Cutthroat Chapter Board has supported the Alma Riverwalk for the last couple of seasons. This ambitious project by the Town of Alma was formed to permanently conserve and protect a stretch of the Middle Fork of the South Platte as it flows through the Town. The Alma Foundation has aided in the purchase of 24,000 acres of critical wetlands habitat by the City which will help protect this essential headwaters from encroachment by mining and housing development. The Riverwalk will provide ADA access and educational opportunities via a 1800 foot trail that is now under construction. When CCTU approached the Foundation about helping them this season we learned that the Foundation had plenty of young boots on the ground in the form of the Southwest Conservation Corps.The Corps is a non-profit based in Salida that provides conservation service programs for local youth. What the Foundation hoped was for us to spend the day with these youths and demonstrate to them some of the finer points of headwaters recreation. The Foundation was hoping we could give these high school age youth a lesson in fly fishing. We were happy to oblige! Four members of the CCTU Board and Alma resident David Andersen spent the morning of August 2 teaching a version of the Fly Fishing 101 and 201 classes taught by our partners at Orvis. Many thinks to Brian Young for providing his expertise leading the instruction and providing Orvis rods for the experience. After a casting lesson we moved to a local pond where the youth put their lessons into practice catching a few of the local trout. After fishing the Foundation provided a nice lunch for all, thanks to the South Platte Brewing of Fairplay. After lunch the youth were happy to take us on a hike to show all the tough trail work they had accomplished. We wish the Foundation all the best as the Riverwalk construction moves forward. They are optimistically hoping to compete construction by the end of next season, at which time there will be ADA accessible trails complete with interpretive signage funded by our Cutthroat Chapter. To learn more about the Alma Riverwalk please be sure to attend our October chapter meeting when we will hear a talk by the Foundation's representative and Alma native Jara Johnson.
Bridge Repair and Trail Rehab on Gill Trail
Our Cutthroat Chapter of TU has a long standing tradition of caring for the South Platte River and the Gill Trail near Deckers. CCTU's dedication to conserve, protect, and restore that area was documented in a recent issue of Fly Fisherman Magazine and in Pat Dorsey's new guide book to that river. We recently became aware that the footbridge over Wigwam Creek had fallen into disrepair. That bridge allows angler access via the Gill Trail into the river's Cheesman Canyon. The bridge's deteriorating condition was beginning to threaten angler safety. Soon their only alternative would have been to hike around the bridge and through the creek. That would add to the harmful sediment load of both the creek and the river it feeds into. With money donated for construction materials by the CCTU board and with volunteer power from CCTU members, our club worked with the US Forest Service to refurbish that bridge on June 6 and 7. We also helped redefine the trail and drainage leading from the parking lot to that bridge. Our hope is the bridge and trail repairs will help both the anglers and the watershed for decades to come. Many thanks to the CCTU board, to our hardworking volunteers, to the USFS staff, and to Starbucks for their generous help.
Earth Day on Bear Creek - Conservation Project and Fishing Competition
On April 27, 2019 the City of Lakewood celebrated Earth Day by hosting a volunteer work day at Bear Creek Lake Park. On that beautiful Saturday no less than 26 members and friends of the Cutthroat Chapter dropped by to help out. Our volunteers planted ten large native cottonwood trees along the creek. Those trees were donated by our chapter utilizing funds our members raise for these conservation projects. These trees will help shade the creek and will provide improved riparian habitat for wildlife both terrestrial and aquatic. We were very pleased to learn from the park rangers that they had 100% survival of the trees we planted last year! That was due in part to the year-long care of those rangers in periodically watering those new trees. With any luck these new trees will fare just as well. After a delicious lunch provided by the City, a dozen of these CCTU volunteers chose to stick around for the 3rd Annual CCTU Fishing Contest on Bear Creek. Cyndy Scholz gave fellow anglers a lesson by winning the contest with a beautiful 18" rainbow trout taken and released along the Fox Hollow Golf Course. The CCTU board wishes to thank all the volunteers and the City for a wonderful event.
