TU to receive American Fisheries Award
Some people think Trout Unlimited is just a bunch of guys and gals who like to catch trout, fly fish and raise money for more fish. Parts of that statement are true. TU folks like to fish. A lot of us, but not all of us, love to fly fish and we do have fundraisers, but not to “buy fish” or spend on ourselves. There are 12 chapters in Georgia and each chapter works with and thru the Georgia Council of TU.
Every chapter in Georgia has their own project or multiple projects and outreach programs that require volunteer hours, manpower and financial resources to hold successful events. Thousands of hours are spent enhancing trout streams and the surrounding watersheds. The Council has their own fundraiser and also helps outreach programs that further the goals of Trout Unlimited.
One of the programs is the Georgia Trout Camp, which is funded mostly by the Dream Trip Fly Fishing Vacation raffle.
Council Chair Rodney Tumlin recently received correspondence from the American Fisheries Society stating that Georgia TU won an award for all their work. Below is an excerpt:
Congratulations! The Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited was selected as the 2023 Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society's Fisheries Conservationist of the Year.
The Georgia AFS Fisheries Conservationist of the Year Award is designed to recognize an individual or group annually for their outstanding contributions or service to fisheries conservation in Georgia. Candidates for the award go the extra mile to protect, conserve, restore, or enhance Georgia's aquatic and fisheries resources for future generations.
This year Georgia AFS recognizes the Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited for being champions of Georgia's trout species and the waters in which they live. This past year Georgia TU Chapters participated in riparian habitat and stream restoration projects, organized and hosted Georgia Trout Camp, assisted educators with the Trout in the Classroom project, organized numerous fishing clinics for veterans, first responders, cancer survivors, and scouts, and supported high school and college trout fishing clubs in Georgia.
Our Georgia AFS award winners will be announced during the awards banquet at our annual meeting at Great Wolf Lodge on February 14, 2024.
The Georgia Council has continually supported Casting for Recovery's program that combines counseling, medical information, and fly fishing to build a focus on wellness instead of illness. Casting for Recovery hosts two retreats each year at Smithgal Woods for two dozen women who are dealing with different stages of breast cancer. The Chattahoochee Nantahala and Blue Ridge Mountain chapters have a Special Needs Fishing Day for the special kids and adults from five mountain counties. All these chapter and council activities are just part of what TU does.
Congratulations to Georgia TU. From the smallest chapter to the largest, they all help to make the Georgia Council one of the best in the nation.
DREAM TRIP
Trout anglers in the Southeast dream of fishing out west where wild trout swim in both high mountain streams and cold fast-moving rivers. They dream of hooking a large cutthroat trout on a warm summer day and watching as it jumps skyward with a high snow-covered mountain as a backdrop. Not a sound to be heard other than the rustling of the leaves and the sound of the water as it flows thousands of miles to the ocean.
Why just dream when you could win a fly fishing trip of a lifetime? Quoting Jimmy Harris of Unicoi Outfitters, you can have “the opportunity to fish with John McGarity, stay in his fabulous log cabin conveniently located
between the Madison River, Yellowstone National Park, and the Henry's Fork. This puts you smack dab in the middle of some of the most famous trout waters in North America.”
Yes, the Fly Fishing Dream Trip for Two Raffle has returned. This is the only fundraiser that the Georgia Council of TU has and chances are only available until March 17.
The grand prize winner and guest receive five days hosted fishing and six nights lodging in Idaho the week of July 21-26, and $500 total in travel expenses. They each receive a float trip on the Madison River, plus choice of Winston AIR2 — 3 wt-6 wt. or Alpha + 5 wt. — 10 wt. fly reel with Scientific Anglers or Winston Energy fly line and a fly box full of flies for the trip.
There are also 12 great runner up prizes. Proceeds
benefit TU Cold Water Conservation, Georgia Trout Camp, and other Georgia TU Council supported activities.
Tickets are $10 and a small credit card service fee will be added. Choose your chapter when you buy your tickets. Go to GA Council of Trout Unlimited Dream Trip 2024 | Trout Unlimited (TuLocalEvents.org) to purchase your tickets.
Please get involved with TU and assist us in making the streams better for fish and all those who enjoy them by taking a chance on a fly fishing trip of a lifetime.