Wyoming Trout Unlimited Spring 2021 Newsletter by WYTUnewsletter

The Trout Tale WYOMING COUNCIL OF TROUT UNLIMITED

SPRING 2021

PERSPECTIVE

Walt Gasson

Toughing it out... clothes. I think it’s safe to say that jeans with those old cotton Duofold quilted long underwear were bad clothes. The old man found some tanker bibs – light canvas, with a great wool blanket lining – that improved things a lot. Down coats helped even more. But it was still pretty dang cold, and I suspect I spent as much time in the truck as I did on the water. When the other kids were watching cartoons with a bowl of cereal on Saturday morning, Ol’ Gus and I had coffee and cookies and KVRS in Rock Springs from the cab of his ’61 Chevy on the river. Each year, in fits and starts, the high desert winter gave way to an ever-elusive spring. The open water grew bigger and the fishing got better. It was still cold and windy, but we were out and we were fishing. That was what mattered. We got skunked a lot. A good day was three or four fish. But we were together and we were fishing the river we knew and loved. He always had a story or two to tell. The time his dad found the dead woman in the river down by the old Lombard ferry. His brief career as a junior grade commercial fisherman selling carp, suckers, and the occasional pikeminnow to the restaurant guy on Railroad Avenue. I don’t remember a lot about the fish we caught, but the fishing and the stories are seared in my memory forever. Ol’ Gus and I only had twelve years together. He died suddenly in the spring of 1967. His heart quit, and our hearts broke along with it. But my own heart was healed by continuing to do the same things we had always done together. The hunting, the trapping, the fishing, the just being out there all four seasons of the year, the way our family had always been. It wasn’t overnight, and it wasn’t always easy, but slowly my mom and I found our center again and we went on. I think the old man was proud of us. Looking back, I am too.

You wouldn’t happen to know what month of the year it is? Why no, I truly wouldn’t. I’m sorry, pilgrim. Winter’s a long time going? [exhausted] Ah. Stays long this high. March. Maybe, April. March maybe. I don’t believe April. [rising to depart] March is a green muddy month down below, some folks like it, FARMERS mostly.

his was always the time of year Ol’ Gus would get restless. The hunting seasons were long gone, and the trapping was done for the year. He was only good for about two ice fishing trips with his son, back in the days when I had the attention span of a goldfish. We were both ready for real fishing, but the real fishing wasn’t ready for us yet. It was that awkward time between winter and spring that came hard for us. We both paced the cage of our little home in Green River, and I can only imagine that my mother prayed for spring and wished we would just take the dog and go away. Eventually, a system began to evolve. It started with finding open water. We already knew some places on the Green that remained open in all but the bitterest of weather. Those were our go-to spots for jumpshooting ducks and geese in the latter parts of the waterfowl season. Every year was different, depending on temperature, wind and a host of other factors but it seemed like there was always someplace that was fishable. The tailwater below Fontenelle Dam was a personal favorite, but there were always enough places to fish at least a bit. Sometimes (read: Inevitably), it was cold and windy. The Norwegians say that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad

Walt Gasson is the Director of Trout Unlimited’s Endorsed Business program. He is a fourth generation Wyoming native and has worked in conservation for over 40 years in government, non-profits and the private sector. Walt currently resides in Laramie with his beautiful wife, Kim.

Our new, quality can coolers are in stock and ready to keep your favorite beverage ice cold. Pick up several for the drift boat, man cave or near the smoker or grill for only $5 each (plus $5 shipping). Go to wyomingtu.org and click on “shop” under Support WYTU! As always, all proceeds benefit our efforts to conserve, protect and restore Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Thank you for your support!

THE TROUT TALE

SPRING 2021

The official newsletter of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited

FROM THE COORDINATOR

The Trout Tale

Wyoming Trout Unlimited has much to be proud of...

Winter 2021 • Volume 6, Issue 3

The Trout Tale is a quarterly newsletter of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited. The deadline for submission of articles, information, photos and content for the Summer 2021 newsletter (July, August, September) will be June 4, 2021. Send all contributions for the summer issue to Wyoming Coordinator Mike Jensen at: mike.jensen@tu.org. The Trout Tale is available online at the council’s website: wyomingtu.org © 2021 Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited

• Mike Jensen, Newsletter Editor • Cole Sherard, Chair

Proud recipient of the 2014 Trout Unlimited “Bollinger Award For Best Newsletter”

Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited P.O. Box 22182 Cheyenne, WY 82009 e-mail: mike.jensen@tu.org Phone: 307.421.3188 www.wyomingtu.org

ON THE COVER: Nick Walrath, Green River Project Manager for Trout Unlimited, is shown with a nice rainbow trout he caught last spring. He credits his lucky plaid fishing shirt for the catch. Photo by Rick Slagowski Vice President Upper Bear River TU Chapter

SPRING 2021

Mike Jensen

Despite the continuation and challenges of the COVID-19 virus, Wyoming Trout Unlimited (WYTU) is keeping busy and continues to do good work when and where possible through the pandemic. And this newsletter is a testament to that good work being done around the Cowboy State — both by Trout Unlimited staff and volunteers. We’ve packed a whole lot of useful information in this spring edition of The Trout Tale, and we hope you’ll enjoy this edition. Cory Toye and his team at Wyoming Water and Habitat have wrapped up a couple incredible projects in western Wyoming. Check out Green River Project Manager Nick Walrath’s story on page 4, that highlights the completion of the Booth Ditch Project (two phases) on the Bear River south of Evanston. Bonneville (Bear River) cutthroat trout will now have less obstacles to face as they make their spawning migration up river. Make sure to read Brett Prettyman’s story on how a timber sale led to Snake River cutthroat trout passage on the storied Greys River. Northwest Wyoming Program Director Leslie Steen from Jackson collaborated with conservation partners to find solutions to the many challenges with the Tribasin Project. It’s certainly worth the read and you can find the story on page 10. You won’t want to miss my “one-on-one” question and answer piece on page 6 where Trout Unlimited’s Vice President for Volunteer Operations, Beverly Smith, offers us some great insight into her senior leadership position with TU as well as life in Wyoming with her family. Our good friend and Director of Trout Unlimited’s Endorsed Businesses, Walt Gasson, shares a touching and personal look back at his youth on page 2. Walt and I also are proud to bring the Wyoming TU Endorsed Businesses listing to the newsletter moving forward. You’ll find that directory on page 17 and we encourage you to support these Wyoming businesses. On page 14, you’ll find my story on the successful pilot program “Trout in the Classroom” at Torrington Middle School. The passionate sixth grade science students, taught by Ms. Jenna Krul, are learning much about raising trout from eggs, conservation, water quality and a whole lot more. Word has spread quickly and other educators are making inquiries as to how they can get this program for their school. Thanks to Howard Cole of Jackson for sharing his “Scary Harey” fly tying recipe with us. Howard is a former guide, former owner of High Country Flies in Jackson and a very talented fly tyer. Check out this caddis pattern sure to put some fish in your net this spring/summer. You’ll find Howard’s recipe on page 16. Stay safe. Stay well. Stay fishy. I hope to see you on the water sometime. Mike Jensen is the Wyoming Council Coordinator for Trout Unlimited and is based in Cheyenne. When he’s not at his desk, puttering around the yard with the dog or tying a few flies, you can rest assured he’s driving his drift boat somewhere in search of big Wyoming trout.

