MUDDLER T H E M E R S H O N

Spring 2003 Volume 7 Issue 1

A LOCAL CHAPTER OF

AMERICA’S LEADING NONPROFIT

COLDWATER FISHERIES

CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION

Newsletter of the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Meanders A few thoughts from

the president

A s spring finally makes its appearance here in Michigan, the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited is busy putting the finishing touches on preparations for our spring fundraising banquet. This will be our 40th

annual banquet, and a logical point to pause and reflect on all that the chapter has accomplished over the decades. It’s easy for me to attach meaning to a sense of the time that has passed, for I was born in the same month and year that Trout Unlimited was founded (July of 1959). The Mershon Chapter was one of the first

local chapters formed in the wake of the national organization, and our first fundraising banquet was held in 1964. It is with respect and awe that I realize while I was learning to walk and speak, Arthur Neumann was already a champion for coldwater conservation issues, and had been for some time. The dedication and effort of the TU founding fathers is amazing, and Art still exhibits a startling clarity of vision. But the founding fathers didn’t do it alone; the strength of Trout Unlimited is in its grass roots origins—the countless volunteers who have contributed hours and days of their lives to work projects and chapter meetings and banquets and mailings, and the members who have contributed financially to support those efforts, and the interested individuals who have worked to interact with our legislators and resource professionals in an attempt to make our fisheries the best they can possibly be.

So make sure you join us on Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at the Candlelite Banquet Center, as we honor the forty years of good work the chapter and its members have contributed to the fight. Remember, we at the local level define how effective Trout Unlimited can be, and your participation is necessary not only for the work projects and the social gatherings, but also for our fundraising efforts, so we may continue our many worthwhile projects. Here’s to the next forty years!

Bo Brines, president

Calendar of Events Arnold J. Copeland chapter of TU

SPRING BANQUET Friday, April 11, 2003

Hereford & Hops, Bay City

William B. Mershon chapter of TU RIFLE RIVER WATER QUALITY

MONITORING PROJECT SPRING TESTING DATE

Saturday, April 12, 2003

Leon P. Martuch chapter of TU ANNUAL BANQUET

Tuesday, April 22, 2003 Red Oak Lounge

Sanford, MI

Mason Griffiths Founders chapter of TU ANNUAL SPRING BANQUET

MICHIGAN COUNCIL TU SPRING OUTING & MEETING

Friday–Sunday, April 4–6, 2003 Barothy Lodge Walhalla, MI

William B. Mershon chapter of TU 40TH ANNUAL SPRING FUNDRAISING

BANQUET Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Candlelite Banquet Center, Bridgeport

removed from the river. Broken bottles and beer cans lead the list. Chapter president Bo Brines was successful in landing a 5-foot-long "Toilet" sign. Kelly served a streamside lunch, complements of the Fellows chapter. Most of the volunteers found time after lunch for some great fishing on the AuSable.

Mershon chapter

members help with AuSable

River cleanup by Howard N. Johnson,

AuSable River Coordinator

V olunteer members of the William B. Mershon chapter of Trout Unlimited

worked together to clean up the AuSable river from the Mio Dam to McKinley Bridge. This lower AuSable River Clean-up project was in conjunction with the Anglers of the AuSable clean-up held on September 7, 2002. River guide Kelly Neuman and members of the Charles A. Fellows (Flint) chapter of Trout Unlimited organized the Mio clean-up. Mershon chapter members that helped with this project included: Keith Scharf, Jim Jameson, Craig Bublitz, Robb Smith, Bob Linsenman, David Fisher, Bill Adams, Peter Jones, Paul Morand, Bo Brines, and Howard N. Johnson. Several boat-loads of debris were

registration is through the Continuing Education Department of Swan Valley Schools. The lead instructor for both classes is well-known Michigan and Montana river guide Jac Ford. Jac will be assisted by chapter members Lou Albosta and Don Albrecht.

Mershon chapter fly

fishing and fly tying classes

begin in January

T he William B. Mershon chapter will be conducting classes again this winter at

Swan Valley High School. The fly tying class will begin Tuesday, January 28, 2003, and run through February 25, from 7–9 PM. Materials and tools will be supplied. Instruction will cover various techniques to tie wet, dry, nymph, streamer, and egg flies in appropriate patterns for our rivers. The fly fishing class will start Wednesday, January 29, and run through February 26. This is a two-hour class as well, and will begin at 7 PM. Rods, reels, and any other needed equipment will be supplied by the chapter, but you are welcome to bring your own gear if you desire. Instruction will cover fly casting, knots, stream etiquette, and helpful information on when and where to fish for trout in Michigan rivers. The cost of each class is $30.00, and

