Environmental Review of Snake River Dams Scheduled in Missoula

-Taken from a WestSlope Chapter email

Help WestSlope TU and Montana FWP catch fish for science!

THE MEETING PLACE HAS CHANGED TO THE MISSOULA PUBLIC LIBRARY @ 10am!

WestSlope Chapter of Trout Unlimited's Website
Join Trout Unlimited

Don Thomas (the guy DU fired) is presenting at the Westslope Chapter meeting tonight!

Today, Wednesday, December 9th, 2015, Don Thomas will be giving a presentation about fly fishing in Alaska at the monthly Westslope TU meeting in Missoula, MT.  This is the same Don Thomas who was fired from DU for writing an article critical of James Cox who is leading the fight against Montana's Stream Access Law in the Ruby Valley.

While the focus of Don's presentation will be on his many years of fishing SE Alaska, he is also planning to discuss the Ducks Unlimited fiasco.  Click here for more information on the meeting.

Moscow Monday to benefit WestSlope TU

Come down to the Montgomery Distillery in Missoula today after work and help "redistribute the wealth" while enjoying some fine cocktails an fishy company! 

MT Trout Unlimited on the PBS NewsHour

Check out this great video by Meri DeMarois of the University of Montana and her mentor, Anna Rau from Montana PBS.  This piece aired nationwide last week on the PBS NewsHour.  Some of my local heroes make cameos.  Bruce Farling of MTTU, Dr. Lisa Eby from UM, Carey Schmidt of Westslope TU.

RBM Chronicles goes big-time

I've been involved with Trout Unlimited over the years as a student, volunteer, and employee.  They are a great organization and anyone who calls themselves a trout fisherperson or conservationist should become a member.  Our local Missoula chapter (WestSlope Chapter) asked if I'd help out with the Fly of the Month section of their monthly newsletter and I said, "hell yeah!"

They'll be linking to the blog for fly recipes.  I couldn't be happier about it.  I'm really going to have to fix the logo now!  I kind of like it as it is.  Kind of an ongoing joke with myself.  Anyway, stay tuned for a November fishing report, a review of Hank Patterson's Reel Montana Adventure, and stories from a day out with another beginner fly fisherperson.

Take a kid fishing. If you don't know any, teach an adult.

Check out the November newsletter from the WestSlope Chapter of Trout Unlimited and become a member today!

Wild Reverence "the wild steelhead's last stand" showing at the Top Hat in Missoula

Wild Reverence " the wild steelhead's last stand" is playing at the Top Hat Lounge on Monday June 23 at 8pm.

This event is sponsored by the Westslope Chapter Trout Unlimited and is part of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.  

Westslope Trout Unlimited spreads the love of fly fishing at the Cabela's grand opening.

Two bits of good news about the new Cabela's in Missoula.

• The fly fishing section sucks big-time.  I really thought they'd have had one of those little fake fly shops in there or something.  So, it is still just as easy to support your local fly shop!
• The grand opening event brought a lot of outdoors people to one place which was great for spreading the love of fly fishing, fly tying, and stream conservation. 

Montana Trout Unlimited's Kids Camp at Georgetown lake is July 13-17!  Click here to find out more.

http://www.westslopetu.org/

fly tying with families and kids

Elmer P. - TU volunteer and fly tyer extraordinaire

Elmer P. teaching casting to the next generation.

Celebration at the Rock Creek confluence!!

Why the celebration?  Check out this older post.

Bitterroot Skwala Variant

2014 Model Skwala Dry

• Size 10-12 1-2XL Dry Fly Hook.  The curvy, stonefly hooks look great too.
• 6/0 olive thread
• Black craft foam
• Small black wire ribbing
• Goose Biots for tail
• Hand blended dubbing mix
• Old school Fishaus Tackle "Fly Sheet" for wings.  Any sheet wing material would work fine.
• Deer hair overwing
• Silicone legs
• Peacock herl for thorax under-body
• One Grizzly, one brown hackle

This is a variant on a fly that George Kesel ties.  Mine is a bit more involved but I love the silhouette.  The instructions for George's fly was published in the Westslope Chapter of Trout Unlimited's newsletter.  Here's the link: Bitterroot Skwala Tying Instructions Part 1 Bitterroot Skwala Tying Instructions Part 2

Here is the link to the Westslope TU website: http://www.westslopetu.org/