wmarsh422
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Your LAP Membership starts Nov 1, 2023 so you will receive information prior and access when your membership begins.
It is at Rio. We have their meeting room. They can direct you when you check in at the office.
Just a quick LAST reminder for GRTU members interested in the LAP for this year. TODAY (August 31st) is the LAST day to validate your membership record on the GRTU website to complete step 2 of the NEW LAP process. Go to the GRTU website for more info! Robilyn Pettit, GRTU Membership Chair
The August 5th answer is correct. Also, LAP questions need to be directed to Robilyn per the announcement. Other than this thread directing folks to GRTU.org, the Forum is not the venue we are using for LAP enrollment announcements, questions, etc.
See you there in a little bit!
Look forward to catching up Jimbo! It’ll be post knee surgery so I’ll be manning the sign in table and keeping an eye on Brad W at the grill!
Reminder that the survey will close tomorrow, April 8th, at midnight.
Beveburk – The former Maricopa Lodge is now Horseshoe Riverside Lodge and according to the LAP information is an annual lease as you stated. If something has changed Dan would need to notify the entire LAP membership.
Now I really am done on this topic!
An old communication with TPWD. This is how GRTU addressed previous regulation changes in 2013 increasing the trophy zone. It is a copy and paste from our Google drive so it didn’t retain the format but you’ll get the idea.
GRTU Officers and Board of Directors Resolution Concerning : Guadalupe River Trophy Trout Zone Movement Upstream and Harvest Regulations
We, the undersigned, being all the officers and directors of Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited, consent and agree that the following resolution was made on April 27th 2013 at GRTU’s annual business and board meeting, Sattler, TX
We do hereby consent to the adoption of the following resolution in accordance the mission of Trout Unlimited to Conserve, Protect, Reconnect, and Restore coldwater fisheries. By unanimous consent, the board of directors resolves that:
GRTU encourages consideration by Texas Parks and Wildlife to extend the upper boundary of the Trophy Trout Regulation zone upstream from its current location at the bridge at FM306 to take advantage of the colder water in that reach. The colder water is conducive to trout holdover during summer months with lower river flows, and enhances the possibility of a significant holdover population, creating more year round angling opportunities. _____________________________________________________________________________________GRTU adamantly opposes any change in harvest regulations that would increase harvest from the Trophy Trout Zone. We believe this to be in direct conflict with efforts to establish a year-round trout fishery. Any increase in harvest regulations would result in dramatic changes in GRTU stocking policies, and would reduce angling opportunities for the Guadalupe tailrace for trout. The Guadalupe River has been selected in the past as one of Trout Unlimited’s 100 best trout streams in the US, a title which would most likely be rescinded if harvest regulations were relaxed.
Therefore, it is resolved, that GRTU shall:
Support the extension of the upper boundary of the Trophy Trout Zone
Oppose any increase in harvest regulations in the Trophy Trout Zone____________________ ____________________________ __________
President signature Printed name Mark Dillow Date______________________ ____________________________ ___________
VP of Fisheries signature Printed name Jimbo Roberts Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
VP of Membership signature Printed name Chris Johnson Date______________________ ____________________________ __________
VP of Chapter Affairs signature Printed name Cody Nauman Date______________________ ____________________________ ___________
Treasurer signature Printed name Phil Dopson Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Ted Mendrek Date
______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Gary Lehman Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Gary Burns Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Gary Cobb Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Roger Turner Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Doug Kierklewski Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Bob Runion Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Ron McAlpin Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Clint Jackson Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Steve Flannagan Date______________________ ____________________________ ____________
Director signature Printed name Andy Niland DateThe Secretary of GRTU certifies that the above is a true and correct copy of the resolution that was duly adopted at a meeting of the dated meeting of the board of directors.
___________________________ __________________
Signature of Secretary Date___________________________
Printed name of Secretary
Jerry – Thanks for your input. We have been remiss on consistently sending out newsletters for a few years now. After the Nov election and installation of new officers, Lise Lozelle has taken the newsletter over so you’ll see much more communication to the entire chapter via that method going forward. We issued one in January and we’ll have another in April and another in August/September . I think three in 2022 will equal the total from the past two or three years combined. That is on us. COVID was not good for Chapter Meetings however you should clearly see an increase in the amount of Chapter Meetings we are holding and we are very close to announcing Chapter Meetings will be available online. Chris Johnson is purchasing the necessary equipment as he has experience with this and step one will be this May’s meeting will be available to all members if they are so inclined to watch and listen in. With the size of Texas, this is a must in my opinion. We want to make certain it works so it will start with simply the ability to watch but will progress to where we have a someone looking through the questions/comments and at the end of the meeting asking some of the questions (not all as we may be there all day) for the BOD to answer. Adding Robilyn Pettit as our Membership Chair will also improve communication with the entire chapter. She is an amazing lady and I am glad she agreed to take this role when I approached her post Troutfest TX. The next step is filling the Communications/Public Relations chair post as that encompasses Newsletter, Social Media, the forum, etc. I have spoken with a few folks who would be fantastic in this role and am expecting to have this slot filled by the end of May. For any of these committee chair roles we look for people who have a track record of volunteering in the past with GRTU as we have had very poor luck with bringing on folks who have not shown previous volunteer efforts on the chapters behalf. A great place to start for new people would be to volunteer to assist with one of these committees, at Troutfest TX, at GRTU Youth Trout Camp, setting up and cleaning up at chapter meetings to name a few.
