T R O U T U N L I M I T E D. Tuck Tales

Transcription

1 Tuck Tales Newsletter of the Tuckaseigee Chapter #373 of Trout Unlimited serving the western North Carolina counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain! A Monthly Newsletter! April, 2006 Yard Sale A Success The Yard Sale held by TCTU at Western Carolina University through the Jackson County Arts Council was a great success this year! Special thanks to Milt Wofford and Dick Sellers for their fine work. Sparkle Day 2006 Sparkle Day was cancelled due to a snowfall received on the 24th of March! Tuck Clean-up 2006 Jon Phillips will chair our annual Tuckaseigee River clean-up project again this year. Plan to meet at 8:00 AM at the pull-off below Jack-the- Dipper Ice Cream at 8:00 AM, Saturday, April 22nd! Ducks on the Tuck Ducks on the Tuck will be held on April 29th. Come help wrangle those ducks! Kid s Fishing Day Mike Herman will be chairing the Kid s Fishing Day project again this year. Future issues of Tuck Tales will provide details about this event. Page 2 May Meeting Cookout The May 2nd Meeting Of TCTU will be held at the picnic shelter at Jackson County s Park at East Laport. Page 2 Record Rainbow The N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission announced that Sapphire angler Leah Johnson landed a new North Carolina Freshwater Fishing Record, after hauling in a 20-pound, 3-ounce rainbow trout from Horsepasture River in Jackson County on January 28, International Game Fish Association According to International Games Fish Association records, the largest rainbow trout on record weighed 42 pounds, 2 ounces and was caught from Bell Island Alaska in Johnson caught her record-breaking rainbow, which measured 34! inches in length and 23! inches in girth, using a Rapala lure on a Shakespeare Microspin rod with a Wally Marshall reel. The fish weighed 20 pounds, 3 ounces on certified scales at Ingles grocery in Brevard and was verified by Powell Wheeler, a fisheries biologist with the Commission. The previous North Carolina record rainbow trout, caught by Terry Gregory of Franklin on Dec. 20, 1989, weighed 16 pounds, 5 ounces. Leah Johnson displays her state record rainbow trout. The fish was caught in the Horsepasture river on January 28. The Horsepasture is located in the southern part of Jackson county here in the region served by Tuck TU. Photo courtesy of NCWRC To qualify for a state record, anglers must have caught their fish on a hook and line, must have their fish weighed on a certified scale witnessed by one observer, have the fish positively identified by a qualified expert from the Commission and submit an application with a full side-view photo of the fish. Freshwater NC State Records A complete listing of North Carolina State Records for freshwater fish may be found at the Commission s web site. The URL is: The North Carolina State Record Brook Trout is 7 pounds, 7 ounces caught in the Raven Fork River on May 15, The angler was G.L. Marshall, Jr. and he caught the fish on a Rooster Tail lure. The North Carolina State Record for Brown Trout is 24 pounds, 10 ounces caught in the Nantahala River on April 17, The angler was Robert Lee Dyer and he caught his fish on a #11 Rapala. Note that all of these record breaking fish were caught on rivers served by the Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The fish are out there folks. Go find them. The above information was provided by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. TCTU" 1

