The Arizona State Council (AZ-TU) hosted a very successful November Annual Planning Meeting: Many State and Federal Agencies and other Conservation and Fishing Organizations from throughout the state participated in the day-long Meeting at the Bass Pro Shop in Mesa, AZ.

On Saturday November the 22nd, 2014, Joe Miller, Trout Unlimited National Leadership Council Arizona Representative, Bob Youtz, TU State Council Chairman, Jim Walker, Zane Grey TU Chapter President, and Brad Powell, TU staff, conducted an all-day face to face AZ-TU State Council planning meeting with fantastic participation from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US National Forest Service, all the state’s TU chapters, the major fly fishing clubs in the state, the Arizona Wildlife Foundation, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, representatives from the Department of the Interior’s Adaptive Management Workgroup for the Colorado River Glenn Canyon Dam (Lees Ferry Fishery), The White Mountain Lakes Foundation, Arizona Audobon Society, and a number of other conservation oriented groups.
Some highlights of the meeting were presentations from AZGFD Fisheries Chief Chris Cantrell on recent state wide Angler Preference surveys indicating a lot of fishing and very good satisfaction levels among anglers, and the announcement of plans for stocking Tiger Trout (bigger, faster, meaner) next year. Also, AZGFD representatives Curt Gill and Jake Jaeger reported on scheduled stream restoration work for Canyon Creek to be done this winter, with more work next year, and planned work to start next year on the lower portions of Haigler Creek (browns, rainbows). Christopher Creek is also on the near future schedule. They also reported very good increase in the number of brown trout “Redds” – spawning nests, found in Canyon Creek after the most recent placement of gravel in the creek bed. Native Trout Program manager Mike Anderson reported on progress with stream temperature monitoring for Apache and Gila trout, expansion of Apache trout stocking in streams, and the planned opening of a stream for Gila trout Catch and Release.
Lees Ferry reports by John Hamill of TRCP and Gary Stinson of Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation indicated progress on the LTEMP EIS for Glen Canyon dam, and that the Lees Ferry Fishery Research & Management Plan being worked on by recreational fisheries representatives sponsored by IFFF and TU, together with AZGFD, was progressing very well. There were comments that USFWS now views the management of Lees Ferry for Rainbow Trout as an important element for the management of the endangered chub species further down the river.
John Rohmer and Tim Oliver of White Mountain Lakes Foundation reported on foundation activities, focusing on Crescent Lake and upcoming efforts on the Little Colorado River. Trout Unlimited members reported on TU’s anticipated Southwest Trout Initiative, an effort that has really already begun with locally driven projects and activities; the national organization is now formalizing recognition and support of that effort in their 2015-2020 Strategic Planning Process.
Other organizations also participating in or represented at the meeting were the Western Rivers Action Network and the Wildlife Resource Partners sponsored by Audobon Arizona and the Arizona Wildlife Federation, Fly Fishing Clubs (Arizona Fly Casters AFC, Desert Fly Casters DFC, Northern Arizona Fly Casters NAF, White Mountains Fly Fishers, Payson Fly Casters, Sun City Grand Flycasters, Verde Fly Fishing Club), the Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup (HAHWG), Project Healing Waters, Salt River Project (SRP) and others.