Costa Ambassador David Muench

With over 50 TU Costa 5 Rivers Clubs in the country, there are only six club presidents that have the honor of being called a Costa Ambassador. David Muench, President of the CU Fly Fishing Club, is one of those six to have received the honor. The Costa Ambassador program was created as an incentive to inspire the college club presidents to do a great job with their clubs. At the end of each semester Muench sent in a summary of all of the club's activities and programs. As president and Costa Ambassador, he had to help his club organize, everything from organizing fishing and cleanup trips to recruiting and teaching new people to fish.

"It means a lot to me to be nominated as one top ambassadors in the Nation," said Muench. "I've easily put in a similar amount of time into the club as I have my final year of Engineering, I care a lot about the fly fishing club and it's amazing to realize that you're one of the best in the nation. No matter how much work I put in, I keep finding myself wondering if we could have done it better and what we've done wrong. It's just something else to have someone else say you're one of the best in the Country."

As president of the CU club, Muench has helped expand the members, activities and programs they partake in. The group helped participate in the Boulder Flycasters Chapter Youth Night by helping teach kids casting. The club also held two intro to fly fishing classes, and a BBQ club dinner included with every trip.

Muench joined the club in 2014 and became an officer right away. The president before him, Justin West, showed him how a good club president operates and inspired him to take the club to the next level. The club now has over 50 participants and about half them partake in the weekend trips.

The former president also built the foundation in which Muench could grow the club on, "In the year before Justin, the club really consisted of just one fall trip and was completely inactive in the spring semester. Justin and all of the officers last year really put a lot of effort in getting the club's name out there and trying to get people more involved in the club. We started doing weekly tying nights, and tried to run some more trips. We did a lot of networking and really tried to grow our numbers. It was a tough year with poor turnouts, our last trip we had 5 people show up, however it laid the groundwork for this year."

When Muench took over, the club began  new focus on recruiting new people who wanted to be apart of it by adding new events and making the meetings less intimidating. "This year we decided to stop trying to convince people to join and focus on making the club fun for those who wanted to be a part of it. I also wanted to put a lot of focus on making the club un-intimidating and welcoming to beginners and intermediate anglers. We ran two intro to fly fishing classes in the fall that were a huge success. The club has grown to over 50 active members this year, we ran four weekend trips with our worst turn out being 18 people and our best being 28. We also put a lot of emphasis into building relationships among the club members, we implemented a big club dinner/BBQ into every trip to try to get people to make friends among the club."

The success of the club doesn't stop there. David is hoping that the new president, Ryan Watson, will take the club even further and continue to expand, as well as have an improved focus on conservation.

Included in expanding the program is working with other college programs. CU and Colorado State University may be rivals on the football field, but on the river, they're all on the same team of river stewardship, "CSU started a club this spring and were hoping to have them tag along on a couple of our trips, and help them out in any way we can. Having another club so nearby creates so many opportunities, from conservation to fun competitions."

Being in the fraternity of a select few Costa Ambassadors, the role doesn't stop after graduation. Muench plans to continue to stay involved with TU and make a difference for Colorado's rivers and trout.

Muench graduated in the Spring of 2016 with a bachelor's degree in engineering from CU Boulder. He plans to move to Denver and stay involved with TU and work with the local chapters and groups in the area.

Colorado is one step closer to "Public Lands Day"

With the passage of the bipartisan SB 21 by the Colorado General Assembly, Colorado could have a dedicated day each year to not only recognize its great public lands, but to celebrate them. SB 21 would designate the third Saturday in May each year to recognize the importance of public lands in the state. The bill has been sent to Governor Hickenlooper, who is expected to sign it into law.

“It is wonderful that Colorado is acknowledging in bipartisan fashion how valuable and important America’s public lands are to its residents by being the first state to designate a Public Lands Day,” said Tyler Baskfield, Colorado Sportsmen Coordinator for Trout Unlimited. “The outpouring of support for this legislation demonstrates how much Colorado sportsmen and sportswomen, outdoor enthusiasts and businesses value America’s public lands. Those pushing a public lands transfer agenda are really just fringe groups whose interests serve very few.”

