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Committed to
Protecting, Connecting and Restoring Arizona's watersheds and fisheries.
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“Trout are among those creatures who are one hell of a lot prettier than they need to be. They can get you to wondering about the hidden workings of reality.”
~
John Gierach
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Message From The President
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Welcome to the August 2020 newsletter, we’re writing you from Montana, which we find is a perfect way to enjoy Arizona summers. While we’ve socially and physically isolated ourselves from Arizona for a while, we return early this month.
July was a busy month for your chapter. We led the first ever Arizona youth fish camp, a joint venture with BSA Grand Canyon Council and Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited. The camp ran the week of Sunday July 5 through Saturday, July 11. The camp had eleven participants, and all gave great reviews and highlighted their enjoyment of the camp. More about the camp including a few photos later in the newsletter.
We announced the photo contest winners earlier this month, and the winning photos are below.
In the good News department, the House of Representatives just passed the Great American Outdoors Act that permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This important piece of legislation passed both houses with wide bi-partisan support. See Tom Osterday’s Public Policy Section comments regarding this important legislation and its impact in the. To learn more about why the Great American Outdoors Act is such a big deal, please click
here
.
In the bad news department however, on Thursday, July 23, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a critical document in the permit application review process for the proposed Pebble mine: the final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The FEIS shows more than 191 miles of streams and 4,614 acres of wetlands would be impacted if phase one of the proposed Pebble mine advances, with 185 miles and 3,841 acres permanently impacted. See more about this FEIS below, and how you can help us stop the Pebble Mine by clicking
here
.
Susan Geer shares some thought-provoking ideas about how we can be more inclusive in our meetings and outings.
Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation Fund, AZSFWC, the license plate fund has a great fundraiser for a brand-new 2020 Ford Raptor. AZTU Council as well and by extension the Zane Grey chapter has benefited from these funds. See the article below.
Coming this fall:
Your Zane Grey Chapter begins a series of occasional member appreciation, conservation, and pint nights through-out the valley. Our first event is September 24 at the
Bone Haus Brewing
in Fountain Hills. More information to follow; look for your invitation.
Carp Fishing Clinic, Saturday, October 3, 2020 at Kiwanis Park. We’re co-hosting a beginning carp fishing clinic with Desert Fly Casters Club. More details are in the newsletter.
Remember the easiest way to maintain social distancing is to go fishing. Simply swing your 9ft 5wt in the direction of the person crowding you and you’ve exceeded the six-foot minimum distance.
Here are some of the articles in this month's Newsletter.
- Photo Contest – Winners
- BSA Grand Canyon Council & AZTU Fish Camp 2020
- Public Policy – Report Great American Outdoors Act, 4FRI Request for Proposal
- Diversity and Inclusion – Try, Try Again!
- Women’s Activities To Check Out
- Arizona Game and Fish Department proposes changes to fishing regulations for 2021 and 2022
- AZSFWC 2020 Ford Raptor Raffle
- Alaska’s Pebble Mine EIS Approved – Help us Stop It!
- Other Angling organizations
- ZGTU and affiliates calendar
- Follow ZGTU on Social Media
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We’ve gone virtual!!!!
Please join us for our August board tele-conference meeting:
Thursday, August 6, 2020 7:00 - 8:45 PM
Meeting ID: 862 8257 4742
Password: ZGTU2020
Until then,
Tight Lines.
Alan Davis
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Thank you to everyone who helped make our first photo contest a huge success. Over 7,600 votes for 106 photo entries were tabulated and the results are in! The winning entries are below, but if you want to browse through all the entries click here:
2020 Photo Contest Entries
.
We are looking at ways on how to make next year's contest even better. We have ideas about including awards for People's Choice, Judges' Choice and maybe even a Best Photo Caption. If you have suggestions for the Photo Contest Team, we'd love to hear them. Email your ideas to:
ZGTU Photo Contest Team
-- because the photo contest is for
you
, our members!
A special shout out to ZGTU member Tom Goodwin who built the beautiful Hook & Hackle fly rods that are the first and second prizes. Tom is a long time rod builder and currently helps build rods for the St. Croix Rod Company. Thanks, Tom!
