Letter From Chapter President

The more things change the more they stay the same, on March 3rd 2020 as following the age old saying of ….“In like a lion” the weather proved dangerous for Tennessee residents especially in Middle and East Tennessee. A tornado ripped through Nashville and continued towards Cookeville taking lives and spreading property damage. Our hearts go out to our neighbors as they put the pieces back together.

This winter did not require a TV weather expert as we had one of the wettest February’s on record. It reminds me of the gag gift you used to see in Cracker Barrel of the Hillbilly weather station. Just a piece of rope on a wood frame that said “If wet-rain-If moving-windy-If gone-take shelter”. I hope the adage continues to hold true and March “Goes out like a lamb”.

Thank you to everyone who came out for the February chapter meeting with Ryan Hintz of the Gatlinburg fish hatchery. As I mentioned before we have worked with them for years with our “Battle of Gatlinburg” One Fly Tournament. They provide us with the stocking of trout for this one of a kind event in Gatlinburg every September. One of the things I have always appreciated is how they give children, families and the physically challenged a chance to do the very thing we love and that is to participate in an outdoor experience catching a trout right in the center of town.

As we posted on our GSM Facebook page we have a volunteer opportunity to help with our next event in Gatlinburg on Saturday March 21st 2020. We will be working with the Farragut High School fishing club and need your help. We want to have an angler with each student to assist and maintain safety. This will be the first on the water experience for some of them and we want it be a quality day for them. As a bonus the UT-KNOX “VOLS on the FLY” 5 Rivers chapter will also be helping that day.

If you can lend a hand to give some guidance on casting, what flies to use and general assistance please email: john711111@yahoo.com.

Please see the article about the Southern Appalachian Museum Hall of Fame on Saturday April 18th, 2020 in Bryson City NC. This will be the induction into the Hall of Fame for among others Dave Whitlock, Don Kirk and four others. It will be filmed for TV by the popular angling show Fly Rod Chronicles. As many of you know renowned author Don Kirk and his wife Leah along with Southern Trout Magazine have been an important part of the Great Smoky Mountain TU chapter. Their sponsorship of our events and most importantly their friendship over the years has always been appreciated by our chapter. There is limited seating and it will go fast along with a Friday night event. Please see the link in the article below for this outstanding evening.

The events keep rolling on April 25th 2020 for the annual Blue Ridge Trout Festival in Blue Ridge Georgia. If you have never been there you have missed a great destination. If you like Bryson City N.C., or any western town where the street is lined with fly shops, breweries and restaurants this weekend is ground zero for all thing fly fishing. I have volunteered for this event in the past and highly recommend going to the Blue Ridge TU Trout Festival. There are volunteer opportunities of all kinds that day so see the article below for all the information and links for this event.

Our next GSM TU chapter meeting is Thursday March 26th 6PM at Dead End BBQ at 3621 Sutherland Ave. Knoxville TN. Join us for a great evening of food and friends. In closing please follow us on the GSM TU Facebook page it is the best way to stay up to date with current chapter information or changes.

GSM TU Facebook Link: http://m.facebook.com/GreatSmokyMountainTU/

John Reinhardt

President
Email: john711111@yahoo.com