WYOMING TROUT UNLIMITED SUMMER 2022 "THE TROUT TALE"

The Trout Tale WYOMING COUNCIL OF TROUT UNLIMITED

SUMMER 2022

PERSPECTIVE

Walt Gasson

Storytellers I

intruder. In a blinding flash of the inevitable, Mr. or Ms. Wolverine proved that he/she did not care much about allegedly ferocious dogs. The dog received instruction Walt’s grandson, Dillon Hanrahan, on ferocity and the is pictured with a beautiful Bonneville Cutthroat trout he caught in July of wolverine got the 2012. The successful outing was sandwiches. The part of Dillon’s Wyoming Cutt-Slam quest and challenge. stories of my youth came by the smell of Photo courtesy of Walt Gasson pine smoke and horses, and I remember them 60 years later.

But the thing about fishing stories is that they must be authentic. Anglers are the original liars, and they can spot “BS” in a story a mile away. The only way to create a fishing story is to go fishing.

It’s summer now in the Cowboy State, sweet as a Utah peach and with just about as much shelf life. It’s the time we think about all the long cold winter and the gray and windy spring. So, get out there and fish. Build the stories that will fuel the fires of fishing in the years to come. Take your friends, take your family, and go. Get wet, get cold, catch a lot, or don’t catch anything at all, but go. Your stories are waiting to be told.

n the 1920s, Zane Grey fished the mouth of the Klamath River in California for salmon and steelhead. I’ve never done it, but I’m glad he did. He left behind stories — fish stories — that have the power to thrill and inspire, even a century later. I read one not long ago, about catching a chinook salmon on what can only be described as primitive tackle. But it wasn’t a story about gear. It was a story about fishing, about a river and a fish and a human being in a time and place that we can only imagine now.

That’s the key to the fish story — the ability to engage you and transport you to another time and place. I have a friend, an outfitter in northwest Montana, who told me once that it took him years to realize that he was in the transportation business. Not the literal business of putting anglers in the boat at one boat ramp and transporting them to another boat ramp, but the metaphorical business of transporting them to a place in their life that they’d never been before. In fact, he gauged the success at the end of the day not by how many fish they boated, but to what degree the client was emotionally and spiritually changed by the day’s experiences.

I come from a long line of fishing storytellers. In fact, I tell a few fishing stories myself from time to time. Sometimes I tell them here. But the best fishing stories are always told in the outdoors, preferably around a campfire. It’s probably always been that way. A cool night and a warm fire probably brought out the fishing stories in the Shoshone and Crow people who fished my home waters centuries ago. They never failed to bring out the stories in the Gasson clan. My dad loved to tell the story of his beloved brother-in-law stepping into a little blue line creek only a yard or two across and disappearing completely into a deep hole. He was so astounded that all he could do was stare as Uncle Grant’s hat floated off toward the Sweetwater. His buddy Nick often told the story of fishing East Fork back in the day and coming back to find his pack being ravaged by a wolverine. He had a ferocious dog at the time who tried to put the run on the

I come from a long line of storytellers. In fact, I tell a few fishing stories from time to time.

THE TROUT TALE

Walt Gasson is the Director of Trout Unlimited’s Endorsed Business program. He is a fourthgeneration Wyoming native and has worked in conservation for over 40 years in government, non-profits and the private sector.

Walt currently resides in Laramie with his beautiful wife, Kim.

WYTU GEAR: GET SOME! Supplies are very limited!

Click here to get yours today at wyomingtu.org 2

SUMMER 2022

The official newsletter of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited

FROM THE CHAIR

The Trout Tale

A new journey

Summer 2022 • Volume 8, Issue 1

The Trout Tale is a quarterly newsletter of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited.

The deadline for submission of articles, information, photos and content for the Fall 2022 newsletter (October, November and December) will be September 1, 2022. Send all contributions for the fall issue to Wyoming Coordinator Mike Jensen at mike.jensen@tu.org The Trout Tale is available online at the council’s website: wyomingtu.org © 2022 Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited

• Mike Jensen, Newsletter Editor • Kathy Buchner, Chair

Proud recipient of the 2014 Trout Unlimited “Bollinger Award For Best Newsletter”

Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited P.O. Box 22182 Cheyenne, WY 82009 e-mail: mike.jensen@tu.org Phone: 307.421.3188

Kathy Buchner

Greetings, fellow Wyoming Trout Unlimited (WYTU) members. I am honored to be addressing you as the newly-elected WYTU council chair.

This has been a long journey for me with Wyoming Trout Unlimited to have arrived at this juncture — some 40-plus years as a member of Trout Unlimited (TU)! But, please note that I did not say destination. That would imply that I considered this chair position to be the culmination of my journey in Trout Unlimited. Au contraire. I look forward to many more years of service to trout and our fisheries in one capacity or another.

The word “journey” has been defined as an act of traveling from one place to another. Or a process, or course of action. Or a passage — progress from one stage to another. Not one definition insinuates that a journey includes an end.

One of the most pressing issues for Wyoming Trout Unlimited is to revitalize and reactivate some of our struggling TU chapters. The pandemic certainly played a part in the stagnation of chapters statewide. The inability to meet face to face and interact with others has played a large part in this backslide.

This reminds me of a favorite quote. “A ‘journey’ is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” (John Steinbeck, “Travels with Charley”) We certainly couldn’t control the pandemic. But, compounding the chapter stagnation problem is the lack of volunteers (especially younger volunteers) willing to step up into chapter and council leadership roles! After a two-year hiatus from in-person meetings, the council was able to meet this year during the last weekend of April in Green River. It was great, except I noticed a whole lot of grey hair around that table! I’ve been told this a common phenomenon at TU meetings around the country.

But, by now, you know that we have just recently conducted a brief survey of Wyoming TU members. Hopefully you all answered the survey questions, and more importantly, you have indicated a willingness to step up and into council and chapter positions of leadership. Even our most active and effective chapters need a “changing of the guard” occasionally.

And our struggling chapters surely need some enthusiastic volunteers to step forward.

Please feel free to contact me at any time to discuss how to set out on your journey with Wyoming Trout Unlimited .

As Lao-tze so aptly said in Tao Te Ching, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

www.wyomingtu.org

ON THE COVER: Still waters can provide some outstanding summer angling opportunities. This beautiful rainbow trout was caught on a leech pattern on a cool summer afternoon.

Photo by Bob Reece, Thin Air Angler

SUMMER 2022

Kathy Buchner has called Jackson, Wyoming, home since 1971. She served as Wyoming Trout Unlimited’s Director from 1993-2002, and has been an active advocate for trout fisheries for some 30 years. She enjoys spending time with her two grandkids (who, at 7 and 4 1⁄2, love to fish). Kathy can be reached

by E-mail at kbuchner@wyoming.com.

