http://blog.tedtruebloodtu.org/

The 2nd Annual Fly Casting Tournament & Fly Fishing Boat...

Thu, 17 May 2012 20:01:00 -0600

The 2nd Annual Fly Casting Tournament & Fly Fishing Boat Show was held at Eagle Island State Park, raising thousands of dollars on behalf of the South Fork Boise River Fishery. More than 200 people attended as participants, judges and spectators.

Casting on the “Redemption” hole at the 2nd Annual Fly Casting Tournament

As near perfect weather as could be expected greeted the fly casting competitors Saturday morning. Hardly any winds. The day warmed up through the morning as 12 teams competed in the Gold Division. Four person teams competed on 14 casting targets or “holes” with a team’s best three individual player scores per hole added together for a team score.

While the competition was keen, it was the cause that brought so many people together. Protection and enhancement of the South Fork Boise River fishery is something everyone can support. And leading conservation/angling groups, fly fishing shops and local businesses got behind the event.

In the afternoon sixteen teams participated in the Silver Division. All participants were together for lunch, where Gold Division awards were made, an Outcast PAC 9000 pontoon boat was raffled off, and recognition of big supporters of the Pierce Creek Reconnection Project were recognized.

Pat Kilroy of the Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited presents a plaque to Erik Moncada with Boise Valley Fly Fishers recognizing the BVFF support for the Pierce Creek Reconnection Project

The results:

Silver Division. 3rd Barely Visible 167, 2nd Place Leaky Boots 167, 1st Power Casters 130. Top individual caster Sean Martin from the Vallivue team.
3rd place Gold, Cabela’s 156 points. 2nd place Angler’s 137, 1st place 120 Willowcreek Grill. Top individual caster: Dave Klein with a score of 36!

Trueblood Chapter friend and supporter Bryan Huskey sends along...

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:05:00 -0600

Trueblood Chapter friend and supporter Bryan Huskey sends along this photo report on the fishing at Little Camas Reservoir. The fish food is out!

Boise River Project: Anatomy of a National Award

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:36:03 -0600

Back in 2010 when Carl Breidenbach and some friends were wrapping up their junior high school days they wanted to do something to help the Boise River. One day when floating the river they saw a section of eroded stream bank, lots of recreation use and the idea came to find a way to fix the erosion while allowing access to the Boise River.

As detailed in the official news release from the city of Boise,

“After contacting the City to use EnviroGuard Youth Mini Grant funds for a project to restore a section of the river, the three student leaders were connected with the Boise chapter of Trout Unlimited. The conservation group already had the blue print for a restoration project slated for the river bank east of Parkcenter Bridge and quickly met with Carl and his group to plan the project.”

Breidenbach, William D’Onofrio, and Nathan Wong met with Ted Trueblood Chapter’s Andy Brunelle and Ada County Parks’ John Caywood (who snapped the above photo) to discuss how the student’s ideas for the south bank of the Boise River.

It did not take long to conclude that the students’ desires and ideas fit within a stream bank restoration project that Trout Unlimited started planning in 2007 and began experimentally transplanting cottonwood trees in April 2008 (most of which did not survive). The idea for stone steps would be part of the plan to encourage access to the river so people would not tromp down the banks and continue the chronic erosion. Additional planting of vegetation could help stabilize the ground, and some trees could help cast shade on the river.

Trout Unlimited constructed soil lifts in the spring of 2010 at the downstream end of the project site. The banks were excavated for the fabric, which was then filled with soil with multiple layers of willow and fabric.

With the downstream section secured (right side of the map below), the student’s interest was accommodated by working on the access area just to the left of center of the plan drawing.

Additional work would await more funding so it worked out that some steps could be added to the access area on the left of center in the above illustration. These steps were installed in October 2010, just a few weeks after the students met with Trout Unlimited.

In the fall of 2011 the student group was back with a major planting effort in the area around the steps and also added a tree near the river bank that will provide shade to the river. With the high flows in spring 2012 the plants are no doubt getting plenty of water.

We congratulate Carl Breidenbach, William D’Onofrio, and Nathan Wong for their receiving one of only ten youth groups or schools to win the Presidential Environmental Youth Award in 2012, presented by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Darryl, I wanted to say THANK YOU for coming out last Saturday...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:33:00 -0600

Darryl,

I wanted to say THANK YOU for coming out last Saturday to our Earth Day Celebration to demonstrate fly casting with the visitors!

We greatly appreciate you showing support of the event and helping to make our activities educational and fun. We had about 225 in attendance that day.

Attached are a few photos of the day.

We hope to partner with you again on future events.

