Spring and fun with words

By the time you are reading this, it is officially Spring, or Springtime in the Rockies. We have passed the Vernal Equinox; the days and nights are about equally long; and hopefully we’re seeing some greenery and bare ground!

I looked up “spring” on the web, and it listed a whole string of synonyms. Interestingly, they all started with the letter “R.”

Take “renewal,” for instance. Is it time to renew your membership in Trout Unlimited? Renew old acquaintances with fishing buddies?

“Rejuvenation” – get out your fishing rods, reels, and lines. Clean them up. Check for loose or worn line guides; clean your fly lines (they’ll cast ever so much more smoothly); apply lubricant to reels; re-tie or replace knots; untangle!

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 2023 newsletter (July,August and September) will be June 1, 2023. 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.

© 2023 Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited

• Mike Jensen, Newsletter Editor

• Kathy Buchner, 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:

The colors of spring and anticipation for warmer days filled with sunshine and “good trout eats,” are just around the corner.Are you ready?

“Regrowth” (to grow something anew after interruption ) – Get out your fly or tackle boxes. Maybe you need to discard that Royal Wulff with the broken hackle and tie some new ones. Or, spring forward to your local tackle shop to replenish your supply of Hare’s Ear nymphs or spinner baits.

Feel that “resurgence” of desire to be out there on stream or lake. Abandon the remote, and forget the seemingly endless baseball, football, and basketball playoffs/tournaments. The fish are calling!

How about “revivification” (to give new life to)? OK, you can accuse me of “lexiphanicism” for that (it’s the pretentious use of obscure words). Anyway, maybe it’s time to revivify the old fly vest and take it to the cleaners. Or patch those leaky waders.

Maybe it’s time to refurbish or renovate your fly tying corner. Reduce the clutter with little storage drawers for sorting hooks, threads, tinsels, etc.

Remember the mission statement of Trout Unlimited (TU)? Reconnect and Restore are two key words therein and that’s something that local chapters do best. Are there “hanging culverts” hindering fish passage on your local stream? Get out there and help reconstruct bottomless culverts.

Work with land owners, public land managers and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in identifying and fixing fish diversions. Restore a stream’s natural meander to slow the flow and recharge the water table. “Revitalization” – How’s your TU Chapter doing? Need to schedule a meeting, elect new officers, recruit new members and leaders? Start planning your Kid’s Fishing Day.

Of Wyoming’s 12 chapters, there are two right now that definitely need help with some revitalization: the Upper Green River Chapter and the Star Valley Chapter. If you live in one of these areas, please reach out to Mike Jensen or any of the WYTU executive committee for help in getting your chapter out of the doldrums. After all, that’s part of our job – to resurrect ailing chapters and recharge the vitality of Trout Unlimited throughout Wyoming.

Join us for the WYTU Spring Council meeting on May 5, 6, and 7, in Rawlins. There we will be celebrating the revitalization of the Platte Valley Chapter of TU, electing a new National Leadership Council Representative, renewing friendships and socializing with other TUers, and maybe even some fishing!

For further information, contact me at the email address listed below.

Kathy Buchner has called Jackson,Wyoming, home since 1971. She served as Wyoming Trout Unlimited’s Director from 1993-2002, and has been an active advocate for trout fisheries for some 30 years. She enjoys spending time with her two grandkids (who, at 7 and 4-1/2, love to fish). Kathy can be reached by email at kbuchner@wyoming.com.