Esopus Creek Trout Spawning Survey – Please register

Esopus Creek Trout Spawning Survey – Spring Edition

Last fall Catskill Mountains chapter of TU organized a trout spawning survey on Esopus Creek with the goal to help understand and protect spawning trout on Esopus creek and its tributaries. We are organizing another one this spring for spawning rainbow trout. The survey will be done on March 16th. Please see below for details, registration link, and online training.

We need as many members as possible to come out for this conservation event!

Since the new New York State trout stream regulations opened Esopus Creek to year-round fishing, there’s been a lot of talk about the need to educate anglers about trout spawning beds, also known as redds, and to learn more about the distribution of redds on Esopus Creek.

And as DEC’s new Esopus Creek Fisheries Management Plan makes clear, there’s a crucial need to understand spawning practices on Esopus Creek.

As a result, CMTU will be conducting a spawning bed survey this fall. Knowing the location of spawning beds and habitat will allow us to prioritize conservation projects and to educate anglers so they don’t disturb the beds, ensuring healthy populations of wild trout for years to come.

Date:  Saturday March 16th

When:   9:00AM – 12:00PM

Please register ahead of time at the following link so we can organize survey teams.

Registration Link:  https://tu.myeventscenter.com/event/Catskill-Mountains-Tu-Esopus-Creek-Redds-Survey-90318

We will meet at 9:00 AM at the NYS DEC fishing access point on Mount Pleasant Road, behind the Emerson, where Bert Darrow’s bench was dedicated, to sign in and distribute assignments to survey teams. We will then divide up the reaches across teams of 2 or 3 people. Maps will be provided.

Bring your waders and boots in case you need to wade some sections.

A post-survey event will be held at Westkill Brewery after noon for all that are interested. A special thank you pint for all volunteers will be waiting.

https://www.westkillbrewing.com/

Location: 2173 Spruceton Rd, West Kill, NY 12492

In case you missed it, here is a link to the online training we presented at the September meeting. This training gives instruction on how to use the TU  Red Survey app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdAKhp2HT64

Note that Red Survey App is not a mobile app itself, but rather is a ‘Survey’ within the mobile app called Survey123 for ArcGIS.

Here’s how to prepare your phone for the survey:

From your iPhone’s App Store or your Google Play Store download and install ArcGIS Survey123.

When you open ArcGIS Suvey123 login using the option “Continue without signing in”

On the next screen in the ArcGIS Sruvey123 app use the search window to input this: https://arcg.is/0u5vm

This will import the TU Redd Survey into your phone.

Please do this before the day of the event.

If you need assistance loading the ArcGIS Survey123 app or the TU Redd Survey after watching the online training and/or reading these directions, please come to the October 18th Chapter meeting at the Residents Inn by Marriott in Kingston at 6:30PM. We will have volunteers that can help OR email catskillmountaintu@gmail.com

On the day of the event, we will have printed survey sheets in case that are needed but prefer to assign survey teams with at least one person that can use the app.

Note that you will not need a cell signal to use the app. A cell signal is not needed for GPS to map the locations.

In the unfortunate event the weather makes the rivers and tribs unsafe we will cancel the event.   Any cancellation will be posted on the web site cmtu.org and email provided when you register.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU Monthly meeting Wednesday February 21st 6:30 PM

CMTU February Meeting

Wednesday, February 21
Residence in by Marriott Kingston
800 Frank Sottile Blvd
6:30-8:30

Christopher Solomon of the Cary Institute to Speak about Sustaining Quality Recreational Fisheries

Christopher Solomon, Ph.D., an aquatic ecosystem ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, will speak to the chapter about his research on the challenges and opportunities for sustaining quality recreational fisheries. One really interesting aspect of Dr. Solomon’s research is that he looks at how human culture—governing structures, cultural attitudes—what he calls “FishScapes”—impact fish populations. We so often focus on environmental issues that we forget that people—and their attitudes—have a huge impact on the environment.

Solomon was previously a professor of fish and fisheries ecology at McGill University. He has studied fish and fisheries far and wide, including heritage lake trout in the Adirondacks, armored catfish in the Venezuelan piedmont, Pacific salmon in California, largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, cichlids in Lake Tanganyika, and sturgeon in the Hudson River.

