DRWTU Members sort out reach assignments.
DRWTU Members sort out reach assignments for identification of spawning redds on December 1.  Hand warmers are much appreciated on a sub-freezing morning. To date over fifty redds have been documented this year.

YOU HELPED DRWTU WIN THE EMBRACE A STREAM GRANT CHALLENGE!

Thanks to our members and friends, DRWTU – one of the smallest of 30 TU chapters all over the country participating – raised $16,415 in donations in the Embrace a Stream Challenge from 252 donors.  These funds will be used to support the expanded trout spawning survey on the Deerfield River Watershed as well as our other conservation efforts.  The Chapter’s outstanding performance in the Challenge means your donations will be multiplied through matching funds and prizes by TU National and Orvis.  The week-long fundraising effort is over but the work of the year-long study is just beginning.  Keep watching this page for updates on the study and opportunities to help us with Phase II of our Trout Study on the Deerfield.

Missed the chance to donate during the challenge?  You can still support our chapter by donating here through paypal (and you don’t even need a paypal account).


National Recognition

Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited wrote an article that captures the qualities and highlights the philosophy of DRWTU.

https://www.tu.org/blog-posts/asked-and-answered

The chapter received an Embrace-a-Stream grant to support efforts to document wild brown trout spawning in the Deerfield mainstem.  Here’s an article about the award that appeared in the Greenfield Recorder:    Trout Unlimited receives grant for continuation of spawning study

Gold Trout Award

The Deerfield River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited was honored with the Gold Trout Award at the 2018 National Trout Unlimited Meeting.

Our Chapter has been selected by TU National to receive the 2018 Gold Trout award. This prestigious award is awarded annually to the Chapter which has “taken innovative and thoughtful approaches to build and expand community and advance TU’s conservation mission”. Of the 420 Chapters, DRWTU has been recognized by TU as its top Chapter for 2018.

Fish and Game Brown Trout Study

Brown Trout Adipose Fin Survey

Inspired by the DRWTU spawning study, MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is commencing a long-term study of the brown trout population on the Deerfield. Here’s a May 9, 2018 statement from Adam Kautza PhD, Coldwater Fisheries Project Leader:
“We have completed adipose fin clipping to mark the standard annual allotment of all 1000 hatchery Brown Trout that are stocked into the upper Deerfield River. These marked fish will be going out to the river within the next two weeks. Please be aware that there are other hatchery-origin Brown Trout already in the system from past years’ stockings that have not been marked with an adipose fin clip. Physically marking the Spring 2018 Deerfield River batch of hatchery Brown Trout stands as an initial step in a larger effort to learn more about the Brown Trout population in the upper Deerfield River, both hatchery-origin and wild, stream-born fish. Marking of hatchery fish, together with other elements of the Deerfield River Brown Trout Study, will continue for several years.
We would like to note that the impetus for this project has largely been through a collaborative effort including meetings and ongoing discussions among Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and Trout Unlimited (in particular, the Deerfield River Chapter and the Massachusetts-Rhode Island Council), as well as input and assistance from a number of other interested parties and individuals from UMass, USGS, local Deerfield River fishing guides, and local watershed groups.”

Please report all of your encounters with brown trout (both with the adipose fin and without) here.

Our Mission:

To advocate for the long term health of the Deerfield River as a cold water fishery. The Deerfield Watershed consists of the Deerfield River and all of the feeder brooks, streams, and rivers that flow into it from Southern Vermont to the Connecticut River termination.

Officers:

  • President:
    Kevin Parsons
  • Vice President:
    Mike Vito
  • Secretary:
    Eric Halloran
  • Treasurer:
    Rob Creamer

Board:

  • Chris Jackson
  • Bill Obear
  • Horace Taft-Ferguson
  • Sean Bresnihan
  • Randy Prostak
  • Sheila Kelliher