Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited

The Little River Chapter Volunteer Recognition Program will recognize members for participation in any volunteer effort supported by LRCTU.  In addition to all GSMNP Fisheries Department activities, this expanded program recognizes Chapter members for participation in all volunteer efforts sponsored by our Chapter. To ensure you are properly recognized for your contributions and to more accurately report our volunteer hours to TU National, be sure and enter your volunteer hours in the Chapter database accessed at www.LRCTU.org.  Awards include LRCTU logo decals, safety vests, label pins, coffee mugs, T-Shirts, medallions, and a framed print.

LRCTU has been selected as an exhibitor for the Townsend Fall Festival on September 29 -30.  We will focus on the legacy of fly fishing in the Smokies and the importance of conserving our coldwater resources in and around GSMNP to preserve this fishery for future generations.  

Our annual on-line auction is scheduled from November 20 to December 3.  Proceeds from the auction support the GSMNP Fisheries Department.  If you are interested in volunteering to assist with either the auction or the Festival, contact me at bishmoose@sbcglobal.net.

A special thanks to Gary Pickens and Harry Fetterman for their work on a significant upgrade to the LRCTU Website (www.LRCTU.org).  The website has been updated to include current LRCTU projects, activities, and slide presentations from Monthly Chapter Meetings.  If you haven’t accessed the website in a while, now would be a good time to take a look.

It’s the time of year when some of our members travel to look for bigger fish, different fish, more fish, and/or a change of scenery.   If your traveling, be safe and remember to send some pictures to lrctu.newsletter@gmail.com so they can be shared with our Chapter.

Highlights of the August Chapter Meeting will include a feature presentation by Ian and Charity Rutter of R & R Fly Fishing, and details of the recently implemented Little River Chapter Volunteer Recognition Program.  This will be a great opportunity to get caught up with Chapter activities and socialize with your friends.

Bob Bishop,
President

August 2023 Newsletter

Congratulations to Little River Chapter member Bernie Maloy who received the Eddy George Award for significant volunteer work supporting the Fisheries Department of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP).  Bernie was instrumental in leading a team of LRCTU volunteers to successful completion of Phase I of the Stream Barrier Survey Project in GSMNP.  Bernie participated in a number of other volunteer opportunities including Index of Biotic Integrity Assessments, Water Sample Collection for Acid Deposition Studies, and Brook Trout Restoration Evaluations.

The LRCTU Board of Directors unanimously approved implementation of a Volunteer Recognition Program.  In addition to all GSMNP Fisheries Department activities, this expanded program recognizes Chapter members for participation in all volunteer efforts sponsored by our Chapter including, but not limited to, Trout in the Classroom, Trout Camp, Fundraising, Stream Clean-Ups, Community Science, and Service Projects. Details of the recognition program will be presented at the August Chapter meeting.  To ensure all members are properly recognized for their accomplishments, be sure and enter your volunteer hours in the Chapter database accessed on the LRCTU.org website.

Speaking of our website, it is in the process of being updated.  Although still a work in progress, recent updates have made the site more readable and user friendly.  Other changes forthcoming will be updates to our Chapter overview, projects and upcoming events.  If you are unable to attend monthly Chapter meetings, the slide presentation for each meeting is now included on the website.

Back on the subject of volunteers.  Our Chapter has completed the majority of the more rigorous field work for this summer in GSMNP.  It was encouraging to see several of our newer members participating in these events. 

We have a couple of major events scheduled for the fall.  LRCTU has been selected as an exhibitor for the Townsend Fall Festival on September 29 – 30.  We 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.   The other event is our annual on-line auction scheduled from November 20 to December 3.  Proceeds from the auction support the GSMNP Fisheries Department.  Planning and supporting these events is a significant effort and is somewhat limited by our volunteer base.  If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity to assist with one or both of these events contact me at bishmoose@sbcglobal.net.

Bob Bishop,

LRCTU President

July 2023 Newsletter

Most of us initially joined Trout Unlimited due to our love of trout fishing and later realized the importance of conservation efforts to sustain the future of our cold-water fisheries.  We continue to fish for many reasons and sometimes fishing can even become an obsession.  Sara and I have been striving to complete the Utah Cutthroat Slam for the past year; so, I thought I would share our most recent experience with you.   

Sara caught three of the four subspecies of cutthroat trout required to complete the Slam last summer and only needed to catch one Yellowstone Cutthroat.  Yes, native Yellowstone Cutthroat really exist in the Raft River Mountain Range in Northern Utah and are slightly more elusive than Bigfoot and live in creeks the size of drainage ditches.  On the first day the water temperature was 47 degrees and flowing high.  She got three strikes in about 5 hours of fishing and managed to hook one that went into a root ball.  I was able to touch the fish, but unable to free it from the roots.  I finally decided it was time to go for broke and tried to net the entire root ball which was an epic failure.  Needless to say, it was a quiet 90-mile ride back to Brigham City which is the closest town with a restaurant and hotel.

After a week in Yellowstone National Park, we returned to the Raft River Mountains hoping for warmer and lower water to improve fishing conditions.  Heavy rains overnight actually made the water higher and colder (44 degrees).  After two hours, Sara got a strike and “landed” the trout.  I suggested she just sling the trout into the bushes and I would go find it if it came off.  As luck would have it, the fish came unhooked and landed on the bank less than a foot from the creek.  I did my best mountain lion imitation and pounced on top of the 4-inch trout.  Note: None of the above methods are approved by Trout Unlimited.  I did manage to revive the fish, but am certain it needs a few weeks of therapy before returning to normal.  It’s memories like these that keep us fishing.

The June Chapter meeting will feature the presentation of the Eddy George Award.  The Eddy George Award is presented to the person with the greatest number of volunteer hours in support of the Fisheries Department on the Tennessee side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Bob Bishop, President

June Newsletter