WINTER TROUT LINE 2015 Newsletter from the Council of Trout Unlimited

Legislature chugs into halftime Legislators nix he first 45 days of the Montana Legislature were a necessary mining scramble, though the number T by Bruce Farling of measures – and the amount of bonding bill controversy – affecting coldwater fisheries, water quality, instream alk abounds at the current legislative Legislative session about Montanans taking flows and stream access, seems less 2015 Session than previous sessions. The second Tpersonal responsibility and not 45 days will be more telling. Here’s a depending on help from government. Unfortunately, many lawmakers refuse to rundown on some of Montana TU’s HB 525 – Sponsored by Rep. Mark apply this standard to the state’s hard-rock priorities as of March 3: Noland (R-Bigfork). Creates a permanent trust fund for combatting aquatic mining industry. Bills we support invasive species. Passed House, now in Sen. Mary Sheehy Moe (D-Great Falls) the Senate. introduced SB 218, a modest measure HB 140 – Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Wellborn requiring some hard-rock mines – those (R-Dillon). This bill increases resident Bills we oppose with potential to generate highly damaging hunting and fishing fees modestly ($3 HB 519 – Rep. Carl Glimm (R-Kila). acid-mine drainage – to post performance for fishing) while shifting FWP income This torturous, hard-to-understand bonds representing 100 percent of the planning to a 4-year cycle instead of 10 measure, developed by the state’s estimated cost of reclamation plus 50 years. Montana TU supports this so that homebuilders association, does not percent. Today, large mines are required to FWP can avoid major cutbacks. Still comport with a recent court decision post only amounts equal to the estimated costs of reclamation, with no significant needs House and Senate approval. affecting unregulated “exempt” wells. buffer if the estimate is wrong. SB 218 was it undermines Montana TU’s efforts to SB 262 – Sponsored by Sen. Chas intended to help rectify a long-standing reduce impacts to streams and senior Vincent (R-Libby). This bill ratifies the problem: Bonds calculated by Montana’s water compact between the State of water rights from water development. Department of Environmental Quality Montana and the Confederated Salish Passed House, now in Senate. and the mining industry have consistently and Kootenai Tribes. The Compact settles HB 427 – Rep. Bob Brown (R-Thompson proven far too small. The result is that forever the water right claims of the Falls). This bill, which is probably mining companies continue to close their tribes, while protecting existing water unconstitutional, appropriates state modern operations, leaving taxpayers with users and modestly benefitting flows for funds to defend individuals with water multi-million dollar cleanup and pollution fish in some streams of western Montana. rights should the CSKT water compact treatment costs. It passed the Senate, but the House fail and the tribes take their claims to For instance, state and federal agencies have so far spent nearly $13 million to debate will be contentious. If the bill water court. It requires taxpayers to shell stabilize and reduce pollution from the fails, the tribes, like any legitimate water out if the Legislature rejects an accord the shuttered Beal Mountain Mine near right claimant, will file their claims for State’s Compact Commission negotiated Anaconda. Permanent closure could cost instream flows in Montana Water Court, and agreed to – even though the potentially delaying final adjudication of $39 million in public money. Further, most water rights in the state for decades. see LEGISLATURE, page 2 agencies have spent nearly $24 million for reclamation and water treatment of Hire a guide on Friday, July 24! the Zortman-Landusky mine near Malta. This mine will require public funding in First Annual Montana TU Tip of the Hat Day perpetuity to deal with the pollution it Support select fishing guides who will donate their generates. The bonds posted for these and tips for one day only to Montana TU. other still-polluting operations have long For more information, contact Kelley Willett at been exhausted.

