February 2025| View Upcoming Events

February 2025 Newsletter

Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Happy New Year – it’s the year of the Snake)

Happy Groundhog’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and President’s Day. Welcome to the February Zane Grey newsletter.

February is a unique month. It’s the shortest month, but we celebrate a lot. This year is the year of the snake for the lunar new year – let’s hope that’s a good thing for the Arizona Diamondbacks! February also has two president’s birthdays – Lincoln & Washington, plus we celebrate Black History month.

And here in Arizona it is one of the busiest months, with WM Open, Golf Tournament, the start of spring training, the uptick in winter visitors, and our fabulous weather. We don’t host the Super Bowl this year, so you won’t find any references to Travis and Taylor, but we don’t mind adding “clickbait.”

Joining us this month as a guest columnist is Arthur Greenway, Zane Grey Chapter board member and education chair. Arthur joined the Zane Grey board in 2022, engaging quickly in educational efforts. In addition, Arthur is AZTU-GCC Fish Camp Director, the Arizona Council Trout Unlimited – Grand Canyon Council, Scouts America joint Fish Camp now beginning our sixth season. Arthur is currently recruiting both staff and campers. Be sure and check out Arthur’s article and. insights on making outdoor recreation more accessible.

We had a busy month. We had Salt River Saturdays on January 4 and January 18, the latter Salt River Saturday was with Desert Fly Casters Club. Also that day we participated in the Odysea Outdoor Conservation Expo, and on Tuesday, January 21, we participated in the 6^th Annual Camo at the Capitol event at the Arizona state capitol with several other outdoor conservation minded organizations and we were joined by several legislators who spoke to our group. We attended the Arizona Game and Fish Commissioner’s annual banquet on January 25, celebrating Nate Rees selection as AZGFD Conservationist of the Year see Editor Woody’s article for more details. This Wednesday, February 5, we are part of Arizona’s Trout Unlimited contingency attending the annual Western Rivers Day, an annual event of where birders, brewers, hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts advocate for healthy rivers and groundwater supplies.

We scheduled the Salt River Saturdays as follows:

Our other activities are picking up. Among the upcoming activities are:

• Salt River Saturday, February 8 with Arizona Flycasters Club. AFC is also offering casting instruction. Look for separate email or Signup with AZGFD here!
• Salt River Saturday, February 22, with Desert Fly Casters Club. DFC will have some specialized instruction on Salt River fishing techniques. Register here.
• AZ Fly Shop Spring Fling AZTU-ZGTU host a table – March 15
• AZGFD Outdoor Expo – March 23-24 with AFC, DFC, AZ Fly Shop
• Native and Wild Trout Conference, AZGFD, 9-4, April 17, 2023

Zane Grey Chapter is expanding, so we’ll have a series of Pint Nights around Western and Northern Arizona. We visited Lake Havasu City in December at Martini Bay. Sorry if we didn't get a chance to say hello ... but we'll have more events soon.

We plan these events as an occasional series of live meetings for our members, and to make new friends. So, stay tuned … there are more to come! We'll determine our next event during our board meeting and let everyone know where we take our act on the road next.

Your ZGTU board asks that as you read this newsletter, please think about how you would like to join in and help promote fishing, conservation, education, and love of nature. You may contact me or any board member to let us know about your ideas.

We hope you can join us, or better yet volunteer to help with these many and varied activities. 

Until then, 

Tight Lines. 

Alan Davis

As I’ve said many times, one of the cool benefits about being a TU board member is that you get invited to all the best parties and banquets Arizona’s outdoors community has to offer. My favorite is the annual AZ Game & Fish Commission Awards dinner. Stetsons, jeans and Luccheses hob knobbing with button-downs, tuxedos and Johnston & Murphys all in celebration of people who spend their lives making Arizona’s natural world one of the best in the country. 

This year, Nate Rees, our lead Trout Unlimited staffer in Arizona, received the coveted Conservationist of the Year award. The recognition was very well-deserved. Nate has worked hard for not only TU but his leadership can be felt across water conservation efforts throughout the state.

Nate’s an experienced professional in public lands coordination and conservation, currently serving as the Arizona Public Lands Coordinator for TU since December 2016. In this role, he has effectively navigated Arizona's political landscape, advocating for federal and state legislation and successfully defeating several land-grabbing bills. Prior to this, Nate was a Wyss Fellowship intern at the Wyss Foundation, where his training enhanced campaign strategies and networking skills. Nate holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Sustainability 

from Arizona State University. 

