OPTU Newsletter October 2023

October 2023

To conserve, protect, and restore North America's cold-water fisheries and their watersheds

OPTU Newsletter

President's Message

Over the past twenty years, the priority for Old Pueblo TU has been the recovery of the Apache Trout in the White Mountains. Our motto is: “Friends of the Apache Trout”. We have been actively involved in initiatives to support the recovery of the Apache Trout, and the recovery of Apache Trout will continue to be a priority for us. Many of the in person volunteer opportunities were put on hold during the pandemic, but are starting back up and we are looking forward to getting back up to the White Mountains for some work days.

The the National Trout Unlimited Organization hired a Conservation Officer to work here in Arizona. His name is Josh Criswell. Josh organized an event on the Black River in the White Mountains on October 10th. The event was the "first field tour being held as part of Trout Unlimited recently awarded Cooperative Watershed Management Program grant. This funding will support the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in preparing restoration designs for Thompson-Burro Meadow in the Upper West Fork Black River”.

The October 10 event discussed the current condition of the stream and the plans for improvement over the next few years. It is imperative that OPTU take an active role in the recovery of this stream. Future events and workdays will be published for our members. Please consider attending future events at the Thomson Meadow. OPTU has been supporting this program for decades.

Another way to support this Restoration Project is to inform our communities in AZ of the vital role the recovery of streams and trout plays in our state. We just spent over two years in “isolation” due to covid. It is time for us to get back to work on the Conservation Programs in Arizona.

In addition, AZGFD has hired an employee for the R3 program. This employee is responsible for the recruitment of anglers in Arizona. As you know, millions of people have returned to the outdoors during the pandemic. The R3 program is to Recruit, Reengage, Retain new anglers in Arizona. The role of our Membership is to get the word out on the benefits of fishing and the outdoor activities in AZ.

Get involved, your community needs your leadership and support. Follow our information at www.oldpueblotu.org. This will be an exciting year of fishing and fun. Stay tuned, see you on the water.

Mickey Fletcher, OPTU Board President

[email protected]

Upcoming Events

November 1st: Member meeting (virtual), see meeting info below

November 6th: Fly Tying with Jeff at Randolph at 6pm

OPTU News

Tentative Schedule for 2023

November 1st - Meeting

December - Outing

January 3rd - Meeting

February - Outing

March 6th - Meeting

April - Outing

May 1st - Meeting

Monthly Meeting

November 2023 Meeting

Landon Mayer

November 1st 6:30PM - 8:30PM

The November 1st OPTU meeting is going to be a virtual presentation by fly fishing guide and author Landon Mayer. The presentation is going to be on Zoom and will begin at 6:30pm.Below is the link to the Zoom meeting, and additional Zoom meeting info can be found at the bottom of the email.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81460876668?pwd=c2JQMmt1alYrdnZ4TjBYWWlKMytFUT09

Landon's Bio

Landon Mayer’s angling success is fueled by an addiction to pursuing large trout with small flies and lightweight fly-fishing equipment. Mayer enthusiastically teaches and demonstrates his techniques and on-river knowledge to fellow anglers and has developed innovative strategies for sighting, hooking, and landing selective trout. He shares these tips and secrets in his books.

Guide Flies: Easy to Tie Patterns for Tough Trout (2021)

The Hunt for Giant Trout: 25 Top Locations in the US to Catch a Trophy (new for 2019)

Trout Tips: A Guide’s Secrets, Tactics and Techniques (2016)

Colorado’s Best Fly Fishing (2013)

Sight Fishing for Trout (2010)

How to Catch the Biggest Trout of Your Life (2007)

He also has a film.

Headwater Media: Mastering the Short Game (2019)

Landon’s passion for fly-fishing has allowed him to make several noteworthy contributions to the sport on and off the water. This has included travels to fly-fishing related organizations of the Mid-Atlantic, West, Pacific Northwest, Southwest, and Southern states, as well as teaching through guided trips, fly-fishing classes, presentations, and demonstrations of his unique techniques.

Mayer is a contributing writer for Fly Fisherman and High Country Angler magazines. His contributions also have been featured in publications such as Fly Rod and Reel, American Angler, Southwest Fly Fishing, Field and Stream, and Fish and Fly magazines.

As an ambassador in the fly-fishing industry, Mayer is a royalty fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. He is also an advisory team member of Simms, R.L.Winston, Bauer, Scientific Angler, Smith Optics, Fish Pond, Yeti Coolers, Regal Vise, River Smith, and Casio Pro Trek watches.

