Speak Out for National Monuments

By Corey Fisher Senior Policy Director for Trout Unlimited Caddis fly blizzards on the Arkansas River in Browns Canyon National Monument. Strongholds of native redband trout in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Fishing with the ghost of Henry David Thoreau in the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

These are just a few of the reasons Trout Unlimited supports the Antiquities Act and the ability for presidents to use the act to designate national monuments. As national monuments, each of the places will be kept just the way they are today and provide world-class coldwater habitat and fishing opportunities for future generations – or so we hope.

Take action to stand up for our National Monuments!

On Wednesday, President Trump issued an executive order, Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act, calling for a review of national monument designations over 100,000 acres since 1996 (or at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior) and instructing the Secretary to provide “recommendations for such Presidential actions, legislative proposals, or other actions” if determined that a monument should be rescinded or resized.

This unprecedented action could have far-reaching implications for America’s public lands and hunters and anglers. Trout Unlimited cautions that the order could lead to the weakening of national monument protections and the Antiquities Act, a law championed by Theodore Roosevelt and used by sixteen Presidents – eight Republican and eight Democratic – to protect some of America’s most iconic landscapes.

This review starts us down a path that could jeopardize protected public lands that help to sustain our outdoor traditions, such as Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. In these places, locally driven conservation efforts need to be preserved and celebrated, not questioned.

The Antiquities Act has historically been a bipartisan tool for conserving public lands that are part of our natural heritage and important for America’s sportsmen and women. After signing the act into law, President Theodore Roosevelt designated over 1.5 million acres of public land as national monuments, both large and small.  Since then, the act has been used to enable long-term conservation of some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities in the country.

When Congress has been unwilling or unable to enact widely supported conservation initiatives, the Antiquities Act has provided a path forward to see these efforts through to fruition. The Antiquities Act is a powerful tool for conservation. Like any tool, it must be used appropriately, but it is important to keep this tool available for those times and places it is needed.

For this reason, hunting and fishing groups have been calling on elected officials to uphold the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt and set an example for how the Act can be used responsibly, rather than attacking national monuments and the Antiquities Act. These efforts have included a letter from the CEOs of five national sporting groups expressing opposition to any executive action to overturn a national monument.

An angler looks to hook up with a trout while fishing Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Joshua Duplechian/Trout Unlimited

It remains to be seen what final actions will stem from the review mandated by President Trump’s executive order, but one thing is clear: we must remain vigilant to ensure that some of America’s most cherished landscapes remain protected as national monuments.

Read more about national monuments and the Antiquities Act.

Take action today – tell Congress don’t mess with the monuments!

Own a business? Sign the outdoor business letter to Congress.

Read a press release from Trout Unlimited and partners in response to the Executive Order.

Corey Fisher is the Senior Policy Director for Trout Unlimited. He can be reached at CFisher@tu.org

Rendezvous 2017 Recap

This past weekend, over 100 chapter leaders, volunteers, Trout Unlimited staff, and partners joined Colorado TU in Keystone for the annual Rendezvous spring meeting. This year the theme was Homewaters where participants learned more about specific issues that are affecting not only their homewaters, but the homewaters of all Colorado chapters. These issues included mining projects, protecting public lands, creating healthy urban watersheds, connecting local communities to their homewaters, partnering with agriculture, and learning about water laws in Colorado. Participants in the weekend heard from National TU staff, chapter leaders, professionals in the related fields, and locals from various watersheds throughout the state. Each session focused on various aspects of each issue affecting watersheds all over. The presentations from various sessions can be found on the Rendezvous page!

Included in the presentations from National TU Staff was the keynote speaker at the Saturday Night Banquet, TU President and CEO, Chris Wood. Wood spoke about the future of TU in the midst of an uncertain political climate. Wood reassured everyone that TU will continue to not only defend our prized fisheries and public lands but go on the offense and fight for protections of areas. We will also make sure we are working for our trout and salmon as opposed to working party lines.

