MUDDLER T H E M E R S H O N

Thanksgiving 2004 Volume 8 Issue 3

A LOCAL CHAPTER OF

AMERICA’S LEADING NONPROFIT

COLDWATER FISHERIES

CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION

Newsletter of the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited

F or your convenience, the chapter calendar of events is listed below and again later in this issue of the Muddler:

Wednesday, 01/05/05, at 5:30 p.m., Fly-Tying Lessons/Demonstration by Jac Ford (location t.b.d. based upon RSVP’s) followed by board meeting;

Saturday, 01/08/05, at 8:00 a.m., European Pheasant Hunt (Rooster Ranch);

Monday, 01/24/05, at 5:30 p.m., Walleye Dinner (Polaski Hall, on Weiss just off Midland Rd.) Life and Times of William B. Mershon, Fisherman/Conservationist;

Monday, 03/07/05, at 5:30 p.m., Walleye Dinner (Polaski Hall) Matt Thomas, of the Conservation Resource Alliance;

Wednesday, 04/06/05, at 5:30 p.m., Casting Lessons/Demonstration by Federation of Fly Fishers - Casting Certification Board of Governors John Van Dalen (location t.b.d. based upon RSVP’s) followed by board meeting;

Wednesday, 04/27/05, at 5:30 p.m., Spring Banquet (Candlelite Lounge); and

Saturday, 04/30/05, Opening Day (State of Michigan).

Chapter members participated in the Au Sable River Cleanup, Rifle River Restoration, and Cedar Tree Planting Projects in September and October. Each of these projects was a major success and was quite fun. Thanks to everyone for your help. Your board of directors and advisors are pursuing or have recently completed a number of objectives, including:

Our Treasurer, Rich Kemerer, has recently submitted our annual financial report to TU National. The report is included in this publication or may be viewed online in the near future at www.tu.org.

Robb Smith is in the 2nd month of pursuing volunteers and prizes for the 2005 banquet. Robb and the entire board encourage all members to volunteer to work on the banquet, as it is a great way for chapter members to get to know the board while raising money for the cause.

Howard Johnson is spearheading a large expansion of the ‘Cedars for the AuSable’ project. Howard has found volunteer groups to adopt miles of the AuSable River bank for 5 years, during which time each group will plant, provide deer enclosures for, water and care for these new cedar trees.

Carl Hubinger and Dan Keane are keeping track of the very slow-moving federal project on the Great Lakes Discovery Center that may or may not be built off of I-75 in Bridgeport, and which may have a room dedicated to Trout Unlimited’s mission.

A number of board members attended an outing with the Lansing chapter’s board of directors. This event provided productive discussions on how to handle the slow issuance of permits on our projects and

See Meanders page 13)

Founded 1963, Chapter Number 020

1989, 1996 & 1997 RECIPIENT OF THE MICHIGAN COUNCIL TU CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Meanders A few thoughts from

the president

Christopher Radke, president

The evening was capped off by the famous raffles and live auction. With raffle items like an Orvis Superfine one-ounce rod outfit and a Strum, Ruger & Company 28-gauge shotgun, there was plenty of competition for the raffle winners. As usual, auctioneer Marty Wegner was entertaining and drummed the crowd into a frenzy of bidding, competing for items ranging from float trips to fly rods. Although the evening’s activities were challenging, exciting, and scrumptious, they also raised over $10,000 for the preservation and protection of the cold-water fisheries of the Au Sable and Rifle Rivers. Well-deserved kudos go out to all the volunteers and sponsors who helped make this evening a success, most notably organizers Robb and Chrissy Smith. When all was said and done, this year’s banquet lived up to its promise of spirited conversation, fierce bidding, gluttonous eating, and outrageous fish stories. The real winners are the trout, who will benefit directly from the generosity of everyone involved.

Spring fundraising

banquet nets over $10,000

for habitat preservation

O nce again this year, the 2004 spring fundraising banquet was a huge

success. The banquet was held at the Candelite Banquet Center, with nearly 150 members and guests attending. The evening began with an invocation by chapter advisor and TU founder, Arthur Neumann, followed by a magnificent meal prepared by the banquet center staff. This was the first banquet in recent memory without a speaker. Instead, we invited a couple of veteran fly fishermen to join us—Bob Linsenman and Jerry Regan. Author Bob Linsenman was on hand to sign his books and visit with the crowd. Michigan Trout Streams, and Great Lakes Steelhead, co-authored with Steve Nevala, are required reading for all fly-fishing addicts and trout bums in the upper Midwest. As usual, Bob was in fine form that evening and was full of his best stories. Fly tier Jerry Regan was also on hand to demonstrate traditional Au Sable River fly patterns. If you have never watched an avid fly tier in action, you missed a real treat. Jerry is masterful at creating flies that even the most persnickety trout has a hard time resisting. The evening also featured a new game of skill we called “Casting for Conservation.” Brave souls attempting to cast into an area the size of a hula hoop and set off mouse traps made for some very entertaining moments. Most notable were one or two women who may have put the men to shame. But we won’t drop any names here. There is also a wild story circulating about game organizer, Bo Brines, setting off mouse trap targets casting around the chandeliers and through the balcony railings. But you know how fishing yarns get more incredible as time passes.