3

THE TROUT TALE

RESTORE

Finally. Face-to-face in Green River

By MIKE JENSEN Wyoming Council Coordinator

National Leadership Representative Werner Studer reported on the National Leadership Council and will represent the Wyoming Council when he attends the Trout Unlimited national meeting in Maine from July 20-24.

A huge thanks goes to the Seedskadee Chapter president Sadie Valdez and her members for providing a light breakfast, beverages, and an outstanding barbecue lunch for those in attendance.

Of course, one of the main agenda items for the meeting was to conduct council elections. The executive council applauds those individuals who stepped up and offered their name to be nominated for an officer or board position on the council.

Results of the election are as follows. All terms are two years unless otherwise noted.

Council Chair, Kathy Buchner of Jackson; Council Vice Chair, Sadie Valdez of Rock Springs; Council Secretary, Tom Brown of Cody; Council Treasurer, Jim Hissong of Mountain View; National Leadership Representative, Werner Studer of Casper (one-year term); Council At-Large Board Member, Dave Sweet of Cody; Council At-Large Board Member John Madia of Sheridan; and Council At-Large Board Member John Burrows of Lander.

Outgoing Chair Cole Sherard will step into the past chair position on the council.

The council also made appointments for the council’s three committee chair positions. Appointed were Larry Timchak of Cody as conservation committee chair; Jay Buchner of Jackson as youth committee chair and Barb Deshler of Laramie as climate change committee chair.

In other business, the council selected the East Yellowstone Chapter in Cody to host the fall council meeting on Oct. 28, 29 and 30.

A long-time council tradition returned as the Popo Agie Anglers presented the “WYTU Bucking Fish Award” to the Little Big Horn Chapter for their excellent conservation work and membership engagement over the past year. The mini drift boat was filled with a bonus of ice cold libations for all to enjoy.

The day concluded with a short field trip led by Seedskadee Refuge Manager Tom Koerner who took The Bucking Fish Award attendees to view a collaborative fish screen project that was completed a few years back near the refuge headquarters.

Saturday’s dinner was held at The Hitching Post in Green River and everyone Fish screen field trip. had a good time. The council conducted an impressive raffle that helped raise over $1,200 to help the council pay for expenses associated with the three-day meeting.

Thanks to those who donated items to the raffle.

On Sunday, Green River Project Manager Nick Walrath hosted an informative field trip for those who wanted to see where an upcoming urban project on the Green River in town will take place.

Sunday float fish.

And despite cold temperatures and howling winds, a few brave souls floated the four-mile stretch of the Green River through town.

Several nice fish were caught and released back into the river between two drift boats.

Can I get a hallelujah? The Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited finally had the opportunity to gather in person in Green River for the annual spring council meeting this year.

The meeting, held April 29, 30 and May 1, was the first opportunity to meet since the outbreak of COVID over two years ago. That was the last time we were able to meet as a council — in Pinedale on Nov. 2, 2019. Needless to say, during that time since, it has been difficult to engage with our Trout Unlimited (TU) members in Wyoming. Sure, the nowinfamous Zoom conference call filled in where it could, but it just wasn’t the same.

Hallelujah, indeed.

Members began to arrive in Green River on Friday and some even braved the sunny, Friday night at the TU office. albeit cold and windy day fishing the famed Green River. On Friday evening, attendees gathered at Don Pedro’s for a nohost dinner and beverages.

Following dinner, most everyone walked the short distance to the Trout Unlimited office for additional conversation and a frosty beverage or two, provided by the Seedskadee TU chapter and TU staffers Nick and Hillary Walrath.

Saturday found the group at the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge bright and early for the council’s business meeting. A special thanks to refuge manager Tom Koerner and his team for hosting council members and providing an incredible setting to hold a council meeting.

There were 28 people in attendance, including Trout Attendees at Saturday council meeting.

Unlimited Vice President for Volunteer Operations Beverly Smith, who gave an excellent presentation on chapter health and revitalization, which is so important to the council right now as we have five chapters that need assistance to get back up and running strong.

As part of her presentation, she also helped the council lay the groundwork for a successful council-wide survey that was conducted in mid-June.

Regular agenda reports included meeting minutes approval, financial reports for the council, Yellowstone Lake and Adipossee alternative engagement group, conservation committee update, climate change committee update and others.

Updates were given by Tom Reed, who gave the group a report on the Angler Conservation Program; Nick and Hillary Walrath provided an update for the Wyoming Water and Habitat Beverly Smith presentation. program, and Dave Sweet reported the latest information regarding the Yellowstone Lake Project.

Clark Johnson of he Wyoming Game & Fish Department (WGFD) fisheries biologist from Jackson rose to the occasion on short notice and provided an update on what the department was working on around Jackson and the Cowboy State.

THE TROUT TALE

4

SUMMER 2022

FROM THE COORDINATOR

Mike Jensen

A big thanks OUR MISSION: Conserving, protecting and restoring Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds WYOMING COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: n Kathy Buchner Jackson Hole..........................................Chair n Sadie Valdez Rock Springs..................................Vice Chair n Tom Brown Cody................................................Secretary n Jim Hissong Mountain View.................................Treasurer n Werner Studer Casper............................NLC Representative n Dave Sweet Cody...................................At Large Member n John Madia Sheridan.............................At Large Member n John Burrows Lander................................At Large Member n Cole Sherard Laramie...........................................Past Chair n Mike Jensen Cheyenne...................Council Coordinator

WYOMING CHAPTERS AND AEGs: n Grey Reef n Curt Gowdy n East Yellowstone n Jackson Hole n Laramie Valley n Little Bighorn n Platte Valley n Popo Agie Anglers n Seedskadee n Upper Bear River n Upper Green River n Adiposse (AEG) (Alternative Engagement Group)

To join Trout Unlimited today, go to tu.org and click on the “Memberships & Giving” tab.

Then choose “become a member.”

SUMMER 2022

I can’t believe we’re already halfway through the summer months! Where does time go? Apparently, right by me.

Needless to say, it’s been extremely busy for the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited over the past couple of months. As noted in my story on the preceding page, we finally got to meet in person for our spring council meeting in Green River. It was so good to reengage with our chapter leadership as well as welcome some new faces to the council.

A big thanks to all those who attended that weekend. A big thanks also to Trout Unlimited Vice President of Volunteer Operations Beverly Smith. She gave an outstanding presentation on chapter health and revitalization. A topic very important to WYTU as we work to help several chapters get back up and running, and doing good conservation and project work in the Cowboy State.