Trout Unlimited worked with other organizations that rely on public lands such as, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and the National Wildlife Federation. All of these partners support and appreciate Public Lands Day and the lawmakers that approved the bill. It was a bipartisan and multi-organization effort to get the bill passed.

Colorado has millions of acres of public lands that allow hunters and anglers to have access to some of the best fish and big game habitat in the world. With the new bill, hunters, anglers, and conservationists can celebrate the access to the great public lands the state has to offer.

“Just as our landscapes make Colorado a special place, the bipartisan bill creating an annual Public Lands Day demonstrates positive leadership at a time when politics is often too full of division,” said Suzanne O’Neill, Colorado Wildlife Federation executive director. “Public lands, from the mountains to the sagebrush steppe and rolling plains, support our fish and wildlife, hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, and other outdoor recreation that generates more than $34 billion in economic activity each year.”

“Bipartisan support for Public Lands Day is a great indication of the passion Coloradans have for outdoor recreation on public lands—national treasures owned by all of us—as part of a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle,” said Nick Payne, Colorado field representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “I’m sure thousands of hunters and anglers will join me in tipping a hat to our state lawmakers, with the hope that this will spark constructive conversations about responsible management of our public lands, which ensures continued access to world-class hunting and fishing experiences.”

CTU is Hiring a Communications Intern!!

Colorado Trout Unlimited (CTU) has a strong internship program providing college students an opportunity to gain real work experience in their area of study while they are still in school. We have a variety of internship positions available year round in many subject areas. Currently we are hiring a Communications Internship. The job description for this internship is below. If you or anyone you know is interested then please send resume and cover letter to Stephanie Scott at sscott@tu.org.

Employer: Colorado Trout Unlimited Position: Communications Intern Office Location: Denver Supervisor: Stephanie Scott Supervisor Contact: sscott@tu.org

Organization Overview: Colorado Trout Unlimited (CTU) is Colorado’s leading fisheries conservation organization with a mission to conserve, protect, and restore coldwater streams and their watersheds. CTU's  office is located in Denver, but we work across Colorado with our 24 local chapters. CTU’s focus is on effective grassroots advocacy for river conservation, coupled with on-the-ground volunteer efforts that directly contribute to stream habitat improvement and native trout restoration.

Position Summary: This is a non-paid internship opportunity through Colorado Trout Unlimited. The time requirement is 10-20 hours of work per week depending on the academic credit agreement between CTU and your college. The Communications Intern will work with Trout Unlimited Staff, Chapters, volunteers and members to improve our online presence and to develop stories, articles and blogs to help tell our story of conservation.

The Position Work Plan Includes: Colorado Trout Unlimited is seeking a communications intern to help tell our conservation story. This intern will work to interview staff, chapters, members, volunteers and partners and write articles and stories to highlight our work. We have various websites, social media pages, magazine publications and newsletters in place for the intern to publish their stories/articles in.  This position will provide intern with exposure to professional development opportunities, connections with other conservation non-profits, exposure to state and federal agencies, and when appropriate intern will accompany staff at meetings to learn more about partnership building and project planning.

Duties Include: Intern will work with staff to develop a work plan that will include a variety of communications/journalism duties. Some of these projects and duties include, but are not limited to:

• Writing weekly blog posts on the Colorado Trout Unlimited website and possibly on the National Trout Unlimited website when appropriate.

• Work with staff to gather content for project specific stories.

• Interview chapters on projects that can be highlighted on websites and other publications.

• Develop a stronger online presence for Colorado Trout Unlimited via social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.

• Develop Materials- Help develop educational materials for our chapters on how to better engage on social media and how to create a better online presence for telling their story.
• Develop Marketing Plan- Help CTU staff develop and implement marketing plan for specific campaigns.

