September 2024| View Upcoming Events

We are reassigning many of our Rim Country TU members to the Zane Grey Chapter ... This special edition is for you. Look for more news regarding these changes in next month's newsletter. In the meantime, we hope you'll enjoy this special edition.

September 2024 Newsletter

Ah, it’s September, a time for sweaters, hot cocoa, a fire in the fireplace, flailing leaves, chill in the air, crisp apples; Nah, not here. This is Arizona, and we’re back to our triple-digit days. But, with Autumn later this month we will begin having cooler days and nights eventually. As the days shorten and the nights get cooler, the mountain lakes will begin to turn-over creating fantastic fishing opportunities. School started last month, another harbinger of Fall.

Speaking of school, the Arizona Trout In the Classroom (TIC) program is gearing up for the 2024-25 School year. We just learned the eggs will arrive early November, and Trout in the Classroom is looking for egg-delivery volunteers . Also, there is a TIC Workshop on September 14. More about TIC later in the newsletter.

Many of us will be attending a couple of Apache Trout “announcements.” The first is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) “Special Apache Trout Announcement” at Bass Pro Shop, Mesa, September 4, 9:30 – 11:30. We sent invitations to all Arizona Trout Unlimited members; there are still a few seats available.

The White Mountain Apache Tribe along with USFWS, AZGFD, and Trout Unlimited is hosting the second of these events celebrating Apache trout. This event is September 5 at Hawley Lake. We’ll have a complete story in next month’s newsletter.

Some of the August notable events include:

• AZTU Fly-Fishing Invitational, this was a fundraising event for the Arizona Council and several Zane Grey members attended a five-day event on the North Platte River in Alcova, Wyoming. In addition, to the fishing, camaraderie, and dining these anglers contributed to the Arizona Council.

In addition to our active August, we look forward to a busy Autum with several upcoming activities.

• AZ Fly Shop is holding a film festival, Sunday September 22, 2024, 4-8PM. Tickets and more information here. AZ Fly Shop is supporting AZTU with a portion of the funds from this event.
• Zane Grey Chapter’s TU on Tap is returning. We’ll meet once again at Spokes on Southern, Tuesday, September 24, 5:30 – 8:30PM. Look for an invitation coming soon.

Jim Walker inducted into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame

Jim Walker was formally inducted into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame, August 24, 2024. The Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited sponsored this event, and we had a large contingency of supporters. More information in Woody's column below.

Nate Rees nominated by Governor Hobbs to CARB Board

Governor Katie Hobbs nominated Nate Rees, Trout Unlimited’s Arizona State Lead to the Commission Appointment Recommendation Board (CARB). The CARB is the board that selects the nominees for the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

Congratulations Nate. We look forward to some great commissioner nominations.

Save the Date -- Troutfest Arizona is coming to Chase Field February 22, 2025. TroutFest Arizona 2025 is coming February 22, 2025. More info coming and below...

Your ZGTU board asks that as you read this newsletter, please think about how you would like to join in and help promote fishing, conservation, education, and love of nature. You may contact me or any board member to let us know about your ideas.

We hope you can join us, or better yet volunteer to help with these many and varied activities. 

Until then, 

Tight Lines. 

Alan Davis

One of the perks of being Zane Grey chapter’s intrepid newsletter editor is that I get invited to the cool events where Arizona’s conservation, wildlife and shooting sports communities celebrate their own. The general public is mostly unaware of the unheralded individual lifetime contributions that make a positive difference in the exceptional sporting life we take for granted. 

On August 24 Wildlife for Tomorrow, the non-profit of AZ Game and Fish, honored seven such individuals, including one of our own, at its 26th Annual Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame awards banquet at the Wigwam Resort. It was the largest awards attendance in the organization’s history and the attire ranged from formal wear to snappy suits and ties to jeans, Stetsons and Luccheses. Western diversity at its best. 

Our man, Jim Walker, one of Arizona’s true innovative water conservation leaders and co-founder of the annual Arizona Native and Wild Trout Conference, was one of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees. About a dozen of us from Trout Unlimited (see photo) were on-hand to support Jim and celebrate the evening with him. 

Jim has given years of service to both the national and Arizona divisions of Trout Unlimited, and his legislative advocacy for cold water conservation has included extensive work with Audubon Southwest and its Western Rivers Action Network.

“I was humbled for myself,” said Jim. “And I was very proud for Trout Unlimited. We have done a lot in Arizona in the past few years.” Leadership matters. 

Congratulations, Jim! You are an inspiration to us all. 

As a sporting clays and former skeet shooter, it was also gratifying to see Tom Slaughter inducted into the Hall of Fame. Tom has spent decades training young shotgunners in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and has mentored hundreds of young Arizona shotgun competitors. He had a squad of them in attendance at the dinner. 

