New Mexico Council Auction Preview

Fundraising Banquet
Benefiting the New Mexico Council of
Trout Unlimited
Bienvenidos!
The New Mexico Council of Trout Unlimited and its four chapters
Bosque, Enchanted Circle, Gila-Rio Grande and Truchas
welcome you to Santa Fe and to the 2014 Trout Unlimited Annual
Meeting Fundraising Banquet. It is a pleasure to host the national
organization and show off our beautiful state.
On the Cover
The beautiful artwork you see on the cover is a Gila trout motif
done in a classic Mimbres Style by Howard Brandenburg. It is a
tribute to one of our prized native salmonids here in the American
southwest, which is also the focus of some of the fundraising
efforts you will see in this catalog and throughout the banquet
hall. This image adorns some of the t-shirts we have for sale and
the original art is available in the silent auction.
The Gila Trout Initiative
Though it may not have been in the forefront of the national news,
the Gila Mountains have been devastated over the last few years
by wildfires that consumed well over 400,000 acres. One of the
victims of this devastation has been the Gila trout, which lost
most of its native streams.
In 2013, Trout Unlimited, partnering with federal and state
agencies and the Aldo Leopold Foundation, received a $96,300
multiyear grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to
accelerate recovery actions for Gila trout by restoring Gila trout to
streams where non-native trout were eliminated by the fires, by
creating a post-fire conservation portfolio of Gila trout to help
guide recovery efforts, and to develop a community-based Gila
trout conservation program. The portfolio approach would
determine the remaining levels of genetic, life history, geographic
and habitat diversity for Gila trout, map those elements for the
remaining populations, and compare the results to levels of
diversity in the historical condition of the species. The project also
provides opportunities for citizen-science volunteers to monitor the
status of the streams and their trout.
The $96,300 grant requires a large match from non-federal
sources. A generous donor commitment has provided a significant
part of the match, but we still need to raise significant funds for
the project.
1
About the New Mexico Council of Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited may have had a shaky past in New Mexico, but
due to the efforts of many tireless volunteers, the present and
future both look bright.
After a long absence of any organized chapters, the Truchas
Chapter was formed in Santa Fe in 2001 and immediately got to
work giving a long needed conservation voice to the states anglers.
After a few years, it became apparent that one chapter sitting in
the middle of a geographically huge state was not going to be
sufficient to address all of our problems. In late 2003 and early
2004 the New Mexico Council was formed with the expressed
purpose of starting new chapters and dealing with issues, as best
we could, that were far from Santa Fe. Over the next several
years, three more Chapters were started Enchanted Circle in
Taos and Red River, Gila-Rio Grande in Las Cruces, and finally
Bosque in Albuquerque.
While still small in numbers, and covering a geographic area as
large as all of New England, Trout Unlimited has developed quite
the reputation for being able to get things done in New Mexico.
We have been granted $360,000 by the Collaborative Forest
Restoration Program to study the impacts of wildfire in the Gila,
$102,000 to restore Rio Grande cutthroat trout in the Rio Costilla
drainage, $50,000 to put a barrier on Alamitos Creek to protect
Rio Grande cutthroat, and the list goes on. We have had an
impact on the state and federal agencies by giving them a voice for
continued protection of our resources and native fishes, and
played a key role in the permanent protection of the Valle Vidal
from gas development.
There is much more to do here as our resources and our fisheries
are exceptionally susceptible to the impact of climate change, oil
and gas development and the fight over our limited water.
Please know that any contributions you make here at this banquet
will be put to good use as we have many issues to deal with and
few resources to do so.
2
Live Auction
Outside GO + Eleven Experience are proud
to partner in support of Trout Unlimited.
Taylor River Lodge (Almont, CO)
with The Eleven Experience
Presented by: Outside Go
Retail Value: $20,000
Taylor River Lodge, tucked away in the beautiful Taylor Canyon is
perfectly situated to take advantage of all the river and canyon
activities. Be the first to experience an incredible all-inclusive stay
at Taylor River Lodge (opening June 2015). This incredible trip
features the finest fly-fishing experience in Colorado set in a
breathtaking canyon and offering Elevens unrivaled hospitality.
Valid from July 1st to October 15th 2015.
The trip includes:
5 nights lodging for 4 people in either 2 of 6 individual queen
bedded riverside cabins or one of our 3 bed single family homes
Guided fly-fishing for 4 days Walk and Wade & Float trips
available itinerary to be customized based on clients skill level
and desired experience
All fishing gear included
All meals prepared by our gourmet chef
Airport transfer from Gunnison or Crested Butte
outsidego.com
elevenexperience.com
3
Live Auction
Fishing Lesson with Norman Maktima
Presented by the New Mexico Council
Retail Value: ???
We will fly Norman Maktima to the destination of your choice in
the lower 48 states to fish with you and one other person for two
days and to demonstrate the fly-fishing techniques used by the
United States National Fly Fishing Team and other national teams.
Norman will change the way you fish!
Norman has been a competitive fly angler since 1997. He has
participated in several World Fly Fishing Championships in
Europe and in numerous other fly-fishing tournaments in North
America. He is a long-time member of Fly Fishing Team USA, the
U.S. national fly-fishing team. He won the gold medal in the
Youth World Fly Fishing Championship in 1998, was 6th in the
World Fly Fishing Championship in 2012, and finished 1st in the
USA Rocky Mountain Regional Qualifier in 2013.
Norman has guided for High Desert Angler in Santa Fe since 1997
and is a signature fly-tyer for Umpqua Feather Merchants. He is a
competitor in the new Pro Fly Angling Tour. He is of Native
American Pueblo heritage. To learn more about Norman, check
out his web page at nmaktima.com.
