Overmountain Chapter Newscaster
August 2001
Volume 6
Issue 8

JULY/AUGUST NEWSCASTER COPY
LET’S HAVE A PICNIC INSTEAD OF AN AUGUST MEETING
 

The Overmountain Chapter will sponsor a picnic at The Ledges on August 9 in lieu of the regular monthly meeting. The Chapter will furnish hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks, et cetera; if you’d like to bring a covered dish or dessert, please feel free to do so.
The gathering begins at 3 p.m. and ends whenever you get too full or too tired. If you’re like me and don’t know how to get there, here are Mike Adams’s lucid directions:

Hopefully everyone knows the way to Watauga.  There is only one main street in Watauga.  If coming from Elizabethton, turn left onto E. Ninth St. at the old location of the Hot & Juicy Bar-b-que restaurant.  Coming from Johnson City, turn right onto E. Ninth St. at the old location of the Hot & Juicy restaurant.  Follow this street to a cattle guard, cross the cattle guard onto Ledges property.  Keep to the right at the fork of the drive, continue past the barn, down through the pasture (the drive is paved all the way to the pavilion).  The pavilion is next to the river at the bottom of the drive.
 
 

Chapter Contest For Custom Rod Giveaway Continues in August

Over the years the Overmountain Chapter has offered a number of truly fine quality fly rods as a part of Chapter fund raising efforts.  This year we are giving away as fine a rod as has ever been given away in any Chapter fund raising effort.  Mike Adams, our master rod maker, will complete a 2 piece, 9 foot,
5 weight, fast tip action rod using the same blank used to manufacture the Orvis Trident line of fly rods.  The rod will have titanium line guides, a fiddle back maple reel seat with nickel hardware and a Flora cork handle.

The rod will be offered based on a drawing.  One hundred entries will be allowed.  Each entry costs $10 and provides three chances in the drawing.  The drawing will occur when all entries have been sold.  You do not need to be present at the drawing to win.  You can enter as many times as you like.  To enter the drawing please fill out all three of the below chances and pass the completed chances and $10 cask or check payable to "Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited" to Charles Martin or mail the completed chances along with a check for $10 to

   Charles Martin
   512 Fleetwood Court  Unit F
   Kingsport, TN  37660

Name _______________________________
Address _____________________________
Phone Number _______________________

Name _______________________________
Address _____________________________
Phone Number _______________________

Name _______________________________
Address _____________________________
Phone Number _______________________

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South Holston clean-up Set for August 11

The South Holston Lake and River Clean-up is an 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. event, but the river clean-up is from 9 till Noon with registration at the Weir Dam.
Activities, including a picnic furnished by the Job Corps, live music, prizes, and exhibits, will begin at Observation Knob about 4 p.m.
To reach Observation Knob:
Take route 394 from Blountville where it runs into Route 421. Approximately 10 miles past the Speedway turn left at Darten’s Sports Center on to Route 44.The Knob is several miles on Route 44 on the right side

Seven Chapters represented at TU Council Meeting in July

Because of time constraints, not every chapter was given time to report at the semi-annual Council meeting.
Jack Knowles, the Council’s new secretary/treasurer, was named co-ordinator of communications for the Council. Chapters are to email relevant information to Knowles, who will then put it on the Council web site. Event information is being particularly sought, but a list of officers should be provided by all chapters.

Highlights from the Cooperative Program for Enhancing Coldwater Streams Meeting July 21

Bill Beazell and Don Kreh represented the Overmountain Chapter, along with representatives from TVA, TWRA, The Corp of Engineers,and USFS, at the Cooperative Program meeting in Knoxville.
Here are meeting highlights as reported by Bill and Don:
? More than a million trout were stocked in state tailwaters in 2000, including 25,000 Northern Strain brook trout and 90,000 fingerlings in the Watauga.
? TWRA is spending almost all budget research money on tailwater studies, with some being spent of genetic evaluation of spawning stock.
? TWRA’S TOTAL BUDGET FOR 2001 WAS CUT 32 PERCENT.
? Because of clogging problems at the South Holston Weir Dam, TVA is planning minor monthly cleanings to supplement two annual major cleanings.

Space limitations preclude a report on all the the areas discussed in the Newscaster, but that information will be placed on the chapter’s web site at a later date.
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TU Urges Congress to Preserve USFS Authority to Protect Water Resources

(From TU News releases)
Washington, DC…Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups urged a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee to preserve
the Forest Service’s authority to protect fish and wildlife resources and prevent draining streams dry.
That authority – known as bypass flow authority – gives the Forest Service the right on behalf of all Americans to put conditions on people who come onto the National Forests to build dams and waters conveyance facilities. The conditions require that some water is left in the streams, to not only support fish and animals, but for people who enjoy a splash of water in their streams.
The use of bypass flow authority grew out of Congressional directives to the Forest Service in the 1970’s to protect water resources when issuing water permits. Since then, the Forest Service has used its bypass flow authority rarely—only 12 times nationally. Usually, the Forest Service reaches negotiated agreements that protect fish and wildlife in streams instead of using its regulatory authority. However, the authority is now under attack by large water users and others who believe it infringes on their unrestricted use of water in the national
forests.

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Redesign of TU Logo
 
In an effort to obtain a logo that is more easily understandable and recognisable, TU is considering changing its logo.  You can submit a suggestion for a new logo by visiting the TU web site tu.org or following the information in the Spring issue of Trout Magazine
 
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Precedent Setting Agreement Between Environmentalists and Maine Salmon Farmers

(by Charles Martin)
 
On May 31, the principal salmon conversation groups and Maine's salmon farmers signed an agreement putting in place a framework to create standards and reporting requirements to reduce the accidental release of farm raised salmon into the waters of Maine.
 
The agreement brings together parties who have in the past been at odds and is a result of nearly a year of dialog.
 
The agreements is focused on a regulatory climate for the aquaculture industry that will minimize interactions between sea run salmon and farmed salmon.  A key element of the agreement is independent audits of containment systems.
 
With this new agreement TU hopes the recovery of native Maine salmon will be significantly enhanced.
 
TU National Convention 2001
 
The TU National Convention will be conducted on August 14 - 19 at the Colombia River Double Tree Inn in Portland, Oregon.  The convention is open to all TU members and will spotlight the Pacific Northwest's salmon heritage and offer
guests the opportunity to enjoy some fantastic fishing and stunning scenery.  Please see Charles Martin for details.
 
 
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Did you know…

That Blue Wing Olives often emerge in choppy water? It is believed that they prefer choppy water because they emerge in the film, and the choppy water facilitates emergence.

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News Briefs
 
If you have items of interest you would like to share, get them to Paul Anderson (753-9926 or paulandeliz@xtn.net) or Vicki Adams.

Fishing Reports

If you want to share information on fishing experiences, please get the information to the Newscaster as soon as possible.
 
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 

August 11--South Holston Lake & River Clean-up
September 15--Todd Burleson Memorial Clean-up and Picnic

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WEB SITE ADDRESS

For to keep up-to-date on Overmountain Chapter activities and events, check out our web site at:
www.xtn.net/~chasekr/
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LEADERSHIP TEAM

Here are telephone numbers for members of the Chapter Leadership Team if you need to contact them:
 Charles Martin      245-4960
 Tom Hensley          735-7062
 Bob Sherrill     540-623-0863
 
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NEW MEMBERS

    Jim Burleson       jimcommieb@aol.com
   Teddy Johnson
   Scott Lewis        mariac@mindspring.com
   Dwight Owens
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

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