Behind the Fin: Lori Bertagnoli

Behind the Fin is a series created by Colorado Trout Unlimited to showcase the fintastic members, leaders, volunteers, and people that help make us successful.

• Name: Lori Bertagnoli
• Chapter: Cherry Creek Anglers
• Position: Youth Outreach Coordinator
• Grew up in Michigan, now lives in Colorado with her family
• Owns and operates her own sewing business and is a mechanical engineer
• Best Quote from Lori: “Then he asked me what type of fish it was, and I told him that it was a rainbow trout. He then proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs that he had caught a rainbow trout. This happened with the first fish he caught and every fish he caught afterwards… We created a new fisherman that day and it's something he'll never forget”

Cherry Creek Anglers Youth Outreach Coordinator, Lori Bertagnolli is a beginner at fly fishing herself, but that doesn’t mean she can’t get others passionate about the sport of fly fishing and being in the outdoors.

Growing up in Michigan, Bertagnolli spent her childhood fishing the Great Lakes for Walleye, Perch, Musky and Sunfish. After having her daughters, she moved out to Colorado where they would spend their summers camping and fishing. However, the tactics that worked in Michigan wouldn’t work on Colorado trout. So Lori decided to take up fly fishing.

After taking a fly tying class through Orvis at Park Meadows Mall with help from Colorado Trout Unlimited, Lori received a free yearly membership. From there, she got involved with CTU’s mission and began researching other ways she could help out. Through her research, Lori realized that, “the best tactic is knowledge, and your local TU Chapter is a great place to gain that knowledge.”

The Cherry Creek Anglers are her local chapter and after attending a few meetings, Lori renewed her membership to a lifetime status, “The Chapter members were friendly and fun, the meetings always had entertaining speakers that expanded my knowledge of fly fishing,” said Bertagnolli. “I was excited to be a part of a group that helped preserve our local waters and promote the joy of fishing.” Within a year she was a member of the Chapter's Board.

As a member of the board, she helped the Cherry Creek Anglers put on two youth fishing events at Lake Lehow. In the spring, the Family and Friends Fly Fishing Fun Day (F5 Day), taught kids and families all the basics of fly fishing; and in the fall, Troutastic taught kids how to bait and bobber fish.

At the Troutastic event, the mission was to have every single kid, most of who have never fished before, catch a fish. And they, “achieved that goal and surpassed it by a mile!”

“One of the kids I was helping caught his first fish ever and screamed ‘I caught a fish’ at the top of his lungs, over and over again, from the moment he hooked the fish until we net it and got the hook out,” Lori shared. “Then he asked me what type of fish it was, and I told him that it was a rainbow trout. He then proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs that he had caught a rainbow trout. This happened with the first fish he caught and every fish he caught afterwards… We created a new fisherman that day and it's something he'll never forget” Aside from helping kids master the sport, Lori is still trying to work on her own fly fishing skills and as everyone in the sport knows, that is no easy task. Especially for a mechanical engineer who strives to be very precise and technical. “I'm still learning to cast well and in the mean time I remind myself that in most situations the fish doesn't care if you're a master caster with tight loops, or if you can cast 75 feet. He just wants a beautifully presented fly with a good drift.”

While practicing her cast, Lori likes to switch up the waters that she fishes but remembers to always ‘Match the Hatch’. She takes advice from friends and other members of her chapter for new and beautiful places to fish, with the term “beautiful” as the first priority. “I love to fish places that are picturesque and spending a beautiful day on a beautiful river or lake is more important to me than the number of fish I catch. Being able to relax and enjoy nature is a big part of why I love to fish.”

Even though in Yellowstone on the Green River, Lori caught the most fish she’s ever caught, that isn't her favorite fishing memory. But instead, it’s a story from Chatfield State Park with her and her 16 year-old daughter, Claire. “We were fishing in our brand-new pontoon boats for the first time. She began to cast close to the cattails and started to hook a bunch of tiny bluegills. Claire hooked a little guy that was so small she didn't even realize it had taken her fly. Thinking she needed to recast, she pulled her rod back and the tiny Bluegill went flying through the air behind her and was flung off her hook into the middle of the pond. We both had the biggest laugh from that. I kept teasing her that, 'fly fishing' wasn't supposed to mean that the fish went flying through the air. Its special days like that, spent with my daughter outside in the fresh air that are the best memories.”