Speaking of working to help our chapters in need of revitalization, Beverly Smith also worked with the council to develop a survey for Trout Unlimited members and nonmembers in Wyoming. As many of you know, we just completed that project. We had 180 people take the survey, which only took a few minutes to fill out and submit.

There’s a whole lot of information there, but as we continue the process of breaking down the survey responses chapter by chapter, we are positive the feedback will provide us with valuable information to assist with helping our chapters get back on track.

Through a random drawing, we gave away three $100 gift cards to three survey participants. Congratulations to Zack Spadt from Casper, Andy Logan from Powell, and John Moore from Saratoga. Each winner was able to choose which fly shop or outdoor shop they wanted their gift card from. I have to offer a big thanks to Zach, Andy and John for selecting from Trout Unlimited Endorsed Businesses in Wyoming and respectively: they chose, the Fly Shop of the Bighorns in Sheridan, North Fork Anglers in Cody and the West Laramie Fly Store in Laramie.

A big thanks to all those who participated in this survey.

Last weekend, the Curt Gowdy Chapter — one of the chapters in need of revitalizing — hosted an open house for members and the public, at the Black Tooth Brewing Company in Cheyenne.

We had 38 people in attendance at the open house which featured the first beer on WYTU, and a whole lot of pizza available throughout the evening for those in attendance.

Several individuals at the event expressed interest in stepping up into a leadership position. A big thanks to Chris Brown of Cheyenne. He wants to step into the chapter president role and is eager to get the Curt Gowdy chapter back up and running soon! A big thanks to Craig Boal, Bob Mason and Dan Moede for also stepping up to serve in a leadership capacity on the board.

The big prize of the night was a $500 gift card to Sportsman’s Warehouse in Cheyenne. Congratulations to Khristin Kaske of Cheyenne who won the gift card. Craig Boal of Cheyenne won a great Redington Crosswater fly fishing combo, complete with backing, fly line, fly vest, fly box with two dozen assorted flies and an engraved Trout Unlimited fly fishing net. A big thanks to Sportsman’s Warehouse for donating the rod and reel combo! Donna Collard of Cheyenne won a great FishPond chest pack. A big thanks to chapter member Dan Moede for donating the chest pack. A big thanks to all those who attended the open house. We appreciate your support.

We’ve also started the revitalization process in Laramie, Saratoga/Rawlins, Star Valley and Pinedale. If you’re interested in helping us, please drop me an e-mail and let’s talk.

I hope to see you on the water soon.

Mike Jensen currently serves as the Wyoming Council Coordinator for Trout Unlimited, and he and his wife, Jodi, call the Cheyenne area home. When he’s not at his desk, puttering around the “Lazy J” with the dog or tying a few flies, you’ll find him driving his drift boat in search of big Wyoming trout. E-mail Mike at mike.jensen@tu.org.

5

THE TROUT TALE

What’s the dam deal with Beaver Dam Analogs? regarding BDA and process-based restoration.

BDAs are an awesome tool for riparian restoration, but it should be mentioned that the process-based approach doesn’t work everywhere. A private landowner may not want the issues that come with beavers on their property. Large rivers Nick Walrath, right, and Sam Lockwood of the are often too powerful Wyoming Wildlife Federation work on a Beaver and may need a little Dam Analog on Trout Creek this spring. more heavy-handed Photo courtesy of Dave Kimbleof the approach. In general, US Fish & Wildlife Services. the sweet spot is first and second order streams. In Wyoming there are a lot — most with names like Willow Creek, Beaver Creek, Trout Creek, or Muddy Creek.

Most Trout Unlimited (TU) chapters probably have one in a local drainage. If you can think of a stream and would like your chapter to get into the BDA game, here’s how you can make it happen in Wyoming.

By NICK WALRATH Green River Project Manager Trout Unlimited A Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) project is fun for volunteers, can be done cheaply and has an immediate impact on the stream you are working on. First, you pound some posts across the stream. Then channel your inner stream rodent and weave some willows around the posts, put some sod on the willows, add more willows and or available branches, more sod, more branches until the water above the dam reaches desired height then repeat.

This is a low-tech restoration technique to improve incised streams that have lost connection with the flood plain. This is a chronic problem in streams across Wyoming and the west. BDAs mimic beaver dams by slowing water down, capturing sediment and raising the water table. All these effects benefit wildlife and fish. Over time, the captured sediment causes the water to spread out laterally through the valley floor which increases the riparian area. This improves the resiliency of the landscape and wildlife.

BDAs are relatively easy to install and can be done cheaply. This means they can be done at a drainage-wide scale resulting in large impacts.

All of this is done to create a place where beavers can come in and take on the maintenance of the system and continue the trend of raising the water table and slowing water down. There are lots of great resources out there

Project Partners Talk to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s local aquatic habitat biologist, land agency personnel and/or private landowner. They may have one of these projects already in the works that you and the chapter could help with. If not, you can talk to them about potential project areas.

Project identification When thinking of streams to work on, think of places that are first or second order streams (small). They should have potential to hold trout populations. Ideally, they would have beaver populations somewhat close and have lost contact with an old flood CLICK HERE TO LEARN plain. You will need MORE ABOUT BDA STREAM to walk the project RESTORATION site(s) and get GPS points of each place you would like to install a dam and come up with a general plan. This will help you in the permitting phase of the project. Think about how big your dams will likely be. How far up stream will they back water up? Are there any cool features (i.e., old ox bow channels, old riparian areas that are no longer wet) that could be restored?

Trout Unlimited Green River Project Manager Nick Walrath, right, works with landowner Jackson Ramsay to begin a BDA project on Trout Creek located south of Rock Springs.

Permitting This does not have to be all on your own. Partnerships with the

Photo courtesy of Jaden Bales of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation

THE TROUT TALE

See BEAVER DAM ANALOG on page 7

6

SUMMER 2022

BEAVER DAM ANALOG

from page 6

appropriate surface water, one for each set of 10 BDAs that you would like to complete.

Materials You will need posts, willows, and other branches. Most of the time you will need to haul in willows and/or the other branches. Many federal land agencies do a lot of tree thinning, aspen enhancement and juniper encroachment projects around the state. These are great ways to get large amounts of materials delivered to the site for relatively cheap.

Volunteers BDAs are a fun and engaging project where volunteers can see instant gratification from their work. Folks will need to be prepared to get wet and dirty, know how to use a sledge, shovel, hand saw and clippers. Hip boots or muck boots are a must if they don’t want to go all in and just wet wade.

Monitoring It is a good idea to have a monitoring plan that will measure the success of the project. A plan can be as simple as photo points that are revisited each year for a number of years to a full-on annual survey.

Monitoring is a great way to tell the story of the beneficial work your chapter is doing for the fishery.

Maintenance There will be BDAs that fail. You and your partners need to commit to some time in the following 1-3 years to come back and fix dams that may need to be repaired. This will be a great time to do your monitoring also.

