Category: Events
NRVTU Members & Friends,
Hope the snow isn’t piled up too deep for you! I suppose we may have jumped the gun on our “thaw-out” event earlier this month… I would like to thank all that came out to hear Bruce Ingram speak, we had a good time and appreciate him joining us for the evening. We have a lot more exciting events coming up this Spring and we always need additional volunteers, so please join us if you can! Our calendar of events is shown below, all are welcome.
Our March Chapter Meeting will be held next Wednesday, March 4th at 7pm at the Montgomery County Government Center in Christiansburg. We will have a pre-meeting meal at Due South BBQ at 6:00pm. The address for the Government Center can be found on the chapter website: https://nrvtu.wordpress.com/ Please bring your fly tying vise and materials so we can tie some flies for door prizes at the upcoming Blood Knot Film Showing at the Lyric in April.
As mentioned above we’ll be sponsoring a film event at the Lyric Theater in Blacksburg on Thursday, April 2nd. This will be a Fly Fishing Film Tour type of event with a fun atmosphere in a great location. This event will take the place of our regularly scheduled meeting in April. We’re still working out a few of the details of the event but it should be a fantastic evening, so please mark your calendar and plan to attend with friends. We will be showing the award winning Blood Knot put together by the talented folks at TwoFisted Heart and Mossy Creek Fly Fishing. The Trow brothers of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing will be joining us for the event to introduce the film and for a short Q&A afterwards. Also planned for the event are numerous door prizes, some great raffle items, we’re working on having a local brewery join us to serve refreshments, and we plan to show a teaser for a film the VT Fly Fishing Club is working on. Proceeds from the event will be split between NRVTU and the VT Fly Fishing Club’s fundraiser for Project Healing Waters.
Also, we are actively looking for new stream conservation/restoration projects in the NRV, so if you have any leads, please let us know.
Cheers,
Jason Williams
NRVTU President
(540)391-0277
Upcoming Calendar of Events
February 26 – Planning meeting for the Blood Knot showing. We’ll meet at Bull and Bones at 6:00, all are welcome.
February 26 – 8:00-9:00pm TU online training “TroutBlitz – How to Help Monitor Local Trout Populations with a Fly Rod”. Click Here to sign up.
March 4 – Regular monthly meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center and dinner at Due South.
March 28 – Renew the New‘s Ramps N Roads Cleanup, the group will be cleaning boat ramps and roads in Giles County. Meet at Eastern Elementary School at 9am, lunch will be provided.
March 28 – Smith River TU‘s Smith River Cleanup, contact Al Kittredge at aakitt@earthlink.net for more info.
April 1 – No regular meeting.
April 2 – Blood Knot at the Lyric. Additional information to follow, contact Jason if you would like to help out with the planning committee at jwilly160@gmail.com Start spreading the word and let’s have a full house for this event!
April 11 – Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Event in conjunction with the Virginia Tech Fly Fishing Club to be held on the South Holston River in Tennessee. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please contact Andrew Loffredo for additional information at loffrean@vt.edu
April 18 – Elkhorn Creek Clean-up in conjunction with WV TU. Additional volunteers needed, we will carpool up from the NRV, contact Jason at jwilly160@gmail.com for additional information. We usually clean-up for half a day, have lunch provided, then fish in the afternoon.
April 18 – Trailblazer event at the Blue Ridge Scout Reservation in Hiwassee put on by the U.S. Sportsman’s Alliance, they have requested volunteers to teach flyfishing to kids. Please contact Keilee Guthrie at kguthrie@ussportsmen.org or (740)590-9096 for additional information. As an aside, folks that participate in this would get the chance to visit a property that has 17,500+ acres and several miles of wild trout streams open for hunting and fishing. We may even be able to identify potential conservation projects that we could team up with the Boy Scouts on.
April 18 – Southeast Regional TU meeting in Asheville, NC
May 6 – Regular monthly meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center and dinner at Due South.
June 6 – Mid-Atlantic Regional TU meeting in Frederick, MD
September 16-20 – TU Annual Meeting in Scranton, PA
Date TBD – Big Stony Creek Cleanup
Announcement: New River Valley Trout Unlimited “Thaw-Out” Special Event
When / Where / Time: Wednesday, February 4, Montgomery County Government Center, Christiansburg, 7PM
Guest Speaker: Bruce Ingram, Noted Author and Outdoor Writer
Topic: Hotspots and Tactics on the Upper New River and the Headwaters of the James Rivers
Q & A: Your chance to get the facts and inside tips for those “out of the way” but close places with any rig
Free Special Door Prize: Float Trip for 2 with Wes Hodges. Enjoy fishing with one of the best guides on the New River for Smallmouth and Muskie
Our Speaker: Bruce Ingram probably needs no introduction. He is our own gifted outdoor writer, author, and photographer home based in Botetourt.