use of the flies are discussed. And, of course, there are the usual fishing stories. The fly-fishing class is a basic class for people who have little or no knowledge of fly fishing or casting. The class teaches the concept of fly fishing and casting; how to use a rod, reel, backing, line, tippet, and flies; what the fish sees below and above the water; how to read and fish a river; and trout food (emergence chart for Michigan) and hatches. Students first hone their skills with a fly-o, then spend time in the school’s gym casting with fly rods. The fly-tying and fly-fishing classes will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Swan Valley High School, beginning January 11th and 12th, respectively. Youth, as well as adults, are invited to attend. There is a $30 fee for the class. If you are interested in either of these classes, contact the Swan Valley Community Education office at 921-2471, or Jac Ford at 517-781-0997.

Mershon chapter fly-fishing and fly-tying classes set to begin in January

F or over 25 years, the Mershon chapter has offered fly-tying and fly-fishing classes. These

inexpensive classes—which are designed for the novice fly-fisherman—are similar to others taught by TU costing several hundred dollars. Again this year, the classes will be taught by Mershon chapter advisor and past-president, Jac Ford, with the assistance of several other chapter members. Participants in the fly-tying class learn step-by-step fly-tying methods using videos developed for the class, as well as individual instruction. When you have completed the class, you will have been exposed to the basic techniques necessary to tie most flies successfully. Participants will tie the following flies: Green Caddis Pupe, Hares-Ear nymph, Comparadun, Elk Hair Caddis, Roberts Yellow Drake, parachute and standard Adams, Egg-Suckin-Leech, floating mayfly emerger, and a poly-wing mayfly spinner. Equipment, materials, and

Calendar of Events FLY-TYING

LESSONS/DEMONSTRATIONS By Jac Ford

Wednesday, January 5, 2005 at 5:30 p.m.

Followed by board meeting. Location to be determined based upon response.

MERSHON CHAPTER PHEASANT SHOOT FUNDRAISER

Saturday, January 8, 2005 at 8:00 a.m.

Rooster Ranch

FLY-TYING & FLY-FISHING CLASSES Starting Tuesday & Wednesday,

January 11 & 12, 2005, respectively Swan Valley High School

WALLEYE DINNER Life & Wild Times of William Mershon

(Serving Mershon’s own stew.) Monday, January 24, 2005

at 5:30 p.m. Polaski Hall

WALLEYE DINNER Speaker Matt Thomas, of the

Conservation Resource Alliance Monday, March 7, 2005

at 5:30 p.m. Polaski Hall

CASTING LESSONS/DEMONSTRATION By John VanDalen, FFF Casting Certification Board of Governors

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 at 5:30 p.m.

Followed by board meeting. Location to be determined based upon response.

William B. Mershon Chapter of TU SPRING FUNDRAISING BANQUET

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 Candlelite Banquet Center, Bridgeport

OPENING DAY Saturday, April 30, 2005

chapter volunteers. This larger enclosure will continue to protect the cedar seedling until it reaches a height to survive browsing. The “Cedars for the Au Sable” project, administered by the Upper Au Sable River Preservation Association, is using an “adopt-a-bank-segment” approach to restore Northern White-cedars (Thuja occidentalis) to ecologically appropriate sections of the South Branch of the Au Sable River, within the boundaries of the Mason Tract. A working partnership has been formed with Huron Pines RC&D and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Forest Management Unit, to help begin the reforestation of native Northern White-cedars within the Mason Tract. The seven river conservation organizations, including the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited, will each plant and protect fifty Northern White-cedars per year for five consecutive years. The exact planting location within the Mason Tract will be determined and marked by DNR-Forest Management personnel. The river conservation

Chapter volunteers help

restore Northern White-cedars to the Mason

Tract of the Au Sable River

by Howard N. Johnson, project chair and Mershon

chapter advisor

V olunteers from the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited, led by

board member Robb Smith and Au Sable River Coordinator Howard N. Johnson, planted and protected fifty Northern White-cedars within the boundaries of the Mason Tract on the South Branch of the Au Sable River. The planting of these Northern White-cedar seedlings marks the beginning of a five-year project by seven river conservation groups to plant and protect 2,000 Northern White-cedars within the Mason Tract. Helping with this year’s planting project were chapter members: Keith Scharf, Bill Adams, Dave Fisher, Peter Jones, Bob Spence, Mel Gircar, and chapter president Chris Radke. Each Northern White-cedar seedling was hand planted and then enclosed in a four-foot protective fence to ensure that the local deer population does not browse the young seedling. The seedlings will remain in this small enclosure for approximately 5 years. When the seedling out-grows this original four-foot enclosure, a larger enclosure will be positioned by

Chapter president Chris Radke and member Keith Scharf are positioning the enclosure to protect a newly planted Northern White-cedars seedling within the Mason Tract.