In her spare time, after working as a mechanical engineer for the automotive industry, Lori began to pursue another hobby of hers, sewing. As her kids got older, Lori opened her own business, Threads of Inspiration, (www.threads-of-inspiration.com). “It is a home-based, custom design embroidery and heat transfer business. I do apparel and gifts for local schools, businesses, and charities. I also create custom gifts for people for special occasions. I embroider the logo-wear for our Cherry Creek Anglers Chapter as well.”

When she isn’t fishing or working on her own business, you can find Lori camping, hiking, traveling, and exploring new places with her family. And even though she won’t consider herself an “awesome angler,” Lori is a perfect example of what fly fishing and CTU is all about.

Clear Creek County Commissioner Speaks for Clean Water

Clear Creek County Commissioner Tim Mauck testified today before a joint hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in support of a proposed federal rule that would restore protections to headwater streams under the Clean Water Act. The so-called Waters of the United States rule, put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, is in draft form, and has received support in the form of public comment from about 800,000 Americans. It was crafted in response to a pair of Supreme Court rulings in the early and mid-2000s that removed longstanding Clean Water Act protections from “intermittent and ephemeral” headwater streams unless they were shown to have a “significant nexus” with the larger rivers and streams into which they flow. The EPA and the Corps have since proven a scientific nexus between America’s great rivers and their headwater streams--hence the draft rule.

Despite the overwhelming public support for the rule, many in Congress see the rule as “overreach,” and efforts are afoot to derail the established rule-making process and prohibit the EPA from restoring protections to headwater streams under the Clean Water Act.

“As an elected county commissioner, I am testifying to convey how important clean water is for my community,” Mauck told the members of the committees today. “The proposed clean water rule will protect the headwaters, tributaries and wetlands that are essential for providing the high-quality water that supports the hunting, fishing, rafting and outdoor recreation that are an economic backbone for my community. Clean water from streams and wetlands also provide drinking water for thousands of our residents.”

Commissioner Mauck is also an avid sportsman and a member of Trout Unlimited.  Thank you, Commissioner, for speaking out in support of Colorado's headwater streams!

CTU, Bill Barrett Corp. tout Roan as model for balance in energy

Last November, Colorado TU and other conservationists reached a settlement with the Bureau of Land Management and with energy leaseholders including Bill Barrett Corp. for the Roan Plateau. The settlement has resulted in leases being cancelled and refunded for the majority of habitat atop the Roan, while moving forward a process to allow responsible development of other leases in the area. Colorado TU's David Nickum and Bill Barrett's Duane Zavadil recently joined in writing an op-ed piece highlighting the Roan settlement as an example of how a more balanced energy strategy can be achieved through thoughtful engagement that respects the importance of both public lands for fish, wildlife and recreation, and the need to develop domestic energy supplies.  Their piece was carried in the Washington, DC based publication, The Hill - you can read it here.  The op-ed has also run online with the Denver Post and in print with the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

While the Roan settlement is an important step forward, it is still vital that BLM follow through as it revises its leasing plan for the Roan to adopt the "settlement alternative" that has been proposed.  You can weigh in with BLM by signing our online petition for the Roan.

Colorado TU Gala: March 13, 2015

Reserve your seats for the Colorado TU River Stewardship Gala on Friday, March 13, and join us for an evening celebrating Colorado's rivers and helping raise funds for their conservation.  This year we will be honoring Richard Adkerson of Freeport-McMoRan with our River Stewardship Award, in recognition of his leadership and support in restoring streams impacted by abandoned mines.  The evening also features a wide-ranging live and silent auction, with trips and items for the angler and non-angler alike. Tickets to the Gala include admission, dinner, and complimentary beer and wine, and can be purchased online for $100 - table sponsorships (with reserved seating for 10) are also available for $1000.

The Gala will again take place at the Arvada Center, conveniently located by 68th and Wadsworth in Arvada, with ample free parking available on-site.

