The Annual Fund Raising Banquet for the White River Trout Unlimited Chapter #698 is scheduled for Saturday February 7, 2015 at the Elks Club. The Elks club is located at Highway 62 and Buzzard Roost Road in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The doors open at 5:30 PM and the live auction begins at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $35.00 for an individual or $50.00 for a couple. You can purchase your tickets at Dally’s Ozark Angler, Wishes and Fishes and the Two Rivers Fly Shop. They can also be purchased on the TU website, http://www.whiterivertu.com. For those who have never attended, this is the social event of the year. My wife, Lori, and I have a severe case of cabin fever and we are ready for a night on the town.
There is a cash bar and a light buffet. In the past, there was a sit down dinner but I think the light buffet works out a lot better. It allows for more mobility and social interaction. There is also music and dancing. This seems to be the only place where I get to dance with Lori. We both enjoy it.
The live auction is always a hit with plenty of quality items. The donated artwork is always spectacular. There are always some great guide trips to bid on. There is a silent auction with items for everyone. Lori always finds something nice there.
The question is always, what do they do with the money they raise? The White River Trout Unlimited Chapter # 698 is an incredibly active organization that concentrates on education and conservation for our local streams. They have a large base of volunteers but require funding for their projects.
They have two major education projects and both are directed to children. They are the future conservationists in our area. My favorite is their Annual Summer Youth Camp. This is held at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. This is a fun and fact filled time that is truly enjoyed by the participants. They learn about the trout’s life cycle, entomology, fly tying, fly casting and fly fishing. It is done in a casual atmosphere and includes plenty of time on the water. There trout in the classroom is geared toward providing aquariums for local schools to give our students a unique look at aquatic environments.
Their conservation projects are first rate. My favorite is the Bonneville Cutthroat trout stocking project. We are in the third year of a five year program where we annually stock Bonneville Cutthroat trout eggs in Whitlock Vibert boxes in Catch and Release sections of the White and Norfork Rivers. The idea is to develop a sustainable strain of trout that will spawn in our rivers and offer a diversity of wild trout. This could make a very positive impact on our trout fisheries. They also have a commitment to help fund bank stabilization projects to help prevent the siltation of our trout streams.
If you want to have a good time and also help a conservation organization that is having a positive impact in our area, join me at the White River Trout Unlimited Fund Raising Banquet.
John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.
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