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Guadalupe River Chapter of Trout Unlimited

NewsletterNo. 89 January 2009 Publication Data on Pg. 16

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Directions on pages 4-5Directions on pages 4-5Directions on pages 4-5Directions on pages 4-5Directions on pages 4-5

9 AM - Lease Access9 AM - Lease Access9 AM - Lease Access9 AM - Lease Access9 AM - Lease AccessOrientation & Social HourOrientation & Social HourOrientation & Social HourOrientation & Social HourOrientation & Social Hour

10 AM - Business Mtg10 AM - Business Mtg10 AM - Business Mtg10 AM - Business Mtg10 AM - Business Mtg11 AM - “Guidance from the11 AM - “Guidance from the11 AM - “Guidance from the11 AM - “Guidance from the11 AM - “Guidance from the

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Kevin StubbsKevin StubbsKevin StubbsKevin StubbsKevin Stubbs12 - Raffle & Lunch12 - Raffle & Lunch12 - Raffle & Lunch12 - Raffle & Lunch12 - Raffle & Lunch

12:30 PM - Lease Access12:30 PM - Lease Access12:30 PM - Lease Access12:30 PM - Lease Access12:30 PM - Lease AccessOrientationOrientationOrientationOrientationOrientation

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TU TV Comes to the GuadalupeTU TV Comes to the GuadalupeTU TV Comes to the GuadalupeTU TV Comes to the GuadalupeTU TV Comes to the Guadalupe

GRTU Directors Ron McAlpin and Jimbo Roberts flank Trout Unlimited TVhost Frank Smethurst in front of the famous TU Airstream trailer following

two successful days of fishing and filming an episode of “On the Rise.”

Despite blustery winds and nearfreezing temperatures, intrepidchapter leaders Ron McAlpin andJimbo Roberts fished their way intofame and fortune last month as theyhosted Frank Smethurst and theTrout Unlimited “On the Rise” filmcrew during the taping of an episodeof Trout Unlimited’s TV program.Well, maybe not fame and fortune,but they at least got rave reviewsfrom Frank and the film crew andour beloved Guadalupe River trout

fishery did itself proud during thefilming.

“On the Rise,” currently in itssecond year of production, is TroutUnlimited’s latest entry intotelevision. The program, shownnationally on the Outdoor Channel,is a production of BarrettProductions, the company thatbrought you the Fly FishingMasters, Fly Fish America, andother similar programs.

WhaWhaWhaWhaWhattttt’’’’’s Insides Insides Insides Insides Inside

TU TV on the GuadTU TV on the GuadTU TV on the GuadTU TV on the GuadTU TV on the GuadJanuary SpeakersJanuary SpeakersJanuary SpeakersJanuary SpeakersJanuary SpeakersRaffle PrizesRaffle PrizesRaffle PrizesRaffle PrizesRaffle PrizesDirections to MeetingDirections to MeetingDirections to MeetingDirections to MeetingDirections to MeetingCRRC Location MapCRRC Location MapCRRC Location MapCRRC Location MapCRRC Location MapPresident’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s MessagePresident’s MessageFisheries ReportFisheries ReportFisheries ReportFisheries ReportFisheries ReportEntomology WorkshopEntomology WorkshopEntomology WorkshopEntomology WorkshopEntomology WorkshopSummer Flows ReportSummer Flows ReportSummer Flows ReportSummer Flows ReportSummer Flows ReportMembership ReportMembership ReportMembership ReportMembership ReportMembership ReportHonorary Life MembersHonorary Life MembersHonorary Life MembersHonorary Life MembersHonorary Life MembersNational RecognitionNational RecognitionNational RecognitionNational RecognitionNational RecognitionWinter TroutfestWinter TroutfestWinter TroutfestWinter TroutfestWinter TroutfestBe Careful WadingBe Careful WadingBe Careful WadingBe Careful WadingBe Careful WadingTroutfest ScheduleTroutfest ScheduleTroutfest ScheduleTroutfest ScheduleTroutfest ScheduleBoard & OfficersBoard & OfficersBoard & OfficersBoard & OfficersBoard & OfficersApril Meeting SpeakerApril Meeting SpeakerApril Meeting SpeakerApril Meeting SpeakerApril Meeting SpeakerCentury Club MembersCentury Club MembersCentury Club MembersCentury Club MembersCentury Club MembersPublication DataPublication DataPublication DataPublication DataPublication Data

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Last year was the first in this new format, which is partfishing show, part conservation show, and parttravelogue. The fifteen episodes traced Frank’s travelsaround the country in his Ford pickup, pulling a TU-and-trout-logoed Airstream trailer, seeking out goodtrout fishing in fisheries where local Trout Unlimitedchapters had played a role in their success.

Frank and his three crew members, Jake Hanson, MattYoung, and Dan Foy, spent three days on and aroundthe Guadalupe, filming fishing, trout stocking, locationshots of Canyon Dam, the lake, and the river, andwhat they called “transition pieces” that helped to tellthe story. While fishing, Frank also conductedinterviews with Ron and Jimbo, asking about the leaseaccess program, the minimum flows agreement, andother topics. TPWD Fisheries Biologist SteveMagnelia and Texas NLC Rep Mick McCorcle werealso interviewed.

The gist of the “story” they were trying to tell revolvedaround the hard work and cooperation of GRTU andTPWD that helped produce a wonderful trout fisheryin a very unlikely place. The fishing sequences, whichthey called “the best fishing we’ve had this year,”provided visible evidence of the success of the lease

program andminimum flowagreement, twoof our chapters’g r e a t e s tachievements.The fishing wasso good, in fact,that Frankstarted callingthe trout “SouthT e x a sS tee lhead . ”Even the filmcrew got achance to putdown theircameras, pick up fly rods, and all catch fish. For oneof them, it was his first fly-caught trout, and he wasgiddy with excitement.

Last year, “On the Rise” aired fifteen episodes betweenearly April and early August, and a similar broadcastschedule is expected for this coming year. The crewsaid that DVDs of the episode will be available after ithas aired on TV. Our chapter will check with BarrettProductions about obtaining multiple copies of theDVD for resale to our chapter members.

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Guadalupe River guides Banning Collins, Alvin Dedeaux,and Kevin Stubbs headline our January 24th chapter

meeting at the Canyon Lake CRRC in Sattler.

January 24th GRTU Chapter MeetingFocuses on Fishing for Trout on the

Guadalupeby

Andy NilandVP of Chapter Affairs

The first trout stocking of this Guadalupe winter seasonoccurred a few weeks ago and I have heard of somegreat fishing already. The river flow continues to bemuch below average, but the fish are definitely aboveaverage. Stories of three and four pound trout andfour and five fish days are aplenty. Are you new to theGuadalupe trout fishery? Would you like to learn moreabout how to catch this beautiful, hard-fighting trout?Then we have a chapter meeting designed just for you.We are back at Canyon Lake’s Community ResourceRecreation Center on the South Access Road in Sattlerfor our January meeting, which begins at 10 AM. (Seepage one of the newsletter for the day’s schedule andpage four for directions to the CRRC.) Featured withwhat I am confident will be a great presentation arethree of the most experienced guides on the GuadalupeRiver. Kevin Stubbs, Alvin Dedeaux, and BanningCollins will be sharing the stage and sharing theirknowledge of the Guadalupe, with a presentationentitled: “Guidance from the Guides: Advice onCatching Trout in the Guadalupe by the Guides whoFish It.”

A native Texangrowing up inHouston, AlvinDedeaux was flyfishing by the ageof twelve,teaching himselfhow to cast andtie flies. WhenAlvin moved to

Austin in 1982 to attend UT, his first stop in town wasthe Austin Angler. He spent the mid ‘80s through theearly ‘90s traveling the country singing in a band. Hesays that all of his off time was spent either fishing orhanging out at the Angler.

Alvin started fishing the Guadalupe as well as the SanMarcos and the Llano during the mid ‘80s. Sometimein 1991 or 1992 Alvin got out of the music business

and became the manager of the Austin Angler. Shortlyafter starting at the Angler, he started guiding. Alvinguided throughout the Texas Hill Country and hostedtrips to Belize and Chile. Some years late, the Anglerclosed and he decided to guide full time. Alvin hassplit his time between Austin and Vail for last five years:an endless summer of fly fishing.

Banning Collins is a nativeColoradoan, but started his fly fishingcareer working at the Austin Anglerin Austin, Texas during his schooling.He quickly took to all aspects of thesport and took every fishingopportunity. He has chased

Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit, and Snook throughoutFlorida; the famous Redfish to Bass around Texas;and Rocky Mountain trout from Northern New Mexicoto southern British Columbia.

Banning’s guiding career started on his home watersaround Vail, Colorado including the Roaring Fork,Eagle, and Colorado rivers, targeting large browns ondries and streamers. He has now found the tributariesof the Flathead River around Glacier National Park tobe fast, challenging, and full of Cutthroats in the summer.Banning returned to Texas a few years ago, becominga manufacturer’s representative for many top brandswhile continuing guiding the Hill Country waters.

Banning touts boating and fishing big water as hisfavorites: Hell’s Canyon on the Snake, the Grand

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Directions to theCanyon Lake CRRCRecreation Center

>From NORTH or SOUTH: JustNorth of New Braunfels on I-35take Exit 191, (Canyon Lake Exit),which is FM 306 and goWEST, about 14 miles to Sattler(Canyon Lake area). Go past thetraffic light at FM 2673 in Sattlerfor about 2 miles, (through CanyonCity) and turn Left at the blinkingcaution light and small road signmarking the South Access Rd. Follow the South Access Road forabout two miles, passing below thedam and across the spillway. TheRecreation Center will be on yourleft.

>From the WEST: From US 281,turn EAST on FM 306, which isbetween Twin Sisters and SpringBranch. Drive about 16 miles to the

Canyon on the Colorado, RoaringFork, and Middle and South Forkof the Flathead. “Go big or gohome!”

