Streamline

For our November 12th meeting we're doing something a little different. Instead of one guest speaker, we'll feature a panel of five TU420 members — Scott Hood, Chance Maxville, Ryan Crager, Jake Miller, and Bruce Burton — covering local and regional fisheries: Upper Illinois smallmouth, Arkansas River stripers, Lower Illinois stripers and trout, and largemouth bass.

It will be a relaxed, round-table discussion with practical tips, favorite flies, access, conservation, and audience Q&A — a fun night and a good chance to learn from the experience already within our own chapter.

Where: Scheels Tulsa, Mickey Mantle Room, 2nd Floor — Woodland Hills Mall, 6929 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74133.
When: Doors open at 6 PM, meeting at 6:30 PM. Raffle and door prizes at the end.

At the November 12th General Meeting we will hold our annual elections. The following members have been nominated by the Board to our officer positions:

President — Ryan Crager
Vice-President — Daniel Scott
Treasurer — Bret Snipes
Secretary — Russell Herrera

These Board Members are up for re-election: Brad Richards, Kevin Carey, Scott Hood, and Bruce Brewer.

All officer and board positions are open to contest. If you'd like to be more involved and a particular office is within your realm of experience, notify any present officer or board member of your wish to be nominated. Nominations are also allowed from the floor during the meeting. All terms of office are two years, so count the cost.

Over the past several weeks our chapter has worked to raise awareness about the proposed rescinding of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which would remove protections from more than 45 million acres of National Forest lands — some of the country's most intact watersheds and important habitat for native trout, salmon, and other wildlife.

The latest: public opposition to repeal is overwhelming — more than 99% of 370,000+ comments oppose rescinding the rule. Conservation groups, hunters, anglers, and many states support maintaining protections, and the USDA's own draft environmental study indicates repeal could increase environmental harm, degrade wildlife habitat, affect water quality, and raise federal road-maintenance costs while offering little wildfire-risk reduction.

The public comment period has now closed. USDA is reviewing comments and environmental analyses before issuing a final decision, and the rule remains in effect until a final rule is published. The ongoing federal review will determine whether the 2001 Roadless Rule is ultimately rescinded or retained.

The Dave Whitlock Chapter is offering a limited 100 tickets at $10 each (limit 10 per person) for a remarkable piece of fly fishing history: a Sage Graphite IV 490-3 SP — inscribed rod, autographed tube, and original rod sack. It was factory-built specifically for Dave and came directly from his collection, as the inscription suggests.

Collector estimates put it in the $1,000–$1,750 range. The slightly worn original tube is a feature, not a flaw — the winner should never polish, repaint, or restore it.

Tickets are offered at TU420 chapter meetings until all 100 are sold (cash or check only). Once sold out, the drawing happens at the next meeting. All proceeds go to the chapter. Get your ticket before all 100 are gone!

At the November General Meeting the raffle prize bundle includes: a Simms Taco Gear Bag, Rainbow Trout Chums eyewear retainer, Chums angler's wallet, an Oklahoma State hankie, and a Gearhead coozie & stickers. Retail value $115.

Tickets are $1 each with price breaks beginning at $5. Please remember to bring your CASH.

This year's annual prize is an Orvis Hydros SL fly reel paired with a Scientific Anglers fly line, a $300 value. After the November raffle is drawn, losing tickets from the year's monthly raffles go into the annual drawing — so write your name and phone number on the back of every ticket. You don't have to be present to win the annual prize.

Haven't entered yet? Just buy a raffle ticket at the November 12th meeting (only losing tickets go into the annual drawing, so buy a few).

John Holderman won our October raffle prize and took home a fly box full of saltwater and striper flies. Your picture might be here in the December issue, if you buy a ticket, win, and the editor remembers to take your photo.

Is there someone out there with a literary bent, or who thrives on rounding up contributors once a month to make a newsletter possible? Our editor is looking for a successor. Once you're in, you're in for the long haul — and think of all the free training you'll receive.

Requirement: current membership in both Trout Unlimited and Fly Fishers International (something all board members must hold). Contact Bruce Brewer at rbbrewer1@live.com for more information.

Gore Police Department: 918-489-5963 or 911 (response time about 5 minutes).
Local Game Wardens: 918-431-2550 or 918-431-2544 (to report fishing or hunting violations).

If cardiac, call for help and start hands-only CPR, pushing down two inches on the center of the chest to the beat of "Stayin' Alive." Note the time CPR begins if you can. Landmarks that help responders find you: The Dam, the lower parking lot, Watts, and MarVal's, and let them know which side of the river you're on.

For a swift-water rescue, call 911 or Gore PD and the Sequoyah County team responds as well. If a medical transfer is needed, they will LifeFlight from the baseball field in Gore to Muskogee or Sallisaw. Carry baby aspirin, Benadryl, and a first aid kit. Life-saving instructions courtesy of Nurse Binnie Jones.