• Help promote selected project, events, volunteer opportunities and more through media, local news papers, online outlets, social media and the Colorado Trout Unlimited website.

• Write articles for High Country Angler a regional fishing magazine. There may be a potential opportunity to write an article for Trout magazine, Trout Unlimited’s national magazine.

• Updating content on the Colorado Trout Unlimited website when appropriate.

Other Duties: Intern will participate in other areas of work when necessary. Attending chapter meetings, board meetings or staff meetings may be required.

Develop relationships with other organizations, local and state agencies and other groups as needed. Represent Trout Unlimited’s mission in all partnerships developed.

Intern will assist conservation staff on other projects if there is a need and if all other responsibilities are covered.

Qualifications: Must currently be enrolled at a higher education institution. Areas of study include: Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Journalism, Communications, Ecology, Water Studies, Wildlife or Fisheries Management or closely related area of study that have a focus on conservation or communications.

Minimal travel will be required for this position. Intern must have their own form of transportation and a valid driver’s license.

Salary Range: This is a non paid internship opportunity. TU will work with your college or university to provide academic credit for the internship placement.

Travel will be reimbursed based on mileage.

How to apply: Send resume and cover letter to Stephanie Scott at sscott@tu.org. Please include when you are available to start work in your cover letter.

Congrats to James Harrison- the 2016 Spring Raffle Winner

Congrats to the 2016 Statewide Raffle Winner, James Harrison. James is the winner of a two-day, one-night float trip through the Gold Medal waters of the Gunnison Gorge for two with Black Canyon Anglers. The trip also includes one night's lodging and dinner for two at Gunnison River Farms the night prior to the launch.

The Gunnison Gorge is home to some of the state's Gold Medal Waters and is a world-class fishery for large rainbow and brown trout. And is one of the best fishing trips in the lower 48 states.

Black Canyon Anglers have been guiding on the Gunny for over a decade and have knowledge about the fishing, geology, and wildlife in the area. Along with the excellent fishing, there is beautiful scenery and the occasional encounters with big horn sheep, mule deer, river otters, and eagles.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the raffle, helping Colorado TU raise over $6,000 that will go towards on-the-ground projects to help protect and restore Colorado's fisheries and watersheds.

Legislation for Thompson Divide Brings Needed Attention

Congressman Scott Tipton released a draft bill in April addressing the ongoing lease conflicts in the Thompson Divide. The bill would allow companies with oil and gas leases in the divide to trade their holdings for similar plots elsewhere in Colorado. The bill is a good start, but does not provide permanent protection for the Divide. . “Permanent protection of the Thompson Divide is the most critical issue for sportsmen and anglers that use the area,” said Tyler Baskfield, Colorado Sportsman Coordinator for Trout Unlimited. “While we are open to a legislative solution to the lease conflicts, we cannot support a proposal that would lead to impacts in other valuable habitat and leave the Thompson Divide susceptible to being leased again in 15 years.”

Thompson Divide is a wildlife haven for big game habitat and is home to designated “outstanding waters” that contain healthy populations of native cutthroat trout. While some of the acreage being proposed for new leases is in areas with relatively low fish and wildlife values compared to the Thompson Divide, other acreage contains important big game hunting habitat and cutthroat trout streams. The draft bill does not address potential protections for this habitat.

“Ultimately, we might be able to support an exchange into the proposed areas so long as sportsmen and anglers are comfortable with protections on the new leases and the areas outside the leases that would be permanently protected. We have not yet had the opportunity to weigh in on the draft bill but are hopeful that Congressmen Tipton will be receptive to our concerns," said Baskfield.

Although the bill doesn't address protection for the Divide, TU and Back Country Hunters and Anglers appreciate the attention for the Thompson Divide and the momentum created by the draft.