The banquet also included the presentation of chapter, volunteer leadership, and partner awards. The awards included:

• John Connolly Outstanding Chapter Communications Award:  West Denver Chapter
• Exemplary Youth Education Award:  Gunnison Angling Society
• Exemplary Project Award:  Dolores River Anglers
• Outstanding Volunteer Awards:  Mark Hanson, Dustin McCory, Tim Toohey
• Exemplary Chapter Award:  Five Rivers Chapter
• Distinguished Service Award:  Gil Hassinger
• Exemplary Guide & Outfitter Awards:  Telluride Outside, Trouts Fly Fishing
• Trout Conservation Award:  Paul Bruchez
• Bruce Hoagland Award for Leadership in Conservation:  Buck Skillen
• Silver Trout Foundation also recognized Rick Matsumoto and John Aaron with the Silver Trout Award.

The weekend started off with the a Cast N' Sip event where guests were treated to a "Seven Deadly Sins of Casting" presentation by Johnathan Walters. Afterwards everyone could apply their newfound knowledge and participate in casting games like tic-tac-toe. Beer was provided for the event by Upslope Brewing Company.

New to this year's Rendezvous was a poster session in which chapters from around the state made a poster highlighting their chapter and the work they've accomplished over the last year. Throughout the weekend, guests were able to walk around and read the posters to gain a better of understanding of what each chapter is doing on their homewaters.

Saturday morning, before the Homewaters sessions began, Colorado TU held it's spring board meeting. The council went over the current "State of CTU" and discussed other pressing topics including the Parks and Wildlife Financial Sustainability Bill.

Also at the board meeting, the Council awarded six Gomolchak mini-grants from CTU to help with a chapter project. The following chapters were awarded grants of $1,000 for their specific project.

• Cheyenne Mountain: Greenback youth education publication.
• Colorado River Headwaters: Fraser Flats project.
• Gore Range: Blue River Explorer hike.
• West Denver: Clear Creek Habitat Improvement Project.
• The Greenbacks: Rock Creek-Black Canyon greenback barrier design & construction.
• Denver Chapter:  South Platte Stream Management Plan.

At Rendezvous each year the election of CTU's Board of Directors takes place and this year the positions up for election were the President and Vice President. Former Vice President, Cam Chandler, was elected as President of the Board of Directors. While former Director-at-Large, Dick Jefferies, was elected Vice President of the Council.

TU hails Long Draw settlement and native trout benefits

Agreement includes largest native trout restoration in Colorado history

The U.S. Forest Service this week finalized a litigation settlement that will allow the Water Supply and Storage Company, a northern Colorado ditch company, to continue to use Long Draw Reservoir on the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests, and will launch a large-scale native trout restoration program for the Cache la Poudre river headwaters within the Forests, including the Neota and Comanche Peaks Wilderness Areas, as well as in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Completion of all project elements is expected to take more than 10 years, but when completed will provide for a connected “metapopulation” of trout across the watershed – the largest such restored native trout habitat in Colorado. The native trout restoration project will span more than 40 miles of connected river and multiple lakes, as well as Long Draw Reservoir itself. To protect the watershed from invasion by non-native species, fish barriers will be established on the Grand Ditch and on the mainstem Cache la Poudre below its confluence with La Poudre Pass Creek. Within the watershed, temporary barriers will also be installed to enable fishery biologists to complete restoration of native trout one section of the basin at a time.  After installing temporary barriers, biologists will remove non-native fish from the upstream areas. Once the areas are confirmed to be free of non-native trout, they will be re-stocked with native greenback cutthroat trout. Work will be done in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain National Park, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and Colorado Trout Unlimited.

Under the settlement, a trust will be established with $1.25 million from the Water Supply and Storage Company for purposes of funding these restoration activities. Colorado Trout Unlimited will serve as the Trustee, while the U.S. Forest Service will be the lead agency for project implementation.

David Nickum, executive director of Colorado Trout Unlimited, issued the following statement:

“The settlement finalized today is a great example of how open dialogue and a spirit of cooperation can yield conservation solutions. After years of litigation and debate, the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Water Supply and Storage Company, and Trout Unlimited have agreed to launch a collaborative restoration project for Colorado’s state fish, the greenback cutthroat trout, which will be the largest native trout restoration effort in Colorado history.