Over his 31 year career, Bruce has written 5 books and authored more than 2100 magazine stories. Virginia Wildlife, American Angler and Fly Fisherman
are just a few of the publications that highlight his good work. Mr. Ingram’s ” Guide to the Best Smallmouth Rivers in VA and WV is a “must read”!
Bruce and his wife, Elaine Ingram were recently named 2014 Land Savers of the Year by the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, so he “walks the talk” too.
Our chapter is delighted to present this memorable, no charge event to our membership and their friends and family as a benefit of their involvement with Trout Unlimited. Please contact: Pete Jackson at highpond1@hotmail.com if you have any questions. Seating is limited so come early.
A great evening will be had by ALL !!!
NRVTU Members & Friends,
Happy New Year! I hope everyone is having a great holiday season! Please join us for our next chapter meeting. Our January Chapter Meeting will be held this Wednesday, January 7th at 7pm at the Montgomery County Government Center in Christiansburg. We will have a pre-meeting meal at Due South BBQ at 6:00pm. The address for the Government Center can be found on the chapter website: https://nrvtu.wordpress.com/
This should be a good meeting as we’ll lay out our big plans for 2015, including potential conservation projects, a stream cleanup or two, a Project Healing Waters event, the TIC Program, and our yearly fundraiser. Also, please mark your calendars for the February 4th meeting, we’ll have our “Thawout” event and will be featuring Bruce Ingram as a speaker.
Cheers,
Jason
NRVTU Chapter President
(540)391-0277
NRVTU Members,
As discussed at our most recent meeting we will be submitting comments and suggestions to the potential developers of this pipeline. I don’t believe that many of us think this pipeline is a good idea, however if it is going to come through, we at least want them to minimize impact to our streams, mountains, and public lands. It is our hope that the comments we develop will be incorporated into the federal permitting and development requirements as part of the NEPA process. Below is a link to their website where you can review the proposed route, currently this crosses Big Stony, Little Stony, Mill Creek (Montgomery County), NF Roanoke River, among others. I would like to ask that you all take a few minutes to review this proposal and submit ideas/comments back to nrvtroutunlimited@gmail.com for incorporation into our letter. Please try to have these comments back to us as soon as possible, hopefully that will allow us to have a draft by our next meeting date of December 3.
http://mountainvalleypipeline.info/
We are also in the process of reaching out to TU National, the Virginia Council, and our neighboring chapters to make sure our responses are coordinated.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask and in the meantime if you have any additional information on this, please pass it on.
Thanks,
Jason Williams
NRVTU President
NRVTU Members & Friends,
Please join us for our chapter meeting this week. Our December Chapter Meeting will be held Wednesday, December 3rd at 7pm at the Montgomery County Government Center in Christiansburg. We will have a pre-meeting meal at Due South BBQ at 6:00pm.
Bring your vise for a tying session! Garrett will also demonstrate how to tie his favorite rabbit streamer for bass as well as Russ Madden’s Circus Peanut for bass and big trout so if you have any extra lead eyes, chenille, schlappen, rubber legs, or rabbit in your favorite colors feel free to bring them along as well.
In addition to tying flies we will be discussing general chapter business including progress on the chapter’s response to the recently proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Jason
NRVTU Chapter President
(540)391-0277
This Sunday, August 17th is the NRVTU 3rd Annual Riverfest Banquet! Anyone, TU member or not is encouraged to come out and support the chapter with food, fun, and prizes generously donated by members of our community and the outdoor industry. The event is held at Sinkland Farms in Riner and begins at 4pm. The event is 35$/person, 60$/couple and 30$ for students for all you can eat and a chance to participate in the auction and raffles. For directions to Sinkland please visit: http://www.sinklandfarms.com/contactus.html
Riverfest is the main fundraising event for our chapter and 100% of the proceeds goes to local conservation efforts.
To RSVP please e-mail Pete at Highpond1@hotmail.com and we hope to see you there!
Upcoming Schedule
June 4 – NRVTU Regular Monthly Meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center & meal at Due South.
June 13-15 – Dates for Shenandoah National Park Trip to the Rapidan River.
ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT! Email Arnold at abgraboyes@gmail.com to reserve a spot, the cabin will sleep 6 comfortably, first come/first served, we can explore an additional cabin if this one fills up. It will be about $50/person for the lodging for the weekend. http://rapidancamps.org/rapidan/
July 2 – NRVTU Regular Monthly Meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center & meal at Due South. (May change venue, TBD)
July 9, 16, & 23 – Tentative dates for the second year run of our fly fishing classes.
August 6 – NRVTU Regular Monthly Meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center & meal at Due South. (May change venue, TBD)
August 16 – Motor Mile Speedway Outdoor Expo
August 17 – Date for the 3rd Annual NRVTU Banquet
Hope you can join us for some of these events, the more the merrier!