gun. All raffle tickets will be available via the board of directors or your banquet invitation and will ,of course, be available at the banquet. The live and silent auctions, special card raffles, and bucket raffles will be loaded with quality merchandise from fly tying desks to “gas assist starting” charcoal grills, clothing, prints, and other exciting prizes. Rods by Orvis, Sage, Wanigas and Winston; reels by Sage, Orvis and Scientific Anglers; guided float trips, night fishing sessions, artwork, glassware, flies, tackle, and much, much more will be offered! We will also be selling hats and shirts embroidered with the new Mershon Chapter logo and are sure that you will be proud to wear them. This will be our 40th annual spring banquet, and we are trying to make it one of the best! In order to do that, we need to see all of you there for an enjoyable evening of “fishing stories,” fantastic food and spirits, and high spirited fundraising. Please call me (Robb Smith 989-893-3792) or any board member if you have any questions about the banquet or would like to make a donation. See you there.

40th Annual Fundraising Banquet By Robb Smith, banquet chairman

T his year the William B. Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited will present its

40th Annual Spring Fundraising Banquet at the Candlelite Banquet Center in Bridgeport on Wednesday, April 9th, starting at 5 PM. This year’s banquet is scheduled earlier than the traditional date because of the Easter holiday. I’ll bet that many of you are suffering from a severe case of “cabin fever” just as I am. The winter weather has been severely cold and seemingly unending, but it also provides a perfect excuse for you to “breakout” and attend our banquet. It will be a great time to get together with your old friends and perhaps go home with some great prizes and merchandise. We hope that all of our members will attend this year’s event and maybe bring some new faces to the banquet. Hors d’oeuvres will be served and a cash bar is available for your favorite beverages, before

being served sliced roast tenderloin of beef, orange roughy, and tender roasted chicken entrees. In an attempt to have younger anglers attend our banquet, we have established a ticket price for youth up to 18 years of age at $15. This year’s special guest will be the acclaimed author Joseph Heywood, writer of The Snowfly, Ice Hunter, and most recently, Blue Wolf in Green Fire. He will be signing books and will do a short reading from his new book that will be published in April. We are also producing a slide show display of pictures depicting our members, accomplishments, and comradery over the past 40+ years. This has been a lot of fun to develop and we think you will enjoy seeing it. Major raffle items this year include an Orvis T3 904-4 Tip Flex Fly Rod Outfit, 9 foot, for 4-weight line, 4-piece, including a BBSIII Battenkill Bar Stock reel, WF-4 Wonderline Advantage fly line, backing, aluminum rod tube, and rod sack. This outfit has a retail value of $818 and was donated to us by Little Forks Outfitters. The other major raffle item this year will be a superb Ruger All-Weather Red Label field grade over and under shotgun. This shotgun is chambered for 12 gauge and has a 26” stainless steel barrel with several choke tubes to make this a truly functional and durable

2003 Banquet Packages

Silver Package Gold Package

$100.00 $500.00

Includes: Includes: Two banquet tickets Eight Banquet Tickets One annual membership/renewal Verbal recognition

One bucket raffle ticket sheet (10 tickets) Eight bucket raffle ticket sheet (80 tickets) One fly rod raffle ticket Eight fly rod raffle ticket

GREATER FLINT MUDDLER MINNOWS TRADITIONAL ARCHERS'

1st Annual Fly Fishing and Traditional Archers Show

Saturday, January 11, 2003 at 10 AM–7 PM Sunday, January 12, 2003 at 10 AM–4 PM

BIRCH RUN EXPO CENTER Birch Run, Michigan

(off I-75)

Fly fishing equipment, fly tying and casting demo's. Traditional archery equipment, flintknapping arrow heads, and bow making.

Casting pond and archery range. Dozens of fly fishing and traditional archery

booths and exhibit.

Presentations by Schmidt Outfitters and

Chuck Hawkins each day.

Adults $7.00 Children 14 and under free

Free parking

For information, contact Gary Wescott (810)659-9285 or 869-4408

gwes711@aol.com

WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED

40th Annual Spring Fundraising Banquet

Wednesday, April 9, 2003 CANDLELITE BANQUET CENTER

6817 Dixie Highway, Bridgeport

5:00 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres along with live music, slide show, cash bar, prize-gazing, and generous bidding.

7:00 p.m. Family-style tender sliced Roast Sirloin of Beef, Orange Roughy, and Roast Chicken. 8:00 p.m. Live Auction with auctioneer Mr. Marty Wegner.

JOSEPH HEYWOOD, author of The Snowfly, Ice Hunter, and most recently, Blue Wolf in Green Fire,

will sign books and do a short reading from his newest book, due to be published in April.

Live and silent auctions, bucket and card raffles! Special 40th anniversary gifts for all!

All proceeds designated for the protection and preservation of the cold-water fisheries of the Au Sable and Rifle Rivers.

