Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited

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

Summer is starting to wind down and that means we’re looking forward to Fall fishing in the Smokies. It also means it’s time to start getting serious about our LRCTU 2024 Annual Fundraiser Auction. Harry Fetterman has graciously agreed to be the coordinator for this year’s on-line auction which will be held from November 23 thru December 08. Last year’s auction was our most successful on-line auction and raised almost $10,000 in support of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) Fisheries Department. You may think that is a difficult number to beat; however, we have already received items for this year’s auction valued at over $6,500. There will be more details in the September newsletter regarding the auction, but in the interim, be thinking about items you may be willing to donate to the auction.

Based on data from the Trout Unlimited Annual Report, the Little River Chapter contributed almost three (3) times more volunteer hours than the average TU Chapter in FY2024. This is validation our Chapter is serious about our mission to support local conservations efforts and youth education. Our work as volunteers in GSMNP with the Fisheries Department is going to be included in a documentary sponsored by the National Park Service and produced by the University of Central Florida. Thanks to each of you for your dedication and hard work supporting our mission.

Trout Unlimited is offering a free one-year trial membership to anyone who has not previously been a TU member. Please share this link (tu.org/TU65Trial) with anyone you think may be interested in this offer and remind them to refer to Chapter 644 (Little River Chapter) on the registration form. Cody Fischer, owner and guide, with Tellico Outfitters will be the featured speaker at the August 22 Chapter Meeting. Cody and Tellico Outfitters are strong advocates for Trout Unlimited and contribute to our annual auction and provide volunteers to the John Thurman Smoky Mountain Trout Adventure Camp at Tremont. Please support Cody with your attendance and arrive early so you will have an opportunity to visit with other Chapter members and talk fishing.

Bob Bishop
President

August Newsletter