October 2014
The Angler’s Creel
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club
Promoting Knowledge of cold water fisheries,
fish habitat, conservation and stream ecology
Volume 14 Issue 1
Roll casts from two Presidents’ desks: Past & Present
October Clambake
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, October 15
With Speaker:
Dr. Joe Koonce
Past President: Phil Murphy
This is my last cast for our newsletter. My
tour of duty as president has come to an end.
Please welcome Eric Baumann as the new
president of the CMNHTC. He will do a great
job, and take the TC to greater levels.
Thanks you to the senior members of the TC.
Your commitment and contributions were
greatly appreciated. To the newer members of
the board, thanks for "Volunteering". I am
sure your future efforts will drive the TC further.
Over the last two years, our annual banquet
and film festival have raised close to $50,000.
We have used these funds for development of
our youth fishing program, contributions to
the CMNH general fund, and are considering
some streamside land acquisitions.
Special thanks to Karen Menn. She is the glue
that holds the CMNHTC together; and to Jock
Thompson—he patiently assembles this news-
Continued on page 6
2014 President: Eric Baumann
Welcome back! I hope everyone had a summer of fun with plenty of time to fish your
home waters, a favorite destination, places
close to the heart, or to explore new waters.
This is the first Roll Cast from my desk as
your incoming President of the Trout Club of
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Just around the corner is our traditional
Clambake Meeting on Wednesday, October
15th. Mr. Joseph Koonce, Emeritus Professor
of Biology at Case Western Reserve University and father of Robert Koonce, CMNH
Liaison to the Trout Club, will be our featured speaker. Information on the dinner
and program may be found elsewhere in this
newsletter.
Over the past two years, Phil Murphy, the
Trout Club Executive Committee, and the
Museum have been working together to establish the Junior Trout Club for youth interested in fly-fishing. Julia Swanson, Outdoor
Education Coordinator provides an article
that appears in this issue of the Angler’s .
DINNERS
(For Reservations see page 3 & 4)
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Speaker: Dr. Joe Koonce
“Aquatic systems and fly fishing”
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Tuck Scott
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Jerry Darkes
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
Film Festival
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Pat Dorsey
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Banquet
Outings & Classes
November 22, 2014
Jr. Trout Club Outing
Rockwell Springs Trout Club
Fly Tying Classes
Plan on attending our classes
that start in January, bring a
buddy. Details in CMNH
“Tracks.”
Ohio Native Brook Trout and Steelhead News
Wild Ohio Magazine — 2014 Winter Edition
The Ohio Division of Wildlife , in partnership with the Geauga Park District and many partners including the Trout Club of the
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, initiated a cooperative research effort in the 1990’s to reintroduce the native Ohio Brook
Trout back into headwater streams containing suitable habitat within their native range, primarily the Chagrin River drainage. An
additional 15 streams were selected for stocking using offspring of the native Ohio strain. At the end of the 10 year project, 5
streams consistently demonstrated natural reproduction. Five streams showed natural reproduction and 6 did not. The Division of
Wildlife has continued to monitor and has found only 7 remain viable. Our Trout Club is proud to have been a part of the valuable
protection of this Ohio native fish.
Ohio Division of Wildlife Summit of Steelhead by George Klein
Key items:
1.
10 year average of Steelhead stocking: Michigan: 66,052 Ontario: 35,666 Ohio: 435863
York: 275,627
Totals: 1,926,196
2.
Peak fishing months: Ashtabula: January and February Chagrin River: December and March
April and May
Grand River: September and October
Rocky River: April and May
3.
Ohio average stocking per year from 2006 to 2013: 400,000
4.
Stocking history: 1988 to 1995: London fall fingerlings and London spring yearlings
1996 to 2012: Manistee fall fingerlings and Manistee spring yearlings
5.
Target stocking numbers: Vermillion River: 55,000
90,000
Conneaut Creek: 75,000
6.
Ohio Division of Wildlife spent $585,000 to purchase approximately 4 miles of fishing access.
Rocky River: 90,000
Pennsylvania: 1,112,988 New
Conneaut Creek:
Chagrin River: 90,000
Grand River:
Pres. Baumann’s better half with an
ANGLER’S LAMENT
Ohio Steelhead
Let us go then you and I
To a place where I can cast a fly
Let us go while I’m still able
To wade and cast on the Au Sable
Let us go while I’m still itchin’
To do some skinny water fishin’
It’s in my blood and I am drawn
To fish again on the Big Horn
But it takes two hands and I have only one
And so my fishing days are done.
