R iffles to - Michigan TU 2011 Newsletter v1.pdf3 weeks all were hatched. The stu-dents and teachers...

FRED W

AARA C

HAPTER

P.O

. Box 1

23

Marquette, M

I 49855

WIN

TER

2011

Chapter M

otto

: “Get H

ooked! G

o Fish

ing!”

Chapter M

otto

: “Get H

ooked! G

o Fish

ing!”

Chapter M

otto

: “Get H

ooked! G

o Fish

ing!”

Chapter M

otto

: “Get H

ooked! G

o Fish

ing!”

isesisesisesises Winte r 2011Win te r 2011Win te r 2011Win te r 2011

RRRR RRRR

iffles toiffles toiffles toiffles to Fred Waara Chapter

CALENDARCALENDARCALENDARCALENDAR

2 Feb FWCTU Monthly Meeting2 Feb FWCTU Monthly Meeting2 Feb FWCTU Monthly Meeting2 Feb FWCTU Monthly Meeting

9 Feb 9 Feb 9 Feb 9 Feb Banquet Committee MeetingBanquet Committee MeetingBanquet Committee MeetingBanquet Committee Meeting

14 Feb Valentine’s Day14 Feb Valentine’s Day14 Feb Valentine’s Day14 Feb Valentine’s Day

2 March FWCTU Monthly Meeting2 March FWCTU Monthly Meeting2 March FWCTU Monthly Meeting2 March FWCTU Monthly Meeting

9 March Banquet Committee Meeting9 March Banquet Committee Meeting9 March Banquet Committee Meeting9 March Banquet Committee Meeting

17 March St. Patrick’s Day17 March St. Patrick’s Day17 March St. Patrick’s Day17 March St. Patrick’s Day

30 March Banquet Committee Meeting30 March Banquet Committee Meeting30 March Banquet Committee Meeting30 March Banquet Committee Meeting

15 April FWCTU Annual Banquet15 April FWCTU Annual Banquet15 April FWCTU Annual Banquet15 April FWCTU Annual Banquet

Riffles to Rises Winter 2011

Winter is fully upon us and, if you are anything like me, you are

likely thinking about refurbishing worn gear, pending steelhead runs, and

the adventures that the next year will send our way. The Fred Waara

Chapter of Trout Unlimited is also focusing on a number of activities to

advance the conservation of cold-water fisheries in the UP, to enhance an-

gling opportunities for all sorts of people, and to bring more members into

the TU family.

As I briefly noted in our last Newsletter, your local TU Chapter

has formed a partnership with the Escanaba River Association to start im-

proving the fishery of the cold-water tributaries above Boney Falls. As

reported in an accompanying article, we hope to enlarge this partnership in

the months ahead. In particular, an integral part of this initiative involves

encouraging people like YOU to help us learn about the Upper Escanaba

Watershed—which resources need special attention or where our conserva-

tion efforts will do the most good—as, together, we promote “citizen sci-

ence” in our region. If you have an interest in working with our partner-

ship, or if you know of others who would be keen on the idea, please drop

us a line!

In concert with major initiatives such as the Escanaba River Wa-

tershed Partnership, the Fred Waara chapter continues to work on other

projects discussed in the following pages, such as the Salmon in the Class-

room initiative. Your Board of Directors has also decided to build upon

last year’s efforts to assist disabled veterans by way of Project Healing

Waters to also offer workshops to those affected by breast cancer under the

aegis of the Casting for Recovery program. Stay tuned for more informa-

tion on these events in the next newsletter. And, of course, we are gearing-

up for our Annual Banquet to be held in the Great Lakes Rooms of the

NMU University Center on Friday, April 15th. I think you’ll be pleased by

the changes we are making to improve the games & auctions. Plan to be

there to bid on exciting premiums such as a fishing kayak and an angling

expedition into the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming at the end of July!

And, remember: All of the activities sponsored or services we provide to

the local community would not be possible without the generous support

from you, our members, and the local businesses that contribute to our an-

nual fund raiser. So, please, mark the date and invite anyone you know

who believes in the TU mission join us for an evening of food and fun.

