02-27-2009, 04:10 PM
The first trout were stocked in Oklahoma in 1958 in the Illinois River below Tenkiller Lake. Many things have changed in the last 50-plus years, but one thing is certain - the quality and quantity of trout fishing opportunities has been getting better ever since.
Anglers can celebrate the success of trout angling and fisheries conservation this year by attending the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited's 14th annual banquet and auction Saturday, March 7.
"We have a great time at our annual banquet and I hope that every trout angler in the state can come join us," said Brian Ellis, immediate past president of the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited. "Come early and stay late, and don't worry, this is not a formal affair. Just come in your fishing shirt and blue jeans and you'll fit in fine."
According to Ellis, spouses and kids also are encouraged to attend the banquet, to be held at the Sportsman's Country Club in Oklahoma City. Tickets are $30, and activities include dinner, raffles and silent and live auctions. Items can be previewed starting at 5:30 p.m., and the live auction begins at 7 p.m.
"We have a bunch of great fishing tackle and equipment to auction off this year, and the best thing is Trout Unlimited puts the money right back into trout fisheries," Ellis said.
Since 2001, the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited has provided the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation with $18,483.50 for a wide range of conservation projects. This money has been matched by 3-1 with federal Sport Fish Restoration program funds, providing over $73,934 for conservation work, primarily on the Lower Mountain Fork River and the Lower Illinois River.
Since 1950, the Sport Fish Restoration program has contributed about $3 billion to improving sport fishing and boating opportunities in the United States. Funding for the program is derived from special federal excise taxes on certain fishing gear, boats and motor fuel that are then distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to state wildlife agencies such as the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for fisheries improvements.
"The Wildlife Department is grateful for the support of groups like the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and we hope anglers who enjoy trout fishing in our state will take every opportunity to support this organization by attending the banquet on March 7," said Barry Bolton, fisheries chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
One of the crown jewels of this partnership in action is the habitat management work at the Lower Mountain Fork River's Evening Hole and Lost Creek, both renovated during the summer of 2006 as part of an extensive trout habitat project.
The Evening Hole is a 1/3-mile stretch of the Lower Mountain Fork River that was once less hospitable to trout because of warm, slow-moving water and a silty bottom.
However, streams biologists saw the potential in the area and felt if they could narrow the channel and provide more habitat, the trout - as well as trout anglers - would quickly begin using the area. Biologists used 600 dump truck loads of soil to narrow the river channel, causing the water to remain cooler and move through the Evening Hole faster. With the addition of large rocks, logs and islands, fisheries personnel transformed once sub-par trout habitat into a first class fishing area. Lost Creek is a 1,200 ft. long stream that branches off from the river and flows through a wooded area before emptying into the Evening Hole trout fishing area.
The projects would not have been possible without the support of many partners like the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Visitors to the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited banquet are likely to see several of the state's newest wildlife conservation license plates. The artwork for the striking plate, which features a leaping rainbow trout, was provided by the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
The license plates can be ordered by picking up a form at your local tag office and following the instructions or visiting the Oklahoma Tax Commission in Oklahoma City. At no additional cost, anyone can have their license plate personalized.
This year Trout Unlimited is celebrating it's 50th year in conservation in 2009. The organization was started in 1959 by 16 fishermen in Michigan who wanted to protect their local river, and since then TU has grown to 140,000 members in 400 local chapters throughout the country.
TU has been instrumental in restoring more than 10,000 miles of rivers and streams around the country and has been a force in protecting habitat for trout and salmon from Alaska to Maine. Since its founding, TU and its local chapters and volunteers have made numerous tangible contributions to conservation in the United States
"As TU celebrates its 50 years of conservation, we must bear in mind that it is TU volunteers who have made the organization what it is today," said Bryan Moore, vice president for Volunteer Operations and Watersheds. "TU members are the backbone that keeps the organization growing and moving forward in everything from on-the-ground restoration of rivers and streams to involving young people in conservation. The 50th anniversary celebration is really a celebration of our 140,000 members around the country."
To purchase tickets, or for other information about the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited, contact Don Longcrier at (405) 613-5535 or dglsll@swbell.net, Tom Adams at (405) 751-7376 or Jerry Walker at (405) 760-6245. The Sportsman's Country Club is located at 4001 Northwest 39th St. in Oklahoma City.
