4th Annual Bitterroot Floating Weed Pull - July 11, 9am-3pm

This event allows us to educate the public of the threats of noxious weeds, while they assist us in the removal of blueweed (a new invader) from the Bitterroot River. In the years past, Blueweed has not been found beyond Stevensville and we are working hard to completely eradicate this rapidly spreading weed from our county and stop it from spreading into neighboring counties. Every spring when the river rises, the seeds that were dropped from flowering plants the previous years are brought downstream by the water. Our goal each summer is to remove all flowering plants, so that no new seeds will be dropped.

I am writing to inform you of the event because in the past you have donated either prizes to give away or your time in helping with the event. We would very much appreciated anything that you could donate towards the event this year. Last year 60 volunteers showed up and we had over $2000 worth of prizes to give away. We hope to meet or possibly exceed these numbers this year.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Melissa Maggio
Weed Education Coordinator
Ravalli County Weed District
(406) 777-5842
melissa.rcwd@yahoo.com

BRTU Women's Fly Fishing Clinic, May 9, 2009

Have you heard about the Bitterroot TU Women's Fly Fishing Clinic?

It is Saturday, May 9th, from 10-4pm at Teller Wildlife Refuge (click for map).

Cost is $50 - a bargain that includes lunch and a TU membership. Meet new friends and have a lot of fun.

Learn on water casting, basic knot tying, reading water...basically everthing you need to get you on the water and fishing.

To sign up and for more information, contact:

Fishaus Fly Fishing
Bill Bean
702 North First Street
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 363-6158 or toll free (888) 363-6158
http://fishaus.montana.com/

or contact Jenny West at jennywest30@yahoo.com or phone 363-3397.

Instructors are Jenny West, Fly Fishing Guide from Hamilton,
and Certified Casting Instructor and Guide, Stacy Jennings.

Bitterroot River and Other Stories by Chris Clancy, Montana FWP Fisheries Biologist

Bitterroot Trout Unlimited General Meeting
April 16, 2009
The Elks Club, Hamilton, Montana

Chris Clancy presented a dynamic slideshow about trout in the Bitterroot River. He shared stories, photos, fish counts and statistics, and graphs about brown, rainbow, cutthroat trout and more.

There were close to 25 people in attendance and the crowd was immersed in his talk and visual aids. Chris asked for questions, and there were some, but mostly he provided us all with current and facinating information about the state of trout and their habitat in the Bitterroot River and it's tributaries.

He also shared that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (his office in the Bitterroot) and the Bitterroot National Forest Resource Staff have an especially effective relationship in monitoring and managing the health of the Bitterroot River, tributaries, and fishery. They share information, personnel, equipment and resources. This relationship and working with the University of Montana at Missoula and Montana State University at Bozeman allow better monitoring, information gathering and in depth studies to be accomplished. We are fortunate to have Chris and other biologists like him. Thank you all!

Chris is available for presentations. You can reach him at:
Chris Clancy, FWP, 1801 N. 1, Hamilton, MT 59840
phone: 406-363-7169
email: cclancy@mt.gov

Omnibus Public Lands Bill Passes

Omnibus public lands bill passes

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, some of the most significant conservation legislation to come before Congress in 25 years. TU is responsible for much of the act’s landscape protection legislation, including the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, the Copper-Salmon Wilderness Act and bills in California.
»Press release »Reuters article

__________________________________________
Letter From Trout Unlimited March 26, 2009 - Thank you for taking action

Yesterday marked a huge victory for Trout Unlimited and our conservation allies. The House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, a landmark public lands protection bill that would ensure access and opportunity for hunters and anglers today and for generations to come. Passage of this bill does more for hunting and fishing and outdoor recreation than any other measure in the last 15 years. By a landslide vote of 285-140, the House of Representatives moved this bill over the finish line. Now the bill will go to President Obama for his signature on Monday, March 30th.

This victory would not have been possible without your help. Your continued engagement and efforts to communicate this bill’s importance to your Members of Congress paid out huge dividends. We were able to get landslide votes in both chambers which shows the hard work and perseverance you gave over the last 18 months. We thank you.

