Copy
View this email in your browser

Success of McLay Fish Screen

Thanks to the Clark Fork Coalition’s installation of the Lolo-Maclay fish screen in the fall of 2020 there are 10,000+ more trout swimming in Lolo Creek at the end of this year’s irrigation season. The screen operated as designed, sending fish free water to the ranchers crops while the fish stayed where  they belong, in the creek. This is a big boost to the fishery and will improve trout numbers in the creek and Lower Bitterroot river in the years to come.

A huge thanks to all the partners who made this project possible including the WestSlope and Bitterroot Chapters of Trout Unlimited, USFWS, Montana FWP, MWCC and many private foundations and funders. The Lolo Watershed Group completed a project to revegetate the site this fall. Keep tuned for more fisheries improvements on Lolo Creek as CFC works with WSCTU and our other partners to increase fish habitat and passage in the upper watershed while securing more instream flow on the mainstem.

A Silver Lining – By Mark Kuipers

When my son, Jake, told me he was moving from Boston to Cleveland, I was not happy. No more striped bass, blue fish or false albacore fishing. But it turns out there is a bright silver lining...steelhead. >>Read more about Mark's silver lining

Project Updates

Improving habitat in Rock Creek with private landowners

Westslope Excavating from Seeley Lake wrapped up their work in the Rock Creek drainage on Gilbert Creek last month, restoring spawning and rearing habitat for bull trout, brown trout, and other fish.

>>Read more about this project
Ninemile Update

The final product produced 26-acres of floodplain and wetlands, 5,000 feet of new Ninemile Creek channel with 65,000 willow cuttings placed.

>>Check out final project details and photos

Lawrence Gerstle, Winner of the WaterMaster

When WSCTU chapter member Lawrence Gerstle answered the phone and was told he won the WSCTU WaterMaster raffle, he thought he was being pranked.  "I've never won anything in a raffle before," he said, "and I thought the call was a joke." But he was the lucky winner and a very happy one.


When we wrapped up the WaterMaster Raffle, we had 69 people enter, 44 chapter members and 25 from outside.  After product and promotional expenses, we netted about $1,300 that will go toward cold water conservation.  Forty four members represents about 6% of our membership.  We were hoping for more participation and hope more will join in the next raffle.

Thanks to all who participated and to Big Sky Inflatables for giving us a great deal on a WaterMaster.

Upcoming Events

The 2022 Fly Tie-a-Thon is Coming!
For the past 5 years, your chapter has organized a statewide drive for flies for Warriors and Quiet Waters. Over this time, we have come to realize just how much WQW has come to rely on this annual fly donation. 

“Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation (WQW) can’t thank the WestSlope Chapter of Trout Unlimited and its supporters enough for the flies that were sent in for this past year’s Tie-a-Thon. Through your generous contribution, over 200 veterans and their loved ones will find respite and solace through fly fishing in Montana.” -Liz Shull, Warriors and Quiet Waters

Last year our chapter was responsible for donating over 4,800 flies to this worthy organization!



This year’s Tie-a-Thon will go from January 1st to March 1st and will feature one significant change to the program: there will only be five specific fly patterns accepted. Stay tuned to chapter communications in the coming weeks to find out which flies we’ll be tying. As always, we will be giving away some amazing prizes to lucky winners who contribute to this year’s Tie-a-Thon. 

So dust off your vise and get ready to tie! 
Virtual Fly Tying Nights with Missoula Fly Gals!
Missoula Fly Gals take to Zoom for another season of winter fly tying! See the full schedule and pattern line up here. All are welcome! No experience needed!

2021/2022 Chapter Meetings Update


With an abundance of caution, the board has decided to resume in-person chapter meetings starting on January 12, 2022. Our monthly meetings are part of the glue that holds the chapter together and are vitally important to our mission of fly fishing education and cold water conservation. But with the delta variant menacing, we will follow CDC and TU guidelines and do our part to not become part of the problem.             

Check out all of our blogs!

Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube


Copyright © 2021
Westslope Chapter of Trout Unlimited
All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
P.O. Box 7165
Missoula, MT 59807-7165

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.