THE TROUT TALE

RECONNECT

By Nick Walrath

The legacy to bring back the Bear River continues Ditch. In true small-town Wyoming fashion, everyone had heard of the Adopt-A-Trout program going on in the local school through a family member or the local newspaper. This was not only a great ice breaker to start talking about their stream structures, it also showed that TU was invested in the community. The Adopt-A-Trout program was TU’s “foot in the door” we needed to start the ball rolling. One of the first things we did was install a fish ladder on the old city diversion dam in 2013. This was an inexpensive quick fix that improved fish passage at high water but wasn’t the final fix the river needed. Next, we decided to tackle the Booth Ditch Diversion. The Booth Ditch Diversion was a monstrous push-up dam that was rebuilt using large equipment in the river, every summer, multiple Before aerial view of the Phase 1 Booth Ditch times to deliver water Project on the Bear River to fields downstream. It was over five feet high and 195 feet long — spanning the entire width of the Bear River. Each year the dam was washed out by high water and needed to be rebuilt to send water down the ditch as the river receded. This was a costly annual activity for the water rights holder. The disturbance within the stream caused channel instability up and downstream from the project site, along with increased sediment issues downstream and fish movement problems. There was no quick fix option. However, this was an opportunity to show other

By NICK WALRATH Trout Unlimited Green River Project Manager

he Legacy of the 2011 to 2014 Adopt–A–Trout program lives on and continues to generate projects in the Upper Bear River. The Upper Bear River Trout Unlimited Chapter’s quest to “Bring Back the Bear” is a work in progress, but they are seeing the fruits of their labor with the completion of the Booth Ditch Diversion Improvement project and the start of the Old Evanston Diversion removal project. The charismatic Adopt-A-Trout program engaged a science class each year in the Evanston Middle School. The main goals were to track Bear River cutthroat trout movements and to engage the local community. One of the first three fish implanted with a radio tag in the spring of 2011 told a story that needed more investigating. The fish, named “Berty” by an Evanston 8th grade student, moved upstream 12.5 stream miles from the Bear River State Park near Evanston in early June. It was presumed to be on a spawning run and stopped in a section of river with limited spawning habitat. After further review of the area, two large issues in the section of river were discovered. The first was an old concrete diversion dam built by the City of Evanston, with a few remaining culinary water users. The second was a large gravel diversion dam for the Booth irrigation ditch. Both in-stream structures posed problems for fish movement and stream function. Trout Unlimited “Berty,” the Bear River cutthroat trout, is (TU) approached the shown after being tagged. Two months after receiving the tag, Berty had traveled City of Evanston, 12.5 miles up river where the fish provided private landowners valuable information and attention to the and the water rights Old City Diversion and the Booth Ditch holder of the Booth Diversion south of Evanston.

See BOOTH DITCH on page 5

Always in style. On the river. Or around town. The famous bucking fish hat from Wyoming Trout Unlimited! Choose your favorite style and color for only $20 (plus $5 shipping). Go to wyomingtu.org and click on “shop” under Support WYTU! Supplies are limited! As always, all proceeds benefit our efforts to conserve, protect and restore Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Thank you for your support!

THE TROUT TALE

SPRING 2021

BOOTH DITCH from page 4

OUR MISSION: Conserving, protecting and restoring Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds

n n n n n n n n

WYOMING COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Cole Sherard Laramie...................................................Chair Kathy Buchner Jackson..........................................Vice Chair Sadie St. Clair-Valdez Rock Springs....................................Secretary Jim Hissong Mountain View.................................Treasurer Werner Studer Casper............................NLC Representative Dave Sweet Cody...................................At Large Member John Madia Sheridan.............................At Large Member Mike Jensen Cheyenne...................Council Coordinator

WYOMING CHAPTERS AND AEG’s: n Casper/Grey Reef n Curt Gowdy n East Yellowstone n Jackson Hole n Laramie Valley n Little Bighorn n Platte Valley n Popo Agie Anglers n Seedskadee n Upper Bear River n Upper Green River n Adiposse (AEG) (Alternative Engagement Group)

landowners what could be done. To ensure that the new diversion structure was stable and would last into the future, project partners began the project 1,200 feet upstream and finished the project 3,000 feet downstream of the diversion. Phase I of the project included 1,800 feet of stream and the restoration was completed in the fall of 2018. The diversion was constructed using a series of large boulders instead of one structure to raise the water into the ditch. This improved diversion mimics the natural channel and allows for fish passage while improving stream function. Phase I also addressed two river bends above the project site by narrowing and deepening the stream channel. This allows the stream to maintain the forces needed to continue to move sediment downstream. Toe-wood was installed on the banks for erosion control, which uses large trees with root-wads still attached to create a stable bank and instant quality fish and aquatic habitat. The tree trunks are buried on their side in the bank and the root wads are left exposed in the stream. Above them, a new bank is built using sod mats. This new bank is low An aerial view of the Phase 1 Booth Ditch and allows high flows to release Project on the Bear River after push-up dam removal. energy laterally across the flood plain and not continue to cause erosion issues. During this phase of the project, project partners also did public outreach with a rancher’s on-site tour in 2020, after the project survived a spring runoff. It was highlighted in local newspaper articles and a project video. (video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhjE1Ad9DdI). Phase II of the project was completed in the summer of 2020, which continued the restoration downstream for an additional 2,400 feet of river, using the same restoration techniques. The completion of Phase I eased the local apprehension so the landowners and the City of Evanston reached out to TU to continue the work upstream to the Old City Diversion. This was great news. Conservation and project partners got to work fundraising and designing the project. This time next year, the Bear River cutthroat trout will have less obstacles to navigate during their spawning migration — all thanks to Berty.