For more information about trout angling in Oklahoma, log on to the Wildlife Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
Media Contact
Michael Bergin or Micah Holmes (405) 521-3856
Anglers can celebrate the success of trout angling and fisheries conservation this year by attending the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited's 14th annual banquet and auction Saturday, March 7.
"We have a great time at our annual banquet and I hope that every trout angler in the state can come join us," said Brian Ellis, immediate past president of the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited. "Come early and stay late, and don't worry, this is not a formal affair. Just come in your fishing shirt and blue jeans and you'll fit in fine."
According to Ellis, spouses and kids also are encouraged to attend the banquet, to be held at the Sportsman's Country Club in Oklahoma City. Tickets are $30, and activities include dinner, raffles and silent and live auctions. Items can be previewed starting at 5:30 p.m., and the live auction begins at 7 p.m.
"We have a bunch of great fishing tackle and equipment to auction off this year, and the best thing is Trout Unlimited puts the money right back into trout fisheries," Ellis said.
Since 2001, the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited has provided the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation with $18,483.50 for a wide range of conservation projects. This money has been matched by 3-1 with federal Sport Fish Restoration program funds, providing over $73,934 for conservation work, primarily on the Lower Mountain Fork River and the Lower Illinois River.
Since 1950, the Sport Fish Restoration program has contributed about $3 billion to improving sport fishing and boating opportunities in the United States. Funding for the program is derived from special federal excise taxes on certain fishing gear, boats and motor fuel that are then distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to state wildlife agencies such as the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for fisheries improvements.
"The Wildlife Department is grateful for the support of groups like the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and we hope anglers who enjoy trout fishing in our state will take every opportunity to support this organization by attending the banquet on March 7," said Barry Bolton, fisheries chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
One of the crown jewels of this partnership in action is the habitat management work at the Lower Mountain Fork River's Evening Hole and Lost Creek, both renovated during the summer of 2006 as part of an extensive trout habitat project.
The Evening Hole is a 1/3-mile stretch of the Lower Mountain Fork River that was once less hospitable to trout because of warm, slow-moving water and a silty bottom.
However, streams biologists saw the potential in the area and felt if they could narrow the channel and provide more habitat, the trout - as well as trout anglers - would quickly begin using the area. Biologists used 600 dump truck loads of soil to narrow the river channel, causing the water to remain cooler and move through the Evening Hole faster. With the addition of large rocks, logs and islands, fisheries personnel transformed once sub-par trout habitat into a first class fishing area. Lost Creek is a 1,200 ft. long stream that branches off from the river and flows through a wooded area before emptying into the Evening Hole trout fishing area.
The projects would not have been possible without the support of many partners like the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Visitors to the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited banquet are likely to see several of the state's newest wildlife conservation license plates. The artwork for the striking plate, which features a leaping rainbow trout, was provided by the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
The license plates can be ordered by picking up a form at your local tag office and following the instructions or visiting the Oklahoma Tax Commission in Oklahoma City. At no additional cost, anyone can have their license plate personalized.
This year Trout Unlimited is celebrating it's 50th year in conservation in 2009. The organization was started in 1959 by 16 fishermen in Michigan who wanted to protect their local river, and since then TU has grown to 140,000 members in 400 local chapters throughout the country.
TU has been instrumental in restoring more than 10,000 miles of rivers and streams around the country and has been a force in protecting habitat for trout and salmon from Alaska to Maine. Since its founding, TU and its local chapters and volunteers have made numerous tangible contributions to conservation in the United States
"As TU celebrates its 50 years of conservation, we must bear in mind that it is TU volunteers who have made the organization what it is today," said Bryan Moore, vice president for Volunteer Operations and Watersheds. "TU members are the backbone that keeps the organization growing and moving forward in everything from on-the-ground restoration of rivers and streams to involving young people in conservation. The 50th anniversary celebration is really a celebration of our 140,000 members around the country."
To purchase tickets, or for other information about the 89er Chapter of Trout Unlimited, contact Don Longcrier at (405) 613-5535 or dglsll@swbell.net, Tom Adams at (405) 751-7376 or Jerry Walker at (405) 760-6245. The Sportsman's Country Club is located at 4001 Northwest 39th St. in Oklahoma City.
For more information about trout angling in Oklahoma, log on to the Wildlife Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
Media Contact
Michael Bergin or Micah Holmes (405) 521-3856