Welcome to the Monthly Meeting!!!
Meeting begins at 6:00 PM with a mixer with cash bar, a short business meeting will follow and then the regular program will round out the evening. As always, the meeting will be held at the Spice of Life Events Center, 5706 Arapahoe Avenue (in the Flatirons Golf Course Complex).
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| April 4th General Meeting
 Yes, we've got another meeting coming up and it should be another great one with both a Conservation twist and Fly Tying Expo!
Please join us as Boulder Flycasters presents an evening of Fly Tying with some of the finest tyers in the area and a chance to hear Rob Buirgy of the Big Thompson Watershed Forum talking about the health of the BT's Watershed. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 4th at the Spice of Life Events Center, 5706 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder. As usual, everything begins at 6:00 PM and will be over about 9:00 pm!
Rob will begin the program with an explanation of how the Forum supports the Big Thompson on three fronts: By monitoring the quality of the river's water, monitoring the quantity of the river's water and the land use of both the riparian environs and the watershed as a whole. Here's a chance to get an insider's perspective of the overall health of the Thompson and what we, as anglers, can do to protect our investment in these waters. Come hear what Rob has to say and discuss with him the alternatives available to us!
Part two of our program covers a group of fly tyers who will tie some of their successful patterns that take some large front range lunkers. There are quite a number of tyers invited to the Fly Tying Expo. The list is sprinkled with names you will recognize as master tyers.
Guys like Jon Spiegel and Jay Zimmerman of Front Range Anglers; Rob Kolanda and Jay Alipit (qualifiers for the National Fly Fishing Championships) and Rocky Mountain Anglers; our own fly of the month editor, Ron Donahue; our BFC president, Paul Prentiss; vp Bob Bush; Larry Quilling, education guru; and a few others. We'll all be tying at the same time and hope that you will have a chance to see all the tyers before you depart. (I'm sure that we'll stay as long as there is interest!)
Each tyer will be doing his specialties covering Carp flies, Bass flies and Pike Flies.
There will also be Caddis Flies, Callibaetis Life Cycle, Wet Flies, even Micropatterns!
Don't miss this meeting, it should prove to be a winner!
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| VOLUNTEER TEACHING ASSISTANTS NEEDED FOR FLY FISHING INSTRUCTION
CLICK HERE
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| Announcement from Bill Marx ~ La Garita Club Ranch Holiday
I have arranged an opportunity for couples from Boulder Flycasters to enjoy a special holiday at La Garita Club Ranch, September 16-20, 2007, hosted by my wife, Sarah & me, Boulder Flycasters & La Garita Club members. La Garita Club, the Phipps Family ranch, remains a private, by invitation only, guest ranch and fishing club, limited to members and their guests. In addition to a wonderful and romantic holiday this trip will provide an opportunity for some BFC spouses to get acquainted. Previously, Paul Prentiss & Bob Bush joined me for a few days at the ranch and they can attest to its beauty and fishing quality. The trip is limited to only 8 couples. First come, first served!
The La Garita Club, located in south central Colorado near Creede, is a unique private club offering great family vacations and western ranch life experience. Superior fly fishing on Bellows Creek and the Rio Grande River, horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking are among the many activities available at historic La Garita Ranch’s 2500 acres of unspoiled mountain beauty.
Reserve space today .... CLICK HERE
Bill Marx ~ wjmarx1@myfastmail.com
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| President's Pool ~ TU NATIONAL
 There are three items of note in connection with National TU & Colorado Trout Unlimited.
1. First is David Nickum's last issue of Currents which serves as the CTU Year End Report from the executive Director .... CLICK HERE (pdf file)
2. Second is the annual TU "State of the Union" presentation given by Charles F. Gauvin, President..... CLICK HERE
3. Third is the firestorm which errupted around the issue Stream Access issue following the resignation of John F. Maher over this issue. A proposal was put forth that would block state organizations and individual chapters from becomming involved in in such disputes ......CLICK HERE. Colorado, Montana, and many other states were quick to respond that this proposal totally unacceptable and out of synch with the views of the membership. Ultimately the proposal was tabled.
Kirk Otey, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees & Chairman of the National Leadership Council in a note to Steve Craig, President of CTU had this to say "The discussions of the past few weeks have been very challenging for our organization. I just wanted to tell you that I am pleased with the way you conducted yourselves in discussing and handling it. We are not nearly finished with the access issue, but I believe we are on a path that will allow us to address it in a manner that will enable TU to continue to grow and improve its capacity to achieve its mission and vision. I thank you very much for that." It should be pointed out that Mr Otey supported the position taken by Colorado Trout Unlimited.