This photo shows the completed and successful toe-wood installation on the Bear River south of Evanston. This was part of the Phase II Booth Ditch Project.

To join Trout Unlimited today, go to tu.org and click on the “Become a member” link Wyoming Trout Unlimited photos by Nick Walrath

SPRING 2021

THE TROUT TALE

Conversations:

With Beverly Smith — Trout Unlimited Vice President for Volunteer Operations

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each quarter, we’ll seek out and sit down with a Trout Unlimited member, volunteer, staff member, conservation partner or friend to have a casual Q&A conversation about them and the outdoors. For our Spring Trout Tale newsletter, we’re extremely proud to be able to talk with Trout Unlimited’s Vice President for Volunteer Operations, Beverly Smith, who lives in Wyoming. Below, you’ll find questions from WYTU (Wyoming Trout Unlimited) and Beverly’s responses following her initials “BLS” — Mike Jensen

WYTU: Beverly, what brought you to Wyoming from South Carolina? BLS: San Juan worms. True story. I had the good fortune of being introduced to fly fishing as a small girl first on the North Platte near Saratoga and then the Green near Pinedale. My family would journey out here to camp and fish nearly every summer. These little adventures with family are among the happiest memories of my life. The summer after college, my family took our annual trip tragically early and hit the Green during the runoff and peak mosquito season. As South Carolinians, we could tolerate the mosquitoes, but we couldn’t figure out the fishing. In desperation, someone tried a San Juan worm, and voila… we were catching trout. But, between all of us, we only had maybe three worm patterns in total. So, I was sent for supplies in Jackson. My face likely matched the color of the giant pile of San Juan worms I threw down on the Orvis counter. Suffice it to say, it was a conversation starter. One thing led to another, and I left the Orvis store with a job. I went back to South Carolina, packed my bags and showed back up a few weeks later for work.

The Smith family — Shawn , Beverly, Virginia, Harriet and Pants

Montana) and me. We all work at the national scale, but we’re spread out in different areas in part because our work doesn’t require us to be in a headquarters office, but also because having us embedded in different communities helps to better inform our work. I have certainly learned a lot from WYTU and JHTU over my time here. My team also includes our Headwaters Youth Education department and the Service Partnership. Support for chapters and councils looks and feels very different chapter to chapter and day to day. Our staff is supporting chapters on risk management and liability, strategic planning, equity and inclusion, fundraising, delivering virtual engagement and communications tools and training and much, much more.

WYTU: Beverly, as you know, our Trout Unlimited (TU) members, volunteers and staff in Wyoming are very proud of you and the senior leadership position you hold in TU. Can you tell us when you first became involved with TU and the various volunteer and staff positions you’ve held over the years? BLS: I am so proud to be a part of this TU community here in Wyoming. Growing up in warm-water country, I didn’t have much of an awareness of TU until I moved to Wyoming. My colleague at the Orvis store (now the Godfather of my eldest child) really made that initial connection for me, inspiring me to join as a member. I remember he coached me for the interview for my first job at TU, the Volunteer Coordinator position. I had been working for another local conservation group for two or so years at that point, and as much as I loved that job – I couldn’t help but jump at the chance to work for TU. The job was a marriage of my three passions — conservation, fishing and community. I got that first job with TU in 2007. In 2010, I was promoted to the Director role and in 2014 to Vice President.

WYTU: With everything that’s happened over the past year, and continuing even now — pandemic, politics, racial tensions, etc. — across our country, can you talk about TU’s initiative and efforts to be a more inclusive conservation organization? BLS: Despite the many unforeseen challenges of this year, TU has uncovered new opportunities to deepen and grow our equity practice (tu.org/equity.) We’re working to build capacity for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as an organization by facilitating conversations and learning around equity for the individual. Our work began by building a core team of volunteers, staff and trustees to create “a ripple effect” within the broader TU organization. The two dozen people initially involved have participated in facilitation

WYTU: Can you tell us about volunteer operations and how your team supports 36 state TU councils and 378 TU chapters around the country? BLS: I work with the best team. There aren’t many of us, but what we lack in our numbers we make up for in our passion and commitment! Our core group of Volunteer Operations staff includes Jeff Yates (the director out of Connecticut,) Lisa Beranek (the manager out of Washington state,) Nick Halle (the coordinator out of

THE TROUT TALE

Q&A

See CONVERSATIONS on page 7

SPRING 2021

CONVERSATIONS from page 6 training and have been tasked with practicing equity through small group work in order to build skills and model the work of practicing equity. The conditions of 2020 — with the global pandemic and heightened awareness of racial injustice in our society — gave our work both renewed focus and time to develop into a deep, impactful project. The next phase or rippling is underway with a goal to reach all staff and many of our grassroots with some equity-related engagement by the end of 2021. TU staff and volunteers are simultaneously taking other important steps to build out our equity practice such as: n Providing bias training for hiring managers, n Removing gender from terms and program names, n Revising procurement and investment policies through an equity lens, n Initiating new affinity groups to engage and support people not in TU’s majority culture, n Building partnerships with communities historically marginalized in conservation, n Increasing representation on our board of trustees, n Integrating new curriculum into volunteer training focused on topics of DEI. n And much more. I’m really excited to talk more with WYTU members, supporters, leaders, staff and partners to learn from you and keep pushing each other to create space and support for all people to participate in our mission work. WYTU: What are the biggest challenges you see for Trout Unlimited over the next 10 to 15 years? BLS: Today, 1.5 million miles of trout and salmon waters in America are degraded. But it isn’t warming waters, drought, wildfires, and extreme flooding that keeps me up at night, it’s the worry that we’re not keeping up. The rate of decline of trout and salmon habitat outstrips the good work that TU and our partners are doing to conserve and restore habitat. For the thousands of young people we introduce to fishing and conservation, the veterans and first responders we help heal and find community, the advocates we mobilize for our mission… millions more remain disengaged and disinterested with their local watersheds. Women account for only six percent of TU’s membership, people of color make up less than two percent, and every year our membership ages with an average age now over 60. We aren’t representing the communities where we live, work, fish and volunteer. That makes our mission work less rich, less durable, and in little time likely irrelevant without fast action. Our work to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive is both a moral imperative and strategic imperative to change. Despite these challenges, I remain motivated by a vision where the tables are turned, and our nation’s rivers and streams are re-wilding and our communities — our whole communities — are actively engaged as long-term stewards for their local watersheds. TU and our partners must scale up our work to deliver solutions that match the complexity of the challenges we face. I’m confident that there is still time to stem losses if we work together to expand our efforts to recover and heal these waters and places we love.