Because of your help, we have successfully protected over 2 million acres of public lands. We have protected places like Copper-Salmon in Oregon, the Wyoming Range in Wyoming, the Wild Monongahela in West Virginia, the Owyhees in Idaho, the Eastern Sierras in California and so many other special places. We have also permanently protected the National Landscape Conservation System, a network of highly valuable public lands of acute interest to anglers and hunters. Included in that system is the famed Gunnison Gorge of Colorado, one of the best trophy trout fisheries in the West, and the Steens Mountain region, an irreplaceable hunting and fishing destination in eastern Oregon.

In addition to protecting public lands, this bill will enact the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement, ending years of litigation, the Secure Water Act and the Cooperative Watershed Management Act. Both of the water bills will help to restore watersheds and provide the framework for working collaboratively with diverse partners to ensure adequate flows for viable fish populations across the country.

Many of the bills in the Omnibus have tremendous fish and wildlife conservation merit, have local community support –including ranchers and farmers who are partners in watershed groups – and have been developed in a bipartisan manner. Passage of the Omnibus, which includes nearly 160 bills, is truly historic and one that will be considered an outstanding achievement for generations to come.

We sincerely thank you for making it possible.

Steve Moyer
Vice President for Government Affairs
TROUT UNLIMITED
703-284-9406
smoyer@tu.org

Give a child a gift - Trout Unlimited Youth Membership

Give a child a Trout Unlimited Youth Membership.

TU has just launched a new website just for kids: http://www.streamexplorers.org/. The new site has lots of information and activities -- take a look at sections like "Go Fishing," "Fish Facts" or "Get Active." Together with our new quarterly magazine for kids, Stream Explorers, you now have a great way to introduce that special kid in your life to the world of clean water and wild fish, as well as the joy of fly fishing.

For just $12, your child, grandchild or other special young person will receive:

• Trout Unlimited's new quarterly youth magazine Stream Explorers, full of activities, games and fun facts for kids ages 13 and below. (Kids between 14 and 18 receive Trout magazine.)
• A welcome letter announcing your gift with a personalized member card, Stream Explorers decal and a TU wall calendar that will mail in late summer.
• Early invitations to view the launch of new features on http://www.streamexplorers.org/.
  

For a gift of $25, the recipient will also receive "A Kid's Guide to Flyfishing":

• With a retail value of $16, "A Kid's Guide to Flyfishing" is written by Tyler Befus, a fly angler who authored the book at age 8.

There is no better way to introduce your child, grandchild or other special young person to cold water conservation and fly fishing than by giving a TU Stream Explorers membership. It's quick, easy, and secure.

Thanks for your support,
Dave Rogers
Director of Volunteer Operations
TROUT UNLIMITED

MT HB 455 Big Sky Rivers Act Needs Your Action

This is a repost! If you haven't done so, please contact your representative and tell them to Support HB 455, The Big Sky Rivers Act. Read on for links to find contact information for your represtentative.

Help Protect Montana’s best rivers NOW!

Tell your Montana House Rep to support HB 455, The Big Sky Rivers Act!

Exploding streamside development threatens Montana’s blue-ribbon trout streams. By balancing river protection and property rights, The Big Sky Rivers Act protects water, crucial riparian areas and trout habitat from new development that occurs along 10 of Montana’s most iconic rivers.

Please contact your Representative TODAY and ask him or her to support HB 455.

HERE IS HOW:
Go here for information on how to contact your Representative and click here to find your legislator and contact them.

The Big Sky Rivers Act establishes a 250-foot protective streamside zone along 10 of Montana’s most famous rivers. It limits removal of key vegetation within a 150-foot buffer inside the streamside zone. The Big Sky River Act makes sense because it also allows local governments to opt-out of these mandatory conservation measures if they adopt ordinances or zoning rules that provide the same amount of protection.

Rivers included in the Big Sky Rivers Act: The Madison, main Flathead, Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Smith, Jefferson, Upper Missouri, Upper Yellowstone and Gallatin.

Why support the Big Sky Rivers Act?
• It reduces costly flood and erosion damage by steering development away from known flood hazard areas;
• It protects private property rights by ensuring that actions of upstream landowners do not harm downstream landowners;
• It gives local governments control over the tools they need to manage their rivers;
• It protects water quality from stormwater runoff, lawn chemicals, and individual wastewater systems;
• It shields local governments from lawsuits brought by homeowners whose homes are damaged by flooding and erosion;
• It preserves critical fish and wildlife habitat by reducing the need for rip-rap and levees;
• It ensures high-quality recreational opportunities for anglers and boaters who value scenery and solitude;
• It includes a variance process to make sure no one loses the ability to build on an existing lot, and it includes a grandfather clause for existing homes.

