Carp Slam - Presented by Denver Trout Unlimited

Carp Slam XVII is Saturday, September 16th, 2023

Denver Trout Unlimited’s Carp Slam fly fishing tournament helps restore the health and habitat of Denver South Platte River and supports its environmental education programs like Trout-in-the-Classroom and Meet-the-River team building events. It also helps fund its continued fight for pollution protections on the Denver South Platte.

It’s a fly fishing tournament where the finest professional and amateur anglers in the region (and beyond) match wits with the wily and elusive common carp. Carp are one of the most difficult freshwater fish to pursue on fly – meanwhile, the urban South Platte River running through downtown Denver is one of the finest carp fisheries in North America.

The purpose of the tournament is to raise money for the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Urban South Platte River below Chatfield Reservoir and through Denver.

Brand new Golden Ghost Lager is coming August 12th from River North Brewery Join DTU for a Denver South Platte River Cleanup event at 11:30am and we’ll head to RiverNorth afterwards to enjoy a cold brew and lunch from Moya’s tacos. $1 of every pint sold benefits the DSP!

Troutfest Colorado 2023 Recap

3,000 attend Troutfest Colorado at Coors Field

2nd annual celebration of conservation, education, and fly fishing a major hit in Denver

Normally, we see conservation expos and fly fishing trade shows stuffed inside convention centers or large resort hotels. Exhibitors in confined boxes, bumping elbows with each other while attendees work through isles weaving their way from exhibitor to exhibitor. This isn’t a bad design by any means, as their targeted audience will go where the event is, but how do you get people to a conservation and fly fishing event if they know nothing about the topics? One idea is to offer it for free and have it at a major attraction in a large city with plenty of free parking and nearby public transit.

On Saturday, July 8th, 2023, Colorado Trout Unlimited held its annual Troutfest Colorado at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. Approximately 3,000 people entered the ballpark throughout the day to roam the mezzanine level of the stadium and visit over 50 exhibitors, watch films on the giant scoreboard, receive casting instruction, view professional fly tyers, and interact with numerous youth activities. The venue attracted not only TU members and anglers, but also many families and people who simply saw a free event at Coors Field and wanted to learn more about Colorado Trout Unlimited.

By utilizing the Coors Field scoreboard and having a large 30-foot exhibit, the TU message was loud and clear. Conservation films and presentations throughout the day shared what TU does in Colorado and why it’s important to conserve and protect our water. The scoreboard showed TU films such as “Decades: 50 Years of Colorado Trout Unlimited”, “Romeo November”, and “Querencia: A Love of Place”. Half of the exhibitors were non-profits, sharing what they do with all attendees that passed. The other half of exhibitors included manufacturers and retailers. Troutfest Colorado even included a barber cutting hair and a local tattoo artist.

Fourteen fly tying professionals set up shop at another exhibit to show the public their craft. With an open and inviting layout, attendees mingled with tyers as they tied flies throughout the day.

A large focus of Troutfest Colorado is on youth and interactive exhibits. CTU’s ‘Kids Corral’ was a large space dedicated to TU programs such as a Macroinvertebrates Station, Build a Bug Station, Learn How to Handle Fish Station, and more. Kids and adults even got to handle live macroinvertebrates, see them under a microscope and tie a fly to “Match the Hatch”. In addition, there were interactive water tables where attendees could build streams and see how they interacted with the land around them.

The event also has three casting areas; one for instruction and presentations, one for youth, and the other to demo fly rod company products.

Other special events and attractions at Troutfest Colorado included a special message from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a donation presentation from Ross Reels to Colorado Trout Unlimited based on its Native Series Reel Program, and a showing of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival on the Coors Field scoreboard that evening.

“In its second year, we really wanted to make Troutfest Colorado an engagement event.”, said David Nickum, Colorado Trout Unlimited Executive Director. “We focused on outside-the-box advertising, including radio and targeted digital ads. We feel successful that many attendees didn’t know what Trout Unlimited was and that our message was clear. We hope these people reach out to their local chapters and get involved in protecting Colorado’s rivers.”

Planning for Troutfest Colorado 2024 will begin this fall, visit coloradotu.org/troutfest for more information

Troutfest at Coors Field

With over 400 people in attendance, Troutfest at Coors Field in Denver on July 18th was a success. CTU would like to thank the volunteers, vendors, and attendees that made the initial event more than we could have hoped for. Stay tuned for updates on the planning for our next Troutfest. In the meantime, please enjoy some photographs.