Now without further ado, take a look at the winners below!
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First Place: "That Ain't No Bull, Oh Yes It Is!"
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Submitted by:
Mitch Herre
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"Arizona Gold, Wild and Native Apache Trout"
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Submitted by:
Sheldon Clouse
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Submitted by:
Jim Strogen
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Submitted by:
Ranee Peterson
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Did you know? ...
Five Things Your Fishing License Does for Conservation While You Catch Fish
- Improve Fishing and Boating Access
- Enhance Water Quality
- Maintain Fish Habitat
- Teach and Recruit New Anglers
- Plan Long-Term Conservation
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2020 Fish Camp A Great Success!
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The First annual Fish Camp was a success in spite of Covid-19 obstacles requiring daily schedules changes, the closure of Tonto National Forest for fire danger, and limited volunteer availability. Nine Scouts and two scouters attended the camp earning the fishing and fly-fishing merit badges and a lifetime of memories.
Each scout received some sweet SWAG, including a sling pack loaded with a box of flies, nippers, forceps, leader and tippet. Additionally, each scout received a Trout Unlimited membership, an AZGFD annual Hunt-Fish Combo license, along with a hat, a shirt, and a unique Fish Camp patch. The patch design is pictured above.
Some of the highlights included keynote address by AZGFD Commissioner James Goughnour and Grand Canyon Council CEO Andy Price giving credibility to the Camp and setting the stage for the week-long program.
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But the Scouts didn’t sit around in class all-day listening to speeches; they learned fishing basics of equipment, knots and casting techniques, fly tying, fish anatomy, dissection and pathology, entomology, including using a seine to capture aquatic invertebrates, aquatic invasive, nuisance species, water and soil conservation, including ‘leave no trace’ philosophy, daily excursions to other mountain lakes and streams, an introduction and understanding of AZGFD rules and regulations for fishing and taking of aquatic species, How to properly catch, clean, and cook a fish.
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The group learned a lot from the “socially-distanced” hands-on instructions, which resulted in them catching enough fish for a fish fry on Thursday evening. They also cleaned their own fish, learned about fish anatomy and how to prepare and cook them for dinner.
The overwhelming response from all was they planned to tell others about the great time they had in Fish Camp.
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This camp would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, including:
- BSA Grand Canyon Council
- Arizona Game and Fish Department
- Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited
- The Kiwanis Club of Phoenix
- Old Pueblo Chapter Trout Unlimited
- Zane Grey Chapter Trout Unlimited
- BSA Certified Angling Instructor program
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Lastly, but certainly most importantly this program could not have happened without the seemingly tireless energy of Zane Grey members Doyle Gaines and Bill Laudenschlager, along with BSA Program Director Gabby Rich. We worked 15-hour days, with few complaints. Thanks also to Glen Knight who helped with our fly-tying contest and casting games.
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Special thanks to Jim Strogen from Payson Fly Casters and Gila Trout Chapter of TU who counseled us and helped prepare us with suggested places to fish and “bug” on the Rim, taught the youth knots, entomology, and some basics of fish handling and landing.
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Thanks also to our Grand Canyon Council partners, and in particular to Greg Harmon, Director of Program Services, who helped us understand how to run a scout camp, and CEO Andy Price, who in addition to giving opening remarks, helped with the beginning casting instruction, and the youth’s first day on the water.
We all enjoyed the great opportunity the camp gave us and the opportunity to help create the next generation of conservationists.
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US House Passes Historic Great American Outdoors Act
In our July newsletter, we announced that on June 17, the US Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act (S3422) on a strong bipartisan vote of 73-25. The update for the August newsletter is that on July 22, the bill (H.R. 1957) was passed by the House on a bipartisan vote of 310-107.
This is great news for anyone who cares about the outdoors of the US.
We are awaiting action by President Trump to sign this very important piece of legislation. We encourage you to reach-out to the President and express your support for this legislation.
