I thought of saying "It's all over but the Thank You", meaning of course that the banquet was done for another year. But that would kind of suggest that the banquet was the high point of our year and when it's over we're content to look forward to the coming fishing season. NOT SO! The banquet sure receives much of our energy as the snow starts to melt, but the banquet isn't an end in itself. We do the banquet to raise funds to benefit the resource.
As you all know by now our focus this year has been on our Youth Program. And it's a winner for sure. We're just about halfway through the program and we've had all manner of positive feedback - the students are really into it, their parents like what we're doing, our instructors are having a great time and we're getting noticed in all kinds of ways by our communities. Would you believe we've already been invited to run the program next year in several new locations?
The Youth Program has gained a wonderful sponsor, Canal Side Camps in Grand Lake Stream. John and Mary Arcaro have donated 3 nights lodging for our kids and the first 2 chaperones and are lining up some Maine Guides at the peak of the fall fishing on Grand Lake Stream. We're putting together a trip for Columbus Day weekend and there's room for any of you to go along if you can lend a hand coaching the students on this great fishery. Never been to Grand Lake Stream? Great time to get introduced! Check out the details on this trip also elsewhere in the newsletter, and be sure to get your reservations made by May 1st.
So the banquet isn't the end of our year.
But it was a damn fine banquet, wasn't it? If Richard's car hadn't broken down we'd have had an even hundred people at the Taste of Maine on April 8th. Even without Richard we had a great evening, sold every scrap of stuff we had to offer and had a few spirited bidding duels to boot. Many people told us what a great evening it was. So now you know, if you didn't make it this year, you missed a good time. Start planning now for April 2001.
Incidentally…This year we presented two awards at the banquet. Don Herbert was honored with the Bob Powers award in appreciation for the dedication that he has showered on MMBTU as Vice President, President and now member of the board. We were also pleased to recognize the long-term support of Fly Fishing Only in Fairfield. Mike and Linda Holt were given the Friends of MMBTU award for their generous support of the cause of cold water fisheries in Maine.
Tom Jewett President, MMBTU (Tom writes his monthly column and studies the secrets of the caddis from his home in Readfield!)
OK, so I misled you a little.
It wasn't a tug boat ride we had for sale at the banquet. It was a free ride for the Trout Unlimited Gray Ghost trip! And that's better than any other ride you can get. Never been on the trip? Read on, we'll tell all.
Every year the last "meeting" of the year is actually a trip that MMBTU makes. For several years now we've gone up to Gray Ghost Camps on the Moose River just outside Greenville. We fish the East Outlet of Moosehead (the headwaters of the Kennebec) and the Moose River below Brassau Dam. There's great fishing for both landlocked salmon and brook trout and the regulars on this trip know the spots. There are also about 102 other great spots very close to the same area - ponds and running water, your choice.
Gray Ghost Camps has two large camps that we reserve for this trip. If memory serves me there are 3 bunkrooms and one double room in each camp. I think the doubles are gone for this year but this isn't a real formal group anyway. This trip is definitely for both men and women. We share the cooking and the laughter. The "experts" in the crowd are more than happy to share their knowledge - the flies, the spots, time of day and technique. Whether you're an old pro or a new hand at fly-fishing, you WILL have a good time.
The cost of the trip is about $60 each for two nights lodging. I say "about" because it depends a little on how many people ultimately go on the trip. The more the cheaper! This is a great way to get to know people in the chapter and to expand your knowledge of one of our great fishing spots. Make your reservation with Brian Cody ASAP. Send him $20 a head and you're locked in for the trip. Brian's contact information is listed inside the newsletter.
For 15 years Grand Lake Stream has been my "destination" spot in Maine. Each of us develops favorite waters - those that are worth a 4-hour drive. Maybe Grand Lake Stream is special to me because that's where I caught my first good-sized landlocked salmon. Whatever the reason, I look forward to every chance I get to visit the area.
This year John and Mary Arcaro of Canal Side Camps were generous enough to continue the tradition of donating a 2-night stay for 2 at Canal Side. This donation to our annual auction goes back several years under the old owners and we're pleased that John and Mary have chosen to continue supporting our banquet.
In addition to supporting our general fundraising activities, John and Mary have offered to host a special trip for our Youth Program graduates. And when is that trip? Why, only right in the middle of some of the best fishing of the year, Columbus Day Weekend. The water has cooled off, the salmon have romance on their minds and there aren't any black flys.
So we're going up on Friday, October 6th, leaving the Topsham area at about 4 PM and returning on Monday, October 9th to arrive back in Topsham by about 5 PM.
Canal Side is donating space for 2 adults and 4 kids. They are also making space available for additional graduates at half the usual rate. 'Course they'll be happy to have as many additional adults as we can scrape up at regular rates. So the deal is kids pay $15 a night or $45 for the trip and adults pay $30 a night or $90 for the trip. There are many Maine Guides in the area and we're lining up some expert guidance for our graduates as they visit this area for the first time. We'll plow the money for the space that Canal Side has donated into food and gas money.
Want to come along? All you have to do is get your reservation in by May 1st, along with a deposit for 50% of the cost. Contact either Don Herbert or Dave Martel for sure if you want to be part of the fun. There will be time to share what you know with one of our youth program grads and time for you to fish on your own. Just don't talk to me (Tom Jewett) about it. Turns out I'm going to be out of state that week end and will have to suffer along with just the stories about what a great trip I missed!
We know that the last thing everyone wants is to get more junk e-mail. Still, the MMBTU Directors would like to be able to communicate rapidly and effectively with the chapter's membership. And we would like to do this without adding more costs or diverting funds from the chapter's conservation and youth projects. As you can imagine, it costs a great deal to mail fliers, newsletters or postcards. Currently the newsletter alone costs about $300.00 each month to print and mail.
