Kick-Off to start Project Healing Waters!

Stop out to the Louis A. Johnson VA Hospital for the Kick-Off event February 29, 2012  from 10am until 2pm in front of the Retail Store.

Fly Line Cleaning

The weather may not feel like it but its the heart of winter and there are many things that can be done if you cannot find yourself on a stream.   Tying flies and filling fly boxes, searching for those pin hole leaks to patch in your waders, and cleaning your gear.   Here is a good video on how to clean and maintain you fly line.

The WVTU Fly Fishing School

When: May 18-20, 2012
Where: Thornwood 4-H Camp, Thornwood, West Virginia

Every year, WVCTU hosts a Fly Fishing School at Thornwood 4-H Camp near Thornwood, West Virginia along the banks of the East Fork of the Greenbrier River. Expert instructors teach the basic skills you need to enjoy this sport in just one weekend. Class size is limited to preserve the quality of instruction, so fill out the registration form and send it in as soon as possible. (Click here to see photos from past WVCTU Fly Fishing Schools).

The 2012 Program Agenda can be downloaded by clicking here.

Facts about the Fly Fishing School can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Pocahontas Times did a great article from the school last year – Click HERE for article and more pictures.

Students from the 2011 School

Students from the 2011 School casting on the casting pond.

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2012

Shake off those winter shack nasties and stop into the Evergreen Fly Fishing Co. in Clarksburg for more info or tickets for the show.

The FFFT 2012 will be coming to WV!   Brought to you by the West Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited the show will be Saturday April, 7th 2012 @ the Labelle Theater in South Charleston (directions here).

Tickets are $15 at the door, but will be $12 if purchased before the show at the Evergreen Fly Fishing Co.    (304) 566-7361

Doors open at 5:30 and the show starts at 6:00pm.

See trailers and more info for Film Tour HERE – Fly Fishing Film Tour 2012

PHW Update

Things are still coming together for the Project Healing Waters group here at the Clakrsburg VA.   We are gearing up with materials, tools, and vices to start our tying classes.  We will keep the MCTU site updated with information as we get it.

PHW Regal Vices ready to start tying flies

1 of the 10 Custom PHW Vices by Regal

A Tribute to Derek Hotsinpiller to Air this Weekend

LINK: Channel 5 News VIDEO HERE

A former Channel 5 show will have its debut on national television later this week, with the opening episode being a Derek Hotsinpiller Tribute.

Flyrod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming will now be shown on the Outdoor Channel. This week’s episode is dedicated to fallen Deputy US Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller.

You’ll see his brother, Dustin, and family friend, Chad Cooper, joining the crew at Brazos River Rank in New Mexico for a week of fly fishing.

The show airs Friday and Saturday mornings at 8. A premiere party at the Main Street Station in Bridgeport is open to the public for the Saturday 6 p.m. air time. DVD copies of the episode will be available for purchase with all the proceeds going to the James and Derek Hotsinpiller Memorial Scholarship Fund.

• At 7:00 p.m. Saturday, January 7, 2012

• At the Main Street Station, Bridgeport  -  (Additional parking available at the Tennis Courts and Basketball Court) – Light Appetizers Provided.

• Prizes, Raffles, and auctions including flies, DVDs, artwork, and more will be at the event.

 

 

 

 

Lefty Kreh Fishing Trail

Maryland Names Gunpowder Falls Trail in Honor of Lefty Kreh

Kreh is a world renowned fly-fishing icon

Annapolis, Md. (December 21, 2011) ─ The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) today officially renamed the Gunpowder South Trail the Lefty Kreh Fishing Trail in honor of native Marylander Bernard Victor “Lefty” Kreh.  Kreh is a world renowned fly-fisherman who has forever influenced the sport through his works and contributions.

“Lefty Kreh is a Maryland icon who has for decades inspired anglers across the State and around the world,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “We are honored to bestow this recognition as a reflection of his dedication to, and impact on, fishing and conservation.”

The Lefty Kreh Fishing Trail runs along Gunpowder Falls in an area that stretches from Prettyboy Reservoir to Big Falls Road in the Hereford Area of Gunpowder Falls State Park. DNR manages this nationally recognized blue-ribbon trout stream as a catch and release fishing area.

Kreh was born in Frederick in 1925. Over his remarkable75-year career, he has shared his enthusiasm and skill for fishing through his columns, books and presentations. He is known for his commitment to Maryland’s natural resources, using every available means to promote conservation and clean water, and giving back to the outdoors.