Background:
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) provides full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900M annually. The LWCF, which is funded by oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, is one of the most successful and impactful programs in our country’s history. The program has completed a conservation, recreation, or access project in every single county in the country! The bill also provides $15M annually to increase public access for hunting, fishing, recreational shooting and other forms of outdoor recreation.
The GAOA also provides $9.5B over 5 years to address the crumbling infrastructure on America’s public lands and water. The National Park Service will receive $6.5B in funding, and an additional $3B will be provided to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service to repair and maintain public land infrastructure.
4FRI
The 4 Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) Request for Proposal (RFP) responses are currently being reviewed. Contracts are expected to be awarded in September. This effort to thin 1M acres of forests in Arizona is critical to the health of the watersheds and the streams that are at the heart of our mission: "To preserve, protect and restore fresh water fisheries and their watersheds in AZ."
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The AZTU PPC hosts a virtual meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Tom Osterday at
publicpolicychair@zanegreytu.org
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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION — Try, Try Again!
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We probably all know this old joke:
There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, kids. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the heck is water?”
The point is, sometimes the most obvious realities are the hardest to see.
While we are all striving to be more inclusive in our TU Chapters—and life in general—we need to understand that every one of us is human and we’re bound to make mistakes and might commit microaggressions without even knowing it. That doesn’t mean we're bad people, just that we need to be aware of our biases and their impact on others.
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An example of a microaggression might be when you see a person of color or a woman at a TU meeting and assume that they are not a seasoned fly fisher. It is subtle, however it speaks loud and clear to the other person. How would you feel, for example, if someone mentioned how expensive the sport of fly fishing is and suggest that maybe you should start with a spin rod?
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An example of a microaggression might be when you see a person of color or a woman at a TU meeting and assume that they are not a seasoned fly fisher. It is subtle, however it speaks loud and clear to the other person. How would you feel, for example, if someone mentioned how expensive the sport of fly fishing is and suggest that maybe you should start with a spin rod?
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Similarly, microaggression and insensitivity can be assuming all older white men are privileged, racists, homophobic,
xenophobes, and therefore not to be trusted.
We all need to commit to working on these biases in order to make our chapters and fishing outings more welcoming to all.
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Free Carp Fishing Instruction!
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Come Join Us For A Fall Carp On-The-Fly Fishing Clinic
October 3 At Kiwanis Park
What:
Carp Fly Fishing Instruction
When:
Saturday, October 3, 2020
7AM-Canal fishers, 8AM-Lake fishers until 11AM
Where:
Kiwanis Park, Tempe
Age:
14+
Cost:
FREE OF CHARGE
Enrollment:
Limited to 25
Equipment:
Fly fishing equipment will be provided.
What to Bring:
See list below
The event will start with short instruction and optional practice casting “games” and then break off into small groups with an instructor to fish either canals or lake
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Participants should bring:
- Fishing license -- Buy your license here: www.azgfd.com/license
- Walking shoes
- Water
- Eye protection (polarized sunglasses or safety glasses)
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- If you want to use your own equipment, bring a 9 ft, 5 or 6 wt. fly rod, with 9’ 4X leader and 4X fluorocarbon tippet, and flies (Prince nymphs, clown eggs, leaches and a stimulator fly), lanyard with fishing accoutrements
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Women's Activities To Check Out
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Women's Virtual Book Club:
Title: TBD
Next conversation: Thursday, September 17, 6 PM
Join us whether you've read the book or not!
Call In: 712-432-0220
(Access code: 4632017)
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Social media: Sara Westfall has started an Instagram page for Arizona Women of Trout Unlimited. Check it out: azwotu. If you're more traditional, try signing up for the private Facebook group:
Arizona Women of Trout Unlimited
.
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Back by popular demand:
Women’s Retreat to Lees Ferry.
-- Only 5 Spots Left! --
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September 11-13, 2020 (Friday through Sunday)
$395 per person
Limit: 10 (women only)
Includes two nights stay (double occupancy) at Cliff Dwellers Lodge and one day guided fishing (two per guide)
Transportation to Lees Ferry, food, tipping and park fee are on your own.