All,
This is a lengthy update, so please bear with me. 🙂
Our apologies for having to reschedule the Big Stony workday again, but the holes for the trees weren’t done and it looks like a washout anyway. So, we hope you’ll join us next weekend for that! We also have our regular monthly meeting this coming Wednesday, April 2nd which will include a free meal at Due South provided by NWF. If you’re trying to decide between one or the other, pick the workday, but we hope to see you at both!
Our chapter is considering signing on to a policy letter regarding climate change, that letter can be found at this link: Policy Letter The letter has already been signed on by TU National. Please let me know if you have comments on this or feel strongly one way or the other.
Also, TU is actively working on a women’s initiative to increase and retain new women members. We know women fish and care about conservation, but our membership doesn’t currently reflect that balance. That said TU is currently offering free membership to new women members for the first year and a discounted rate for the second year of membership. The link to this free membership offer is: https://gifts.tumembership.org/women Not be left out, new male members can join for a discounted rate at: https://www.tumembership.org/member/intro Please share these links to help grow our membership! We are chapter #207.
Upcoming Schedule
April 2 – NRVTU Regular Monthly Meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center in Christiansburg, meeting at 7:00, meal at 6:00 at Due South. This month’s meal will be free thanks to Jay Chancellor and the National Wildlife Federation, members of the local Ducks Unlimited Chapter will also be invited to this dinner for a continued discussion on climate change.
April 5 – The Big Stony Creek Workday has been rescheduled. We need 20+ folks, so don’t be bashful!
Please bring gloves. Other tools that would be helpful to bring if you have them: fence post driver, sledge hammer, fence pliers/wire cutters, and round nose shovel. We will plant 75 trees and fence them for protection from beavers and other wildlife. We will meet at 9am at the main parking lot at Glen Alton. Click here for directions from Blacksburg. The plan will be to work until about 1:00, have a bbq lunch, then fish the rest of the afternoon. You are welcome to invite friends or other groups to join us for this workday!
Please RSVP by responding to this poll (http://doodle.com/6rumtddicpue43qf) so we can get a headcount for lunch.
April 12 – Elkhorn Creek Cleanup (with WVTU) Click here for more information.
We will carpool up from Blacksburg. The general plan will be to work for 1/2 day, lunch provided, then fish for 1/2 day. We have about 5 folks signed up for this already.
Please email jwilly160@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining us for this.
April 12 – Virginia Council TU Meeting
This is being held in conjunction with the VA fly fishing and wine festival in Waynesboro.
Please let us know if you are interested in representing NRVTU at this meeting.
April 26 – Traliblazer Event at Camp Powhatan, Hiwassee, VA
Need 2+ volunteers to work with Boy Scouts on fly fishing, fly tying, stream ecology, etc. We have displays and equipment to use if we can find volunteers for this opportunity.
Email Keilee Guthrie for more information, kguthrie@ussportsmen.org
April 26 – DAV/Project Healing Waters Event, Martinsville, VA put on by Smith River TU, Arrive at 11, lunch at 12, followed by fishing with Vets
Please contact Houston at chwiedlejr@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering for this and he will coordinate.
May 7 – NRVTU Regular Monthly Meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center & meal at Due South.
May 30-June 1 – Mid-Atlantic Regional TU Meeting in State College, PA
June 4 – NRVTU Regular Monthly Meeting at the Montgomery County Government Center & meal at Due South.
June 13-15 – Tentative dates for Shenandoah National Park Trip to the Rapidan River.
Email Arnold at abgraboyes@gmail.com to reserve a spot.
August 17 – Tentative date for the 3rd Annual NRVTU Banquet
Hope you can join us for some of these events, the more the merrier!
Cheers,
Jason
All,
We will get together at Lynn Hayes’ place in Pembroke this Sunday 1/19 from 1-4 to tie some flies and watch football. Please email if you’re interested and we’ll get you directions.
There is still a spot or two left for the trip that Lynn is planning for Jan. 28-29. It will involve a stay overnight and fishing both days. Attendees will split the cost of the lodge ($85) in addition to a $100/ea rod fee. Lynn has offered to cook and the fishing is great! Please contact Lynn at lehfish@gmail.com if you’re interested or would like some more information.
Also, please join us in three weeks for our February Chapter Meeting. It will be held Wednesday, February 5th at 7pm at the Montgomery County Government Center in Christiansburg. Please see the chapter website for directions (https://nrvtu.wordpress.com/). We’ll have a pre-meeting meal at Due South BBQ at 6:00pm to socialize and talk fishing. We’ll discuss some of our ongoing projects and what we have planned for the upcoming year.
Also, a reminder that we have set the spring workday on Big Stony for Saturday March 15th, so please reserve that day on your calendars.
Houston Wiedle, one of our members, has stepped up to lead our group’s outreach to local Veterans and Wounded Warriors. If you are interested in taking a Veteran fishing or helping with Wounded Warriors/Project Healing Waters events, please contact Houston at chwiedlejr@gmail.com
Cheers,
Jason
New River Valley Trout Unlimited 