“Over the next decade, we will be restoring a true Colorado native to the Cache la Poudre headwaters in spectacular alpine wilderness within both Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. The watershed will be a stronghold for native trout, helping secure this piece of Colorado’s natural heritage for generations to come.

“We are pleased that settlement efforts enabled all the parties to find a solution for the area’s natural resources that meets federal stewardship responsibilities, respects the operating needs and challenges of long-standing water users, and achieves meaningful benefits for Colorado’s environment and the millions of residents of and visitors to our state who enjoy it.”

Keith Amen, president of the Water Supply and Storage Company said:

“We are pleased to have concluded the terms necessary for us to obtain a thirty year easement agreement for the continued operation of Long Draw Reservoir, a very valuable resource that contributes a great deal to the local, state and national economies.”

Support Sustainable Funding for Colorado's Fish and Wildlife

The Colorado General Assembly is taking up legislation – HB 17-1321 – to authorize the Parks and Wildlife Commission to have the power to set its own fee rates, up to a specified cap, instead of the Colorado Legislature setting all fees. This action would enable them to increase fishing and hunting license fees in order to provide needed funds to maintain fish and wildlife management and to meet growing demands for habitat conservation and for hunting and fishing access. While the bill provides a needed financial boost to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), it does include limitations on using these funds for fee title land and water purchases – limiting an important tool in CPW’s tool box for protecting habitat, improving stream flows, and securing access. You can help by contacting your state Representative – today – and letting them know that you support increasing CPW funding, and that you believe CPW should retain authority to purchase land and water to benefit fish and wildlife.  The most effective way to make your voice heard it to call your Representative directly – using your address, you can look up your Representative and their contact information here.  Or you can quickly comment using our email template by clicking here. 

Colorado TU’s Board of Directors has voted to support HB 1321.  Since 2009, CPW has cut or defunded fifty staff positions and sliced $40 million from the wildlife budget. Without new revenue, more painful cuts are inevitable.This bill gives the Parks and Wildlife Commission authority to set fees, within a cap set at a 50% increase from current levels.  Importantly, it allows future license fees to be adjusted gradually over time to keep up with inflation rather than needing the legislature to approve larger increases every few years. The bill would also allow out-of-state fishing license fees for Colorado to be increased to bring Colorado’s pricing in line with peer states like Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. A senior fishing license (not more than half the regular price) would also be re-instituted.  The bill also would add a new sticker and fee program for boats, to help finance inspections for aquatic nuisance species.  You can read more about the bill here.

While the bill provides much-needed financial support for CPW, it also includes language limiting the agency’s purchase of fee title land and water. While such permanent purchases of land and water are not frequent, they are important – for example for expanding or establishing new state parks, obtaining water rights to benefit fisheries, or protecting key wildlife habitat if a landowner wishes to sell their property rather than putting under conservation easement.

Please tell your Representative to support HB 1321’s enhanced funding for CPW, and also to support CPW’s ability to use purchase land and water to benefit fish, wildlife and recreation in Colorado.

Behind the Fin: Jason Groves

How long have you been a TU member? I joined Trout Unlimited five years ago while attending law school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Why did you become a member and what chapter are you involved with?

I first joined TU in order to learn. I wanted to learn how to be a better fly fisher. I also wanted to learn more about the local fisheries and waters that sustain them. Having moved to two different states prior to settling my family in Basalt, Colorado in 2013, becoming a member of TU taught me about the pursuit of trout and the local streams in each state more than I ever could have expected. Through TU, I’ve connected with and befriended many veteran anglers that know the craft and know the issues and challenges facing our watersheds as intimately as anyone.

I’m a member of the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter (FHTU) in the Roaring Fork Valley. I serve as the president of the chapter.

What made you want to become involved with TU? I think Aldo Leopold put it best when he stated, “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” I’m one of those who cannot live with out them.

What is your favorite activity or project that you have done with TU?