Montana Conservation Corps interns stand near a completed BDA on Trout Creek. The project was completed in the fall of 2020.

Projects like this can CLICK HERE TO WATCH A rejuvenate a chapter; it TIMELAPSE VIDEO OF A BEAVER gives a group of people DAM ANALOG BEING MADE something to be proud of.

It is also geared for the folks involved to revisit the site and watch the progress. A BDA project could easily be paired with a riparian fencing project and willow/tree planting.

In high desert environments like Wyoming, streams and riparian areas are important to everyone, as these projects focus on improving and expanding important habitat. Healthy riparian areas give fish and wildlife resiliency needed to make it through drought and floods.

Photo courtesy of Dave Kimble of US Fish & Wildlife Service

Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. could help out here. You will need a surface water right from the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office. With these permits, you can permit 10 BDAs. Each permit costs $25. They will want locations for each dam and an estimated volume of water that is planned to be backed up behind each dam.

You will need to contact the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WYDEQ) regarding the project and set up a project kickoff meeting to determine what kind of permit you will need. From the first email contact, it will start the clock on a 30-day waiting period before they can look at CLICK HERE TO LEARN your pre-construction HOW BDAs CAN RESTORE notification (PCN). It is INCISED STREAM ECOSYSTEMS best to have a draft PCN for you all to go over at the meeting if you can. You will need to complete a final PCN after the meeting. In the PCN, they will need to know the basics of the project: who, what, when and where. The ACOE has a very clear document for what they need in a PCN. If you would like those documents to help you permit your project, contact Wyoming Coordinator Mike Jensen via email at mike.jensen@tu.org. You will need a professional to address the wetland delineation. This highlights the importance of partnerships early in the planning stage.

This photo shows the two BDAs that were installed on Trout Creek in the fall of 2020. As time goes by, this riparian area will mature and develop to benefit wildlife and fish.

Permitting Timeline 1. Email ACOE and WYDEQ and inform them about the project you would like to do. This starts the clock on the 30-day waiting period. From there you will set up a meeting with the ACOE and DEQ to talk about the who, what, when and where of the project 2. Complete the PCN on behalf of the landowner for the ACOE and DEQ. 3. ACOE and DEQ will send the landowner a Notice to Proceed. Fill out a Wyoming State Engineer’s Office application for permit to

SUMMER 2022

WYTU photo by Nick Walrath

WYTU

Follow the conversation

Find us on Facebook at: Wyoming Trout Unlimited

7

THE TROUT TALE

Conversations: With Paul Stauffer — Longtime Star Valley, Wyoming, resident, family man, retired pharmacist, author, fly fishing aficionado, drift boat driver, talented fly-tier, accomplished outdoorsman and longtime Trout Unlimited member, to name a few.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each quarter, we’ll seek out and sit down with a Trout Unlimited member, volunteer, staff member, conservation partner or friend to have a casual conversation about them and the outdoors. For our Summer “Trout Tale” newsletter, we’re delighted to talk with a true friend of Trout Unlimited and longtime Star Valley resident and angler — Paul Stauffer from Afton, Wyoming. Below, you’ll find questions from Wyoming Trout Unlimited (WYTU) and Paul’s responses following his initials “PS.” — Mike Jensen

Q&A

drift boat almost as well as our son.

We now have 17 grandchildren, all boys except 13 of them, and they are all learning to fly fish and row.

Interestingly, a year before we met, Sharon was traveling through Star Valley on a trip to Jackson, and she mentioned to her friends in the car as they drove past some dilapidated farmyards, “Who could ever live in a place like this!” A year later, she was living here. She now fly fishes, and she loves the valley.

WYTU: Paul, by way of introduction, tell us about yourself, your family and the influence your family had on you growing up in Utah and Wyoming.

PS: I was born in Logan, Utah, during World War II, and my dad served in the Navy as a pharmacist. We lived in Hyrum until I was five, at which time we moved to Afton where Dad started his own pharmacy. He loved to fish, but getting the business going required him to be at the store constantly. No problem, at 4 a.m. on many a morning, he and I would head for the Salt River and drown a worm until it was 8 a.m. and time to open the store. I thought that was the only time fish would bite, and we did catch our share of large brown trout. Occasionally, we fished after work and Mom would go with us using a tissue to put on her worm.

After high school, I attended Idaho State College for a year, served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and returned to finish my education at the University of Utah. I met Sharon at a dance — her father tied flies. I thought that was a good omen. We have been married 53 years. We raised five children and the four girls can handle a

WYTU: How long have you been fly fishing and fly tying? Who was responsible for introducing you to these two pastimes that have ultimately become so much a part of your life?

PS: The answer to both, was my father. When I was 11, he gave me a half-hour lesson in how to cast a fly. I took it from there, reading outdoor magazine articles. I still remember the day and the hole where I cast a yellow body Adams and a small cutthroat rose and inhaled it. That kind of changed my life— if the fish were rising, I would use a fly. If not, it was back to a worm or a minnow. Later I read about nymphing (no strike indicators then) and found that worked. Even later, while guiding for Ted Hale at the old Silver Stream Lodge during summers of my college years, a client showed me how to use a muddler, and that eventually ended bait fishing in my life.

As for fly tying, Dad gave me a kit when I was 12, and showed me how to use the old English hackle pliers he had (and I still use).

WYTU: You recently released the second edition of your book, A History of Fishing in Star Valley, Wyoming — the Waters, the Fish, the Anglers, the Managers and the Challenges. Tell us about your inspiration to write that book?

PS: We have an active historical society here, and I found I See CONVERSATIONS on page 9

THE TROUT TALE

8

SUMMER 2022

CONVERSATIONS from page 8 loved to read books and articles about early life in this little valley. However, much of the historical writing was about the main industry, which then was dairy farming, and the challenges of living in a remote mountain valley.

Very little was written about those folks’ recreational pursuits. My thought was that this was an opportunity to put some people, whose stories would never otherwise be told, in a book. It was particularly fun to interview some old timers who could remember back into the 1920s and ’30s to learn how they fished. Some of those anglers are now fishing in heaven, if that is allowed, so I believe the book was timely. In addition, I discovered while researching that the Wyoming Game and Fish folks did not have good records of their activities such as fish stocking in Star Valley in the first 20 to 30 years of the 1900s, and I was able to find some information that might fill in some of the gaps. Interestingly, I found a tiny high mountain lake that has fish, which our biologists didn’t know existed. Finally, I wanted people coming to the valley to appreciate and help protect our resource. For that reason, my book is available in the local bookstores here, but I have purposely not marketed it in Utah or Jackson Hole because I don’t want someone to read it and feel they should come and fish in my favorite hole.

