May 2017

General Meeting

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

The Dick Turse Fishing Collection Benefit

For our May General Meeting we are doing something a little different. We will be holding an estate sale for the family of one of CJTU founding members, Richard (Dick) Turse. Dick's passing this fall was a huge loss for our chapter. Dick was one of the founding members of CJTU and was active in various leadership roles for decades. He was serving as chapter treasurer at the time of his death. As a thank you to Dick's family for his years of dedication and service to CJTU we will be holding an estate sale and all of the proceeds will go back to the family. As a life long fly fisherman Dick accumulated a lot of fly fishing gear and fly tying materials. All of this equipment will be offered for sale to anyone who attends the meeting. There will be fly rods, reels and fly tying equipment for sale. All of the equipment is of the highest quality from makers like Winston, Sage, GL Loomis, Ross, Regal, Renzetti...the list goes on and on. There is both fresh and saltwater equipment available so there should be something for everyone. In addition to the rods and reels there is a large amount of fly tying material available as well.

Unfortunately we can only accept cash as a form of payment. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this causes. I hope to see a big turnout at this meeting to honor Dick Turse and allow us to give something back to his family.

In addition, we will have a short program by:

Scott Collenburg, Assistant Fisheries Biologist, Division of Fish & Wildlife in the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries. In 2014, the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife initiated a multi-year assessment to review the current Wild Trout Stream regulations, collect and analyze data, and develop regulations that will better address recreational fishing opportunities for, and conservation needs of, the state's wild trout fisheries. During this presentation Scott Collenburg, a State Fisheries Biologist will be on hand to describe the ideas for the new regulation set. The NJDFW is looking to solicit input and opinions of all anglers on the proposal.

Tuesday, June 13, 2016

CJTU Picnic Meeting

Come join us for our very popular event, the 5th annual “A Meeting With Food” to be held in the grove behind the American Legion Hall on Tuesday, June 13th, from 5 to 8 pm. A great opportunity to move into the summer and exchange some fishing stories with new and old friends. We will be cooking up some delicious burgers, hot dogs and sausage along with macaroni and potato salad. Soft drinks and water will be provided and the American Legion Hall will have it's usual full bar available just steps away.

Price is only $10.00, please submit payment to Sal Lauro prior to the event. Hope to see all of you there !

American Legion Hall
137 New Market Road
Dunellen, NJ

Meeting starts at 8 PM - Non Members are always welcome!

President’s Letter

May 2017

I don't profess to be a good fly fisherman; I'm average at best. With that in mind, I'll give you a good laugh at my expense. On Sunday, April 30, I fished the Musky for four hours. That’s the most I can endure at 68 years old. So after catching seven fish, I wanted "just one more". Well, I hooked a fourteen-inch rainbow and a five minute fight ensued. I needed to play the fish since I had a 6X tippet on with a size #20 Rainbow Warrior. As the fight came to a close, I slid the tired bow into my net. Great, I had him!!! At that very moment, I slipped and landed on my backside in two feet of water. As a passionate TU'er, my first thought was "Keep'em wet!". With that, while sitting there, I unhooked the bow, revived him and then set him free. Afterwards, I then thought, how am I going to get up since my wading staff was under me. It was a wet ride home to Marlboro only to find that I put a eraser size hole in the seat of my waders when I unpacked. Now, how can I describe and explain the actions in the order I took them? You decide, am I a bit "over the top" or am I a "catch & release superhero"????

After ten years of heading up CJTU's "Trout in the Classroom", Ozzie Ozefovich is stepping down. I don't know how I can adequately thank Ozzie for all his work. With that in mind, the Board of Directors is looking for someone like you. Someone who gets to see the joy and smiles of the children who will care for next year’s supply of eggs and raise the trout until their release. Please give this some consideration if you want to get involved with an important part of TU's efforts. Please write me at grhryvniak@yahoo.com or phone me at 732-841-6335 if you want to know more. Ozzie has agreed to take whomever wants to head the TIC program through it step by step. 

Please make sure to read Bart Lombardo's write-up in this issue of Mainstream about the sale of our long time and charter member, Dick Turse’s fishing items. Bart is selling off Dick's collection and will provide the proceeds to the Turse family. This is your chance to pick up some very nice items at very low prices.

On June 3rd and 4th, CJTU will be at the Pequest Open House. This is a great place to take the family for the day. Please bring to the meeting any fishing items you want to donate to the Chapter to be sold at the Pequest. We'll have members teaching fly casting and then some "catching" to the youngsters at the Pequest Education Pond. A lot of hungry trout reside in that pond! 

Also, on June 13 CJTU will have their annual picnic in the grove behind The American Legion Hall. Please come out and enjoy hotdogs, hamburgers, sausage, and more. Again, more of the details will be found in this issue of Mainstream. 

We will again be serving pizza and soda starting at 7:30 before our 8:00 meeting. It has been great to watch all the comradery that goes on while enjoying the food. Please bring your appetite! Bart Lombardo will take over for me at this meeting. While you're enjoying your pizza, I hope to catch the Hendrickson spinner fall on the West Branch of the Delaware in Deposit, N.Y. I can only hope!

