www.cjtu.org

February 2022

General Meeting

Due to the present Covid conditions, chapter meetings will continue to be held virtualy on the Zoom platform until further notice!

We will be having a virtual meeting on Tuesday, February 8th at 8:00 pm. We will be using the platform ZOOM to conduct this meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86184198571?​pwd=ZnNQTkVzMkRiR3d​jQm1xRUYrWm8vdz09

Meeting ID: 861 8419 8571
Passcode: 205012

General Meeting

Tuesday, February 8th, 2022

Bill Kibler – Update on New Jersey Dam Removals

Bill Kibler, Director of Policy for the Raritan Headwaters Association, will discuss why we have so many dams in New Jersey and why most dams should be removed. He will then provide an update on dam removal and stream restoration efforts in the Raritan Headwaters.

The Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) protects, preserves, and improves water quality and other natural resources of the Raritan River headwaters region through science, education, advocacy, land preservation and stewardship. Bill has served as the Executive Director of the South Branch Watershed Association from 2005 until RHA was created in 2011. Bill has a BS in environmental science from the United States Military Academy, West Point, and served as a Corps of Engineers officer in the Persian Gulf War. After graduating from the Syracuse University College of Law, Bill specialized in environmental, land use, and international law. He lives on the South Branch of the Raritan River in Califon with his wife, Susan, and their son, Alex. He is an avid (and remarkably mediocre) fly fisherman and is a past chief of the Califon Fire Company.

Tuesday, March 8th, 2022

Bill Anderson – Fishing the Little Juniata

Bill Anderson – President of the Little Juniata River Association, a 501 cx3 all volunteer conservation organization located in Central Pa. Bill is a fly fishing instructor/licensed guide; Innovative fly tyer; National Finalist for the Field & Stream “Hero of Conservation” award 2014; and Outdoor News –“Person of the Year for 2015”. He has also received awards from, Blair County Conservation Officers Association, Juniata Valley Audubon Society – Conservation Award, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Blair County Conservation District, The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) Environmental Award 2016 and the Pennsylvania State Senate for his leadership and effectiveness in protecting and improving the Little Juniata River.

Bill lives in a solar log house in Sinking Valley near Tyrone, located just five miles from the Little Juniata River. He has fished the Little Juniata and its sister stream, the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata since moving from Delaware to Central Pa. in 1978. Bill and his wife, Carol Ann, raised three children and are now enjoying visits with their five grandkids.

Since retiring from the Contract Manufacturing Industry as Chief Operating Officer for IEC Electronics in 2004, Bill and Carol Ann opened a coffee shop in Tyrone, Pa.; Bill and a partner started and ran a fly shop located on Spruce Creek; and Bill has served as the leader of the Little Juniata River Association, a 501 c3 watershed conservation organization, since 2005.

In the winter months, he teaches fly tying classes, operates a business installing waterproof zippers in waders (EZ-P )and writes articles about Central Pennsylvania history for local publications. He has also written articles on fly fishing and the Little Juniata River for regional and national magazines. Bill is the author of a hard-back book: “Trout Boomer and the Little “j” - The story of a fly fisher and his love for the Little Juniata River”.

Bill manages two websites including the Little Juniata River Association www.littlejuniata.net and three Face Book pages and may be contacted at bjuniata@verizon.net or 814 569 8843.

Due to the present Covid conditions, chapter meetings will continue to be held virtualy on the Zoom platform until further notice!

American Legion Hall
137 New Market Road
Dunellen, NJ

Meeting starts at 8:00 PM - Non Members are always welcome!

President’s Letter

Greetings CJTU Members and Friends!

Now that we have moved into to 2022 we are looking forward to some new plans. Again, thanks to Nick Romanenko and John Wester we have great Speakers and Presentations planned. We'll have Bill Kibler, from the Raritan Headwaters Association, speaking to us in February.

On Saturday, April 16th CJTU will be participating in the 30th Annual Musconetcong River Clean-up! We're looking for Volunteers!! Mark your calendars and plan to join us. We start at Point Mountain. It's always a fun event and we do so much good! So, bring a friend or a family member.

