Panhandle Chapter of Trout Unlimited

We know most of you are familiar with the campaign to stop development of the mammoth Pebble Mine in Alaska.  But did you know that the EPA’s Revised Watershed Assessment shows a clear need for protecting Bristol Bay?  The Assessment, released April 26, is open for comments now.  Trout Unlimited is offering a trip to the Crystal Creek Lodge in the Bristol Bay region…you can learn more and help save Bristol Bay here.

In support of the campaign, the Panhandle Chapter is planning a free showing of Red Gold (54 minutes) and a bonus showing of Eastern Rises (38 minutes).  For those of you who may have been at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, you’ll remember seeing some of the beautiful footage of Kamchatka, Russia – now we bring you the full length film!

We invite you to join us!  Read details on how to get tickets here!

Along with our sponsor, Big R Fly Shops, the Panhandle Chapter is bringing both the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) and the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) to Sandpoint.  F3T will show Friday, April 19th and IF4 will show on Saturday, April 20th.  Both films will be at the Panida Theater, with doors opening at 6:00 for an  pre-event social hour and earlybird doorprize drawing.  Movies start at 7:00pm.

This year we have expanded into a 2-day event!   Additionally, on Saturday during the day Big R Fly Shop in Ponderay will host reps from the best names in fishing gear for equipment testing and workshops. 

All proceeds from both shows will go to the Panhandle Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Pend Oreille Water Festival.

Tickets are available for both shows online.  Visit the F3T website for tickets for Friday night’s showing of F3T, and/or visit the IF4 website for tickets for Saturday night’s showing of IF4.

Tickets are also available for local pick-up at Big R Fly Shop and Eichardt’s Pub .  Tickets are $12 advance, $14 online, and $15 day of show.  Email us at panhandletu@gmail.com with any questions.

Join us for a great weekend of fly fishing!

The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 9th @ 6:00 pm at the Albright & Thurston office in Sandpoint.

Read the full document:  TU Comments on IDF&G 5 Year Mgmt. Plan

Read the Fall 2012 edition of the PCTU Newsletter.

Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille is located just 25 river miles below the mine site.  During the 30-year life of the mine and beyond, metals from the mine will flow into the Clark Fork River and head downstream.  Some metals will become suspended in the water column and some will be trapped in river sediments, only to be remobilized during storm and high water events.  Over time, metals will accumulate in Lake Pend Oreille, degrading its water quality.  The Forest Service refers to the pollution as perpetual, and the state of Idaho has raised concerns about the cumulative impacts of this long-term pollution, which could hurt the recreation economy of Sandpoint, Idaho and seriously impact the lake’s fishery.

In Rock Creek, MT, Avista Utilities and the states of Montana and Idaho have spent hundreds and thousands of dollars to help recover bull trout in the lower Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Watershed.  They’ve3 restored spawning tributaries impaired by sediment, purchased conservation easements and prime riparian habitat, and educated anglers to prevent unintentional bull trout harvest.  If permitted, the Rock Creek mine’s construction phase alone will dump thousands of tons of silt into Rock Creek rendering it useless as a spawning tributary, killing the very species we’ve all worked so hard to protect.