Formore information on his work, check out Dr. Solomon’s bio at the Cary Institutewebsite:

https://www.caryinstitute.org/science/our-scientists/dr-christopher-t-solomon

Here is the call in info for the meeting

CMTU February Chapter meeting
Hosted by Catskill Mountains Trout Unlimited

https://catskillmountainstu.my.webex.com/catskillmountainstu.my/j.php?MTID=m81a7de6e95347e4f58ea9fe4995c54de
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 6:30 PM | 2 hours | (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Meeting number: 2630 434 4392
Password: wildesopus (94533767 from phones and video systems)

Join by video system
Dial 26304344392@webex.com
You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

Join by phone
+1-650-479-3208 United States Toll

Access code: 263 043 44392

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU Monthly Meeting Wednesday January 17th 6:30 PM

CMTU January Meeting

Wednesday, January 17
Residence in by Marriott Kingston
800 Frank Sottile Blvd
6:30-8:30PM

Peter Murphy to speak about the Mayfly Project 

The Mayfly Project is a 501(c)(3) organization that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor children in foster care. Our mission is to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, feel supported, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.

Peter Murphy is the lead mentor at the Millbrook, NY Mayfly Project branch. He will talking about the work he does with children in foster care and discussing volunteer opportunities for anglers wishing to give back to the community.

For those who want to join remote here is the call in information.

JOIN WEBEX MEETING https://catskillmountainstu.my.webex.com/catskillmountainstu.my/j.php?MTID=m11af7d20f6a1fc2d0825c912c593e2aa

Meeting number (access code): 2630 188 3306

Meeting password: wildesopus (94533767 from phones and video systems)

JOIN BY PHONE +1-650-479-3208 United States Toll

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU Fly Tying Sundays at Kenco 1:00-3:00PM

Fly Tying Sundays at Kenco 1:00-3:00

It’s cold and rainy out, and while the rumor is that a few anglers are still hooking into fish, for most of us it’s the season to refill our fly boxes. If you’re a tyer or you’re interested in tying, come out to Kenco Outfitters in Kingston on from 1:00-3:00 on Sunday afternoon. The group will be there each Sunday afternoon through March.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2023 Catskill Mountains Trout Unlimited Conservation Sweepstakes. – Winners announced!!

Here are our winners for our conservation sweepstakes.

1st Prize: JP Ross Beaver Meadow S-Glass Adams Rod and Outfit

Winner:   Jeff Huth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Prize: Simms Freestone Sling Pack

Winner : Michael Odmark

3rd Prize: Hand Tied Flies from Catskill fly tiers

Winner: Jamal Mahdavian

Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket to the sweepstakes.

Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited

 

 

————————–

Support the conservation efforts of Catskill Mountains Trout Unlimited!

Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited is sponsoring  a grand prize sweepstakes to be drawn at our year end chapter event on December 16th, 2023. 

Proceeds are used to help fund the projects we organize throughout the year.   

Purchase your tickets here

1st Prize: JP Ross Beaver Meadow S-Glass Adams Rod and Outfit

Beaver Meadow S-Glass Adams Rod and Outfit × 1
7’6″ 3 weight 4 piece S-Glass slow action / COMBO beaver meadow reel & line & leader



 

 

2nd Prize: Simms Freestone Sling Pack

Simms Freestone Sling Pack

Color: Black


3rd Prize: Hand Tied Flies from Catskill fly tiers

Fly box filled with dozens of flies tied by local Catskill fly tiers.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU Holiday Party Sunday, Ole Savannah Restaurant

CMTU Holiday Party

Sunday, December 17
Ole Savannah Restaurant
100 Rondout Landing in Kingston
Starts at 4:00pm

 

Please join us for good food and good cheer and absolutely true stories about all the big fish we caught this year! This is a great opportunity to kick back, relax,and enjoy some good times with your fellow anglers. Hope to see you there.

RSVP if you will be joining us so we can get a count.  Email catskillmountaintu@gmail.com

Also,   We will also be having a holiday gift swap.   If you want to participate bring a gift (no more than $20)  to the event.   There is no obligation.   Bring a gift, get a chance to pick one.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU November Meeting, Wednesday, November 29 Residence in by Marriott Kingston

CMTU November Meeting

Wednesday, November 29
Residence in by Marriott Kingston
800 Frank Sottile Blvd
6:30-8:30

Sarah Coney, CRISP Aquatic InvasiveSpecies Manager, to speak about invasive species threats in Catskill streams.
Aquatic ecosystems around the world are facing threats from a variety of sources such as pollution, climate change, and invasive species. The Catskills are no exception and encompass three major watersheds on the east coast; the Delaware, the Susquehanna, and the Hudson. The freshwaters in the Catskills are almost synonymous with trout and many headwaters still host healthy populations of native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Introduced brown (Salmotrutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are also found throughout these watersheds, but all three species face challenges in warming waters and habitat degradation due to a multitude of factors.

Invasive species in and around the water are having impacts on our rivers and streams by altering their ecosystems, increasing bank erosion, degrading riparian habitat, and other negative effects. Sarah will be discussing some of these invasive species, how they impact the Catskills, trout, and other stream biota, and how we can prevent their spread.

