Need F3T Tickets? And forward to your buddy while you're at it!

Tickets for the 2022 F3T Movie at the Blasco Library on Friday, May 13th are now on sale!  Doors open at 5:30 with the movie starting at 6:30.  Cost will be $20 plus a small processing fee and are available by going to the F3T Website for puchase:

https://flyfilmtour.myeventscenter.com/event/Erie-Pa-Nwpa-Chapter-Tu-61521

This has become our chapters primary source of income to fuel the projects that we do each year.  Please do you part and spread the word that the movies are back and we hope to see you that night!  And remember, it's at the Blasco Library this year and NOT the Tom Ridge Center.

Thank you!

 

Pennsylvania Coldwater Habitat Program Annual Report 2021

 

 

See what our National staff have been doing in Pennsylvania! 2021 was another busy field season for the Coldwater Habitat Program and resulted in another astonishing reduction in sediment and nutrients across PA’s waterways. In total, an estimated 360,062 pounds of sediment were reduced through the completion of 23 projects on nearly 13 miles of trout streams by the Coldwater Habitat Program crew.   Click here to view the Pennsylvania Coldwater Habitat Program Annual Report for 2021.

Dotyville Hill Forest Dedication

 

Officers and Board members of our chapter were invited to the Dedication Ceremony for the new purchase of 528 acres of woodland by the Foundation for Sustainable Forests on August 12.  

Labeled as the Dotyville Hill Forest, it now is part of the 1,200 acres of protected land known as the Caldwell Creek Watershed Conservation Project.  It includes significant frontage along Caldwell Creek’s delayed harvest section and will insure that this property will be open for public fishing, hunting, hiking and bird watching into perpetuity.  The project was made possible with a grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCNR) via the Keystone Fund and additional support from the John Nesbit Rees and Sarah Henne Rees Foundation, Trout Unlimited’s Northwest PA Chapter, Caldwell Creek Chapter and the Stec Family.  

Our Chapter was pleased and honored that we could help make this project possible with our letter of support and $1,000 donation assisting the Foundation secure their grant funding.  Attending from our Chapter for a walking tour and presentation by Foundation members were President Bill Eckert and Board Members Matt Kerr, Jack Bock and Rick Gilson. 

2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour Announced!

 The 2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour is here and tickets go on sale TODAY!!!

We are proud to have partnered with the F3T to bring you the tour virtually this year. This is a great opportunity to sit back with family and friends and enjoy the Fly-Fishing Film Tour on your own time. This year’s F3T has an incredible line up with everything from Arapaima in the Amazon basin, Bream and Tarpon in the same film, Smallies, Pike, Steelhead, some of the best trout footage ever captured! Did you know Dr.Martin Luther King JR had a special relationship with long time bonefish guide Ansil Saunders and the island of Bimini? All of these stories and more are part of the 2021 F3T streaming virtually March 10 and tickets are on sale now.

Click the link below to purchase tickets for this year’s Fly-Fishing Film Tour (F3T)

Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter of TU Ticketing Link (MS Edge, Chrome, or Firefox)

As well as having access to the films you will be helping Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter of Trout Unlimited! As part of our partnership this year, $2.00 of every ticket sold through our link will be given back to us! So, if you have friends or family that may be interested please share the link so we can work together to strengthen our fishing community. Remember the more tickets sold through the link the more money we raise!

What comes with my ticket?

Full access to the 2021 F3T, from March 10th at 6:00pm EST thru April 4

You can watch it as many times as you would like from the original device used to play the movies. (Only 1 device can be used per ticket)

RAFFLES!!!! A chance to enter the Trout Unlimited COSTA 5 Rivers Conservation Sweepstakes, found on the event page. All proceeds go to those chapters at college campuses nationwide, promoting the sport and conservation to the next generation of anglers.

F3T Grand Prize worth $85,000. Have the chance to win a trip to Australia, Mexico, Bahamas, Russia, and the Seychelles!

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE! Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter of TU Ticketing Link (MS Edge, Chrome, or Firefox)

U.S. Senate Vote Paves Way to Boost Great Lakes Funding

 

U.S. Senate Vote Paves Way to Boost Great Lakes Funding

Vote to reauthorize Great Lakes Restoration Initiative allows Congress to ramp up annual funding from $300 million to $475 million for successful program that protects Great Lakes, drinking water, public health, jobs.

 

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (December 21, 2020)—In a major victory for Great Lakes and clean water advocates, the U.S. Senate last night unanimously passed the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019. The bill allows Congress to continue funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for five years, and increases the program’s annual funding from $300 million to $475 million by 2026. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the bill earlier this year by a vote of 373 to 45. The legislation heads to President Donald Trump for signature. Passage of the bill is a top priority for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

 

Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition, said:

 

“This is tremendous news for the more than 30 million people who rely on the Great Lakes for their drinking water, health, jobs, recreation, and quality of life. Over the past decade, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been producing results for communities across the region, but serious threats remain. This bill recognizes the work we have left to do, and allows Congress to boost funding to tackle these threats before they get worse and more expensive to solve.