--Norman Hyams, 2014
Editors note: Norm Hyams is past president of the Trout
Club and is a passionate fly tier and fisherman. Some seasons ago, my daughter and I were getting set up with a guide
on the Madison River. In chatting away, I asked him if he
knew Norm. “Stormin’ Normin’? I guided him in South
America last year.” We will be presenting in the coming
months Norm’s stories of his years of fly fishing. Jock
October Clambake
Featured Speaker: Dr. Joe Koonce
“Aquatic systems and fly fishing”
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
6:00 P.M. Cocktail Hour
7:00 P.M. Clambake with 2 dozen clams
7:30 P.M. Program
Dr. Joe Koonce is an Emeritus Professor of Biology at Case Western Reserve University. He received his A.B.
Degree from Dartmouth College and M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in Zoology. He joined the faculty of the Department of Biology at Case Western Reserve University in 1973 and retired as a Professor of Biology with a secondary appointment as Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer and Science in July 2012. He also served as Chair of the Department of Biology at Case
Western Reserve University from 2000 to 2009.
He has broad research interests in aquatic systems ecology and has served on a number of boards and advisory
committees for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the International Joint Commission, National Research
Council, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. His experience in undergraduate biology teaching and
curriculum development includes service as a Program Director for CWRU’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute
grant and recognition as a National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences in 2004-2005. Elected a
SENCER Leadership Fellow in 2012, He is currently serving as a co-Director of the SENCER Center for Innovation—Great Lakes.
Reservations for Clambake and Dr. Joe Koonce
Call Karen Menn at (216) 231-4600 Ext. 3278. The cost of the Clambake and program is $45.00 payable to:
CMNHTC. Send your check to: CMNHTC, Museum Of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval, Cleveland, Ohio 441061767, Or: Go to CMNH.ORG, reserve at the museum store by: October 10, 2014
Name: _____________________________________
Street: _____________________________________
City, State, Zip: _____________________________
Phone, Email: ______________________________
Guest name: ______________________________
Amount Enclosed or charged: $______________
M.Card, or Visa: Expires____________
Card #_________________ Vcode ___
Signature: ________________________
Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club
1 Wade Oval Drive, University Circle
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1767 CMNH.ORG
Hamilton Fisk Biggar III:
Outdoorsman’s Life Exemplified the
Co-existence of Man and Nature
By Evan Morse
Hamilton Fisk Biggar III (“Ham”) passed away at age 67 on May 22, 2014, surrounded by family at his home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. All those who knew him recognized his powerful presence, affability, and his lifelong attachment to
the outdoors, and to nature in all of its kaleidoscopic phases.
The word nature has many different meanings, but for Ham, two aspects were particularly relevant. The word could refer to all the reality around us that is non-human (such as forests, rivers, glaciers, lakes, mountains and so on). However,
we also refer to human nature when we take note of natural forces that function in and through human beings. It was
precisely at the conjunction of nature in general, and human nature in particular, that Ham lived his whole life.
Ham’s way of life was probably voiced best in the memorable words of the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas:
“The force that through the green fuse drives the flower drives my green age…
The force that drives the water through the rocks drives my red blood.”
These lines capture the interrelationship between human nature and nature in the world external to humans.
Thomas was implying that the forces that provided the energy for the growth of a flower were in a sense the same as the
energy that enabled his growth as a young person coming into his own in the world of humans.
When Ham devoted his creative energy to activities such as founding the Conneaut Creek Club, wildlife photography,
teaching children to appreciate activities in nature, and promoting conservation groups, he was giving practical expression to the spirit of his reverence and devotion to the natural world.
Ham did not confine his activities to outdoorsmanship. He was also an accomplished athlete, excelling in baseball, golf,
football and especially squash. Additionally, in business undertakings, he started The Mad Hatter, The Last Moving Picture Company, the 13th Street Racquet Club and was co-owner of Drake Construction Company. On another level, Ham
also served as President of the Trout Club of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, where he played a major role in
inspiring the Club to focus heavily on local conservation issues. In each endeavor, Ham's zealousness and indomitable
spirit steered these undertakings toward ordinarily unimagined heights. His untimely death may have ended his earthly
activities, but in the hearts and minds of those who knew him, he will live on forever.
To the very end, Hamilton Fisk Biggar III epitomized a noble quote by Ernest Hemingway:
“From things that have happened and from things as they exist and from all things
that you know and all those you cannot know, you make something through your
invention that is not a true representation but a whole new thing truer than anything
true and alive, and you make it alive, and if you make it well enough, you give it
immortality…”
Tight lines, our comrade, as we toast you with a Myers and tonic!