PRESIDENT’S PRESIDENT’S PRESIDENT’S PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGEMESSAGEMESSAGEMESSAGE

Jim CantrillJim CantrillJim CantrillJim Cantrill

4 5 2


MONTHLY MEETINGS MONTHLY MEETINGS MONTHLY MEETINGS MONTHLY MEETINGS are held the first Wednesday

of the month

6:30pm at the LandMark Inn

230 N. Front Street, Marquette

NEW MEMBERSNEW MEMBERSNEW MEMBERSNEW MEMBERS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President – Jim Cantrill 906-249-9518 [email protected]

VP - Jerry Maynard 906-249-3598 [email protected]

Secretary – Doug Miller 906-345-9372 [email protected]

Treasurer – Tim Robenalt 906-249-455 [email protected]

Board Members:

Herb Grenke 906-249-9180 [email protected]

John Klasner 906-249-1348 [email protected]

Jim Conklin 906-475-6413 [email protected]

John Peterson 906-485-556 [email protected]

Mike Anderson 906-486-4042 [email protected]

Charlie McCarthy 906-475-7441 [email protected]

Theo McCracken 906-226-2112 [email protected]

Bob Jensen 906-228-3052 [email protected]

Renee Leow 906-226-3618 [email protected]

Dan Turner 906-425-7798 [email protected]

Past President – Ken Snyder 906-249-9061 [email protected]

Newsletter Editor—Peggy Jensen 906-228-3052 [email protected]

Good company Good company Good company Good company

and good and good and good and good

discourse discourse discourse discourse

are the very are the very are the very are the very

sinews of virtue. sinews of virtue. sinews of virtue. sinews of virtue.

Isaak Walton

Gregg Anderson of Ishpeming

Jeremy Caruso of Iron Mountain

David Denise of Marquette

John Erdody of Gladstone

Mike Hebein of Ishpeming

Cassidy Hollon of Menominee

Laura Pernice of Marquette

Al Reich of Rumely

James Saari of Negaunee


NEW BOARD: Pres. Jim Cantrill, VP Jerry May-nard, Sec’y Doug Miller, Treas. Tim Robenalt


- 3 -

TROUT UNLIMITED Fred Waara Chapter

24th ANNUAL BANQUET April 15, 2011 NMU’s Great Lakes Room

FWCTU is now offering the Chapter Newsletter in an eNewsletter format. It is

posted on the www.MichiganTU.org website under the Fred Waara Chapter. Just

click on “Visit their webpage.” In an effort to reduce our newsletter production

costs we now offer the option of receiving the eNewsletter only rather than the

printed newsletter sent in the mail. Here’s how it works. As soon as the Newsletter

is ready, it will be posted on the above web site and a TU email will be sent to all

members maintaining an email address on the national TU database alerting them

that it is available. We also know that many, many members enjoy the paper copy

of the Newsletter and we have no plans to discontinue our regular mailing. This

option of receiving the eNewsletter via the web site is just that, an option. If you

wish to receive the email notice and not receive a printed copy, please send an email

to Bob Jensen at [email protected] and mail delivery will be stopped. If you

change your mind and wish to resume receiving the paper copy, just let us know and

we’ll do that as well.

GREAT TRIPS!!! EXCELLENT PRIZES!!! GREAT TRIPS!!! EXCELLENT PRIZES!!! GREAT TRIPS!!! EXCELLENT PRIZES!!! GREAT TRIPS!!! EXCELLENT PRIZES!!! FUN NEW GAMES!!! COME FOR A SUPER TIME!!FUN NEW GAMES!!! COME FOR A SUPER TIME!!FUN NEW GAMES!!! COME FOR A SUPER TIME!!FUN NEW GAMES!!! COME FOR A SUPER TIME!!

FWCTU FWCTU FWCTU FWCTU eNewsletter eNewsletter eNewsletter eNewsletter NOW AVAILABLENOW AVAILABLENOW AVAILABLENOW AVAILABLE

SIC is a Big Hit! Salmon in the Class-

room (SIC) is in full production for the

2010-11 school year. The salmon eggs

arrived Thanksgiving week and within

3 weeks all were hatched. The stu-

dents and teachers are enthused and

excited as they care for their charges.

The students handle all aspects of care for the

fish and learn about their natural habitat, life

cycle, feeding habits, etc. The fish will grow

to about 3-4 inches in size when they will be

released by the kids into local streams, some-

time in May. Our special thanks goes to Scot

Stewart for the great pictures. (Salmon hatchling photographs

provided by Scot Stewart)

Tim Robenalt, Bob Jensen &

Charlie McCarthy with Gladstone

Middle School SIC

SAVE THE DATE!!