WYTU: What other books have you written?

PS: The first was a book to document the history of pharmacy in Star Valley since I had lived 60 years of it (20 growing up and 40 years as a pharmacist). The previous 40 to 50 years of drug stores in the valley was interesting to research. Some of the early pharmacists weren’t trained or licensed. Pharmacists and Pharmacies of Star Valley 1891-2015 won a prize with the Wyoming Historical Society. I expected only limited interest in the subject, but the feeling of publishing is similar to catching a trophy-size trout. My next attempt at self-publishing was writing a two-volume book on my life history. Of course, I only printed enough of these for our current posterity and a few friends.

agreed. After the deal was made, I realized I had violated a cardinal rule of our marriage by not conferring with Sharon first, so I sent her a dozen roses. She was flattered until she discovered I was trying to atone for my sin. Nevertheless, the two of us and our family have had a lot of fun in it.

WYTU: If I’m not mistaken, you were part of a group of anglers that started the Star Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter. Tell us when that was and why you helped start the chapter.

PS: That was about 1987. A group of fishing buddies were not happy catching the hatchery catchable-size cutts being planted all over Salt River. We had read of other places where slot limits and catch-and-release regulations had resulted in successful wild trout populations being established or protected. The Salt River needed some serious habitat restoration, too. I had previously been involved in a local wildlife club, but that group had minimal support from the National Wildlife Federation. We hoped that Trout Unlimited would work better for our purposes.

WYTU: Tell us about your first experience fishing from a drift boat.

PS: Let’s just call it an old wooden, flat-bottomed boat to start.

I was 14 and a classmate of mine, whose dad guided fishermen on the Salt River, invited me to fish with his father and another brother. We would float the Salt River Narrows and fish with minnows lobbed underhanded on fly rods. One purpose of the trip was to teach my friend how to row the boat.

Although I was not allowed to row, I paid very close attention to the instructions he was receiving.

The first chance I had, I pumped up my father’s old yellow Air Force surplus rubber raft and took it on the river— everything I had learned worked. Of course, the raft was difficult to stand up in, and eventually I was able to purchase a wooden rowboat crafted by a local carpenter who fitted it with a fiberglass bottom to withstand the rocks, and eventually I bought a real drift boat.

WYTU: How many leadership positions did you have with the chapter over the years?

PS: I was the first vice president, and then served as president followed by continuing as a board member whenever we have had an active chapter. I was the project chairman when we partnered with the Star Valley Conservation District and others to do a large habitat and bank protection project on the Salt River in 1991.

WYTU: Am I to assume your family enjoys fly fishing and fly tying?

PS: Absolutely on the fly fishing part. Most of our kids have moved away, but the first thing they want to do when they come to visit is go fishing. While I started most of them using worms, I wanted them to go with me when I fished such streams as the Firehole, the Madison, and the Henrys Fork where bait was prohibited. I soon discovered a youngster can have good success swinging wet flies on a tight line.

WYTU: How many years have you owned a drift boat?

PS: LaMoyne Hyde, who grew up in the valley, came into our pharmacy one day in 1994, and as our conversation turned to fishing, he told me I needed to own one of his drift boats. I SUMMER 2022

See CONVERSATIONS on page 10

9

THE TROUT TALE

CONVERSATIONS from page 9 Setting the hook is no problem as the fish generally hook themselves. From there they graduate to dry flies, streamers, etc. Most of our grandkids have never bait fished, but they enjoy success as fly fishers. As for fly tying, I have given the willing instruction, a few have kits, but it is too easy to just ask Grandpa for the right fly (or several).

WYTU: Do you have a memorable fish story you could share with us?

PS: A few years ago, my grandson, Randall, and I were floating the Henrys Fork above Ashton, Idaho. I hooked the best rainbow of the day and laid my Orvis Helios 2 rod Photos courtesy of Paul Stauffer and family across the bow as I lifted the fish in the net for a quick photo. Randall had anchored the boat midstream, and as he was about to click the shutter, the rod disappeared overboard. He lifted the anchor, and as we chased the rod which floated sometimes submerged and sometimes nearly on the surface, a trout suddenly flew out of the water not far from the rod.

We finally caught up and retrieved the rod, and there, as you would guess, was another trout on the line. The rod was a gift from Leigh Perkins of Orvis, so I had to tell him that his rod works so well that all you have to do is throw it in the water and it will catch fish.

WYTU: I’m going to put you on the spot. Where’s your favorite place to fish? Do you prefer fishing from a drift boat or wade fishing?

PS: Of course, my home water is the Salt River, and there is nothing more enjoyable to me than taking my young grandkids floating in the drift boat. They are so young, so excited to have a fish on, and so light that I can put the boat in the shallowest of riffles.

Drift boats are also great for the camaraderie of good friends. But my very favorite place to fish might just be the wade-only section of the Madison River, where I can fish my heart out for nice wild trout rising to a size 16 caddis imitation.

The answer to row versus wade is both.

WYTU: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

PS: In the summer, when I am not fishing, I enjoy working in our yard and serving in the Star Valley Temple. In the winter, strike the fishing and yard work and sub fly tying and reading.

WYTU NEWS NOTES to set him up for a career working on stream restoration and other water resources projects.

He attended Oregon State University, graduating with degrees in Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering. Most recently, he spent two years working at an engineering consulting firm in Laramie, Wyoming, before joining Trout Unlimited.

In Laramie, he spent his free time serving on the Wyoming Board for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and also helped plan this year’s Fly Fishing Film Tour screening.

He is an avid archery hunter, fly fisherman and pursuer of all other things outdoors, hunting and fishing. Tanner can be reached by e-mail at tanner.belknap@tu.org.

Tanner Belknap hired as new Salt River Watershed Manager

By LESLIE STEEN NW Wyoming Program Director Please join me in welcoming our new Salt River Watershed Manager, Tanner Belknap. Tanner joined the Wyoming team at the beginning of June and is based in Star Valley, Wyoming.

He will be working to establish and manage a new Bureau of Reclamationfunded watershed group in the Salt, as well as advance an exciting slate of new reconnection and restoration projects.

Tanner grew up in Alabama and Ohio before heading west for college to make sure he would spend the rest of his life in the mountains. In high school, Tanner’s Trout Unlimited mentor encouraged him to study engineering

THE TROUT TALE

Amelia Howe joins TU as Angler Conservation Program Wyoming Manager Based in Lander, Wyoming, Amelia Howe will lead the Angler Conservation Program’s advocacy and organizing efforts across the state.

Growing up in a military family, Amelia moved all over the country prior to attending Colorado State University to study Human Dimensions of Natural Resources.

Her curiosity of western landscapes, wildlife, water and how humans interact with these resources kept her tethered to the Mountain West.