“While Congressman Tipton's draft legislation is not yet a viable solution, we appreciate his attention to the Thompson Divide area and look forward to working with him and other stakeholders to include language that will prioritize the important fish and wildlife values of the Thompson Divide and address other conservation opportunities that sportsmen and women have been advocating for with local leaders to promote balance and secure meaningful, lasting safeguards,” said Tim Brass, State Policy Manager for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

The legislation will be discussed at a special meeting of the Garfield County Board of Commissioners Wednesday, April 13 at 2 p.m. The meeting will take place at 108 8th Street, Suite 100, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.

Chopped Fly 2016: Denver vs. Boulder

By: Danielle Adams

The hit song by Survivor, "Burning Heart" sums up perfectly what the Chopped Fly event is all about-

"Two worlds collide, rival nations, it's a primitive clash, venting years of frustrations. Bravely we hope, against all hope. There is so much at stake, seems our freedom's up against the ropes. Does the crowd understand? Is it East versus West? Or man against man? Can any nation stand alone?"

Alright, well maybe it's not that intense. After all it's not nation vs nation and ones freedom is on the line, but the Chopped fly event this Sunday, May 1st will still be pretty fun!

Hosted by Call to Arms Brewing Company at 4526 Tennyson St in Denver, The Boulder Fly Casters Chapter of TU will face the West Denver Chapter of TU in an Iron Chef style fly tying competition.

And although, ultimately one chapter will be victorious, the rivers and trout are the true winners this weekend. All proceeds will be split between West Denver TU's efforts to reintroduce the greenback cutthroat trout in native drainage and the Boulder Flycasters Flatirons Park Project - restoring over a mile of stream on Middle Boulder Creek.

The cost is $20 entry for in the Iron Chef style tying competition and the chapters ask that anyone who wants to tie, brings their own vice. All tying levels are welcomed and there will be great prizes available for everyone!

RSVP to ColoradoChoppedFly@gmail.com or show up day of with your vise and tools - materials and secret ingredients to be provided.

TU Calls for Accountability on Big Thompson Fish Kill

By Randy Scholfield How did this happen, and how can it be prevented from happening again?

Trout Unlimited today called for answers and accountability in the wake of a construction spill last month that killed more than 5,600 wild trout on the Big Thompson River near Estes Park.

The massive fish kill, first reported Tuesday by High Country News, happened March 7, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) delayed reporting the accident until this week, it said, to conduct analysis of the fish kill. In a release, CPW said that “site conditions, weather, soil, topography” and other factors led to seepage from concrete work, which raised the pH of the water, killing and sickening fish in the North Fork of the Big Thompson and on the mainstem.

More than half of the trout in the 8-mile river stretch from Drake to west Loveland were killed by the spill, according to the CPW analysis.

“This is body blow to the Big Thompson that sets back efforts by several partners, including TU, to restore the wild trout population in the canyon,” said David Nickum, executive director of Colorado Trout Unlimited. “The Big T is a very famous and popular river with anglers, and we’re deeply concerned about how an accident of this magnitude could have happened.”

Nickum said TU has a number of questions about the spill.

“What mistakes or human failures caused the accident? What best practices were in place during construction to prevent a major spill like this into prime trout habitat? And what procedures or guidelines need to be changed to ensure that this kind of catastrophe doesn’t happen again?”

He added, “There need to be answers and accountability.” Nickum called for CPW to push for full financial restitution from responsible parties to offset damage to the Big Thompson trout fishery, which contributes $4.3 million annually to the local economy.

TU’s local grassroots chapters in Estes Park and Fort Collins have been involved with willow planting and other habitat improvement projects on the Big Thompson in the wake of the September 2013 floods that devastated the river corridor.

“We’re deeply disappointed that recovery work we’ve done since the flooding has taken a big hit,” said Wil Huett, president of TU’s Rocky Mountain Flycasters chapter in Fort Collins. “We’ll get back to work to rebuild habitat and fish populations in the river, but this is a major setback.”

Randy Scholfield is the TU Director of Communications for the Southwest region.