We are excited that the Rutgers' Day event is back! It will be held on Saturday, April 30th. More details will follow as soon as we receive them. We hope that you will join us and tell the CJTU story and help us do outreach in the community.

In the Spring, we will be going back to the Lopatcong Creek to finish the tree planting that we did in November. A tremendous amount was done by the chapters that collaborated on this project, Central Jersey TU, East Jersey TU, Hacklebarney TU, Ridge & Valley TU, representatives from MWA along with our own TU representative and organizer Keith Fritschie. As soon as we receive the dates and times we will let you know so that you can pitch in.

We will be holding our Chapter elections at our general meeting on February 8th. There is always room for nominations from the floor. Also, we invite you to consider how you might like to help the CJTU. Step up and speak up!

The NJ State Council will be holding its 2nd quarter Council meeting on April 24th. We need candidates for Treasurer and the NLC Representative, who is our liaison with TU national. If you would like to become more involved with the national organization, please consider this options.

Also, the NJ State Council is bringing back the Council's newsletter "Trout Watch". We're looking for contributions from all Chapters' members, an article on a fantastic trip, exciting species fished for, member profiles, a favorite fly that you've tied, a great conservation effort. Please contact Marsha Benovengo with something exciting!

TU is planning on holding the Annual Meeting this year in Portland, Maine from 7/20-24. More details will be coming soon.

Stay well and safe!

Marsha Benovengo,
Interim President,
CJTU

News & Events

A Legacy of Trout Fishing in New Jersey

Watch the video on YouTube

"I have done something to make better what I am going to leave behind. ... And we want to have something beautiful left for generations to come." - Marsha Benovego, Chair, NJ Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Marsha Benovengo is a long time angler of the Great Waters in northwestern New Jersey. Here she teaches children about the importance of conservation in angling as well as how to cast and fish our local streams and rivers.

This video was made for the Great Waters NJ project. The Great Waters NJ partnership works to advocate for the rivers, streams, and lakes in northwestern New Jersey. For more information, to share your own water story, or sign the petition to protect the Great Waters: visit: https://www.greatwatersnj.org/.

Saturday, April 16th, 2022

30th Annual Musconetcong River Clean-up

Rutger's Day

Saturday, April 30th, 2022

It's time for a new NJ Fishing License and Trout Stamp! You can get it here:

https://nj.aspirafocus.com/internetsales

If you fish in saltwater you will need to register here:

https://www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry/index.html

Sign Up for a Free Membership!

Help CJTU when you shop at Amazon!

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-7355313

Use the link above to access amazon.com and help support CJTU

AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Central Jersey Trout Unlimited.

More about amazon Smile

Fly of the Month

Johnston’s Midge Emerger

Tied by Bill Ninke

Local waters remain cold. So early this month you can still fish the midge larva pattern presented as the January FOTM. But near the end of February you should see some sparse surface activity as the larva slowly pupate and come to the surface to hatch into adults. Then you’ll want to be ready with the emerger pattern described here. Eventually, in March when hatching accelerates, you’ll want to fish the midge cluster pattern described in March 2020. But this emerger will keep you and the trout entertained in the interim.

This pattern is the creation of Geoff Johnston, a full time fishing guide on rivers and lakes in the UK. I discovered it while browsing the Internet two or three years ago and it has performed well for me ever since. It is indeed a “guide fly”, which means it uses few materials, is quick and easy to tie, and catches well. What more can you ask of a pattern?

I believe that the Krystal Flash wing that lies right in the surface film is a key feature of this pattern. As you’ll learn from the detailed instructions, Johnson has created a special tying technique to assure this. Another interesting technique from Johnston that you’ll learn from the instructions is how to easily align the tips of two or more CDC feathers to form an attractive wing. This technique can be used on other patterns incorporating wings of multiple CDC feathers. If your eyes are not that great, you might use a white feather as the top one on this pattern.

The body is just corded tying thread. If you want to introduce some more obvious segmentation, a rib of extra small silver wire can be added. Johnston didn’t but I generally do. I’m further experimenting with making the body from a strand of black metallic embroidery thread to give the pattern a little glitter. But this is recent and I have no on stream feedback as yet.

Central Jersey Trout Unlimited’s Supporters