George and Scott came across this video on Robert Behnke while doing some review work on the CCTU Steve Bailey Memorial Scholarship…a long-term CCTU program focused on providing scholarship funding for a key fisheries biology student each year at CSU. Behnke was an American fisheries biologist and conservationist, and recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on the classification of salmonid fishes. Know as Dr. Trout or The Trout Doctor, his seminal work, Trout and Salmon of North America, was published in 2002. He had a regular column in Trout Magazine, and was an avid angler, fisheries historian, and conservationist. He was a professor at CSU in the 1970s and became Professor Emeritus at the Dept of Fishery and Wildlife Biology at CSU. He is credited with helping re-discover two native cutthroat trout subspecies previously believed extinct – the Pyramid Lake strain of Lahontan Cutthroats in Nevada and the Greenback Cutthroat in Colorado. The 5 min. video “Conserving Wild Trout…The Legacy of Dr. Robert Behnke” can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZzcTJdD0yI
TU FACEMASKS – NEW CUTTHROAT VERSION AVAILABLE NOW
This past summer TU offered a limited run of trout-print face coverings. They were a huge hit and sold out quickly. TU is now offering a new gaiter, featuring a gorgeous cutthroat trout pattern designed by artist Al Quattrocchi. The gaiters are also thicker than last year’s versions with three-play construction for the nose and mouth area rather than two. They come in sets of 2 gaiters, and are available for a $30 donation for 2 gaiters, $60 for 4 gaiters, and $90 for 3 gaiters. Order them now via the following link https://gifts.tu.org/facecoverings/ as they will likely go very fast again.
CCTU Jan Meeting (Josh Nugent Presentations) Now up on CCTU Youtube Site
Had a great January chapter meeting last night (1/19) with Josh Nugent from Out Fly Fishing Outfitters in Calgary, Alberta. We've got both of Josh's presentations loaded on the CCTU Youtube site - "The 7 Deadly Sins of Sight Fishing" and "The 7 Deadly Sins of Streamer Fishing". They were chocked full of excellent information, and definitely will help you take your spring fishing to the next level. Check out the presentations at https://youtu.be/CbqkMjG3T0U
See what Out Fly Fishing Outfitters is all about at www.calgaryflyshop.com. Calgary is a short two hour flight from Denver. Book a trip with Josh and his team once we get things back flowing over the border!
New article on Characterizing Gene Flow of Non-native Brook Trout
Check out this new article on Characterizing Gene Flow of Non-native Brook Trout to aid the Poudre Headwaters Project. The Poudre Headwaters Project is the signature conservation project of the Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Learn more about the Poudre Headwaters Project at our February meeting, as Dick Jeffries from the RMFC Chapter will be speaking on the project.
COLORADO OIL AND GAS COMMISSION ADOPTS NEW PROTECTIONS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE
On November 23, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), the state board that approves drilling permits and regulates the oil and gas industry, finalized a rulemaking process that amended its permitting regulations for oil and gas locations in Colorado. These amendments allow stronger protections for wildlife and wildlife habitat, including cold-water fisheries, streams and riparian zones across Colorado. Key wins include new protections for streams, riparian areas, and wildlife corridors, strengthened protections for migratory birds and sage-grouse, and a commitment to mitigating unavoidable adverse impacts.
Specific fisheries benefits include…
500 ft buffers around all aquatic High Priority Habitat (HPH) streams identified by CPW – nearly all of Colorado’s Trout habitats will benefit from this protection
Spill prevention measures within 1,000 ft of aquatic HPH streams
Requirement of boring beneath HPH streams rather than trenching across them
Stay tuned for a High Country Angler article by Barb Sheedlo that will go through all the details of this fantastic collaborative win.
Pebble Mine Dead in the Water!
In a year of tough headlines, finally an excellent piece of pre-Thanksgiving news! The Pebble Mine has been struck dead in the water by the Army Corps of Engineers!
ACTION ALERT - COMMENT ON OIL & GAS SITE PERMIT RULES CHANGES
Colorado Trout Unlimited is asking all members to comment on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s (COGCC) current draft rule making. In October 2020 they will amend rules for permitting oil and gas sites in Colorado. Our voices are needed to ensure that wildlife protections are prioritized in these amendments. In August CTU sent an Action Alert email asking members to provide comments to the COGCC. If you have not yet done so, please do so before 5PM on September 18, 2020.
Members can comment in one of two ways:
(1) Find the email you were sent on or about 14 August, click the bottom where it says Take Action!. A new web page will open with your information and the canned message defining CTU’s position on the existing draft rules and recommendations to improved protections for wildlife and wildlife habitat, including cold-water fisheries, streams and overall riparian zones. At the bottom of the webpage find and click the button that says Submit Your Comment.
(2) If you do not have an email from CTU, use the link below to CTU’s blog site that will open the comment page. Once there, your personal information may have been populated by your computer. If it is blank, please fill out your name, address and email. The canned CTU message will be in the message section. Click the Submit Your Comment button on the bottom of the page and you are finished.
HEADWATERS CHAPTER FRASER RIVER CLEAN-UP -SATURDAY SEPT 12
The Headwaters Chapter in Grand County is having another morning of river clean-up on the Fraser on Saturday September 12th. River clean-up is essential, especially with this year’s usage of our waterways, to the health and safety of all rivers. People of all ages can participate in this socially distanced outdoors activity and they are always looking for new faces to get involved with the health of our rivers. If you are looking for a Covid safe outdoor activity, this might be for you. Meet at the Lions Ponds in Fraser at 9:00 am on September 12th. Masks will be worn by all participants during orientation. After that, we will break up into small groups and practice social distancing while improving our environment. Those who own waders will work in the river while those in hiking boots will clean up the willows on either side of the river. We will gather again at noon at the pavilion to deposit the treasures that we found and receive a free lunch as well as Save the Fraser River bumper stickers.
If you are interested in participating, you can sign up by going to our website and leaving your information on our volunteer sheet. The Headwaters Chapter web address is www.coheadwaters.org.
Ask Trump To Fully Deny the Pebble Mine Permit
The Pebble Mine team has 90 days to rework their proposal for the Army Corps of Engineers. Now is the time to ask President Trump to fully deny Pebble’s permit by adding your name to the TU letter at the attached link. Takes two clicks.
http://www.savebristolbay.org/tellpresidenttrump
Army Corps of Engineers Denies Pebble Mine Permit with Current Plan
On Monday, the Army Corps of Engineers delivered a major blow to the proposed Pebble Mine by finding that the project fails to meet Clean Water Act standards and that it will not issue a permit for the current mine plan. While this is great news and a major hurdle for the project, the project is not dead, and TU needs to stay vigilant as the company retools its plans.
Check out the full TU press release at…
http://www.savebristolbay.org/in-the-news/2020/8/24/pebble-mine-sent-back-to-drawing-board-sporting-community-applauds-finding?fbclid=IwAR3rJw5ak4-nIxdmGpJUYnU9da0vPd75mF-NAYS6z_G8f9Ex1EOnaXugL5I