Contact Members of the House and tell them this is a good bill. It protects private property as well as economic and recreational values all Montanans cherish.

Again go here for information on how to contact your Representative and click here to find your legislator and contact them.

What the Big Sky Rivers Act does NOT do:
• It does NOT take away the authority of local governments to create their own streamside development standards;
• It does NOT deprive riverfront landowners of the opportunity to build on their lots if their entire lot is located within a streamside management area;
• It does NOT apply within incorporated cities, towns or sanitary sewer districts;
• It does NOT prohibit property owners from rebuilding their home if it is destroyed by causes other than flooding;
• It does NOT grant public access to private property or expand the state’s stream access law.
• It does NOT affect agricultural-related buildings.

House Bill 455, the Big Sky Rivers Act, will be heard in the House Local Government Committee on Thursday, February 19th at 3:00 p.m. in room 172 of the Capitol. Please email, write, or call any and all members of the House of Representatives regarding the Big Sky River Act. If one of the following committee members represents your district, get them a message straight away!

House Local Government Committee meets Thursday, 3 p.m., Room
172

Arntzen, Elsie (R) (Chair) emarntzen@excite.com
Hands, Betsy (D) (Vice Chair) betsyhands@gmail.com
MacLaren, Gary (R) (Vice Chair) garymaclaren@yahoo.com
Becker, Arlene (D) arlene_becker@bresnan.net
Bennett, Gerald (R) jbenhd1@hotmail.com
Berry, Tom (R) tom@tomberrymt.com
Driscoll, Robyn (D) rdriscoll@peoplepc.com
Ebinger, Bob (D) buffalojump@imt.net
Grinde, Wanda (D) wsgrinde@aol.com
Hamilton, Robin (D) robinlhamilton@bresnan.net
Ingraham, Pat (R) pathd13@blackfoot.net
Menahan, Mike (D) mike@mikemenahan.com
More, Michael (R) mp_more@yahoo.com
Reichner, Scott (R) sreichner@centurytel.net
Reinhart, Michele (D) michelereinhart@gmail.com
Sands, Diane (D) hdsands@aol.com
Stahl, Wayne (R) wstahl@nemontel.com
Vance, Gordon (R) vancehd67@gmail.com

For more information contact Mark Aagenes at mark@montanatu.org or 449-9933. Or contact Bruce Farling at bruce@montanatu.org or 543-0054.

Join us on Saturday, Mar 21. We are posting Bitterroot River trout fishing regulation signs

Bitterroot Trout Unlimited wants to make it easy for the public to know and follow the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Regulations for trout fishing (excerpted from FWP regs) as they can be different on various reaches. Violations are happening and trout are being harmed. We can help stop that.

We are calling for volunteers. On Saturday, March 21, we will team up and post regulation signs at as many river access points as needed - hopefully completing the project we started last year. We invite anyone who is interested to join us.

If you want to know what Bitterroot Trout Unlimited is doing to protect the Bitterroot River, get to know our members, and enjoy a morning near the river, come to one of two places at 9:00 am:

• Safeway in Hamilton parking lot (southeast of Hwy 93 and Main Street streetlight/intersection)


• the Stevensville Fishing Access Site (northeast side of the bridge)

BRTU members will be there to meet you, organizing the day's signing efforts.

The following materials will be provided though we would welcome donations of the same:

• Staple guns (bring your own if you have one)
• Metal fence posts and pounder (can always use another pounder)
• Plywood (provided by BRTU and cut to fit the laminated signs)
• baling wire to tie on the signs on the metal fence posts (provided by BRTU)

To volunteer, donate materials, or for more information, please contact:

• Geoff Fitzgerald at fitzes91@yahoo.com or 406-375-9064


• Jack Mauer at wapiti@wapiti-waters.com or 406-642-6548


• or stop by the Fishaus Fly Fishing to talk with Bill Bean, 702 North First Street, Hamilton, MT

Below is a slideshow of Victor crossing, only a few signs remain in good shape. This area needs to be reposted.

View Album Click view album for bigger view in new window. Choose "slideshow" for full screen mode.

Examples of the signs: