April 2023
It’s official, Spring is here!
a) Wildflowers now blossom along our rural roads and highways;
b) You started reorganizing your fly boxes;
c) Baseball season has begun;
d) The NCAA Basketball Final Four is finally concluding; and,
e) We have activities every weekend in multiple locations.
Additionally, we have Easter and Passover to celebrate along with Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Tax Day. Although the only ones I know celebrating tax-day are the IRS and accountants.
Welcome to the Zane Grey Chapter April newsletter. Our March was busy with lots of activities. Among those activities were:
- an awesome time with the Sun City Grand Fishing Club and their Merit Badge Clinic;
-
we hosted a table at the AZ Fly Shop’s 2nd Annual Spring Fling;
- we hosted about two-dozen youth from the Scottsdale Boys and Girls Club for a Salt River Saturday
- we jointly hosted a table with AZ Fly Shop, and Arizona Flycasters Club with fly-casting teaching demonstrations at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo. The two-day event had thousands enjoying the many activities, and we frequently had long lines of people wanting to cast a fly line and win a prize.
Some of our upcoming activities include:
-
The 14th Annual Native and Wild Trout Conference, April 6, it’s not too late to register, but act quick as registration closes today, April 1.
-
R-C Pond and Christopher Creek area conservation projects various dates TBD mid-April early May – Look for our announcements we’ll send soon.
-
2023 Fish Camp three sessions: June 4 – 10, June 11 – 16; & June 18 – 23 Volunteers needed for a variety of duties. Have a teenage kid or grandkid you want to teach to fish, you can send them to camp by clicking here.
We encourage you to join us for these many activities. Click here and visit our webpage to see the various events we have scheduled. We’ll continue to update these events, so check back frequently.
Finally, we would like to thank all our volunteers and supporters for their continued dedication to Trout Unlimited and our mission. We could not do what we do without your support, and we are grateful for each and every one of you.
Arizona Council News:
We are sorry to report the Arizona Fly Fishing Film Festival is cancelled. The Film Festival committee is exploring additional options and may reschedule for later this year. No date is set.
Watch for upcoming conservation, youth opportunities, and community outreach announcements with the specific times, dates and contact info later in the newsletter.
Until then,
Tight Lines.
Alan Davis
|
|
|
|
Partnering with Desert Fly Casters Club and Arizona Flycasters Club, we plan a series of Salt River Saturdays. Arizona Game and Fish Department has listed all Salt River Saturdays on their Arizona FishAZ Network.
Come out for coffee, conservation, camaraderie, and an opportunity to fish the Salt River. Oh, and of course we'll have donuts!
We'll hold these events more or less fortnightly beginning in November, and generally follow this schedule: Click Here for Schedule
Saturday, April 1st with AZGFD CANCELLED due to High water
Saturday, April 15th with AZGFD
|
|
Our very own Jim Walker has passed the torch of Trout Unlimited NLC leadership. Jim has been actively involved with Trout Unlimited for several decades starting his volunteerism in Pennsylvania and moving from a Zane Grey chapter into the national TU arena. As a high-level volunteer leader for TU, Jim has most recently served as the National Leadership Council Chair. In this position, Jim has increased communication between TU leadership, councils and chapters. He instituted policies and processes that monitor membership trends and worked with chapters and councils to engage and retain members and move them into leadership roles.
Additionally, Jim has served as a member of the Board of Trustees, travelled extensively to Capitol Hill to educate representatives about the responsibility to preserve cold, clean water. Jim has grown the Arizona Trout In The Classroom (AZTIC) program to expand into all corners of the state. AZTIC teaches hands-on conservation in the classroom by connecting students (of all ages) to their watersheds which ensures advocacy into the future. Jim is an architect of the informative Arizona Native and Wild Trout Conference which is celebrating it’s 14th gathering this month. Jim works tirelessly to reach all people with TU’s important message and meets them where they are to encourage understanding and love of nature.
All who know Jim know that his passion for conservation will continue. Jim is well known for mentoring leaders at all levels of TU. And because of this, it is strongly encouraged for you to think twice before you accept a lunch invitation from Jim!
Thank you, Jim Walker, for being a great leader, advocate and friend to so many at Trout Unlimited.
|
|
|
|
Another huge “thank you” goes to all of Trout Unlimited’s members, supporters and partners. TU’s Save Bristol Bay team wants to extend a sincere thanks to all who have been there over the years to get Bristol Bay Clean Water Act safeguards in place. Click here to see what you’ve accomplished.
|
|
March Meeting Summary
The AZTU-PPC meeting held in March 2023 reviewed the results of the planning session held at it's February 2023 meeting as well as discussions on legislative matters, Highline Trail Bridge status, Lee's Ferry small mouth bass concern, and rural ground water.
Legislative Update
The AZTU staff are actively working down at the State Capitol. We are monitoring a few bills of interest! More to come as this legislative session is off to a fast start. Secondly, AZTU partnered with the Arizona Wildlife Federation (AWF) and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) in this year's annual Camo at the Capital held on February 20th. Camo at the Capitol was a huge success which included fly casting, wild game tasting of many varieties, and meet and greets with our state's decision makers as well as some of our state's most passionate and hardworking conservationists. We showed our legislature that sportsmen and sportswomen stand united for our wildlife, our public lands, and our heritage of angling and hunting!