 

“We thank U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) for their leadership and determination to get this bill across the finish line. We also thank U.S. Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) for their leadership to rally support in the House, as well as the many Democrats and Republicans who worked in a spirit of bi-partisanship to make sure that Great Lakes restoration and protection continues to be a national priority. Clean water is a basic need, and we need to do everything we can to ensure that clean, safe and affordable drinking water is available to everyone.

 

“We look forward to working with federal elected officials to ensure that this successful program continues to meet ecological objectives while confronting environmental injustices that afflict the most vulnerable communities. We have the opportunity to lift up and help all communities – especially those that have borne the brunt of pollution and environmental harm.”

 

Support for the Great Lakes Restoration Act has produced strong bipartisan support in the Senate with 13 co-sponsors (in addition to lead sponsor Sen. Stabenow) and in the House with 49 co-sponsors (in addition to lead sponsor Rep. Joyce). The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative invests in local projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to clean up toxic pollution, fight invasive species, reduce runoff from cities and farms, and restore fish and wildlife habitat. The initiative has supported 5,449 projects that are helping to better the environment and economy.

 

Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 160 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at www.healthylakes.org or follow us on Twitter @healthylakes.

A Message from the PFBC

As the commission continues to drive home the social distancing message, we'd like to share the following information with you on our website:    www.fishandboat.com.

In particular, the video at the following link and the graphic below have really resonated:  https://youtu.be/NUtaY260DDA.

Thank you in advance for sharing the social distancing message far and wide.

February 18th Meeting Approaching!

Please join us Tuesday February 18th at the Erie Elks Lodge at 2409 Peninsula Dr, Erie, PA 16506 at 7:00 pm for our regular meeting.  It addition to regular business we will have a presentation from Chuck Keeports, the hydrologist of the Allegheny National Forest.   He will cover some findings from the water quality snapshots. I will give an overview of the main projects he is involved with, which include culverts designed for fish passage and large wood restoration in streams.  Many of these headwater streams have populations of wild brook trout plus some wild brown trout present.  A waitress is available for food or beverages for those who desire.

Several of our members have participated in as volunteers taking water samples for the snapshot days whereby the Forest Service and Penn State are able to gather much more data than would be possible in a day over the entirety of the ANF.  These snapshot days are held on a Tuesday in October and April meeting in Sheffield at the Lions Club.  Jake Lemon is currently asking for volunteers for would like to participate in the April 7th snapshot.  You can contact Jake at jlemon@tu.org or 814-779-3965.  Its a fun day as each party travels to 4-6 streams seeing a chunk of the forest with a member of the Forest Service or Western Pennsylvania Conservency. 


Bill Eckert

FLY FISHING FILM TOUR UPDATE

The Tom Ridge Center is not available this year, so we are actively working to find a new venue to host the event.  That's the reason you haven't heard anything from us so far, but please stay tuned to this page or our Facebook page for more information.  We are hoping to figure all this out within the next week.

If we pull things off, the film will be in March of this year.

Thank you for your understanding.

November 19th Meeting Date

Note:  Chapter Elections were held last month and we have a new chapter president!  So Please welcome Bill Eckert and here is his announcement for this months meeting:

Hi Everyone,

Put it on your calendar.   Our next meeting for the NWPA Chapter will be Tuesday November 19 at the Elks Lodge at 7:00 pm.  We will have a couple of guests.  Bob Hetz of 3CU will update us on what’s happening and give us a little history of how the organization got started.  Hopefully, everyone that doesn’t have a 3CU button for 2019 can pick one up and help support this vital organization, unless of course they have their 2020 buttons available. 

Our primary speaker will be our new regional fish commissioner, Dan Pastore.  Dan and Bob are both members of our chapter and Dan will be touching base with me shortly to let me know what he intends to talk about so we will get that out to you prior to the meeting.

Hope to see many of you there and bring a friend if you can.

Bill Eckert

Tuesday September 17th Chapter Meeting Date!

Hard to believe summer is winding down already.  Talk of Walleye's will shift to Steelhead, trout will be looking to spawn, and the leaves will be falling.

At this months meeting, we will have an election for the new slate of

officers:

President:  Bill Eckert         Vice President:  Jim Head

Treasurer:  Erik Cronk       Secretary:  Bill Glecos

Directors:  Jack Bock, Ric Gilson, Matt Kerr 

Here's a report from Luke Bobnar from the Western PA Conservancy:  On September 9th, WPC and the PA Fish and Boat Commission will begin construction of a fish habitat improvement project on Caldwell Creek in Southwest Township, Warren County, PA. Our goal is to reduce erosion and sedimentation in the watershed, as well as improve angling opportunities. Thirty fish habitat structures are planned to be installed, including multi-log vanes, modified mudsills, rootwad deflectors, log-framed stone deflectors, and random boulders. Jobs volunteers would excel at include moving tools and materials, assisting with log, stone, and rebar placement, as well as seeding and mulching at the end of the project. We plan to come back in the fall for live-staking, and re-plant riparian trees in the heavy equipment disturbance areas in spring, 2020.