[email protected] or 406.543.0054. courtesy Amy Jimmerson see BONDING, page 3 1 FROM THE CHAIRMAN WINTER/15 very March I find myself thinking For instance, the potential for acid about replenishing my stock of mine drainage from a proposed copper Epreferred flies for fishing my home mine in the headwaters of the Smith MONTANA TU’S river before runoff, the Flathead and River is something all Montanans should is to conserve, its forks. This March, however, be concerned with. The public MISSION I am thinking about how pallid must demand that claims by the protect and restore Montana’s world- sturgeon, aquatic insects, and Clean, mining company that it will not class coldwater fisheries and their habitat on the clear, harm this popular and important watersheds. downstream from Glendive will watershed for fish and wildlife fare in the aftermath of the recent cold and agriculture be validated with Founded in 1964, Montana Trout pipeline break that spilled 39,000 gallons of sound science and adequate financial oil into the frozen river. guarantees. So far that hasn’t occurred. Unlimited is a statewide grassroots Clean, Clear, Cold. We TU members I’m confident that Montana TU’s organization comprised of 13 chapters use these words often in our efforts to keep capable staff, local partners and volunteers and approximately 3,900 TU members. our rivers, lakes and riparian areas pristine in chapters across the state, especially the for watershed health and our native Fly Fishers and Pat Barnes- fishes and wild trout. With increased oil Missouri River TU Chapter, will ensure the www.montanatu.org transport across Montana and two recent Smith, Yellowstone and other vital waters oil pipeline breaks that have, and likely remain clean, clear and cold for future will, continue to affect native species such generations. Thanks for supporting their as the endangered pallid sturgeon, our efforts. TROUT LINE is published quarterly work to keep Montana waters clean, clear, by Montana Trout Unlimited. and cold is more important than ever. EDITING AND DESIGN...... BRUCE FARLING & KATE GRANT LEGISLATURE, from page 1 Montana TU staff and volunteers Legislature created the commission, which are working to pass additional measures, Printed on recycled paper using eco-friendly inks. includes state lawmakers, to negotiate including bills that fund FWP programs these deals. In first House committee. such as the Future Fisheries Improvement © 2015 Montana Council of Trout Unlimited. Program, or, state funded projects to Bills we opposed and helped kill address river problems, such as a grant to help fix the dangerous diversion structure HB 171 – Rep. Doc Moore (R-Missoula). near Woodside on the Bitterroot River. Would have made anglers felons when A number of bills affecting water quality they cross any railroad tracks. rules as well as one that might improve HB 149 – Mike Cuffe (R-Eureka). state regulation of tailings dams at mine Sponsored on behalf of one individual, sites are still in the works. Confirmation of this bill would have automatically allowed new or current FWP Commissioners and large fishing derbies on wild trout rivers members of the board for state parks is and streams. also pending. Stay tuned. SB 203 – Sen. Brad Hamlett (D-Cascade). Check montanatu.org for updates, as This measure would have heavy- well as information on how to contact handedly permitted unreasonable use of your House and Senate members. unregulated exempt wells. SB 362 – Sen. Brad Hamlett (D-Cascade). Montana TU plates are available at Would have created an appeals court for your county motor vehicle office. the water court, further gumming up statewide water adjudication. Currently appeals go to the . HB 182 – Rep. Forest Mandeville (R– Columbus). Required zoning before land uses could be regulated, limiting the use of local regulations to protect streams. 2 Winter 2015 COUNCIL Goodbye, Friends MONTANA OF hough Montana TU’s mission focuses on fish and what they need, our organization runs on people, and awfully good people at that. We were reminded of that again TROUT UNLIMITED Trecently when we lost two very good friends. Carolyn Laws-Roos In late November OFFICERS passed away February Gary Nelson, the 10 at her home in the founding and only CHRIS SCHUSTROM, CHAIRMAN Blackfoot Valley after a chairman of the Whitefish two-year battle with an Jefferson River 862-3440 [email protected] aggressive form of brain Gary Nelson courtesy Dusan Smetana Watershed Council, cancer. Carolyn was a passed on from complications brought on by SHARON SWEENEY FEE, dedicated and revered a stroke. He was 69. A Whitehall native, Gary VICE CHAIRWOMAN board member of the eschewed