Chapter members Bill Adams and Peter Jones assisted with the planting of 50 Northern White-cedars during the chapter’s project along the south branch of the Au Sable River.

northern white-cedar planting and protection project on state-owed land. Huron Pines RC&D Area Council, Inc. is providing technical and administrative assistance with this project as part of continuing efforts to preserve and protect the integrity of the Au Sable River ecosystem.

organization will provide the volunteer labor necessary for planting, maintaining, and monitoring the seedlings until they can survive deer browsing.

The river conservation organizations that have volunteered to participate in this five-year project include: William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Saginaw), Mason-Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Grayling), Challenge Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Bloomfield Hills), Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Detroit), Michigan Fly Fishing Club, North Branch Boys (Toledo), and Anglers of the Au Sable (Grayling).

The “Cedars for the Au Sable” project has been in existence since 1997, providing over 8,000

Northern White-cedars seedlings to river property owners along the upper Au Sable and Manistee Rivers. The northern white-cedars along the river’s banks provide needed shade to maintain the cold-water fishery of the river. The presence of the cedar sweepers at the water line provides protection for the fish, increases the amount of large woody debris in the water, and preserves of the riverbank by locking in the soil. This one-of-kind project began out of the necessity that there was virtually no natural reforestation of northern white-cedars along northern Michigan rivers. Many believe it is due mainly to the tremendous deer population in our northern counties. Deer eat cedar shoots when other food is scarce. The Mason Tract Northern White-cedar Restoration Project is the first

989-652-9869. The only requirements are that you like to fly fish and are willing to help on an individual basis. Our helpers usually join us for lunch at noon. Thanks again from the staff of Casting for Recovery for making it possible for a student to participate in the program.

Casting For Recovery provides encouragement for breast cancer survivors by Judy McCann, Mershon chapter advisor

O n a beautiful, 80-degree, fall weekend in September, fourteen breast cancer

survivors began their fly-fishing experience at Ranch Rudolf, when the annual Casting for Recovery program took place. With a volunteer staff of nine and the wonderful support of all of the staff of Ranch Rudolf, it proved to be a fabulous time. Of the fourteen students, most had waited three years to get into the program; one had lost her battle with breast cancer before she was accepted. This weekend is made possible each year through the generous donations of many, including several Trout Unlimited groups in Michigan. If anyone would like to volunteer to be river helpers on the Sunday after Labor Day 2005 from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., you can give me a call at

After lunch, we split into two groups—one group wrapped up loose ends at the Mershon site, while the other group helped the Ann Arbor chapter finish their site. They only had four workers show up for their project. Although the project is not complete, we have made a contribution to stopping erosion in that area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to making this a successful project. I would also like to thank Rich Kraatz of the Saginaw Bay RC&D for getting all the materials together for the lunker structures and tree revetments. There will be more projects in the future. If you would like to be on the volunteer list, please contact me at mikemeyertu@charter.net.

Rifle River restoration

project by Mike Meyer,

Mershon chapter director

T he West Branch of the Rifle River was the site of this year’s restoration project.

Twelve members and friends met the representative of the Saginaw Bay RC&D at the roadside park on M33 and proceeded to the Cabin Lake Association property for a day of camaraderie and hard work. We installed approximately 175 feet of tree revetment and constructed four lunker structures. Unfortunately, we were unable to install the lunker structures due to high water from an inch of rain the night before. This work remains to be done. Lunch was prepare for us by Howard Johnson at RJ'S Brew Pub and sent north with President Radke. (Have gas, will travel!) Thank you Howard, for a great lunch.

Photo 1

The Mershon gang (from left to right), still smiling because the work hadn’t begun yet: Dick Gudkese, Robb Smith, Robb Smith, Jr., Mike Meyer, Pat Zaplitny, Jim Jameson, Chris Radke, Bill Adams, Craig Bublitz, Bob Spence, Joe Wolthuis, Jimmy Comment, Stan Siddall, and Martin Daenzer.

Photo 7

Photo 5 Photo 4

Photo 2

Photo 6

Photo 3

Jim Jameson and Bill Adams install tree revetments along the banks of the Rifle River.

Chapter president Chris Radke checks the depth of the water as the Rifle Fiver restoration workday gets underway.

Mike Meyer, Joe Wolthuis, and Craig Bublitz install tree revetments at bankside.

Mike Meyer and Robb Smith help steady the lunker structure as it is lowered to the river’s edge, while Pat Zaplitny looks on.

Volunteers from the Mershon chapter also helped this group from the Ann Arbor chapter with their improvement projects.

Over 175 feet of tree revetment was installed along the river’s edge to provide support for the embankments.

