Seneca Valley Trout Unlimited

Seneca Valley TU Sponsoring Planting on Beaver Creek   

Seneca Valley TU hopes to see its members and the members of other TU chapters, Fishing groups, Environmental organizations, and youth groups at this planting.  Come and help improve a section of Beaver Creek, a headwater of the Chesapeake Bay.

When: October 16, 2010, at 9:00 am till the job is done or you have to leave.  It should not take much more than the morning if we have a lot of willing volunteers.  (If you can come earlier to help distribute plants that would be helpful.)

Where: Beaver Creek Restoration site, Beaver Creek Fly-fishing only area, Washington County.  Gather in the fly fishing parking area off Beaver Creek Road (see directions below)

What to bring: Gloves, shovels, waders or boots if you have them, and a good attitude to pitch in and do what needs to be done to replant the restoration area from this summer’s work.

Who: While the planting is sponsored by Seneca Valley TU, Beaver Creek Watershed Association, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation, all are welcome to come and help out.

What is provided: We will have coffee, water, lunch, and all the plants.

What to do: Hold the date and let someone know you are coming so we know how many lunches we will need. The volunteer coordinator will be announced soon or you can contact Noel Gollehon (ngollehon@comcast.net) or 301-330-8253.

Directions from Frederick MD:  Take I-70 West to MD route 66, Mapleville Rd (Exit 35).  Proceed South toward Boonsboro for less than a mile to a right on Beaver Creek Road (if you come to Sheetz you have gone too far).  Past Beaver Creek Church Road the Fly Fishing Parking is on the right (if you cross Beaver Creek you have gone too far).

All,

The Chapter is having another stream cleanup day. A few weeks ago we had a very successful clean-up of Little Seneca Creek. This time we will work on Great Seneca Creek  @ Black Rock Road. Black Rock Road is off of Route 28 to the north, or Route 118 to the west.

Wear”work clothing”, and bring gloves. Waders may be in order as well, or at least wear something you would be willing to get wet in if we need wade the stream to remove debris.

The Chapter will provide water.

Please contact Noel Gollehon (ngollehon@comcast.net) or Charles August (csaugust@comcast.net).

Looking forward to seeing you there……of course, one can fish afterward.

Sudden Passing of Dick Switalski

We were recently notified by Kathy Switalski, Dick Switalski’s wife, that Dick died suddenly last Friday, May 28.  He had just finished working out at his health club and was swimming laps when he suddenly disappeared below the surface.  Lifeguards removed Dick from the pool to perform CPR and use a defibrillator but he was not able to be revived.  A subsequent coroner’s exam ruled that Dick had suffered a heart attack, and, apparently, gasping for breath, had drowned.

Dick Switalski - the morning he & Charles left the Strauss Center in Claryville , NY. 

Charles & Dick had spent the previous 4 days fishing Catskill area streams in late May 2010.

Dick was a longtime, active member of SVTU and was currently in his 2nd year as a chapter board member.  For friends and members who participated in our winter fly tying sessions, you’ll note that Dick served as the intermediate/advanced group’s guru one evening.  Dick could get you excited about catching trout even before you finished tying a fly - a great teacher!  He had recently completed a fishing trip with Charles August, SVTU Secretary, in the Catskills (NY).  In fact, at our May 26th chapter meeting, Dick gave a wonderful presentation on fishing the Catskills.  Even at 70 years of age, his enthusiasm for TU and all things fly fishing just oozed from Dick anytime you were around him.  Many chapter members would rank him as the #1 fishing buddy you could ever have.  Those same folks knew that if you were serious about planning a fishing trip to anywhere in the area, or the U.S. for that matter, Dick was your man.  Recently, Dick had also been an integral part of the chapter’s planning efforts for the upcoming June 19th BBQ.  Consequently, Dick would not have been in attendance, since he was scheduled to be in Las Vegas with his wife to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Seneca Valley Chapter 369, of Trout Unlimited.  The family’s address is 16700 Gooseneck Terrace, Olney MD  20832-2458.

There will be a church ceremony for Dick on Wednesday, June 9, 2:00 PM, at the Oakdale Emery United Methodist Church, 3425 Emery Church Rd, Olney, MD.

The May SVTU meeting will be held at the Up-County Center, at the northwest corner of Middlebrook Rd and Rte 118, in Germantown, MD.

Our own Dick Switalski will give a presentation on fishing Big Bushkill Creek and the West Branch of the Delaware River, in northeast Pennsylvania, and the big five (Beaverkill, Esopus, Willowemoc, East and West Branches of the Neversink, and East Branch of the Delaware) in the Catskills. 

The meeting room opens at 7:00, when folks start gathering to socialize and discuss their latest fishing adventures, etc.  At 8:00, there is a brief chapter business meeting and a raffle.  The feature speaker’s presentation starts about 8:15.  Bring a fishing buddy or family member – non-members are welcome.

The May SVTU meeting will be held at the Up-County Center, at the northwest corner of Middlebrook Rd and Rte 118, in Germantown, MD. 

This month’s guest speaker was to be Vicki Blazer, a very well known Fishery Biologist/ Pathologist with the US Geological Survey’s National Fish Health Research Laboratory; however, a change in her busy schedule requires that she postpone her talk.

Check this site in a few days for an update on the program.

The chapter is in the final stages of planning for our Picnic/BBQ.

The location will be Seneca Creek State Park.We have reserved a shelter.

More details to follow, but there will be a raffle with some nice prizes.

Note that this is Father’s Day weekend, …bring your Dad…so it can be the start of a weekend-long celebration!

Keep checking the website for updates on the time, etc.

Volunteers needed for A.P. Hatchery trip

Hi Everyone,
We could use an extra hand or two on Friday April 16.  Ross, Greg and I are going to the Albert Powell Fish Hatchery to move files and whatever else of interest that we find out of their attic.  Greg is bringing his trailer, and depending on how much we get done, we may take it over to the Lawson building that day and unload, or we can let it sit in the trailer until a later date.
We don’t know the state of the materials, but safe to say it’s going to be a dirty job, since they’ve been in the attic so long (and I’ve been told the roof is leaky, so there may be water damage or animal issues).  Not to scare you off…  just be prepared to get your hands dirty!
The hatchery is up in Hagerstown.  Ross and I will be leaving from Annapolis and I assume Greg will be leaving from his place.  You can meet us there or catch a ride with us.  Please let me know if you can help out - thanks!
Ann
Ann Wheeler
Librarian
Carter Library and Information Resource Center
Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Phone: 410-260-8830
Fax: 410-260-8951
Email: awheeler@dnr.state.md.us

The casting clinic scheduled for this coming Saturday, April 3, at Seneca Creek State Park, is canceled.  We hope to hold a clinic the first Saturday in May – check this site for an announcement.

In addition to the cleanup on Little Seneca Creek, Seneca Valley Trout Unlimited will conduct a stream clean-up on Beaver Creek near Hagerstown on Saturday, April 17, from 9:00 am to noon.  So, you have a choice of locations on that date.  This is the stream that the Chapter has been partnering with the Beaver Creek Watershed Association, and others, on a restoration effort since 2004.  Come out and see the fruits of our labor!  Participants should meet at the pavilion on Beaver Creek Church Road.  Bring waders (if you have them) or waterproof/mudproof boots, work gloves, sunscreen, a hat, and water.  Snacks and water/sodas will be provided afterwards.  Non-members are welcome to join us!  Heavy duty trash bags will also be provided.  Hope to see you there.