But behind Nate at TU in AZ is a cadre of dedicated volunteers and board members who help make things happen on the water and at the capitol. Here’s a rundown of the behind-the-scenes talent we have on our TU team. 

Our state chair (AZTU Council) and chapter president (Zane Grey TU) , Alan Davis seems to be everywhere at once. We continue to marvel at how he keeps all the plates spinning at once. His leadership and managerial skills are well-respected on both the local and national levels.

Tom Osterday founded our influential Public Policy Committee (PPC) in early 2018 and served as its chair through September 30, 2022. His leadership created the foundation for the ongoing activities of the AZTU-PPC. Ron Stearns, our current public policy chair works with Nate and the legislative policy makers to ensure TU has a seat at the table when it comes to both state and national conservation initiatives. Tom Goodwin represents Arizona on TU’s National Leadership Council and currently serves as our membership chair. Susan Geer, our longtime marketing mentor, website administrator, Diversity maven, and AZTU and Zane Grey board member became a member of Trout Unlimited's National Board of Trustees.

Jim Walker, our senior statesman and brain trust for the popular Trout in the Classroom project has won numerous national and local awards including being inducted last fall into the Wildlife for Tomorrow’s Outdoor Hall of Fame. That was a big deal. Jim has been an active TU volunteer since 1989 and has held a series of high-level national leadership positions since 2009. A member of the Board of Trustees since 2013, he has most recently served as the chairman of TU’s National Leadership Council since 2018.

Fish Camp, our collaborative project with the Grand Canyon Council of Scouting America, is run by master educator and uber angler, Arthur Greenway. Fish Camp, considered one of the best of its kind in the nation, is another example of the leadership AZTU and ZGTU provides to outdoor life in Arizona. 

Our AZTU treasurer is Doyle Gaines and the secretary is Steve Reiter. Both men are instrumental to the success of TU in AZ. 

And, of course, we have our two TU staffers, Josh Criswell, AZ Project Manager and Alec Young our R3 (Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation) expert. 

Again, congratulations to Nate and the Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited. Collectively, this is an award-winning team by any standard. 

Speaking of our friend Arthur Greenway, here's his update on Fish Camp at the R-C Scout Ranch in the high country this summer.

Fish Camp is a hands-on, immersive adventure offered in partnership with the Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited and Grand Canyon Council-Scouting America. Participants learn the importance of selecting proper flies, where and how to cast a flyrod and master the art of provoking fish to attack your flies. 

Highly qualified volunteers with extensive knowledge of everything fly fishing, conservation, ecology, habitat and stewardship assist and instruct participants through every aspect of the weeklong camp experience.

The week starts on June 1 with foundational experiences ranging from classroom instruction to experiential opportunities in a wide variety of areas. As the week progresses, the participants venture daily to various new and exciting fishing locations, learning how to cast into creeks, wade in streams, fish from canoes in lakes and visit a state fish hatchery. 

Additionally, campers have expert lectures and opportunities to learn how to cast fly rods, identify bugs in the water, read water conditions, rig fly lines, tie flies and knots. Responsible conservation and ecosystem practices are woven into all facets of instruction. 

Along with meals, all necessary equipment be provided. Campers receive and take home a sun protection hoodie, hat, sling pack, flies, leaders, tippet, tools, AZ fishing license, and comprehensive stream handbook. In addition, campers receive a new Reddington fly rod combos after completing camp and submitting a choice of extracurricular assignments. 

Participants are housed in twin-sized bunk beds at R-C Scout Ranch and eat meals in the camp dining hall. The Camp store is located on site. The R-C Scout Ranch is about 20-miles east of Payson, AZ, off highway 260. The camp health lodge is staffed 24 hours/day by qualified medical personnel. Additionally, the camp has arrangements with the local rescue squads and hospitals to handle any medical emergencies.

This all-inclusive camp is a special place where teens find acceptance and make forever friendships with others who share their passion for streams, lakes, fly fishing and conservation.

