THE TRAILSTHE TRAILSThe Forbes Trail Trout Unlimited Newsletter • Spring 2015

H��� W����� ��� H��� Our chapter formed to restore the Loyalhanna Creek as a trout fishery after it was nearly destroyed by highway construction around Ligonier and Hurricane Agnes in 1973. Within a decade we had protected enough of its stream banks from erosion, and constructed habitat structures to create a Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section for the enjoyment of all. TU recognized our chapter with its Golden Trout Award. We literally built our home waters. The Loyalhanna Creek Watershed Association got its start for the same reasons, at the almost the same time. It focused on the whole watershed, not just trout waters. It achieved spectacular success on mine drainage issues, and in purchasing stream-side land and acquiring public access to the Loyalhanna. It turned an unused township garage into its headquarters and has hosted Forbes Trail TU activities for decades. We’ve always been partners in preserving, protecting and restoring the Loyalhanna. Together we’ve lived with and been thankful for that cold, leaky steel building. Now, a new home is in sight.

Construction has begun to the restore the farmhouse and re-purpose the dairy barn on the LWA farm at the east entrance to Ligonier. It will remain a working farm displaying agricultural land use best-practices. And, it will be the new home of LWA. It will include a state-of-the-art ‘green’ education center in the barn, and secure, dry storage facilities for environmental equipment. Finally, Forbes Trail TU will have a home for its historic records and equipment, and will have the use of a modern classroom facility for our meetings and education programs. We must do our part by funding construction of appropriate storage spaces in the barn. We will take this opportunity to update our water monitoring equipment and upgrade our student fly fishing and fly tying tackle. The chapter has included this project in our chapter budget for 2015/16. We will be conducting a special fundraising program for this project this fall and will be asking every member to donate. By this time next year we will have a home to display our years, and years of awards and honors, and to continue our history of preparing new generations to protect and preserve our home waters.

S����� E�����FTTU’s monthly meeting for May will be held stream-side at the swinging bridge area of the Loyalhanna Creek Delayed Harvest section in Ligonier on Wednesday the 20th. Arrive early and stay late to do some fishing, the actual meeting will take place at the picnic tables at 7:00 p.m. The swinging bridge is located a short walk from the Nature Trail parking lot (across Route 30 from Giant Eagle).On Saturday, May 30 FTTU will participate in a fundraising event with the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Ligonier. The event, “Hooked on Art” features live and silent auctions, the Art of Fly Casting demonstration by Leo Vensel, the Art of Fly Tying with Ken Vallino, historic trout angling artifacts and a Trout in the Classroom art exhibit by Valley School students. There is also dinner, entertainment and dancing. Tickets are $125 and reservations must be made by May 20. $75 of each reservation represents a charitable contribution. Proceeds benefit SAMA and FTTU.On June 17, our meeting will be held in conjunction with the Lincoln Highway Experience “Supper Market”. Food will be available from a variety of restaurant vendors that will be featured there beginning at 5 p.m. After supper, FTTU will host a fly casting introduction for the public as an event of the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail. Of special interest to TU members and fly fishermen will be a chance to cast a variety of bamboo and fiberglass fly rods.There will be no monthly meetings in July or August. We will pick up our meeting schedule in September.

2015 FTTU S����� S�������May 14 .............. Youth Group Macro Study - 6:00 p.m.

Loyalhanna Watershed office - Ligonier

May 20 .............. Monthly Meeting - Loyalhanna Creek Swinging Bridge 7:00 p.m.

May 28 .............. Youth Group Electro fishing- 6:00 p.m. Loyalhanna Watershed office - Ligonier

May 30 .............. “Hooked on Art” - Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art - Ligonier - 5:00 p.m.

June 17 ............. Monthly Meeting - Lincoln Highway Experience - Latrobe

Check for updates at www. forbestrailtu.org

Monty Murty - Treasurer

Home waters, Loyalhanna Creek in the DHALO section

C������ N��� � A���������FTTU Receives GrantsForbes Trail TU has been awarded two grants from the Laurel Highlands Visitor’s Bureau. The first, in the amount of $1,500 is a capital grant to purchase limestone for our Rock Run project. The second grant of $1,000 is a marketing grant to further promote our Laurel Highlands trout streams through The Laurel Highlands Trout Trail project we co-produce with the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. This is a restricted grant that will fund the Trout Trail web-site, www.lhtrouttrail.com, and purchase ads in fishing and tourism publications.Olga Herbert, of the LHHC reports that the new Secretary of the DCNR is personally aware of our Trout Trail program as a major achievement within DCNR’s Conservation Landscape Initiative. We are working towards developing a network of grant making organizations to help fund chapter operations.

Spring Clean-UpFTTU volunteers were out picking up trash as a part of the 10th annual Great Ligonier Valley Clean Up on April 25. FTTU’s group covered the parking areas in the Loyalhanna Creek Gorge and about a mile section of Mill Creek as well as the walking trail parking lot on Mill Creek. In all we collected 24 bags of trash, 2 tires and assorted pieces of junk. Jakob and Nickolas Downey and their dad Rick and Saveria Weimer and her mom Linda were youth group members who helped out along with Drew Banas, Bob Shusko, Doug Leichliter, and Scott Minster of FTTU.

Trout Trail Kick-OffThere was a sell out crowd on hand at the Lincoln Highway Experience in Latrobe for the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail opening reception “Wine-on-the-Fly” on March 21st. FTTU president Leo Vensel put on a presentation covering the trout fishing opportunities we have in the Laurel Highlands and past FTTU president Ken Vallino and current officer Scott Minster did fly tying demonstrations. There was wine, craft beers, appetizers and a vintage tackle display.

P������ �� ��...Former FTTU Youth Group Student is now the TeacherLittle did Derrick Edwards know that when his dad Jim enrolled him in FTTU’s Youth Group in 2006 his experience in our youth program would ignite in him a real passion for trout, fly fishing and the outdoors. Today, Derrick is a junior chemical engineering student at West Virginia University and is the president of the WVU Fly Fishing Club which he founded in 2013. The club regularly sets up fishing trips and participates in community service and stream restoration projects and has doubled in membership since it began.

Last fall, Derrick was chosen as one of the instructors for a youth fly fishing outing on West Virginia’s North Fork, South Branch Potomac River. Derrick taught a group of 7th graders fly casting, knots, fly selection and gave the kids a crash course on aquatic insects. “It’s cool for me to give back the way I started” he said. The event was featured on the Outdoor Channel’s “Fly Rod Chronicles” with Curtis Fleming, a West Virginia Native. Fleming is a sponsor of the WVU Fly Fishing Club.We are trying to get Derrick to take time out from his busy schedule to speak at a future FTTU meeting. Check forbestrailtu.org for updates to our meeting schedule.

No, Bob Shusko and Doug Leichliter have not been arrested for fishing violations. WCO Matt Kaufman stopped by to check on litter pick up operations on Mill Creek. L-R: Matt, Bob and Doug.

“Derrick has created a club for all colleges throughout the nation to model” — Curtis Fleming

Derrick Edwards with a steelhead he caught at the 2006 FTTU Youth Group Erie Trip

R��� R�� U�����FTTU’s acid remediation project on Rock Run continues in 2015 with a shipment of 26 tons of limestone sand arriving the week of April 20th. Project coordinator Ralph Koscianski reports that the sand was brought in to the Rock Run headwaters area and will be moved into position stream-side once the ground dries out enough for heavy equipment, probably in June. The sand was purchase with funds from a grant from the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau. 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of FTTU’s work on Rock Run.

2015 Y���� G����The 2015 FTTU youth group got underway in February with an introduction to Trout Unlimited and fly tying. The students tied a green weenie, wooley bugger, caddis larva, Walt’s worm and the pheasant tail and hare’s ear nymphs. We also covered tackle, safety, stream ecology and trout behavior. Our local WCO Matt Kaufman addressed the group on laws, ettiquette, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.On Saturday, March 28, we held a fly tying symposium with pro tyer Gordon Scherf who taught the zebra midge, san juan worm and a CDC caddis emerger.On April 11 we were finally able to get outside on a beautiful but chilly spring morning. Leo Vensel led an advanced casting session and demonstrated mending techniques on-stream. Although Loyalhanna Creek was too high for fishing, the group was able to concentrate on practicing basic fly casting and roll casting on a grassy area near the stream.Coming up is our annual outing, the macroinvertebrate study and an electro-fishing survey.This, our 11th class is made up of 7 boys, 1 girl and 5 adults.

Limestone sand is delivered to the headwaters of Rock Run

Gordon Scherf demonstrates a CDC emerger

Leo Vensel teaching on-stream casting and mending

L-R: Delivery driver, Doug Finger (DCNR), Denny Hess (FTTU), Ralph Koscianski (FTTU)

V���� T�� T���� T���� T�� 10Visit one, any, or all of the Laurel Highlands Trout Trail Top-10 Streams, and take a “selfie” with the Trout Trail sign to be eligible to win fly fishing prizes. Just email your photo(s) to LHTT2015@gmail.com to enter. The more streams you visit, the better your chances of winning. See www.LHtrouttrail.com for more info.

1. Mill Creek (Ligonier)2. Loyalhanna Creek3. Linn Run4. Indian Creek5. Stony Creek River

6. Pike Run (Laurel Hill Trout Farm)

7. Laurel Hill Creek8. Yough River (Middle Section)

9. Meadow Run10. Quebec Run

THE FORBES TRAIL CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITEDOFFICERSPresident Leo Vensel - 724-832-7280Vice President Angela DiFiore - 724-612-2977Treasurer Monty Murty - 724-238-7860Secretary Scott Minster - 724-539-0422

DIRECTORSDrew Banas Hank BallesLou Izzo Mike JohnsonRalph Koscianski Don KowatchChuck Kuchta Bob Shusko

SENIOR DIRECTORS EMERITUSTom Evans Russ Mason

MEETINGSMay 20 Stream-Side - 7:oo p.m. Loyalhanna Creek Swinging BridgeJune 17 LHHC Supper Market - 5:00 - 8:oo p.m. Lincoln Highway ExperienceJuly & August No Meetings

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Ligonier �

LATROBE

Loyalhanna Creek

Lincoln Highway Experience

Kingston Dam

For More Information: www.forbestrailtu.org

Newsletter Editor: Scott Minster - sminster@pghmail.com

A��������� P������� - S����� 2015

Youth Group Casting loops

An April classic, the Quill Gordon mayfly The work of a beaver along Little Mahoning Creek