out-of-state careers in engineering Livingston Carolyn Laws-Roos Big Blackfoot Chapter and teaching and returned to the family 579-7735 [email protected] of TU. She was the consummate volunteer. ranch in the late 1970s. His leadership of If it needed to be done, she did it and she the watershed group was pivotal in building BRIAN NEILSEN, TREASURER did it well. Carolyn worked closely with her bridges between anglers and irrigators. His Great Falls husband Paul Roos, a long-time TU stalwart, fingerprints are on the improvements we have 240-3715 on various initiatives aimed at making the seen in the Jefferson River’s fishery in recent [email protected] upper Blackfoot community, both civic and years. He was an uncommon Montanan and a LYLE COURTNAGE, SECRETARY natural, a better place for all of us. She will be good friend of TU. sorely missed. Billings 671-0572 [email protected] BONDING, from page 1 DAN SHORT, NLC DIRECTOR At the prodding of industry and DEQ, Kalispell the Senate Natural Resources Committee 257-0069 rejected SB 218 10-2. The Montana Mining [email protected] Association spokesperson testified it was impossible for insurance companies to DOUG HAACKE, PAST CHAIRMAN offer surety bonds of this size, and thus the Billings 656-4072 proposed bonding requirement could not be [email protected] met. She omitted telling lawmakers that the courtesy Earthworks law allows companies to also post bonds using Zortman-Landusky Mine in Eastern Montana DAN VERMILLION, NATIONAL TRUSTEE Livingston letters of credit, certificates of deposits and real owners go bankrupt, taxpayers could pay property. 222-0624 millions for reclamation and water management. [email protected] Canyon Resources’ lawyer, which When asked whether the agency was once proposed a huge mine along the adequately bonding mines, DEQ’s spokesman upper Blackfoot River, testified the bill was said unequivocally, yes. The record says MONTANA TU STAFF ridiculous. He neglected to mention his client otherwise. He didn’t mention the agency’s still hasn’t reclaimed its Kendall Mine near 111 N. Higgins Ave., Suite 500 miscalculations at Troy, Beal Mountain, Kendall, Missoula, MT 59802 Lewistown, closed since 1997. Local ranchers the closed Basin Creek mine south of Helena, whose water sources the miners disrupted are and, only obliquely, Zortman-Landusky. Office phone: (406) 543-0054 still waiting for DEQ to finalize reclamation The record is clear: The industry doesn’t and water management plans, and a new want to be responsible for the impacts it BRUCE FARLING bond. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR creates. And the record shows DEQ can’t nudge [email protected] The lobbyist for Tintina Resources, which responsibility. And so when the industry seeks seeks approval for a mine that could produce a new mine in the sensitive headwaters of Smith MARK AAGENES acid mine drainage in the sensitive headwaters River, and DEQ tells us not to worry, the public CONSERVATION DIRECTOR of the , joined the chorus. She should be forgiven for not believing them. [email protected] said everything is just fine and SB 218 is not TU members should thank Sen. Sheehy needed. Moe, as well as Senators Mike Phillips KELLEY WILLETT Industry representatives never mentioned (D-Bozeman) and Christine Kauffman DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT [email protected] that, according to recent agency memos, (D-Helena) for voting for the bill and the Troy Mine, a recently closed, large demonstrating support for clean water and a KATE GRANT underground copper operation, has been more responsible mining industry. Contact PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR bonded for less than 50 percent of what it Montana TU if you want to know who voted [email protected] could cost to button up the site. If the mine’s against SB 218. Montana Trout Unlimited 3 Montana TU’s 2014 Annual Report Thank Youto our supporters who donated between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014 ontana Trout Unlimited’s & Parks from adapting its plan to heavily FINANCIAL REPORT volunteers and staff develop land in the Fish Creek drainage, 2014 OCT. 1, 2013 – SEPT. attended to the many one of the Clark Fork’s most important 30, 2014 M Source of Funds challenges rivers and wild trout faced tributaries. We weighed in with state $354,580 in 2014. Our financial health remains and federal agencies with comments, Special Projects Carryover from strong, and we now have nearly 3,900 TU alternatives and support for fisheries 10% Past Fiscal Years members in the state. While Montana TU protection in the Flathead, Yellowstone, Foundations 5% celebrated its 50th year, we also celebrated Clark Fork, Jefferson and Missouri River 7% Other another victory: Our legal and financial watersheds. 