FLY ROD RAFFLE Orvis T3 904-4 Tip Flex Fly Rod outfit - 9’ for 4-weight line, 4-piece

includes BBSIII Battenkill Bar Stock reel, WF-4-F Wonderline Advantage fly line, backing aluminum rod tube and rod sack — retail value $818 (donated by Little Forks Outfitters)

SHOTGUN RAFFLE Ruger All-Weather Red Label Over and Under Shotgun (Sturm, Ruger and Co.) Chambered for 12-gauge, 26” stainless steel barrel with 5 choke tubes and a synthetic stock

Model KRLP-1226BR—retail value $1,489

Prepaid arrangements available by calling Robb or Chrissy Smith at (989) 893-3792.

Profile

Johnny Martinez, Mershon chapter treasurer

and Robb Smith. The meeting was well organized and democratic, leaving me impressed. By the next meeting, I volunteered to help with the walleye dinner and the banquet. At the banquet, six months after I attended my first meeting, I was elected treasurer. My learning curve has been steep. I am thankful to the directors, officers and advisors for being so helpful and patient. Since jumping in headfirst with Trout Unlimited, I have made many new friends. I want to share one story that will describe how unselfish, good natured, and helpful the people are in this organization. Last summer I went to Montana to fish the Missouri River with four great guys, Dave Fisher, Carl Hubinger, Craig Bublitz and Scott Woodbury. On the first day, Dave booked a float trip with the guide Trapper. I took the majority of his time and energy on the trip. Dave didn’t say a word and actually helped with the instructions. Toward the end of the float, I was rewarded with catching a 23” brown trout on a Hopper that Trapper tied himself. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I was astonished to see that Dave was more excited. To this day I am thankful to Dave for that memorable trip. After that, Scott Woodbury continued where Trapper and Dave left off. By the end of the week, my casting and presentation improved to the point where I could catch fish. I even learned how to Nymph. There is much to enjoy about Trout Unlimited. It is the members who have helped me and educated many on conservation as well as trout fishing. I will continue to help Trout Unlimited where needed to the best of my abilities. Diana and I are expecting our first child this September, and we look forward to teaching our children to respect and enjoy the out-of-doors.

Many members may recognize my face, but not my name. I’m the handsome young man you see at the walleye dinners and spring banquets, sitting behind a table collecting your money. I was born in Saginaw and raised in Merrill. I have always enjoyed the outdoors, particularly fishing. Many of my summers were spent at my family’s cabin in Mio. In my adolescent years I played football and ran track, and had the good fortune to play college football and track. When it became apparent the NFL wasn’t in my future, I decided to retire from football. I revealed my decision to my coach one morning, and that afternoon went fishing on the Cedar River. I have been fishing and enjoying the outdoors, especially the Cedar River, ever since. I joined Trout Unlimited after catching my first trout on a fly rod. I caught a beautiful 12 ½” brown on the North Branch of the AuSable River by Kelloggs Bridge, just north of the little island. There were some young kids fishing the same area as I, but not respecting the water, land, or the trout. It made me pretty upset that they didn’t know or care about the outcome of their actions. I wanted to join an organization that could and would make a difference. So I joined Trout Unlimited in May 2000. Through the internet, I contacted Harold Kleinert and expressed interest in helping T.U. He told me they were presently working on the Rifle River stream restoration project. So Diana and I went and worked a rain-soaked Saturday, repairing a hill with a 65-degree slope. It was great. Everyone helped and the hill looked 100% better. That October I called Harold and again expressed interest in helping. He informed me of the board meetings that take place on the first Wednesday of every month. So, in November I attended a board meeting and recognized two faces, Chris Radke

WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED

2002-2003

Rich Kemerer 776-7597 Mike Meyer 892-9624 Jo Neuhalfen 642-5946 Robb Smith 893-4541 Chris Thompson 642-3283 Scott C. Woodbury 497-0176

Advisors Craig Bublitz (810) 688-3963 Joe Bula 781-2047 (H) Don Check 799-8039 (H), 752-5129 (W) David Cozad 684-7947 (H) David Fisher 781-4932 (H), 792-9641 (W) Jac Ford 781-0997 (H/FAX)

Mel Gricar 652-9277 (H), 792-9618 (W) Carl Hubinger 642-5487 (H), 799-6580 (W) Howard N. Johnson 753-6373 Email: hnjohnson@aol.com Peter Jones 753-3984 (H) Risty Kalivas 790-8614 (H) Harold Kleinert 684-4733 (H) Judy McCann 652-9869 (H) Art C. Neumann 777-0484 (H) Bruce Scorsone 793-7200 Jake Shinners 781-3003 (H), 799-5000 (W) Greg Stansbury 695-8080 (H/FAX) Newsletter Layout Teri Skidmore 781-0040 Email: TeriSkidz@yahoo.com

