June 2023 Check out our New Website
You're going to love it!!
Huge thanks to Dannon Engquist - WCTU Webmaster for the incredible work she put into designing this new website!! It's so easy to navigate and we love the way it looks. If you have any suggestions or comments, Dannon would love to hear them. We want this website to be interactive with all the chapters; after all you make up the Washington Council of Trout Unlimited!! You can reach Dannon HERE. Thank You Dannon!!
And they're off!! The 2023 NW Youth Conservation & Fly Fishing Camp began on Sunday June 18th, and ends tomorrow.
But wait they're swimming, that's right! After orientation, course review, a look at all their new equipment, some camp basics, and a good night's sleep......???? Water safety was the HOT, or I guess you could say COOL, topic for the start of camp! After first learning all about PFDs, rafts, canoes, waders and safety while fishing in lakes and streams, youth campers had to pass a swimming test!! Safety first is a good lesson!!
Next came the first experience with fly tying, led by the amazing fly tying expert and Olympia chapter president J Michelle Swope!! Then instruction on how to tie all the knots you need to start fly fishing. Casting was led by two expert casting instructors from Fly Fishers International (FFI) - Molly Semenik FFI Master Casting Instructor & Marion Hiller - FFI Certified Casting Instructor, the attendees were off and running learning in small personal groups and rotating through the day's classes. We are incredibly grateful for the collaboration and help from FFI in putting together this camp!!
By mid week, after catching fish in Panhandle Lake at camp, all were off to a nearby river for an exciting first attempt at catching a trout in the river! Rumor has it that so far all have caught lots of fish!!

Many THANKS to the Olympia TU Chapter who will host a BBQ at the camp tonight!!

More to come next month on this fun and exciting youth camp and the many volunteers that made it happen!!
Klickitat Alternative Engage Group (KAEG) is off to a great start with this year's youth events - Take A LOOK!!
The KAEG is a group of volunteers working under the WCTU to get out in their area and get things done for fish and their watershed. They involve community youth in just about everything they do!

May 11 & May 18: Volunteers came to Wishram School for the REACH afterschool program session on teaching kids to cast. Many thanks to Felton Jenkins, Mark Moreland, Gary Gidley, Jessie Steele, Keith Steele. Thanks also to Edith Gidley for taking photos of the casting session on May 18. 
Monday, June 5: The group held their regular bi-monthly meeting at Horsethief Lake at 6:00 p.m. for planning purposes.
Saturday, June 10: Was the Washington FREE Family Fishing Weekend, no Discover Pass or license required to encourage kids to learn to fish. The group met at Spearfish Lake in Dallesport at 9:00 a.m. until noon. This event was sponsored by the Corps of Engineers and KAEG helped with casting, bait, fly rods, and handed out information at the event about future events and the KAEG group.
Wednesday, June 15: The group Met at Ekone Park with Wishram Students for a STREAM Explorers field day along the Little Klickitat. they had great participation from the community with a fish biologist teaching macroinvertebrate identification as past of learning about the 9 elements of a healthy stream, casting lessons. A Great time was had by all and according to Laurie Wilhite Co-chair of the KAEG the KIDS LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!! EXCELLENT WORK KAEG!!!

******STILL TO COME******

Thursday, June 28: The Group will Meet at Ekone Park with Lyle Students for a STREAM Explorers field day. Activities will be the same as above including the tour.
They need volunteers for a wide variety of jobs, pick your passion and sign up with Laurie by emailing her HERE
Powerful opportunity to sponsor a showing of the film Covenant of The Salmon People by the New Perce Tribe. If your chapter is interested in this opportunity please contact Eric Crawford HERE
The impact of the lower four Snake River dams on wild salmon and steelhead is no longer a question. The dams are driving wild populations to extinction.
 
Despite the billions of dollars invested in the hydropower system and fish recovery, the Northwest is left with a fraction of what was once the greatest run of salmon and steelhead in the Lower 48. 

It is time for the federal government to invest in a comprehensive solution that upholds Tribal treaty rights, restores wild fish populations, and propels the region forward.

Following this spring’s listening sessions, the Biden Administration and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) are requesting public comments on fish restoration in the Snake and Columbia River basins until July 3 rd , 2023.

Please take a few minutes TODAY & Tell the Biden Administration to act now - CLICK HERE
BAT TRAINING UPDATES
BAT Training underway TOMORROW SATURDAY 6/24/2023.
Seven new volunteers will attend the Clark County/Gifford Pinchot National Forest area BAT Training. This will be our go to team in Southwest WA. We have engaged in a partnership with the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Service to start assessing culverts on USFS land and are excited to get to work for fish in this are of WA!!