5% assistance contributed to the Montana Fundraisers & TU Chapters Supreme Court’s decision affirming RESTORE Merchandise & Members everyone’s right to access streams from Montana TU continued our 41% 8% Individual Donors public bridges. partnership with a local land trust to 24% restore critical habitat at the mouth CONSERVE of Rock Creek, and we contributed Use of Funds We’ve worked hard to help ensure thousands of restoration dollars for habitat Fundraising $354,580 Habitat the 2015 Montana Legislature ratifies the 8% Restoration & improvement projects in the Bitterroot, Enhancement state’s proposed water compact with the Blackfoot, Clark Fork, Shields and Madison Operations & 28% Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes – River drainages. We also learned that Administration 13% an accord that promises significant fishery wild trout numbers in the upper Jefferson benefits for streams in Northwest Montana River have increased by about 400 percent, Conservation and the Clark Fork watershed. TU members resulting largely from the collaborative Advocacy Communication 30% volunteered hundreds of hours – and & Conservation efforts of our 10-year Jefferson River Education Montana TU invested thousands of dollars Restoration Project partnership with TU 21% – in successful native fish conservation National. projects in the Swan and HOW YOU CAN HELP Yellowstone River watersheds. Montana TU counts on the generosity We also organized another of individuals, foundations and businesses and gratefully welcomes cash gifts, as well as first-rate Conservation and Fly- stocks, securities and estate gifts. fishing Camp at Georgetown • Cash and checks can be sent via post Lake. TU volunteers shared five to Montana TU, P.O. Box 7186, Missoula, days with 20 young anglers to MT 59807. help foster their passions for • Credit card donations, either one-time trout conservation. or recurring, can be made online at www. montanatu.org. PROTECT Contributions to Montana TU are tax Employing technical courtesy Mendelsohn Matt deductible and are used in Montana. For review and grassroots organizing, Montana Thanks to all the dedicated more information, to discuss designating a TU mobilized to oppose a proposed copper volunteers and supporters whose generosity gift to a specific project or for planned gift assistance, please contact Kelley Willett at mine threatening the Smith River’s iconic led to Montana TU’s conservation 406-543-0054. fishery. We launched SmithRiverWatch. successes in 2014. Let’s hear it for another org to share information and updates. 50 years of conserving, protecting and Montana TU’s financial statements are Members and staff helped prevent the restoring Montana’s extraordinary wild reviewed annually by Boyle, Deveny & Meyer PC, an independent CPA firm in Parks Division of Montana’s Fish, Wildlife trout fisheries! Missoula, Montana. MONTANA TU STEWARDSHIP DIRECTORS Dr. Marshall Bloom Bud Lilly Paul Moseley Hamilton, MT Three Forks, MT Missoula, MT Paul Roos K.C. Walsh Lincoln, MT Bozeman, MT Monte Dolack Craig & Jackie Mathews Roy O’Connor Missoula, MT W. Yellowstone, MT Clinton, MT Paul Stanley Bozeman, MT and Dr. Irving Weissman Dr. Stanley Falkow Tom Morgan Drs. Robert & Peggy Piedmont, CA Hamilton, MT and Hamilton, MT and Manhattan, MT Ratcheson Redwood City, CA Portola Valley, CA Hamilton, MT 4 Winter 2015 Thank You to our supporters who donated between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014 Individual Donors Karin Flint Don & Terri Montgomery Steen Simonsen First Cornerstone Robert Flynn Paul Moomaw Brian Sippy Foundation Cody E. Abbott Mark & Ethel Fogelsong Colleen Moore Mark Slovak First Interstate Kathleen & David Agnew William Fraser Bethany Morris Farwell Smith Bancsystem Ingrid E. Akerblom Mike Fredrickson Edward Murphy Ric Smith Foundation, Inc. Bill Anderson Laurice Fritz Harry & Rebecca Murphy John Snively Flathead Valley TU C. Henry & Christine Chapter Robert Fugle Eric Myers Cheryl Sokoloski Anderson The Garden Wall Inn Gabriel Furshong Kent Myers Kris Spanjian Margot Aserlind George Grant TU Julie Gandella Philip & Joanne Naro Paul & Marolyn Stanley Robert Ballard Chapter Douglas & M. Geiger Tammera & Daniel Nauts John Stewart David Baltimore GlaxoSmithKline Craig & Patricia Barfoot David Genter Wesley & Janet Nelson Chris Strainer Foundation David Barger Paul & Margaret Gierach Greg & Ryen Neudecker Sil Strung High Stakes Foundation Ed Bergquist Keith Glaes Bob Nichols Karen & Jim Stutzman Joe Brooks TU Chapter Gregory Black Stuart Goldberg Alan & Nancy Nicholson David Stuver Kuipers & Associates Diana Blank Randy Gray Kelly Niles Clark Throssell Madison-Gallatin TU Dr. Marshall Bloom Mary Anne Guggenheim Victoria Nobles Larry Timchak Chapter Jim Bowerman C. Barrows Hall Roy & Susan O’Connor Greg Tollefson Magic City Fly Fishers Paul Brand R. Terry Hammerschmidt Dan & Jeanne Olson Frederick Tossberg TU Chapter Scott & Charlotte Brooke Patricia Hammick William Palmer Dan Vermillion Maki Foundation Curtis & Carolyn Brown Elizabeth Hanes David Paoli Ann & Robert Von Pentz Missouri River Flyfishers Bill Bruzek Tom Harding Daryl & Sherrie Parker Richard Vorous Montana Wildlife Federation/Phil Tawney Robert Bungarz Charles Hash Reno Parker Kevin Wagner Hunters Conservation Gilbert Burdett Brad Hazlett Robert Pearcy Len Walch Carl & Fenia Hiaasen Harry D. Piatt Jim Wallace Endowment Jeff & Jennifer Camp Mountain Press George Carlson Richard & Suzanne Kathleen Pierce Dave & Lynn Waller Hildner Publishing Co. Eileen Carney Sam & Patti Pleshar Irving Weissman Debbie Hill The Norcross Wildlife John Casbara Donald Podobnik Roy A. Wells Robert E. Hill Foundation Chris & Meghan Cavazos Harry & Cindy Poett Tom Wenke Gary Hines Out in the Cold Mike & Blanche Chapman Robin Poole Anne Wentz Productions Sam Honeyman Mark Connell John Porter Tim Whaling PartnersCreative, Inc. Emily Hoover John Connors Jim Posewitz Steve Wickliffe Pat Barnes-Missouri Michele Hunter David & Patricia Wesley Presnell George Widener River TU Chapter Constable Wynn & Minette Jessup Don & Sandy Putnam Barbara Willett Pew Charitable Trusts Edwin Cook Julie & David Kahl Dean Randash Frank Willett Employee Matching Peter & Christina Donald Kiely John Ratliff Kelley Willett Gifts Program Coppolillo Steve Kinsella Bruce & Paula Rehwinkel Mike & Carrie Willett R & R Enterprises Gordon L. Cox Lawrence & Karen Klee Ruth & Kim Reineking Charles Wilson Rahr Foundation Tim & Kathy Crawford Ronald Krause John Rimel Kendrick R. Wilson Ruby Springs Lodge Howe Crockett Edward LaBudde Bill & Penny Ritchie Robin & Richard Wolcott Salvage Signs Tom Deveny Michael Lancaster W. John Roach Steve Wonacott Schelle Enterprises Bob & Sue Dickenson David R. Langlois Sandra Roe Hugh Zackheim Shennan Family Fund of Dr. Richard Lauritzen Dennis & Mata Rolston the Whitefish Kathleen Docherty- Community Foundation Muzzana C. Stephen Lewis Paul & Carolyn Roos Businesses, Simms Jessica Dorrington James Liedle Richard & Marjorie Foundations & Land M. Lindbergh Rothermel Organizations Snowy Mountain TU Patricia Dowd Chapter Buddy Drake Robert Little Leonard Sauer Clint Loomis Steve Schombel Bank of America Soka Piiwa Foundation David Dreher Charitable Foundation Sweetwater Travel William J. Drury J.B. Lord Margaret & Tony Fred Lurie Schoonen Bayern Brewing Water Legend Robert Dunnagan Big Blackfoot TU Chapter Hydrology Ken & Linda Edwards Charlie Maetzold Jennifer & Tony Schoonen Big Hole Lodge Western Cafe of Thomas Ehlert Matthew Mallow Robert S. Schultz Bitterroot TU Chapter Bozeman Inc. Daniel Ellison & Ben Massion Chris Schustrom Blue Ribbon Flies Elizabeth Fournier Craig & Jackie Mathews Mark Seal The Cinnabar Foundation Gifts in Memorium Ron & Jeanne English Nate McConnell Barry Selle Cortland Line Company Thomas Esch Donald McLellan Douglas P. Beighle Alan Shaw CrossCurrents Fly Shop David Evans Christopher Merker Steve Bryant Ron & Adelaide Shields EdLab Group/National Stan Falkow Curt Meyer John Dale Linduska William Shields Science Foundation Bruce Farling William & Joyce Miller The Stevens Family Dan Short The Fanwood Craig Fellin Dick & Val Monroe Kathy Siegrist Foundation Paul Fickes Kim & Jeff Montag Montana Trout Unlimited 5 Montana Trout Unlimited: 50-plus Years

1984 Declaring that the public 1994 Montana TU hires can use all natural streams in the its first full-time state for recreation, irrespective of executive director. who owns the beds and banks, the Montana Supreme Court rules in 1962-63 favor of the Montana Coalition for Dan Bailey, Bud Stream Access. Lilly, Bud Morris George Grant 1995 Montana Legislature and others begin approves a TU-spawned forming the bill allowing conservation Montana Chapter 1985 1964 1975 The WestSlope Chapter organizations to lease of Trout Unlimited. Trout Unlimited TU leaders Tony Schoonen, helps prevent siting of water rights for instream national formally George Grant and others convince 500-kilovolt BPA power flows. charters the the Montana Legislature to pass line in upper Rock Creek, Montana the landmark “310 law,” which resulting in a $1.6 million Chapter of TU. requires conservation district trust fund for conservation approval for stream modifications. of Rock Creek.