You can help us meet our goal of increasing the funds available for programming by sending Don Herbert your e-mail address and telling him to put you on MMBTU's Electronic Newsletter list. We will continue to send you a "hard copy" until we are sure you are getting the electronic version and you can read it.
We'll also send you all MMBTU correspondence to keep you updated as to what is going on between meetings. If nothing more, you would personally be contributing to the continued success of the Chapter by helping us reduce our costs.
Your information will be carefully controlled and MMBTU does not give out, sell or knowingly make member information available to others.
With this issue, Tight Lines concludes another year of publication. It's been a pleasure constructing our monthly, chapter communication. As always at MMBTU, it was a team effort.
Thanks especially to Don, Dave and Tom for their continuous stream of material, and to our occasional guest contributors. Next year I'm looking for more input from the rank and file. It's your newsletter. Let me know what you want in it.
Have a fine summer on many waters. See you in the fall.
Brad Swanson (Brad cuts and pastes the newsletter and readies for the season from his home in Harpswell.)
In July and August 2000, the Rivers Project of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE), will conduct its annual summer training. Educators and environmental professionals are encouraged to attend and help us achieve our goal of increasing scientific literacy through river study.
Attendees will focus on one of the six curricula while receiving interdisciplinary training in all. The six units, now published by Dale Seymour Publications, are Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Geography, Language Arts, and Mathematics. The units were developed under a grant from the National Science Foundation. Trainers for the week long sessions are practicing Rivers Project teachers who are supported by university and other professionals. Three sessions are offered for 2000:
July 9-15 Woonsocket High School, Woonsocket, RI Co-sponsored by the Blackstone River Heritage Association. This session will focus on eastern urban rivers.
July 23-28 Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL Co-sponsored by Friends of the Chicago River and Friends of the Fox River. This session will focus on Mid-western urban rivers and streams.
July 31-Aug 4 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL. This 10th Anniversary training was partially funded by the IL Board of Higher Education, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Title II funds for Illinois teachers. Applied technology and computer applications are the focus.
Tuition (two semester graduate credit, summer 2000) and curricular materials will be available. A non-credit option is also available for $200. Lodging and food will be provided at a low cost. Interdisciplinary teaching teams from the same schools are encouraged to attend.
Interested persons should check the Rivers Project Web Page for information and details on the training as well as information on the curriculum units. If you are interested in training in your area, call or Email: Dr. Bob Williams The Rivers Project http://www.siue.edu/OSME/river Call 618.650.3788 FAX 618.650.3359 Email Box 2222 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL 62026 Rivers Project Box 2222 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, IL 62026 618.650.3788 618.650.3359 Fax http://www.siue.edu/OSME/river
Ok folks, I couldn't resist.
Brad told me at the Banquet that he needed another Fly of the Month column for this newsletter. Since Dick Soucy, El Presidente, Tom Jewett, and I are doing a presentation on Caddis, I figured what better FOTM than the best, most outstanding, caddis fly of them all -Gary LaFontaine's Emergent sparkle Pupa Caddis.
But then I thought (scary, huh?) this is MAY! HENDRICKSON'S!!
So you get 2 for the price of one. And they're free! This is a great deal!
EMERGENT SPARKLE PUPA: CADDIS
HOOK: Tiemco 100 Mustad 94840 SIZE: 12 to 24 THREAD: Size 8/0 Uni-thread color to match OVERBODY: Tear apart "Aunt Lydia's Sparkle Yarn" Antron one ply. Comb out thoroughly. BODY: Antron Dubbing--use the "touch dubbing" method COLOR: Olive, Ginger, Hare's Ear, anything you like! WING: Light Elk Hair, Dark Deer Hair HEAD: Brown or Olive Haretron Dubbing This is the greatest Caddis pattern--my favorite. I'll show slides of this fly in our presentation at the May 9th meeting at Crickets.
HENDRICKSON--Sparkle Dun
HOOK: Tiemco 100 Mustad 94840 SIZE: 14 THREAD: 8/0 UNI-thread TAIL: Brown Z-lon tied sparse BODY: Pinkish. Mix with grayish Superfine Dubbing COMPARA WING: Deer Hair fanned out 180 degrees.
When these babies hatch, it means it's REALLY spring! Let your favorite river get to 52 degrees for three consecutive days--and the fun begins.
Hey folks--this is my last column until the fall--have a terrific summer, fly-fishing. And put it on your "New Fishing Year's" resolutions to learn to tie, if you don't already.
Great fishing, and tight lines!
Dave Martel (Dave ties flies and prepares for spring fishing from his home in Lewiston. He's a frequently read contributor to Tight Lines.)
"Brook trout are the prettiest fish in the world in both color and body form. The only close rivals they have are male Arctic charr, and then only when charr are decked out in their spawning colors. Brook trout, however, are gorgeous in either sex and at any time of the year. Their coloration and patterns are so unique that the fish are seldom confused with others; indeed they hardly need description at all."
Nick Karas. Brook Trout. The Lyons Press, New York, New York, 1997.
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Regular meetings are usually on the second Tuesday of the month. We are currently meeting at Crickets Restaurant at 175 Main Street, in Freeport, ME, just south of Bean's corporate offices. Phone #: 865-4005.
The Merrymeeting Bay Chapter of TU is located in south coastal Maine, including Freeport, Bath, Brunswick, Boothbay, the Harpswell Islands, Newcastle, Damariscotta and inland to Lewiston, Readfield and Augusta.
Do you ever dream of taking trips to fish far-off exotic places and species? Would you like to? Now is the time to plan ahead. Some members of our club just came back from CHRISTMAS ISLAND. We're planning right now on our next trip. If you're the LEAST BIT INTERESTED write Dave Martel or call (207) 783-7269 for more info.