Northern Lights Fly Fishers Chapter
Since 2011, the Northern Lights Fly Fishers Chapter has focussed its conservation efforts in the upper Pembina River watershed.
Trout Unlimited Edmonton, the first TUC chapter west of Ontario, was established by a group of local fly fishermen in 1978. Its first major event was a ‘Coldwater Anglers Conference’ featuring renowned angling author Lefty Kreh. The tradition of providing fisheries-related education, often featuring distinguished angling authorities, has continued to this day.
The chapter focused much of its initial conservation efforts on the trout streams of Alberta’s foothills, especially the brown trout populations of the Raven and North Raven rivers of central Alberta.
Meanwhile, a group of local fly fishers began to meet regularly to share and demonstrate their common passion for the art of fly tying and in 1994, they founded the ‘Northern Lights Fly Tyers Club’. The two organizations shared many of the same members and interests and began working together on a number of projects. In January 2010, the two organizations merged to become one entity, Northern Lights Fly Tyers – TUC Edmonton. That was later amended to Trout Unlimited Canada – Northern Lights Fly Fishers Chapter.
The Chapter has worked actively with the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), of which it is a Corporate Partner in Conservation, and with others in carrying out a variety of conservation projects: redd counts; streambank restoration and riparian protection on the Raven River system and Dogpound Creek; gathering needed data on the walleye, goldeye and mooneye populations in the North Saskatchewan River through Edmonton; assisting with the establishment and/or ongoing maintenance of stocked trout fisheries in the greater Edmonton and Peace River regions, and its most extensive, ongoing project, Arctic grayling research/monitoring and stream work on the upper Pembina River. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans recognized the latter in 2014 with a National Recreational Fisheries Award.
Providing learning opportunities has always been a primary goal of the chapter. Over the years it has presented public seminars with such distinguished anglers as Jack Dennis, AK Best, Brian Chan, Ed Engle, Dave Hughes, Skip Morris, Gary Borger, Dave and Emily Whitlock, Mike Lawson, Jim McLennan, Bob Scammell, Todd Oishi, Jim Schollmeyer, Rick Hafele, Hans Von Klinken, Jason Randall, April Vokey, Phil Rowley and Jim Daniels – many coming back for repeat performances. The Chapter has developed educational resources to supplement Alberta Education’s Outdoor Education curriculum resources on fishing and fly-tying, provided numerous fly-tying opportunities, especially for youth groups, including teaching approximately 7,000 young people how to tie a ‘woolly bugger’ at the annual Edmonton Boat and Sportsmens’ Shows. Its annual Learn to Fly Fish classes are usually sold out. Bi-weekly meetings, open to anyone interested, frequently feature members and guests demonstrating fly tying, presenting on fly fishing strategies, locations and equipment, fisheries management and conservation topics, wildlife awareness, the occasional barbecue, and more.
The Chapter is also well known to the Alberta Provincial Government for its input on and advocacy for recreational fishing opportunities, conservation and effective fisheries management.
New members and visitors are always welcome.
Check the NLFF website https://www.nlft.org/ for time, place and topics.
Chapter President: Ken Monk
Contact: mailto:president@nlft.org
Photo Credit: Carl Steenbergen