1998 TU national names 1974 MTU its outstanding The Montana Fish and Game Mid-1980s state council. Commission, at the urging of The Bitter Root Chapter Late 1960s state biologists and TU, halts promotes an agreement to TU leads opposition to fish stocking in the Madison dedicate 10,000 acre-feet dam the Yellowstone River River. The nation’s first wild of stored water to instream at Allenspur. Members 1999 fish management policy is soon flows in the Bitterroot River. MTU helps negotiate a advocate for catch-and- adopted for all Montana rivers. The Kootenai Fly Fishers precedent-setting settlement release, fight to clean up chapter helps defeat a for relicensing Avista Corp’s the Yellowstone from proposed re-regulating dam two dams on the lower Clark wastewater discharges, on the Kootenai River. Fork, resulting in tens of and battle harmful logging Mid / Late millions of dollars dedicated on public lands. to restoring native trout 1970s populations. Butte-based TU members lead a The Independent Record (Helena, Montana) · Thu, Oct 16, 1975 · Page 15 campaign that kills the Reichle Dam Downloaded on Oct 24, 2014 proposal on the Big Hole River.

Clipped By: The Allenspur Dam proposal dies. kate202 Fri, Oct 24, 2014

Copyright © 2014 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved. Butte-area TU members organize the Montana Coalition for Stream Access, responding to landowner attempts to prevent access to the Dearborn and Beaverhead Rivers. Big Hole River 6 Winter 2015 of Trout Conservation MONTANA TROUT UNLIMITED CHAPTERS 2001 MTU partners with & PRESIDENTS TU national to create BITTERROOT CHAPTER #080 the Jefferson River Ross Rademacher, Corvallis 522-9816 Restoration Project, [email protected] leading to major www.brtu.org/blog/ improvements in the BIG BLACKFOOT CHAPTER #544 river’s trout fishery. Scott Gordon, Seeley Lake 546-8420 Stream access hearing in Helena [email protected] www.bbctu.org FLATHEAD VALLEY CHAPTER #085 2011 Larry Timchak, Kalispell 250-7473 2006 MTU’s lobbying and [email protected] MTU prevails in a landmark Montana organizing defeats the www.flatheadtu.org Supreme Court case establishing that “ditch bill,” which aimed GEORGE GRANT CHAPTER #183 groundwater connected to surface water is to undermine the state’s Rich Day, Butte 723-2307 subject to basin closures on new surface- [email protected] stream access law. www.georgegranttu.org water rights. JOE BROOKS CHAPTER #025 Amy Schilling, Livingston 223-2244 [email protected] www.joebrookstu.org KOOTENAI VALLEY CHAPTER #683 Mike Rooney, Libby 293-1947 [email protected]

LEWIS & CLARK CHAPTER #656 PO Box 903 Sheridan, MT 59749 www.lctu.org

MADISON-GALLATIN CHAPTER #024 Mark Peterson, Bozeman 595-1409 Attorney General Steve Bullock, Senator Kendall Van [email protected] Dyk, Governor Brian Schweitzer and Mark Aagenes www.mgtu.org celebrate passage of the bridge access bill. MAGIC CITY FLY FISHERS #582 2009 Lyle Courtnage, Billings 896-1824 MTU efforts result in legislation affirming [email protected] the rights of recreationists to use county www.mcffonline.org bridge right of ways to enter rivers. MISSOURI RIVER FLYFISHERS Paul Considine, Great Falls 595-7460 2004 [email protected] MTU leads the effort 2014 PAT BARNES/MISSOURI RIVER to defeat an industry- Cleanup and restoration CHAPTER #055 Lee Ricks, Helena 465-7295 funded ballot initiative begin in the mining- [email protected] that would have put the damaged headwaters of www.patbarnestu.org