Sarah Coney is the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Manager for theCatskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP). She joined the Catskill Center staff in 2022 but has been working in the Catskills since 2017. Shortly before graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 2017, she began working with the CRISP Watershed Steward Program and has helped to oversee and grow the program in the following years.

Sarah is passionate about aquatic ecosystems, helping to preserve them, and spends much of her summers above and below our NY waters. She has participated in several studies involving aquatic invasive species and has worked with native pearly mussels. Her master’s thesis revolves around the reintroduction of the American eel and its effects on native pearly mussel populations.

Note: Meeting to be held at the Residence Inn by Marriott, not our regular location at the Marriott Courtyard.

Marriott is still remodeling our regular meeting site, so we are meeting across the street at The Residence Inn.

Those wishing to access via WebEx can do so using the link below.

https://catskillmountainstu.my.webex.com/catskillmountainstu.my/j.php?MTID=m1cafc86568b6bcc4d9350a6adcecc858

Meeting number (accesscode): 2632 197 4573

Meeting password:wildesopus (94533767 from phones and video systems)

JOIN BY PHONE +1-650-479-3208

United States TollGlobal call-in numbers https://catskillmountainstu.my.webex.com/catskillmountainstu.my/globalcallin.php?MTID=me375907d6e114142f4efee91a9e4dc35

CMTU Chapter Elections this month

We will hold our annual elections during this month’s meeting. Here is the list of positions that are up for reelection. all current officers and board members up for re-election have accepted nominations for re-election.

All Officer Positions

· President: Ted Hoover

· Vice-President: Art Christensen

· Treasurer: Mike Malloy

· Secretary: Mike Grundfast

Board positions up for election

· Board Members: Ryan William (2023), Don Stauss (2023), Ron Urban (2023),

Any additional nominations will be accepted at the meeting.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU Conservation Banquet on Saturday November 4th

Put Saturday, November 4th on your calendar,because that’s the date of our annual Conservation Banquet. This is certainly the social event of the year. It’s a great place to see old friends, win some great bucket raffle and silent auction prizes, and exaggerate the size of those little trout you caught all year.

The banquet will be held at our usual venue, Stonehedge Restaurant in West Park, and tickets cost $45 each. Festivities will begin at 6:00PM. To register, go to https://tu.myeventscenter.com/event/Catskill-Mountains-Tu-Conservation-Banquet-84284

Get your tickets while they last!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU October Meeting

Wednesday, October 18th
Residence in by Marriott Kingston
800 Frank Sottile Blvd
6:30-8:30

Bob Adams, DEC Region 3 Fisheries Manager to speak to chapter

Bob Adams, our friendly, local DEC fisheries manager, and one of the authors of the Upper Esopus Fisheries Managment Plan will be presenting our annual State of the Esopus (and other streams) address. This is an excellent opportunity to find out what’s happening on the Esopus, what DEC’s long term plans are, and to ask questions about the plan (which you can read here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/upperesopuscrkplan.pdf

Note: Meeting to be held at the Residence Inn by Marriott, not our regular location at the Marriott Courtyard.

Marriott is still remodeling our regular meeting site, so we are meeting across the street at The Residence Inn.

Those wishing to access via WebEx can do so using the link below.

CMTU October 2023 Meeting

Hosted by Catskill Mountains Trout Unlimited

JOIN WEBEX MEETING https://catskillmountainstu.my.webex.com/catskillmountainstu.my/j.php?MTID=m1347a4ace9b2460f0d775d601af52e46

Meeting number (access code): 2631 739 0990

Meeting password: wildesopus (94533767 from phones and video systems)

JOIN BY PHONE +1-650-479-3208 United States Toll

Posted in Meetings, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CMTU September Meeting

Wednesday, September 20th
Residence Inn by Marriott Kingston
800 Frank Sottile Blvd
6:30-8:30PM


Our business meeting will start at 6:30PM. Presentation and training session will start at 7PM.

The meeting will also be online.


Meeting link:

https://catskillmountainstu.my.webex.com/catskillmountainstu.my/j.php?MTID=m03c07057cf96cfd0f0fd0782b1607321

Meeting number: 2634 299 3871

Password: wildesopus (94533767 from phones and video systems)


This fall we will our chapter is planning a redds survey on the upper Esopus to collect data on trout spawning locations. At 7PM we will discuss the project and replay a training session by Jacob Fetterman of TU’s Battenkill Home River Initiative lead a training on the TU Redd Survey for smartphones – a community science app to collect data on trout spawning locations to prioritize conservation work.

Here is the link to the training session we will use

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment