Trout Unlimited |
Quinnipiac Chapter of Connecticut | Newsletter | MAY/JUNE
QUINNIPIAC NEWSLETTER: MAY/JUNE 2001
Newsletter Editor: Ed Albrecht
Web Editor: Julie Carruthers
Modified from the Quinnipiac TU Flyer Volume No. 1, Issue No. 6
Big or Small, We protect them all!
If you have Internet access and would prefer to get
your Newsletter online let the Editor know and we
will put you on the E-Newsletter list.
President's Message
At our last formal meeting for the season in April President, Jim Creamer
presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Tim Barry from the DEP for his
informative talk on the work of the DEP in trout rearing and stocking,
and on the proposed new regulations for trout fisheries in the State. Mr.
Barry emphasized the role of TU members in assisting the Department with
practical matters such as stocking rivers, in ensuring that TU interests
are well represented when new regulations are being discussed, and in making
their voice heard when political issues such as staffing levels and funding
for renovation of the Burlington Hatchery are on the table. He also suggested
that the Chapter should consider getting a live cart or carts that would
greatly assist stocking operations.
Conservation News
TU Participates in Earth Day Source-To-Sound Cleanup.
Although it was opening day of fishing
season Ed Albrecht, Pete and Anna Hallemeier,
Julie Carruthers, the entire family of Rich Zeisko
and even some recruited family friends of Rich and
Laura met at the Cheshire park pavillion. From the
park, we were deployed to one of two sites to
cleanup in Cheshire. It should be mentioned that
Southington, Wallingford, and Meriden and all of
the towns right to the Sound had their own cleanup
programs in place. The site we went to near 691
had abandoned burned out cars, old transmissions,
a hood from a 1956 "caddy", dropped off furniture,
refrigerators, tents, pool liners, and tires. When I was a
kid this place would have been called a dump!
Unfortunately, countless slobs have subjected this
site to land abuse over the years. I would only
assume that people thought it was OK to dump
there because other slobs dumped there. We even
found an old Volkswagen that was pushed down
into the 10-mile brook. TU has contacted the town
of Cheshire requesting the town pull the old cars
out of the stream. Along with QRWA (the sponsor),
the Boy Scouts, TU, and concerned citizens went
armed with gloves and plastic bags and today the
town of Cheshire is a whole lot cleaner due to the
efforts of everyone who gave up a couple of hours
on opening day!
Thanks go out to QRWA and the Boy Scouts who
treated everyone to a cookout at the end of the day.
If you would be interested in future cleanups either
call Ed Albrecht 203-271-1103 or e-mail me
@[email protected] or any officers of the club
listed in the newsletter.
Quinnipiac Tu Stocks the Mill
Thanks go out to Paul Horvath (my nephew) Joe Assunto, Julie
Carruthers, Mike Sivek, Stephen Ortiz, Ed Albrecht, the DEP and
Hamden s Public Works Dept.
It was a raw, rainy day but everyone who came had a great time
and actually the DEP allowed us to put the
fish (4000+) where we thought best. It was a mix
between Rainbows and Browns with some very large fish
that went into the Mill River. We are ready for another
good year on the "Mill", one of my favorite rivers and
actually where I started fly fishing. I am still learning
but this is a wonderful wadeable river and within 15
minutes of my home (Cheshire). This river has active
Mayfly, Henricks, and Olive hatches during the season. I
understand from Mike Sivek that my group got the easy
part of the River. I do appreciate the fact that we had
the easy part since I also did the Fisherman's cleanup on
the Quinnipiac two days later. This will be the first of
three stocking this year so if you are interested in
participating in this activity contact Ed Albrecht (203)
271-1103. The stocking is done on week days. To learn
more about stocking programs you can always come to
one of our monthly meetings held every third Sunday of
the month at the American Legion Post 88 3005 Dixwell
Avenue Hamden. The meetings are open to the public
and membership is open to anyone who is interested in
conservation and fishing and meeting some great people.
The last meeting ,April 22nd featured Tim Barry from
the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and
he talked on the Trout Stocking Program, Trout Trophy
Lakes and updates in Fishing Regulations for 2002.
Announcements:
Reports from our meeting April 18th, 2001:
Report of the Vice-President for the Quinnipiac River:
Ron Graziani reported that a highly successful preliminary clean-up
operation took place on the Quinnipiac on Saturday April 14th. Ron
and Steve van Ness of the QRWA organized this, which concentrated on
a quarter mile stretch of the river in the Plantsville area. QRWA provided
gloves, shirts, and bags for collecting trash. TU members who participated
included Ron, Ed Albrecht, Bill Luty, Jack Neumann, and Rick Zelisko.
QRWA members included John Benoit (also a TU member), Greg Brezicki and
Dave Crooks.
The major QRWA clean-up took place the following Saturday on multiple
sections of the river. TU members who participated included Ed Albrecht,
Rich Zelisko's entire family as well as some friends they recruited,
the Hallemeiers, and Julie Carruthers. This highly successful event
was organized with military precision and advance planning that can
serve as a useful model for future TU operations.
On April 18th Ron and Rich Zelisko assisted in stocking the upper
Quinnipiac, and the following day Ron, Jack Nicholson, and Dave Winter assisted
in stocking the lower stretches. Photographs showing TU members in action
and the debris they removed from the river were displayed, as were
the excerpts from the press documentation on the activity and TU's
role in it. Congratulations to all on the work and the publicity!