See NEWS NOTES on page 11

10

SUMMER 2022

WYTU NEWS NOTES She comes to Trout Unlimited from the American Alpine Club where she managed the memberbased recreation organization’s advocacy and government affairs efforts.

On her days off, you can find her climbing up limestone walls in Wild Iris, working on perfecting her cast, or searching for the best coffee in the state (send her your recommendations). Amelia can be reached by E-mail at amelia.howe@tu.org.

BLM acquisition in Wyoming significantly increases access to public lands WASHINGTON, D.C. — The bureau of Land Management (BLM) is kicking off Great Outdoors Month by finalizing two land acquisitions in Colorado and Wyoming that will unlock over 40,000 acres of previously inaccessible public land.

In partnership with The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit that supports the voluntary protection of public lands and waters, the Bureau of Land Management finalized two acquisitions through the Land and Water Conservation Fund: the 160-acre Escalante Creek Parcel within the Dominquez-Escalante National Conservation Area in Colorado, and 35,670 acres of private land southwest of Casper, Wyoming, that will unlock access to 40,000 acres of existing BLM and State of Wyoming land.

“The BLM works hard to provide additional access to previously inaccessible public lands by working with partner organizations like The Conservation Fund and through the Land and Water Conservation Fund,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “We are so grateful for these partnerships that allow us to conserve and expand access to public lands for many generations to come.”

Marton Property Acquisition The BLM Wyoming acquisition is the largest land purchase that the BLM has undertaken in Wyoming, creating a 118-square mile contiguous block of public land and improving public access to the North Platte River.

The Conservation Fund worked closely with the Marton family to acquire funding from the Land Water Conservation Fund. The Conservation Fund’s initial purchase was also supported by a grant from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Congress provided funding to acquire the ranch over several years, and BLM received $21 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 2021 to purchase the ranch in its entirety.

Located east of Alcova Reservoir, the Marton property is bordered to the north by 8.8 miles of North Platte River frontage and extends south into Carbon County. Acquisition of the property will connect formerly inaccessible BLM and State lands and ensure the continued conservation of important wildlife habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse, raptors, and big game species.

The property’s proximity to Casper and ease of access furthers the Department of the Interior’s commitment to

SUMMER 2022

Continued from page 10 ensuring equitable access to America’s lands and waters.

“This acquisition marks a big step forward for improving public access,” said BLM High Plains District Manager Kevin Christensen. “Through our lasting partnership with The Conservation Fund, we have a unique opportunity to conserve crucial wildlife habitat at a landscape scale and expand access to the river and public land for our local community and visitors.”

The inclusion of an additional 8.8 miles of public access to the North Platte River, a blue-ribbon trout fishery boasting more pounds per mile of fish than any other stream in Wyoming, provides growth opportunities for the tourism and recreation economy in Casper and Natrona County. In 2021, travelers spent $285.1 million in Natrona County, generating $16.3 million in state and local taxes.

“Ensuring a conservation solution like this one requires not just an outstanding landscape, but outstanding private citizens and public servants to match it,” said Dan Schlager, Wyoming state director at The Conservation Fund. “Thanks to the truly exceptional land management and determination of the Morton Family, and an unwavering problem-solving commitment from the BLM, this remarkable landscape will remain permanently conserved for the enjoyment of the entire Wyoming Community.”

BLM welcomes Jason Gay as Manager of High Desert District ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The Bureau of Land Management welcomes Jason Gay as the new district manager for the High Desert District of Wyoming. As district manager, Gay will manage approximately 9.6 million acres of BLM-managed public land spanning the Kemmerer, Pinedale, Rawlins and Rock Springs field office areas.

Gay was sworn in at the Rock Springs Field Office on June 15 during a meet-and-greet celebration.

“Jason’s unique background and varied experience will serve him, our communities and the bureau well in his role as district manager,” said Andrew Archuleta, state director of BLM Wyoming. “We are thrilled to have him and look forward to the great work he is sure to do.”

Gay is an Army veteran who brings to BLM Wyoming a diverse range of experience, including time spent in the oil and gas, engineering, research and development, investment, consulting and legal fields.

Most recently, Gay served as a Deputy Carbon County and Prosecuting Attorney in Rawlins, Wyoming. His wife, Lacey, is a Lander, Wyoming native. In addition to school-aged children in Wyoming, Gay has adult children in North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

Left to right: Lacey Gay, Jason Gay and Seedskadee Chapter president and Wyoming Trout Unlimited Council Vice Chair Sadie Valdez.

WYTU photo

11

THE TROUT TALE

Students and teachers wrap up Trout in the Classroom program

By MIKE JENSEN Wyoming Council Coordinator For the second year in a row, Torrington Middle School sixth grade science students had the opportunity to have the Trout Unlimited Trout In The Classroom (TIC) program at their school.

The program in Torrington was sponsored by the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited both years and the curriculum was once again deemed a success in teacher Jenna Krul’s class.

“It’s really a great program to show a living life cycle inside the classroom,” said Krul. “There are a lot duties associated with raising the trout.

For example, the kids take care of the water and understand the importance of the water quality and how it relates to the fish survival.”

The Trout In The Classroom program was also introduced this past school year to two other Wyoming schools — the Expedition Academy in Green River and Whiting High School in Laramie.

According to Whiting High School teacher Allison Baas, her students have spent five months raising some amazing rainbow trout.

“The trout in our class have been used as the anchoring phenomenon for genetics and continuing ecology and biology into evolution as a mini phenomenon,” said Baas.

Her students enjoyed learning about mitosis and organism development, inheritance patterns, camouflage and evolution by natural selection through differences in fish species.

One of her students, Madi B., noted she liked seeing how the color started developing with every stage of growth.

While Trout Unlimited offers a base curriculum for this program, teachers do have the flexibility to customize the program to fit their needs.

Baas noted that she and her students were grateful to the Laramie Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter for their financial support and giving the students the opportunity to experience raising

Torrington Middle School sixth grade science students were eager to ask questions of Trout Unlimited volunteer Paul Bunker (right) from Loveland, Colorado, during a presentation in midmay. Bunker spoke to the students about cutthroat trout species and native fish in Wyoming as part of the school’s Trout In The Classroom program.

WYTU photo by Mike Jensen

trout and all the rich biological exposures that this experience allows.

The program wouldn’t be possible without the substantial support from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD).

Approximately 450 rainbow trout eggs were delivered to each of the three schools in early January of this year. All eggs came from the WGFD Dubois Fish Hatchery.

Lee Harper, science teacher at Expedition Academy High School in Green River noted that having the Trout In The Classroom program was a wonderful experience for students and staff alike.

