To: members of the Flyfishing Forum

It has been a very busy year for Putah Creek Trout.  We are beginning to be recognized around the state as a solid conservation organization focused on protecting, preserving, and improving our Wild Trout fishery.  In just a few months we have gained the trust, cooperation and support from this forum, fly clubs, other conservation groups, regulatory agencies, businesses, and many members of the non-fishing general public who see the value in protecting the Creek as a unique natural recreational resource.

Here are some of our accomplishments this year:

• We have grown to over 50 registered members as well as more than 20 individuals who have volunteered for specific projects.
• We completed 501(c)3 nonprofit registration in 6 months of concentrated effort.
• We filed a regulation change request with the DFG and Fish and Game Commission to make PC a year-round catch and release barbless artificial lure only fishery. The requested change has moved through the regulatory process and will likely be adopted at next month’s meeting of the FGC.
• We have worked closely with the Heritage and Wild Trout Program in their evaluation of the Creek for WT status.  This includes providing to them the online angler survey reports from month to month and, most recently, volunteer help for the e-fish stream survey to establish baseline information on the Wild Trout population.
• We provided support to the California Coastal Commission's annual international cleanup day in September by sponsoring a team that cleaned the 5+ miles of the IDR. We will take part in the IDR clean up on November 21 that is sponsored by Napa Valley Fly Fishers and Fly Fishers of Davis.

The end of this and the New Year will bring additional challenges and activities:

·         The spawning season will soon be upon us and we are putting up signage to discourage fishing the active spawners and the trampling of their redds. There will be ongoing surveillance of the Creek for illegal activities, especially intentional snagging, keeping fish, and using bait or barbed hooks; these will be reported to DFG for follow up and possible prosecution.

·         We will continue to support the Heritage and Wild Trout program’s evaluation of PC. In collaboration with several local agencies we are planning to support scientific studies that will provide badly needed data on the condition of the WT fishery, including genetic origins of the wild fish.

·          Spawning habitat expansion/improvement will be explored with various stakeholders.

·         An erosion control and mitigation project to reduce siltation of the IDR has been started in collaboration with Audubon Society and with the lead of Putah Creek Council. Siltation is thought to be a major factor affecting productivity of the Creek and contributes to water quality issues for a large number of water users.

·         Education activities are being planned, such as Trout in the Classroom and fishing outings for children, who are our future fishers and conservationists; and on the stream seminars and training sessions in conservation practices and techniques to improve the PC fishing experience.

·         PCT sponsored outings to local waters, some of them private, to reward the hard work with play days.

To support these and other activities we need your help. We have a core of talented individual volunteers to lead project teams and provide hands on support-most are members of this forum. Please consider volunteering for any of the team activities listed above and join us in bringing the fishery back. We, of course, also encourage and welcome new members to join us.

We also need financial support to help fund our efforts.  We recognize that these are tough economic times for many and we welcome donations in any amount. Virtually100% of donations go to our programs (we have no employees and very little overhead) and donations are fully tax deductible. We welcome donations in cash or items that can be sold at our fund raisers, such as fishing books, videos, art or memorabilia, fly tying materials and flies. We can also use surplus equipment in good condition.

Of the above listed projects, donations will be used for the spawning area signage, new regulation signage if the change passes, materials for siltation control, educational materials, and materials and costs to conduct scientific studies to support the WT evaluation.

See our website www.putahcreek.org  for cash donation payment instructions. We accept checks, money orders and PayPal for credit or debit card transactions.

We thank each of you who have supported us through volunteering, as well as taking the time to complete angler surveys and letters of support, and for the positive feedback and comments on this forum. Your involvement has been integral to the success of PCT and we look forward to working with all of you in the coming years as we bring the fishery back.

s/

The Board of Putah Creek Trout