BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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#284: Apr. 9, 2023
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April 20 BRTU meeting: fishery update and season prospects. |
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Montana SNOTEL map as of March 26, 2023. Source: USDA NRCS. |
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Montana SNOTEL map as of April 9, 2023. Source USDA NRCS. |
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Bitterroot River streamflows at Darby gauge. Source: USGS. |
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Bitterroot River streamflows at Bell Crossing gauge. Source: USGS |
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The April 20 BRTU meeting will feature a presentation by MFWP Fisheries Biologist Jason Lindstrom. Jason will provide a status report on the fishery, habitat conditions, and present results from last year's surveys and other studies. He will also review the updated Hoot Owl program, and discuss relevant results from the 2023 Legislature as they affect fisheries.
The recent late season snowfall has pushed the Bitterroot snowpack over 100%, which is very encouraging, but the streamflows remain very low at Bell Crossing and Darby. With the prediction of warm weather for the next few days, we can expect a decline in the former and a commensurate increase in the latter. From now on out, the flows will depend on temperatures and precipitation. For those lucky enough to have scored a Smith permit, the prospects are certainly better than the last few years!
That said, it will be very interesting to see Jason's numbers following the challenging conditions last year.
Jason's talk will begin at 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 20 at the Hamilton Elk's Club, 203 State Street.
The public is invited to attend and there is no charge for admission.
Plan on coming down early for personality adjustment because starting at 6:15, the Elks will be serving their excellent grilled brats and beer. The brats are steamed in beer before being grilled and then served with fried onions and sauerkraut. Just $10 for a brat and a beer. The Elks have been selling close to 30 each month and several BRTU stalwarts have been observed eating 2 brats and getting another for the road after the meeting!
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A map delineating the West Fork Road (#473) above Painted Rocks Lake and Horse Creek Pass on the Idaho border. Sheep Creek is a small drainage off this extreme upper end of the West Fork, approximately at the sign SE SW Section 3 Mine. Painted Rocks Lake would be a bit north of Alta and Hughes Creek. Source: Mapcarta.
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The notorious Mountain Pass rare earth mine in California. Approximately 2000 X2600 meters. Source:GoogleEarth. |
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Since the announcement by the Utah based US Critical Materials, Corporation in March claiming that there was a "mother lode" of rare earth metals in the Sheep Creek drainage of the upper upper West Fork above Painted Rocks Lake, interest has remained intense.
The company's claims in the Sheep Creek area cover about 7 square miles. However, in an effort to understand and map the Sheep Creek and potential vicinal deposits, the US Geologic Survey will be doing aerial surveys in Montana and Idaho, which are described in this Missoulian article.
As of this week, I am not aware that a Plan of Operation has been filed with the Bitterroot National Forest, and the course of action remains speculative. However, BRTU and Montana TU, as well as other groups, continue to monitor this latest snake oil project. A lot of people are saying "Bah!" to mining in a drainage that is home to populations of native cutthroat and bull trout. However, it is a mistake to discount this project which warrants watchful waiting.
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2023 Bitterroot Buggers final class this Tuesday, April 11. |
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Steve Davis and JIm Mitchell use foam tubes to teach casting strokes. Source for all photos: Greg Chester. |
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Jim Mitchell uses paint brushes to polish up technique. |
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Steve and Jim explain the features of a flyrod to several Buggers. |
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This Bugger has nailed a nice trout with one of the velcro flies. |
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Steve Davis refines casting loops for this Bugger. |
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This coming Tuesday, April 11 will mark the final class of the 2023 Bitterroot Buggers. This final class will be devoted to flycasting instruction. There will be a special fishing day for the Buggers later this spring, but details are not yet nailed donw.
The Buggers have an excellent instructional staff led by Steve Davis, a certified FFF casting instructor and drone video wizard. Joining him is his wife Dianne (an excellent mandolin player), John Bundy and Jim Mitchell. Jim is a long-time Bitterroot outfitter and owns Bitterroot Fly Company, the ORVIS-endorsed shop in Darby.
The casting staff have created an interesting array of teaching method and tools that the students enjoy and quickly gain skills. Steve even created a fly line tipped with a Velcro patch that enables the kids to “catch” Velcro trout. It’s the closest thing to actual fly casting and fishing without the benefit of water. Each student receives a photo of their catch, a true “grip and grin” moment!
