4 Dec. Mike Stangl - "White Clay Creek Trout Management "

Mike is a biologist with Delaware Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. For several years he has studied WCC -- recording temperatures and electro-fishing with an eye toward new management policies.

8 Jan. '02 Wendell Ozefovich - "Trout Behavior"

Every year we look for something new to spice up our programs. This year THIS IS IT! Ozzie is a director with Central Jersey TU and has some unique high-resolution video of trout behavior taken on eastern streams. Other TU chapters who have seen it rave about his work.

5 Feb. Mike Starke - "Strategies for Saltwater Flyfishing"

Mike guides on nearby waters of the NJ coast. He has had several articles published in "Fly Fishing in Saltwaters" and has written a book on saltwater flyfishing which is due out this spring.

16 Mar. Delaware TU Banquet -- Brandywine Country Club

Mark your calendars now. We plan drinks, dinner and a good time. Jerry Stercho (co-publisher of the MidAtlantic Fly Fishing Guide) will talk about fly fishing in Argentina. We already have collected lots of great tackle, which will be auctioned or raffled at this event. There are more details inside the newsletter. Tickets will be available at Open meetings or by calling TU board members.

2 Apr. Barry Staats -- "Ridley Creek"

Barry runs the Sporting Gentleman flyshop in Media, PA. Although he has traveled extensively and has fished for more exotic species, tonight he'll describe trout fishing that is available in our backyards on Ridley Creek.

John McMinn -President

(302)695-2237 Work

John Deemer -Vice President

(302)239-7577 Home

(610)364-8102 Work

Joe Nowak - Secretary

Ken Foust Webmaster

(410)658-2074 Home

Rick Stephens Video Librarian

and Stocking Coordinator

Russ Jones

John Foskey Banquet Chair

Chapter News -- John McMinn

On the last chapter roster that I received from TU's national office I noted that we now number 250 members. This is a big number of sporting conservationists to which we add another 50 nonmembers that attend our open meetings each year. I'm anxious to hear from you and see you over the next few months as our regular meeting schedule resumes because your chapter needs your help. Please give me a call if you contribute of your time, talent or treasures to any of the following projects. I bet that at least one will interest you.

Spring Banquet - contact John Foskey

This past year's banquet was held on March 10, 2001 at the Terrace at Greenhill. As it was in 2000, the event was a big success for the chapter and a lot of fun for those who attended. It was so much fun in fact we're already looking forward to this season's banquet in March 2002.

The banquet attracted 65 people, including many wives and children. There were many raffle items donated by local businesses, far too many to list here. Most were items of interest to the outdoors oriented, including Orvis 3 and 9 weight fly fishing outfits. The highlights of the evening were a slide presentation on fly-fishing given by Greg Mentzer. Greg did a marvelous job entertaining fisherman and non-fisherman alike. We also some unexpected excitement during the rod raffles. Larry Duckwall's ticket was pulled, but he immediately donated it back to the chapter and auctioned it off on the spot.

Thanks to all those who attended the banquet last March, we look forward to having you back. This year invite a friend or better yet reserve a table for a group of friends. Thanks also to those who donated raffle items. The chapter has many strong supporters both businesses and individuals. Without their help we just couldn't put together the programs that we do. The chapter gratefully accepts your tax-deductible donations of cash or of objects suitable for use as raffle items or door prizes. This year the chapter has several discount offers from equipment manufacturers. Your cash donation can be used to buy this tackle which goes into our banquet fund raisers. This is a great way for us to leverage your contribution. Fly tiers - we need your talents. This year we will have an array of donated flies available for auction or raffle.

Note: this season's banquet will be on March 16, 2002 at the Brandywine Country Club at 6:00PM. The format will be similar to last year's and the program will feature Jerry Stercho giving a slide presentation on Argentina. It promises to be a big night. Tickets will go on sale at the January open meeting.