Now, strange as this sounds, we may mitigate our praise with the fact that we caught more, or lost a fish that had to be larger than the one that was briefly on display. This friendly unspoken competition, though, is not important; it is part of the fun. Home waters let us enjoy these good times again. They are familiar places. They remind us of things past and let us try for the magic moments again. My first home water, the Clwyd, was about the same size as the North Branch at Dam Four. It was a small river and subject to frequent spate conditions. From home, it was about a six-mile ride on my five-speed bike. I would tie my rod to the crossbar and turn down my thigh waders at the knee, and I would be off fishing. The stretch of river that I fished was called Gypsy Lane and was about a mile in length. It had a small population of Brown Trout, and the occasional Salmon and Sea Trout. What makes a stretch of water desirable to Salmon, SeaTrout, and fishermen is usually known by the term “holding water”. Translated, this means having pools big enough for these migratory fish to take a break in their travel and stick around for a while. Salmon are generally a lot larger than Sea Trout and will claim the best water. Size does matter. Locally, the best water was the Junction Pool, about a mile downstream from Gypsy Lane and very closely guarded. The Gypsy Lane stretch was mostly riffle and run, with a few marginal pools, and as the least expensive water to fish in the area, it received a lot of attention. So by the time a Salmon makes it to Gypsy Lane, it is just passing through. The salmon has an agenda; there are life forces in play. It has run the gauntlet of the estuary nets and fisherman who would be introducing it to all manner of worms, prawns,

Home Waters by Peter Jones,

Mershon chapter advisor

B y some modern standards, I came to fly fishing for trout fairly late in life; I

was thirteen years old. Since this start, I have had a few places that I would call my home water, and they all bring something to the table. When a fisherman talks about his home water, you get a personal look into what is important to that person. My first home water was the River Clwyd in Wales. I would suggest that the main enjoyment for most of us is not tied to the number of fish or the biggest; or if we are playing games with our psyches, the most difficult fish. (On the Upper Manistee, I specialize in small, difficult fish.) Rather, it is the experience of finding things out, solving problems of the moment, finding out the river’s secrets, and trying to make some sense of it all. That gives us enjoyment. Knowing that it does not mean a damn thing to anybody but ourself or others struck with the same malaise is pure coincidence. When we apply this collection of experience, it makes for an enjoyable day’s fishing. Changes, even small ones, add to our collection of knowledge and experience. Fishing a familiar stretch of water, learning its secrets, builds this knowledge—when we fish new water, it is these experiences that tell us where we might expect a fish. There are always surprises. Maybe this is why its’ called fishing, not catching. I have made a lot of bad casts in my time, and I am happy to say that some of them have caught

some nice fish, surprising both the fish and myself. There’s nothing wrong with having dumb luck once in a while. We all like to catch fish. I can have a good day’s fishing and enjoy myself if I have not caught a fish, but it gets a little perplexing and is not something I like to make a habit of doing. Salvation has been known to strike swiftly and suddenly, and be about the size of a good cigar with fins. So, really, it is not mandatory to my enjoyment that I always catch a fish, but it helps. If this were not the case, I would have given the game up a long time ago. Good days and bad days add to the experience pool, and if the fish we catch is bigger than the next person’s, this is not a bad thing. With my regular fishing partners, we have developed over time a low-key approach to discussing our day’s successes. We give praise, when praise is due, and not too reluctantly, or for that matter, for very long. From this same collective fishing experience, we know that we will likely be reminded of the deed several times, if the journey home is longer than a couple of hours. I once had the experience of seeing a friend catch the only fish of the night between four of us at the High Banks on the South Branch. That fish grew six inches in the ten-minute ride back ride back to Canoe Harbor, and it only started out as a ten-incher. Luck was on our side that night; we were not driving back the two hours to Saginaw. So we accept the fact that others occasionally will catch a larger fish—not necessarily as fat, or as nicely conditioned as ours—but granted, bigger.

In that first summer of beginning fly fishing, I made a new fishing friend. We met on the river, fishing. We where the same age, had similar rods, had fun, and fished together most days of his vacation, while he was staying with relatives. Our friendship has lasted over forty years, with the occasional letter, card, phone call, and now e-mail. For both of us, there have been marriages, children and grandchildren. We realize that we have both been fortunate in this life. We still talk fishing, share ideas and thoughts, make plans, and enjoy each other’s company. We look forward to fishing together again, sharing my new home water, the Manistee. Special places, these home waters. Tight lines, Peter Jones.

spinners, spoons, and the occasional fly. Salmon fishermen are often looking for a return on their investment, and the ends may justify the means. To fish for Salmon or Trout in Wales, the first step was to buy a fishing license, and you had to specify what it was you intended to catch—Trout or Salmon. The trout license cost about a tenth of the cost of a Salmon license—an easy decision for me to make. Once the license arrangements were taken care of, the next question was, “Where am I going to fish?” For this you needed permission from whoever had control of the water. The reality was that the angling rights of the river were owned or leased to a club or syndicate, or closely held by a landowner. Access to any water was tightly controlled. (A 30+ year flashback for me was a request for confirmation that my Michigan fishing license allowed me to fish just about anywhere I could get to. “Tell me again…”) In the case of the Gypsy Lane stretch, it was owned by the Rhyl Angling Club, and they in turn sold daily, weekly, and season permits to fish it. This revenue helped support the club in its efforts to acquire other waters for the club membership. In all, the club had seven stretches of water and a small lake; by Michigan standards, a pond. (There’s that size thing again.) For all the club waters, the rules where straightforward. Where