The New Mexico Council will cover Norman's travel, food and
lodging expenses and will compensate Norman for his time. The
winning bidder will need to coordinate with Norman on a mutually
agreeable time for the trip. The winner will also receive a box of 2dozen flies tied by Norman.
4
Live Auction*
Gila Trout Carving
Presented by Seth Davis
Retail Value: $1,200
Seth Davis of Stonefly Artworks has carved a stunning replica of a
Gila trout for our event. Seth was still working on the carving at
the time this brochure was printed, but be sure to check out the
actual item.
Seth's carvings have won numerous awards at State, National and
World Championship Levels. However, his primary focus as an
artist is not competition, but to provide clients with an art piece
that represents their fish as accurately as possible. He strives to
create a sculpture that is pleasing for all to admire, but more
importantly, one that takes the fisherman back to that special
time and place every time they look at it.
Seth is a TU life member and dedicated hunter and proponent of
native fish. He travels throughout North America in their pursuit.
He holds a special place in his heart for the cutthroats and the
beautiful places in which they live. Living in western Texas, he
considers the rivers, streams, and rivulets that hold Rio Grande
Cutthroat and the Gila trout to be his "home" waters.
*Proceeds of this auction will benefit the Gila Trout
Initiative.
5
Live Auction
Rio Grande Cutthroat Painting
Presented by the Jon Christiansen
Retail Value: ???
The medium is acrylic on watercolor paper 11x14 image.
Jon Christiansen, the chair of Trout Unlimited's Board of
Trustees, has painted a beautiful oil painting of a Rio Grande
cutthroat trout (RGCT) specifically for the annual meeting. The
RGCT, the New Mexico state fish, is one of New Mexico's two
remaining native trout. It has been reduced to less than 10% of
its historical range, and Trout Unlimited, both nationally and
locally, is involved in major efforts to restore and preserve this
beautiful trout.
6
Checkerboard Raffle*
$20 per Ticket.
150 Tickets Available
Presented by Zia Rods
Daniel Gowe of Zia Rods in Santa Fe has made a beautiful bamboo
fly rod specifically for the annual meeting. It is a 7'6", 4-weight,
two-piece, two-tip rod. It has "Trout Unlimited 2014" and "Clear
Creek" written on the rod. The rod is based on the Dickerson
7012 taper for a 7' rod and has been stretched to 7'6" for a lively
dry fly action on small creeks. The cane has been dark-flamed
and all the hardware is gold-plated. The wrappings are antique
gold silk. The rod comes with an aluminum rod tube. The New
Mexico Council will pay to ship the rod to the winner.
*Proceeds of this raffle will benefit the Gila Trout
Initiative.
7
Silent Auction (Selected Items)
Joe Dowell Original Art
You may have seen our beautiful Rio Grande cutthroat design on
the t-shirts we have been selling. You can own the original art
used for this shirt, or the additional stunning cutthroat drawing
that Joe did.
Howard Brandenburg Original Art
Proceeds will benefit the Gila Trout Initiative.
Our other t-shirt, and the cover of this program are adorned with
the work of Howard Brandenburg. You can own this original
drawing of a Gila trout done in the Mimbres style, or another
gorgeous Gila trout illustration.
Arrow Anglers Bamboo Fly Rod
Rusty Berrier of Arrow Anglers has donated a beautiful threepiece, 7'6", 4 weight bamboo fly rod with two tips that he has
made on a blank with an F. E. Thomas taper. Rusty has made
this rod specifically for the annual meeting. The rod comes with a
rod tube.
Scott S4 804/4 Fly Rod
The High Desert Angler fly shop in Santa Fe offers a Scott S4 8',
4-weight, 4-piece graphite fly rod.
Fly Tying Desk
The Taos Fly Shop has donated a beautiful fly tying bench.
Includes shipping to your location.
13-Dozen San Juan River/Tail-Water Flies.
Mick McCorcle of the Trout Unlimited Board of Trustees has
donated 13-dozen San Juan River/tail-water flies that he has tied.
The flies range in size from size 14 to size 28.
There is much, much more to see, so please look
around.
8
The New Mexico Council of Trout Unlimited
Chairman: Arnold Atkins
National Leadership Council Rep: Frank Weissbarth
Treasurer: William Schudlich
Council Members:
Mike Rearick (Truchas Chapter)
David Propst (Bosque Chapter)
Craig Howe (Bosque Chapter)
Nick Streit (Enchanted Circle Chapter)
Bill Adkison (Enchanted Circle Chapter)
Jeff Arterburn (Gila Rio-Grande Chapter)
Brad Schuster (Gila Rio-Grande Chapter)
2014 TU National Meeting Committee
Meeting Coordinator: Kevin Reilly
Fundraising: William Schudlich
Hosted Fishing: Nick Streit, Toner Mitchell
Conservation Tour: Arnold Atkins, David Propst
Hospitality Suite: Mike Rearick
Acknowledgments
The New Mexico Council and the Meeting Committee would like to thank
the following for helping us make this meeting a success: Nancy Bradley
and Bryan Moore from TU National, Barrett Toan, Jon Christiansen, Eleven
Experiences, Sandy Cunningham (Outside GO Travel), Norman Maktima,
Seth Davis, Dan Gowe, Rusty Berrier, Joe Dowell, Howard Brandenburg, Hal
Porter, Mick McCorcle, High Desert Angler, The Reel Life, Taos Fly Shop,
Noah Parker (Land of Enchantment Guides).

Download Report