WYTU: In your view, what makes Trout Unlimited a top-tier, coldwater conservation organization? BLS: That we do restoration, advocacy and community engagement. When we walk into the halls of congress to advocate for whatever it might be, we’re taken seriously because those legislators know that in their district last month a big outing took place to engage 100 first responders, that the local volunteers have for years been working in the school district to bring top-notch STEM education to the seventh grade class, that piles of trash are removed from their local watershed each spring by TU supporters, that staff and partners reconnected 14 miles of stream last year, etc… We are a part of communities, and it makes us credible and effective. WYTU: Can you tell us a little about your family and why you love living in Wyoming? BLS: That first year out of college in the Orvis store, I met and later married my husband, Shawn. That first summer he taught me how to row without incident. Those that have tried to teach a partner how to row know how challenging that dynamic can be! To this day, he teaches me how to row closer to the bank, no further, no closer… And, he teaches me so much about life, living it fully, and giving back. We both enjoy all our outdoor pursuits together, and we’re raising two girls ” (Virginia (7) and r daughter “H Beverly and he Harriet (3) to love it as we do. WYTU: What do you enjoy doing in your free time? BLS: I’m a mom of two young kids working full-time through a pandemic, so at the moment I’m not so sure “free time” exists! I take an annual overnight float trip on the South Fork with two of my best friends each summer, and that is my ideal way of using that elusive free time. WYTU: What is your favorite outdoor activity and why? BLS: It depends on the time of the year. Fly fishing of course is high, if not at the top, of my list. But, I grew up a bird hunter and it might be hard to trade an October day following my dog around a field for about anything.

WYTU: Beverly, what have been some of your favorite memories of being involved with TU? BLS: Too many to count. After a year of social distancing, I so crave the in-person interactions with my TU family in Wyoming and beyond.

SPRING 2021

My most prized memories are probably those special times when I got to sneak out after a formal work meeting… outside of the conference spaces and usually with a rod in hand… with a volunteer and/or local staff member. I so enjoy learning about people, what brings them to TU, how they relate to their local watershed, what support they need, and how to catch their trout. Seriously, though, that connecting time on the water with people from every walk of life from every corner of this country has enriched my life in ways I can’t even describe.

THE TROUT TALE

SPRING 2021

WYTU NEWS NOTES: WYTU gear. A new page on Wyoming’s native cutthroat trout and Cutt-Slam program will be added soon. Check it out at: www.wyomingtu.org and let us know what you think.

WYTU Chapters need to file Annual Activity Reports soon April 1 marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for Trout Unlimited. As a reminder, all chapter and council Annual Activity Reports must be filed on or before May 15. If you missed it, you can watch a video recording of the Treasurer Training that took place in early March. View the video at: https://vimeo.com/519961460 Trout Unlimited Director of Volunteer Operations Jeff Yates encourages chapter presidents and treasurers to log in to the new Leaders Only Section to confirm you have the access you need in order to file your respective Annual Activity Report. The Wyoming Executive Committee encourages each chapter to get this done sooner than later. WYTU Council Treasurer Jim Hissong is available to help you should you need it. You can contact Jim by e-mail at: wyohiss@gmail.com. If anyone needs help logging into the Leaders Only Section of Trout Unlimited’s website (www.tu.org), please contact Mike Jensen at: mike.jensen@tu.org.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department to offer the public a chance at a $1,000.00 The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is offering a chance at $1,000.00 for people who bring in moss balls. Wyoming is one of dozens of states across the U.S. to identify zebra mussels in pet and aquarium stores in connection to moss balls. The department is working closely with other states and Federal agencies to address this nationwide issue. Moss balls of many varieties meant for aquarium decor have been found to carry zebra mussels. Zebra mussels are an aquatic invasive species (AIS) and can cause severe damage to municipal water systems and natural waters. As part of an effort to protect Wyoming’s waters, the WGFD will set up moss ball drop-sites at its regional offices. People can either bring in packaged moss balls or remove the moss ball from their tank, let the water drain and put the moss ball in a plastic bag to bring to the drop-site. Anyone who brings in a moss ball can scan a QR code at the drop-site and register to win a raffle for up to $1,000.00 The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is finalizing the program now and will communicate when the drop-sites are ready for the public. Visit https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/AIS-moss-balls for more information on moss balls and AIS.

Wyoming Trout Unlimited Spring Council Zoom Meeting set for April 28 and 29 Due to Trout Unlimited’s recommendations and continued concerns over COVID-19, the Executive Committee of Wyoming Trout Unlimited has made a decision to hold the Council’s annual spring and business meeting via Zoom teleconference call. The meeting will be held on two nights, April 28 and 29, and will run from 7 to 9 p.m. each night. “We hope each chapter will be represented at the spring council meeting,” said Cole Sherard, chair of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited. Wyoming TU members, volunteers, leaders and partners are invited to attend. Please RSVP with Mike Jensen to ensure your Zoom invite. Also, if you have any agenda items, please send those to Mike Jensen at: mike.jensen@tu.org. Agenda packets and meeting details will be sent out to those participating in the two-night meeting. Watch for that information a few days before the meetings.

Kids’ Fishing Day events scheduled for June Despite the COVID-19 virus, two Trout Unlimited (TU) chapters are moving ahead with plans to hold kids’ fishing day events in Cody and Rock Springs. Chapter leaders will encourage safety protocols for everyone in attendance and ask that participants, and their families, to social distance, wear masks and take actions for the well-being of the community. CODY KIDS’ FISHING DAY: Saturday, June 5, 2021 (Wyoming Free Fishing Day) at Beck Lake Park. For children 14 and under. Registration will take place from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Lots of prizes. For more information, contact East Yellowstone Chapter President Kathy Crofts at (307) 921-8591.

New Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited website is up and running If you haven’t already checked out the new, improved and updated Wyoming Trout Unlimited website, you should. You’ll find a wide variety of new items throughout the site, including a much more convenient and secure way to donate to WYTU or purchase

SPRING 2021

ROCK SPRINGS/GREEN RIVER KIDS’ FISHING DAY: Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Wataha Recreational Complex Fishing Pond in Rock Springs (located near the golf course). Wyoming Game and Fish Technicians will be on hand with coolers, ice, gallon Ziplock bags and Sharpies. They will process the fish, put them in bags labeled with the youth’s name and put them on ice until the family leaves. For more information, contact Seedskadee Chapter President Sadie Valdez at (406) 425-1338 or John Walrath with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department at (307) 875-3223.

THE TROUT TALE

RECONNECT

By Brett Prettyman

Building bridges for logging trucks... and native cutthroat trout How a timber sale led to fish passage on the storied Greys River Story by Brett Prettyman Photos by Joshua Duplechian, Trout Unlimited

he impact a dam has on fish movement on big rivers, like the Lower Snake, is easy for people to understand. But there are a number of obstacles fish face throughout a river system that are not so easy to comprehend. Sometimes much smaller — and often overlooked barriers — can, among other things, threaten future fish populations by blocking traditional migration routes to spawning habitat. Trout Unlimited’s Snake River Headwaters Initiative, along with the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming Game and Fish Department, recognized several such barriers in the upper Greys River watershed of the Wyoming Range and took advantage of an approved commercial timber sale to reconnect more than 21 miles of stream to benefit native Snake River cutthroat trout in 2020. “People don’t necessarily think about the necessity of fish to be able to move like terrestrial animals,” said Anna Senecal, aquatic habitat biologist with Wyoming Game and Fish. “We all know about bird migrations and we know about ungulate elk migrations, but fish need to move as well. To be able to access these headwater habitats and then move downstream throughout the Greys River system connecting to the Snake River is so important for sustaining this species.” Patrick Barry, aquatics program manager with the U.S. Forest Service on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, remembers well the first time he saw the culvert on the Greys River near Shale Creek. “I scheduled a field trip with the [partners] and we had popsicles on

the big pipe on a hot summer day,” he said. “I have a picture of everybody sitting on the this massive pipe and it is perched about a foot and a half out of the water and we were all like ‘How does a pipe like this exist in prime cutthroat country?’ The answer is simple. The Forest Service can’t afford to fix it.” The culvert from the famed popsicle picture was removed and in 2020, was replaced with a new bridge capable of supporting larger machinery. The fix also allows easier upstream migration for native cutthroat trout.

Partnerships bring results Barry says it was collaboration that brought the culvert replacement project to fruition. “Without Trout Unlimited, none of this would have been possible,” Barry said. “They give us the capacity to do these large infrastructure projects that would take us decades — decades — to fund.” Senecal agrees. “The partnership with Trout Unlimited really is seamless. We interacted from the initial conception phases of the project all the way through its implementation,” she said.” “Being a nonprofit organization versus a state agency, we each have our strengths and we have our challenges. And so, we are able to work together to leverage that and achieve a maximum level of efficiency.” Work on the Tribasin Fish Passage Watershed Restoration Project started in 2018. The commercial timber harvest is taking place in the Bridger-Teton National Forest with a majority of the wood coming from the Greys River drainage. Forest Service officials recognized existing road infrastructure was not going to be able to handle the heavy equipment required for the harvest to take place. “As part of the timber sale, the Forest Service knew they were going to have to fix up the roads in this general area to make it so timber

Leslie Steen, Northwest Wyoming Program Director for Trout Unlimited, spends time fishing for Snake River cutthroat trout on the Greys River.

THE TROUT TALE

See PARTNERSHIPS on page 11

SPRING 2021

PARTNERSHIPS from page 10 temperatures in the lower reaches of the river begin to climb too high. “When you think about 21.3 miles of cutthroat spawning habitat being blocked the first thing that comes to my mind is, ‘How long has it been blocked and why hasn’t it been fixed?’” said Patrick Barry, an aquatics program manager with the U.S. Forest Service on the BridgerTeton. “In my career, I’ve never seen an opportunity like this in cutthroat country to open up so many miles of habitat that was once open. I’m really, really excited to be a part of fixing it.” In addition to the Shale Creek work, culverts were also replaced at the West Fork of the Greys, Mink Creek and Clear Creek. Trout Unlimited strives for collaboration on every project and, in addition to the main partners, support for the Tribasin Project came Contractors remove a culvert near Shale Creek on the Greys River. The culvert had become undercut and was preventing Snake River cutthroat trout from moving upstream.

trucks could get in and out,” said Leslie Steen, Northwest Wyoming Program Director and lead for Trout Unlimited’s Snake River Headwaters Initiative. Trout Unlimited and the Forest Service work together on many projects in Wyoming, and across the country. Officials from the Bridger-Teton National Forest came to TU because they knew Steen could help get the project moving quickly to accommodate the timber sale.

A Snake River cutthroat trout caught in the Greys River in Wyoming.

from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Passage Program; Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited; Patagonia World Trout; Star Valley Trout Unlimited; TU-Orvis Embrace-A-Stream program and challenge; Trout and Salmon Foundation and the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

A special place for multiple cutthroat species The Greys River in beautiful western Wyoming.

“They saw it as an opportunity to say, ‘Well, if we’re going to be fixing the roads up anyway, let’s look at all the stream crossings in this area and see where there are barriers,’” Steen said. “Often times, you may drive over, in any given day, tons of small undersized culverts and you might not notice them; but in many cases they can actually be barriers for fish passage.” The ability to move about in a river system is important for the native Snake River cutthroat trout in the Greys for reasons other than being able to reach traditional spawning grounds. All-river access allows fish populations to remain genetically diverse and provides a possible escape route should wildfire ravage the area. Trout can move upstream or downstream to avoid the fire, ash and muddy flows that happen for years after flames have scarred the land. The fish can also escape up tributaries. Additionally, as the climate continues to warm, ensuring access to cooler water in higher-elevation tributaries is important, when water SPRING 2021

The Tribasin Divide is a special place in our country. A snowflake could, technically, land on the Tribasin Divide and water from the melt could end up in three geographically unique places. The Tribasin Divide serves as the READ headwaters for three MORE: rivers that drain into entirely different Drawn to watersheds, and each Wyoming’s contains a distinct native species of native cutthroats cutthroat trout (Snake River, Colorado River Page 12 and Bonneville/Bear River). The Greys flows north to the Snake River and eventually dumps into the Columbia River and finally, the Pacific Ocean. Water from the See PARTNERSHIPS on page 12