Officers President Bo Brines 989-832-4100 (W) 989-832-9528 (H) Email: bobrines@tm.net Vice-President Christopher J. Radke State Council Rep. 249-6420 (H) Treasurer Johnny Martinez, Jr. 643-0517 (H) Secretary Bob Spence 799-6617 (H) Past-President Dan Keane 790-2663 (H) Email: keanedml@chartermi.net

Directors Bill Adams 652-8328 Dave Case 642-5286 Brian Frost 781-7731

that moisture right back where you don’t want it. For this reason, cotton is a wonderful choice for clothing in tropical climes. For the same reason, it is the worst choice for a base layer under breathable waders. If you wear blue jeans under your breathables, the denim will soak up all the moisture your body is giving off and not allow it to pass through to the breathable membrane. Wool is a great insulator and retains it’s loft when wet, but becomes very heavy and takes forever to dry. Down is wonderful, lightweight insulation, but is also difficult to dry. There are some interesting things being done with merino wool, yet by and large, the most comfortable, efficient, and versatile outdoor clothing is made from combinations of synthetic materials. Anglers as a group really put clothing systems to the test, for not only do we venture out in all sorts of nasty weather, but then for good measure, we hop into 32 degree flowing water up to our armpits. The best, most efficient barriers against body heat

(Continued on page 7)

Outdoor clothing for early season comfort by Bo Brines

A s winter releases it’s icy grip on our Michigan landscape, many of us are

feeling the primeval urge to get out of our comfy winter dens and make an adventurous foray or two into the great outdoors. Whether your interests draw you to chasing the shadowy chrome of a spring steelhead or dead-drifting a nymph through a run in the Holy Water, chances are you’re going to run into some early-season weather issues. Like cold. Wet. Snow. Rain. But just because the weather is miserable doesn’t mean you have to be. Here’s a primer on how to keep the chills at bay, and you in the river fishing. To stay comfortable in inclement weather, you have to accomplish these basic objectives: you must keep moisture and the wind out, and you have to keep your body’s heat in. The moisture you must combat comes in two forms. The first is easy to identify—any form of precipitation, be it rain, snow, sleet, or whatever, must be shed by the outermost layer of clothing. The second (and more difficult to control) source of moisture that needs to be addressed is produced by your own body, and you know it as perspiration. Even at rest, your body is continually shedding water though the pores of your skin. It really steps it up when you exert yourself. Your body’s natural mechanism for cooling itself down reacts to exertion by covering parts of the skin with sweat. As the water evaporates, the surface

temperature of your skin is lowered. This is great if it is ninety degrees and sunny. This is not so great if the thermometer is hovering just above freezing and you’re soaked. So, how do we go about keeping ourselves warm, dry and smiling? Picture your clothing system in layers, like an onion. The outer layer should be resistant to outside wind and water, yet moisture from the inside needs to be able to pass through and not condense on the interior of the garment. The next layer(s) in should provide loft for insulation, as well as transport moisture outward. The layer closest to your skin needs to be very efficient at picking up and wicking away any moisture. A layered system like this, as well as providing the flexibility of being able to add or remove layers as conditions change, allows you to choose garments for each layer that are very good at each specific function. Now, what sorts of fabrics are going to accomplish these objectives? Our ancestors braved the frontier with nothing but an assortment of natural fibers, wool, leather, and furs. I suspect they were miserable most of the time. We have at our disposal wonderful synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester that are soft to the touch, are hydrophobic (do not absorb water in the fibers), retain their loft (and thus their insulating qualities) when wet, and dry extremely quickly. Waterproof, breathable membranes are available in the form of Gore-Tex and other shells. While there are natural materials that have some wonderful characteristics, most have at least one trait that is ill-suited to keeping warm in the cold. Cotton, whether in the form of cotton underwear or blue jeans, commits the cardinal sin of being a super absorbent sponge. When wet, it loses its loft and collapses onto the skin, putting all

Wearing the right clothing will increase your fishing success by keeping you in the game longer.

Author Kelly Galloup appears at March walleye dinner by Bo Brines, Mershon chapter president

T he Mershon chapter’s tradition of excellent programs continued at our

March walleye dinner. Author, guide, and expert angler Kelly Galloup gave a presentation that focused on innovative techniques for catching trout that ranged from reading water to designing flies. Kelly is the new owner of the Slide Inn, which is located on the Madison River below Quake Lake in Montana. Most of you are probably familiar with Kelly as the founder of the Troutsman in Traverse City, and author of such notable titles as Cripples and Spinners and Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout, which he co-authored with Mershon chapter member Bob Linsenman. If you couldn’t make the dinner, you missed a good one; a fabulous meal was served, and we gave away some great raffle prizes. The chapter would like to thank Huron Fish Company for once again providing us with the excellent quality fish we serve, as well as donating the smoked salmon fillet

hors d'oeuvres. We would also like to thank chapter advisor emeritus and TU founding father Arthur Neumann for his kind donations from his personal collection of fly tackle, and for delivering yet another eloquent invocation. Make sure you join us next year as we continue this fine tradition of good fellowship, food, and enlightenment.

