CATSKILL MOUNTAINS TROUT UNLIMITED

Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited has been teaching fly fishing for over 40 years. Our classes include instruction in fly fishing equipment, techniques, fly selection, stream reading, and casting. Learn everything you need to start fishing this season!

No previous experience necessary. If you have your own fly rod, please bring it. If you don’t own a fly rod yet, rods will be available for casting.

When? Classes meet Tuesday evenings from March 27th through April 24th, 6:30-8:45PM.

Where? Ulster County Community College, Senate Gymnasium

Cost?     Adult: $100         Youth (16 and under): $60.

Veterans receive a 20% discount as thanks for their service ($80).

To reserve a spot book online, contact Bob Sills at 845-338-4292 or catskillmountaintu@gmail.com

Trout Unlimited is a national conservation organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Learn more at TU.org.

Trout season doesn’t open for a month and a half but CMTU is already busy. Our fly tying circle is underway each Sunday at Kenco. Ed Meyer will be teaching our fly tying classes starting at the end of the month, and soon after that our annual fly casting school, taught by Bob Sills, will get started. In addition, the Conservation Committee is busy planning projects for the coming year, and the Women’s Initiative, led by Liz Higgins and Anne Bloomfield, is planning a series of events.

On Wednesday the 21st we’ll have our first business meeting of the year. Find out what the Conservation Committee has planned for the upcoming season, hear about the chapter’s new Women’s Initiative, and let us know what you’d like to see the chapter do this year.

Following that chapter members are invited to tie flies for veterans. If you’re not a tier, come hang out, socialize, and see what other chapter members are tying up these days. If you are a tier, bring your vice and tie flies for the vets that we guide on the Willowemoc in May. It’s just another way for you to thank them for their service.

This area is not only the birthplace of fly fishing in America, it’s also the birthplace of fly tying in America. Join us to learn this craft.

This course teaches novice or beginner fly tying. You will learn how to tye well-proportioned and well-constructed flies for trout fishing. In addition, you’ll learn to tye some of the most effective flies for local streams and many of the basic tying techniques used on hundreds of flies.

Topics to be covered are:

•  how to select the proper hooks for most flies, including streamers, nymphs, caddis and dries
• the proper use of the appropriate tools used in fly tying
• materials & material selection, handling, storage and uses during fly tying.

Materials and supplies furnished. Equipment for beginners is available. If you have tying equipment, you are certainly welcome to bring yours.

Come and learn Fly Tying with our Patient, Helpful and Expert Instructors
No Experience Necessary!

When: Two hour classes meet Tuesday evenings from February 27th -March 27th, 6:00-8:00 PM

Where: Kingston Library

Cost? We furnish the materials and ask for a donation of $50 to help defray the cost and also support our conservation work on local streams.

To reserve a spot contact Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited by registering online at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/catskill-mountains-chapter-of-trout-unlimited-11101597989 , or emailing catskillmountaintu@gmail.com or call Ed Meyer at 845-339-3655.

Course run by the Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Trout Unlimited is the premier national Coldwater Conservation organization dedicated to Conserving, Protecting and Restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Visit us at CMTU.org. Join us also at a meeting at Courtyard by Marriott on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM

CMTU is a 501c3 non-profit organization as determined by the IRS

Fly tying circle at Kenco in Kingston!

Our annual tying circle is starting this Sunday. Drop in from 12:30-3:30 to tie flies. We’ll be there every Sunday from now until the start of the season. We tie in the back room, so just ask the staff at Kenco, and they’ll tell you where we are.

Remember, Trout Unlimited members get a 10% discount at Kenco!

Our speaker this month will be Jeff Yates, national Director of Volunteer Operations for Trout Unlimited, on the Future of TU: Building Community Around Conservation & Fishing
TU has always been strong as an organization thanks to its collection of more than 400 local chapters and state councils working to improve local streams, educate local youth and engage local communities in our conservation mission.
Now more than ever, that model of thinking globally and acting locally is not only appealing to volunteers, but vital to the survival of wild and native trout in watersheds across the country.
Jeff, who lives across the Hudson River in Connecticut and has been a TU member since he was 11 years old, will discuss examples of how TU chapters like the Catskill Mountain Chapter are growing their impact and expanding their reach with a focus on building a community to protect local rivers.

Here is a link to this months newsletter. 2018.01 January Newsletter Final

The evening will have a pot luck buffet. We would encourage you to let Ron Urban know items you are bringing or plan to bring so we have a variety of delectable foods and desserts. The chapter will have breads, coffee and condiments. Contact Ron Urban by phone: 845-339-5938 or email at: Ronsgonefishing@aol.com.
As always, we are fortunate to have our guest Grand Master Chef, Fritz Sonnenschmidt, from the CIA presenting a culinary demonstration of his liking.

Keegan Ales in Kingston NY will be hosting Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s “Trout T’Ales” event on Thursday November 30 from 6:30 – 8:30pm.

November 30th is the last day of the season on Esopus Creek, so come out and join us at Keegans to have a beer, brag about the fish you caught, meet other anglers, and learn about our conservation efforts in Ulster County.

For more information, email CMTU at catskillmountaintu@gmail.com. We hope to see you there—whether you’re a member or not!

All,

This month’s speakers will be Leslie Zucker from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, and Adam Doan, of Ulster County Soil and Water, both representing the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program.

Leslie and Adam will be speaking on projects that the AWSMP is pursuing in the Ashokan Watershed and on current conditions in the Esopus Creek in general.  Leslie and Adam both have a great deal of knowledge and expertise on the watershed, so please come out to hear the latest on Esopus Creek and to ask those questions.

Please make some time to come out.

Please note: Due to a scheduling conflict at the Marriott the October chapter meeting will be on Thursday October 19th, not on our usual Wednesday night.

We have a very busy agenda this month. In addition to our annual elections (see newsletter article on our elections) and a brief business meeting, we have a very interesting agenda this month.

Our speakers will be Jordan P Ross, Founder and John Montefusco the CEO of Trout Power.

Trout Power is a new grass roots trout advocacy organization that is based in central New York. Founded and lead by Jordan P Ross, owner of Ross Rods and Reels, Trout Powers’ stated mission is “to change the world by honoring clean water not by its clarity, but by the wild trout that live in it.” For the last two years Trout Power has been working to document a unique heritage strain of brook trout that are native to the Adirondack region since the last ice age. Working with DEC Region 6 fishery biologists, Trout Power volunteers have been collecting fin clip samples for DNA analysis throughout the watershed, documenting the presence of a unique strain of wild native brook trout. (https://troutpower.blogspot.com/)

Please check out  this months newsletter: CMTU Newsletter October 2017

Please make some time to come out. I hope to see you there.

This month, CMTU’s conservation committee chairman and chapter Vice President, Ted Hoover, will give an update on ongoing conservation projects within the Chapter.  It is a good opportunity to see what the chapter has been doing in 2017 and provide input on 2018 priorities.

Please check out  this months newsletter: CMTU Newsletter Sept 2017 final

There is information on upcoming volunteer opportunities, NYS DEC Trout management meetings, and our 2017 Conservation Banquet.