you fished was decided by the “first-come, first-served” principle. All waters allowed a set number of fishermen per day—either four or six, depending on the size of the stretch of water. Any member could fish any water, and the member was required to reserve the water as a single angler for the specific day he or she wanted to fish. The rules allowed for one angler to hold one reservation at a time. This system worked very well. If you had a stretch of water reserved, you knew that your time fishing was not going to be shared with another twenty or thirty other like-minded souls. You often had the place to yourself. No distinction was made between people who fished in the morning and then went home. The members observed the rules of the game, and it worked. If a member had a burning desire to fish, and all the waters had their quota for the day, then Gypsy Lane was the closest to home in Rhyl and had no reservation requirements. My membership in the association took me a few years of waiting time, and what was then a couple of week’s pay. Membership allowed me a little bit of angling privilege to fish more exclusive water, but I would find myself back at Gypsy Lane from time to time, standing on the footbridge looking to see what I could see. I can’t remember catching any big fish, or for that matter many fish; and for a beginning fly fisherman, they were all difficult fish. It’s the first place that I started fly fishing for Trout.

whatever our reasons for being on the stream, we have a common responsibility to watch over the resource that gives us so much pleasure. Our rivers and streams have become a finite resource, and today’s pressure for their use seems infinite. The breadth and depth of this issue demands our attention and unfailing efforts as we strive to restore, protect, and preserve our cold-water resources. And when we tire from the struggle and grow weary of the fray, it is always comforting to know that we can just go fishing. Tight lines to all.

Why we fish by Robb Smith,

Mershon chapter vice-president W hat allurement and

deception does a cobble-bottomed, cedar-lined

trout stream hold over a fisherman? I don’t think any one of us knows for sure, but there is little else that compares to a bluebird day or a starlit night on the river. Fooling trout may be our primary objective, but there are many more features to be appreciated and savored. Whether it is the magnificence of the scenery, the serenity of the dark-flowing waters, the friendships nurtured, or any of a hundred others justifications, we love to be on the water. For me, fishing is the ultimate escape from a fast-paced world. To put it another way, fly fishing is like golf without tee times. We go when we want, play as long as we like, and make what we want out of the day or night. Rigging up, selecting flies, casting to rising trout, and catching and releasing fish are all actions that are “mind grabbing” for concentrated periods of time. During these episodes, your mental balance can be decompressed from its internal pressures and refreshed to take a different slant on your daily responsibilities and concerns. That being said, it occurs to me that you probably have your own expectations and enjoyment of fly fishing. It also crosses my mind that

WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED

2004-2005

Dan Keane 642-8960 (H) keanedml@chartermi.net Johnny Martinez, Jr. 643-0517 (H) johnny.martinez.jr@smithbarney.com Mike Meyer 892-9624 mikemeyertu@charter.net Jo Neuhalfen 642-5946 jo@wolgastcorporation.com Pat Zaplitny 892-9317 pat.zaplitny@eds.com

Advisors Craig Bublitz (810) 688-3963 bublitz@cardina.net Joe Bula 781-2047 (H) joenette@mybluelight.com David Cozad 684-7947 (H) David Fisher 781-4932 (H), 792-9641 (W) djfisher@smithbovill.com Jac Ford 781-0997 (H/FAX) canglers@aol.com Mel Gricar 652-9277 (H), 792-9618 (W) melgricar@aol.com

Carl Hubinger 642-5487 (H) bchubinger@msn.com Howard N. Johnson 753-6373 hnjohnson@aol.com Peter Jones 753-3984 (H) pjones@fphorak.com Risty Kalivas 790-8614 (H) ristydo@aol.com Harold Kleinert 684-4733 (H) hrkleinert@hotmail.com Judy McCann 652-9869 (H) jmccann113@aol.com Art C. Neumann 777-0484 (H) Bruce Scorsone 793-7200 bscorsone@aol.com Jake Shinners 781-3003 (H), 799-5000 (W) jshinners@shinnerscook.com Greg Stansbury 695-8080 (H/FAX) papertube@aol.com Newsletter Layout Teri Skidmore 781-0040 TeriSkidz@yahoo.com

Officers President Christopher J. Radke 249-6420 (H) cradke@shinnerscook.com Vice-President Robb Smith 893-3792 rssmithsr@chartermi.net Treasurer Rich Kemerer 781-5220 richard.kemerer@cbcf-net.com Secretary Bob Spence 799-6617 (H) rsspe2@chartermi.net Past-President Bo Brines 989-832-4100 (W) 989-832-9528 (H) bobrines@tm.net

Directors Bill Adams 652-8328 adamsbillchar@aol.com Dave Case 642-5286 dsbec53@chartermi.net Brian Frost 781-7731 abfrost@msn.com

and the various fish that share this name is their common need for clean, cold water and healthy ecosystems. In other words, “salmonid conservation” is conservation of the environmental qualities we associate with clean, free-flowing waters, and healthy forests and rangelands.