 We will be meeting at the red gate on Flat Road, approximately 0.34 miles southwest of the intersection of Flat and Selkirk roads, and

1.25 miles northeast of the intersection of Flat and Dotyville Hill roads near the town of Grand Valley, at 8:00 am on Septmber 9th.

Latitude and Longitude for the meeting location is:

41.683756,-79.585161

[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?9PAPennsylvania/42fffca228/TEST/190991f7a5.

We will proceed to the project site on Caldwell Creek via the private access road at the red gate.

 If you are interested in coming out to volunteer for us, please let me know. Bring a lunch, water, PPE (if you have it), any medications you might need, and anything else you need for a day streamside in moderate proximity to your vehicle.

Luke will also be present at our September 17th meeting to give a talk and more detail on this project.

See you on the 17th!

Erik

Stand up for PA's Class A Wild Trout Waters!!!!

For just the third time this decade, Pennsylvania is proposing to formally upgrade a package of 41 Class A streams to “High Quality,” or HQ, which ensures they receive special water quality protections. This is the culmination of a long process. Step 1 is electrofishing streams in search of naturally reproducing trout. Step 2 is pushing for PFBC to list them as wild trout streams; we do this advocacy each quarter. This is Step 3, formal listing as HQ in PA’s regulations.

TU has pushed for these upgrades for several years now, and we want to demonstrate our support by submitting comments in favor. Please follow this link to an Action Alert page for more information and to submit comments. The deadline is May 7.

https://www.tu.org/conservation/action-center/…

Kids Fishing Day Slated for Saturday, April 27th

Our chapter is making a donation to help defray the costs of purchasing trout for this event.  Any chapter member who wishes to help participate that day, please email Erik Cronk at ecronk@cronkins.com.

Let's help make this a success!!!

Fly Fishing Film Tour Tickets Now on Sale!!!!

The Northwest PA Chapter of Trout Unlimited is proud to bring you the 2019 showing of the Fly Fishing Film Tour in Erie, PA at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle on Saturday February 23rd.   The event will benefit the fundraising efforts of the Northwest PA Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Doors open at 6pm, with the movie starting promptly at 7pm.  Tickets will be $15 in advance and subject to availability at the door.  So buy them in advance!

Tickets may be purchased by clicking on this link.

If you are interested in tying some flies for the event (as giveaways), or have any items you feel would make good chinese auction or door prize items, please contact the chapter at nwpatu@gmail.com.

Please forward this to any of your fishing friends who may be interested.  Remember, as in years past there will be door prizes and chinese auctions so make sure you get there before the movie to participate.

The Ridge Center will have the concession stand open for soft drinks, popcorn and candy.

Please visit this website or our facebook page for the most up to date information.

See you then!

11/20/2018 Meeting Notice

Just a reminder that this coming Tuesday is our next chapter meeting.

Eric Ozimek, whom the chapter sent to this past summers Rivers Conservation Camp, will be attending and speaking about his experience that week.  He'll also answer any questions the chapter members might have.

Discussion about hosting the 2019 Fly Fishing Film Tour again in February, along with taking nominations for a new board of directors will also be on the agenda.

We hope to see everyone there!  7pm at the Elks Lodge, Peninsula Drive Erie.

October Musky on the Allegheny

9/18/2018 Meeting Notice

Our next chapter meeting is Tuesday September 18th 7pm at the Erie Elks Lodge.  Meeting information can be found in the right hand margin of this web page.

Tyler Neimond, Stream Habitat Section Chief from the PA Fish and Boat Commission will be our featured speaker that evening.  He will be visiting Benson Run earlierr in the day with a delegation of Chapter Members to view the stream for a potential stream improvement project in the future.

It's been a while since this chapter has had a boots-in-the-much stream project and hopes are high this can come to fruition.  With your help and attendance at the meeting we hope to make it a reality.

Benson Run is a tributary of Lebouf Creek north of Waterford, and recognized by the PAFBC as a Class A Wild Brown Trout Stream.

See you at the meeting!

Loss of a Friend

Long time member and friend of the chapter Robert "Bob" Harris passed away yesterday.

Bob was one of the original board of directors when the chapter was first formed in 1966.  To say Bob was unique would be an understatement:  he was one of those guys who knew a little bit about everything and a whole lot more about a lot of things than most.  Personally, when I first started hanging out as teenager at chapter events he was one of those guys who was always willing to help you out with anything you needed when it came to fly fishing--or anything else for that matter.