Chapter president Bo Brines presents Kelly Galloup with a Mershon chapter pin and award certificate after addressing the chapter.

around your feet) waders is your most comfortable and flexible choice in all but extremely frigid conditions. So there you have it…the basics of how to laugh in the face of climatic adversity. If you are interested in a much more in-depth presentation of these concepts, I suggest you find and digest a copy of Cold Comfort- Keeping Warm in the Outdoors by Glenn Randall. Published in 1987, some of the name-brand fabrics are a little dated, but all the underlying

loss while immersed in frigid water are neoprene waders. But heat loss isn’t the only issue; neoprene is also a very efficient vapor barrier. All the moisture your body emits is going to stay right there in your waders with you. You can manage this by dressing in bulky layers of wool or synthetic fleece to store the moisture and keep it off of your skin, or you can switch to breathable waders and increase the layers of insulation you are wearing. A good pair of insulated boot foot (for additional insulating air space

(Continued from page 6) concepts remain valid. Dressing intelligently will allow you to gain an even greater satisfaction from whatever pursuit beckons you outdoors, so get out there and enjoy yourself! And, oh yeah, your Mom was right; don’t forget a good, warm hat.

The group then became known as “The Rifle River Watershed Restoration Committee.” During the project life, thousands of volunteer hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been expended to restore the river corridor and its fishery. In order to evaluate the effect of this effort, The Mershon chapter would like to hear your opinions and experiences as you have observed, participated, or recreated in the watershed. We would appreciate your completing and returning the attached questionnaire by April 7, 2003. The questionnaires can be mailed to: Wm. B. Mershon Chapter Trout Unlimited P.O. Box 1555 Saginaw, MI 48605-1555.

Rifle River survey

I n the late 1970s, members of the Mershon and Martuch Chapters of Trout Unlimited

recognized the deterioration of the upper Rifle River fishery. During the early 1980s, the chapters formed a volunteer group to work with the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division to investigate the problem, collect relevant data, and formulate proposed remedies. This was the birth of the Upper Rifle River Restoration Project, one of the first of its kind in Michigan. The group enlisted other interested participants, raised money, conducted population and water temperature information, and formulated plans for corrective projects. During the late 1980s and 1990s the group completed several efforts such as:

Beaver dam removal in tributaries

Cold water diversion on Gamble Creek

Cold water drain from DeVoe Lake

Habitat improvement

Plantings of ground cover and shrubs

Inventory of erosion sites

Regulation changes

Population and specie data collection

Treatment of several eroded sites

Water quality studies As the project became much larger in scale, many more participants representing public and private interests were added, forming a new and diverse group.

Manistee and Pine Rivers natural rivers designation by Rich Bowman, Michigan Council TU Executive Director

T he DNR has announced public hearings for the Pine and Upper Manistee to be

considered as our 15th and 16th natural rivers. The only way the DNR is going to consider this program is if the voices of the river users are heard. The Natural Rivers Program allows all counties and townships in a river’s watershed to manage new development favorably for the river. Through setbacks for new construction and vegetation buffers, we can help keep these rivers running cold, clean, and full of wildlife. The Pine and Upper Manistee Rivers are excellent coldwater resources that are used by individuals from all over the world. We can make a difference and attend one of the public hearings and voice our support for this program. If you are unable to attend, send an email to Steve Sutton, MDNR Natural River Program Manager, at suttonsl@michigan.gov, stating you support the designation. All

emails should be sent during the public hearing period (April 28-May 8, 2003). If you send them during this time, they will be considered a permanent part of the record and will be forwarded on to Director Kool for him to make the decision to designate them as natural rivers. The complete list of public hearing dates and locations is available at the Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited website, www.mctu.org, or call Mershon chapter president Bo Brines at 989-832-4100 for further information.

Restoration committee proposes no-kill area for Rifle River by Harold Kleinert, Mershon chapter advisor

A t the January 28, 2003, meeting of the Rifle River Watershed Restoration

Committee, the board of managers unanimously adopted a resolution to encourage the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to establish a quality fishing regulation area in the upper Rifle River watershed. The resolution would direct the DNR Fisheries Division to set aside approximately 10 miles of river to be patterned after the “Holy Water” area of the Au Sable River.

The proposal would take advantage of the newly legislated increase in no-kill special regulations to be allowed on Michigan’s inland rivers and to satisfy the growing participation in quality fishing.