Kevin Stubb’s outdoor guidingexperience goes back over 20years, and he has worked in severaloutdoor fields. He ran guide boatsin the Laguna Madre, Baffin Bay,and offshore of Port Aransas. Helearned to guide fly fishing tripswhile working on a ranch thatfronted the Roaring Fork Riverbetween Aspen and GlenwoodSprings, Colorado..Kevin took a break from guidingand moved to Seattle a few yearsago, where he was able to put hisguiding experiences to use in theoutdoor media and advertisingbusiness. He handled TVproperties on ESPN 2, OutdoorChannel and OLN, including OrvisSporting Lives, Fly Fish TV,Sportsman’s Travel Guide andothers. After gaining experiencewith the outdoor media business,3M Scientific Anglers hired him asa marketing guy. Kevin’s officehandled the advertising and PRfunctions for the fly fishing brand.

Kevin left Scientific Anglers sixyears ago to escape the office andreturn to guiding. Today he is

currently working as amanufacturer’s rep for several flyfishing brands, and also guides inMontana, and the spring-fed riversof Texas. The Texas Rivers hespends time on the most are: theupper and lower Guadalupe, SanMarcos, Llano, Blanco, and theDevil’s River.

RRRRRafafafafaffffff le … Rle … Rle … Rle … Rle … Rafafafafaffffffle …le …le …le …le …RRRRRafafafafaf fffff leleleleleNot one, not two, but three chancesto win a great prize at the Januarymeeting. You will have a chance towin a guided trip from each of ourspeakers. Three lucky ticketholders will have the opportunity tofish for a day with Kevin, Alvin, orBanning. Tickets are $8 each orthree for $20.

Jimbo Roberts nets a leaping troutfor TU TV host Frank Smethurst

blinking caution light (just before youenter the area called Canyon City). Turn Right on South Access andfollow the directions above to theRecreation Center, which will be onyour left.

>From the EAST: From I-10, takeSH 46 to I-35. Go North on I-35 toExit 191 (Canyon Lake Exit), whichis FM-306. Go west, (Left), onFM306, and follow the directions forNorth and South above.

Of course there are other routes, justcheck your Texas map for otherways that might be better for yourtravel, or check our link to an onlinemap at www.grtu.org.

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Map of GRTU MeetingArea

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Ron McAlpin lands a nice trout forthe cameras during the TU TV taping

in mid December

President’s message

I hope this message finds you andyour families in good health. Withthe holiday season over and ourlives back to their normal routines,we can now focus on the fishingseason. We have a very excitingseason ahead. By the time youreceive this newsletter, we shouldhave had one or more troutstockings. Unfortunately we stillhave not gotten sufficient rain in thewatershed, so flows are very low.Please be thoughtful of other anglerson the river because the shallowerwater will limit the trout’s ability tospread out in the river.GRTU and the Guadalupe Riverhave had an exciting fall. As youcan see from the story on the frontpage of this newsletter, “On theRise,” the Trout Unlimited TVshow, which has filmed rivers allover North America, decided tofilm an episode on the GuadalupeRiver. The episode will feature ourefforts on obtaining minimum flows,our efforts on conservation as wellas fishing on the southernmost troutfishery in the country. Severalmembers of the chapter as well asTexas Parks and Wildlife biologistSteve Magnelia will be featured inthe episode. I am not sure whenthis filming will be aired, so staytuned to TU TV.Once again this year we are goingto hold TroutFest at Rio Raft RVPark. The event will held on theweekend of February 20, 21, and22. The 2009 Troutfest event isgoing to be a great event. If youare planning on attending, youshould make plans early. Cabinsat Rio fill up quickly. The schedulethis year will include a Friday night

mixer. Bring something to share.We will have silent auctions itemsavailable. We will have fly tyingexhibits throughout the weekend, flycasting instruction, and “on water”clinics. We are looking to expandthe kids’ events with a fun bug classand some fishing-related craftactivities. Check the website foran updated event schedule.We have a great meeting scheduledfor January. This meeting we aretrying a different format for ourfeatured speaker. We are going tohave a panel of local guides to talkspecifics about fishing and theGuadalupe river system. We willalso have Steve Magnelia talk aboutthe trout telemetry study. InOctober the board voted toconduct a study in conjunction withTexas Parks and wildlife. Inlaymen’s terms, GRTU is purchasingtransmitters which will be surgicallyimplanted in a sample set of trout.The fish will be released into theriver. At regular intervals, the fishwill be tracked electronically.Movement patterns will help usunderstand the where the trout goafter stocking, and throughout theseason.I know this sound like a brokenrecord, but we are still looking foradditional help with Trout in theClassroom. We need people tohelp talk with local school systemsand parent teacher organizations inSan Antonio and Austin to spreadthe word about this great project.Our goal is to have at least nineclassrooms with tanks. We needyour help!

See you on the water,Greg Neubauer

Fisheries Report

By the time you read this, we willhave begun stocking for our 2008-2009 trout season on GRTU leasesites. This is stacking up to beanother great year for the fishery.The flows are low but perfect forwading, we have 15 great leases,and plenty of big fish in the river.