Mayer has been guiding in Colorado full time on the South Platte River for the last 23 years, and one full season on the Nak Nek River in AK. He resides in Woodland Park, Colorado. For additional information on his services and presentations, contact him at:

719-210-0619

www.landonmayer.com

Landon Mayer Fly Fishing on Facebook

Landon Mayer Fly Fishing You Tube

@landonmayerflyfishing on Instagram

Zoom Meeting Info

Topic: OPTU November 2023 Meeting

Time: Nov 1, 2023 06:30 PM Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81460876668?pwd=c2JQMmt1alYrdnZ4TjBYWWlKMytFUT09

Meeting ID: 814 6087 6668

Passcode: 678182

---

One tap mobile

+12532050468,,81460876668#,,,,*678182# US

+12532158782,,81460876668#,,,,*678182# US (Tacoma)

Fly Tyers Den

For our November tying class, we’re going to visit the Wulff Patterns in our book. The Royal Wulff is an attractor monster. Great search pattern. Can be used in fast rough water, makes for a great dry in a dry/dropper. Did you know that there are Western Drakes in AZ waters? The Brown Drake and Green Drake. The Blonde Wulff is a great rough water pattern for the PMD. So many choices!

For you beginners with no vise, I have 3 new vises to try.. come early.

-Jeff Collins

Fly tying instructor Jeff, also Teaches Project Healing Waters

Fishing

NZ Mudsnails Confirmed in Canyon Creek

Anglers and others recreating in Canyon Creek are now required to clean, drain, dry and decontaminate their equipment after each visit.

Checkout the AZGFD news release for more details.

AZGFD.com - New Zealand Mudsnails Confirmed

Trout in the Classroom

AZTIC.org - List of Participating Schools

TIC is starting back up, and we'll have some more info about the current school year soon.

A must see 3 1/2 minute video, provides an overview of the Arizona program with testimonials from the students and teachers on the positive benefits they received from the program. The video can be seen on www.aztic.org.

Steve Reiter is the OPTU TIC chairman. If interested in the TIC program to spread the word or to volunteer, contact Steve at [email protected]

AZTU News

Check out Jim Strogen's latest article in the Payson Roundup.

Catch and release season at Silver Creek leaves angler feeling like a kid again

AZ TU has a new website with lots of great information about public policy, conservation and more. Check it out at the link below.

AZ-TU.org

Public Policy

Legislative Update

The state legislature is very quiet right now, they passed their budget on May 12th and there is no activity on bills. The only items taking place are confirmation hearings. TU will continue to monitor these hearings and continue building relationships with lawmakers over the Summer and into Fall so we can be productive in the upcoming 2024 session.

Groundwater News in AZ

Groundwater continues to be a hot topic in AZ! Here are two articles published in the Arizona Republic recently:

Arizona won't explain why it has paused leases on some state-owned farmland

Is the Arizona State Land Department taking steps to reverse a handful of unpopular leases? Or, more widely rethinking water use on state trust land?

Check out the story here

Water shortfall could halt growth

Check out the story: here

CX3 Recap

A Trout Unlimited Event

COMMUNITY × COLDWATER × CONSERVATION

Photo Recap

CX3 Website

TU National News

Trout Unlimited Restructures Across the Rockies

Nick Gann

October 25, 2023

“People care about the places they live, love and fish,” said Chris Wood, president and CEO of TU. “We want our organization to reflect that so we can most effectively engage the hundreds of thousands of people who work to care for and recover their lands and waters.”

Since 2022, TU has also secured more than $100 million in federal partnerships across the nation from the BIL and IRA with agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This funding has empowered TU to realign and scale up its workforce.

... Continue reading on tu.org

THE STUDIO

A Film by Trout Unlimited with support from Simms

Scot Simmons has dealt with various forms of anxiety, PTSD and depression for most of his adult life. He is committed to creating a better life for himself and others, and he strives to be a better role model for his own family.

Premiering on YouTube, a new film from Trout Unlimited highlighting Twin Cities TU board member Scot Simmons’ path to creating a better life for himself and others as he strives to be a better role model for his own family. Fly fishing has helped him find his equilibrium.

You can watch the film for free here.

For Sale

Member Mike Carpenter has a Battenkill 7/8 pristine reel he'd like to trade for Pflueger 1494 and extra spool. He also has a Pflueger 1495-1/2 with two extra spools he'd like to trade for 1495 or 1494.

[email protected]

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