SAVE THE DATE!!

SAVE THE DATE!!

SAVE THE DATE!!


- 4 -

The Escanaba River above Boney Falls is well-known in the central UP

for the range of sporting activities it offers to boaters, hunters and anglers.

Indeed, the watershed sees many a fly rod cast across its currents in sum-

mer as people of all ages seek trout that lurk below the surface. Yet, on

October 9, 2010, something like a reversal of fortune took place south of

Gwinn as two brigades of dedicated fishermen, notably private citizens

rather than MDNRE contractors, released roughly 1500 brown trout

(between 9 to 14 inches) at various locations on the main stem of the

river. Hmmmmmm? The trout season was over and these guys seemed

more excited about the trout scurrying and leaping away from them than

trying to entice prey into a net. What was going on??

The 2010 fall trout release was the initial “handshake” event solidifying a

newly formed partnership between the Escanaba River Association

(ERA) and the Fred Waara Chapter of Trout Unlimited. For years, the

two organizations had shared members and attended one another’s events,

recognizing that their missions were compatible-yet-different. Whereas

TU focuses on the conservation of cold-water fisheries that may enhance

fishing opportunities, the ERA has been primarily concerned with en-

hancing the trout populations adjacent to their lodge on the Lower Esca-

naba River. In the past couple of years, however, members of the ERA

leadership team began setting their sights on a larger goal: The conserva-

tion and recreational improvement of the cold-water and transitional

reaches of the river above Boney Falls as well as the warmer waters be-

low the dam. Thus, the Escanaba River Association reached out to the

Fred Waara Chapter and, in short order, the two organizations formed the

Escanaba River Watershed Partnership, or ERWP.

Simply put, the mission of the ERWP is:

To enhance the cold-water fishery in the Escanaba River watershed,

with a primary focus on its major tributaries.

The realization of this mission will involve a multi-year project that

brings together a wide array of public and private sector partners with the

primary goal of promoting the use of public science in the management

and enhancement of the upper Escanaba River. For us, the term “public

science” means a collaboration between natural resource agencies, local

schools and universities, private industry, community organizations, and

individuals living in the watershed in order to design and carry out

Escanaba River Watershed PartnershipEscanaba River Watershed PartnershipEscanaba River Watershed PartnershipEscanaba River Watershed Partnership

POLICE BLOTTER:

Dispatch received hys-

terical 911 call from

Peggy to report that her

car had been broken

into. Dispatcher reports

that she says, ‘They’ve

stolen the stereo, the

steering wheel, the

brake pedal and even

the accelerator!’ Dis-

patcher replies, ‘Stay

calm. An officer is on

the way’. Shortly there-

after, Officer radios in.

‘Disregard’ he says.

’She got in the back seat

by mistake.’

Trout Unlimited Trout Unlimited Trout Unlimited Trout Unlimited is dedicated to the preservation of cold water fisheries.

For more information go to www.michigantu.orgwww.michigantu.orgwww.michigantu.orgwww.michigantu.org.

While you’re there, look up our Chapter for updated news.


- 9 -

ICE FLY-FISHING WITH DOUG….

Meet fellow member and new FWCTU President,

Jim Cantrill ~ Adventurer, Professor, Gourmet

Chef, Environmental & Communications Author,

Eagle Scout ~ just a few of his accomplishments.

He began his love affair with nature early in his life.

Growing up in Seattle, he was influenced by his

father who was very interested in conservation and

the outdoors. A long-time fisherman, Jim took up fly-fishing in Mon-

tana over 25 years ago. Currently Jim serves as Department Head,

Communication & Performance Studies at NMU. Jim’s motto: “In or-

der to think like a fish you must drink like a fish.” Jim is always up for a

good time & lives in Marquette with his lovely wife, Beth Cassidy.

MEET YOUR FELLOW MEMBERMEET YOUR FELLOW MEMBERMEET YOUR FELLOW MEMBERMEET YOUR FELLOW MEMBER


- 8 -

Any day on the river is a great day, but one Thursday last September

was extra special. I was the high bidder for a day's fly fishing outing donated

by Brad Petzke at last year's Annual Banquet. I invited my brother Brian to

join us. Brad suggested that we fish the Two Hearted River. On Tuesday he

called to suggest that we switch to the Escanaba as the Two Hearted had not

been fishing well at all. My brother had already left Traverse City to visit

friends in the UP and was not reachable to change plans, so we stuck with the

Two Hearted and I told Brad we were willing to take our chances. Neither

Brian nor I had ever fished the Two Hearted as renowned as it is, so just being

on the water would be experience enough.