“You really didn’t need to do this but I want to commend the administration and DNR for all you have done for conservation,” said Kreh.

Kreh’s works spearheaded the expansion of saltwater fly fishing across the country and then the world. In 1974, he completed the seminal book on the sport—Fly Fishing in Saltwaters, which is still in print, now in its third edition. He is known for the Lefty’s Deceiver; a uniquely practical fly pattern he designed to fool striped bass—Maryland’s State fish—into biting an angler’s line. The bucktail fly pattern is the most widely used and imitated saltwater fly in the world.

After serving as the Baltimore Sun’s outdoor editor for 17 years, Kreh retired in 1990. However, he continues to teach fans, friends and protégés how to fish. In 2009, prominent broadcaster and author, Tom Brokaw called Kreh, “The embodiment of our Greatest Generation.”

DNR honored Kreh this past September at the 2011 Maryland Fishing Challenge. Participating in the event for the first time ever, Kreh presented the Challenge winners with cash and prizes alongside DNR Secretary John Griffin.

Kreh who now lives in Cockeysville, has written more than 30 books and has produced numerous instructional videos on fishing and outdoor photography. He continues to write and has a new book underway.   ( MD names Gunpowder Falls Trail in Honor of Lefty Kreh – MDDNR )

 

 

 

Fly Rod Chronicles remembering DUSM Hotsinpiller

This past Summer Curtis Flemming and Fly Rod Chronicles crew surprised Dustin Hotsinpiller (read story HERE).    Dustin and Chad Cooper returned from their trip with plenty of stories and the opportunity to remember brother, friend, and hero Derek Hotsinpiller.   Fly Rod Chronicles will air the show on the Outdoor Channel next weekend (Friday Jan. 6th @ 8:00am, Saturday Jan. 7th @ 6:00am, and Saturday the 7th @ 6:00pm).    For more information you can go to Fly Rod Chronicles   site or the Outdoor Channel.

Dustin Hotsinpiller and Chad Cooper stand by a memorial plaque of DUSM Derek Hotsinpiller. Derek was an avid fly fisherman and is pictured in the plaque from a fishing trip to Montana.

 

Dustin with a great rainbow from New Mexico.

 

PHW News and Updates

Over the past couple months several members from the Mountaineer Chapter have worked hard with the Recreational Therapists at Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center and the National Project Healing Water’s organization to get a PHW group started here in Clarksburg.  The paper work on our side has been finished and we have met with the Recreational Therapists at the VA to get started and move forward in doing what we can to help “Heal those who serve” using fly fishing.

We are currently gearing up and plan to get things started sometime in Jan. or Feb.   Things have not been set in stone with the dates or times but there are several things that we have worked out that we get out there.   Because we will be starting out in winter we will start with fly tying.  As the weather breaks we will then work with fly fishing basics (reading water, what trout eat, and similar things that could be of interest) to go along with casting.   Then our plan is later in spring and summer to get the vets/warriors out on the water and get them fishing.   We are looking for farm and golf course ponds that would fit our needs and are looking at some trips on WV streams that we can wade and have possible raft/drift boat floats on.   We are lucky and the Clarksburg VA is located right along a river for short casting and fishing instruction.

Also if we have any interest we are also looking for anybody who builds rods who would be interested in leading a few classes on rod building.   We have the ability to equip several kits for the vets/warriors to build rods and think rod building could also be something they would enjoy if we would have a longer winter and get pushed back on our dates to get outside and cast or fish.   There is a contest where the vets/warriors would get their choice of rods anywhere from a 6′-6″ 2wt to a 10′ 8wt switch rod.   When finished the rods are shipped to Hook & Hackle in PA and judged.   Winning rods will earn the vets/soldiers prizes such as trips to national PHWFF trips across the country.

If anybody would have an interest in helping out in fly tying, fly casting, rod building, guiding or even an interest in all of the above you can email (JasonMManning@gmail.com) and I can have you put on our contacts list for any of the above areas we will be working with (any or all of them) and as we find out details we will be sure to keep you in the loop for the dates, times, and instructions with how you can help out.   You do not need to be a TU member to be involved with PHW.   You do not need to be an expert fly tier to come and help with the tying class, you do not need to be a world class caster to come out and teach fly casting.   There are all kinds of ways to help out even if you cannot volunteer at a class.   Anybody who would like to donate any fly fishing gear (rods, reels, fly lines, cases, fly tying materials, etc.)  that is in good shape that could be put to a good use you can also contact the email above.