2 E D I T O R S C A S T This month s newsletter marks a change in direction from the past. Last year it was decided by the Board of Directors of TCTU that the newsletter would become a bimonthly publication rather than a monthly one. This change was effected in order to save the chapter postage for the newsletter which of course has been a major expense for the chapter s rather meager treasury. Last year Tuck chapter decided to take on the sponsorship of a deserving student at each year s TU Rivercourse summer camp and this year we helped to fund the mailing of North Shore Road postage-paid comment cards to every TU member in North Carolina. In addition to those expenses postage recently increased and has put a further strain on the chapter s budget. We do have the ability to post Tuck Tales to the chapter s website each month at no expense due to the generosity of webmaster Willie Cope. Willie allows the chapter to piggy-back off of his commercial site. With that in mind your editor has decided to post a newsletter edition to the website each month in an effort to keep the membership informed of chapter activities in a more timely manner. Six of the 12 newsletters will be mailed and posted to the site; the other six will not be mailed, simply posted as pdf files. notices will be sent monthly to each TCTU member with an address known by your editor. Please encourage other TCTU members to sign up for the notification and download service as this will help us save a great deal of money on postage. I would like to once again thank Lifetime TU Chapter member Steve Gray for providing the printing of our newsletter at no cost to the chapter through his company, The Sylva Herald Kid s Fishing Day Kid s Fishing Day is a project involving Tuckaseigee and Pisgah Chapters of Trout Unlimited along with U.S. Forest Service and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Last year Tuckaseigee chapter was invited by Pisgah chapter to participate in the annual Kid s Fishing Day event held at Cliffside Lake near Highlands. This event is cosponsored by TU, the National Forest Service and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission was the first year of TCTU s official participation as a chapter. The weather couldn t have been better! Over 200 kids and their parents attended. Our project chairman, Mike Herman, did an outstanding job coordinating things with Dale Klug of Pisgah Chapter. Wal Mart stores from Henderson and Macon Counties donated all of the hot dogs, buns, sodas, bottled water, condiments and other supplies. The Forest Service provided a large trailer grill for cooking the hot dogs and the folks from Wild Life Resources handled stocking 1,500 trout in the lake and fishing help/instruction for the kids. Dick Morgan asked one young lady how she did. She said; I caught more fish than anyone in my family and a bigger fish than my brother! That say s it all! May Meeting For the May meeting we will once again have a covered dish supper at Jackson County s Park at East Laport on the banks of the Tuck. The chapter will furnish hamburgers, buns, condiments, ice and beverages. Each member is asked to bring a covered dish. This will be a family affair. Be sure and bring the kids. We encourage the kids to bring rods and reels to try their luck at some fishing. We might even talk Willie and Ernie into giving them some pointers on casting. This will be the regular meeting for the month of May. Tuckaseigee Chapter does not hold regular monthly meetings for June, July and August. Our next meeting after the May meeting will be at 6:30 PM, September 5, at the Community Meeting Room of United Community Bank as usual. There will probably be a Board of Directors meeting scheduled over the summer. Notice will be posted here in the newsletter if such a meeting is called. Tuck Tales is published 12 times per year by Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit organization, for its members and supporters. Edited by Craig Forrest. Please address comments to Tuck Tales P. O. Box 3196 Cullowhee, NC craigforrest@sleepyhollowstudio.com The Tuckaseigee Chapter has a web presence at: Tuck Tales is available on the website as a full color, downloadable pdf file, current month as well as archives. Special thanks to Chapter Member Steve Gray for having his company print and fold our newsletter! Craig Forrest, Editor Photos this page by Craig Forrest 1640 East Main Street Sylva, NC (828) " TCTU

3 T R O U T U N L I M I T E D Springtime on the Water...a time to think of Quill Gordons, Hendricksons, Blue Winged Olives and March Browns - not to mention the fish they attract. Upstream Across Stream Downstream April 1st marks the opening day of trout fishing season on general waters here in western North Carolina. It s the beginning of an annual ritual that has been going on for years. chosen destination? Well, a lot will depend on the weather and probably a lot more will depend upon the preparations you made prior to leaving home. And I m not just talking about what you did the night before. Your tackle isn t or shouldn t be your only concern either. What sort of physical shape are you in? Did you continue exercising last winter so you d be able to hoof it over Bumgarner Ridge on Deep Creek? Well if not maybe you d better plan on that easy, level walk along Noland Creek like me. Some say you ll be lucky to find a rock to stand on that weekend. It s not that there won t be plenty of places to fish or fish to catch for that matter. It s simply that the most populated areas will be along the roads next to streams where access is easy and comfortable. Folks in our region flock to the streams at this time of year like lemmings to the sea. Grandfathers, sons and grandsons will make the pilgrimage to wet a line and see what happens. Don t believe me? Get in your vehicle and take a ride along your favorite stream and see for yourself opening day. It s a rightof-passage, a new beginning every Spring. And you can count on it like the return of Ruby Throated Hummingbirds around April 10th every year. For those of us who may find the crowds a little too much to bear there are always the wild and native trout streams in the Back of Beyond as Horace Kephart called it. You could try your luck in the Smokies along some of the more than 700 miles of trout water to be found there. Either way your chances of spending some quite time alone are greatly enhanced with the move to less populated streams and locales. And what should you expect upon arrival at your TCTU" How many flies did you get tied last winter while sitting by the fire? What about those loose wraps on that graphite rod you d been meaning to get to? Did you remember to take the time to replace those felt soles on your wading boots like you had intended to do? I well remember an early Spring fishing trip on Noland Creek in the Smokies a couple of seasons ago when I slipped and fell on a mossy rock because the felt had worn off of my boots and I had failed to take care of it as I had intended. I sprained a thumb and it ended my fishing for the day. I had to content myself with taking photos of some of the Spring blooming wildflowers instead. Now I like photographing wildflowers, don t get me wrong. It s just that I had come to go fly fishing after a long winter of doing without. I went to Roger Lowe s the following week and took care of the felt soles pronto! Did you remember to check your fly line before heading out? What about your pre-tied leaders? Are you going to have to waste time fooling with a leader at stream-side or are you going to be ready to rig-up and hit the water? All that said, the important thing is to get out and enjoy yourself. Take time to notice the dogwood and mountain laurel blossoms. Get attuned once more to noticing what kind of hatch that is coming off the water on the far side of the creek. Pick up a few rocks to see what sort of nymphs are present and check your fly box for a match. If you don t have a match, not to worry. Our fish are opportunistic feeders and will usually take if the offering is buggy enough and provided with a proper presentation. In fact, presentation is probably half the challenge. Leave those bright colored clothes at home. Dress in natural shades and take care with your movements on the stream. Your best efforts will probably be rewarded with many takes and an enjoyable day on the water. Just remember, don t keep em all - save some for me. - Craig Forrest PS - April 1st. That s April Fool s Day isn t it? Uh-Oh...better double-check those felt soles! Photos this page by Craig Forrest 3