Here are a few important items.. in case you missed them..
Rural Groundwater Working Group
The Rural Groundwater Working Group is working on a strategy to get the Arizona Legislature to pass legislation to allow counties to manage their groundwater. AZTU is an active member of this group. We recognize that surface water and groundwater are inextricably connected. {Continue reading here}
SB1306 Proposes Local Groundwater Stewardship Areas
A milestone was reached on January 27th when SB1306 was proposed in the Senate by Sen. Sonny Borelli. The companion bill is expected to be proposed in the House by Rep Leo Biasiucci. {Continue reading here}
4FRI Stakeholder Group
4FRI, the Four Forests Restoration Initiative, has moved from the Planning Phase into the Implementation Phase! This is a major step forward, facilitated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act. {Continue reading here}
Upcoming Events
The April 2023 AZTU-PPC Meeting will be Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 7:00 PM. This meeting will have Jeffrey Lovich from the USGS to discuss the studies performed on wildlife and wildlife habitat as more green energy projects are developed and constructed.
|
|
The AZTU-Public Policy Committee (PPC) hosts a virtual meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Ron Stearns at PublicPolicyChair@az-tu.org .
|
|
Annual Native and Wild Trout Conference - April 6th |
|
We're back live for the 14th Annual Native and Wild Trout Conference on April 6th from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the AZGFD headquarters.
This year the conference returns to an in-person event after being presented virtually due to the COVID pandemic. The last in-person conference, in April 2019, gathered over 150 individuals from more than 50 agencies and organizations with many wide-ranging issues and presenters. Attendees will receive a free lunch.
We'll need volunteers to help with the event, plus an opportunity to hear the latest on native and wild trout restoration work in Arizona and New Mexico.
Don’t miss this highly informative networking event.
Details on registration (due by April 1st) and topics can be found at www.az-tu.org.
|
|
Some of our volunteer activities |
|
Please view a few pictures from our many activities last month.
More photos to come in future newsletters!
|
|
Click the picture for the video
|
|
Casting and fly tying instructors needed!
Join The Jamboree!
|
|
Saturday, April 29 is your opportunity to introduce Girl Scouts to the joys (and frustrations) of fly fishing. The Arizona Cactus-Pine Council of Girl Scouts will be hosting their Jamboree at Shadow Rim Camp in Payson from 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM. (Don’t worry! Lunch is provided for volunteers!)
Casting Clinic: We are looking for some casting instructors to help girls aged 9-17 learn the art of fly fishing. Casting will take place at the camp’s lake with a challenge for each girl to test her new skill in a very abbreviated version of the Danish Casting Games.
Fly Tying 101: Volunteers are needed to help Girl Scouts understand the art of fly tying and help them tie a woolly bugger of their very own. We will be explaining how various flies imitate various bugs/food that fish eat.
This is a great opportunity to instill a love of nature and impart some much needed outdoor education for these scouts. The Jamboree is designed to help Girl Scouts build outdoor confidence, self-betterment and learn new skills.
It’s great fun! But we need you to volunteer and make it BETTER! All supplies will be provided, you just have to show up.
Can’t volunteer for the entire day? There are opportunities to work half-day shifts.
|
|
REMEMBER:
Your Conservation License Plate Supports Our Programs
|
|
The Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) license plate fund is derived from the sale of wildlife conservation license plates and member organizations as well as non-member organizations are eligible to apply for those funds.
The Arizona TU Council and Chapters have received funds over the past eight years in support of the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences, Fish Camp, Trout in the Classroom programs and conservation projects.
The next time your registration comes up for renewal, choose the conservation license plate option at registration to show your support for conservation and our projects.
|
|
Arizona Game and Fish Department, Desert Fly Casters, Arizona Flycasters and Zane Grey Chapter are co-sponsoring Salt River Saturday Conservation and Fishing events.
There is one last date in April!
Don't Miss it!
|
|
|
Social Media:
Check out the Instagram page for
|
|
Looking for a Fishing Opportunity? |
|
Below is a list of fishing organizations in Arizona. Feel free to join, explore, visit their websites or attend a meeting to find out more information: |
|
 |
Arizona Flycasters Club
@ The Arizona American Italian Club
7509 N 12th St
Phoenix, AZ 85020
|
|
|
|
Fly-Fishing Social Event night - 2nd Tuesday of each month. Great speaker and awesome raffle. Donations support our Community outreach partners from Veterans to Youth activities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Desert Fly Casters Club
@ Chandler Elks Club
|
|
|
|
General meeting 2nd Wednesday of each month. Social Event 6-7 Meeting @ 7PM Great speakers; check website for details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AZFISHBOOK offers a variety of social activities. Listed below are some of the activities available.
Check out the AZFISHBOOK Groups at:
Looking for buddy to fish with?
Signup for AZFishBook Newsletter:
|
|
Join Trout Unlimited Today!
|
|
|
|
Committed to
Protecting, Connecting and Restoring Arizona's watersheds and fisheries.
|
|
Combined Calendar
AZ Trout Unlimited & Chapters, Arizona Flycasters Club and several other area fishing and conservation calendars
|
|
You may access our calendar here.
Zane Grey Trout Unlimited
|
|
|
|
|
Protect. Reconnect. Restore. Sustain. Conserving coldwater habitat in the desert southwest. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
