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
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
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
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
NEW BOARD: Pres. Jim Cantrill, VP Jerry May-nard, Sec’y Doug Miller, Treas. Tim Robenalt
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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!!
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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.
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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)
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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 im- proving 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
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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)
Riffles to Rises Winter 2011
- 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 proc- ess of
building our ca-
pacity by attracting
more part- ners such
as other TU chap-
ters or corporate
stake- holders 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)
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