Brian & I met at the mouth on Wednesday evening in time to fish in

the surf for a couple of hours, each catching one relatively small coho, one in

the surf and one in the river's mouth and

losing a couple of others. We stayed at the

Rainbow Lodge, which is a trip in itself: a

ramshackle lodge/ motel/campground/canoe

livery run by a very “unique” cou-

ple. Totally off the grid, it is powered by

photovoltaic pan- els, battery banks, a gen-

erator & a very large propane

tank. Rooms have very few lights, no

outlets & gas lamps. Simple,

basic but clean & comfortable. You may want to visit their web page.

It poured a rain of "biblical proportions" on Wednesday night and by

5am I was convinced that we would not be able to float the river as

planned. Luckily the storm ended around six. We met Brad at 8am after a

cold breakfast, and were on the river by 9am; water was still clear but rising

and turned dirtier as the day went on from the rain.

Brad uses a very comfortable float boat, made in Michigan from his

design. The favored position is the caster in the bow with braces & the second

caster is aft. The first 45 minutes were uneventful. We were casting 8 wt rods

with steelhead streamers. I started in the bow and after 45 minutes of no action

Brad changed the streamer. Within minutes I had hooked & landed a 20-22

inch beautiful coho. For the next 5 hours we averaged 2 fish/hour, alternating

between Brian & me mostly caught from the bow position, but several also

from aft. At the end of the day, we each had hooked 5 fish & we landed 8 of

the 10. All on streamers. None of that "chuck and duck" s**t but real live &

exciting fly fishing. My best day fishing for large fish ever.

Lessons learned: ●Bid high for Brad's donated float trip ●Being at

the right time & place is the key to good fishing ●Fish as much & as often as

you can. You'll just have to fish with Brad to learn his secrets!! Submitted by Jerry Maynard

WHAT A DAY WHAT A DAY WHAT A DAY WHAT A DAY ON THE BIG “TWO HEARTED”ON THE BIG “TWO HEARTED”ON THE BIG “TWO HEARTED”ON THE BIG “TWO HEARTED”

(Jerry & Brian)


- 5 -

conservation research and habitat improvement. We believe this ap-

proach is best suited for the rural character of the EWRP project area in

that it has the ability to leverage the financial and intellectual resources of

many stakeholders in the region while, at the same time, giving voice to

those who know the river the best …..the citizens who live aside, work

among, and draw upon the waters for their enjoyment and livelihoods. As

founding partners, the Escanaba River Association and the Fred Waara

Chapter of Trout Unlimited have committed themselves to creating as

inclusive a process as we can to learn about and help further conserve the

cold-water fisheries of the river. To achieve our goal, the ERWP has be-

gun the process of adaptive management efforts directed at assessing and

improving trout populations in both the major tributaries of the watershed

as well as the main-stem of the Escanaba River above Boney Falls Reser-

voir. The idea here is to gather information

and use it as a basis for improving the ability of

the upper Escanaba River to maintain a naturally reproduc-

ing population of trout fin- ning amid cold-waters that also

sustain a larger ecosystem. Research and conservation ac-

tions go hand in hand as we monitor changes in select tribu-

taries and the main stem of the river. Consequently, the ERWP

initiative will progress through a number of stages:

Stage I – Assessment.

In 2011 and 2012, we will gather historical data related to the upper Esca-

naba River and conduct new research to provide a reasonably comprehen-

sive snapshot of the hydrology, habitat, and human impact on the re-

source. Although we do not have a lot of previously generated scientific

information about the area, Kristin Thomas, aquatic biologist for the

Michigan Council of TU, and Darren Kramer of the MDNRE have been

helping to collect what is to be found on record. Computer modeling at

the state level and GIS mapping hosted by the Marquette County Conser-

vation District suggests that the major inputs for cold-water to the system

will be found in the tributaries of the Big West Branch. Consequently, we

will likely focus our initial efforts on that sub-watershed by aerial recon-

naissance in the dead of winter to identify open-leads of stream signifying

ground water discharges, installing temperature logs at strategic junctures,

conducting electrostatic fish sampling in the fall, and eyeballing habitat

conditions across the watershed to determine the capacity for natural re-

production. We also hope to work with Dr. Jill Leonard’s graduate stu-

dents in NMU’s Biology Department to monitor the movement of trout in

and out of the Big West Branch system. And we may be able to get the

DNRE to sponsor a creel census and


- 6 -

landowner survey to get some data by way of waders-in-the-water.

