February 2018 The Angler’s Creel

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club

Promoting Knowledge of cold water fisheries, Volume 18 Issue 2 fish habitat, conservation and stream ecology

Roll casts from the President Rick Cooper

Upcoming Events Welcome to all our new and long time members, As we move into our 40th Year, there is much activity and a re-birth, of sorts, as The CMNH Trout we renew our partnership and close working relationship with the Museum. Club Presents the We’re adding to our events and outings as outlined elsewhere in this newsletter. Be sure to get your tickets early for the Fly-Fishing Film Tour before it is sold 2018 F3t Fly-fishing out. Also, look for news on the very popular after-party and fly-tying competi- Film Tour tion at the Market Garden. Saturday, March 3, 2018 We have a new website that can be accessed through the Museum web- * Film Festival see page 3 site via the “Clubs and Societies” link under the “Join/Support” tab, or directly through www.cmnh.org/troutclub. This will allow you to view and sign up for events and outings. Also check out our new Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cmnhtroutclub) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/ cmnhtroutclub) and by searching for “CMNH Trout Club”. We’re in the process of implementing an idea from our Membership Chair, Gary Amendola. We plan to create a link whereby Trout Club members can report and cross-reference various fly-fishing travel experiences including accommodations and guide review. Look for this in the near future. Our Outings & Events Chair, Jerry Darkes, is now sending monthly emails with updates on club matters to our members utilizing the Mail Chimp program through the museum. If you have not received these emails, check your spam filter and update your email address at [email protected] and with the museum, if necessary.

(continued on page 6)

For Film Tour Reservation go: cmnh.org/f3t Member Fish Stories - by Charlie Walton

Bangers & Hookers 15th Year Reunion

September 10-16, 2017

Fifteen years ago, I was with fly fishing friends George Klein and Ramsey Yoder in Chile. We were fishing with a renowned outfitter, Jim Repine1, at his lodge on the Futaleufú River. After dinner and armed with a bottle of Malbec, Jim suggested that our group organ- ize and incorporate ourselves. This past September marked the fif- teenth anniversary since the forming of the Bangers and Hookers. Today, our Trout Club core and international membership numbers Photo by Larry Lohnan 37 wing shooters and fly fishers. In preparation for our 15th anni- versary George and I visited Pro Outfitter’s North Fork Crossing Lodge in Montana as part of a Trout Unlimited, Coldwater Conservation Group meeting. Based on that experience and their willingness to stay open an extra week, George agreed to take the entire camp for this year’s reunion. Ramsey sent invitations by e-mail to the whole membership and openings were quickly filled.

The lodge at North Fork Crossing was perfect for us. It is large enough to comfortably hold and feed twenty-or- so people. Sleeping accommodations are semi-luxurious—high-walled tents, mounted on raised wooden plat- forms, with permanent bath and showers nearby. The tents have good beds and mattresses, and can accommo- date two. The tents also have electricity, fans and even gas-fired heaters—all very comfortable

George continued to build out our week-long itinerary by inviting three speakers from Trout Unlimited. We had a speaker each evening to share key Montana activities of the national association of Trout Unlimited and the local Montana chapter of T.U. Their work includes the Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork Coalition. Their projects include reclamation efforts of the Clark Fork River and issues of the Smith River and the cur- rent proposed mine on Sheep Creek. This is a tributary of the Smith River and represents a potential environmental disaster for this very im- portant river.

Each day after a grand breakfast, we paired off with new fishing partners and new guides to fish new waters on the Blackfoot River and Clark Fork. Before our arrival, the weather had been very hot, wildfires were burning in the area, and smoke was in the air. One day would be hot, while the next would be blowing, followed next by rain. The fishing was affected too. It always seemed as if there was an upside opportunity to do better! Still, stories surfaced of big brown and rainbow trout being caught, or almost caught, but always released.

Several of us ended our trip with a trip over the mountain to Butte, Montana. What a shock it was to see the devastation of uncontrolled gold, silver and copper mining over the last century. We fly fishers must resolve to be better stewards of our pris- tine cold water streams. And that is the mission of the Cleveland Museum of Natu- ral History Trout Club.

Charlie Walton March Fly-fishing Film Tour

We at the CMNH TROUT CLUB are extremely ex- cited for the return of the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) to the museum in 2018! With a diverse and exciting collection of film shorts, more exhibitors and an ex- tended pre-party reception.

Doors to the museum open at 5:30 PM on Saturday, March 3rd. Vendors will be set up throughout the main concourse. There will be a cash bar, and appetizers are included with the cost of a ticket. The café will be open for those who wish a larger meal. Enjoy time to chat with fishy folks and engage with vendors, guides, and other organizations on hand. There will also be raffle tickets available for purchase and other opportunities to win or purchase great fly fishing gear, so please plan accordingly!

Tickers are going fast. Discount tickets are available from our retail partners: Orvis Shops at Wood- mere and Westlake and at Chagrin River Outfitters in Chagrin Falls and at the museum.