W ould you like to make a $400 donation to your favorite TU project and only have it cost you $140? This article will show you how you can make larger donations at a lower net cost and have the donation be

used for your favorite TU chapter projects. The State of Michigan provides additional tax benefits for donations to certain types of charities and funds, including certain Michigan Community Foundations and their permanent endowment Funds [for the benefit of their local Trout Unlimited Chapter's projects for instance]1. Donors to these charities/funds receive not only the standard charitable deduction on their federal income tax form, but also receive a Michigan income tax or single business tax credit equal to 50% of the donation2. This additional State tax credit is important because it is similar to a 50% refund of the net cost to you. The following simplified examples, provided for illustration only, demonstrate the tax advantages provided by the tax credits. The tax credit will impact each donor differently based upon their complete income tax situation and the Community Foundation and Fund documentation.

Example #1. Lilly and George Contributor donate $400 to their local Community Foundation's "Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited's Children's Fly-Casting School Endowment Fund." They file a joint return and are in the 30% tax bracket. As a result of the State tax credit, they are able to save $200 on their Michigan taxes and $60 on their federal taxes, reducing the cost of their gift to just $140. Donation Not Through Donation Through Qualified Community Qualified Community Foundation Foundation AMOUNT OF GIFT $400 $400 Less: Michigan Community Foundation Tax Credit $0 ($200) Less: Federal charitable deduction ($120) ($60) ACTUAL COST OF GIFT $280 $140 Example #2. Brenna Donor donates $200 to her local Community Foundation's "Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited's Caring for the Clinton River Endowment Fund." She is a single person and a non-itemizer on her federal income tax return. Since she is a non-itemizer, Brenna cannot claim a charitable deduction on her federal income tax; however, her State income tax savings is $100. Donation Not Through Donation Through Qualified Community Qualified Community Foundation Foundation AMOUNT OF GIFT $200 $200 Less: Michigan Community Foundation Tax Credit $0 ($100) Less: Federal charitable deduction $0 $0 ACTUAL COST OF GIFT $200 $100

Example #3. John Benefactor's corporation, Go-TU Inc., wants to contribute to the local Community Foundation's "Waara Chapter of Trout Unlimited's Cynthia Kitzman-Fred Waara Scholarship Memorial Fund."3 The corporation's federal marginal income tax rate is 34% and has a Michigan Single Business Tax liability of $100,000. By taking advantage of both the State tax credit and the federal charitable deduction, the actual cost of the $10,000 gift is only $3,300. Donation Not Through Donation Through Qualified Community Qualified Community Foundation Foundation AMOUNT OF GIFT $10,000 $10,000 Less: Michigan Community Foundation Tax Credit $0 ($5,000) Less: Federal charitable deduction ($3,400) ($1,700) ACTUAL COST OF GIFT $6,600 $3,300

Maximizing your local TU

contributions by Christopher J. Radke,

Mershon chapter vice-president

These special tax credits are subject to the following caps: A $100.00 credit (for a $200.00 donation) for an individual who is single or married and filing separately; a $200.00 credit (for a $400.00 donation) for a married couple filing jointly; and a credit equal to the lower of $5,000.00 or 5% of the tax liability before claiming any credits (for a $10,000.00 donation) for taxpayers subject to the single business tax. In Michigan, there are currently 65 Community Foundations, they serve potential donors in every county, and they are all interested in helping to increase charitable donations for local projects associated with 501(c)(3) charities, such as those provided by local Chapters of Trout Unlimited, Inc. While only the third example of Funds mentioned above actually exists (See Joe Hamel and Kimberly Clark's article in the recent edition of the Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited’s newsletter, Michigan Trout,) the other two Funds and more could exist if local TU Chapters and/or community leaders got behind them and worked with their local Community Foundations. Remember, the State provides these tax benefits because it wants people to donate to local charities and local projects. Once established, these Endowment Funds would help TU donors leverage their donations and get more money to the resources we all love. These Funds make donating more affordable for the very wealthy as well as the more economically challenged. Establishing the Funds takes some effort, but each Foundation has someone dedicated to help, and the dividends from the investment will continue and compound for years. If you are interested in establishing a qualified TU related permanent endowment fund with your local Community Foundation, contact your local Community Foundation Director; visit the Michigan Community Foundation web site at: http://www.forgoodforever.org.; or contact your C.P.A. or attorney. DISCLAIMER: The ideas provided by this article may not apply to your particular situation and the decision to allow the establishment of any particular Fund is up to each Community Foundation. The qualification of any particular Fund or Foundation for these State tax credits is subject to State review and interpretation, the Fund documentation, as well as the Community Foundation's organizational documents. Many Funds have maximum and minimum annual distribution limitations to and for projects. The author is not providing legal advice. Please discuss your particular tax situation and/or the qualification of any particular Fund with your local Community Foundation Director, C.P.A. and attorney. 1 The other charitable organizations that qualify for these credits are: (i) non-profit Homeless Shelters or Food Banks and (ii) public broadcasting stations, colleges or universities, public libraries, State archives, or municipality related/supported art institutes based in Michigan. MCL 206.260-.261; 208.38(c); 208.39(e). 2 See Disclaimer above. 3 See Joe Hamel and Kimberly Clark's article “Fred Waara and Cynthia Kitzman Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Marquette Community Foundation” in the Spring 2003 edition of Michigan Trout.