I’m proud of a number of things that FHTU accomplished this past year. From supporting our friends and neighbors’ efforts to secure protections for the Thompson Divide area, to funding and supporting the Ware-Hinds fish passage project, which will provide a critical bypass around an irrigation diversion dam on an important tributary of the Colorado River, to our regular partnerships with other local organizations on river cleanups, and a host of other activities. We even managed to squeeze in a chapter excursion up to Trappers Lake.

Looking ahead, there’s a lot of important work yet to be done.

I know you won’t tell me your top spot, so what is your second favorite fishing spot or favorite fishing story?

Lately, given the short days and a demanding work schedule, it’s been teaching my 2 year-old son, Henry to roll cast in the house with his toy training rod. His favorite thing to say after casting is, “It’s a whopper!”

To your first question: there’s so much water to explore in this valley. (How’s that for a lawyer answer?) Just when you think you have a handle on it, the weather or the season changes. As much as I enjoy skiing, I also personally love winter fishing on the middle Roaring Fork and the Frying Pan near Basalt. There are no lift lines and usually no one in your favorite hole! In the summer months, I have a similar mantra and usually keep to the smaller tributaries of the Roaring Fork outside of Aspen. It’s hard to beat a good weekend hike with family and small streams in high country. From my perspective, the wilder the place, the better.

What does being a part of TU mean to you?

Being a part of TU means that you’re passionate not only about the incredible trout fishing opportunities that our state has to offer, but also about the decisions and issues that impact the long-term health of the rivers and streams on which we all depend. As a conservation organization, TU does a terrific job by engaging and partnering with the stakeholders across the spectrum on a given issue or project and by finding common ground.

What else do you do in your spare time or for work?

I’m a water attorney, licensed in Colorado and Montana and practice exclusively in the areas of water rights law, water resources, and water quality. When I have spare time and I’m not hunting or fishing, I’m an avid trail and ultra-marathon runner.

Headwaters Chapter on Fraser Flats

On March 11, Colorado Headwaters Chapter President, Kirk Klancke, and chapter board member, Anna Drexler-Dreis, joined Good Morning Grand County to talk about water. Klancke was joined by Grand County Water and Sanitation District Manager, Bruce Hutchins, Klancke and Hutchins talk about the issues facing the water supply in Grand County and how the Learning by Doing initiative will help protect stream flows and temperatures of the Fraser River.

Klancke also speaks about the Fraser Flats River Enhancement project. Part of this project will include revegetation along the Fraser as well as stream channeling. Stream channeling will create a smaller river bed within the natural river bed to keep water consolidated during the low flow periods. This will keep the water moving faster, colder, and provide holding areas for trout.

Part of the project will also include a half mile of the river being open to the public for fishing. "We can improve the stream sections of the Fraser and its tributaries to the point where it will be healthier now than it was when I started fishing there 46 years ago," said Klancke.

Drexler-Dreis talked more about the Fraser Flats project, the first Learning by Doing project since its inception. The first step in the Fraser Flats project will entail planting willows along the Fraser River for just under a mile in an area that was heavily overgrazed. With willows in place, the river will experience more stable conditions and improve the stream banks to provide more trout habitat. Volunteers will help with the harvesting and planting of these willows.

The segments below were from the Good Morning Grand County episode on March 11, 2017. If you wish to view the whole episode, you can check out their YouTube channel!

CPW Needs Help from Anglers

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Press Release DURANGO, Colo. – Interested in catching a 20-inch rainbow trout? Thought so.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking for help from anglers to learn about the “catchability” of different strains of rainbow trout that are stocked in reservoirs.  Aquatic biologists have stocked Pastorius Reservoir with 800 of a new strain of rainbow trout as part of a special project. To increase angler interest and participation in the project, CPW is also stocking 100 rainbow trout “broodstock” which are in the 16-20”-plus  inch range.

To determine how the fish respond to bait, lures and flies, CPW has “marked” the 800 fish by clipping the small adipose fin that is located on the backs of the fish. Starting March 29 anglers at Pastorius are being asked to record the number of fish they catch that are marked (no adipose fin) and unmarked (adipose fin present) and to answer a five-question on-line survey.  The survey is expected to run about two weeks.  Clipping the fin causes no harm to the fish.