The crew is working hard to make sure the 2018 F3T is better than ever with more exhibitors, food, drink, gear, and entertainment than ever before. It will be a night your don’t want to miss. Don’t forget there is an after party with a fly-tying contest. Watch your email for details.

All proceeds benefit the CMNH Trout Club‘s conser- vation and fisheries habitat restoration projects here in north-east Ohio.

Reservations for Fly-fishing Film Tour

The cost of the film and program is $20.00 or $25 the week of, payable online when you make your reservation in person, on the phone at (219-231-1177 or at https://cmnh.org/f3t. Support our local fly shops by buying your tickets in person at Orvis Shops or Chagrin River Outfitters. Register by: February 24. 2018. . Outings and News

Mail Chimp Email Messaging and Social Media

We are now also using the Mail Chimp email platform to get information out to Trout Club mem- bers. Anyone on the Trout Club membership list that has included an email address was sent the first of these messages last month. Please make sure your email address is up to date and that messages from the CMNH Trout Club are not blocked and end up in a spam folder. We will try to get Mail Chimp messages sent out around the middle of each month

The Trout Club is also posting information on both Facebook and Instagram for those who follow social media. All of this is being done to make sure information is being relayed to both members and the public in a timely manner.

Outings, Event Announcements and Sign Up Procedure Sunnybrook Trout Club Trout Club outings for 2018 (Sign up soon) 1. Sunnybrook Trout Club (Feb. 24) 2. Rockwell Springs Trout Club (March 24) 3. The Castalia Trout Club (To be announced). 4. The Fly Fishing Film Tour is March 3. Complete information and sign up for all of these can be done through the Trout Club link off the Museum website- www.cmnh.org/troutclub. Additional outings and events will be announced through Mail Chimp as they are confirmed. Questions: [email protected]

If signing up and paying online, be sure to log in after clicking on the hyperlink for the outing. You will need to create an account, only the first time you register and pay. You can still call the museum Front Desk/Guest Services to pay by phone at 216-2321-4600.

Jr. Trout Club Julia Swanson, the CMNH coordinator, presented an update of the activities for the grade 5-8 program that starts in the fall and finishes with a barbeque in the spring. The sessions include supplying the students with fly-fishing gear and the following outdoor and classroom activities: Casting clinic, pond fishing, stream monitoring, fly tying, fishing knots, Velcro fish casting, fish- ing at local a trout club, and the final barbeque. Trout club members volunteer with some hands- on classes in addition to sponsoring with a $7500 three year commitment through 2020. Members of the CMNH may sign up through the Museum’s web site. The class is limited to 10 children.

Conservation News and $ Support for Projects

The Conservation Committee is now receiving applications for the Trout Club Small Grants pro- gram. This program is designed to help fund mission-oriented research, conservation, access and education throughout the region. If any members know of interested organizations or research- ers please refer them to Kendrick Chittock [email protected].

The Conservation Committee will review applications and make recommendations to the Board later in 2018 Bamboo Notes: Officers Committees

President’s letter cont. President Membership As part of our mission purpose, we continue Rick Cooper Gary Amendola, Jock Thompson to be involved in environmental and conser- [email protected] [email protected] vation projects in Northeast Ohio. We are Vice President Film Festival partnering with the Chagrin River Watershed Rick Goddard Amos Crowley, Woods King, Partners and the Wildlife Conservation Soci- [email protected] Jim Lampros ety in their program to enhance the health of Steve Madewell Contributions / Conservation [email protected] Kendrick Chittock, Steve forests draining high quality streams in the Madewell Treasurer Chagrin and lower Grand River Watersheds. Outings & Events Tony Jelenic Under the stewardship of Board Members, Jerry Darkes Steve Madewell and Kendrick Chittock, we [email protected] [email protected] are launching a Small Grants Program to fund Secretary Historian proposals from conservation organizations, Woods King Evan Morse units of government and educational institu- [email protected] Social Media tions dealing with Lake Erie drainage in Jerry Darkes Northeast Ohio. We are also working with Newsletter CMNH Liaison Klara Wilson the Emerald Necklace Chapter of Trout George Klein [email protected] Unlimited to present an open roundtable of [email protected] ecological/environmental experts concerning Jock Thompson some of the current issues and challenges fac- [email protected] ing Lake Erie. We hope to offer this joint presentation in April or May of this year. Past Presidents Sibley Hoobler, Joseph Gladysz, Peter Wellman, John Wheeler, Stay tune to the website for more information Norm Hyams, Robert Colson, Evan Morse, Dennis Gant, Ted Schur- as this project developments. dell, Jake Ragan, Ham Biggar, Mark Sudduth, Austin Morrow, Matt VanDeMotter, Peter Krembs, Jock Thompson, George Klein, Andy Rick Cooper Kirkpatrick, Phil Murphy, Eric Baumann

Trout Club

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

One Wade Oval

Cleveland, Ohio 44106