We have released several big troutto give anglers a shot at a realtrophy in the trophy zone. Thesefish were stocked in December.Part of the fun of fishing for a trophyis the hunt, so you will have to figureout where they are.

The trout are really doing well as aresult of the minimum flowagreement our chapter negotiatedwith the local water authority severalyears ago. With infusion of cool

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water from May throughSeptember, reaching a high of 250cubic feet per second in August,the temperature through most ofthe Special Regulations zone keptthe temperature average less than70 degrees during our hottestmonths of the summer

We are seeing large hatches ofcaddis, PMDs (pale morningduns) and BWOs (blue wingedolives). The vegetation is alsomaking a good comebackthroughout the river.

We will be continuing with the rivercleanup projects this year so wewill be looking for volunteers in thenear future to help with rivercleanup.

I would like to thank all the peoplewho participated in the stocking.We could not do it without you.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!!

See you on the river.

Bill HigdonVP of Fisheries

Students from Rob Woodruff’s entomology class examine Guadalupe insectswith the help of a seine. (Shannon Drawe photo)

Woodruff HoldsEntomology Courseon Guadalupe River

Insectsby

Gary Burns

On November 1st and 2nd, over thirtyeager students, most from GRTU,showed up at Jellystone Park in Sattlerto get smarter about bugs. They learnedthe entomology of insects relevant tofly fishing, including those on theGuadalupe River, from Rob Woodruffof Woodruff Guide Service(WGSFlyfish@aol.com, 903-967-2665).

Rob holds a B.S. degree in Entomologyfrom Texas A&M and is an Orvis-endorsed guide, working mostly on eastTexas lakes, as well as Oklahoma’sMountain Fork River. The event wasarranged by GRTU board members toprovide more education on how to fishthe Guad, which is the strongest andmost consistent request from GRTUmembers.

Rob’s class covered crustaceans,aquatic insects, and terrestrials. Flyselection, fly tying, and techniques for

fishing the Guadalupe were alsodiscussed.

The content and presentation of thecourse were well received by GRTUmembers, as indicated by Larry Hill’scomments: “Rob really knew his stuff,and presented it well - geared to flyfishing. The course went the full circlefrom learning about insects to actuallycollecting them on the river. Some ofthe samples were surprising. Hisdiscussion of fly selection and fishingtechniques was very helpful.” Similarly,Chris White noted: “I found the courseto be very thorough and beneficial toidentify the species and prevalence ofinsects found at different sites alongthe Guadalupe. I feel better equippedto make an informed decision on flyselection in slow waters vs. fast waters,cooler water temps and warmer watertemps along the river. I also have retiredmy infamous Water Strider fly afterlearning the actual insect can repel fishfrom an area if present.” A formerattendee of Rob’s Entomology Course,David Cole, said: “I took Rob’s BugClass on the Lower Mountain Fork. Istill refer to the booklets he passed outin the course and have even seined forbugs a couple of times; and willprobably try it on the Guadalupe thisseason. It was money well spent andtime well invested.”

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On the first day, which was held in aclassroom, Rob covered a broad rangeof information on insects andcrustaceans important to NorthAmerican fly fishing. He noted, forexample, that in order to effectively tieand present artificial flies, it is importantto have a basic understanding of themetamorphic life stages of aquaticinsects. Depending on insect order,aquatic insects undergo eitherincomplete (egg, nymph, adult) orcomplete metamorphosis (egg, larva,pupa, adult). In incompletemetamorphosis, the wings developexternally and the immature form looksmuch like the winged, sexually matureadult (the exception is the mayfly, whichfirst transforms into a winged, sexuallyimmature adult, called a dun, and shortlythereafter transforms into a sexuallymature adult called a spinner.) In

complete metamorphosis, the wingsdevelop internally and the immatureform looks very different than the adultinsect. Guidelines for presentation offlies according to metamorphic stagewere reviewed (e.g., on the bottom,emerging in the water column, in thefilm, etc.) Flies were identified whichare well suited to being fished belowfast water as a dead drift nymph, as ifswept off of upstream rocks.

A highlight for many was the secondday of the course, in which insectsamples were collected and evaluatedat three points along the GuadalupeRiver, from the dam to the SecondCrossing. Insects in riffles and deeperholes were different in species, color,size, etc. As expected, the number ofspecies and average size of insectsincreased downstream.

Although some insect orders hatch allyear round, while others hatch at fairlypredictable times based onphotoperiod, flooding, etc. (e.g.,Mother’s Day Caddis, etc.), it was notedthat the Guad has a reputation as a “98% nymphing river” with infrequent dryfly action. According to Rob Woodruff,stocked trout don’t begin to recognizeinsects on the surface as a food sourcefor six or more months after stocking.As more trout “carry over” to the nextseason, dry fly activity on the Guad mayincrease. Species found in the class’samplings include midges, crayfish,scuds, hellgrammites and severalspecies of mayflies and caddis. Thesamplings showed the followingfrequency by species, color, and sizefor each location on the Guad: NO WAY!You’ll have to take the course next yearto find out.

