LETTER FROM PRESIDENT

Greetings to everyone as we enter the month of November! As always here in the Smokies region we have already had 30 degree nights and 70 degree days. I guess that is why planning for the weather is always a guessing game. On the plus side we are blessed with spectacular fall colors and this year especially abundant water for our mountain streams. Our October meeting with guide Josh Pfeiffer demonstrating big streamer patterns was not only fun and informative but gave us our first Zoom meeting broadcast live to Dead End BBQ. Due to a scheduling conflict we changed at the last minute from Josh being in attendance to actually broadcasting from his home to the meeting. Thanks to his wife for being his technical advisor and making it all possible that evening.

We normally do not due a November meeting as it falls on the last week of the month and people are traveling for Thanksgiving. However, based on the success of the last meeting with Zoom we are going to hold a special chapter meeting on Thursday November 19th at 6PM in your home! That’s right…you read correctly, we are going to broadcast live from our long time sponsor Smoky Mountain Angler fly shop in Gatlinburg, TN.

We will be featuring a “Smokies Fall Flies” tying demonstration direct from the shop with multiple tiers to your living room using Zoom. Pull up a chair, crack a beverage, relax and enjoy the evening as pro tiers from Smoky Mountain Angler showcase the flies they use for fishing the Smoky Mountain streams in the Fall with their clients. Best of all no dress code required, come as you are! See more details below on this special evening.

The “IRON MAN FLY CONTEST” date is set, lock in your calendar for Thursday January 21st, 2021. Our annual event is our winter showcase where it is not only a great evening but a special night where we raise the funds needed to send a deserving young angler aged 12-15 years old to Trout Camp.This year takes on a special significance because of the recent passing of long time Trout Unlimited member John Thurman. Many of you know of John as not only a founding organizer of Trout Camp in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park but an expert in the study of entomology. However it goes much deeper as he has dedicated years to Trout Unlimited and helping young and older anglers succeed in our sport.

In October the Tennessee State Trout Unlimited Council as a special honor to John for his tireless dedication renamed Trout Camp to the John Thurman Smoky Mountain Adventure Camp. We are also pleased to announce that the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited chapter will dedicate this year’s “IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2021” to John Thurman. The very existence of this event is because of his foresight to see the need for this camp. As a chapter it is exciting each year to see former attendees of this camp compete in the “IRON MAN” to help new young anglers start their journey to fly fishing and all it offers.

Remember to follow us on the GSM TU Facebook page and the chapter website. The Great Smoky Mountain Facebook page is the best and fastest way to stay up to date with the latest GSM TU news and information. LINK: http://m.facebook.com/GreatSmokyMountainTU/

In closing keep an eye out for your invitation to our special chapter meeting on Thursday November 19th live from Smoky Mountain Angler.

John Reinhardt
President
Email: john711111@yahoo.com