Conservation Notes -- contact John Deemer

At the 15 watershed forums held in the spring of 2001 by the PaDEP, the overwhelming concern identified by the forum participants was stormwater management. This concern was evident at the November 5, 2001 watershed forum, which was held in Kennett Square for the White Clay, Red Clay and Brandywine Creek watersheds. An additional concern, which was voiced at this forum, was the control of run-off from facilities associated with the mushroom industry. A cursory examination of the stream flows in each of the referenced streams reveals that the base flows for these streams have been severely impacted by the recent drought. PaDEP has published a draft version of the Proposed Comprehensive Stormwater Management Policy in response to the results of the forums and additional controls mandated under the federal Clean Water Act. PaDEP is proposing a best management practices (BMPs) approach to stormwater control. BMPs are permit conditions that prevent or control pollutant discharges and include: schedules of activities, maintenance procedures, etc. The approach is designed to reduce pollutants, recharge groundwater, enhance stream base flow during droughts, reduce flash floods and stream bank erosion. A key feature of this plan is the requirement for post construction stormwater management Discharge permits known as NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits will now be required for earth disturbances between 1 & 5 acres and for some 700 municipal storm sewer system discharges.

Stocking -- contact Rick Stephens

    Every spring, our home water is stocked with trout that give local flyfishermen a 3/4 mile stretch to enjoy months of trout fishing just minutes from home. This annual stocking is performed entirely by volunteers who take a few hours to walk the trout upstream and place fish in favorite holding areas of White Clay Creek for everyone to pursue. The stream is stocked the 5 days prior to opening Saturday and once a week following opening day for several weeks providing fish for the angler well into the summer months. Stocking is necessary to provide trout upstream in the flyfishing area, and volunteers are necessary to perform this annual assignment. If you are able to help us stock the White Clay Creek or if you would like more information regarding stocking, please contact Rick Stephens (H) 302-455-9141. Last spring the following people provided their time to stock White Clay Creek: Dick Stephens, Henry and Mark Gonzalez, Mark Parrish, Daryl Hurd, Matt Vento, Blake Rohm, Pat Stevenson, Dan Watros, Nick Riggiri, Brian Poole, Jason Shuster, Dick Ulak, Bruce Grace, Gary McCall, Bill Dunne, Ed O' Donnell, Tony Baker, Rich Ferenz and Rick Stephens. A sincere thank you to all who stocked Spring of 2001.

DETU Video Library -- Rick Stephens

We currently have a selection of videos ranging in subject from Instructional Fly-Casting and How to Tie Flies to Conservation to Destination Angling and Adventure Travel. All videos are available at our open meetings; however, when a borrower fails to return a video promptly all others miss the viewing opportunity. Please observe our return policy and bring your videos back to the next monthly meeting. Call me with suggestions or to arrange a return at 455-9141.

DETU has a record of support of programs and organizations, which foster themes of long-term conservation and broad enjoyment of fishing resources. This year we made donations to two organizations: Delaware Nature Society and Stroud Water Research.

DE TU is on the Web. Keep up-to-date on chapter events by checking into our site. Thanks to Ken Foust for maintaining this site.

Printing / mailing newsletters costs $400/year. If you would prefer to get mailings electronically contact the chapter at our new address:

Our mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. We accomplish this mission on local, state and national levels with an extensive and dedicated volunteer network. The national office, based just outside of Washington, D.C., employs professionals who testify before Congress, publish TU's quarterly magazine, intervene in federal legal proceedings and work with TU's 100,000 grassroots volunteers in 450 chapters nationwide to keep them active and involved in conservation issues.

Beyond supporting this important conservation mission your $30 regular membership provides other benefits: one-year subscription to TROUT magazine

TU Calendar

Official TU membership card

Car rental & hotel discounts

Personalized TU address labels

TU decal

Local chapter membership

Join or Renew Toll-free: 1-800-834-2419 or check out the website at: http://www.tu.org/

Delaware Trout Unlimited

c/o John McMinn

118 St. Regis Drive

Newark, DE 19711