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The Flow Agreement -Succeeding Beyond

Expectationsby

David SchroederFlows Chairman

In 2008, the GRTU/GBRA FlowAgreement rules! On January 1,the Flow Agreement was triggered,not because of any rainfall in 2008,but from the stored water trappedin the great subterranean reservoirin the upper watershed from theextremely wet 2007. This reservoirfed springs flowing into theGuadalupe and Canyon Lake. Asthe weather became drier and drier,and the drought became more andmore severe, the upper river ebbedto a trickle, enabling the declarationof a “FERC Drought.” Ordinarily,this would have severely curtailedthe 90 cubic foot per second (cfs)FERC-mandated environmentalflows from the dam, and we wouldhave lost most of our trout. But thisyear the Flow Agreement saved thetrout fishery from that devastation.

The USGS Spring Branch Gauge,which measures inflow into CanyonLake, showed that this year wasthe 29th driest out of 86 years ofrecord; while 2007 was the 5th

wettest year. The average annualflow was 183 cfs, mainly becausethe “Water Year” begins October1, 2007 and ends September 30,2008. The subterranean reservoirwas still contributing heavy flowsinto the upper river in the fall andwinter. In the scheme of things,2008 is probably a ‘normal’ flowyear in spite of a severe droughtbecause it ranked only at the 34th

percentile of flows measured at

Spring Branch; very dry but not inthe bottom 25% of dry years.

How well did the Flow Agreementperform in protecting the trout? Toknow the result, two other questionsneed to be answered: 1). Was therefishing success during the period?2). Was the water temperature lowenough to enable trout to survive?Reports of angler success keptcoming in all summer and fall all theway down to the 2nd Crossing. Thetrout seem to be in great condition.So, a YES to question #1. Butthere may be those who are not tooimpressed with fishing reports as ameans to evaluating the success ofthe trout fishery. Well, let’s havethe objective data, based onscientific study, answer question #2.

GRTU’s water temperaturemonitoring station is situated on mile7.5 below Canyon Dam. Itmeasures water temperature twicean hour, 365 days a year. You cansee the “real time” results of thosemeasurements by checking the“Flows” page of our chapterwebsite at www.grtu.org. We tookthese water temperature data andfed them into a computer programthat is derived from a scientific studyby the DNRs of Michigan andWisconsin.

The Michigan/Wisconsin studydetermined the tolerance of trout towarm water temperature, using fieldbased observations over a longperiod of time and across manystreams. I presented the details ofthis study in the January 2007GRTU Newsletter. But tosummarize: thermal tolerances fortrout are determined on a ‘moving

daily average of watertemperature’. Trout will toleratehigh water temperatures for shortperiods of time, but the tolerancedecreases as the length of timeincreases. The study derived aperformance curve for tolerancesto elevated average and maximumwater temperatures over the short,intermediate and long term. So, inessence, they determined how warma river trout can tolerate, and forhow long.

Mother Nature did not help us in2008. Rainfall and cloudy dayswere much less than normal, andJune was the hottest on record. Theriver stays cooler if there are cloudsto block the solar radiation off thewater. There were no additionalflows from flood releases toaugment the Flow Agreement. Onthe plus side, all the cold, winter-chilled water remained in CanyonLake and was not lost to heavyflood control releases as happenedin 2007. The stage was now set tosee how well the Flow Agreementwould work at protecting the troutin a drought.

First, we built a graph of dailyaverage water temperature at theGRTU Monitor for 2008. You cansee where the Flow Agreementstarts and stops and the flow ratesduring the period. You’ll notice thenatural warming of the river in theSpring, and the cooling in the Fall.The water temperature hit thehighest levels for the entire year inthe first two weeks of October afterthe Flow Agreement ended. Thiswas the most critical period for thetrout fishery as flows were curtailedto only 55 cfs on October 1 as

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allowed by the FERC droughtdeclaration. Could our trout survivebeyond the period of protectiveflows?

Below, is a graph of the TroutTemperature Tolerance at Mile 7.5.According to the watertemperature tolerances derived bythe Michigan/Wisconsin study, wewould expect at least a 95%probability of survival for watertemperatures that don’t exceed theaverage and maximum temperaturelimits. As you can see, the maximumtemperature and the averagetemperature for the entire timewere well within the limits set bythe temperature study. It turns outthat the most challengingtemperature environment came inthe first two weeks of October.The single day maximum, the 3-day maximum, the 7-daymaximum, the 14-day maximumand the 21-day maximum were allmeasured in October, and theywere well below the critical limitas set forth by the study. Thelonger term 56-day and 63-daymoving average water temperature

were reached in early September.Already the shorter days andreduced heating were allowing theriver to cool naturally. After thevernal equinox, solar radiationheating is minimal so there wasn’tmuch warming of the water, evenwith low flows. The atmosphereacts like a blanket to preventnighttime loss of heat in those warmOctober days. I had alwayswondered if the trout could survivea year like we’ve had this year afterthe flow agreement ended. So backto the original question: Was water

temperature low enough to enabletrout to survive? The answer isYES!

