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Committed to
Protecting, Connecting and Restoring Arizona's watersheds and fisheries.
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"The finest gift you can give to any fisherman is to put a good fish back, and who knows if the fish that you caught isn't someone else's gift to you?" ~Lee Wulff
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Message From The President |
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Welcome to the October 2021 Newsletter,
It is a delight to be back into the swing of things and a return to some-what normalcy. The weather is a little cooler, and October begins the last quarter of the calendar year. In many respects, Autumn really begins the new year. School is in session; Football and marching bands are back, and calendars fill up fast with all sorts of activities.
We too are experiencing a surge in activities, with the promise of many more to come. We have many volunteer opportunities, and starting this month we’ll list our various volunteer opportunities. Please see the volunteer section below. We hope you can join us for some of these or future events.
Speaking of back to school, the Arizona Trout In the Classroom (TIC) program is gearing up for the 2021-22 School year. The eggs arrive during the second week of November. So, look for a TIC Workshop in October. More about TIC later in the newsletter.
We plan a great 2021 and 2022, and look forward to you joining us for our various activities and conservation opportunities. Please watch our schedule and volunteer section for upcoming activities.
Our team continues to make great strides in our quest of protecting, reconnecting, restoring, and sustaining the cold-water fisheries of Arizona. But we need your help! Check out the articles in our newsletter outlining how you can help take action; whether it is by assisting in the Gila Trout Stocking, supporting the Kids Fishing Workshop, by volunteering for Trout In the Classroom, and more!
We plan a strong finish to 2021, and look forward to you joining us for our various activities and conservation opportunities. Please watch our schedule for upcoming activities.
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Help Wanted Needed!
Tired of doing crossword puzzles and 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzles? Then consider volunteering for a position with your chapter board. We currently are looking for a STREAM Keeper leader, and a board member at-large. If interested, contact any board member, or me.
Here are some of the articles in this month's Newsletter.
- Your Zane Grey Chapter of TU has a new Instagram! Follow us here!
- Arizona TU (@trout_unlimited_arizona)
- Volunteer Opportunities:
- Youth casting instruction
- Gila Trout Stocking
- Boys & Girls Club Fishing Day - Kiwanis Park, Tempe
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: The Healing Qualities of Fishing
- Carp Fishing Rally to Support Casting For Recovery
- Public Policy – Priority Waters, Gila & Apache Trout, Black River, and More
- FFI Women Connect Event
- Virtual Book Club: 52 Rivers: A Woman's Fly Fishing Journey
- Conservation: Future of Trout Fishing Could be in Hot Water
- Education: Trout in the Classroom - Returning to Schools!
- Fishing: The Rarest Trout in the World
- Other Angling organizations
- ZGTU and affiliates calendar
- Follow ZGTU on Social Media
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We’ve gone virtual!!!!
Please join us for our monthly meeting:
Look for our October board meeting announcement.
Until then,
Tight Lines.
Alan Davis
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Three Volunteer Opportunities |
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We're currently looking for volunteers for several "Boots-on-the-ground" opportunities. To make these projects a success, we need your help.
- Casting Call for casting instructors, Tuesday October 12, 2021;
- Fish stocking opportunity with Arizona Game and Fish, October 27, 2021; and,
- Kids Fishing Workshop, Saturday, November 20, 2021, Kiwanis Park, Tempe
Scroll Down for more details!
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Name: Madison Meadows Middle School (Phoenix) Casting Call
Date: Tuesday October 12, 2021
Available Times: [9 AM – 4 PM]
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Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited is helping a middle school outdoor education program learn to fly cast, Tuesday, October 12, from 9AM – 4PM |
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Name: Fish Stocking on Mt. Graham
Date: Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Available Times: All Day
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Native Trout and Chub program is stocking 250-Gila Trout in Frye Creek, and 500-Gila Trout into lower Marijilda Creek on Mount Graham, Wednesday, October 27, 2021. |
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Name: Kids Fishing Workshop
Date: Saturday, November 20, 2021
Times: 9AM - 11AM (Volunteers arrive at 8:30AM)
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The healing qualities of fishing—it’s powerful medicine.
In Japan they have a practice called shinrin-yoku (forest wellness or forest bathing) which has shown to lower stress and promote many beneficial changes to the body. Angling is sort of like shinrin-yoku.
Many of you are familiar with the Casting for Recovery (CfR) program which uses the power of nature to benefit women of any age, in any stage of breast cancer treatment and recovery. CfR’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for these women through a unique retreat program that combines breast cancer education and peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing. This program helps participants find inspiration, discover a renewed zest for life and helps them experience healing and connectedness with other women in nature.
All at no cost to the participant.
After a hiatus, CfR is back in Arizona and sponsoring a retreat at X Diamond Ranch in Eager, Arizona May 13-15, 2022. While the program is free of charge to the 14 participants, Arizona CfR is looking for donations, volunteers and participants for their next retreat.
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Come and Chase Some CARP with AzFlyShop
Carp Fly Fishing Rally to Support cFr
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The AZ Flyshop is organizing a Carp Fly Fishing Rally to benefit Casting for Recovery. CfR is a non-profit organization that promotes healing through fishing and nature for women recovering from breast cancer.
Cost is $100 per team, and additional sponsorships are also available.