I f you like to read about fly angling, you're not alone; the huge body of literature that deals with our sport is amazing. I, for one, am thankful for that. You can curl up with a good book on a bitter February afternoon in

Michigan, and in the hands of a good author, be transported to the midst of pods of rising trout and emerging mayflies. You can learn new techniques, fly patterns and strategies, better preparing yourself for seasons yet to unfold. The three newly published titles covered in this article all have connections to our local waters, and are worthy of your attention. Fly Fishing is Spoken Here, edited and with an introduction and afterward by Stephen Sloan, is a collection of transcribed interviews from the weekly radio show he hosts. The individuals represented here are an interesting mix; all are accomplished contributors to the sport, but in different ways. Artist James Prosek speaks about Isaak Walton, Joe Humphreys deals with Nymph Fishing, Bill Logan on Fly Tying, Ernest Schwiebert talks about Trout Fishing…the format is an

interesting one, and allows for free-ranging discussion that reveals much of the particular person being interviewed. The subjects covered are an eclectic bunch, from an in-depth look at the whirling disease threat, to travel destinations like Argentina, Scotland, and the San Juan River, to discussion by Joseph Heywood (among many other angling-related topics) on his novel The Snowfly. The book contains a lot of great information and the format is easy do digest. The book can also be funny; I found Bob Linsenman's interview especially entertaining (and as usual, enlightening), but all of these personalities go a long ways toward dispelling the myth that fly fishermen are a snooty, inaccessible bunch.

When I first heard that Joseph Heywood's new book was going to be a series of memoirs, I wasn't too keen on the idea. I have been a big fan of Joe's work, having read The Snowfly, Ice Hunter, and its sequel, Blue Wolf in Green Fire, and I was hungry for more of his rollicking, adventurous yarns. How exciting could real-life be, compared to the excitement of chasing dangerous outlaws and solving intriguing mysteries? But when I received my copy of Covered Waters and sat down to read it, I was pleasantly surprised to find the book every bit as compelling as his novels. This is partly due to Joe's talent as a writer, which is considerable, and partly due to the fact that Joe's life has had some interesting twists and turns. Joe has spent time in the US Air Force, saw duty in Vietnam, had a career as a public relations executive, has been a university professor…this guy has lived. His recollections of his escapades are treated with his customary self-deprecating wit and humor. And as an added bonus, you'll recognize some of the people and places, for you're likely to bump into Joe on the Au Sable or Pere Marquette; I know I have. Joe was unable to join us for our chapter's January Walleye dinner, due to a family medical emergency, but he will be at our spring fundraising banquet, and copies of this

new book should be available there. Fly-Fishing with Trout-Tail, by Kimberly H. Lucas, is a delightful book intended as an introduction to fly-fishing for young readers. In colorful, playful fashion, she introduces the young reader to fly rods, flies, and trout streams, with more than a nod to ethics and conservation. This an excellent book to read to your child or grand-child, and if you purchase this book before the end of April, the author (who lives in Michigan) will make a donation to the Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited for every book sold. You may purchase the book at our spring fundraising banquet, fly shops around Michigan, or on the web at www.trouttail.com.

New fly fishing books

by Bo Brines, Mershon chapter president

Chippewa Nature Center schedules BioBlitz by Bo Brines, Mershon chapter president

T he Chippewa Nature Center has been a good friend to the Mershon Chapter, allowing

us on several occasions to use their excellent facilities. A recent Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited meeting was held there, and we have also used the Nature Center for our Rifle River Water Quality Monitoring training sessions. The Nature Center has scheduled an interesting event for May 30-31, 2003, that they are calling BioBlitz. Designed to educate the public about biodiversity on a local level, people will have a chance to interact with well-known scientists who will be working to generate a list of species found on the Nature Center property. Scientists have been invited from around the region to

focus on counting species within their area of expertise. The list of scientists participating is impressive, and includes specialists in the area of aquatic entomology and freshwater fishes. Programs for the public will be presented, as well as ongoing research activities such as electro-shocking for fish surveys and mist-netting for birds. Programs will begin at 6PM Friday and continue through 10:30PM. Saturday activities start at 6AM and continue through 9PM. There is no fee for admission. For more information, contact Tom Lenon or Rachel Larimore, BioBlitz coordinators, at 989-631-0830, or visit www.chippewanaturecenter.com.