We will be organizing a happy hour and dinner together for fishing as the event gets closer. Also, please note that there is a fee to get in/park at the Glen Canyon Recreation Area: If anyone has a National Park Pass or Senior Park Pass BRING IT and maybe we can carpool and not have to pay that.
• RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY!
Mail your check for $395 made out to Zane Grey TU to:
Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited
ATTN: TREASURER
5121 E Nisbet Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85254-2252
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Trump administration says Alaska gold mine won't seriously harm environment
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Help stop the Pebble Mine
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Zane Grey Chapter has been following and supporting the efforts of Trout Unlimited Alaska in the fight to stop the proposed Pebble mine from devastating a world class fishery and powerhouse American economy in Bristol Bay.
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On Thursday, July 23rd, another critical milestone in the permitting process for the mine was reached- the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was released.
Take action now for Bristol
Bay
.
From TU Alaska’s analysis, the FEIS has failed to adequately consider how the proposed copper and gold mine would impact 14,000 American jobs, $1.5 billion economy and a world- class fishing paradise in southwestern Alaska. Now, Pebble could get their most important federal permit in as little as 30 days, giving us a small window to tell our elected officials that Bristol Bay is the wrong place for the Pebble mine.
Take action for Bristol Bay
today
.
At the end of the day, the most important thing we can do is protect places like Bristol Bay- streams that run red with salmon, support fishing families, and put food on the table for millions of people across the globe. Please take action today.
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The Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited and Zane Grey chapters have been members of the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) for many years and have been the recipient of many grants from their Conservation License Plate Fund.
The AZSFWC is conducting a raffle for a 2020 Ford Raptor vehicle. Raffle tickets are $20 each, or 6 for $100, with the drawing at the end of December 2020.
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AZGFD proposes changes to fishing regulations for 2021 and 2022
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is proposing amendments to Commission Order 40 (sport fishing bag and possession Limits, special regulations, and specific closures) for calendar years 2021 and 2022. The public is invited to review and comment on the proposed changes.
AZGFD will host a Facebook Live presentation on Aug. 6 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the proposed changes.
Comments or suggestions can be submitted until 5 p.m., Aug. 28, either by:
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Attn: Fisheries Branch, c/o Andy Clark
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086
The amendments are scheduled to be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission at its Sept. 25-26 meeting.
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Now that summer has arrived; there are many fishing opportunities; don't miss signing up for the Trout Challenges in Arizona and in the West.
Arizona's Trout Challenge
was developed to encourage anglers to learn more about fishing opportunities in the state. AZGFD manages many waters statewide to provide anglers the opportunity to catch several different species of trout, including two found only in the Southwest - the Gila Trout and Apache Trout.
There are two ways for anglers to complete the Challenge: Catch four species of wild trout in Arizona and catch at least six of the eight total species in Arizona.
The Western Native Trout Challenge invites anglers to help celebrate our western legacy by catching native trout and char in each of the 12 participating western states, at their own pace. By attempting to catch 18 species throughout 12 states (at the master angler level) participants can enjoy the adventure of a lifetime!
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Looking for a Fishing Opportunity?
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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:
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Arizona Flycasters Club
Sunnyslope Community Center | 802 E. Vogel Ave. Phoenix, AZ
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Fly-Fishing Social Event night - 2nd Thursday of each month. Great speaker and awesome raffle. Donations support our Community outreach partners from Veterans to Youth activities.
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Desert Fly Casters
Check website for details.
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General meeting 2nd Wednesday of each month. There may be some exceptions so check website for details.
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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:
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Join Trout Unlimited Today!
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REMEMBER:
Your Conservation License Plate Supports TU Programs
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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 seven years in support of the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences and the Trout-In-the-Classroom programs.
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.
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Combined Calendar
AZ Trout Unlimited & Chapters, Arizona Flycasters Club and several other area fishing and conservation calendars
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You may access our calendar
here
.
Zane Grey Trout Unlimited
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Protect. Reconnect. Restore. Sustain. Conserving coldwater habitat in the desert southwest.
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