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| Bob Bush Recognized at the 2007 Auction
 Prior to the kick off of the 2007 Auction Paul Prentiss had this to say about Bob Bush
"Before we get started tonight I have a special presentation.
We would like to acknowledge someone who year after year gives 1000% to BFC and CTU. He never asks anything for his services and he's been doing it for over 30 years. Much of what you see here tonight is the result of his work.
He's received lots of recognition and good natured abuse from 98% of the members that are taller than he is. One thing that is extra special about this person is his big heart and giving nature.
He never says: No, I don't have the time, or find somebody else. When the chips are down and there is a job that must be done, he is right on the firing line. All of us, especially me, are very proud to call him friend.
As a small token of our esteem and appreciation the Board of Directors pesents this special gift of recognition for Bob Bush. It's something he doesn't have and would never buy for himself.
Its a special pair of Piscadore Pliers made by Ross Reels with the following inscription
BOB BUSH
MARCH 2007
THE HEART OF BOULDER FLYCASTERS."
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| Adam Armold, Conservation Editor . . . Speaking the Language
 Water, it’s what sets us apart from our neighbors to the south. Without such our landscape would be stark and barren. A brief visit to the southern reaches of our border with Mexico will illustrate that it takes more than mountains to sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems. It’s our water that makes the difference.
But Colorado’s population demands more of this precious resource than we have on an annual average. Thus, the competition is keen: agricultural needs, housing developments, industrial use and commercial consumption all compete with trout for a limited supply from the watersheds. And when, “Push comes to shove” between the competitors, the courts settle the matter.
The evolutionary development of Colorado’s water rights and the struggle to bring clarity to contentious issues has spun another language. No wish to be a water rights lawyer? You’re not alone. But, being familiar with some of the basic water terms is central to understanding Colorado’s watershed conservation issues.
Let’s look at just the following four:
Appropriation
Appropriation is the right to take water from a stream and put it to beneficial use. Appropriation is the basis of Colorado water law. Appropriative rights are considered property rights and may be bought, sold, leased, and exchanged, just as any other real property.
Beneficial Use
Appropriation of water must be of beneficial use. The 1876 Colorado Constitution named only agricultural, municipal, industrial, and domestic uses as beneficial. The 1973 legislature passed a minimum stream flow bill which created a new category of beneficial use; instream flows sufficient to protect the aquatic environment to a reasonable degree are a beneficial use.
Material Injury
A measurable negative impact upon other previously established appropriations. No proposed changed in water use may legally occur if such would materially injure any other existing water right.
Transbasin Diversion
Removal of water from the drainage area in which it occurs naturally for use in an entirely different area. No water returns to the original basin of origin.
If this has stimulated your desire to become further informed, visit the CTU Resource Library link @ www.cotrout.org/LinkPages/WaterDictionary. You too will be speaking the language of water conservation and further skilled at conserving, protecting, and restoring Colorado’s cold water trout habitat.
Special thanks to Jo Evans of CTU
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ITS TIME TO WET A LINE
Jon Speigel from Front Range Anglers got out of the house during the warm weather last week to see if Carp were in the mood ....SEE PATTERN BELOW.
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THE CRAZY DAD
The Crazy Dad is a great Bass and Carp Fly. It's easy to tie for tyers and inexpensive for buyers. It sinks quickly but is easy to cast, and rides hook-up
for no snags. It wiggles and breathes, comes in many different colors, and is very durable. And it catches fish!
Materials
Hook: TMC 200R #4-#8
Thread: 6/0 or 140d, color to match
Eyes/Weight: Brass Hourglass Eyes, med through x-small
Body: Sparkle Leech Dubbing or Wapsi Crawdub
Legs: Sili Legs
Wing: Bucktail, kiptail, or deer hair
If you haven't signed up for the carp tournament at Front Range Anglers.... do it now
Front Range Anglers |
| BFC Calendar Events Listing for Spring, 2007
April 4th General meeting - Conservation and Fly Tying
April 25th Board Meeting
May 2nd General meeting - John Wolf High Mountain Lake Fishing
General Meeting: Doors will open at 6:00 PM. This meeting will be held at the Spice of Life Events Center, 5706 Arapahoe Avenue (in the Flatirons Golf Course Complex).
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It will be held Saturday, June 2nd at Izaak Walton Park, sponsored by the City of Longmont and the Saint Vrain Anglers TU Chapter 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Volunteers need to arrive at 7:30 and bring along some fly fishing equipment that the kids can use.