The Gala will feature an outstanding auction with diverse fishing and nonfishing experiences including a one-week trip for trophy brook trout in Labrador, a five day horsepack trip in the Yellowstone backcountry, a week-long Alaska fishing lodge experience, a five-day five-hunter package for wing shooting in Argentina, a one-week photo safari in South Africa and more!  Check out our Auction Sampler to see some of the great items that you can bid on.  Of course, along with our larger packages we'll also have a wide array of other items including regional fishing trips, performing arts tickets, ski packages, and more.

Make your plans to join us for an evening to remember on March 13!  Click here to reserve your tickets.

About Richard Adkerson and Freeport-McMoRan:

Richard Adkerson is the President, CEO, and Vice Chairman of Freeport-McMoRan Inc.  Under his leadership, the company has invested generously in restoration efforts aimed at healing rivers impacted by the west's legacy of abandoned mines - sites where no responsible party remains to clean up waters being impacted by mine tailings and drainage.  Among other projects, Freeport-McMoRan has helped TU, the Bureau of Land Management and other partners to advance an award-winning restoration partnership on Kerber Creek in Colorado's San Luis Valley - where a wild brook trout fishery again thrives in waters that were once too polluted to support self-sustaining fisheries.

Colorado TU Membership Survey

Click here to complete the 2015 Colorado TU Membership Survey.  

With over 10,000 Trout Unlimited members across the state, together we represent a strong voice for river conservation.  We are hoping to strengthen that voice by better understanding what is important to our members as individuals and as parts of the whole that is Colorado TU.  We have compiled a Membership Survey with questions ranging from your favorite river basins to the kinds of work, from water issues to public lands, that interest you most.  We want to know why you became a TU member, if there are ways you’d like to get more involved, and more.  Completing the survey should take less than 5 minutes of your time and will help us better tailor our communications to you.

Please consider taking a few minutes today to offer your feedback.  Thank you!

Click here to complete the 2015 Colorado TU Membership Survey.

Pat Dorsey - Guest Speaker (and Fly Tier) for West Denver’s Chapter Meeting on February 4th!

At West Denver Trout Unlimited's February 4^th Chapter Meeting, Pat Dorsey will be the main event!! Pat is the Guide Director and a partner at the Blue Quill Anglers Fly Shop, overseeing 30 plus guides.  He is the recipient of numerous awards and a prolific author—frequently appearing in national fly fishing magazines and writing several best-selling books on fly fishing and fly tying.   He is as native of Colorado, and has been guiding on the South Platte for more than 11 years, spending at least 200 days a year on this stream.

On February 4^th, Pat will talk about fly fishing tail waters, sharing his tips and tactics for fishing these types of waters, covering nymphing, dry fly and streamer fishing.   He’ll be doing double-duty that night and also serve as our guest fly tier as well.  Pat has been commercially tying flies for over 15 years, and he’ll be tying some flies that you’ll want to have in your arsenal.

Doors open at 6 PM at the American Mountaineering Center (10^th Street and Washington Avenue in Golden).  Pat will start tying at 6:30 PM.  We plan on having refreshments (soft drinks and beer).  Please plan on joining us on the 4^th.  A good and informative time should be had by all.

For additional information please contact Chapter President Tim Toohey at tim2e@comcast.net.

Former Congressman Hefley calls for Browns Canyon protection

Former US Congressman Joel Hefley (R-Colorado Springs) added his voice to those of sportsmen, local governments, business owners, Governor Hickenlooper and Senator Bennet, and Chaffee County citizens in supporting protection for Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River.  He authored an op-ed piece in the Denver Post that calls on the President and the Colorado Congressional delegation to move forward with protection for Browns. Browns Canyon is one of Colorado's natural treasures, with a Gold Medal reach of the Arkansas River as its centerpiece, outstanding big game habitat in the uplands, and world-class rafting opportunities that have made it one of America's most popular whitewater destinations.

In 2006, Congressman Hefley led a bipartisan effort to secure protections for the Browns Canyon area.  In 2013-14, Senator Mark Udall sponsored legislation for Browns that would both establish a National Monument and designated some additional wilderness.  Unfortunately, both efforts were caught up in Congressional gridlock and fell short.

As part of Sportsmen for Browns Canyon, TU has been working steadily to support National Monument protection for Browns; you can help by lending your voice through our action alert here - asking the President to give Browns the National Monument Protection it so richly deserves.