Nonetheless, we suspect that natural reproduction of brook trout in those

target streams is meager at present and, if so, we want to know why.

Stage II – Habitat Improvement. Based upon the data we collect and

information we gather from those who work and play along-side the Big

West Branch, our strategy calls for identifying areas that pose the great-

est risk to the system and those sections that promise the greatest divi-

dends from riparian and streambed investments. At this time, we antici-

pate naturally occurring sedimentation and vegetation encroachment

pose the greatest impairments to the tributaries but it may also be the

case that significant land development changes could contribute to

warming of the waters. In any event, the ERWP wants to determine

where and how to get the biggest, long-term bang-for-the-buck when

stabilizing water courses, rehabilitating riparian areas, or increasing

spawning bed productivity. Such efforts to increase recruitment of trout

into the system may draw upon resources ranging from the Michigan

National Guard to youth-based groups such as the Boy Scouts of Amer-

ica and will be based upon rehabilitation protocols the Fred Waara Chap-

ter successfully tested on Connor’s Creek in the past. As we work to

mitigate threats and enhance the cold-water fishery in the Big West

Branch, we will continue to monitor conditions and use that research to

adapt our efforts to on the water conditions.

Stage III – Trout Population Enhancements. Once we are reasonably

certain that the Big West Branch can sustain increased, naturally repro-

ducing brook trout, we want to begin an innovative stocking program

designed to develop a robust brood-stock population. We are convinced

that traditional approaches to fish stocking, wherein huge quantities of

small fish are pumped into small stretches of stream, are often off-set by

easy predation and stress-induced mortality for hatchery raised trout. In

contrast, the ERWP intends to pursue a stocking strategy similar to what

we employed last fall on the main river: use of provincially compatible

and reasonably mature hatchery fish, released by bucket in a widely dis-

persed and low-density manner when and where water temperatures are

cool enough to avoid undue shock or lethargy, and in locations that pro-

vide sufficient cover and depth to survive the coming winter. Along the

way, we intend to tag a sample of fish so as to monitor survival, growth,

and sustainable recruitment; if we can secure the funding, genetic mark-

ers could be identified and tracked through subsequent spawning sea-

sons.

(continuation)


- 7 -

.Stage IV – Reassessment & Relocation. Within five years, we believe

our efforts on the Big West Branch of the Escanaba River will bear

enough fruit to warrant a comprehensive reassessment of the project.

Feedback from all the public and private partners we have attracted along

the way, the monitoring data we have gathered, and what both our eyes

and rod tips tell us should be sufficient to suggest ways to improve the

protocol for that tributary and to consider adapting it to another branch of

the river. Thus, as with most adaptive management processes that rely

upon public science, we think our humble experiment in the service of

conservation and recreation may lead us to, say, even bigger fish.

Of course, an initiative of this size and scope will not be possible without

assistance from

many quarters.

Conse- quently,

the ERWP is now in

the process of

building our ca-

pacity by attracting

more partners such

as other TU chap-

ters or corporate

stakeholders in

the area such as

timber and power

companies that can

lend exper- tise and

financial support. We also want to gradually educate the wider public as

to our goals and objectives, enfranchising a larger audience in a public

process that values stakeholders’ knowledge and that can be improved

through the use of fisheries science and practice.

Yet, with all of our focus on the Big West Branch in the coming

years, what of the trunk of the Escanaba River and the angling resource it

provides? What of those big browns—selected precisely because the wa-

ter is warmer in the main stem—we planted in the fall? We expect they

will be there next summer when we go looking for them with rod in hand

(keeping an eye on the colder nurseries upstream) or next fall when we

may return to set loose another bucket or two. Feel free to join us in what promises to be a fun multiFeel free to join us in what promises to be a fun multiFeel free to join us in what promises to be a fun multiFeel free to join us in what promises to be a fun multi----year project!year project!year project!year project!

Submitted by Jim Cantrill

(John Peterson checking out the Escanaba River)

R iffles to - Michigan TU 2011 Newsletter v1.pdf3 weeks all were hatched. The stu-dents and teachers...

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