Blackfoot River at risk the Blackfoot River, the SNOWY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER #610 from a huge open- pit culmination of more Mike Chapman, Lewistown 538-2517 cyanide leach mine. than 25 years of MTU [email protected] advocacy. WESTSLOPE CHAPTER #056 Jamie Short, Missoula 728-0630 MTU celebrates 50th [email protected] www.WestSlopeChapterTU.org TU volunteer with young anglers Anniversary. Montana Trout Unlimited 7 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID MISSOULA, MT PERMIT NO. 569

Montana Coucil of Trout Unlimited PO BOX 7186 MISSOULA, MT 59807 THIS ISSUE: Update: MT Legislature Page 1 ------50-Year MTU Timeline Page 6 ------2014 Annual Report Pages 4-7

WINTER TROUT LINE 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS www.montanatu.org 3/19/15 F3T Film Festival in Livingston George Grant TU Banquet 6:30 p.m. at the Shane Lalani Theater, 415 E. Lewis St. Doors open 5:30 4/11/15 5-9 p.m. at Star Lanes Event Center, 4601 Harrison Ave. in Butte. p.m. for social gathering and silent auction. All proceeds benefit Joe Silent & live auctions, raffles, dining and more. Contact Mike Brooks TU Chapter. Discount tickets available at Livingston-area fly shops. Thompson at 406-593-1058. Contact David Young at [email protected] or 406-223-7085. Bitterroot TU Public Meeting 4/23/15 MSU Library Lecture: Trout and Salmonid Studies 3/19/15 7 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 203 State St. in Hamilton. Bruce Farling presents, 7 p.m. at Hager Auditorium in Museum of the Rockies, 600 W. “A Copper Mine in the Headwaters of the Smith River: Really?” Contact Kagy Blvd. in Bozeman. Keynote speaker is Chris Wood, president [email protected]. and CEO of Trout Unlimited. Free and open to public. Contact MSU Library at 406-994-3119. 3/28/15 MCFF Fly Fishing Expo and Banquet at the Bighorn Resort, 1801 Majestic Lane in Billings. Trade show 9 a.m.-3 Pat Barnes-Missouri River TU Banquet p.m. with auction and banquet 5-9 p.m. Proceeds benefit Magic City Fly 4/25/15 6-9:30 p.m. at the Gateway Center, 1710 National Ave. in Helena. Fishers TU Chapter. Tickets at ticketriver.com. Event includes raffle tables, live and silent auctions and a catered meal. Tickets available in Helena-area fly shops. Contact Fly Tying and Fishing Seminar in Butte [email protected]. 3/28/15 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m at Perkins Restaurant, 2900 Harrison Ave. Sponsored by the George Grant Chapter of TU, featuring Kelly Galloup – famous fly fishing guide and t.v. host. Free and open to the public; donations 4/25/15 Down the Hatch Fly Fishing Festival appreciated. Contact Bob Olson at 406-560-3791 or [email protected]. 3-6 p.m. at Caras Park in Missoula, with music, Big Sky Brewery beer, free swag and gear demos. $10 tickets to Orvis Film Fest at WestSlope Chapter Meeting 7 p.m. in The Wilma Theatre include raffle entry, with prizes big 4/8/15 6:30p.m. fly tying and socializing; 7 p.m. presentation at the DoubleTree and small. Proceeds benefit TU’s Wild Steelhead initiative and the Hotel, 100 Madison St. in Missoula. Local guides feature, “Local River WestSlope TU Chapter. Info and tickets at TheWilma.com. Secrets.” Contact [email protected]. WANT OVER 3,800 MONTANA TU MEMBERS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EVENT? www.facebook.com/ Please contact the Missoula office at 888-504-0054 or [email protected] to get the word out in Trout Line montanatu 8