This year our multi Chapter Stream Clean Up Project will be held at the Courtney-Riley-Cooper Park in Idaho Springs (2350 Colorado Blvd, Idaho Springs, CO 80452).  We will be teamed with volunteers from the West Denver and Cherry Creek Anglers Chapters.  We plan to work cleaning up the stream from Highway 119 in the East to Dumont on the West.  We are in need of 30 to 50 volunteers to help make this project a success.  Please bring waders and work gloves.  Garbage bags and safety vests will be provided.

To entice you to join us we will have Starbuck’s coffee and doughnuts at the Park @ 8:30AM before work starts at 9:00AM, AND for your participation you will earn a free lunch as well!  THAT’S NOT ALL…., we will conclude our work with our traditional raffle, FEATURING GREAT FISHING ORIENTED PRIZES after lunch.  There is great fishing access to Clear Creek inside and near the park.

Please contact our project leaders for more info…

Cutthroat Chapter:  Ray Carney (303-523-4740), raythefly@aol.com OR Jim Klug (303-565-7504) fishnow@comcast.net

West Denver: Ed Calmus : ed.calmus@gmail.com

The elk beat us to the Evergreen Lake House. It was Thursday September
12, and eight members of Cutthroat Chapter TU had arrived early in the morning to meet our Colorado Parks and Wildlife partners. Paul Winkle and his CPW crew of six were there to electrofish Bear Creek. This is part of CPW's annual census of fish populations. This data will help CPW in the mission it shares with Cutthroat Chapter, namely to conserve, protect, and restore Colorado's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. By helping CPW in this task, our volunteer power helps stretch their budget which helps both the fish and us anglers. We helped CPW sample two stretches upstream of Evergreen. First a public section about a mile up and later a private section up a bit higher. The assemblage of captured fish was mostly browns and suckers, with a spattering of rainbows. The upper section was a hay field with undercut banks, and several large browns and an alarmingly large sucker were netted. All the fish were recorded as to species, length, and weight, and then were released back into the wild. Many thanks to all the CCTU volunteers that spent the day helping CPW!

We need your help on Thur June 6 and Fri June 7, from 8:45am until 3pm. The task is the repair of a foot bridge located on the lower Gill Trail. This bridge is a short distance from the parking lot. It spans Wigwam Creek and is commonly used by anglers to access the South Platte River in lower Cheesman Canyon. The bridge is in very sad shape and badly needs repair. CCTU is providing the funding for this project and is also looking for 9 or 10 strong bodies to help the US Forest Service in this task. A light breakfast and a lunch will be provided for volunteers. Please help us maintain the tradition of Cutthroat Chapter being a steward of the Gill Trail!

We will meet at the Cheesman Canyon Fishing Access Parking lot on Colo 126. This lot used to access lower Cheesman Canyon via the Gill Trail, located approx four miles west of Deckers.. Alternatively you can join a carpool out of Sedalia by meeting at the parking lot by the west railroad tracks in Sedalia. Meet at 7 AM to carpool. If you are interested in carpooling please contact Jim Rasmussen at jiber2@msn.com

Thursday will be disassembly of the planking and rails, while Friday will be the replacement of those items with solid new lumber. The underlying structure is sound and will be reused. We would love to have crew members that can work both days, but if you can only work one day we can still use you. The lumber and hardware for this task has been donated by our Cutthroat Chapter. The US Forest Service will lead our work crew. Wear appropriate long sleeved shirts, long pants, boots, work gloves and protective eyewear. Be prepared with sun screen, rain gear, warm clothing, and bug spray. Please bring along appropriate woodworking tools, similar to what you might use if you were building a wooden deck. Power tools like drills with deck screw bits, crowbars, sawzalls, skill saws, circular saws, etc., could come in handy. Battery powered tools are ideal and the US Forest Service is planning on having a gasoline powered generator on site to operate a limited number of corded power tools. Wheel barrows, loppers, flat and spade shovels might be helpful as well. No deck building experience is required, but if you have that experience it will probably come in handy. The lower Gill Trail will be closed the whole week of June 3-7 for maintenance, including this bridge rebuilding project. If we are fortunate to have more folks than immediately needed, those folks may be put to work on related trail maintenance tasks nearby.

Please RSVP to George Franklin no later than Thursday May 30 at georgefr@aol.com or at 303-902-9827. In your RSVP please indicate which day or days you can work. The RSVP will allow us to plan accurately for food. If you sign up please be responsible and show up. No shows will severely jeopardize this small crew.