This year was the 28th season of Bitterroot Buggers. This is a truly remarkable achievement since it is an all volunteer effort, and we now have students whose parents were Buggers. The dedication of several generations of instructors and coordinators has been paramount to the program's success. Current gurus are Joe Byrne and Greg Chester.
If you haven't yet come to one of the Buggers's classes, why not come down for the one on Tuesday? The session will start at 6:30 pm at the Keystone Enrichment Center of Hamilton Middle School. The class will be in the middle school gym, but entry is via the blue door on Madison Street between 5th and 6th Streets.
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Request for volunteers proves successful.
The response to calls for volunteers has been successful! There have been several new regular helpers at the Buggers classes. And the BRTU board recently elected 2 new Board members.
Joe Byrne is no stranger to newsletter readers because Joe, a Hamilton middle school teacher, has been instrumental as lead coordinator for the Buggers for many years. Joe's skills as an educator par excellence will serve BRTU well.
Don Patterson has been a regular attendee at meetings and other projects. Don, an avid angler, brings a wealth of experience in conservation and event planning to BRTU, and has served as an officer of the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association and Wild Sheep Foundation. Don has graciously accepted the position of Chapter Treasurer.
Our officers and Board members all work very hard, and we are an all volunteer group. Another 4 serious volunteers and we will have the critical mass to really expand our projects and maybe even plan a banquet. If you'd like to get involved and help out, please let Dave, Donna or me know. As our newsletter header says "Because there's more to fishin' than fishin'!"
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Stream Management Panel set for May 25. |
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Logjams like the one pictured are boating hazards, but also provide superb habitat. Panelists will discuss how officials balance these 2 important issues and what laws govern wood removal. Source: BRTU. |
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The water from Painted Rocks Lake sustains flows and fisheries, and enables agriculture to be successful. Panelists will discuss management challenges in satisfying both needs. Source: BRTU. |
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The downed trees in the photo on the left are about a mile downstream from Bell Crossing. An outfitter friend tells me the trees, along with a trapped drift boat, have been there since last year. Another friend who was fishing near the tree last weekend watched as a raft with 3 occupants nearly capsized there.
This situation epitomizes one of the major conundrums of recent Bitterroot River management, adjudicating the competing concerns of habitat versus hazard. This one seems pretty obvious, but it seems noone has submitted an application for a 310 permit to remove the hazard.
In order to clarify roles and responsibilities of stream management, BRTU is partnering with the Bitterroot Conservation District, MFWP, DNRC and the Bitterroot River Commissioner to host a free panel discussion on Thursday, May 25.
Panelists will include 1.) Bitterroot Conservation District Supervisor Kent Myers will discuss the laws regulating activities in the streambed and floodplain as well as the Woody Debris Task Force, 2.) River Commissioner JR Iman and DNRC Engineer Larry Schock will preview the Painted Rocks water status and probable water release schedules, 3.) Ben Dickinson, our new MFWP Region 2 Recreation Manager, who will talk about boating safety and recreation issues, 4.) BRTU President Dave Ward who will present some possible novel solutions for hazard notification.
More details will follow, but the panel will be at 7:00 PM on May 25 at the Hamilton Elks Club and BRTU will be providing free brats to encourage attendance. Please note the date on your calendars. Guides and outfitters are particularly encouraged to attend.
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This issue's Picture of the Week was submitted by long-time BRTU supporter, volunteer, and fly craftsman, Les Korcala.
Les describes this breathtaking creation as a freestyle fly from the Golden Era of trout and bass flies. See how many different materials you can identify. An excellent profile of Les and his passion for flies and fish was featured in the Bitterroot Star last February in an article written by Michael Howell.
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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There were several correct answers for this BRTU Puzzler, which was submitted by Kevin Frank, a newsletter subscriber who hails from Indiana.
Kevin even sent along this hint "The fish is typically sterile & sometimes used by fisheries managers to control runaway shad populations in man made impoundments."
Kevin noted that these hybrids are sterile, grow to 20-30 pounds and only live 6-8 years. They are variously called "wipers," or "whiterock bass."
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?
Scott 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. The first correct entry will be the winner.
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
Don Patterson, Treasurer; d5357mt@gmail.com
BOARD MEMBERS
Charlie Harris; E-mail: hmgharris@gmail.com
Joe Byrne; E-mail: byrnej@hsd3.org
Vacant; (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
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Bitterroot Trout Unlimited| PO 262, Hamilton, MT 59840 | www.bitterroottu.org |
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