CPW has posted signs at the reservoir with a QR code and web link anglers can use to access the survey with their smart phones as soon as they get done fishing for the day.  Anglers are asked to record their catch, including fish they released, after each day of fishing. Those fishing can take the survey more than once.  The survey should only take a couple of minutes to complete.  A CPW volunteer will also be at the reservoir to answer questions.

“We rely on anglers to help us manage fisheries,” said Jim White, CPW’s aquatic biologist in Durango. “This information will be valuable for our hatchery and stocking programs. Plus, we’re giving folks a chance to land some big fish.”

The cell phone service at Pastorious Reservoir is good, so anglers with cell phones can record information on the spot. The survey can also be completed at home. No personal information will be collected through the survey.

The daily bag limit at Pastorius Reservoir is four trout, and the possession limit is eight fish. The reservoir is locate south of Durango on La Plata County Road 304

Anglers are reminded that they need a new fishing license for the year starting April 1.

Keep Grass Green while Conserving Water

Who doesn't love standing barefoot on cool, green grass during the summer? Sure, standing in a river wetting a line is by far the way to spend your days, but many people enjoy the look and feel of a healthy lawn- especially after a summer's day on the water. Xeriscaping is an awesome trend to conserve water while keeping your home's landscape appealing. But it's a common misconception that having green grass and being an effective steward of our water supply don't go hand in hand. Of course using little or no water on landscapes is the best way, but there are ways to keep your grass green while keeping our rivers and trout healthy.

• Rely on the Mother Nature: Sure, this one is obvious but it should go with saying that grass is more resilient than one may think. Grass lawns can tolerate up to two months in hot, dry conditions and still come back when there is water available. Kentucky bluegrass, a common grass along the Front Range, is very drought resilient. "During hot, dry spells, you can let your lawn naturally turn brown and go dormant... Grass will bounce back when rainfall and cooler temperatures return," according to Scotts.
• Use a rain barrel: Staring last year, it is now legal to use a rain barrel to collect up to 110 gallons of water in Colorado. According to Conservation Colorado, using rain barrels could conserve up to 1,200 gallons of water each year per household. A study by the state of Colorado found that in just Douglas County alone, 97 percent of rain water was lost to evaporation and vegetation. Using these barrels, the rain will be collected in a covered unit to reduce the amount of evaporation. The water collected can be used to water the grass or other vegetation without having to turn on the sprinklers or hose.
• Recycle water: Use the waste water from daily household usage like showering or washing dishes for use on your lawn. Collect the waste water by plugging the drain to then scoop the water with a bucket and water trees, shrubs, or portions of the grass that need more attention- most likely the portions in direct and intense heat. (Bonus Tip: Planting water efficient or native trees can help keep grass shaded and covered from the heat).
• Mow Smart: When cutting the grass, keep the lawn blade sharp and the setting high. With a taller height- 3 to 4 inches is the recommended setting- the grass will keep the soil shaded and protected from the sun and increase the ability to retain moisture. Instead of throwing away the clippings, spread them around the lawn. If the grass is cut high and the clippings are small, they will break down quicker and return nutrients to the soil as well as offer more shade for the soil. TrueGreen says, "Don't throw away those clippings when you mow. Be sure to spread them around your lawn to give it an extra source of organic nutrients. Mulch also has the same effect of helping the area retain moisture."
• Water at the right time: Running the sprinklers or watering the grass in the morning or at night is ideal as less water is lost due to evaporation from the heat. It is also not necessary to water every day. About one inch of water every week is needed for healthy grass. Switching to water efficient sprinklers and using a timer is a great way to ensure you are not over watering.

Overlap Season

By: Jack Bombardier, Confluence Casting In many mountain towns, there is said to be a fifth season, in addition to the usual four, called Mud Season. That’s true in much of Colorado, but the Centennial State can also claim to have a sixth season, one I like to call Overlap Season.  This occurs when you can fish, ski or golf within the same period of time.  Overlap Season usually begins sometime in March, or can be as late as April, but this year it began in February.  The snow is still deep, the fish are biting, and the fairways are greening up.  Although I’m not a golfer, I do try to make the most of the skiing and fishing opportunities that I can. It’s an awesome time of year to live in Colorado, and makes me glad that thirty-one years ago to this very month, I made it my home.