“Many times, staff members would come into the classroom to watch the fish and see how they were growing,” Harper said. “They would express how fun it was to simply hear the students talking about them throughout the school.”

Harper also noted that his students worked to understand the conditions that the water needed to be for fish survival. His students would check the tank water every Friday to see how conditions would change depending upon how many fish were surviving and their average sizes.

“Overall, the TIC program was a wonderful

benefit to my classes and our school as whole,” Harper said. “It was for many students, the first time they had reared fish, especially from eggs.

“We used the fish in Anatomy class to discuss the digestive system and how humans and fish compare when discussing the anatomical differences and similarities.

“I would love the opportunity to continue this program in the future to further the program in our school. Thanks to the Seedskadee TU Chapter for this fantastic opportunity,” he added.

LEFT: Wyoming Council Coordinator for Trout Unlimited Mike Jensen gives a fly tying demonstration to sixth grade science students at Torrington Middle School in mid-May. ABOVE: Healthy trout fry in their tank environment. This photo was taken in mid-May at Torrington Middle School.

Courtesy photos Torrington Telegram and Jenna Krul

THE TROUT TALE

12

SUMMER 2022

Wyoming Game & Fish Department, Trout Unlimited and local students team up to study trout movements in Green River

By REGINA DICKSON Public Information Officer Wyoming Game & Fish Department GREEN RIVER — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is working with Trout Unlimited to radio-tag brown trout in the Green River from Fontenelle Dam to the City of Green River. Forty brown trout will be caught and implanted with tags which allow them to be tracked using radio telemetry. Tagging began the week of April 18 in and around the city of Green River.

“To help with the research, we are encouraging anglers who catch tagged trout to release them so they can be tracked by Trout Unlimited (TU) for their Adopt-A-Trout program,” said Jessica Lockwood, Green River Fisheries Biologist. “If you harvest a tagged trout, please return the tag to Trout Unlimited or to the Green River Regional Game and Fish office.”

Adopt-A-Trout is a program that has brought science into classrooms in Wyoming for over a decade. It pairs a research need from fisheries managers with local students. In this project, TU and Game and Fish will track brown trout movements for sixteen months. The monitoring looks at the fish’s habitat usage to determine if there are certain habitat features frequented by trout that could be replicated with habitat improvement projects.

“These tagged trout will be adopted by local students in Green River middle and high school,” said Nick Walrath, Trout Unlimited Green River

Nick Walrath, left, shows off one of the very nice brown trout that will be tagged, while Jessica Lockwood of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department looks on.

Wyoming Game & Fish Department Photo by Regina Dickson

project manager. “The students will get to name each fish and to follow the fish through its life cycle in the Green River. Additionally, students will learn about fish anatomy, life cycles, water quality and river ecology.

The program gives the kids real ownership in their local river.”

CHAPTER HAPPENINGS

Continued from page 10

CHAPTER HAPPENINGS Chapters and council represented at WGFD Expo in May

Little Big Horn Chapter holds kids’ fishing day; sweepstakes underway After a two-year COVID hiatus, the Little Big Horn Chapter partnered with Back Country Hunters and Anglers, the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to host the annual Kid’s Fishing Day at Porcupine Pond in the western Bighorn Mountains. Despite chilly weather, the fishing was hot! Several kids’ caught a lot of Yellowstone Cutthroat trout.

A special thanks to all the volunteers for their help and thanks to Legerski Sausage for some great hot dogs and Kristi Eberly for the pictures.

The chapter is also holding a summer

Wyoming Trout Unlimited (WYTU) chapters were well represented at this year’s Wyoming Game and Fish Department Expo held in Casper in May. Several hundred students and youth came through the WYTU booth that featured Gyotaku fish printing.

Thanks to Dave Madia (East Yellowstone Chapter), Scott Novotny and Werner Studer (Grey Reef Chapter), John Madia (Little Big Horn Chapter), Sadie Valdez (Seedskadee Chapter and Mike Jensen (WYTU) for their help.

SUMMER 2022

See CHAPTER HAPPENINGS on page 14

13

THE TROUT TALE

FROM THE FLY BENCH

winged adults they live several days, mate in the streamside vegetation and return sporadically during the day to lay eggs for the next generation. Finishing this task, they drift downstream to become a favorite trout snack.

In a few locations, they hatch in huge numbers and their sporadic egg laying becomes a daily mass migration to the water. If you find this situation, it’s pretty easy to choose a fly to fish. Trout seem to really like these small yellow stoneflies and I’ve seen many occasions where they are preferred over hatches of mayflies and even larger stoneflies.

On more than one occasion, while fishing a small to medium size stream in July, I’ve observed mayflies and caddis around the water, but my normally trusty Parachute Adams or Elk Hair Caddis float along untouched. Sitting on the stream bank wondering what I should try next, I noticed a small yellow stonefly flying by. I decide on a small #14 yellow stonefly with a red tip on the abdomen and, like magic, I’ve found what the trout want. The day changes from a potential blank to a great success. I still wonder about this—very few little yellow stoneflies visible but the fish very keyed into this food source.

I came across an excellent small stonefly pattern from a friend in the Czech Republic. It utilizes CDC as many of their flies do. I have no name for the fly so I’ll just call it the Czech Little Yellow Stone.

CZECH LITTLE YELLOW STONE RECIPE Hook: Thread : Body : Wing:

Standard Dry Fly #12 - #18 Yellow 6/0 and Red 6/0 This can be just the tying thread — yellow with a red tag, or you can dub the body if you prefer.

CDC — natural with white on top.

By JAY BUCHNER Master fly tier and angler WYTU Youth Committee Chair When asked to contribute a fly pattern for the summer edition of The Trout Tale, I starting thinking about what summer fly to write about. There a lot of choices in summer with numerous hatches of mayflies, caddis, stoneflies and of course, a summer favorite, grasshoppers.

I finally settled on a Yellow Sally, a small stonefly that brings up many memories of summer fishing beautiful streams in Wyoming.

The little yellow stoneflies are represented by at least 23 species that are found around the west. They are all small and, as the common name implies, yellow.

The nymphs range in size from 1/4 inch to 7/8 inch, or put another way, a #18 to #12 standard dry fly hook. They have a one year life cycle and, as with most other stoneflies, emerge from their nymph skin on streamside vegetation or possibly from the stream itself. The nymphs are yellowish with tan or brown markings. They are active predators.

The winged adults (1/4 inch to 7/8 inch) are also yellow with fewer marking than the nymphs. Some species have a visible red tip to their abdomen. As

After moving to Jackson, Wyoming, in the late 60s, Jay turned his love of fishing into a career guiding fisher people in the Jackson Hole area for nearly 35 years. He owned and operated both a retail mail order fly fishing catalog and a fly fishing shop in Jackson.

