Greetings!
I am writing from BC and from one of the last wild and unobstructed rivers left in the world; the mighty Skeena. Commercial interests continue to put pressure on this watershed, but the communities along the river have been able to hold out. This will likely color my message this month. Northern California has had a wonderful wet winter and anglers are looking forward to fishing. We always approach springtime with high hopes. Whether fishing with fly rods or conventional gear, the feelings of excitement within us are one and the same. This is the time of year when the angler, (instincts driven by more than just tradition), begin their seasonal preparations. Besides inspection and maintenance of equipment, we, as predators, will visualize the hunt, tie new flies and maybe even add something to our arsenal to fool the fish. We jaw with our merry band of fishing co-horts and plan our predacious journeys. We even celebrate opening day, as in days of old, with the traditional eating, and drinking accompanied by stories told around the campfire about the "one that got away." The anglers' silent refrain, however, has changed. No longer "I will get the big one this year!" the mind talk is more likely "I will fish and fish and FISH, until I catch one"! Sadly, the biological health of the Russian River watershed is not improving fast enough. At times, we seem to be actually backsliding. Surely, one might get lucky and catch that big one, and yes, the fish are returning. But in what numbers and at what cost? Where are the wild fish? What are we as a community doing under the guise of mitigation, to the wild strains of fish that originated in our watershed, spawned in the gravel of her tributaries, and sustained in the estuaries before traveling to the ocean; all with the hope to return as adults to spawn again? Most of the fish we do see, and those we may even catch, are artificially grown in plastic trays, fed fish pellets, swim in circles in plastic lined tanks and then, when big enough to be released, often become the main course at the buffet table of our fine feathered friends. De-watering, pollution, obstructions to migration, estuary degradation; these are just a few more of the challenges the wild fish face. Disillusioned you may think me, yes; but give up, hell no! We WILL bring back our wild fishery. Even if it is just one fish at a time. Do take your children and grandchildren to the hatchery and watch our fishy friends do their thing. Give thanks too, but don't forget to ask yourself, what has been my contribution to the health of the wild fishery? ...and contemplate your own moral legacy as it relates to fish and family. The good news is that there is a bit of multi-partner sunshine right around the corner. Due to the desperate situation described above, anglers of all persuasions are putting heads, hearts and hands together to figure out what can be done as collaborators to enhance the health of our wild fishery and, gratefully, projects are underway! Steady, steady. I feel the winds of change upon us! Julie Carlson, D.C. President |
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Stan Griffin 1919 - 2011
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Trout Unlimited mourns the passing of a tireless leader and inspirational volunteer, Stanley "Stan" Griffin. Stan died peacefully on March 16, 2011 at the age of 91.
Stan continued to work out of the Berkeley TU office at least three days a week and served on numerous fishery and watershed advisory committees until only a few weeks before his death.
Stan's tireless work to protect, restore, and advocate for California 's coho salmon and steelhead populations lasted over the last three decades. After retiring from the Southern Pacific Railroad, Griffin began his conservation work as a volunteer with the North Bay Chapter of Trout Unlimited in the early 1980s. His accomplishments include orchestrating the removal of Roy's Dam in Lagunitas Creek, restoring fish passage over the Healdsburg Dam on the Russian River, promoting regulation of in-river gravel mining operations on the Russian River, and calling attention to threats to the North Coast 's once renowned fisheries that are posed by water diversion s and illegal dams. Stan relentlessly pursued his work, interrupting it only for regular trips to the Trinity Alps and Coffee Creek, his favorite place to fish, and the occasional road trip with his son John to watch the Giants at Spring Training.
Griffin's groundbreaking work for the rivers and streams of Marin and Sonoma Counties paved the way for state-wide water rights reform. His efforts to identify and protest illegal water diversions and dams resulted in legislation in 2004 that required the state to develop a policy to maintain flows for salmon and steelhead in the Russian River and coastal streams from San Francisco to the Mattole River . Approved in 2010, the policy provides water for salmon and steelhead across 5,900 stream miles and covers over 1,500 unauthorized reservoirs and dams.