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The week-long Carp Fly Fishing Rally begins Saturday, October 9 and concludes Friday, October 15. Each team (2 persons) competes during their assigned 24-hour period. The Rally culminates with an awards ceremony on Saturday, October 16th at 12 Noon - 3 PM at AZ Flyshop located at 3254 E. Cactus Road in Phoenix.
Get your team together and come out to join the fun, while supporting Casting for Recovery!
For more information, contact AZ Flyshop at 602-354-8881.
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We are better because of you—so please join in the conversation!
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Priority Waters of AZ
Priority Waters is one of the key initiatives in the new 5-year Strategic Plan that TU National is rolling-out. Julie Carter, Aquatics Branch Chief for AZGFD, and her staff have identified 20 projects that they would like to work on to improve habitat for native & wild fish in AZ. We are working with them now on the funding requirements, prioritizations, and a timeline. This positions AZTU to be in a leadership role in the advancement of the Priority Waters initiative in TU.
Gila Trout Recovery Plan
Gila Trout Recovery Plan (GTRP) was first published in 1979 with numerous updates/meetings since then. The updated Plan was released with comments requested by September 10, 2021. Dr. Helen Neville and Dan Dauwalter of TU’s Science Staff worked very collaboratively with us and TU New Mexico leadership. All parties agree that the document could be improved in the areas of detailed planning, action plans, genetics, science, budget, and measures of success. AZTU-PPC, the AZTU Conservation Committee and the TU Gila Trout Chapter all submitted comments, along with the TU National Science Team. We expect that the review of these comments will take at least 6 months to a year to complete, although no commitment has been made by US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to change the document. Because AZTU participated in the comment window along with TU National, our comments will be noted, and we have standing to continue to inform the process as it moves forward.
Apache Trout Management Plan
This very important plan to manage and protect Apache Trout, in the event that the USFWS decides to delist them from the Endangered Species List, is moving through the review and final signature process. Both the TU Science Staff and AZTU will be parties to this agreement.
Black River Forest Restoration Environmental Assessment (EA)
The USFS reports that they are working through robust comments received relative to the EA.. The associated Biological Opinion is under peer review. The latest projection is that the EA will be released in the Spring of 2022.
Upcoming 2022 Legislative Priorities
Nate Reese, the TU Staff person focused on legislative issues in AZ, has identified the following priorities for the upcoming legislative session: 1) 30X30 Resolution, 2) Ground Water Monitoring Bill, and 3) Outdoor Recreation Economy Resolution. More to come after the 2022 legislative session begins on January 10th, 2022.
Future Guest Speakers
James Goughnour, one of the AZGFD Commissioners, will speak on the Commission’s priorities at the October 12, 2021 PPC meeting. Steve Kandell, TU Staff, will speak on the 30X30+20 Initiative at the November 9, 2021 meeting. If you would like to participate, please contact Tom Osterday at publicpolicychair@zanegreytu.org .
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The AZTU Public Policy Committee (PPC) hosts a virtual meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Tom Osterday at publicpolicychair@zanegreytu.org
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Women's Virtual Book Club:
Book - 52 Rivers, A Woman's Fly Fishing Journey by Shelley Walchak
Next conversation: Thursday, NOVEMBER 18th, 6 PM
Join us whether you've read the book or not!
Call In: 712-432-0220
Access code: 4632017
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Social Media:
Check out the Instagram page for
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THE FUTURE OF TROUT FISHING IN THE WEST
COULD BE IN HOT WATER
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Experts say the future of cold-water fish species like trout and salmon depends on climate restoration, and anglers themselves.
By mid-July this summer, laminated signs attached to caution cones lined the Yampa River throughout Steamboat Springs, Colorado, declaring: “ALL RIVER USERS ARE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM ENTERING THE YAMPA RIVER UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.”
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Trout in the Classroom Returning!
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Students and teachers are returning to their classrooms and dealing with the challenges of varied COVID-19 guidelines.
Trout Unlimited volunteers and the Arizona Game and Fish Department have also been planning for the return of the TIC program after a hiatus for the school year 2020 -2021.
This school year the Arizona TU chapters will be supporting an estimated 35 schools statewide. ZGTU expects to support 20 of these schools.
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The annual fall workshop for new teachers and volunteers is expected to be a virtual workshop (Zoom) scheduled for October 16th. We hope this will give teachers time to organize classrooms and make decisions for their school.
The pickup of eggs and delivery to schools is tentatively planned for the week of November 8th.
There are several opportunities for new schools to join the program. If you know a school or teacher who would like to know more about joining the TIC program, please ask they submit their contact information (email, phone number and school) to info@aztic.org.
Volunteers are needed in many different roles and the amount of time is minimal over the school year but very rewarding. We need drivers on delivery day in November. If you have up to 3 hours available to deliver a bag of 100 rainbow trout eggs to a school near you, please contact us at www.aztic.org.
More information on the TIC program, how to sign-up as a volunteer and for newsletters can be done at www.aztic.org.
More information on the TIC program and our newsletters can be found at our newly redesigned website at www.aztic.org.
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In Search of the World’s Rarest Trout
Written by: Frank Seifert, Orvis Roseville
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The Paiute Cutthroat Trout:
Deep in the Sierra Nevada of California lives a trout so rare and unique that it has become almost mystical. The fish I am referring to is the Paiute cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki seleniris)...
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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. There may be some exceptions so 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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REMEMBER:
Your Conservation License Plate Supports TU 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 and the Trout-In-the-Classroom programs.
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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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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