In the next GRTU Newsletter, I willrepresent the TPWD watertemperature data as part of thecomputer model. TPWD collectstemperature data from 5 differentstations- from the dam down to the3rd crossing. This will give acomplete profile of the Guadalupeand its capacity for a trout fishery.

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The Guadalupe RiverChapter of

Trout UnlimitedHonorary Life Members

The following distinguished members of GRTU have been designated, some posthumously, as Honorary LifeMembers of the Chapter for their exceptional contributions to our work. This honor is reserved for commendatory

recognition of individuals whose personal service contributions to the Chapter are deemed to have had outstandingimpact in advancing Chapter and TU objectives.

Clement W BirdAlan BrayBill CobbDick FintaRupert GreshamHoward IttenWilliam A. (Bill) JohnsonJames W KeetonBob Newman

Chad OliverIrving O’NealWilliam C. (Bill) PabstJ. Bill ParvinBasden L. (Bud) Priddy, MDGlenn RichardsonJeff SchmittDavid SchroederMrs. Hazel Schubauer

Lt. Col. Paul A. Schubauer (Ret.)Betsy StoryBob StoryMarian TilsonBilly TrimbleR.E. (Bob) TuttleJim VynalekWilliam G. (Bill) WestT.B. (Tom) Whitehouse

Membership Reportby

Steve StilpVP of Membership

Our GRTU 2008-2009 LeaseAccess Program provides manyaccess points on the river and iseffective November 1st 2008through October 31, 2009. Severalof these access points are annual,meaning you have fishing access tothe river year round.

Members can sign up their children(ages 10-17) at no additional cost.What a wonderful opportunity tospend time with your children (orgrandchildren) on the river.

We have already stocked the riverand will continue to do so severalmore times over the year. As aLease Access Member you willbe notified via e-mail when thestockings take place. Additionally,

you will have access to our privateonline “Forum” on the chapter’swebsite where you can askquestions and get answers.

Go to our web site: www,grtu.organd click on “Membership.” Oursite is active for membership signup and accepts credit cards. Youshould also renew your National TUMembership on our www.grtu.orgwebsite when you sign up for thelease access program. If you havequestions click on “Contacts” ande-mail or call your AreaMembership Representative.

Remember, when you join our LeaseAccess Program, you get:

• Our mission: Conserve,Protect, Reconnect andRestore coldwaterfisheries

• 3 General Meetings peryear

• Hands on trout stocking• River conservation projects• Community education

programs that includewomen and children

• Work with local and stategovernments onenvironmental andconservation issues

If I can be of help please contactme: Steve.Stilp@grtu.org. We arelooking forward to seeing you on theriver.

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Gary Cobb fortifies himself before doing battle with “The Beast,” a Texas-sized barbecue grill, at last year’s Winter Troutfest. Gary and GregNeubauer will be there again this year, serving up some of their great

breakfast tacos.

Second Annual GRTUWinter Troutfest

Set for February 20-22

Following up on last year’s rousingsuccess, the GRTU Board hasscheduled our chapter’s second annualWinter Troutfest for February 20-22 atRio Raft in Sattler. Like last year’s event,it’s a family-oriented weekend designedto give us all a chance to get to knoweach other better, share fishing time, andlearn the skills needed to catch thebeautiful rainbow trout we stock in theGuadalupe River.

What people seemed to like most, fromlast year’s program, were the socialevents and the instructional activities,so we’ll be repeating them in 2009.We’ll have fly casting instruction fromFFF certified casting instructors, onwater clinics, and fly tyingdemonstrations. So if you’re new tofly fishing or trout fishing or to theGuadalupe River, this is a great way toget started. Last year we found, forexample, that many of the newcomerswho attended the classes startedcatching more trout almost immediatelythereafter.

We enjoyed having the chaptermembers bring their families last year,so we’ve revised our program to beeven more family-oriented, so crustycurmudgeons beware! This year, we’veadded more “kid friendly” events, likea kids’ bug class and kids’ fishing-related craft events. You’ll also findmore than just fly tackle at our silentauctions and raffles.

A great side benefit of the first WinterTroutfest was that it raised nearly $2000for the chapter’s conservation projects.So we hope to give you lots ofopportunities to “invest” in GRTU, TU,and other gear, sold or raffled to benefitour chapter. If you have any new ornext to new fly gear or art that you’dlike to donate to the silent auctions orraffles, please let us know.

The headquarters for the WinterTroutfest will be the Rio RaftConference Room at Fourth Crossingon the River Road in Sattler. Rio willoffer discounted rooms for GRTUmembers who’d like to spend the nighton Friday and Saturday, and there are alimited number of cabins, so get yourreservations in early.