CMNH Trout Club Fall Outings
Junior Trout Club – Julia Swanson, Coordinator/Instructor
This year, eight interested young anglers (grades 5 through 8) will join the Cleveland Museum of Natural
History’s outdoor educators to form the Junior Trout Club. These eight youths will learn and practice fly
fishing skills while building interest and knowledge of cold water fish habitat and stream ecology in Northeast Ohio. This year-long membership consists of eight programs to be held throughout the 2014-2015 year
and includes experienced instruction, transportation, fly fishing outfits, gear and supplies; all the things
needed to get a good start in the artful sport of fly fishing. I would like to thank the Trout Club for sponsoring this fun and educational opportunity for our youth!
If you are or know of a youth who would like to become a member of the Junior Trout Club and learn the
skills of fly fishing, please contact me at [email protected] or (216) 231-4600 ext. 3292. Our first meeting is Saturday, September 20th,
Members fish the world
Trout Club Members enjoy a spring morning fishing the Clear Fork near
the Mohican State Park and Forest. Yes, that is a Brown Trout in Ohio.
Presidents letters cont.
Past President’s letter cont, from page 1,
letter, another thankless job.
Officers
Advisory
President
Evalyn Gates, Ex Officio
Eric Baumann
Robert Koonce, CMNH
Liaison
[email protected]
Vice President
Sadly, we mourn the passing of Ham Biggar, He was a
past president of the TC, and actively contributed to our
success and early survival. Evan Morse has prepared a
tribute to Ham elsewhere in this newsletter.
Charles Lanzieri
[email protected]
Treasurer
If you have any ideas for TC events, or would like to be
more active—contact Eric Baumann. We are always
looking for talented participation.
TonyJelenic
May your lines always be tight, and your hooks sharp.
See you on the stream.
Don Kuzma
[email protected]
Tom Motimer, Gary Ammendola, Mark Sudduth,
Peter Wykoff, Peter Krembs
John Bergfeld, Amos Crowley, Grace Smith, Rick Goddard, Ray Rackley
Secretary
[email protected]
Past Presidents
Sibley Hoobler
Phil Murphy
Joseph Gladysz
Committees
President’s letter cont. from page 1
Creel giving an overview of Junior Trout Club and how to
become a member.
Our annual banquet will be held, Saturday, April 25,
2015. This event is our primary fundraiser and always
offers something for everyone. Please mark you calendar now so that you will not miss out on fabulous trips,
outings, art, and gift items for the fisher and non-fisher.
It is not too early to start planning you donation to this
worthwhile effort. Funds raised from this event help
fulfill our mission to promote knowledge of cold-water
fisheries, fish habitat, conservation and stream ecology,
which include our dinner meeting program, Junior Trout
Club and land acquisition to improve stream access.
The Executive Committee, resulting from Phil Murphy’s
tenure as President, is in reasonably good shape with
two changes occurring since last year. Don Kuzma will
be serving as Secretary, leaving an opening on the Membership/Film Festival Committee and Phil Murphy will
be supporting the Banquet Committee as Co-Chair leaving an opening for Banquet Chair. Please consider providing your support to a committee of your choosing
listed in the side bar of this newsletter; everyone brings
something to the table.
Lastly and on a sad note, our good friend, outdoorsman,
supporter and past president, Ham Biggar passed away
in July.
Eric Baumann
Peter Wellman
John Wheeler
Banquet
Eric Baumann, Jim DeCocker,
Doug Henry, Phil Murphy
Membership / Film Festival
Amos Crowley, Don Kuzma,
Doug Henry, Woods King
Norm Hyams
Robert Colson
Evan Morse
Dennis Gant
Ted Schurdell
Contributions
Jake Ragan
Jon Grimm, Rick Cooper, Andy
Kirkpatrick
Ham Biggar
Outings & Education
Austin Morrow
Bill Grake [email protected]
Matt VanDeMotter
Program
Peter Krembs
Marty Burke
Jock Thompson
Social
George Klein
Jim Negrelli, Ann Negrelli
Andy Kirkpatrick
Conservation: Doug Henry
Phil Murphy
Mark Sudduth
Historian
Evan Morse
George Klein
The Angler’s Creel newsletter is published for members of The Trout Club of
The Cleveland Museum of
Natural History.
[email protected]
George Klein, Editor;
Jock Thompson
Jock Thompson, Co-editor
[email protected]
Editor; Karen Menn, Coordinating Liaison
Trout Community Liason
George Vosmik
Newsletter