What is a salmon? Like trout, there are several different types of salmon, notably the chinook, coho, sockeye, and chum of the West and the Atlantic salmon of the East. And like trout and char, all are members of the salmonid family. Salmon are known for their migration out of fresh water into saltwater and back, and are generally thought of as being much larger than their trout relatives. Their ocean migration gives most salmon the label “anadromous.” An-ad`-rom-ous: Rooted in the Greek word for “running up,” any fish born in fresh water, migrating to live a life stage in salt water, then returning to fresh water to spawn (reproduce). Yet to further illustrate the similarities within the salmonid family, not all salmon migrate to saltwater, and conversely some trout species do. Landlocked sockeye salmon called kokanee, for example, live in fresh water lakes and migrate into fresh water tributaries to spawn. And steelhead–genetic duplicates of fresh water rainbow trout–make the ocean migration, returning to spawn in fresh water streams. So do some species of cutthroat. Unlike trout, which can spawn a number of times, most salmon species die once they spawn.

Why is trout and salmon conservation important? Trout and salmon species are often viewed as indicators of overall environmental health. Where trout or salmon are present, that generally indicates a healthy ecosystem and, in turn, the presence of other healthy populations of wildlife. Where trout

Trout 101 “…to conserve, protect and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.” The broad spectrum of species that fall within TU’s mission often causes people to ask: “If you’re doing so much work on Atlantic salmon, or Pacific steelhead, or Arctic grayling, or some other fish not called ‘trout,’ why do you call yourself ‘Trout Unlimited?’” The short answer is that TU’s exponential growth since its 1959 founding has expanded its conservation efforts to include far more coldwater species than even its founders could have imagined. The longer answer is that a family of fishes–known collectively as salmonids–share a set of unique characteristics and habitat requirements that place them under the umbrella of TU’s conservation efforts in North America. Conserving wild trout and salmon begins with conserving the watersheds that gave us our native coldwater fish stocks, and today support a bounty of native and wild fish. All North American fishes known as “trout,” “salmon,” “char,” “steelhead,” “grayling,” or “whitefish,” along with some other common names, fall into this group. sal — mon` — id: Any fish of the family Salmonidae (trout, salmon, char, whitefish, and grayling). Known to inhabit coldwater ecosystems and to have low tolerance for habitat degradation. Probably the single-most distinguishing feature that separates the salmonid from other fishes is its need for cold, clean water and healthy ecosystems to

survive. Although their evolution dates back tens of millions of years, most salmonids living in North America today moved into their historical range as they followed melting ice inland thousands of years ago. Because of their history, trout and salmon have little or no tolerance for higher water temperatures, pollution, increased dissolved gases, and other problems often associated with human- kind’s encroachment.

What is a trout? Many species of salmonids are known commonly as “trout.” Often we think of fish swimming in mountain streams or alpine lakes when we think of trout. Those environs historically provide the type of ecosystem salmonids require–namely, cold, clean, oxygenated water. We think of the various cutthroat trout, the rainbows, the goldens, and the browns. We even call some salmonids “trout” that aren’t trout at all: The bull, brook and lake trout, for example, are really another type of salmonid known as “char.” And to confuse matters more, some fish that really are trout we call by other names: For example, fish we call “steelhead” are actually ocean-going rainbow trout. Anglers tend to lump species together that share similar physical characteristics and habitat, and in doing so sometimes blur the lines of specific taxonomic distinctions. And while a biologist or taxonomist might quibble, that’s what we’ve done with many of the fish we call “trout.” In many waters, for example, brook trout (char) and rainbows share the same habitat, and more than one angler has mistaken a bull trout (char) for a brown. But for conservation purposes, what is important when we think of trout

perfected and will be served at one of the fish dinners.

Robb Smith is the chapter’s AuSable River contact person.

Bill Adams has been working on the Saginaw County “Catch-Me-If-You-Can” project, where our chapter has been getting great publicity helping the county’s youth learn and enjoy fishing.

Robb Smith, John Martinez, Bill Adams, and I are working on many projects with the state council.

Judy McCann is working on the Casting-For-Recovery project, which helps women who are recovering from cancer learn to fly fish.

The board is actively seeking candidates for a 3–4 day fly-fishing learning program, established by the Kalamazoo chapter of Trout Unlimited. There are many other projects that the chapter works on every month, and we encourage all members to

ways to get to the proper officials within the DEQ and DNR, as well as sharing ideas on river projects and fundraising successes.

Craig Bublitz has retaken the reigns of the Muddler as its editor. Craig has been sorely missed during his two-year break from this role.

The officers are taking on the project of producing a video/tv production of the formation of Trout Unlimited. As you know, TU was started with a meeting at George Griffith’s cabin in Grayling in 1959. However, TU as an organization went through its largest geographic expansion when it was based here in Saginaw and led by our own Art Neumann. The board is going to capture the stories of TU’s growth and resounding activism as a project for the national meeting of Trout Unlimited, which we hope to bring

Meanders, continued from page 1

to Traverse City in 2009 for TU’s 50th anniversary.

Mike Meyer is very active in the Rifle River Restoration Committee activities and led this year’s Rifle River project, despite the DEQ’s long delays in issuing a permit.

The Board is actively searching for Embrace-A-Stream applicants. This is in part because additional funds have been made available, the application requirements have been reduced, and the criteria for application objectives have been expanded. SO APPLY. THE MONEY IS THERE FOR YOUR FAVORITE STRETCH OF RIVER OR STREAM.

