Colorado River, November 23, #22 Olive Zebra Midge |
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Conserve, Protect And Restore |
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BACK TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS IN JANUARY |
As mentioned last month, the December Holiday Party was cancelled and we don’t have a chapter meeting this month. However, we are back to in-person meetings starting with the January 18th meeting at Cresthill Middle School. We have a great 1st Quarter of meetings and look forward to seeing everyone in-person starting in January.
Jan 18 – Taylor Edrington, Royal Gorge Anglers, Arkansas River Fly Fishing
Feb 15 – Kirk Bein, Kirk’s Fly Shop (Estes Park), Fly Fishing Rocky Mountain Nat Park
March 15 – Pat Dorsey, The Blue Quill Angler
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CCTU JANUARY CHAPTER MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 7PM
IN-PERSON AT CRESTHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL & ZOOM SIMULCAST
TAYLOR EDRINGTON, ROYAL GORGE ANGLERS,
FLY FISHING THE SEASONS OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER: NORTH AMERICA’S LONGEST GOLD MEDAL TROUT STREAM
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Taylor Edrington is the Owner/President of Orvis Endorsed Outfitter Royal Gorge Anglers in Canon City – the oldest fly shop and guide service on the Arkansas River. The Arkansas River is the longest Gold Medal River in Colorado, and Taylor will fill you in on how to be successful on this river. Taylor will discuss change in flows and water temperature throughout the year and how that drives bug activity and corresponding trout activity. Taylor will key on specific techniques, rigs, patterns, and mindsets that will help anglers boost productivity on the Arkansas and other similar freestone watersheds. Taylor literally grew up on the Arkansas River and his lifetime of experience is invaluable to any fly fisher striving to fish it effectively.
As our first meeting back in person, we are encouraging strong attendance with a much better than standard raffle program. More info to come. If Taylor is willing to drive up here from Canon City…we hope that CCTU members turn out in force for his presentation!
If you can’t make the meeting in person and want to join in via Zoom, go to…
or go to www.zoom.com and use Meeting ID: 821 4786 5436, Passcode: Cutthroat
NOTE – RAFFLE PROGRAM AVAILABLE ONLY TO IN-PERSON ATTENDEES
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RAY CARNEY 2021 CCTU VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD |
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We were all saddened to learn of the recent passing of our friend Ray Carney. Ray was a true ambassador for CCTU and Trout Unlimited. He was a skilled angler and a staunch supporter of our conservation projects. He founded and helped run the Clear Creek Clean Up for more years than even he could remember. He supported all our projects, and the last time many of us talked with Ray was at the South Platte River Clean Up this past July. Every year the CCTU Board honors the volunteer who stood out in helping CCTU fulfill its mission of conserving, protecting, and restoring Colorado’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds by participating in and helping run chapter events.
From this year onward, that award will be known as the Ray Carney CCTU Volunteer of the Year Award.
This year’s recipient stood out by working on most of our conservation projects and by organizing and leading the annual San Juan chapter fishing trip. This in addition to years of prior CCTU volunteer work, including co-running the monthly chapter meeting raffles. We are pleased to bestow this year’s award, and a $300 gift certificate to Jerry Shin.
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CCTU BOARD OF DIRECTOR OPENINGS |
CCTU has always had an incredibly passionate and active board of directors, and the current board is no exception. However, we are always looking to add new blood to the board, and do have several BOD members retiring at year end, and have several key areas that could use some additional assistance. If you are interested, attend a BOD meeting (currently all virtual), and see how you might be able to get involved. The board meetings the first Tuesday of each month, roughly from 7-8pm. All meetings are being held virtually at least into January, and the board welcomes any CCTU members who want to join a meeting. If you would like to find out more about being part of the CCTU Board, please contact CCTU President Scott Tampa (scott.a.tampa@gmail.com) for more information.
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LIGHTLY USED SCOTT G2 ROD & REEL OUTFIT FOR SALE |
Long-time CCTU member and San Juan trip organizer (and newly minted CCTU Ray Carney Volunteer of the Year) Jerry Shin has a very lightly used rod outfit that he was willing to sell, and wanted to offer it first to CCTU members with a significant home-town discount. Rod is a Scott G2, 8’8” 4-piece 5wt with aluminum tube and rod sock. Reel is an Orvis Access II Mid Arbor with line. Both in incredibly good shape and an incredible deal at $350 for the two of them. Contact Jerry at gsshin51@gmail.com if interested.
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FLY OF THE MONTH - SNIPER BAETIS
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Another great pattern from Angler’s Covey guide Hopper Juan Ramirez. He designed the Sniper Baetis to imitate the small tailwater Baetis nymphs in the Southern Rockies. It is a simple must-have pattern for picky spring and fall fish when nothing else seems to work but you know they are eating. Great pattern on the San Juan, Colorado and South Platte watersheds.
Hook – TMC 2488 or Daiichi 1140 Size 18-22
Thread - Uni Olive Dun 8/0
Tail - CDL Hen saddle Hackle Copper Olive
Rib - Small Black Wire or Black Super Hair Strand for Smaller Flies
Flash - Any small flash material (optional)
Wingcase/Legs - 12 Strands of Black Flouro Fiber
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NEW READS & RE-READS
ELDRIDGE HARDIE, THE SPORTING ART OF ELDRIDGE HARDIE
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Trout Unlimited and CCTU lost another good friend in August, with the passing of artist Eldridge Hardie. Eldridge grew up in ranching family in El Paso and made Denver his home in 1968. Throughout his life, Eldridge pursued his passions of bird hunting and fly fishing, which inspired his career in sporting art. A lifetime of his paintings and drawings, as well as notes, journal entries and other writings can be found in magazines, books, and the homes of his family and collectors. Eldridge summed up his long career by saying, “I was born to hunt, fish, and make art about these passions.” This book, published in 2019, was the second book of his art.
Eldridge was a close friend of many CCTU members and repeatedly donated his artwork and books to CCTU, CTU and other Colorado chapters for fundraising purposes.
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A few more captures from Eldridge Hardie's books.
Dry Fly Morning
End of the Season Brown Trout
Platte Ranch
Spring Creek Afternoon
Red Boat
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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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12/21 CCTU Holiday Party…CANCELLED (and no Dec Chapter Meeteing)
1/4 CCTU BOD Meeting, Virtual Meeting via Zoom, 7-8:30pm
1/18 CCTU Chapter Meeting, Cresthill Middle School & Zoom, 7-8:30pm
2/4 CCTU BOD 2022/23 Planning Meeting, Cresthill Middle School, 9am-12pm
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Cutthroat Chapter Trout Unlimited
1285 Nightfire Circle
Castle Rock, CO 80104
(720) 584-9396
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