Corps on an aquaculture project with tilapia, to which this fish is related. Morgan now works as an Instream Flow Specialist with National Trout Unlimited's Montana Water and Habitat Program, where she assumed Stan Bradshaw's job when he retired recently. Prior to that, she worked for the Idaho Department of Water Resources for about 14 years. She moved to Helena when her husband took the new Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau Chief position with FWP. She noted "It’s been great getting back into the flow restoration work, although Montana water law is rough!"
There will be a new Puzzler in the next issue of the newsletter. Please send your guesses to BRTU Puzzlemaster Marshall Bloom. If you are the first person to correctly answer, you will be the winner of the BRTU Puzzler.
Chuck Stranahan has generously offered a prize to all winners of the BRTU Puzzler. Morgan will be able claim a prize of hand-tied trout flies by contacting Chuck.
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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 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 the BRTU website. chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call Clayton at 406-543-0054.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BRTU board meetings are now being held virtually on ZOOM. They are open to all BRTU members. Date and time vary, so please contact Jeremy. if you would like to log in 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
BOARD MEMBERS
Gavin Marston (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
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