Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) was selected by the National Park Trust as one of only five national parks to host a fly fishing event for US military veterans and their families this year.  This event was held Saturday, November 16 at Tremont Institute and included participants from Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).   At the request of the National Park Service, the Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited (LRCTU) provided nine volunteers to assist with this event.  Although fishing conditions may not have been ideal, it was a great day on the water with our veterans who have done so much to protect our nation.  There were no less than seventeen service men and women fishing Middle Prong of Little River on Saturday.  I’m sure most of the people driving Tremont Road yesterday did not realize the sacrifices the fishermen they were observing have made for our country.  Saturday was a great reminder that fishing is so much more than about catching fish.  

LRCTU had another group of volunteers working in GSMNP this Saturday supporting collection of water samples for acid deposition studies.  There are not many Trout Unlimited Chapters that would have been able to support two events of this magnitude on a single day.  Thank you to all our volunteers and the members who support them.

The 4^th Annual LRCTU On-Line Auction will be held from November 23 thru December 8.  At least 80% of the auction proceeds will be donated to the GSMNP Fisheries Department.  Additional details regarding the auction are provided later in this newsletter. The December Chapter Meeting will feature a display of most auction items as well as a trivia contest with prizes.

Bob Bishop
President

Newsletter

One of the intangible benefits of being a member of Trout Unlimited is establishing lifelong relationships with other like-minded individuals.  I spent the past week fishing in Montana with some folks I would have never known if it weren’t for the volunteer work of the Little River Chapter.  Little did I know at the time but the foundation for this trip started six years earlier when I was standing in Little River at the KOA Campground on a frigid December morning participating in a Trout in the Classroom release.  This was my first volunteer experience with the LRCTU and the person standing next to me was a longtime Chapter member.  My first volunteer experience grew into a week of great fishing and camaraderie.

When I returned home, I looked at the Little River Clean-Up group picture and noticed the diversity of the participants.  What an outstanding group of volunteers.  Take a look at the group picture, shown later in the newsletter, and you’ll notice long time members, new members, young and old members, Tennessee natives and transplants from all regions of the country working together for a common cause.  Our Chapter has added sixteen (16) new members since the first of the year and we have members residing in twelve (12) states.  Thank you to all of our members who have done an outstanding job of assimilating new members into the LRCTU.

The 4^th Annual LRCTU On-Line Auction will be held from November 23 through December 08.  At least 80% of the auction proceeds will be donated to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) Fisheries Department.  Additional details regarding donating auction items are provided later in this newsletter.

Bob Bishop
President

Newsletter

September and early October will be a busy time for our Chapter.  LRCTU has activities planned for three consecutive weekends beginning with Water Sampling on September 21 supporting the Acid Deposition Study in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP).  The following weekends include the Townsend Fall Heritage Festival on September 27 – 28 and the Little River Clean-Up in GSMNP on October 5.  Combining the above events with the arrival of new eggs for our fall session of Trout in the Classroom (TIC), including the addition of Walland Elementary School and the Samuel Everett School of Innovation in Maryville to our TIC Program, should keep us busy.

The LRCTU exhibit at the Townsend Fall Heritage Festival will focus on the legacy of fly fishing in the Smokies and the importance of conserving our cold-water resources in and around GSMNP to preserve this fishery for future generations.   Many of our members will be displaying their fly-tying skills at the festival.  We will also offer fly casting instruction and displays featuring our Chapter activities.  This event is a great outreach opportunity for our Chapter.

The 4^th Annual LRCTU On-Line Auction will be held from November 23 through December 8.  At least 80% of the auction proceeds will be donated to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) Fisheries Department.  We have already received items for this year’s auction valued at over $9,000.  Pay close attention to details later in this newsletter regarding the auction.

The September Chapter Meeting being held on Thursday September 19 (a week earlier than normal) will include a feature presentation by Richard Witt Fly Fishing.  Richard is a fly-fishing guide who is passionate about conservation and has supported our Chapter through contributions to our annual auction.  Several of our members have fished with Richard either locally or with hosted trips to Colorado, Montana, and the Everglades.

Bob Bishop
President

Newsletter