Other inductees included Arizona’s legendary outdoor couple, Suzanne and Hays Gilstrap, AZ Game and Fish wildlife expert, Tom Britt, rancher and watershed conservationist, Kelly Glenn Kimbro, former Buckeye mayor, sportsman and environmentalist, Jackie Meck, and dedicated wildlife conservationist, Randy Stalcup. 

And congratulations to AZ Game and Fish and Wildlife for Tomorrow president, Jim Goughnour and staff who delivered a special evening for everyone. 

TU on TAP, our annual mixer for TU members and prospective members kicks off again on September 24 at Spokes on Southern, 1470 E. Southern Ave in Tempe. This mixer is for members and prospective members. In fact, if you are a member, bring a friend and sign them up for half price. 

Oh, did I mention free beer for BOGO (bring one, get one). Yep, we’re not beneath buying a new recruit a beer. There will also be swag and free food, too. Be there at 5:30 p.m. 

Coming up in Zane Grey Land

Arizona Fly Casters' monthly meeting will be Tuesday, September 10, at the American Italian Club 7509 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, AZ. Speaker is Mike James of Quiet Fly Fishing. Meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Desert Fly Casters' monthly meeting will be on Wednesday, September 11 at the Elks Club, 1775 W. Chandler Blvd, Chandler. Speaker is Mike James of Quiet Fly Fishing. Meeting starts at 7 p.m.

And, if you need to renew your TU membership you can do it here easily. This link should take you directly to the renewal page.

August Meeting Summary

The AZ Trout Unlimited Public Policy Committee (AZTU-PPC) held its normal monthly meeting on Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 7:00 pm. The entire meeting was devoted to a presentation by Cora Tso, J.D., a senior research fellow with the Tribal Water Policy. She provided a thorough presentation on the history of tribal water issues in Arizona and an overview of the recent Northeastern Arizona Water Rights Settlement between various entities including tribes, cities, water districts, governmental entities, etc. The settlement is the result of decades of disputes and litigation over water rights in Arizona between various parties. The settlement is now pending congressional approval. The settlement also accomplished a historic agreement between the Hopi and Navajo Nations!

Legislative Update

With the state legislature closing on June 15th, 2024 we do not have any current updates for our members. During the off season, TU is staying connected with its legislative contacts and helping identify and draft legislation that will be beneficial for water conservation, forest health, public land access and wildlife habitat. Stay tuned as we progress through the calendar year and look forward to the 2025 legislative session.

While the Legislature is Out of Session,

Let's Do Some Conservation Work

Tom Osterday - Past Chair AZTU PPC

Silver Creek Reed Removal Project

We will be going back to Silver Creek to remove reeds to provide access to the stream for anglers. The event is being expanded to a two-day project on Sept 17 and 18. You can sign-up for either day or both days. 

This used to be a very manual job with volunteers getting in the water to cut the reeds. We have improved that process significantly using powered pole hedge trimmers. But now, we use a new pole hedge trimmer by Mow Power of Mesa donated to the Silver Creek Hatchery!!! There' still plenty of raking and loading of the cut reeds to be done, so it is still a good work-out! We can coordinate a carpool for interested parties. 

If you are interested, please contact Tom Osterday at tgosterday@gmail.com or at 602-321-7088. Tom will provide additional information and logistics to the volunteers. Or go directly to the AZGFD website to sign-up:

I hope you can join us!

Tom

Upcoming Public Policy Events

There will be a meeting of the AZTU-PPC on Thursday, September 12, 2024. The speaker will be David Crimmins with Leaky Weirs Society. He will be making a presentation on "watershed restoration".

The AZTU-Public Policy Committee hosts a virtual meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Ron Stearns at PublicPolicyChair@az-tu.org.

The AZTU Fly-Fishing Invitational was an immense success. Thirteen anglers joined us at North Platte Lodge, Alcova, Wyoming for 3-days guided fishing and 4-nights lodging along the Miracle Mile and Grey Reef sections of the North Platte River. The group had a wonderful time, shard lots of laughs, some fish stories, and most importantly raised money for Arizona Trout Unlimited’s various conservation and youth education programs. The resounding response was: “This was a great time – sign me up for next year”



Above is a collage of some of the many pictures we collected. 

We're making progress on Troutfest Arizona ... watch for more announcements coming ...

The Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) license plate fund is derived from the sale of wildlife conservation license plates and member organizations as well as non-member organizations are eligible to apply for those funds. 

The Arizona TU Council and Chapters have received funds over the past twelve years to support the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences, Fish Camp, Trout in the Classroom programs and varius conservation projects.

The next time your registration comes up for renewal, choose the conservation license plate option at registration to show your support for conservation and our projects. 

Below is a list of fishing organizations in Arizona. Feel free to join, explore, visit their websites or attend a meeting to find out more information:

You may access our calendar here. 

Zane Grey Trout Unlimited