Gil Trail Parking Lot and Trail Closure June 3 - 7
The Forest Service wants to get the word out regarding a closure to the Gil Trail in early June. Heavy equipment will be working on Cheesman Canyon trailhead parking lot and trail down to the bridge the week of June 3…therefore the parking lot and lower ¾ mile of the Gil Trail will be closed to the public the entire week of Monday, June 3 through Friday, June 7, 2019.
How to Ethically Fish During the Trout Spawn from Our Friends at Ascent Fly Fishing
Peter Stitcher at Ascent Fly Fishing put this email together and we think it’s an important reminder for everyone heading out into the rivers in Colorado this spring. Read the article here: https://ascentflyfishing.com/blog/how-to-ethically-fish-during-the-trout-spawn/
Not sure what to look for when crossing your favorite river? Try these pictures, too.
In Memoriam - Dr. Robert "Bob" Harling DiCarlo
IN MEMORIAM – DR. ROBERT “BOB” HARLING DI CARLOIt is with sadness that we let everyone know of the passing of long-time CCTU member Dr. Robert DiCarlo over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Obituary info is not yet available, but he passed away following a fall while visiting family in South Carolina. Dr. Bob was a marathon runner, racewalker, sports fanatic, fly fisherman, and world traveling artist. Above all, he was a very devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was an active member of the chapter and a welcome fixture on most of the CCTU fishing trips. A genuinely wonderful man, he touched everyone he came in contact with, especially those who were lucky enough to spend extended time with him on the water. He will be missed dearly by his CCTU family. A Memorial Service honoring Dr. Di Carlo will be held on Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 1 p.m. at the Horan & McConaty Family Chapel 5303 E. County Line Rd. Centennial, CO 80122. A reception will follow from 2-3:30pm that day.Here's the details for Bob's services: https://horancares.com/obits/robert-harling-dicarlo/
CCTU Deckers Angler Access Steps Project - COMPLETED!
Anglers that fish the Deckers area know how unstable those steep river banks are. Not only does this put anglers at risk as they descend from the road to the water, it also pushes gravel and dirt into a stream bed that already suffers from siltation issues. With the help of our conservation partner, the Coalition for the Upper South Platte, and with funds and volunteer power of our Cutthroat Chapter of TU, we are doing something to alleviate those issues. On five recent Saturdays we worked together at two sites to install new angler access steps. These steps are made from massive stones that will blend in aesthetically yet will stabilize the banks providing safer angler access and reduce siltation for improved river health. The area adjacent to the steps is now being revegetated. Many thanks to the CCTU volunteers that literally provided the heavy lifting to build these steps! This spring look for at least two more step project sites nearby.
Top Picture = Before, an unstable river bank across the road from Flies and Lies.
Bottom Picture = Same site, after new steps are installed. Revegetation is taking place now.
San Juan River Potential Rule Change in Number of Flies per Rig... Make Your Voice Heard by Nov. 30
The Cutthroat Chapter has been notified by Duranglers (Durango fly shop) that the New Mexico Dept. of Game & Fish is considering lifting a two-fly per rig regulation that has been in place for the San Juan River below Navajo Dam for more than 10 years. When it was passed this regulation had strong support from outfitters, guides and anglers. The San Juan in this stretch is very popular so there is tremendous pressure on the fish population. Removing this rule would mean that anglers could fish with up to six flies per rig, increasing the possibility of damage to fish. The New Mexico Wildlife Commissioners will vote on this rule on Nov. 30. Duranglers is asking for support to oppose changing the two-fly rule. Please contact Duranglers (970-385-4081) or the NM Wildlife Commission (505-476-8000) if you wish to voice your support for stopping this rule change.
San Juan Cutthroat Trout Discovered
Hopefully, ya’ll saw this reported in the Post earlier this week. Read the article here: https://coloradotu.org/blog/2018/9/extinct-no-more-cpw-discovers-remnant-san-juan-trout
SOLD: To the highest bidder, an op-ed by CTU President, Chris Wood
Recently Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, commented on the shift of conservative values away from protecting and investing in public lands, to recklessly selling them off to the highest bidder. Read the full op-ed below, which has been reposted from the Denver Post.Read it here.