CHAPTER HAPPENINGS

Continued from page 14

sweepstakes for a great prize package worth over $2,000. It includes a guided wade fishing trip for two anglers (gratuity not included); a Douglass 9’ 5 wt. Upstream Plus fly rod; a Ross fly reel, loaded with backing and a 5WF floating fly line; a fly-fishing vest, a fly box filled with two dozen assorted flies and a Trout Unlimited engraved fishing net.

Tickets are $20 each or six for $100 and are available at the Fly Shop of the Bighorns in Sheridan. You can also call John Madia at (307) 763-6773 to buy tickets. All proceeds will benefit LBHTU projects.

The successful event brought out 250 enthusiastic kids who participated in the event.

Seedskadee Chapter holds summer barbecue and casting clinic The Seedskadee Chapter hosted a summer barbecue for its members on June 7 at the Trout Unlimited office in Green River.

Jessica Lockwood, a fisheries biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (at right in photo), spoke to the group and requested financial support from the chapter to help pay for several new boat ramps on the lower Green River near town.

Seedskadee chapter member Mike Brown, owner of Wyoming Embroidery & Sporting Goods in Green River, gave casting instructions to several members after the barbecue.

Jackson Kids’ Fishing Day a huge success The Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited Chapter, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and 20 additional sponsors hosted Kids’ Fishing Day on June 4 at R Park.

THE TROUT TALE

Jay Buchner

14

SUMMER 2022

YOUR TROUT UNLIMITED BUSINESSESLittle IN Big WYOMING CHAPTER SUPPORT SPOTLIGHT Horn Chapter

n Adbay.com Inc. Shawn Houck Casper, WY 82601 (307) 268-4705 shawn@adbay.com www.adbay.com

n Angling Destinations Clark Smyth Sheridan, WY 82801 (307) 672-6894 clark@anglingdestinations.com www.anglingdestinations.com

n Arrow Land and Water, LLC Chad Espenscheid Big Piney, WY 83113 (307) 231-2389 chadespen@gmail.com

n Dunoir Fishing Adventures, LLC Jeramie Prine Lander, WY 82520 (307) 349-3331 jlprine@gmail.com www.dunoirfishing.com

O G

n Fish the Fly Guide Service & Travel Jason Balogh Jackson, WY 83001 (307) 690-1139 jb@fishthefly.com www.fishthefly.com

n Frog Creek Partners

n North Platte Lodge

n Two Rivers Fishing Company

Brian Deurloo Casper, WY 82601 (307) 797-7720 brian@frogcreek.partners www.frogcreek.partners

Erik Aune Alcova, WY 82601 (307) 237-1182 info@northplattelodge.com www.northplattelodge.com

Josh Hattan Pinedale, WY 82941 (307) 367-4131 info@tworiversfishing.com www.tworiversfishing.com

n Grand Teton Fly Fishing

n The Red Rock Ranch

Scott Smith and Mark Fuller Jackson, WY 83002 (307) 690-4347 ssflyfish@rocketmail.com markwfuller@gmail.com www.grandtetonflyfishing.com

O G

O L

n Jackson Hole Fly Company

n Sunlight Sports

Greg Epstein Jackson, WY 83001 (800) 346-4339 support@jacksonholeflycompany.com www.jacksonholeflycompany.com

Wes and Melissa Allen Cody, WY 82414 (307) 587-9517 info@sunlightsports.com www.sunlightsports.com

n JD High Country Outfitters

n Sweetwater Fishing Expeditions, LLC

Jackson, Wyoming 83001 (307) 733-7210 scott@jdhcoutfitters.com www.highcountryflies.com

George H. Hunker III Lander, WY 82520 (307) 332-3986 george@sweetwaterfishing.com www.sweetwaterfishing.com

n Live Water Properties

O G

n Fly Shop of the Bighorns Clark Smyth Sheridan, WY 82001 (307) 672-5866 clark@anglingdestinations.com www.sheridanflyfhishing.com

Ty Hallock Casper, WY 82609 (307) 315-8287 ty@tyoutdoors.com www.tyoutdoors.com

n Rock Creek Anglers Clark Smyth Sheridan, WY 82801 (307) 684-7304 (888) 945-3876 clark@anglingdestinations.com www.rockcreekanglers.com

Macye Maher Jackson, WY 83002 (866) 734-6100 macye@livewaterproperties.com www.livewaterproperties.com

n West Laramie Fly Store

O G

Brandon Specht Laramie, WY 82070 (307) 745-5425 flystore@flystore.net www.flystore.net

n Wyoming Newspapers, Inc. Mark Tesoro (307) 789-6560 Evanston, WY 82930 mtesoro@uintacountyherald.com

O G

GOLD LEVEL MEMBER:

n Thin Air Angler Bob Reece Cheyenne, WY 82009 (307) 256-2741 coach.bobreece@gmail.com www.thinairangler.com

n Maven Brendon Weaver Lander, WY 82501 (800) 307-1109 customerservice@mavenbuilt.com www.mavenbuilt.com

G

Wind River Outdoor Company

n TroutHut Net-Worx Mike Jensen Cheyenne, WY 82009 (307) 421-3188 trouthut@gmail.com

n North Fork Anglers

Ron Hansen Lander, WY 82520 Phone: (307) 332-4402 e-mail: rhansen@wyoming.com website: www.windriveroutdoorcompany.com

n Turpin Meadow Ranch

Tim Wade Cody, WY 82414 (307) 527-7274 tw123r4w@yahoo.com www.northforkanglers.com

O

n TyOutdoors

Steven Stimmel Kelly, WY 83011 (307) 733-6288 info@theredrockranch.com www.theredrockranch.com

n Guild Outdoors Adam Guild Afton, WY 83110 (307) 799-6409 guildadam@yahoo.com www.guildranchwyoming.com

O G L

Ron Stiffler Moran, WY 83013 (307) 543-2000 gm@turpinmeadowranch.com www.turpinmeadowranch.com

O G

Trout Unlimited Business members are TU ambassadors in protecting, restoring, reconnecting and sustaining North America’s coldwater fisheries. To become a TU Business member, contact Wyoming’s own Walt Gasson at 307.630.7398 or e-mail him at walt.gasson@tu.org

O Outfitters

G Guides

L Lodges

Yeti ramblers with the famous WYTU bucking fish logo. Enough said.

Hot or cold... the 20 oz. Ramblers include the magslider lid and is perfect for the drift boat, deck or on the go! On sale now for $35 plus shipping. Click here to get your Yeti today! Supplies are very limited!

As always, all proceeds benefit our efforts to conserve, protect and restore Wyoming’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Thank you for your support!

SUMMER 2022

15

THE TROUT TALE