Stan has received a long list of local, state, and federal awards, most notably from the California State Legislature, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United Anglers of California, the Tomales Bay Advisory Committee, and the Marin County Board of Supervisors. Stan received the Mortenson Award, TU's highest honor, and was recognized as one of the ten individuals who have had the greatest impact on the nation's trout and salmon fisheries throughout TU's fifty-year history.
Stan's work, enthusiasm, persistence, and leadership have inspired generations of conservationists, and he will be dearly missed.
We hope you can join us for a celebration of the extraordinary life of Stan Griffin.
Saturday, April 23. Starting at noon and ending when we run out of stories.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park - Redwood Grove Group Picnic Area.
(Dress for a BBQ on the banks of Lagunitas Creek. Food and drink provided.)
Samuel P. Taylor is located 15 miles west of San Rafael on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
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Salmon Creek Estuary
Work Party
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On April 9th, RETU members, Americorp and local watershed volunteers helped construct habitat structures in the Salmon Creek Estuary for the benefit of juvenile Coho Salmon and Steelhead. The willow mattress structures were attached to existing Large Woody Debris (LWD) structures already in place.
RETU donated the funds to transport the large redwood root wads from a site on Jonive Road to the Estuary. Hopefully these structures will provide good hiding places for the juvenile salmonids that must survive the summer before out migrating to the ocean. Healthy estuaries and good water quality are critical to Coho Salmon and Steelhead fishery health. The Estuary project team includes Occidental Arts and Ecology Center and the firms Prunuske Chatham and Dragon Fly Stream Restoration. |
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Special Movie Night at April 27 General Meeting
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Our April 27 General Meeting will include a showing of the "Awakening the Skeena" about the Skeena River in British Columbia and an activist's month long swim from its headwaters to the Pacific Ocean.
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 Membership Deal! | |
Help us sign up new RETU members! Check out this GREAT introductory rate of only $17.50! New members save 50%. New members can sign up at our next meeting or bring a friend who might be interested in a TU membership. Click this link to check out this introductory offer while it lasts at the
New Membership Website
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Select Chapter 922.
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Youth Fly Fishing Weekend
June 25 - 26
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2 Full Days of Learning to Fly Fish!
Don't miss this two day fly fishing event! Whether you have already spent years fishing with bait and lure, or you have never touched a fishing rod - this is the perfect time to learn about fly fishing! If you are between the ages of 8 and 13, and have ever wondered about fly fishing, this two day event will teach the skills to get you on the water catching fish with a fly rod. All fly fishing tackle provided! Fee = $20 per student. Reservations Required. For more information and to register contact Carlo Bongio 415-456-5454 flyfish2011@westernsportshop.com
1st Day Saturday June 25
Learning to Fly Cast Knot Tying Insect Study Creek Walk Fly Tying 2nd Day Sunday June 26 On the Water! Fly Fishing for Trout on a Private Pond on the slopes of Mt. St. Helena.
About the instructor:
Carlo Bongio brings over 45 years of fly fishing experience throughout the world. He brings a wealth of practical and formal experience to the clinic and will help attendees further develop fundamental techniques and knowledge. There will be a number of Trout Unlmited and Russian River Fly Fisher members on hand as voluteers to assist in the learning experience.
Thank you to our partners on this event
Russian River Fly Fishers
Western Sport Shop, Inc.
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Healdsburg Wild Steelhead Festival
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Yes, we did talk Kent MacIntosh into cleaning dozens of trout at caught in the trout pond in the plaza this year!
Learning how to clean a fish is memorable right of passage for youngsters who can gain an appreciation for where their food comes from.
As Kent will tell you, it does not magically appear wrapped in cellophane in the supermarket.
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Visit our RETU website and check us out on Facebook
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http://redwoodempiretu.org
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