Ron noted that the Southern Connecticut Water Authority provides
access to a series of ponds and rivers, including some fishing areas
and hiking trails, for a relatively small annual fee.
Report of the Vice-President for the Mill River:
Julie Carruthers would like to encourage members to
to record details about fishing on the Quinnipiac, Mill
and West Rivers during this season, with a
view to collating the information into a guidebook.
Download and use this form as a guideline for your reports.[form]
Report of the Secretary:
Members were encouraged to respond to the questionnaire
regarding their preferences for days and
times of meetings for the period beginning in the fall
that is included in the last edition of the Newsletter,
and to indicate to the Editor if they would be
comfortable receiving their Newsletters electronically.
Report of the Treasurer:
Peter Hallemeier summarized the state of the accounts.
From January 1st to April 22nd, receipts amounted to $637.00
and expenses to $866.59, with a net deficit of
$229.59 and a balance in the account of $1,995.41. He
pointed out that at present we are running at a deficit
of approximately $75 per month, and that to cover
anticipated costs of the newsletter we need to obtain
an additional income of $250 per month. Possible
ways to achieve this were discussed. Peter also tabled
a letter from a member of the Chapter, Richard Bell,
who has been actively involved in salmon restoration,
offering to share his experiences at a Chapter meeting.
Report of the Newsletter publisher:
Albrecht reported that if new arrangements have to be made
for printing, we may incur an additional
monthly cost of $175. Rich Zelisko and Joe Assunto
undertook to look into possible solutions.
Mike Sivek proposed that a coupon should be included in the
newsletter which when brought to the next
meeting would be used in a draw for a prize, as an
encouragement to members to attend. The proposal
was carried.
Report of the Chair of the Fisheries Committee:
Ed Albrecht reported that in addition to the stocking
and clean-up operations on the Quinnipiac, noted
above, he, Joe Assunto, Julie Carruthers, Steve Ortiz
and Mike Sivek assisted in stocking some 4,000 trout
in the Mill River. He anticipates additional stocking
later in the year.
Additional comments of the meeting:
Special Projects:
A motion was carried to hold a 50-ticket raffle for
$1,000 worth of gear at Cubeta s at $20 per ticket in
September. Will Mraz advised on how best to do this.
Plans for a dinner or fundraiser were deferred. It was
agreed that this should not take place around
December. October and February, or March are under
consideration.
Membership!
Our new MEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSON is Jay Gates.
Please renew your membership for this year if you haven't already done so. Please
mail your renewals to the chapter address, not the national site. For information
contact Jay Gates
Moving?
If you'd like your newsletter forwarded to your new address or would like to
contact the local chapter of TU in that area, Please contact TU National
to update your mailing address. The newsletter is unable to do this for
you. Contact:
Wendy Reed
Trout Unlimited 1500 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22209-2310
1-703-284-9421 or email: [email protected]
The new address of our website is www.quinnipiactu.org.
Calendar of Events
June 29th - July 1st:
The Farmington Valley Chapter Fly-Fishing Camp-Out
at the wilderness campground at Indian Hollow Campgrounds,
Huntington, MA for CT TU members and their families. Information
from Jerry Bannock (860-793-9929 or 1-800-282-3827 daytime Tues-
Sat).
May 5th � July 29th:
The Springfield Science Museum is hosting an exhibition on angling entitled
"Tricking Fish: How and Why Lures Work," from May 5 through July 29. For
information call 413-263-6800 ext.459; email [email protected] or
search www.quadrangle.org.
August 14th- 19th
TU's National Convention "Roll on Columbia" will
take place at the Columbia River Doubletree Hotel, Portland
Oregon, with fishing trips, field outings, and conservation
workshops. Registration froms in the Spring edition of TROUT.
Information from Tom Wolf (503-844-4567; [email protected]).
Our Sponsors are being featured this month!
Visit the Sponsors' Page!
Our sponsors are:
Fishin' Factory Stores
Cubeta's
Brazi's
Automotive Edge
Michael Carbon, Building Contractor, Inc.
Dr. Ron Weir DDS
The Frame Center
Board of Directors:
James Creamer-President-203-288-5335 (Tel) 5588 (fax)-[email protected]
Julie Carruthers-Vice President -Mill River and Webmaster [email protected]
Ron Graziani -Vice President-Quinnipiac River-203-265-6035-[email protected]
Roy Schiff -Vice President-West River-[email protected]
Brian West-Secretary-203-281-6777- [email protected]
Peter Hallemeier-Treasurer-203-269-8525-[email protected]
Chapter Committees & Contacts
Ed Albrecht-Fisheries and Fingerlings/Newsletter �[email protected]
Jay Gates - Membership chairperson -[email protected]
David Winter- Special Events chairperson
I also have a great lakers rod that was never used and I believe I have a new reel at my brother-in-laws house
anyone interested in swapping fly-fishing gear for that?
Anyone have old waders they want to get rid of or are upgrading in the fall QRWA could use a few pairs to replace
the leaky ones they have.
For corrections and updates to the webpage please contact Julie Carruthers
For matters regarding newsletter material please contact
Ed Albrecht
Last updated 30 June 2001