Rendezvous Weekend Recap

For trout and Trout Unlimited members, the warmer months are when the most activity occurs. It’s easy for trout to become more active as the food sources are more abundant. But for people to become active in a cause bigger than themselves, it sometimes takes some extra motivation. And there’s no better way to become motivated than to discover one’s true inner conservationist. That’s where the Colorado Trout Unlimited Rendezvous comes in.

Over the weekend of April 22 through the 24, over 130 people comprised of Colorado Trout Unlimited members, staff, and supporters convened in Glenwood Springs along the banks of the Colorado River to discover more about their beloved organization, the water and fish they fight to protect, and the conservationist drive inside all of us.

The weekend started off on Friday as CTU Outreach Coordinator, Stephanie Scott, welcomed everyone and CTU and national TU employees introduced themselves to the participants. Following the welcome lunch, the group broke out to learn more about the roll women can play in TU, ways to engage members more effectively, best practices to implement conservation projects, and they learned how fishing guides throughout the state implement conservation into their trips and lessons.

After the Fly Fishing Film Tour showing, members and the general public had the option of joining CTU and the Greenbacks for a showing of Surface Film- an event that combines the best photography shots in fly fishing with free beer and wine tastings. The event also included a silent and live auction where members purchased great prizes and trips.

Saturday started off with a Grassroots breakfast where members could eat and listen to the head of all Trout Unlimited programs in Colorado talk about their current issues and projects. The panel also answered any questions that the members asked. Following the breakfast, the group listened to CTU President, Marshall Pendergrass, talk about the state of CTU recapping all of the work done in the past year and what’s on the radar for the future.

During the State of CTU address, the council also awarded Gomolchak grants to different chapters for work on temperature monitoring, greenback restoration, improving fish tanks, and much more! The board also voted on the new Director At-Large candidates.

Following the state of CTU, Yampa Valley chapter member, Todd Musselman rocked the crowd with a motivational speech that captivated hearts and made everyone think about what they wanted to be, not just in within TU but in life. He recapped stories from his own life and lessons he’s learned along the way. Todd has spoken to numerous businesses including MillerCoors, ReMax, Microsoft and many more.

The Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Bob Broscheid, joined in on the fun and spoke about the collaboration efforts of TU and other agencies and how all sportsmen and anglers can work together to improve the quality of our natural resources. He spoke to the point of sportsmen are the true and best conservationists and protecting the public lands and watersheds start with us.

After Director Broscheid, Jeff Graves from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, spoke about mine cleanups happening throughout the state and how it affects the water quality. John Stulp from the Colorado Water Board also talked about how we are going to implement the state’s water plan and what it means for the future of Colorado’s people and fish. Members also learned more about veteran programs and taking action for clean water from some national Trout Unlimited staff members.

There is a rumor that the Hotel Colorado is haunted and on Saturday night, it seemed that way as the ghost of our 26^th president, Theodore Roosevelt joined our dinner banquet and talked about his life’s journeys and how the open wilderness changed his perspective on life.  He went through his days as a boy with asthma living in the city and how the open air of the woods would help cure him mentally and physically. Teddy spoke to the point of how we all should carry on his legacy and protect and fight for the wilderness so it can improve everyone’s quality of life.

At the dinner banquet, CTU also present various awards to chapters, volunteers, leaders and other members who served as stewards to our rivers. Among the winners were also the newest Silver Trout Award winners, Larry Quilling and Glen Edwards.

The night capped off with a scotch tasting for everyone to partake and learn more about the whiskey from the Scottish Isles.

The final morning started off with a breakfast sessions where members could learn more about engaging the youth and next generation of anglers and conservationists. Following the panel, the groups broke out into sessions that spoke about how chapters and members can use social media to help spread their message and word as well as how the state and organizations are working to improve native trout fisheries.

To finish the weekend, chapters joined other chapter leaders in their region to go over current events and happenings and how the state and national level of Trout Unlimited can help the on-the-ground work done by the various chapters.