Photos courtesy of Evan Cresap

Volunteer opportunities at a river near you!

We have some exciting opportunities that will get you outside and at the rivers! Check out this list of opportunities and click to sign up. With your help, we can get our rivers cleaner, healthier, and ready for restoration projects. Thank you and please share with friends and family!

Latino Conservation Week

July 17 kicked off #LatinoConservationWeek, a time where communities will be celebrating and rejoicing in the connections they have with this nation’s diverse landscapes. Organizations across the country will be amplifying and participating in some of the events taking place to support conservation efforts in Latinx communities. Please check them out here:

• Defenders of Wildlife

• HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors)

• Wilderness Workshop

• Defiende Nuestra Tierra

• NA Latino Outdoors

• Protégete

• The Wilderness Society

• GreenLatinos

• Hispanic Access Foundation

• Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF). Latino Conservation Week was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources. Read More

In-person and virtual events will take place from July 17 - 25, 2021. To find an event, go to LatinoConservationWeek.com

Calling all emerging Latina/o photographers! The second annual #LatinoConservationWeek Photo Contest begins on July 17 & ends on July 25! Find guidelines, important dates, & more at LatinoOutdoors.org/photo-contest  #LCW2021

September Currents

This month’s newsletter features these stories:

• Public Lands Month and activities to do

• STREAM Girls goes virtual

• TU in Colorado’s FY20 year in Review Report

• Digital Rendezvous Sign up

• Fishing Your Home Waters with John Davenport, from Denver Trout Unlimited

• Former opponents now partners working to restore the upper Colorado River

• Ken's Crazy Ant

• Take Action: Ensure Responsible Energy Development with safeguards for wildlife, fish and their habitat

and more!

The Two Forks Legacy: Video

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Environmental Policy Act, and to provide a historical lens on several high-profile water projects currently underway, Water Education Colorado together with Colorado Trout Unlimited and the One World One Water Center of MSU Denver came together last year for a half-day educational event. The event told the story of the EPA’s 1990 veto of one of the largest water projects in Colorado history, and how the Denver metro area has moved forward in the aftermath of the project’s demise. You can watch the entire event below.

Recently, Connecting the Drops produced in partnership between Water Education Colorado and Rocky Mountain Community Radio stations put out a recap of that story on their page which you can listen to and read more about here.

May Currents: Public Lands Photo Contest & TU Teens Live

Celebrate Locally

Public Lands Day May 16, 2020

As Coloradans we are blessed with a tremendous wealth of Public Lands – more than 23 million acres worth, or more than the entirety of 13 other U.S. States.  From State and National Parks to BLM lands, wildlife refuges to National Forests, our public lands provide a place for us to recreate, a driver for local economies around the state, and a means for Coloradans to connect with nature and recharge our minds, bodies, and spirits. In these challenging times, the importance of these treasured lands is as apparent as ever as thousands of us flock to our public lands to enjoy Colorado’s great outdoors in beautiful settings where we can maintain safe social distancing.

To highlight the importance of our public lands, Colorado celebrates Public Lands Day each year on the 3rd Saturday of May. With Public Lands Day 2020 just around the corner, here are a few ways you can celebrate:

• Opt outside and visit public lands near your community. Under Colorado’s safer-at-home guidelines, outdoor recreation like fishing and hiking on public lands close to your community offers a great way to celebrate. Don’t forget to share your photos on social media! #COPublicLandsDay

• Ask Congress to support our Public Lands.  Senators Bennet and Gardner both are sponsoring the Great American Outdoors Act, which would permanently fund the highly successful Land and Water Conservation Fund to invest in outdoor recreation and public lands as well as providing funds to address much-needed maintenance projects for public land facilities. Click here to ask your legislator to support the Great American Outdoors Act!

• Take part in online seminars and sessions celebrating public lands this week.  From a panel on the history of public lands (tonight) to a workshop on how to participate in volunteer monitoring of recreation impacts on public lands, there are a variety of virtual events in which you can participate.  Check out the calendar.

• Add something on public lands into your streaming.  For example, Amazon Prime currently offers Ken Burns’ outstanding documentary series The National Parks – America’s Best Idea. For kids K-12 a beautifully illustrated book, National Parks of the USA, by Kate Siber, can be found here.

• Share your favorite fishing or outdoor photo taken on Colorado's public lands and tag us, @colorado_trout_unlimited and use #COPublicLandsDay on Instagram for a chance to win a 4 piece Hardy fly rod by May 26, 2020. See details below.