Chase Moore, Youth Education Coordinator, Colorado Trout Unlimited

Chase is excited to bring his leadership skills and background in environmental education to strengthen CTU’s youth education programs throughout the state.  While bicycle touring and backpacking have been Chase’s passion and means to explore the Pacific Northwest, Southwest deserts, and the great state of Colorado, he always watched anglers gracefully dot the stream banks along many of his adventures.  Curiosity and the necessity to see what the fuss was about led Chase to give fly fishing a chance via a Tenkara rod.  Simply put, he was hooked. Chase is now joining CTU to help youth across the state understand the importance of a healthy watershed, not just from an angling standpoint, but from a resource management perspective.  Not only trout but wildlife and people need access to clean, fresh, viable water.  Chase has been on the front lines helping people of all ages learn about their natural world and watershed, leading conservation projects and residential science camps in the Pacific Northwest, working on riparian restoration projects in central Oregon, and teaching environmental science in the Rocky Mountains. Most recently he worked with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies – connecting kids with the great outdoors right in the heart of the famed Roaring Fork watershed.

A colleague and friend once pondered what makes Chase a great teacher and said “It has to do, I think, with making teaching a craft rather than a formula.”  Needless to say, Chase is looking forward to applying his craft – and more importantly getting young people excited about their waterways.  Who knows, maybe there will be more young anglers enjoying our streams as they learn to take a moment and slow down.  Chase and his saddle are glad he did, and are even more thankful to join the family at Colorado Trout Unlimited.

CTU Thanks Elected Officials for Supporting Balance on Roan

In November, Colorado TU and other conservation partners joined oil and gas companies and the Bureau of Land Management to announce a major settlement of the long-standing litigation over oil and gas development on and around the Roan Plateau in northwest Colorado. The deal strikes a true balance for protecting fish, wildlife, and wilderness lands and allowing responsible energy development.  At its core is an agreement to keep drilling off areas that, as Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell put it, are "too special to develop" - including native cutthroat watersheds atop the Roan - while allowing more timely movement to develop other areas that are less sensitive but can help meet our nation's future energy needs.

Reaching an agreement required outside of the box thinking - and that doesn't happen without political will and support from key elected officials and governmental leaders.  That's why CTU has taken out an ad in the 12/21 Grand Junction Daily Sentinel to thank some of the key governmental leaders whose support and hard work made the Roan agreement possible - Congressman Scott Tipton, Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, Governor John Hickenlooper, and BLM Director Neil Kornze.  You can see a higher-resolution PDF version of the ad here, and read more about the Roan agreement here.

Not only is the agreement good news for the Roan as one of Colorado's best wild places, it can be a model for future efforts in other regions of the state.  The  BLM has tools, notably their master leasing plan process, that can allow for early dialogue among diverse interests to better understand the key resources at stake - and to use that dialogue to find balanced solutions that protect important watersheds from disturbance while enabling leasing and development to proceed responsibly in other appropriate sites.  Looking at that broader landscape level makes it easier to find those balance points, respecting the importance of both energy development and fish and wildlife conservation. CTU hopes to continue working with BLM, industry, and conservation partners to make master leasing plans successful in other key areas for Colorado sportsmen, including North Park and South Park.

Tell the Governor: Healthy Rivers Matter!

On  December 10, a draft of Colorado's Water Plan was formally presented to Governor Hickenlooper - and will no undergo a renewed round of public input and revision with plans to finalize it by late 2015.  The Plan talks about the strategies Colorado should use to meet its future water demands for cities, industry, agriculture, recreation and the environment.  It will set the tone for how Colorado addresses its water challenges - whether there is an emphasis on sustainability, aggressive water conservation, and healthy rivers and landscapes - or emphasis on more dry-up of Colorado's rivers and its irrigated farmlands.  Colorado's sportsmen want to see our values reflected in the Plan. Governor Hickenlooper has said that every conversation about water should start with conservation. Tell him yourself why conserving the health of rivers is important to you! Click here now to weigh in now on the vision for Colorado's water future that you want to support!

This is just the first draft of the first Colorado Water Plan. We have one year to try to secure a healthy future for our rivers for fish, and for people.

You can learn more and read the draft Colorado  Water Plan online by clicking here and by visiting Colorado's Water Plan website.