Cody Trout Unlimited member wins Wyoming Cutt-Slam bamboo rod sweepstakes

By MIKE JENSEN

The Trout Tale Editor and Wyoming Council Coordinator

Congratulations are in order for Gregg Bierei of Cody, Wyoming. On June 8, he was announced as the big winner of the Wyoming Cutt-Slam bamboo fly rod sweepstakes.

The drawing was sponsored by accomplished bamboo fly rod builder Steve Foisie and the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited (WYTU).

Thanks to Steve’s generosity and his incredible donation of the “Cutt-Slam” bamboo rod and walnut rod case to WYTU, the council was able to conduct a sweepstakes drawing to help generate funds for our native cutthroat trout work in Wyoming.

After Steve received his Cutt-Slam certificate from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for catching the four subspecies of cutthroat in Wyoming, he also received his Cutt-Slam medallion which is provided by Wyoming Trout Unlimited — a proud partner with the WGFD and the Cutt-Slam program. Steve was working on catching each species of

Wytu

cutthroat and building bamboo rods to commemorate each species.

It was then that Steve came up with an idea to build the Wyoming Cutt-Slam rod specifically as a donation to the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited to acknowledge the collective contributions to improve and sustain quality habitat for the four subspecies of cutthroat trout presently thriving in Wyoming. Steve inked the names of each of the Wyoming cutties on the rod.

When Gregg was notified that he won this incredible prize package, he was silent for a moment or two before stating. “I never win anything.” More silence. “Thanks for picking me.”

You’re more than welcome, Gregg. We appreciate your support. In addition, WYTU would like to thank the 59 individuals who purchased sweepstakes tickets for a chance to win this incredible prize package.

And of course, thanks to Steve Foisie for making this possible.As mentioned before, all proceeds will go toward benefitting Wyoming’s four subspecies of cutthroat trout.

WYOMING NEWS NOTES:

Pinedale chapter to host fall council meeting and play a role in Green River restoration project

Mark your calendars now and plan to attend a unique WYTU fall council meeting and event tentatively scheduled for October 20, 21 and 22, in Pinedale,Wyoming.

Despite the Upper Green River Chapter’s current lack of activity, the executive committee of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited (WYTU) wants to work with TU members in the Pinedale area to help revitalize the chapter, while having the local chapter get involved and play a significant role with a major restoration project located on the Green River west of town.

Luke Schultz, an aquatic habitat biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is taking a lead role in the Green River: Huston to Sommers Restoration Project.

Schultz noted that this project in its entirety, will encompass nearly five miles of the river valley, and will feature nine individual work areas totaling over 15,000 feet of direct stream channel manipulation.

“Things are in pretty good shape in this reach,” Schultz said.

“But some work in select areas of the stream channel, stream banks, and floodplain and riparian areas would really boost juvenile fish production and adult holding habitat,” he continued. “These changes could push this good reach into being a truly outstanding piece of trout water.”

“We’re checking a lot of boxes,” Schultz said. He noted that much of the project area publicly accessible by either boat access or via the Summer/Grindstone Public Fishing Area, and landowners here have really stepped up in wanting to help make good things happen for the river.

Grindstone Cattle Company and the Sommers Ranch, along with two additional landowners, are great partners Schultz noted. “They are very supportive of this project and want to see it be successful,” Schultz said.

It probably comes as no surprise to folks that fish the rivers around Pinedale that angler pressure has inched up in the past couple decades, but habitat work by TU, Game and Fish, and several other entities hopes to spread the pressure around these waters and make for more enjoyable fishing experiences and better fishing throughout the region.

“Although a project of this magnitude will likely take several years to complete in its entirety, work on one of the project areas will occur in August 2023,” Schultz added.

In conjunction with this work,Wyoming Trout Unlimited and the Upper Green River Chapter are planning to hold their fall council meeting in Pinedale and possibly having a work day on the river as part of the meeting agenda.

Dates and events are subject to change.Watch for more details as they become available.

Local Trout Unlimited Chapter joins Cheryl Gowdy for special day at Curt Gowdy State Park

Curt Gowdy Trout Unlimited Chapter president Chris Brown from Cheyenne was excited when he found out that the TU chapter was going to be part of a very special day at the Curt Gowdy State Park west of Cheyenne.

On June 11, Cheryl Gowdy, the daughter of famous sportscaster and outdoorsman Curt Gowdy, was at the Curt Gowdy State Park to dedicate the Little House on the Park cabin.The unique center is designed for children to have a place they can learn, be kind, share, read, do artwork, play games and enjoy being in the outdoors and learning to be stewards of our state parks and public lands. Cheryl Gowdy spent most of the morning reading to a large number of children present Sunday morning at the cabin.

In addition to the dedication of the Little House on the Park,Wyoming State Parks and the Gowdy family invited the Curt Gowdy Trout Unlimited Chapter to be involved with the event by teaching children to cast a fly rod and learn how to fish.

All equipment needed was provided by the Curt Gowdy Trout Unlimited Chapter based out of Cheyenne.

Chapter members stepped up to help with the event. Despite cooler, wet weather, kids still showed up for the dedication and to try their hand at fishing from shore, or learning how to cast a fly rod.

