Overmountain Chapter
2004 Annual Report
Sept. 9, 2004

The Overmountain Chapter took a lead role in many conservation and protection areas during 2004. Following are the most significant accomplishments:

1. River Clean-Ups
Sept. 2003 - Todd Burleson Memorial Clean-Up on Doe River
April 24 - Ft. Patrick Henry Lake and Tailwater Clean-Up
May 1 - Buffalo Creek Clean-Up
May 15 - Watauga River Clean-Up
August 14 - South Holston Lake and River Clean-Up

In addition to these five clean-ups, members provided significant participation in clean-ups of White Top Laurel, and Beaverdam Creek

2. Fly Fishing Skills Clinic - May 13
Approximately 90 folks attended the skills clinic. The Skills Clinic was well received by the attendees and received favorable mention in the local newspapers. Attendees enjoyed picnic foods, casting instruction, entomology instruction, lessons in tying knots and leaders, fly tying, crafting bamboo rods, and viewed all the latest fly fishing equipment provided by local fly shops.

3. Youth Introduction to Fly Fishing - May 22
Board members Ken Chase and Gary Barrigar, a science teacher at Elizabethton High School, lead several other board members in hosting 17 local youth for a half day of classroom fly fishing instruction followed by casting and fishing practice on a local pond. A local merchant provided lunch to participants.

4. Guide Licensing Proposal
Overmountain Chapter members agreed that professional guides need to be licensed by the State of Tennessee. Gary Barrigar attended a meeting of the Tennessee Conservation League and put the Guide Licensing Proposal before that group. That group adopted a resolution supporting licensing of professional guides.

5. Buffalo Creek Embrace-a-Stream
In cooperation with the City of Elizabethton, Tennessee, the Chapter contributed $7,165 through a TU Embrace-a-Stream grant to improve a portion of the stream bank of Buffalo Creek. Board member Ken Chase led this initiative. Banks were stabilized as well as some in-stream structures placed to direct water flow. Local high school students planted trees on the banks to prevent future erosion, and to shade the waters.

6. Membership
A significant increase in membership occurred in the chapter as a result of the TU initiative to grow the number of members. Three factors contributed to our chapter's growth: (1) free memberships at the Skills Clinic, (2) free memberships at the Youth Fly Fishing Day, and (3) free memberships to folks attending our monthly meetings for the first time who were not already TU members.