He'd always smile.  He'd always be in the center of the conversation.  He looked 30 years younger than he really was (I want those genes!).  Recently, he spent a lot of time at the Peninsula working with the park on a variety of plant and animal projects.  And whatever he was talking about was always "on the thing".  You know what I'm talking about if you've ever spent time with Bob.

Bob was a cool guy.  I'll miss seeing him at Bob Evans on a weekend morning with my family.  I'll miss driving by his house and honking and having him wave back as he got in his car to go somewhere.

I feel blessed by the relationships I've had, and continue to have with chapter members like Bob.  Many of whom were decades older than me- - - but we shared that common bond of flyfishing or flytying so age really didn't matter much anyway.

I hope he finds that place where the trout will always rise, where there are never windknots in his leader and the water flows cool and clean forever.

Rest easy my friend.


Erik Cronk
Chapter President

Summer News--Important!

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is now accepting applications for its soon to be vacant Commissioners Seat for District 1, which includes Erie County and the other counties of Northwest Pennsylvania.  Commissioner Mascharka has reached his term limit with the commission and they are in need of a replacement.

Dan Pastore, Attorney and Founder of Fish USA has submitted his application for the position and solicited our chapter for a letter of support.  The Board of Directors has approved this request and you can see a copy of the letter that was sent on our chapters behalf.

Please click on the letter to enlarge

If you would like to send your own letter, you may email it to Robb Miller at robmille@pa.gov.  Remember, you have a voice and anything we can do to make sure this area is well represented on the commission is in our best interest.

Of further note:  The chapter has made contact with the PAFBC about a potential habitat improvement project on Benson Run, Erie County.  Benson Run is a tributary of the East Branch Lebouf Creek and is recognized as a Class A Wild Brown Trout Fishery but lacks good habitat.  A tentative stream-walk is planned with PAFBC representative for September so stay tuned for more information.

Have a great Summer!

Chapter Meeting this coming Tuesday, April 17th

Just a reminder our last meeting of the 2017-2018 year is upon us.  See the information bar on the right side of the website for time and location of the meeting.

A recap of the Fly Fishing Film Tour Movie night, as well as recruitment of new officers and directors will be discussed.

See you on Tuesday!

PA Fish & Boat Commission Executive Director to be in Erie on March 3rd, 1 pm at the Erie Sport & Travel Expo at the Bayfront Convention Center

The Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) is asking for your help in sharing important information with TU members within your region. The PFBC is hosting sportsmen’s forums across the state to seek input from anglers and boaters on how the agency can best conserve aquatic resources while creating more opportunities for fishing and boating recreation.

The fourth one is being held Saturday, March 3, at 1 p.m. in conjunction with the Erie Sport & Travel Expo at the Bayfront Convention Center. The forum will be held in Room 140 ABC.

The forums are titled “A Sportsmen’s Forum – How Resource First and Anglers and Boaters Can Help Shape the Future of Fishing and Boating in Pennsylvania.” The forums feature an overview of the agency’s existing programs and a discussion of its current financial state of affairs. A question and answer period will follow.

The forums are being held at a critical time. According to Executive Director John Arway, “Declining fishing license sales and boat registration fees coupled with increasing costs make it necessary to take a fresh look at redesigning the agency’s strategic plan. The information learned will be used to help form a new agency strategic plan to meet the expectations of anglers and boaters.”

We are seeking your help to encourage TU members to share their opinions by attending Saturday’s forum and discussing issues in person with Director Arway. They can also share their opinions through an online public opinion poll at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BVKXWXG.

Thank you for sharing this important information with your membership. We hope you and your members can join us.

Communications Director

PA Fish and Boat Commission | Bureau of Outreach, Education & Marketing

1601 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg PA 17110-9299

February 20th Chapter Meeting is loaded!

Floating the South Fork Flathead River, Montana

This months Chapter Meeting is a good one!

Kylie Maland from the Western PA Conservancy will be giving a presentation on their recent work on Walnut Creek, as well as two upcoming BIG projects on Elk Creek.

A presentation on a drop-float, week long fishing trip into the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness will follow by chapter member Erik Cronk.  Ride in 22 miles on horseback with him, and look for big Cutthroats and Bull Trout on the famous South Fork of the Flathead River.  Then find out what it takes to put a trip like this together for yourself (and how to keep the Grizzly Bears away).

Information on the upcoming Fly Fishing Film Tour Movie night will also be available, as well as last second tickets IF STILL AVAILABLE.  Don't have your tickets yet?  To guarantee your seat you can buy them online here.

Meeting starts at 7pm at the Erie Elks Lodge on Peninsula Drive.  Bring a friend, order a cold drink and a burger and enjoy this months show!  See you there!

South Fork Bull Trout