THE TROUT TALE

PARTNERSHIPS from page 11 native cutthroat trout in such close proximity to each other.” That fact got Ron Remmick, a fisheries biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, to thinking about a way to help educate anglers about the value of native cutthroat. In 1996, Wyoming Game and Fish, following an idea from Remmick, launched the Wyoming native cutthroat trout Cutt-Slam. The Tribasin area of the Wyoming Range gives anglers a chance to catch three of the four fish they need to complete the slam in one day. The other is the Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Trout Unlimited is a proud supporter of the Wyoming Cutt-Slam and the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited now provides a medallion awarded to those who complete the slam. “My hope is when we’re done with the project that we all walk away pretty stoked on the outcomes of the benefit for fish in the future,” Steen said. “With the warming climate, these headwaters streams are going to be even that much more important to native cutthroat trout because they rely on cold, clean water.”

Smith’s Fork runs to the Bear River and ultimately feeds the Great Salt Lake. La Barge Creek flows east and meets the Green River, which flows into the Colorado River and eventually to the Gulf of California and the Sea of Cortez — on a good water year. Trout Unlimited’s Western Water and Habitat Program has a staff member assigned to each of the three river drainages. “The Tribasin is one of the most intact systems anywhere,” Steen said. “It has a special kind of magic; a magic that you can only get when you have to drive for a really long way on a bumpy road. “It’s amazing to think anglers can catch three unique variations of

Brett Prettyman is Trout Unlimited’s communications director for science, Western Water and Habitat, and Headwaters (youth initiative) programs. He completed the Wyoming Cutt-Slam in 2018 and did so without getting even one flat tire.

Drawn to Wyoming’s native cutthroat Story by Heidi Lewis Five years ago, I had no idea what a Cutt-Slam was. After many adventures with family and friends, I’ve now completed slams in two states. The first time I heard about a slam, I was in the Utah Trout Unlimited Council meeting. I couldn’t figure out what a slam had to do with fishing. I was thinking about a grand slam in baseball. I finally realized the idea was to catch four native strains of cutthroat trout in their native range. When I learned I could go fishing and help conservation efforts, I was all in. I paid my $20 registration — stoked to discover that $19 goes straight to conservation projects — and started fishing for Utah’s native cutthroat. I completed the Utah Cutthroat Slam in August 2018 and was excited to be No. 300 to do so. Given my busy schedule as a business owner and mom of two, I appreciated that there was no time limit to do the slam. My first three subspecies for the Utah slam were caught with conventional fly fishing gear and my last fish was caught on my own ant pattern, tied on the end of a stick. No really. A stick I found streamside. I had to get creative in a tight space and think outside the box.

THE TROUT TALE

I had three friends with me from different states when I caught my last cutthroat, which only added to the excitement. There are no limits to how you can complete your slam other than using fishing gear of some sort. Completing my first slam in my home state was a proud moment I’ll never forget. I recently signed up for another Utah Cutthroat Slam in hopes of completing this one in different areas of the state or different rivers and lakes that I have yet to fish. I completed the Wyoming Cutt-Slam last summer with my See CUTT-SLAM on page 13

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CUTT-SLAM from page 12 entire family in tow, but didn’t realize it until months later. My husband and I had gone on some camping adventures in Wyoming over the last few years during the warm summer months. Living in Salt Lake City, Wyoming is a skip and a jump from home for a tempting weekend Heidi Lewis fishes for a Snake River cutth roat trout for getaway. These her Wyoming Cutt-Slam. Ryan Lewis photo . high-elevation adventures took us to prime cutthroat country. I’ve always admired and appreciated cutthroats because they can survive tough conditions and they live in amazing places. As we continued to explore this magical basin in Wyoming where three drainages meet, I discovered pretty quickly that three varieties of cutthroat trout can be caught in a weekend adventure. I was not specifically targeting these fish as that was not the intention of these trips. We saw historical areas where travelers traversed the West to get to Oregon. They would stop over in a huge meadow to let their animals feed and rest. It was this very spot we also stopped due to a flat tire. There was a feeling of kinship with those travelers from the late 1800s as we fixed up our truck before continuing on our way. We visited a grave of a young mother who died giving birth to her eighth daughter and was laid to rest under a beautiful pine tree. As my husband drove the same dirt roads, I read about these stories out loud for us both to get a better feel for this country we explored. Fast forward two years to the summer of COVID. We decided to spend a long weekend in Idaho camping with the family. I had been in Yellowstone National Park only a few times 20 years ago on a motorcycle — before kids — but never in the park as an angler. I had dreamed of fishing there since picking up a fly rod in 2012, but never made it happen. I read the book American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee, and became enthralled with Yellowstone’s most famous wolf, simply known as 06. I had visions of fishing the Lamar Valley where she lived. As we drove to the park that day from our camp in Idaho, I was excited to show my children this magical place and see it again with angling eyes. I Googled a story or two to read out loud about the area we were adventuring into. I came upon some tales about the Nez Perce, the Idaho native tribe that traversed Yellowstone with the U.S. Army on its tail in the late summer of 1877. As I read about their chase through the park, I The Yellowstone cutthroat trout Heidi landed could hardly finish on the Lamar River in Yellowstone completed her reading because I unexpected Wyoming Cutt-Slam. couldn’t see the Juliet Lewis photo.

SPRING 2021

words. Tears streamed down my face as I shared the treatment of these people with my family. I felt it necessary to share this history with my children to better understand Yellowstone’s human history before it was a national park. As we entered the west entrance, I saw the Madison River for the first time in the park and I got goosebumps. The view is already breathtaking and I struggled to hold back tears seeing the river and Yellowstone’s beauty from this side of the park for the first time. I had to see the Lamar Valley with my own eyes. We decided to stop and have lunch in the Lamar Canyon section of the river downstream from the valley. It was there I caught my first Yellowstone cutthroat in Wyoming. I had completed the Slam, but I was so happy to be there and to have landed a fish in the Park that I didn’t even realize I had done it. Bison were scattered all over the Lamar Valley and we pulled over again to fish the upper river where it meanders through the valley among the most amazing view I had ever seen while fishing. Weeks after arriving home, the story emerged. Every fish does have a story. I had finished the Wyoming Slam and didn’t even realize it because I was so excited to just be in Yellowstone with my family. Finishing in the park was the greatest gift and one that I’ll never forget. I submitted all my info to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. A few weeks later I received a beautiful medallion and certificate I intend to frame and am proud to show off. Moreover, after this experience ending in Yellowstone, I’m convinced I will become a park ranger for at least one summer in Yellowstone National Park after retirement to help share the magic of the place.