Jo Neuhalfen and Brian Frost are again leading the January European Pheasant Hunt Outing.

Dave Case, Judy McCann, and Bob Spence are combining their efforts for the January and March fish dinners at Polaski Hall. The recipe for William B. Mershon’s famous ‘Mershon Stew’ is being

and the nearby trees and plants. Indeed, without the salmon, many ecosystems and the wildlife that live there would suffer; some would not exist at all.

What does TU do? TU focuses its trout and salmon conservation efforts on several fronts. From local on-the-ground habitat protection to lobbying at the highest levels of government, TU uses science as its key weapon in the fight to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. These efforts generally target one or more of the so-called “Four Hs” of fisheries conservation–habitat, hydropower, hatcheries, and harvest.

and salmon have disappeared, that generally indicates a damaged ecosystem, and other wildlife that once shared it are likely suffering too. In this way, trout and salmon set the standard for the overall health of an ecosystem–a standard that benefits all living things that share it, including humans. Additionally, trout and salmon represent a critical cog in the wheel of any food chain in which they live. Consider, for example, the life cycle of a chinook salmon. Born in freshwater streams, usually the tributary of a large river like the Snake or Columbia in the Pacific Northwest, they emerge from the gravel as tiny fingerlings. They are born in huge numbers and immediately provide food for predators, such as other fish and aquatic birds.

Within about a year, the young salmon begin their migration seaward, feeding aquatic predators and birds for a journey that can be hundreds of miles in length through a wide array of habitats. Those that reach the ocean remain there and grow to adulthood, supporting oceanic food chains–and that of humans–during the length of their journey, which over the course of a few years can take them all the way to the Gulf of Alaska and back. The chinook then return to fresh water, where again they feed larger predators, including humans. The adult chinook that successfully reach their natal streams to spawn die soon thereafter. Even after death, they are a food source for bald eagles, deer, beer, and other wildlife and their carcasses contribute rich nutrients to the water

WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MEETING SCHEDULE

Note: All Board of Directors meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the month (unless noted) at

5:30 PM at Garber Buick, 5925 State Street, Saginaw, Michigan

Wednesday, December 1, 2004, with fly-tying demonstration. Wednesday, January 5, 2005

Wednesday, February 2, 2005 Wednesday, March 2, 2005

We welcome you to attend any of the board meetings. Your input is an invaluable resource in our efforts to serve the resources we enjoy.

bloom, the fresh smell of a warm rain, and the anticipation of a good day in the woods draw us up north every weekend in May. Camping with friends, picking morels, and fly fishing for trout make spring my favorite time of the year. In the autumn, my interests turn to archery hunting for whitetail. Following the hunting season, I actively participate in an archery club. I shoot on a league on Wednesday nights, and my daughter, Kellie, shoots on a youth league on Saturdays. The guys on my league claim that I was so desperate to get an archery trophy that I forced Kellie to shoot on Saturday. I totally deny the accusation. After winning her first trophy, Kellie now goes willingly. Woodworking is a good way for me to do something constructive in the winter. Dick Gudkese and I teamed up to build a cedar strip canoe a couple of years ago. Currently, Robb Smith and I are in the process of building a drift boat. Next summer we plan to be testing our new drift boat every chance we get.

Profile

Pat Zaplitny, Mershon chapter director

I was born and raised in Bay City, spending three years in Kalamazoo, where I attended

Western Michigan University. While in college, I met Sharon Shinn. I graduated in 1976 and married Sharon the following year. Our oldest daughter, Bonnie, graduated from Western Michigan University this spring and is substitute teaching in Kalamazoo. Our youngest daughter, Kellie, is a student at Bay City Central. When I’m not working for Electronic Data Systems (EDS), I enjoy outdoor activities. My introduction to the outdoors began at an early age, when my father would take my brothers and I mushroom hunting. In the spring we would pick morels and in the fall “stumpers.” Coincidently, Sharon has also hunted for morels since an early age with her family. Hunting for morels is a passion for Sharon and I. After a long winter, walking the woods of Michigan in the spring is almost spiritual. Trilliums in

TROUT UNLIMITED WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER

FINANCIAL SUMMARY FISCAL YEAR END SEPTEMBER 30, 2004

BALANCE CREDIT (DEBIT) BALANCE CASH ACCOUNTS 8/31/04 9/30/2004 Citizens Bank Money Maker $24,234.45 $ 8.24 $24,242.69 Citizens Bank $6,951.34 $ 25.00 $6,976.34 SEPT 30, 2004 TOTALS $31,185.79 $33.24 $31,219.03 (1)

(1) Cash Reserves a. $1,000 ($1,000/year for 10 years) George Griffith Founders Challenge Michigan Council b. $3,000 Art Neuman (2002)

FINANCIAL REPORT

CHAPTER: 020 WILLIAM B. MERSHON - PO BOX 1555, SAGINAW, MICHIGAN 48605-1555 TREASURER: Richard Kemerer - PHONE: (989) 776-7598