4 Smokies Opens Park Streams to Brook Trout Fishing For the first time in over 30 years anglers will be allowed to catch and keep brook trout under new experimental regulations that take effect April 15. Since 1976 the National Park Service has allowed anglers to fish for nonnative rainbow and brown trout, but they have been prohibited from possessing the Park s native brook, or speckled trout, or from fishing in over 150 miles of Park streams where brookies predominate. Rainbows and browns were stocked in the Park in the early 20th century after destructive logging practices nearly wiped out the native brook trout. Biologists in the early 70 s were convinced that brook trout were systematically losing range to the non-native fish and predicted that, unless measures were taken, the brook trout would only be found upstream of natural barriers by the year Park managers also believed that fishing pressure was further reducing brook trout densities. In response to these concerns managers closed the Park to brook trout fishing in 1976 and initiated brook trout restoration projects in selected streams. Thirty years later Park fisheries biologists have found that brookies are able to coexist with the non-native trout in 69 miles of Park streams. Park fisheries managers have successfully restored 17 miles of stream to pure brook trout population using a combination of electro-fishing and through the use of chemicals to remove nonnative trout from stream segments that lie above waterfalls and other barriers that prevent upstream movement of fish. After 25 years of monitoring trout and non-game populations in fished vs. Native southern Appalachian brook trout are know as specks. closed streams, Park biologists had observed that natural occurrences such as floods and droughts were the major force behind changes in fish populations in both open and closed streams They suspected that allowing angling for brook trout would have no measurable impact on their numbers or their average size. In 2002 Park biologists tested that hypothesis by experimentally opening eight streams (4 in TN, 4 in NC) to fishing and harvest for 3 years under the normal GSMNP fishing regulations (i.e. 5 fish per day limit, 7-inch minimum size, and single hook artificial lures only). Each stream that was open had a nearby control stream which remained closed. Biologists analyzed population data within each stream (both open and closed) for three years prior to and three years after brook trout fishing was open. The study found there were no significant differences in brook trout density or the number of legal brook trout in any stream opened to brook trout fishing during the study period. Page 5 Stream photo above by Craig Forrest 4" TCTU