GRGRGRGRGRTU Gains NaTU Gains NaTU Gains NaTU Gains NaTU Gains NationaltionaltionaltionaltionalRecognitionRecognitionRecognitionRecognitionRecognitionfor Streamfor Streamfor Streamfor Streamfor Stream

ConserConserConserConserConservvvvvaaaaation Eftion Eftion Eftion Eftion Effffffororororortststststs

Our chapters’ efforts on behalf of ourriver and other coldwater fisheries havereceived mention at both the nationalmeeting of Trout Unlimited and in a newTU-sponsored book.

Three years ago, we established theColdwater Outreach ConservationFund (COCF) to assist other TUchapters through grants for streamrestoration. We have helped sponsorthree projects – Trout Run Creek insoutheast Minnesota (ChippewaChapter), the South Platte Riverthrough Camp Alexander in Colorado(Cheyenne Mountain Chapter), andAlamitos Creek in New Mexico (TruchasChapter). Each of these successfulprojects has led to these chapterswinning either the Gold Trout or SilverTrout Award, the highest award givenby TU for chapter accomplishments.When these chapters accepted theirawards, they each noted the vital roleplayed by GRTU’s COCF in completingtheir projects. In one case, a GRTUchapter representative was even calledon stage to accept the award with thatchapter. So the word is out that GRTU,in addition to having one of the besttrout fisheries in the country, is also achampion of improving all coldwaterfisheries, wherever they may be found.

To commemorate TU’s 50th anniversary,a new book, Rivers of Restoration:Trout Unlimited’s First 50 Years ofConservation, by John Ross, has justcome off the press. This lavishlyphotographed and illustrated coffee-table-sized book devotes a chapter toeach of 21 rivers or streams across theUS that deserve special mentionbecause of the efforts of TroutUnlimited’s members to protect orrestore them. The Guadalupe River andGRTU are featured in one of thosechapters. The book, published bySkyhorse Publishing, is available thruTU or booksellers like Amazon.com.

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WinterTroutfestDates: February 20,21, 22, 2009Location: Rio RaftConference Room,Sattler TX

Friday night:

Mixer, silent auctions, food,registration

Saturday:

Breakfast tacosKids’ bug classCasting Instruction by FFFCertified Casting instructors.“On water” clinics.Fly tying exhibitsKids’ fishing-related crafteventsBBQ Cookout, camp fire, andsilent auctions

Sunday:

Open day for fishing

Events are subject to change.

A pair of Guadalupe River trout prepare for spawning in an undisclosed locationsomewhere in the Special Regulations zone of the river. The female is the

lighter trout on the left, the male the large, dark fish on the right.

Here the redd runs diagonally across the middle of the photo, showing a maleand two females. If you encounter a redd, walk around it on the downstream

(dirtier) side, even if no trout are there.

Be CarBe CarBe CarBe CarBe Careful Whereful Whereful Whereful Whereful Where Ye Ye Ye Ye You Wou Wou Wou Wou Walk!!!alk!!!alk!!!alk!!!alk!!!by Ron McAlpin

The trout in the Guadalupe arespawning. I caught a wild-born troutin the river from last year’s spawn thelast weekend in November – before anywinter stockings in the tailrace. It was8” long, 3” tall, fat as the dickens, silverybright, and with full wild finnage.

Trout spawn in nests called redds,shallow bowls of clean gravel, sculptedby the male trout. It will take six weeks

before live smolt swim out of the gravelbeds, and our trout will still be spawninginto January. So please, for the rest ofthis winter, watch where you walk. Lookfor redds. When walking up on a spotlike this, take the dirtier path, and stayout of the clean gravel! Even after thetrout have left their redds - all throughthis winter - please look for redds andtry not to step in them.

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The Guadalupe River Chapter of TroutUnlimited

2008-2009GRTU Officers and Board of Directors

President Greg Neubauer 281-856-0546 grtu-president@grtu.orgVP Chapter Affairs Andy Niland 210-355-8088 chapteraffairs@grtu.orgVP Fisheries Bill Higdon 830-964-5565 Bill.Higdon@grtu.orgVP Membership Steve Stilp 512-784-6013 Steve.Stilp@grtu.orgTreasurer Phil Dopson 512-708-1616 Phil.Dopson@grtu.orgSecretary Joe Filer 210-654-6220 Joe.Filer@grtu.orgEx Officio Mick McCorcle 972-569-9134 Mick.McCorcle@grtu.orgDirector Gary Burns 713-249-7764 Gary.Burns@grtu.orgDirector Corby Bittner 512-914-8309 Corby.Bittner@grtu.orgDirector Gary Cobb 512-257-0397 Gary.Cobb@grtu.orgDirector Mark Hazelgrove 210-658-3999 Mark.Hazelgrove@grtu.orgDirector Gary Lehman 210-394-2833 Gary.Lehman@grtu.orgDirector Doug Kierklewski 512-250-0840 Doug.Kierklewski@grtu.orgDirector Ron McAlpin 830-980-8043 Ron.McAlpin@grtu.orgDirector Ted Mendrek 512-507-6626 Ted.Mendrek@grtu.orgDirector Jim Roberts 210-826-2766 Jim.Roberts@grtu.orgDirector Bob Runion 830-537-5129 Bob.Runion@grtu.orgDirector Dennis Sheppard 512-965-6394 Dennis.Sheppard@grtu.org