Heidi Lewis lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two daughters and two dogs. She serves as the Women’s Initiative chair for the Utah Council of Trout Unlimited and started the Utah Women Flyfishers group.

Guide to the Wyoming Cutt-Slam A little intimidated about venturing across the Cowboy State in an effort to complete the Wyoming Cutt-Slam? Joey Puettman has you covered. Puettman recently released the book “Joey’s Wyoming Cutt-Slam Challenge.” In addition to finding information about Wyoming’s four native cutthroat species and good places to look for them, anglers also get useful tips about how to catch the trout. Some personal stories about people going after the slam and finding so much more area also included. The books are $24.95 and are available from Joey’s Fly Fishing Foundation website at: www.joeysflyfishing.com. The books are also available from Amazon. The author is using all proceeds from the book to support Joey’s youth fly fishing programs through the foundation. — Brett Prettyman

THE TROUT TALE

Trout-In-The Classroom

Jenna Krul, sixth-grade science teacher at Torrington Middle School, engages with students during a discussion about the different varieties of trout and salmon found in the United States. This curriculum is part of the Trout Unlimited Trout in the Classroom program being conducted in Wyoming for the first time. WYTU PHOTO by Mike Jensen

By MIKE JENSEN Wyoming Council Coordinator

Meet Jenna Krul. She’s a sixth-grade science teacher at Torrington Middle School in Torrington, Wyoming. And she’s running the first-ever Trout Unlimited (TU) Trout in the Classroom (TIC) pilot program in Wyoming. Jenna comes to Wyoming from Nebraska, where she taught the Trout in the Classroom curriculum to her students there. Originally from the Cowboy State, Jenna returned to Torrington to teach this school year. One of her first tasks was to find out if the TIC program was available to teach at Torrington Middle School. It wasn’t. She persisted and used her contacts to find Cory Toye, who serves as the Wyoming Water and Habitat Program Director for Trout Unlimited. After a discussion with Cory, and Cory’s work with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited, the program became a reality and was set to launch shortly after the first of

the year in Jenna’s science classes. “We couldn’t have had a better person to kick-off this program in Wyoming,” said Toye. “Jenna’s our go-to pro when it comes to this program. We’re fortunate to have someone with her experience to run point on this curriculum.” The TIC curriculum is an environmental education program in which students raise trout from eggs to fry, monitor water quality, engage in stream habitat study, learn the value of clean, cold water resources, begin to foster a conservation ethic and grow to understand ecosystems. Additionally, the students learn about the importance of native and wild fish, ongoing conservation work with agriculture, municipalities and other partners, adverse implications of illegal fish stocking and more. Ultimately, the fry (fish) the students raised, will be released into a water designated by, and under the

direction of, the WGFD. The TIC program differs from the AdoptA-Trout program that Trout Unlimited has done for years — mostly in western Wyoming. “The Adopt-ATrout is a great program, but one that involves much higher costs to implement due The remaining trout fry (young fish) are to telemetry tags healthy and growing implanted in fish and in their fish tank. the tracking of those fish,” said Wyoming Council Coordinator Mike Jensen. “The TIC program offers a much less expensive option and one that we can bring to far more students around Wyoming. And that’s important to us.” Of course, this program wouldn’t be successful without the support of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited. “We can’t thank Jenna, the Torrington School District and the WGFD enough for their incredible support,” said Jensen. Word is spreading quickly around Wyoming as other schools are making inquiries as to how they can get this program in their schools.

LEFT: It all began with the delivery of over 450 trout eggs to Jenna’s class in mid-January. These eggs were provided by the WGFD Dubois Fish Hatchery. TOP: Jenna and some of her TIC students worked hard to get the fish tank ready to go and ready for the fish eggs. ABOVE: Water quality testing was very important early on. WYTU PHOTOS by Jenna Krul and Mike Jensen.

THE TROUT TALE

SPRING 2021

CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT

Little Big Horn Chapter

Little Big Horn Chapter looking forward to productive spring and summer By JOHN MADIA Little Big Horn Chapter President

TU. Funding is already granted for this project; now the exercise is to create the best plan for the available funds. May is looking to be very busy with a couple of outdoor projects on tap. On May 1, we will be partnering with the Fly Shop of the Big Horns. They are staging an event in Sheridan’s Kendrick Park that includes representation from Redington and Sage Rods, food trucks, a band and Black Tooth Brewery. LBHTU will be providing both fly and spin casting instruction. Our local experts and guides will be offering casting tips for both disciplines and we will be offering prizes for casting competitions. On May 20 and 21, we will be cutting willows for planting on Soldier Creek. This will be Phase 4 of the project, now in its fifth year. It is a partnership with East Yellowstone Trout Unlimited, LBHTU, the US Forest Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Paint Rock Creek Grazers’ Association, as well as representatives from WYTU and Grey Reef TU over the past three summers. We will plant the willow cuttings within the steel jack fencing barriers on May 24 and 25. Upon completion, this will close out this project for the next five years or so, at which time we will move the steel jack fencing and plant more willows and streamside vegetation. Finally, we will be working with the Sheridan County Land Trust (SCLT) on their Trail Fest 2021 event. This is scheduled for June 5 in Sheridan, and will most likely be held at Kendrick Park. June also brings our Kids Fishing Day at Porcupine Ranger Station, pending final scheduling from the Forest Service. Hopefully, we will be able to get out and do a little fishing as well.