5 Smokies Opens Trout Streams, continued... Variation which did occur was attributed to natural variation and was not related to open vs. closed. In interviews conducted during the experiment over 84% of anglers said they were moderately to extremely pleased with the brook trout fishing opportunity. The largest segment of the anglers (25-27%) cited the opportunity to catch a brook trout as the main reason for fishing that particular stream that day. Anglers caught an average of 5-11 fish per trip, but less than 33% of anglers kept the legal brook trout they caught. Given that we could find no ecological benefit to prohibiting anglers from taking brook trout, said Park Supervisory Fisheries Biologist, Steve Moore, and the opportunity to offer anglers a very enjoyable experience, Park management has decided to open all our streams to fishing. So on April 15, Moore concluded, All but a handful of the over 700 miles of Park streams will be opened to fishing as part of an experimental regulation to allow additional time to monitor impacts of fishing activity. A few short stream segments will still be closed during active brook trout restoration projects. This spring, for example, parts of Sams Creek, Bear Creek and Indian Flats Prong Streams, which have been recently restored, will remain closed while those populations continue to rebuild to carrying capacity. Once these streams reach carrying capacity, they will be reopened to fishing as well. Park managers say that the experimental monitoring period will provide them additional time to be sure that the changes in use do not have unexpected and negative affects on brook trout. Managers will also need the time to complete a required rulemaking process needed to change current provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations which do not allow brook trout fishing in the Smokies. In the future the Park also plans to release an Environmental Assessment for public review of the proposed rule change. Above from NPS Press Release dated 3/21/06 TCTU Opposes Bush Forest Land Sale Plan The Tuckaseigee Chapter passed a resolution opposing President George W, Bush s recent proposal to sell off Forest Service land to fund a rural schools program at the March 7th chapter meeting. Below is a letter to the editor of The Sylva Herald newspaper written by our chapter President, Delos Monteith. The proposed sale of U.S. Forest Service land has generated considerable alarm both locally and nationally. Almost 10,000 acres in North Carolina alone have been identified for possible sale. A significant portion of these tracts of land are in western North Carolina, including Jackson County. At its March meeting, the Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited adopted a resolution in opposition to this proposed sale. The rational for this sale is to provide funding for rural schools. While our membership fully supports monies for schools, we feel this is an ineffective and short-sighted avenue for providing this funding. The value of our national forests cannot be overstated. These forests provide crucial wildlife habitat, as well as serving as sources for timber production and firewood for area residents. As part of its multiple use role, these forests support a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. Hiking, camping, fishing, hunting and horseback riding are just a few examples. With the growth in population and the increasing demands on our national forests, the sale of any acreage does not seem justified. Widespread growth and development is rapidly transforming the face of western North Carolina. Our national forests serve as critical islands in this sea of development and help preserve the rural character of our region. The Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited encourages everyone who is concerned about this sale to contact our senators and congressmen to urge them to oppose the sale of our national forest land. Delos Monteith, President Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited Above photos left to right: CF, Apple Computer, CF Straight Fork Bridge Construction Started March 8 - Great Smoky Mountain National Park officials have announced that contract work has begun to replace a low-water crossing with a new one-lane steel bridge at the junction of Straight Fork and Balsam Mountain Roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, N.C., in Swain County. The expected completion date of the construction is July 21, The project will consist of removing the concrete low-water crossing, which is in extremely poor condition. This crossing will be replaced with a 152- foot-long, 14-foot-wide single span steel truss bridge. Additional work will include construction of concrete abutments and mechanically placed stone embankments, installation of timber guardrails and the minor relocation of two small parking areas. The 13-mile one-way Balsam Mountain Road, which is currently closed for the season and would normally open in May, will remain closed for the construction period because the one-way road leads to the construction area where motorists cannot pass through to access Straight Fork Road. The 4-mile, two-way Straight Fork Road will open for the season on March 10, but will remain closed beyond the Round Bottom Horse Camp which also will not open until construction is completed. Horse trailers are prohibited on the Straight Fork Road at this time. The construction will not affect use of the Balsam Mountain campground and Heintooga picnic area when those facilities open for the season on May 12, accessible via the Heintooga Ridge Road off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Balsam Mountain Road beyond the picnic area will be closed to vehicular traffic. The National Park Service engaged in an Environmental Assessment and determined, with public input, that the bridge would provide a safe alternative for visitors and would pose no adverse effects to the natural and cultural resources. A contract was awarded to Owl Construction, LLC of Whittier, N.C., in the amount of $687,527 on December 21, Above from NPS Press Release dated 3/8/06 TCTU" 5

6 T U C K A S E I G E E C H A P T E R O F T U Chapter Contact Information Delos Monteith - President" " " " delos@southwesterncc.edu Craig Green - Vice President" " " " cngreen@bellsouth.net Ernie Sipler - Treasurer" " " " esipler@earthilnk.net Richard Echelman - Secretary" " " richardalan1@verizon.net David McGuire - Director" " " " office@davidmcguire.com Milt Wofford - Director" " " " miltwofford@verizon.net Dick Morgan - Director - Past President" " mrmorgan@localnet.com Willie Cope - Webmaster" " " " Smonthefly@aol.com Craig Forrest - Newsletter Editor" " " craigforrest@sleepyhollowstudio.com Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited! April, 2006 P. O. Box 3196 Cullowhee, N.C