The Lower Upper Colorado River looks just gorgeous right now, low and clear and as olive as Al Pacino’s cheeks.  Water temps are up to fifty degrees, and from what I’ve seen “fifty” is the magic number in the springtime.  Fifty makes trout very, very happy.

But then your gaze rises above the water’s liquid allure, and up towards the mountains, where the pristine white blaze of perfect, pristine show shines like chrome.  That snow beckons surely as does the river, but there’s the knowledge that the window to enjoy those perfect slopes is closing fast.  To try and fool a fish?, or go carve through some aspen trees at Beaver Creek?  Hope to hold a crimson striped, spawning rainbow trout I I your hand, or hop off a cornice at A-Basin and carve a turn into some wind-deposited powder?  So many choices, and so short an Overlap Season to take advantage of!

How long the river will stay as perfect as it is now, on March 15^{th 2017}, is difficult to say.   With the deep snowpack we have, one would expect the water managers to start releasing water fairly soon to make room for the Big Melt.  But it’s been a weird winter, one which has flipped the pattern of the past few years.  For the past several winters now, we’ve had a lot of snow early in the season, and a lot in the spring, with the middle stretch of January and early February being dry and cold, without much snow.  This season, it was awful early, with Vail and Beaver Creek opening late and the World Cup races at the Beav being cancelled due to lack of snow (and overnight temperatures to warm to make it). But then the snow finally came, and by the end of February we were looking at snowpack numbers we haven’t had since the epic year of 2011.

Now it’s the middle of the March, and not only has the snow pipeline shut off, but the short-term prognosis is for more warm, dry weather. What that means for fishing is that as long as the water in the reservoirs stays up there, the fishing should be great!  This might be the best spring fishing since we had in the drought year of 2012, with one big difference. 2012 was a drought year and though it fished great back then, the Lower Upper was dominated by brown trout.  Low water conditions that fall led to the release of 30,000 catchable-size rainbows into the river, and those rainbows and their offspring are going to be spawning this year. This spring the river has fished well, and should get even better once the bugs start moving.  So if you want to make the most of Colorado’s Sixth Season, get up here soon and make sure you pack your skis and fishing gear.  You can even put a golf bag in the back if you still have room! So please give me a reason to leave my old Volant Chubbs in the back of the Saab, and come fishing!

Buy your Colorado 2017 fishing license now

From Colorado Parks and Wildlife Coloradans can purchase a 2017 fishing license starting March 15 through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. An annual license is good starting April 1, 2017 through March 30, 2018. CPW provides a range of options for anglers from the annual fishing license to the one-day fishing license as well as educational opportunities for those new to angling.

“Colorado provides outstanding fishing across the state for an amazing diversity of species ranging from cutthroat trout and kokanee to walleye and bluegill,” said Doug Krieger, CPW’s aquatic section manager. “I encourage experienced anglers to introduce a friend or family member to fishing this season. Fishing is a great activity to share with someone else and a great chance to get outside and enjoy Colorado’s natural resources.”

CPW stocks 90 million fish annually into waters throughout Colorado in order to ensure good angling opportunities. CPW does not receive general tax dollars and fishing license fees support all statewide hatchery and fish-stocking operations.

Buy a license online at CPW’s secure license application portal or by phone at 1-800-244-5613.

For individuals aged 18 through 64, a $10 Habitat Stamp is required with the first license purchase for the year. For more information, read about the Habitat Stamp.

Youth under age 16 can fish for free and CPW provides opportunities throughout the season to learn how to fish. Check the calendar on the CPW website for upcoming clinics.

Don’t forget to buy a state park pass when you buy your license. Colorado state parks offer 37 places to fish, 365 days of the year.

Get tips and stay up to date on Colorado fishing regulations by reading the 2017 Colorado Fishing Brochure. CPW also sends customers that sign up through the secure license application portal emails providing updated fishing conditions, tips, news and upcoming events as well as regulation updates.