We anticipate a Pierce County training and another East side training coming in July but dates are not solidified yet.
WCTU is honoring volunteerism through ANNUAL AWARDS
Don't forget to nominate an individual or chapter that you think deserves one of these awards! The time is now through August 1st for nominations.
2023 Awards will be presented at our October annual meeting. Nominations must be in by Aug.1, 2023. If you know a TU member or Chapter or Alternative Engagement Group (AEG) that fits the criteria for one of these awards, please nominate them. 
The Chinook Awards for Conservation/Advocacy 
  1. The Chinook Award to a WA Trout Unlimited member
  2. The Chinook Award to a WA Chapter or Alternative Engagement Group 

The Steelhead Awards for Special leadership/commitment to excellence.
  1. The Tim Gavin “Steelhead Award” to a WA Trout unlimited member.
  2. The Phoenix “Steelhead Award” / to a WA Chapter or Alternative Engagement Group 

Our AWARDS Chairman is Larry Hill - WCTU will need 3 more volunteers to serve on this committee to review the nominations. They will be using a point system criteria for judging nominations to decide the winners. 
Please email us HERE if you are interested in serving on this committee. 

For more information on the awards and the criteria visit HERE.
Nominations should be submitted to the State Council no later than August 1st, 2023. Nominating forms can be requested and completed nominations returned with all supportive documents to the council email HERE
TU National Meeting CX3 =
Community * Coldwater * Conservation for all - right here in Spokane WA. Get CX3- INFO HERE
Sept. 27th - Oct. 1, 2023. So start planning to go NOW!!
COMMUNITY X 
COLDWATER X
CONSERVATION

Photo Credit - Michael Visintainer Silver Bow Fly Shop. The beautiful Redband Trout - Spokane River
The WCTU is asking Chapters to budget NOW as time is running out, to help at least one or two of your chapter leaders attend this amazing event right here in our state. CHAPTERS - this is a perfectly acceptable chapter expense to budget under membership growth and engagement, as it is a powerful way to learn and connect with leaders across the country on successful tips, tools and new programs.

We won't get this chance again for a very long time, and it means showcasing what WA Trout Unlimited is all about! The CX3 event will feature fun for all and is a family event. The website is being updated often and is now live for registration. So keep checking and visit often to get registered. GO HERE

Here is a great opportunity to get 50% off the admission price of the meeting, which includes all your meals and all the events. Just volunteer and work 4 hrs or more at the event to receive $175 off the $350 fee for the entire event. That's a great deal and if you are interested put your name on the list by contacting Bruce Merighi HERE. 

You can also register for CX3 under the free category which Includes access to all conference sessions, presentations and free activities. Individual meals, fishing trips and other special events can be purchased separately. View full event lineup HERE
WCTU Advocacy Committee is following these headline issues:
Click on the blue or green links for information
*Salmon Recovery & SMA/GMA
*Warm Water Fish Policy
*Enloe Dam Removal
*Nelson Dam Puyallup River
*Electron Dam

If you would like to join the advocacy team and represent your chapter or just find out more about all these issues in our state; please contact the
WCTU AC Chair - Andrew Kenefick Here
We Need Volunteer HELP in several areas, are you ready to join the leadership team?
The Washington Council of TU needs volunteers for the following positions:
Council Secretary - Our current secretary, Dan Walsh, will be stepping down in October. this position entails taking the minutes at 4 state meetings annually and distribute minutes to chapters. There are a variety of additional duties, but it is not a high time consuming position.
Awards Committee - urgent need for two volunteers to help score the nominations for the 4 annual awards. This job will typically only be in August each year and take very little time.
National Leadership Council Representative - Our current NLC Rep Steve Miller will be stepping down October 1st this year - this volunteer position is an opportunity to work with NLC reps from around the country to set the National Conservation Agenda for TU. Here is an article that talks about this council role: READ
Fundraising Chair - the Council is looking for a volunteer with some degree of fundraising experience or background to help us with annual planning and execution, particularly heading into the giving season October -December. Volunteer hours average 5hrs/month with some months less and some more.

If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities please contact us HERE
Is Your Chapter using the TU Events Page Yet?
Get on the TU Calendar of EVENTS!! The calendar is linked to WCTU website, and chapters can also link events to their websites. Keep reading to get started using TU's Eventgroove which puts your events all in one place on the national TU website; then link it to your chapter website or Social Media sites to help promote your events.

We encourage each chapter to start an account and use this event tool to advertise your events and help us all find fun and engaging TU events around the state. 
Not a TU Member Yet?
Support your cold water conservation for future generations and become a Trout Unlimited member today! Your membership helps support so many conservation efforts around our state. First time annual memberships start at $17.50. 
Click HERE to find out more. If you don't know your local chapter name just put unknown and you will be placed in your closest chapter by zipcode.
A Message from the Council Chair
We want to share your chapter events and important conservation work in this newsletter. Spread the word across the state about fun and informative events you are hosting - like the ones above by Kitsap & North Sound Chapters. Engagement is the way to Grow your chapter!! So let us help you spread the word about your events!! Contact Us
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