We need your help on Thur June 6 and Fri June 7, from 8:45am until 3pm. The task is the repair of a foot bridge located on the lower Gill Trail. This bridge is a short distance from the parking lot. It spans Wigwam Creek and is commonly used by anglers to access the South Platte River in lower Cheesman Canyon. The bridge is in very sad shape and badly needs repair. CCTU is providing the funding for this project and is also looking for 9 or 10 strong bodies to help the US Forest Service in this task. A light breakfast and a lunch will be provided for volunteers. Please help us maintain the tradition of Cutthroat Chapter being a steward of the Gill Trail!

We will meet at the Cheesman Canyon Fishing Access Parking lot on Colo 126. This lot used to access lower Cheesman Canyon via the Gill Trail, located approx four miles west of Deckers.. Alternatively you can join a carpool out of Sedalia by meeting at the parking lot by the west railroad tracks in Sedalia. Meet at 7 AM to carpool. If you are interested in carpooling please contact Jim Rasmussen at jiber2@msn.com

Thursday will be disassembly of the planking and rails, while Friday will be the replacement of those items with solid new lumber. The underlying structure is sound and will be reused. We would love to have crew members that can work both days, but if you can only work one day we can still use you. The lumber and hardware for this task has been donated by our Cutthroat Chapter. The US Forest Service will lead our work crew. Wear appropriate long sleeved shirts, long pants, boots, work gloves and protective eyewear. Be prepared with sun screen, rain gear, warm clothing, and bug spray. Please bring along appropriate woodworking tools, similar to what you might use if you were building a wooden deck. Power tools like drills with deck screw bits, crowbars, sawzalls, skill saws, circular saws, etc., could come in handy. Battery powered tools are ideal and the US Forest Service is planning on having a gasoline powered generator on site to operate a limited number of corded power tools. Wheel barrows, loppers, flat and spade shovels might be helpful as well. No deck building experience is required, but if you have that experience it will probably come in handy. The lower Gill Trail will be closed the whole week of June 3-7 for maintenance, including this bridge rebuilding project. If we are fortunate to have more folks than immediately needed, those folks may be put to work on related trail maintenance tasks nearby.

Please RSVP to George Franklin no later than Thursday May 30 at georgefr@aol.com or at 303-902-9827. In your RSVP please indicate which day or days you can work. The RSVP will allow us to plan accurately for food. If you sign up please be responsible and show up. No shows will severely jeopardize this small crew.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

CONSERVATION PROJECT 8:30-12PM, FISHING CONTEST 1-4PM

Join the Cutthroat Chapter Saturday April 27, 2019 on urban Bear Creek to celebrate Earth Day in cooperation with the City of Lakewood.  After a lite, provided breakfast we will help restore a nearby riparian area by planting willows, cottonwoods, and other native plants.  We might also get a chance to remove log jams, to clean up litter, and to perform some erosion control.  After a provided lunch we will return to the stream for a low key three hour fishing contest with "awards" for angling "excellence".  Online sign up is requested for the City to plan for food and materials.

Sign up here no later than April 26: https://lakewoodco.wufoo.com/forms/q3pil2o053plkx/

Meet at: Bear Creek Lake Park, Meadowlark Picnic Area before 8:30 am if you would like breakfast.  From C470, exit at W. Morrison Road, just east of the town of Morrison.  Proceed through the west park entrance.  Park entry is free to volunteers.

Map of the park and Meadowlark Picnic Area: http://www.lakewood.org/uploadedImages/Images/Community_Resources/Parks_Forestry_Open_Space/BearCreekBikePath.jpg?n=4595

Conservation Project Details: 8:30 am-noon.  Bring gloves, appropriate clothing, drinking water, and sunscreen.  The Park will provide all necessary tools, though if you have a favorite pick or shovel you should bring it along.  The soil is very rocky.  A lite breakfast will be served from 8-8:30 am and release forms for CCTU and City of Lakewood will be signed.  Work teams will be assigned and CCTU workers will carpool to the Bear Creek Greenbelt area.  Native plants for revegetation will be provided.  We will plant samplings and do other restoration work until noon, when we will return to Bear Creek Lake Park for provided lunch.

Fishing Contest: Bear Creek Greenbelt area, approximately 1pm – 4pm.  You may compete as an individual, though teams of mentors and inexperienced folks are encouraged.  Contestants will keep a log of species, numbers, sizes, and locations of all fish caught in the time allotted.  Tongue-in-cheek tokens of appreciation for angling prowess will be handed out to teams for most fish caught, most flies lost, or any other category we manage to come up with.  Suggestions for other categories worthy of appreciation are welcomed!

For additional info please contact George Franklin at 303.902.9827 or at georgefr@aol.com.