Sincerely,

Cindy Busche

Boise WaterShed

Environmental Education Coordinator

(208) 608-7300

www.BoiseEnvironmentalEducation.org

WILLOW LANE WETLAND ALONG THE BOISE RIVER Saturday morning,...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:41:00 -0600

WILLOW LANE WETLAND ALONG THE BOISE RIVER

Saturday morning, April 21st some 40 volunteers with the Leadership Boise program arrived at the Willow Lane park in northwest Boise. Hidden behind the six softball diamonds and parking area, where the year’s first big slowpitch softball tournament was being held, there lies a newly constructed wetland, hard up next to the north bank of the Boise River.

In high water the wetland is already functioning as a backwater to the Boise River, today flowing at 6,500 cfs at the Glenwood Bridge gage. A new wetland, with one ingredient always in need of additional supply: wetland plant species such as willow and cottonwood.

Here is where Trout Unlimited and the Boise Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Boise, and partners Boise City Parks, Boise National Forest (Lucky Peak Nursery) and Wetlands Group LLC are launching a first ever tried restoration of cottonwood. What’s different here is the cottonwood is grown from seed.

In May 2011 Trout Unlimited collected the cottonwood seed at sites along the Boise River and the Lucky Peak Nursery successfully germinated and grew the starts. Today they were planted along the wetland by the Leadership Boise volunteers as part of their community projects.

We will monitor the planting and document over time the level of success we may achieve with this idea. Certainly the seed-grown cottonwood is a plus for the Boise River where many trees are clones from cuttings or suckers growing from old root systems.

In the coming months the partnership will expand to the South East Neighborhood Association and the East End Neighborhood Association. Seeds will be collected this spring for 2013 planting, and in Fall 2012 additional sites will be planted with seed grown cottonwoods still growing at Lucky Peak Nursery.

Saturday Cub Scout willow potting. We received some additional...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:10:15 -0600

Saturday Cub Scout willow potting. We received some additional pictures and want to share them.

Riparian Habitat Restoration for the Future, by the Future Cub...

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:18:00 -0600

Riparian Habitat Restoration for the Future, by the Future

Cub Scout Pack 165 is back at it, joining the Ted Trueblood Chapter in growing the riparian plants of the future.

In February 2011 the cub scouts clipped and grew some cottonwood trees from cuttings. This effort got some local press. Some of the cottonwoods were planted in the Fall of 2011.

Today we had the scouts at the Boise City nursery where we potted some willow, dogwood and cottonwood cuttings in one gallon pots. The potted cuttings will be grown out in 2012 and ready for planting along the Boise River in 2013.

In the last photo the freshly potted cuttings are in the foreground and middle of the picture and the 2011 and some 2012 product in the background. The older stuff will be planted along a wetland at the Boise River next weekend with another group coordinating with the Ted Trueblood Chapter.

A big thank you to Matt Perkins with Boise City Parks for running the show from his “office” at the Walnut Street Arboretum.

PIERCE CREEK PLANTING A BIG SUCCESS! We had more than two dozen...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:34:00 -0600

PIERCE CREEK PLANTING A BIG SUCCESS!

We had more than two dozen people make the 130 mile round trip from Boise to the Pierce Creek bridge and back, along the South Fork of the Boise River.

Lots of cottonwood and willow container plants were placed along the channel. We also used a water jet stinger to drill holes for willow cuttings. Grass and sage brush seed was spread, as was wood straw to help provide erosion control.

Volunteers came from the Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Boise Valley Fly Fishers and from the Boise State University Engineering Program.

Some monitoring of Pierce Creek will happen this spring to see if spawners are accessing the stream. One large rainbow spawner was seen in Cow Creek on the way in to the project site.

Pierce Creek Reminder

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:50:12 -0600

Hello Everyone!

This is an invite / reminder of our riparian planting outing to Pierce Creek (tributary to the South Fork Boise River) on this Saturday, April 7th.

The weather is looking like it will cooperate, nice and sunny, but the high temperature will only be in the mid 50’s. Dress warmly, but in layers.

Logistics:

9:00 am. Albertsons Parking Lot on Federal Way (near Micron)

9:10 am depart (hopefully we find carpool opportunities then)

10:30 am on site

Break up into groups for various activities

12:30 or so lunch

Back to Boise around 3 p.m.

Please Bring:

work gloves

layered clothing for variable temps

water bottle

smile!

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday !

Darryl Kuhrt
Trout Unlimited
208-870-6628

Project Healing Waters Schedule

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:47:36 -0600

Spring’s finally arrived and summer will soon be here. So before all your weekends are booked here’s our list of events for this year.

Please mark you calendars. We’ll send more info on each event at a later date.

Casting Class on the VA Hospital lawn.

May 1st - 6 pm

Bass Fishing Trip, SF of Snake, Marsing area.

