Wood Duck Chapter of TU

[sdwlucas]

I am new to the Philipsburg PA (Centre Co.) area and am interested in joining the Wood Duck Chapter of TU. I was speaking with the wife of the treasurer of the same. She explained when the TU hatchery was here in Glass City the membership and attendance at meetings was greater than it is today. She was telling me it was nothing to see 30+ at the meetings beofre the hatchery closed (long story though) now its 3 members. I would like some insight from other TU members as to whether I should join the TU here (since there are less members and less involvement) or would it be advised to join another chapter close to here. I am also trying to stir some interest in the Wood Duck Chapter as it is greatly needed.

 

[JackM]

Go to the meeting, volunteer for the membership committee, which may consist of you, and try to build the membership. If it can't be done, try to convince the others to merge with another local chapter or just transfer your membership.

 

[sdwlucas]

The only thing I see is the great improvements that Wood Duck Chapter has made to the streams (when in full operation) in my area. I know there are many more streams that need to be improved. AMD has inhabitated many, many streams around here and I believe that there are many more improvements that can be made, I would like to join this TU due to the fact that most of the streams I fish are closeby and TU can do so much more for them.

 

[KenU]

Unfortunately, when a TU chapter’s attention becomes focused on supporting a co-op hatchery, it tends to lose sight of the real mission of TU...”preserving and protecting wild trout.” In this case the chapter lost its hatchery and therefore its reason for being; or so it thought. There are several really good wild trout streams in the area, Six Mile Run, Black Bear, Coldstream (above the Reservoir) to mention a few, that need attention and protection. Anything you can do to help would be appreciated. If you need help from PA State Council, just drop me a line - Ken Undercoffer at kcoffer@atlanticbb.net

 

[troutbert]

This chapter has done some things in the past regarding mine drainage. And it could potentially do that again in the future. If the chapter is now pretty inactive, it will just take someone's efforts to get it going again. TU chapters often go through cycles, just like grouse populations. (The great majority of TU chapters do not have hatcheries, and the largest, most active ones do not.)

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

yes and troutbert that is a good thing. it always blows my mind that TU is supposed to be about wild trout. yet have hatcheries to stock marginal streams. or streams the have small populations of wild trout. now in the case of lititz run......its the same with a twist.
they closed off the section from ripiarian park downstream to the conservancy. they stocked this area with fingerling brown trout and are studying to see how many survive through the years. that i see is a good resource of hatchery stock on a stream. but other than those small instances....i dont get it.
sorry to answer your question: YES!
please join....if you care about the streams in your area...by all means join. it could be you that gets it going again and makes the difference for our enviroment. :-D

 

[JackM]

Nothing in the bylaws nor in the mission statement of TU prohibits or frowns upon hatcheries or stocking. Though it may have originated as an anti-stocking, wild trout organization, it does not presently define itself, on an organizational level, as an exclusive wild trout advocacy group. A "cold-water fishery" may very well be created and maintained by hatchery stock.

 

[CaptMatt]

If its a weak chapter join another one or do what you can to increase that popularity of Wood Duck. Not too many folks have time for all that though. I’m a member of TU Chesnut Ridge Chapter and I live in Florida. I did grow up in SW PA though but my point is that you can support TU financially without living near the chapter.

 

[RLeeP]

>>Nothing in the bylaws nor in the mission statement of TU prohibits or frowns upon hatcheries or stocking. Though it may have originated as an anti-stocking, wild trout organization, it does not presently define itself, on an organizational level, as an exclusive wild trout advocacy group. A "cold-water fishery" may very well be created and maintained by hatchery stock.>>

Well, I suppose that's correct, though I'd probably have to suck on a lemon for a half hour before it came to mind, just speaking for myself....


Here is probably the most substantive difference between what "isn't in the by-laws" and the real world, at least IMO: TU is a multi-level, semi-autonomous balancing act where all sorts of variance and episodic apostasy is tolerated at the Chapter level for the sake of the bigger bang provided by higher overall membership numbers. This is pretty typical of multi-level grass roots groups. But if you follow the money that is spent in TU's name at the national (and for the most part, council) levels, my guess is that you'll find virtually none of it going to either stocking or other artificial fishery enhancement and the vast majority of it going to wild fishery management and habitat concerns.

So, while (with sufficient lemons..) a case can be made for what TU is "not" based upon what is not stated in the bylaws or mission statement(s), it seems to me a more accurate picture can be had by simple observation of where national spends the membership bucks. And it ain't on hatcheries...

Just a viewpoint.


On edit for sdwlucas: I'd encourage you to join the Wood Duckers. Like troutbert said, chapters are cyclical. Wood Duck TU had a real dynamo by the name of Bud Byron back a number of years ago. But Bud passed away and maybe some of the drive went out of the chapter with him. It can come back just as strong as ever and you can be a big part of it, if that is your inclination and what you want out of your TU affiliation and experience.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

i like lemons! really i will peel them and eat them.
thats why i said its a good thing. most donot have hatcheries and most the money is not spent on artifical enhancement.....i just wonder why some do thats all.

 

[Chaz]

While I don't know of any specifics as to why the chapter has fallen on hard times I can say it is typical of TU Chapters, especially when leadership changes, to go through down times. There are other reasons for this of course, main reason is issues in watersheds. If there are no issues people seem to get complacent, or simply not attend meetings, this is not always the case, and may not be the case with the Wood Duck Chapter.
I advise you to join the chapter and see what's going on. You may be the person that gets things going again. There are a lot of AMD streams in the chapters region, and there are wild trout streams in the region too. you can always learn things from the chapters member that are active.