Many new initiatives were born over the weekend and many others began to move forward. As the weather warmed up, it wasn’t just the trout that became active- Trout Unlimited members discovered what being a conservationist means to them and got to work on how to better the lives of our trout, waters and ecosystems.

2016 Caddis Festival Banquet

By: Danielle Adams Collegiate Peaks’ annual fundraiser is coming May 7th, 2016, at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds.

The Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited will hold its 31st annual Caddis Festival Banquet and Auction on Saturday, May 7th at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds in Poncha Springs.

Early May is the traditional time of the year that the caddis hatch reaches the Salida area of the Arkansas River. Anglers from far and wide descend upon the river to test their skills at fooling trout with a caddis fly imitation. The Caddis Festival Banquet is a great way to top off a day on the river.

Doors and cash bar open at 5 PM, followed by a catered buffet dinner at 6:45. Tickets are $25 in advance ($30 at the door) and youth tickets are $15. This is the chapter’s primary conservation fundraising event of the year with the proceeds going to a wide variety of activities including habitat improvement projects, stream restoration, youth & adult education, college scholarships, trail maintenance and the ever-popular kid's fishing derbies.

Chapter members will be receiving a letter with a registration form. Please send it in with your reservations as soon as possible. Non-members are also encouraged to attend. There will be lots of fun for everyone, including silent and live auction items and special bucket raffles!

It’s a great time, and very important for the support of CPA activities, including the Kids Fishing Derbies, college scholarships, and support for our environmental projects.

For more information about reservations, tickets, and more, contact Barbara Plake, Caddis Festival Planning Committee Chair.

719-395-0478

bplake@inu.edu

What's in a name?

We've all heard of them- the Animas, Cache La Poudre, Cimarron, Yampa, Purgatoire, Uncompahgre. All of these Colorado rivers are household names throughout the state. We all say them, most of know where they are located, but what's up with the names? Most rivers are named after a town or a physical location (Colorado River, Gunnison River). Other's are named after the individuals who first recorded their discovery of the river or the leader who sent them on their exploration.

But some rivers have unusual names with unusual histories. Stories that have been told for centuries still resonate through their unique names.

The Animas River near Durango, Colorado got it's name from in 1765 from Spanish explorer Juan Maria de Rivera. When Maria De Rivera went in search of gold from Sante Fe, his group was haunted by the empty ruins of pueblo dwellings. Thus, they decided to name the river, "Rio de las Animas Perdidas" meaning River of Lost Souls. The Animas also runs through other Aztec, Ute and Navajo lands that have sense been "lost".

Cache La Poudre River has it's headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park and flows east from the Continental Divide. The river has supplied mining and railroad camps, cities, towns and agriculture throughout northern Colorado for centuries. But what does Cache La Poudre mean? In the 1820's French explorers were caught in a tremendous snow storm along the headwaters of the river. In order to lighten their load, they had to bury substantial amounts of gun powder along the river banks. The burying of the powder gave the water it's name, Cache La Poudre or "Hide the Powder."

The Cimarron River get it's name from early Spanish Explorers who named the water "Río de los Carneros Cimarrón" translating to "River of the Wild Sheep." Given for the large amounts of big horn sheep that explorers found along the river. Early American Explorers called the same river, "The Red Fork of the Arkansas" due it's color from the red clay banks.

The Yampa River is a tributary of the Green River which then flows into the Colorado River. The name Yampa was coined by John C Freemont who noticed the large amounts of Perideridia plants along the banks of the River.

While some rivers have names from their explorers, others have interesting stories behind their name. The name could come from an event along the water, like the Purgatoire River- meaning purgatory, named by French explorers after they saw Spanish Explorers killed by a native tribe. Or it could come from the sightings explorers noticed, like the Umcompahgre- which means "Dirty Water" in Ute because of the off color of the water.

All of these river names are known to Coloradans and anglers alike, but the history behind the naming of their favorite river is known to few.