Regional RepresentativesVP Membership Steve Stilp 512-784-6013 Steve.Stilp@grtu.orgAustin/Central Texas Mark Dillow 512-773-9115 Mark.Dillow@grtu.orgDallas/North Texas Roger Turner 214-475-1551 Roger.Turner@grtu.orgHouston/East Texas Gary Burns 713-249-7764 Gary.Burns@grtu.org

New Braunfels Tiffany Fluitt 830-625-4440 Tiffany.Fluitt@grtu.org San Antonio/West Texas Karen Gebhardt 830-980-7580 Karen.Gebhardt@grtu.org

Other PositionsNewsletter Editor Mick McCorcle 972-569-9134 grtunews@grtu.orgTU Liaison Corby Bittner 512-914-8309 Corby.Bittner@grtu.orgInfo Tech Chair Greg Neubauer 281-856-0546 grtu-president@grtu.orgConservation Chair Gary Cobb 512-719-6011 gary.cobb@grtu.orgNLC Representative Mick McCorcle 972-569-9134 grtunews@grtu.orgEducation Chair Karen Gebhardt 830-980-7580 Karen.Gebhardt@grtu.org

GRGRGRGRGRTU Spring MeetingTU Spring MeetingTU Spring MeetingTU Spring MeetingTU Spring MeetingApril 25, 2009

Special Guest Speaker:

John “DukJohn “DukJohn “DukJohn “DukJohn “Duke” We” We” We” We” WelterelterelterelterelterChairman of Trout Unlimited’sNational Leadership Council

“Organizing Conservation Projectsto Improve Trout Fisheries”

Stream Restoration Workshop to Follow

15

The Guadalupe River Chapter of Trout UnlimitedHonors Our

Century Club MembersThe following have contributed $100 or more for GRTU programs, including the Guadalupe River Legal DefenseFund, in addition to their supporting membership donations and lease access fees. Please note: This list is only

current as of press time; we apologize to members added after that date.

In the Hills Fishing ExcursionsBill Higdon

1854 Ponderosa

Canyon Lake, TX 78133

830-964-5565

www.inthehillsfishing.com

FLY FISHING THE BEAUTIFUL RIVERS OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY FOR TROUT, BASS, ANDPANFISH FROM A RAFT OR DRIFT BOAT

Coming Soon: The Guadalupe River Lodge, an exclusive fishing lodge on the Guadalupe River

Check our website for the latest details on this new venture

Hector AllendeDavid BairdBob BlairRandy BlandAndre BoutteAlan BrayNorman CarpenterJonmichial CarterSam CastleberryDennis ColvinJames CrainCharles FergusonJoe FilerJay ForrestNancy Foster

Bruce FriedmanEdward FritschKaren GebhardtMichael GettmanRon GrovesJames HalbertRoy HaleyMilton HerrmannStephen HudakJimmy MartensLloyd MathewsMark McCollumMick McCorcleMark McCurleyPaul MillarAshby Miller

Doug MingKent MossGreg & Gretchen NeubauerAndy NilandRockne OnstadJimbo RobertsJames RogersDaniel RothMichael RotmanPete SchenkkanJeff SchmittKim StoddardMichael SweeneyRafael TorresBruce Watson

16

Guadalupe RiverChapter of Trout

UnlimitedPO Box 536

Austin, TX 78767

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDAUSTIN, TX 78767PERMIT NO. 1627

GRTU NewsletterPublication dates: January, April, and October to over4,000 Trout Unlimited members in Texas.

With regard to your membership, change ofaddress, not recieving Trout magazine, or other

matters, write, phone, or E-mail:Trout Unlimited

1300 North 17th St., Suite 500Arlington, VA 22209-3800

Phone: (703) 522-0200Fax: (703) 284-9400E-mail: trout@tu.org

Worldwide Web: http://www.tu.org/trout/Membership Phone: 1-800-834-2419Membership E-mail: sdavison@tu.org

12 noon - 5PM Eastern Time

ContactsGreg Neubauer, President, Houston, TX, (281) 856-0546,grtupresident@grtu.com; Mick McCorcle, NewsletterEditor, (210) 913-4177, grtunews@grtu.org.

Advertising RatesAd sizes: Business card size, 1/4, 1/2 and full page. Rates:Business card- $75 for 1 issue, $125 for 2 issues, $175 for3 issues; 1/4 page- $90 for 1 issue, $140 for 2 issues, $200for 3 issues; 1/2 page- $150 for 1 issue, $250 for 2 issues,$375 for 3 issues; full page- $275 for 1 issue, $450 for 2issues, $625 for 3 issues. Ad Copy: Camera-ready blackand white. Ad copy deadlines: January artwork due De-cember 1; April artwork due March 1; October artworkdue September 1. Payment: Due with artwork. Make checkspayable to Guadalupe River Chapter, TU. Mail to GRTU c/o Phil Dopson, Chapter Treasurer, at PO Box 536, Austin,TX 78767.