Chapter Activities - River Cleanup
Rocky Mountain Flycasters
Poudre Clean up Crew Oct 21, 2006 photo by Doc Sheets
Poudre River Clean up
October 21st was predicted to be a cold one with blowing rain and snow in the forecast. Fifteen hardy souls, including three graduate students from CSU, showed up for the RMFC Annual River Clean Up, this year on the lower Poudre River. They were greeted by dry conditions, sunshine, and a beautiful dusting of snow along the banks and trees of our home waters. Led by Dave Piske and fueled by donuts, the group spent about three hours scouring the river access points and picking up all manner of trash for the DOT to pick up in those bright orange bags.
Andy and Chris Sheafor with the newly installed bench. photo by Greg Evans
Meanwhile, Chris and Andy Sheafor and Greg Evans drove up to the first big bend in the Poudre below the hatchery. There they dug a couple of holes and installed a metal bench at the site where a certain Mr. Zimmerman of Zimmerman Lake fame caught his first Poudre River trout. His family had donated the bench in his honor, and Colorado Trout Unlimited came up with a $500 donation for Rocky Mountain Flycasters to install it. Chris, Andy and Greg stood back to admire their work and clean up the cement covered shovels just as the snow hit. Good timing and good works.
Thanks to all who made the day a success. And a reminder too, pick up that crushed water bottle or plastic cup you see after a day of fishing when you go next time. The men and women of RMF will thank you next year! Tight lines this Fall!
State-wide Clean Up September 24, 2005
Rocky Mountain Flycasters was active with chapters throughout the state with a state-wide cleanup of cold-water resources. Our chapter has done a spring clean up of a selected area along the Big Thompson. For our fall participation in the state-wide effort, we worked at cleaning up selected portions of the Cache la Poudre River.
photo by Ken Eis
Members met Saturday, September 24th at the Picnic Rock area and were provided with a survey by Dave Piske of 45 miles of Poudre River. With our assigned area in hand, we dispersed to selected areas up the canyon for our cleanup activities. Working until around noon, members collected a variety of trash along the river. Discarded auto batteries and dirty diapers were some of the quite hazardous trash polluting our river. There were also plenty of beer bottles and cans strewn along the riverbanks that were collected and disposed of properly.
See the related article in the Local Section of the Friday September 23, 2005 Fort Collins Coloradoan or online at Coloradoan Local News.
Spring Big T Clean Up - May 21, 2005
Rocky Mountain Flycasters has just completed the spring cleanup at Big Thompson Narrows State Wildlife Area. More than 20 members came out and worked really hard to carry downed limbs and pruned limbs to the chipper. Again this year, the result was obvious and the Park is more useful and attractive to the public.
This task will demonstrate to the County Commissioners and to the nearby residents that there is support from the general public for the retention and maintenance of the Big T properties.
This is the second major task that our chapter of Trout Unlimited has undertaken this Spring. Bob Streeter led about 20 volunteers in the restoration of a riparian zone in the new Eagle's Nest Park on the North Fork of the Poudre River near Livermore. This area will open to the public on June 11. Attend the opening ceremony and see what our Chapter can accomplish.