I hope this gets some of the news and information that we are working on out there and if your interested in “Healing those who serve” with fly fishing this is a great program.

National Park Service to consider new park in W.Va.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Next month, the National Park Service will begin conducting a survey to determine if some areas within the Monongahela National Forest should be made into a national park – something West Virginia doesn’t currently have.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., requested the survey, which is scheduled to be completed by September 2012.

On Monday, Manchin said he “is pleased that the National Park Service is undertaking this survey to evaluate whether this beautiful part of our state should be designated as a national park.”

In a recent news release, the NPS said the survey would “determine whether the historic, natural and recreational resources in the project area are ‘likely’ or ‘unlikely’ to meet Congressionally-required criteria for a national park.

 

Read the full article from Paul J. Nyden in the WVGazette – HERE

 

 

Trout Making Progress on Long Road Back from Acid Rain

A new report from the University of Virginia found that between 1987 and 2000 only 55 to 57 percent of streams sampled were suitable to brook trout reproduction. But between 2000 and 2010 that number had jumped to 77 percent. According to the researchers, the lag in improvement reflected “the streams’ ability to purge acidification that has settled for years into surrounding soils and that continues to leach into streams.”

The lesson here is that turning back regulations might allow polluters to make a quick buck, but results in long-term expenses for the rest of society.  (Field & Stream Conservationist Blog 2011)

Read the full post HERE @ The Conservationist Blog (Field & Stream)

Federal Court Supports National Roadless Rule

The U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2001 national roadless rule governing 49 million acres of roadless areas across the country. The decision marks a sweeping win for hunters, anglers and conservationists alike as it resolves uncertainty about federal management of roadless areas across the country.

“This decision affirmed the value of backcountry areas in sustaining healthy and secure habitat for fish and wildlife – something hunters and anglers have known for years,” said Joel Webster, director of the TRCP Center for Western Lands. “Sound roadless conservation policies safeguard big-game habitat security, productive trout and salmon fisheries and our sporting traditions. The 2001 roadless rule is a strong mechanism for conserving America’s backcountry recreational activities and outdoor heritage.”   (TRCP Square-Dealer 2011)

Read more HERE at the TRCP Square-Dealer

Finding Strength in Numbers

If there’s anything to be gleaned from the “Occupy” movement sprouting placards across the nation—other than free speech does not extend to pitching tent camps in Bloomberg’s backyard—it’s that collective noise is hard to ignore.

That same theory is now being applied by groups that work for the greater good of wildlife, organizations that in the past have maintained safe distances from one another despite similar overall objectives in the conservation arena.

Approximately 1,000 groups and businesses have formed under The America’s Voice for Conservation, Recreation and Preservation coalition umbrella. The mega-group, which made its debut at a Washington, D.C., news conference last month, includes the TRCP, The Wilderness Society, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Boone and Crockett Club, Trout Unlimited, and Sierra Club, in addition to companies such as Black Diamond and Petzl.

Strength in numbers? The new coalition is banking on it.   (The Drake Magazine 2011)

New Herd Aims to be Heard by Geoff Mueller

Sportsmen-Conservationists Help Provide $1 Trillion Boost To Economy

The economic study

Read more about the study at the:  Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s Square-Dealer

Committee Approves Marcellus Bill; Tensions Remain

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (second from left) was the only member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to attend Monday's Marcellus Shale hearing, but he was joined by U.S. Reps. Nick Rahall, Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley.

In a meeting Wednesday the Joint Select Committee on Marcellus Shale moved that the Marcellus regulation bill be moved from committee back to the House and Senate. The bill passed out with nearly unanimous support of the committee members.

Read more HERE – The State Journal

Read more HERE – The Charleston Gazette

Marcellus Bill Passes Committee (VIDEO)

(Click on link above to hear Senator Karen Facemyer,  Delegate Tim Manchin, and video from a surface owner rights advocates)

 

Project Healing Waters at Louis A. Johnson VA Hospital in Clarksburg, WV

From left to right: Michael Andrew - VA Recreation Therapist, Tom Perrine - VA Recreation Therapist, Phil Johnson - PHW Regional Coordinator, Chad Cooper - MCTU Member/Assistant Program Lead, Chris Byrd - MCTU President