fter a year of little activity due to COVID-19 concerns and restrictions, the Little Big Horn Chapter (LBHTU) has a busy Spring and Summer 2021 in the works. In March, we initiated remote chapter general membership meetings using Zoom® that featured a presentation by Casting for a Cure. We will follow this up in April with a presentation from the US Forest Service about upcoming funded projects in the Big Horns concerning restoration of stream banks along the North Tongue River. Our May meeting is set for a presentation about fishing away from the roads and crowds in Yellowstone. The chapter has begun the Embrace a Stream (EAS) process seeking funding for 3,700 linear feet of restorative work along Big Goose Creek just west of Sheridan. This project is a partnership with Joey’s Fly Fishing Foundation. The EAS Funding, if granted, will be used to improve streambank conditions. Joey’s kids will be using the project to learn and perform field studies essential to the development and implementation of conservation plans. We look forward to the partnership with Joey’s. Our chapter has been asked to advise and potentially provide volunteers for a streamside protection project on the Tongue River in Dayton, Wyoming. The Tongue is coming dangerously close to eroding the barrier between the river and the Sewage Treatment Ponds operated by the City of Dayton. A breach of this barrier would be disastrous to the fishery and irrigation downstream. Two water hydrology firms, the City of Dayton, Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the land owner (opposing bank) are all involved along with local, state and national representation from

In your fly vest or on the office shelf? It doesn’t matter. Get your WYTU wooden fly box before they’re gone! Don’t miss out on these quality fly boxes with the WYTU logo etched on the front. Only $30 (plus $8 shipping). Go to wyomingtu.org and click on “shop” under Support WYTU! Supplies are limited! As always, all proceeds benefit our efforts to conserve, protect and restore Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Thank you for your support!

SPRING 2021

THE TROUT TALE

FROM THE FLY BENCH

The Scary Harey By HOWARD COLE Former guide, former owner of High Country Flies in Jackson and passionate angler, hunter and outstanding fly tyer

Mike Jensen and I talked about what fly to feature for this newsletter and came up with the idea of something relevant to late spring/early summer. So, that’s why I picked this fly. Caddis are very important at this time throughout Wyoming and surrounding states and this particular fly has been a good performer for me. I started tying with glass beads 30 some years ago. My approach in using them has been a little different than most other glass bead imitations. My glass bead patterns have been as emergers that either ride on the surface or just under, in the surface film. It started with taking my mother to a sewing shop while she was visiting me here in Jackson. While ambling around the shop I came across glass beads. The shiny silver ones just stood out to me. While experimenting with different materials and looking at their air trapping properties, the trapped air bubbles looked very similar to the silver glass beads. It just seemed sensible to me, rather than trying to tie flies that would trap air bubbles, I could just place one of these glass beads on a hook and voila, there was the illusion of an air bubble. Many of my emerger patterns contain silver glass beads; especially many of my caddis patterns. I favor the beads designated as Diamond. Over the years there have been several versions of the Scary Harey. This is my latest version that has proven very successful for me. After studying caddis emerging, many times when I was looking at them they were just a mess. I believe that many times a very clean and orderly fly isn’t as successful as a buggy one. How many times have you fished an Elk Hair Caddis and the more it gets beat up the better it works? Anyway, that was the concept of the Scary Harey. I hope you have as much fun with it as I have. Good tying!

Howard Cole has fished and hunted pretty much all his life. His Dad was a big-time hunter and fisherman and he started Howard young. The first fish Howard remembers catching was a 21/2 lb. crappie when he was three. No pun intended, but his Dad drove the hook home deep. Howard started fishing the Yellowstone area in the late 70s and then guiding the area in the early 80s. He moved to Jackson permanently in 1988 and owned and operated High Country Flies for twentythree years. That allowed him to get to know this corner of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana fairly well. As Howard said, his Dad really set his passion for fishing and hunting and he still does quite a bit of both. Or as his wife says when someone asks her what Howard does, she simply says “Oh, he fishes and hunts, and on his days off he works at High Country Outfitters!”

THE TROUT TALE

Howard Cole

Scary Harey Recipe Hook: Light Wire Curved Scud Tiemco 2487, size 14-18 Thread: 70 Denier or equivalent, tan-grey color Glass Bead: Size midge, diamond color Tail Shuck: Z-Lon or equivalent, rust-amber color Dubbing Wire Loop/Rib: Size: fine, silver color Body: Dubbing, grey-olive color Wing and Wing Case: Snowshoe rabbit, natural grey Thorax Collar: CDC, natural grey 1. Thread Glass Bead on to hook. Tie in ZLon Tail Shuck approximately half way down bend of hook.

2. Tie in Dubbing Wire Loop/Rib making sure not to go too far forward. Approximately just in front of hook point. 3. Place Grey-Olive Dubbing in Silver Dubbing Wire Loop/Rib and twist clockwise (if you’re right-handed, counterclockwise if you’re left-handed). Take care in twisting wire. If over done you’ll break the wire. Find a halfway medium between containing dubbing but not too tight to break wire. Dubbing loop should be somewhat shaggy.

4. Wrap Dubbing loop forward and tie off, paying attention to not going too far forward. Tie off location should end just in front of hook point. 5. At this location tie in Snowshoe Rabbit. Wing length should be just past bend of hook. Place several wraps of thread in front of butt ends, propping them up. Whip finish and cut off thread. 6. Re-position hook in more of an upright manner. Push Glass Bead back into Snowshoe Rabbit butt ends. Re-install thread. Split fly tying thread; place CDC in split thread creating a dubbing loop. 7. Wrap CDC Dubbing Loop stroking fibers back toward rear of hook as you wrap, creating a collar. Getting the CDC wet can help with this move. Now pull Snowshoe Rabbit butt ends over Glass Bead and CDC collar creating a wing case. Place two soft thread wraps over the butt ends. With a bodkin, place under wing case; gently pull up on the bodkin creating airspace between Glass Bead and Snowshoe Rabbit Wing Case. Tie off with secure thread wraps and whip finish. I whip finish in front of butt ends; you can whip finish on top of butt ends. Your option. Trim off butt ends leaving a little tuff. Trim Tail Shuck equal to total length of fly.

7 SPRING 2021

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Trout Unlimited Business members are TU ambassadors in protecting, restoring, reconnecting and sustaining North America’s coldwater fisheries. To become a TU Business member, contact Wyoming’s own Walt Gasson at 307.630.7398 or e-mail him at: walt.gasson@tu.org

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Stick ‘em up and show your pride... on the truck window, cooler or anywhere your sticker collection resides! Choose from gold or brown. Two stickets for only $5 (plus $5 shipping). Go to wyomingtu.org and click on “shop” under Support WYTU! As always, all proceeds benefit our efforts to conserve, protect and restore Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Thank you for your support!

SPRING 2021

THE TROUT TALE