Hedden Creek Workday Brings out 44 Volunteers!
April 25, 2013
Apr 13 (Sat) In-stream Workday – Hedden Creek. A 44-member strong conservation conclave descended upon the Double Bit campground to do good deeds for wild brown trout. This multigenerational gang followed the lead of Forest Service and GADNR fisheries technicians and repaired nine trout habitat improvement structures, placed into Hedden Creek decades ago by the preceding generation of Rabunite sledgehammer-slingers. A national flag ceremony by the Boy Scouts kicked off the morning. Volunteers then received a Forest Service safety talk, split into work groups, and hit their designated work stations in and along the creek. Large cover logs were cut and toted, anchoring rebar was pounded thru the logs and into the stream bed, and the structures’ rock cribs were refilled. Work crews were refreshed by the dedicated two-scout crew of waterboys.
When the work was done at noon, the scouts treated the entire conclave to a hot dog lunch with all the fixins’. Stories were told around the campfire, individual scouts were honored (with fishing lure prizes!) for their hard work, and some new “secret” spots were shared by the Rabunites with their new, flatland brethren like Hilton Cundiff. NGTO’er Landon Williams took a brief, post meal “sample” of the stream’s brown trout and speck populations with his three-weight and pronounced them “healthy.” For some of us older Rabunites, seeing those fireside festivities reminded us of our great memories at this same campsite 30 years ago, and gave us hope for this next generation of conservationists who are now joining our ranks. And the brown trout of the Reed Creek watershed are better for it! This workday was in memory of Bill Kelly.
Report and photos provided by Jeff Durniak
The Rabunites would like to thank the following groups for their participation: GA Foothills and Savannah River chapters of TU, North Georgia Trout Online, Boy Scout troops 5 (Clarkesville), 6 (Clayton), and 40 (Mountain City), Forest Service wildlife professionals David Vinson, Mike Brod, and Mike Joyce, GADNR fisheries tech Leon Brotherton, and especially the stream project leader and Boy Scout coordinator, Jerry McFalls, for a job well done. Waaahhh- HOOO, everyone!
Volunteers – TU: Rabun=8, Foothills=6, Savannah=9, NGTO=1, Scout troops: #5=1, #6=14, #40=1, USFS = 3 & GADNR=1
Doug Adams, An Ole Rabunite, adds: “As I looked around the Double Bit campsite, the memories came flooding back. There were memories of the many campouts we’ve had there, beginning almost 40 years ago. I remembered the Klondike camps HERE , the first Chattooga electro-shocking in ‘86, the Klondike group decision in May of ‘86 to form a TU Chapter, Ben’s sleeping pits, the live bluegrass music, the campfire stories, the fish fries, the Reed Creek in-stream workdays of the late 80s and early 90s. Particularly memories of folks like Tom, Kelly, Klein, Ben, Old Crowe and Yank: https://rabuntu.org/join-support/legacy-funds/ Those are all good memories.”
RABUN TU CHAPTER 522 – MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
April 25, 2013
Many of our members have expressed an interest in contacting other chapter members. Many times this has been to coordinate fishing trips, extend invitations to participate in chapter meetings and events, follow up on a member who is ill or to offer condolences and expressions of sympathy. Why can we not use our directory of information as provided to TU National? TU by- laws provide for use of membership information solely for TU business. Your Board of Directors has decided to pursue the creation of a chapter membership directory as a way of providing contact information to chapter members. Please provide as much or as little information as you wish to share by filling in the below form or emailing the back to Ray King at the following email address: rayking@frontier.com.
If you receive a printed copy of the chapter newsletter, please fill out the form and mail it to the following address: Ray King, 121 Creek Road, Otto, North Carolina 28763
[formidable id=8]
June 22: Tallulah River Clean-Up Day CANCELLED
April 25, 2013
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED because of lack of litter due to encouragement by campground management, the efforts of most campers to police the area themselves and largely to the routine and thorough sweep of the area by a dedicated volunteer who removes all trash at least once a week.
June 22 (Sat) River Clean-up Day, Tallulah River
Volunteers needed.
Workday in memory of John Starinchuck.
Ray King Coordinating rayking@frontier.com
More details to come
June 18: Chapter Meeting
April 25, 2013
June 18 (Tues) 6:30 PM,
RE/MAX Office
Program: “From Two Inches to Ten Pounds, the Wild Browns of the Hooch Tailwater”
By Patrick O’Rouke, Fisheries Biologist with the GA WRD.
Map
View Larger Map
June 9-14 Georgia Trout Camp
April 25, 2013
June 9 – 14 : – 10th Annual GEORGIA TROUT CAMP at RGNS. Contact: Charlie Breithaupt knc615@windstream.net
Passing it on!
Location: Rabun Gap Nacoochee School
Camp Dates: June 9 (Sunday) – June 14 (Friday)
Cost: $450 per camper (financial aid is available) Includes room, board, and all activities for the five-day camp.
(Campers must be within the ages of 12 – 15 at time of camp)
Mail applications to: Rabun TU, PO Box 371, Clayton, GA 30525
Each of the 13 chapters in Georgia has spots to fill and each chapter decides how they want to select their campers. Once a chapter chooses a camper, the application, along with their tuition check, is forwarded to the Trout Camp Coordinator (Charlie Breithaupt). Campers will be notified of their acceptance as soon as possible. Later, around early May, more detailed information will be sent to each camper.
Questions and/or concerns should be directed to the Camp Coordinator, Charlie Breithaupt,
194 Kitchins Lane; Clayton, GA 30525 knc615@windstream.net (706) 782-6954
Since 2004, the Rabun Chapter has taken a lead role in the Georgia TU Council’s summer Trout Camp for boys and girls ages twelve to fifteen. The streamside, hands-on experiences offered at Trout Camp provide more than just casting and fishing lessons, they strive to fully educate youth about the complex issues behind the restoration and protection of our streams and rivers.
Over the past eight years we have prepared and hopefully motivated 191 young folks to carry on the work of Trout Unlimited and to enjoy the sport we all love.