10/01/03- 9/30/2004

CASH INFLOWS FYTD LOCAL SOURCES Raffles $ 3,069.00 Special Events $ 9,825.00 Banquet Revenue $19,162.00 Local Donations $ 760.00 Investment or Interest $ 88.27 Sales of Merchandise $ 560.00 TU ORGANIZATION (National, Funding or Rebates from National $ 90.00 OTHER Membership fees/in transition $ 70.00

TOTAL - CASH INFLOWS $33,624.27

CASH OUTFLOWS Newsletters/Mailings/Printing $ 2,209.65 Chapter Meetings (Room, Speaker, Etc.) $ 1,190.34 Cost of Merchandise $ 1,532.22 Raffle Prizes $ 374.02 Habitat Projects $ 3,250.00 Banquets- Prize Purchases- National Catalog $ 1,547.96 Prize Purchases- Other $ 3,308.66 Promotion/printing $ 1,313.93 Meals, Entertainment $ 3,215.57 Other- Speaker, Hall, Etc. Raffles $ 246.62 Special Events $ 5,580.00 Postage $ 594.18 Prize Purchases– Raffle $ 537.53 Fish Dinners $ 2,285.81 Other $ 2,282.94 Memberships in Transition $ 70.00 Donations– Other $ 2,260.00 TOTAL - CASH OUTFLOWS $31,799.43

SEPT 30, 2004 NET CASH INFLOW/(OUTFLOW) $ 1,824.84

TROUT UNLIMITED WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER

FINANCIAL SUMMARY FISCAL YEAR END SEPTEMBER 30, 2004

BALANCE CREDIT (DEBIT) BALANCE CASH ACCOUNTS 8/31/04 9/30/2004 Citizens Bank Money Maker $24,234.45 $ 8.24 $24,242.69 Citizens Bank $6,951.34 $ 25.00 $6,976.34 SEPT 30, 2004 TOTALS $31,185.79 $33.24 $31,219.03 (1)

(1) Cash Reserves a. $1,000 ($1,000/year for 10 years) George Griffith Founders Challenge Michigan Council b. $3,000 Art Neuman (2002)

FINANCIAL REPORT

CHAPTER: 020 WILLIAM B. MERSHON - PO BOX 1555, SAGINAW, MICHIGAN 48605-1555 TREASURER: Richard Kemerer - PHONE: (989) 776-7598

10/01/03- 9/30/2004

CASH INFLOWS FYTD LOCAL SOURCES Raffles $ 3,069.00 Special Events $ 9,825.00 Banquet Revenue $19,162.00 Local Donations $ 760.00 Investment or Interest $ 88.27 Sales of Merchandise $ 560.00 TU ORGANIZATION (National, Funding or Rebates from National $ 90.00 OTHER Membership fees/in transition $ 70.00

TOTAL - CASH INFLOWS $33,624.27

CASH OUTFLOWS Newsletters/Mailings/Printing $ 2,209.65 Chapter Meetings (Room, Speaker, Etc.) $ 1,190.34 Cost of Merchandise $ 1,532.22 Raffle Prizes $ 374.02 Habitat Projects $ 3,250.00 Banquets- Prize Purchases- National Catalog $ 1,547.96 Prize Purchases- Other $ 3,308.66 Promotion/printing $ 1,313.93 Meals, Entertainment $ 3,215.57 Other- Speaker, Hall, Etc. Raffles $ 246.62 Special Events $ 5,580.00 Postage $ 594.18 Prize Purchases– Raffle $ 537.53 Fish Dinners $ 2,285.81 Other $ 2,282.94 Memberships in Transition $ 70.00 Donations– Other $ 2,260.00 TOTAL - CASH OUTFLOWS $31,799.43

SEPT 30, 2004 NET CASH INFLOW/(OUTFLOW) $ 1,824.84

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

YES! Please begin my one-year introductory membership in Trout Unlimited at the rate I have checked at right. I understand my dues payment entitles me to all regular membership benefits, including a TU decal, personal membership card and quarterly issues of Trout magazine with Action Line. Name (please print) Address City State Zip Telephone

020 Mershon Chapter

Michigan Council - Code 5449 Sponsor

Please check membership category: New member membership ($17.50) Regular membership ($35) / 3 years ($90) Family membership ($50) / 3 years ($100) Sponsoring contributor ($100)* Conservator contributor (250)* Individual Life ($1,000) (No further dues)* Family Life ($1,100) (Husband and Wife)* Senior (62 and over) membership ($20) Full-time Student/Youth (under 18) ($20) Business membership ($200) Payment enclosed** Please bill me Visa # Exp. Date MasterCard Exp. Date Signature

All contributions over $12 are tax deductible. *Note: special benefits provided for these membership categories. **Make checks payable to: TROUT UNLIMITED Clip and mail this application to join TU today!

Mail to: TROUT UNLIMITED, PO BOX 1335, MERRIFIELD, VA 22116

MUDDLER P.O. Box 1555 Saginaw, MI 48605-1555

T H E M E R S H O N

Newsletter of the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 187 Saginaw, MI

Address Service Requested

(Please remember that board members can help you sign up new members at the membership rate of $17.50 and that all of this money comes back to the Mershon chapter if the membership application references our chapter # 20.)