Fish Camp is available to any youth 13-18 years old. Registration cost is $740. Limited financial assistance may be available based on need and availability. The maximum capacity is 12 campers per session.There are currently 13 campers enrolled. Choice of 2025 sessions are: June 1-6, June 8-13 and June 15-20

For further information, contact:

Arthur Greenway AZTU Camp Director, Education@zanegreytu.org, 602.399.7777 or Camp Registration, Katie Fisher- Program Business Administrator, Grand Canyon Council, BSA Katie.Fisher@grandcanyonbsa.org, 602.955.7747 ext. 239

Coming up in Zane Grey Land

Arizona Fly Casters' monthly meeting will be Tuesday, February 11 at the American Italian Club 7509 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, AZ. Speaker is Mike Masciangelo of M&M Trout Adventures. Meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Desert Fly Casters' monthly meeting and annual banquet will be on Wednesday, February 12 at the Elks Club, 1775 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler. Dinners are $16 for chicken and $29 for steak. Side and salad are included. Meeting starts at 7 p.m.

And, if you need to renew your TU membership you can do it here easily. This link should take you directly to the renewal page.

January Meeting Summary

The AZ Trout Unlimited Public Policy Committee (AZTU-PPC) held its normal monthly meeting on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 7:00 pm. The speaker was Joe Trudeau with The Wilderness Society who spoke on the proposed Verde Reservoir's Sediment Mitigation Project which he believes will ultimately get approved and funded as well as a petition for the Upper Verde River designation as a Wild & Scenic River.

The AZTU-PPC was recognized in the 2023-2024 TU National Annual Report with the following narrative: "Throughout the nation, TU chapters champion sustainable water policy to unlock funding and turn restoration visions into reality. In Arizona, the Zane Grey chapter's Public Policy Committee sharpens their advocacy skills by engaging elected officials, political candidates, governmental agency leaders, and other organizations to promote durable coldwater conservation policies. Now a council-wide committee, the group actively participates in the Arizona legislature's Western River Action Network Day, supports an annual event where legislators engage with hunting and fishing NGO's (Camo at the Capitol) and spearheads letter writing, phone call and email campaigns for various conservation initiatives. Key issues include beating back bills that seek to transfer of federal public lands to Arizona, excessive use of groundwater, game and forestry management, and the Clean Water Act."

We thank TU National for this recognition!

Legislative Update

The 2025 state legislature is in session and bills are being drafted. We will be monitoring the bills of interest and reporting on them to the AZ TU community. Certain members of the TU AZ Council will be attending the Western Rivers Day (formerly Western River Action Network Day) at the Capitol on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, sponsored by the Audubon Southwest. The TU members attending will have the opportunity to meet with their legislators to discuss surface water and ground water issues in the State.

The Republican party increased its majority in both the Arizona House and Senate as a result of the November 2024 election.

Arizona Water Issues

Tom Osterday - Past Chair AZTU PPC

Tom Osterday is meeting with Arizona Senator, Tim Dunn, this month to discuss ground water and surface water issues.



Upcoming Public Policy Events

The normal meeting of the AZTU-PPC will be held on Thursday, February 13, 2025. The speaker for the AZTU-PPC February 2025 meeting will be Kristen Johnson, J.D. with the AZ Department of Water Resources. She will provide an explanation of the differences between the Upper Basin proposed alternative for post-2026 and the Lower Basin proposed alternative and the impact on the Glen Canyon Dam.

There will not be a regular scheduled AZTU-PPC meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2025, as that meeting is being replaced by the annual AZTU-PPC Strategic Summit being held on Saturday March 1, 2025, from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

The AZTU-Public Policy Committee hosts a virtual meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Ron Stearns at PublicPolicyChair@az-tu.org.

By Arthur Greenway

Making Outdoor Recreation and Adventure More Accessible 

There is usually a lack of diversity in the outdoor spaces in the wilderness, on the water or other human-powered outdoor recreational pursuits. Fact is, statistics collected by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife show that while people of color make up nearly 40 percent of the total U.S. population, close to 70 percent of those who visit national forests, national wildlife refuges, and national parks are white. Blacks still remain the most dramatically underrepresented group in all these spaces. 

Several factors may be contributing to the lack of participation from communities of color in human-powered outdoor adventure and recreation activities. Examples include: historical exclusion, cultural perceptions, cost barriers, access to resources, safety concerns, lack of role models, lack of family and social support, limited programming, and lack of inclusivity. 