WILLIAM B. MERSHON CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MEETING SCHEDULE

Note: All Board of Directors meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the month (unless noted) at

5:30 PM at Garber Buick, 5925 State Street, Saginaw, Michigan

Wednesday, April 2, 2003 Wednesday, May 7, 2003

The board does not meet during the summer months. Meetings will resume in September.

* Second Wednesday

We welcome you to attend any of the board meetings. Your input is an invaluable resource in our efforts to serve the resources we enjoy.

recognize and correct any problems with it. It amazes me as a casting instructor to see how much better someone’s casting becomes just by making them watch their backcast. A well-executed forward cast is not possible without a good backcast to set it up. The grip we recommend is like what you would use on a hammer or the handle of a suitcase, with your thumb right on top. This is the strongest grip, and also helps keep your wrist moving along the plane of the casting stroke. Always practice your casting with an old leader attached to the end of your fly line; one of the functions of the leader is to dissipate the energy remaining in the cast as

your loop straightens out. Without a leader, the end of the fly line will have an unpleasant kick to it. A piece of yarn tied on the end of the leader will allow you to practice accuracy, too. Practicing on grass is fine, but if you want to practice your roll cast, you will have to find a pond, or have a friend hold your leader on the grass, as the surface tension of the water on your fly line is essential to proper execution of the roll cast. You should keep these elements in mind as you practice your casting:

You are striving for control of how tight or wide your loops are

A straight-line path of your rod tip is going to create tight loops

Your casting stroke should be a smooth acceleration to an abrupt stop

The more line you have

Fly casting 101 by Bo Brines, Mershon chapter president and FFF certified casting instructor

I ’m sure many of you are getting ready for the traditional opener of trout season, tying up some

more Hendrickson emergers, sorting out those fly boxes that got all disorganized in the heat of battle last summer, replacing leaders and replenishing spools of tippet material. And of course, you are tuning up your casting stroke in the backyard. What, you say? You’re not? Well, come on now…even Tiger Woods hits the driving range! I see many anglers on the stream in the course of a season that could benefit from a little casting practice, without the distraction of fish rising to take their attention from the cast itself. Maybe a few pointers on the casting stroke itself will help you enjoy your time on the water little more. Let me begin with the correct stance to practice your casting. The ideal stance is with your feet comfortably apart, shoulders and arms relaxed, standing at a 45-degree angle to the direction of the cast, as shown in the previous drawing. This allows you to observe your backcast, so you can

outside your rod tip, the longer your casting stroke must be

Your front cast and your back cast should be of identical duration (It’s the same amount of line going out in each direction, isn’t it?) Any idiosyncrasies that crop up in your casting originate with very small motions of your hand; you can help identify what corrections need to be made by observing the path of your rod tip. Try using a power line or a roofline as a template and trace your cast against it, trying to get your rod tip to follow the line as closely as you can. You will automatically have to stop your rod high on the front and back cast, tightening up your loops. Ten o’clock to two o’clock is a much-used (and accurate) description of where the rod should stop on the front and back casts, but the rod tip should travel a straight line, more like a piston than the hand of a clock. A little bit of practice before you head out to the trout stream will pay big dividends in your ability to deal with adverse conditions like wind and tight quarters. It only takes a few minutes a day to make significant improvements, and the learning itself is fun.

The ideal stance is with your feet comfortably apart, shoulders and arms relaxed, standing at a 45-degree angle to the direction of the cast.

Tight loop (shown on top) is the result of a straight line path of your rod tip; the wide loop (shown on bottom) is the result of your rod tip traveling in an arch.

A straight-line path of your rod tip is going to create tight loops.

Water Quality Testing Date set for Saturday, April 12, 2003 by Bo Brines, Mershon chapter president

A ll of you who have been participating in our Rifle River Water Quality

Monitoring Project should have been contacted with your site assignments for Saturday, April 12, 2003. We will once again use the Churchill Township Hall as our base of operations, and we plan on convening there at 9 AM. Meet there to pick up your testing equipment and lunches. If you are not planning on stopping at the township hall first, call Bob Spence (989-799-6617) to make arrangements to get your testing equipment. We are half-way through the time frame of our grant with the DEQ, so it is important that all volunteers who have been trained see this through. After this spring testing date, there will be one more testing in the fall. If you have not been participating in this worthwhile, educational, and fun project, but are interested, we can

always pair you up with someone who has been trained. Call Robb Smith (989-893-3792) to become a member of the testing crew…the more helping hands we have, the faster we will be able to get the testing out the way, so we can get to chasing the steelhead that should be in the Rifle system!

Mershon chapter volunteers work together to identify aquatic insects sampled at one of our training sessions.

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020 Mershon Chapter

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T H E M E R S H O N

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