Until I see you at the picnic, I wish you:

Tight lines!
George

News & Events

Musconetcong River Cleanup

This year marked the 25th Spring Clean Up on the Musconetcong River, which took place on April 15, 2017 and Central Jersey Trout Unlimited (CJTU) members cleaned up the Point Mountain TCA section.

There was a good showing from CJTU members, Scouts, parents, and residents cleaning up the river from Lake Hopatcong State Park to Finesville, NJ.

I’ve personally participated in most if not all the cleanups in the last 25 years and it still astonishing how much trash ends up or resurfaces in our waterways.

I encourage members to get out and participate in cleanup events because you see the direct effects of our impact on rivers and at the end of the day feel the accomplishment of restoring a small stretch of stream.

Lou Digena

A few more photos can be found here.

Point Mountain Stocking

Many know New Jersey Fish and Wildlife stocks the Musconetcong River on Friday. When I was younger, I would follow the hatchery truck to find stocking spots on the rivers I fished. Those days are long gone, but I now help stock those trout along with Hunterdon County Parks Rangers and Wildlife Conservation Corps (WCC) volunteers (most are CJTU members), scattering them along the 1.2 miles of stream on Point Mountain Trout Conservation Area (Musky TCA). The state stills deposits trout where the road meets the Musconetcong River, but these volunteers evenly distributed the trout along the Musky TCA.

Rich Post and his team meets the Hatchery truck and transfer the trout into Hunterdon County Parks Kawasaki Mule that has a mini stocking tank outfitted with an aerator. After the transfer Rich and his team of WCC volunteers head upstream to meet the Mule and start stocking bucket loads of trout along the interior of the Musky TCA.

After the stocking, anyone can fish Point Mountain Trout Conservations Area. Point Mountain is a year round Trout Conservations Area, and the following regulations apply.

1. Only artificial lures may be used.
2. Possession or use of bait (live or preserved) or any substance (natural or synthetic) that contains a concentration of bait scent is prohibited.
3. Fishing is permitted during the spring in-season closures, which apply to the river. All trout caught during these periods must be released immediately.

I’d like to thank Rich and all the volunteers for their hard work. If this is some think you think you’ll like to do stop by a meeting or contact us at info@cjtu.org.

Lou Digena

More photos.

2017 Rutgers Day

On Saturday, April 29, 2017, Central Jersey Chapter of Trout Unlimited attended Rutgers Day 2017 on the Cook Campus of Rutgers University.

Rutgers Day is an opportunity for the public to learn about and participate in some of Rutgers Agriculture and Environmental programs. The University also opens the event to local environmental organizations, CJTU being one.

At the event, we sold out of our Adopt-A-Trout stuffed animals to parents, grandparents and their children and instructed persons on fly casting. We provided information on the Point Mountain stream restoration and Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program.

I like to thank all the volunteers who gave their time during this event. A special thanks need to go out to John Wester for heading the Adopt-A-Trout program.

Volunteers make it possible for us to run these events, sharing our experience and love of cold-water fisheries. If you have time, please get involved, we need your help.

Thank you!

Here are some more photographs from the event.

Pequest Open House
and Sportsmen's Flea Market

June 3 & 4, 2017
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Daily

Due to excessive snow cover and resulting poor condition of the grounds at the Pequest Trout Hatchery, the Open House has been rescheduled from April 1 and 2 to June 3 and 4. The new date will coincide with National Fishing and Boating Week, which runs from June 3 – 11, and the June 10 Free Fishing Day.

Since the Open House has been moved into June, there is still a chance for you to bring us your unused fishing and outdoor gear. In past years we have raised several hundred to over a thousand dollars selling CJTU members old, unwanted gear. This money goes directly to our conservation efforts. We are currently looking to raise funds to support another restoration project on public water, on the Musconetcong River. Please consider making a donation of your unwanted gear to CJTU. You can bring the gear to our monthly meeting thru May. If that is not possible, we can make arrangements to pick the items up at your convienance. If you want arrange for a pick-up please send an email to bartlombardo@optonline.net. Thank you in advance for your support.

For information and updates visit www.njfishandwildlife.com/pequest.htm on the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife website.

Fly of the Month

“The Barnes Special Streamer”

Tied by Bart Lombardo

The Barnes Special is an adaptation of a streamer called the Hurricane. Cecil Lowell Barnes, the fly’s originator, was a guide in the Sebago Lake area in Maine. It was said that he was known to examine the stomach contents of the fish he caught and used this information create the Barnes Special. The Barnes Special is one of the most popular streamers on Grand Lake Stream where I fish for Landlocked Salmon. It is very effective in the spring whether you are trolling in lakes or casting in the river. If you are tying the fly for trolling I would change the hook to a 8x or even a 10x long hook.

Central Jersey Trout Unlimited’s Supporters