CATSKILL MOUNTAINS TROUT UNLIMITED

Meeting- Our regular meeting will begin at 7 PM. After our Business Meeting we will have a presentation on the Hudson River Estuary Programs. Presenting will be Francis Dunwell, DEC Region 3 Hudson River Estuary Coordinator. Two years ago, staff from Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, the Izaak Walton League of America and other sportsmen’s groups described the impacts of climate change to coldwater fisheries, big game, upland birds, and waterfowl in the book Seasons’ End (7.5MB pdf). Now, a new book, Beyond Seasons’ End (5MB pdf), tells us what we can do to protect our sporting traditions and fish and wildlife populations in today’s changing climate conditions. In the chapter on coldwater fisheries, TU staffers Jack Williams, Amy Haak and Nat Gillespie discuss how to protect and conserve trout and salmon and the coldwater ecosystems in which they thrive in the face of a changing climate. The Hudson River Estuary Program in New York manages a budget of $3 million, from which it underwrites watershed plans, provides education programs, directly monitors and improves the Hudson River estuary in strategic ways.  http://www.tu.org/beyond-seasons-end.

Estuary Program web site: www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4920.html

»Action Alert  |  December 19, 2012

Please visit our online action center today and urge New York to adequately protect the state’s trout streams from shale gas development.

WHY WE CARE

New York boasts more than 60,000 miles of streams and rivers that provide cold, clean water for trout and fishing opportunities for more than 1.2 million anglers in the state. These streams and rivers are at risk from shale gas development. New York recently released revised regulations that will govern how shale gas development and hydrofracking will occur in the state. Unfortunately, the new regulations fail to include protections for many of the state’s treasured trout streams. Specifically, the regulations fail to include a required distance between a well pad and a river or stream. Tell New York today to protect all of its streams and the trout populations along with them.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Please visit our online action center today and submit written comments on New York’s revised gas drilling regulations, to:

1. Amend the regulations to include a setback between a well pad and every stream.
2. Require all the mitigation measures identified in the environmental review process to be included in the drilling regulations.
3. Prohibit all drilling-related activity and infrastructure on state lands.

Sincerely,

Katy Dunlap
Eastern Water Project Director
Trout Unlimited
kdunlap@tu.org

Ron Urban
Chair
New York State Council of Trout Unlimited

Chapter Christmas Party- Fair Street Reformed Church. We will have a terrific night beginning about 6 PM on Thursday December 13th with guests and members present. As always we will be entertained by Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt with his dynamic, humorous culinary expertise. As always you are asked to bring something for the Pot Luck dinner as your contribution. If you have an idea of item or what you can contribute, contact: Ron Urban at (845)339-5938 or Ronsgonefishing@aol.com We again will have some raffle items and hope that the season would be happy and prosperous for the New Year. The Chef is thinking of making a Serbian Rice Dish with a Curry Tomato Sauce and Marinated Shredded Lettuce.

Meeting- The Regular Business Meeting will begin approximately at 6:45 PM.

During the business meeting conservation committee plans to discuss ideas with the chapter to gauge interest among the chapter members and to set the conservation agenda for 2013. Please make an effort to attend the November 28th meeting. Ideas include: targeting small stream projects, stream monitoring, tree plantings, yearly cleanup, Ulster County Fair, tributary openings, and planned chapter night on the stream. Your input is a valuable part of this process. We are looking for ideas from all members. We look forward to seeing you there.

After our business meeting, we will have a power point presentation by Mid Hudson Chapter member and Past President Joe Rist. Joe is a 3rd generation fisherman and a New York State licensed fishing guide. He currently lives in the Hudson Valley Region of New York State with his family. For him there is no better place to live, since he says he is between some of the best fishing waters one can find. “To the east in Connecticut I am able to fish the Housatonic and the Farmington Rivers, which are prime fisheries to Brown and Rainbow Trout. Not to mention, some great small mouth bass fishing in the Housatonic. To my west, in the Catskills are my favorite waters. In the Catskills, are the historic Beaverkill, Willowemoc and my all time favorite, the West Branch of the Delaware, a wild trout fishery for Rainbows and Browns that may be considered the best in the East!” But, Joe will bring a presentation of fishing with a close friend on the Ginisson River in CO. For those that travel to MT and other parts of the country, he will show a great alternative and some of the most beautiful Cut Throats you’ll see or even catch. The scenery is worth seeing with some of the most terrific rock and ledge formations that harbor trout. “Fly-fishing is my passion; I am always trying to educate myself while fishing and exploring new ideas, so I can share them with you.” Make an extra special effort to show support for the speakers we bring in by attending.

Ulster Soil & Water is looking to see if local TU members and friends would be willing to help plant willow plants.

145 Cold Brook Rd. Woodstock, NY 12409
(field across from the back side of Kenneth Wilson State Park)
Signs will be posted signs on the field to let people know. Parking will be on the edge
of the road.

Nov. 20th: 9:30am – 4pm
Nov. 21st: 9:30am – 4pm

Dress weather appropriate for manual labor in a farm field i.e. raingear,
layers, boots, etc. Bring work gloves (if available).

Please call Gretchen Rae (845-688-3047 ext. 0) at our AWSMP office to register
by November 16th.

http://www.riverkeeper.org/news-events/news/stop-polluters/epa-takes-action-on-the-lower-esopus-in-response-to-riverkeeper%E2%80%99s-petition/

NOTE: The September meeting will be the on the 4th Wednesday this month instead of the 3rd due to schedule conflicts. The meeting will be in the archery range at Gander Mountain.

Tying demonstration beginning at 6:15 pm. The Regular Business Meeting will begin approximately at 7:00 PM. After a brief business meeting, we will have a presentation by John Miller a highly respected guide at West Branch Angler on the Delaware River. John has guided across the country and in Chile annually for many years. But John’s extensive study of entomology and insects in the Catskills and Delaware will leave you amazed. His photography is second to none with close ups of many insects from all stages of their life cycle to all types we see. When you see the tiny hair like appendages on mayfly wings to the gills on stoneflies you will be in awe.