July 28

Prior Tuesday - the 24th, fly casting class on the VA lawn - 6 pm,

Big Wood River Overnight

Aug 25 & 26

Prior Tuesday, fly casting class on the VA lawn - 6 pm

Owyhee River

Sept 22

Richard Jones

Pat Kilroy

Kelly O’Dell

Mike Feiger

Project Healing Waters Committe

….¸¸ ><((((º>..„><((((º>
….><((((º> ..„><((((º>
…„><((((º>

PIERCE CREEK CODA: April 7th Riparian Planting brings end to...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:28:58 -0600

PIERCE CREEK CODA: April 7th Riparian Planting brings end to project.

Join volunteers on Saturday April 7th as we plant cottonwood, willow, sagebrush and native grasses along Pierce Creek in the area of the new bridge that was constructed last November.

Ted Trueblood Chapter volunteers will be joined by Boise Valley Fly Fishers, Boise State University students and others in this final event on the Pierce Creek Reconnection Project. The removal of a 48” diameter culvert that was blocking fish passage from the South Fork Boise River takes a major step in the conservation of the wild trout fishery.

The new bridge was installed last November and the construction site stabilized for the winter. Now is the time for getting the final planting work completed on this project.

For more information call Chris Jones at 344-0284 or Pam Elkovich at 345-9800.

Hobo Camp at Julia Creek. We were harvesting some excess willow...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:20:51 -0600

Hobo Camp at Julia Creek.

We were harvesting some excess willow at Julia Creek on Saturday and noticed this trash in the archipelago between Julia Creek and the Boise River. It looks like this hobo camp will be abandoned as the river rises.

Photos in late February 2012 as the Boise River flows increased...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:08:33 -0700

Photos in late February 2012 as the Boise River flows increased from 240 cfs to 500 cfs, then to 800 cfs. The River was at 1,000 cfs February 28, then 1,200 cfs and is headed to 1,500 cfs by the end of the week.

Trout Unlimited has documents the river from several locations at the three different flow levels to learn how the river looks different when the flows are at different levels.

Some of the couple hundred book marks that were made by students...

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:16:23 -0700

Some of the couple hundred book marks that were made by students in the Trout in the Classroom schools across southern Idaho. These bookmarks will be distributed to the attendees at the annual meeting of the Idaho Chapter of the American Fisheries Society in Coeur d’Alene, March 7-9, 2012.

Trout in the Classroom Update

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:25:35 -0700

Here is some important information about the Alevin Stage I wanted to share with everyone at this time:

· Most if not all of your eggs should have hatched by now.

· Carefully clean out any dead alevin or non viable eggs. (the alevin are very vulnerable at this stage)

· If the alevin are out of their vibert boxes they WILL burrow into the rocks/gravel DO NOT DISTURB THE GRAVEL!

· Now is the time to COVER UP YOUR FILTER INTAKE! There should already be a plastic piece over the intake, but we have found the alevins can still get sucked up there. Also some of the newer filters have multiple intakes further up the tube. Things to use to cover the intake:

o A section of cheap panty hose – use a rubber band to fasten it and make sure to pull it snug.

o Netting

o Any kind of material that is porous enough to let water flow through without disintegrating (cheese cloth does not work)

o I have also seen covers at the pet store that you can buy.

· If after putting the cover over your intake, your coils are icing up, you are not getting enough water flow through it. Either pull the fabric tighter or try something else.

· The alevin stage will last 1 – 2 weeks. You will see them starting to ‘button up’ and actively start swimming. They probably won’t come up to the surface, but when they do start to swim around, it is time to start offering them a little bit of food. This will tease them up to the surface and teach them where the food will be coming from.

· And finally, don’t forget to do your water quality checks and water changes when necessary.

Have a great week!

Sabrina

P.S. Is your chiller disrupting your lecture? Find two 2-liter soda bottles and fill them about ¾ of the way with water and keep in the freezer. Each bottle will keep the chiller from running on a 30 gallon tank for about 4 hours. Change at lunch time and you are good through the end of the day.

The Ted Trueblood Chapter had a display at the Fly Fishing Film...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:51:02 -0700

The Ted Trueblood Chapter had a display at the Fly Fishing Film Tour in Boise on Wednesday night.

Fly Fishing Film Tour comes to Boise on Wednesday, February 22,...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:15:23 -0700

Fly Fishing Film Tour comes to Boise on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Tickets are $15 at the door and $12 in advance at Idaho Angler.

TU has heard tell that there are trout eggs that are hatching...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:44:08 -0700

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

TU has heard tell that there are trout eggs that are hatching across the valley at the Trout in the Classroom schools. If you haven’t checked yet, now may be a good time! Above is a little movie that one classroom took using a glass dessert bowl for some of their eggs. Thanks Jim & Brenda for sharing!

Trout in the Classroom Egg Pick up date

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:27:31 -0700

FEBRUARY 8^th – time will be sent out later…

Please remember to plug in and test all your equipment 2 weeks before egg pick up date.

Ben Collins is the MC at the Magic Valley Fishers Banquet in...

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:13:11 -0700

Ben Collins is the MC at the Magic Valley Fishers Banquet in Twin Falls