A special thanks to the volunteers who helped out with this fun event at the beautiful Curt Gowdy State Park.Thanks to Chris Brown, Emmet and Courtney Pruss, Michael Kelly, Helen Jarvis and her husband, Mike Jensen, Scott Scheffey, Eric Whitfield and his wife, Craig Boal, Bob Mason, Dan Moede, and Becky and David Evans.

Congratulations to the new Little House on the Park facility.

Star Valley Chapter bounces back by strong by electing full slate of officers and board

Tuesday, May 16, was a great day for the Star Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter. After struggling to reorganize and revitalize the chapter, the members of the chapter rallied and recruited a great group of potential officers and board members to be considered for a full-slate of positions.

After drawing some raffle prizes, the group got down to business and elected four new officers and seven board members. Those elected were Ron Quinn, president; Bari Bucholz, vice president; Mike Schiffhauer, treasurer; and Lizzy Bachman; secretary.

Board members elected were Paul Stauffer, Jared Johnson, Steve Cook, Fred Pritchard, Skylar Webb, Clark Johnson, and Dave Bucholz.

It’s worth noting that Tanner Belknap, Salt River Watershed ter president Rick Slagowski, 195 kids attended the event on a beautiful day in Evanston.There were plenty of smiles and lots of fish were caught.

Each child at the event received a free Zebco fishing rod and lunch was provided that included a hot dog, bag of chips and a drink.

Rick noted there were plenty of smiles at both events.

The Platte Valley/Rawlins Chapter is back and better than ever

Manager, has been a big part of the chapter’s reorganization. He has already organized a couple of volunteer days on the water, planting willows with volunteers and chapter members.

On May 22, 11 volunteers planted 800 willows along the banks of the West Fork of the Salt River near Freedom. On May 23, the second day of project work, 15 volunteers planted 1,200 willows on the upper and lower Burton’s fishing access.

Congrats to all the new officers, board members and volunteers of the Star Valley TU Chapter.

Upper Bear River chapter hosts two great events for Evanston community

The Upper Bear River chapter continues its tradition of hosting successful community events, and this year was no exception.

The chapter hosted a F3T Film Tour event at the Strand Theatre on May 13.A large crowd — young and old — were on hand to participate in prize giveaways, a terrific raffle and silent auction.

Held on Saturday, June 10, the chapter hosted its annual Kids’ Fishing Day event at the Evanston Ice Ponds.According to chap- member; John Moore, Secretary/Treasurer;Tom Brown (East Yellowstone Chapter President who awarded the traveling “Bucking Fish” award, complete with cold beverages, to the Platte Valley/Rawlins chapter); Rich Grauberger, vice president; and Steven Heinitz, board member. Not pictured are board members Brian Lally and Darrin Willis. Congratulations to all.

After a long pause of inactivity with the Platte Valley/Rawlins Chapter, a great group of volunteers stepped forward to be nominated and elected to officer and board positions at the May 6 Wyoming Trout Unlimited council meeting in Rawlins.

By SARAH PRUDEN Sporting Lead-Free Community Outreach Coordinator

Whether it’s split shot, jig heads, streamers, flies, or nymphs, having weight on your line is an integral part of ensuring that you catch that story-worthy fish. The part of the story we can’t control is if our line breaks, our net fails, or we just can’t keep that fish on the line. Hooking into a hog and having it break away is every angler’s worst nightmare, but what we may not think about is what that fish takes with it when it snaps our line.

If we aren’t careful with the type of weights, jigs, and flies we use, we could end up unintentionally adding lead to the environment, and to the food chain. While weight is essential to getting your lure into the water column, a large number of those materials mentioned above can contain lead.

Many waterfowl species like ducks, swans, and cranes routinely swallow pea-sized pebbles (also known as grit) from the bottom of lakes and rivers to help grind up their food. Unfortunately, these birds aren’t able to tell the difference between a pebble and spent lead shot, sunk jigs or lost split shot, and can inadvertently ingest lead from the bottom of waterways.

There is also recent evidence that highlights a risk to piscivorous species, a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish like loons, bald eagles, osprey, and herons that can die from lead poisoning after ingesting fish with lead lures or weight still attached.

For most anglers, preserving the health and vitality of waterways and wildlife is an integral part of conserving angling heritage for future generations. That’s why encouraging anglers to start taking small steps toward a leadfree legacy today is so important.

We all have that old tackle box in the garage that has been handed down from generation to generation over time or given to us from a buddy, and those tend to be filled with lead-based tackle. While we shouldn’t feel any shame for having that tackle in our possession, we can start to shift the materials being handed down. No one likes to leave sporting goods stores empty-handed. Start transitioning your tackle box to lead-free by purchasing tackle alternatives made with materials like bismuth, tin, stainless steel, tungsten, ceramic, recycled glass and natural granite each time you stop in your local shop. With each small step, we can build a new angling legacy to pass down, one that is free of lead-based tackle. sportingleadfree.org

Lead exposure from lost or broken fishing tackle is a humaninduced problem but is also easily preventable.

Sporting Lead-Free is a Wyoming-based initiative working to encourage the use of lead-free ammunition and tackle in the field and promote the conservation ethics of our sporting communities.

By ZOE BOMMARITO