The good news is that many outdoor recreation, adventure, and education enthusiasts from minority populations have already taken the lead to increase interest and participation. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) brands have emerged to fuel this trend. They are serving as positive role models, sharing their enthusiasm, and introducing innovative products, services, and programs that make the outdoors more accessible and attractive to members of their respective communities. Examples include organizations like Outdoor Afro, Black Outside, Unlikely Hikers, Brown Folks Fishing, and Melanin Base Camp which are devoted to promoting awareness and accessibility to underrepresented communities. 

Practical steps to support this positive trend include acknowledgement and honesty about the history of the American outdoors-including the unrecognized contributions the indigenous people; Blacks, Hispanics, and members of other minority groups have made over the years. Also, making outdoor spaces, activities, and programs physically and financially accessible to everyone. 

Improvement in the representation of diverse groups, companies and organizations that are working to promote the outdoors to underrepresented groups is imperative. There is also a need to promote hiring practices that draw from underrepresented groups that can provide insights into the unique needs and desires of group members. This includes actively seeking their input to drive positive change. This includes partnerships with organizations that serve minority communities, reaching a broader audience hence creating more inviting recreational opportunities. 

Together, through thoughtful and deliberate acts and actions, we can all do our part to make human-powered outdoor recreation, adventure, and recreation available to all. 

Hold the Date – April 17^th

Another year has gone by and it’s time for the 16th Annual Native and Wild Trout Conference to be held on April 17th from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM at the AZGFD headquarters.

Every year, more than 115 individuals from over 50 agencies and organizations attend to learn about many wide-ranging topics from a variety of presenters. 

Don’t miss this highly informative networking event to hear the latest on native and wild trout restoration work in Arizona and New Mexico.

Details on registration and topics will be in the newsletter next month. 

Join us as we host a series of Salt River Saturdays with our Fishing Club partners, Desert Fly Casters Club (DFC), and Arizona Fly Casters Club (AFC), and of course with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

We begin with our first Salt River Saturday on November 16 and continue through April. Look for additional announcements later this month. We scheduled the Salt River Saturdays as follows: 

Rod Buchanan reports: Thanks to all of you that showed up to pick up trash and thanks to those that helped others fish… we had about 7 bags of trash and fish were caught, a great day on the Salt River!! 

Odysea Conservation Expo

Alec Young and Kim Tillery - Attended Odysea Aquarium's annual Conservation Expo. Great attendance in the thousands. 10-15 Memberships "sold" Added over 75 followers to our Instagram account. Had over 50 kids take part in our "Create a trout" art project. The picture with Kim with her back to the picture is of our trout creation / coloring table. Chase Newlon from AZGFD also joined our booth and had an aquatic insect / fly thing exhibit set up as well.

From Michael Cravens, Arizona Wildlife Federation -- Thanks for joining us at the Arizona Wildlife Federation’s 6th Annual Camo at the Capitol on January 21st! We’re proud to host this event each year, bringing together sportsmen and women, conservationists, and decision-makers to stand up for Arizona’s wildlife and public lands.

From discussions on key legislation and advocacy strategies to hands-on fly-casting and some damn good wild game, this event was about more than just policy — it was about protecting the outdoor traditions, wildlife, and the lands we all care about.

We’ve attached a few select photos from the day, and you can find the full album, courtesy of Betty Dickens, here: Dropbox.

A big thanks to the many organizations that helped make this happen. When we come together, we make a real difference for conservation in Arizona.

Thanks again for being part of it and we hope you join us for the 7th Annual Camo at the Capitol in 2026 too. See you in the field!

As we shared with you, Arizona Council is consolidating the Trout Unlimited chapters in Arizona. Effective January 1, 2025, much of eastern Arizona, Kingman and Navajo County east and south including White Mountains: Show Low, Greer, etc., is becoming a part of the Old Pueblo Chapter based in Tucson.

The Mogollon Rim, and areas west of Kingman, including Flagstaff, Lees Ferry and the Colorado River down to Yuma become part of the "new" Zane Grey Chapter based in Phoenix. The below map will give you some idea of the new alignments. The Green areas are the new Zane Grey Chapter, while the Blue areas are the Old Pueblo Chapter's new alignment. The non colored areas are National parks, Military reservations, or other government areas, and not included in our new chapters.

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 twelve years to support the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences, Fish Camp, Trout in the Classroom programs and various conservation projects.

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. 

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:

You may access our calendar here. 

Zane Grey Trout Unlimited