However you may celebrate, all of us at Colorado TU wish you and yours a safe and enjoyable Colorado Public Lands Day!

Win a float trip through the Gunnison Gorge for two!

Would you like to win a two-day float on gold medal waters? One person will win a trip for two down the Gunnison Gorge with Black Canyon Anglers. The trip includes lodging and dinner the night prior to the launch. On the float all meals are taken care of, if rental equipment is needed, it will be provided. The trip will be valid until October 2019. Click the link below to learn more and purchase tickets.

1 entry is $10 and 3 entries is $25. You must be a Colorado resident to participate. Winner will be drawn April 27, 2019 at 8:00pm.

Calling all River Enthusiasts: This is your sneak peek!

The Colorado TU River Stewardship Gala is the largest celebration of Colorado’s rivers and world-class fishing opportunities. In 2018, nearly 400 guests helped to raise over $100,000 for Colorado TU’s conservation efforts throughout the state. Funds from the River Stewardship Gala go towards CTU’s work in youth education, protecting statewide instream flows and temperature, reintroducing and protecting native trout, and preserving and restoring the state’s fisheries and their watersheds.

This year, Colorado TU is celebrating its 50th anniversary and we will be honoring William Reilly, the former EPA Administrator who vetoed Two Forks Dam and helped spawn new, more collaborative approaches to water management, with the 2019 River Stewardship Award. Join us at the Gala and support our work for healthy rivers and fish in Colorado! (P.S. Tickets have sold out over the past 3 years!)

Auction Sneak Peek

50th Anniversary Custom Sarabella Rod and Abel Reel

This year’s gala will be featuring a one-of-a-kind custom Colorado Trout Unlimited 50th anniversary SaraBella Fishing rod and custom 50th anniversary Abel reel - two Colorado companies partnering with Colorado TU to celebrate 50 years of protecting rivers! This custom 9’ 6 weight fly rod featuring a curvy grip, natural finish, native juniper reel seat, a blue to green body, custom silver 50th CTU logo and tagline, and a fighting butt to land all those trophy fish in style. (see in pictures above)

Fly Fishing Adventure of a Lifetime in New Zealand

New Zealand is famed for its beauty and the quality of fly fishing you can enjoy!  This package for two includes five days of guided fly fishing – one of which is a helicopter trip into remote New Zealand backcountry – with seven nights accommodations, breakfast and lunch provided daily, and roundtrip airfare from San Francisco to New Zealand.  This is the fly fishing adventure you’ve been waiting for!  www.distantwatersnz.com

Want to getaway in March?  Distant Waters has one spot open on an amazing New Zealand fly fishing adventure.  The trip starts March 6th, 2019 and is discounted exclusively for Colorado TU supporters.  Learn more here.

Fish and Stay along Montana’s Fabled Madison River!

Situated on the banks of the Madison River just 3 miles north of Ennis, Montana, anglers are offered unparalleled access to all the best blue-ribbon fly fishing in southwestern Montana. This getaway for 2 includes luxury accommodations for 2 nights, delicious meals including streamside lunch and gourmet dinners, and a full day of guided fishing on the Madison. The lucky winner of this trip will be “just a cast away” from their finest Montana fishing experience ever!  www.madisonvalleyranch.com

Experience a true Colorado Dude Ranch

Enjoy an unforgettable Colorado guest ranch experience at Lost Valley Ranch!  The winner of this all-inclusive Dude Ranch Vacation package will enjoy a weekend getaway for 2, including lodging, meals, and a variety of outdoor activities.  Nestled among the beauty of Pike National Forest and just 70 miles southwest of Denver, Lost Valley Ranch is a great place to escape for a fun-filled weekend!  www.lostvalleyranch.com

But wait, there’s more:

• 6-day, 5-night float trip for 2 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon from Middle Fork Adventures

• "A Diamond Takes Shape Slowly" – framed artist print by Judy Haas of Telluride

• A 3-day, 2-night stay at the Flat Tops Wilderness Camp plus guided fishing for 2 from Ripple Creek Lodge

• Full-day walk/wade for 2 on your favorite Southwestern Colorado river with Duranglers

• Green River gear bag and Thunderhead submersible backpack from Fishpond

• Full-day walk/wade for 2 on waters near Sheridan, Wyoming with Rock Creek Anglers

• Bring three of your friends and brew your own beer with Horse and Dragon Brewing

• Two nights lodging in a Breckenridge condo plus a float fishing trip on a private put-in on the Colorado River from Mountain Angler