When the necessary steps have been taken and TPWD is onboard (IF) we will take it to the entire membership as we will 100% need many supporters on our side. This is currently only in the LAP Forum because that’s where the topic was broached and also as we are not ready for that step in our talks with TPWD. When (IF) we are you will see it broadcast to all members via multiple methods. Prior to any of this, the question will be posed in the summer survey to all members.
On your “complaining” comment, I have had quite a few members approach and/or email me and state that they stopped reading the LAP forum as they feel it is simply a small group who complain without volunteering and/or offering a solution and they were tired of it. I wish they would participate, but to each their own. I am also aware the forum can be a pain in the ass to use. After the new web site is rolled out, currently scheduled for 3/31/22 (fingers crossed), we will have our IT company investigate fixes or a new forum altogether.
Keep an eye on your email and the forum for LAP Survey information, it is scheduled to go out NLT this weekend. We are looking forward to the results and improving the program going forward.
As always, thanks for your input, offering to volunteer and thoughtful observations.
He specifically mentioned your parking lot / checking coolers conversation. He also mentioned a pure C&R area conversation with a “Ron”. May have been discussing Ron from NBFF as I saw him speaking to him also. Either way he is not a fan of either suggestion. Neither here nor there, he is one person, it was an example of not everyone agreeing with changes to the current regulations.
Thanks Alex. The questions and comments were well reasoned, factual and fair so it was easy. No matter how much usage changes, at 100% usage (never going to happen) it still will only connect with 16% of our members. It has a purpose but can not be viewed as a way to connect with a large portion of our chapter. We intend to host “Pint Nights” beginning this summer with the first being at Gordy & Sons in Houston. The next one (probably 2023) would be at Tailwaters in Dallas. There are some challenges on getting these scheduled but Lise is doing her best. The goal would be to better connect with our non Austin, NB, and San Antonio members of whom there are a ton. Having such a large chapter in terms of numbers and obviously geographic area has it’s benefits and also presents a unique set of challenges.
A few thoughts/responses on this conversation:
1- The LAP Forum is only accessible to the 1000 LAP members or 16% of our membership. As well less than 100 people are active out of that 1,000, the LAP Forum reaches less than 1.6% of GRTU’s membership on a good day. This is why it is not an “official” method of the BOD communicating with members as the topics in here reach only a really tiny fraction of our members. It’s an excellent place to get discussions like this going and also to communicate LAP information from the VP Fisheries. As a further example of this point, even a topic as important as C&R has only drawn responses from less than 0.25% of the LAP members in this forum as of now. In reality, other than LAP announcements from Dan, the LAP Forum is a chat room that is utilized by a minute group of the LAP members. Not saying that’s good or bad, just providing facts and why we don’t use this when attempting to inform, engage, or otherwise reach ALL the GRTU membership.
2- I mentioned at the February Chapter meeting at TFTX when the topic was brought up that I had already spoken to Patrick Ireland and Tim Birdsong with TPWD on this exact topic. Those discussions are now being handled by Chris Johnson as Chris is GRTU’s Conservation Chair.
3- Jerry – unfortunately the process with TPWD is not quick even in an “emergency” like the freeze. The new speckled trout regulations recently approved were handled by an ex-BOD member, Dakus Geeslin, and took 8 months from soup to nuts and alot of scientific studies and meetings. This was with a fish much more popular in TX than rainbow trout and in response to a tremendous disaster on the coast. I personally foresee a 0% chance of any changes until 2023 at the earliest to the regulations. That is my opinion only based on my conversations with TPWD. I don’t think it’s impossible by any means in the future, simply stating my feelings at this time.
4- Ron – the warden you reference speaking to, Samuel Padgett, disagreed with your opinion voiced to him at the chapter meeting. He is 100% in favor of the current regulations remaining as is. The TPWD booth was next to GRTU’s at Fun Fish and he relayed your conversation and his feelings on the matter to me. The other three wardens with him all nodded in agreement with his opinion. We will attempt to change folk’s minds however the fact is that there are stake holders who do not agree with us. It doesn’t mean we can’t make this happen; it simply is a statement of fact on the lay of the land and the fact that there are people involved who do not agree with us. It will require folks to step up, volunteer to help when the ask goes out from Chris and take action.
5- Just yesterday the BOD provided TPWD with a letter of support on behalf of GRTU for the Proposed System Wide Oyster Fisheries Proclamation. Partnering with them on issues where we agree will only help our cause down the road. Chris Johnson did a nice job on this and the BOD reacted and approved this support on extremely short notice when asked.
6- GRTU has spoken to TPWD about becoming involved with their Guadalupe Bass Restoration Initiative. These kinds of partnerships will only help our cause in the future.
Hope this information is helpful.
Much appreciated on behalf of the volunteers behind the scenes. Was good to finally meet you!
