Chapter NewsErnest E. (Ernie) NesterDecember 25, 1937 - March 25, 2013
By Dennis Cottrill 
It is with great sadness I must report the passing of Ernie Nester. On behalf of the KVCTU, I offer our sincerest condolences to Susan, Nancy, Jane, and all of Ernie’s extended family. Ernie served as the foundation upon which the original twelve members formed KVCTU and shepherded it’s growth throughout the years. Ernie was and is the epitome of TU’s motto of conserving, protecting and restoring West Virginia’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. WV’s trout fishermen off all ages and types owe a sincere debt to Ernie and his dogmatic efforts to grow and expand the fishery in the state.
Ernie’s down home appeal and demeanor no doubt helped him to accomplish his goals, to borrow a quote from the Gazette’s John McCoy “He had an easy smile and an affable manner that put folks instantly at ease, and a manner of speaking that sounded very much as if someone had taken famed actor Jimmy Stewarts’s voice and transplanted it into a lanky civil engineers body” We have all lost a friend and mentor, rest in peace Ernie, and “tight lines”. The First WV Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Retreat
There were ten veterans and ten guides who attended the first PHWFF WV veterans
fly fishing retreat. The event was held March 19th, 20th and 21st at the Harman’s trophy fly fishing resort at Cabins, West Virginia. The weather preceding the event was pretty wintery with 2-4 inches of snow on the 18th. By Tuesday the 19th the weather cleared and the temperatures began to rise. The wind was brisk ad the water was running high but clear. The ten warriors/veterans and their guides took to the water early Wednesday morning to sunny skies and 50 degree temps. The fishing was intense and very challenging but most of the warrior/veterans were able to have some success and by evening several large rainbows were in the net. The food was provided by the ladies of the North Fork Ruritan club just a short ¼ mile from the entrance to the resort. Harman’s Cabins lies on about one mile of private waters of the North Fork River, a branch of the South Branch of the Potomac River. The area is just a few miles from the Seneca Rocks National Recreation area. The North Fork (of the South Branch) as it is known is a great year round trout fishery with Rainbow, Brown and Brook trout. There were two special guest guides who accompanied us on the trip. They were Jacob Ott, Manager of the Greenbrier Resort Sporting and fishing department, and Demian Wiles, professional guide with the Greenbrier Resort. Both guides do trips on many of the local streams and rivers in eastern West Virginia. The remainder of the guides were from Trout Unlimited and PHWFF. Overall this early spring outing was a success and was enjoyed by all. My thanks to Kanawha Valley Chapter TU, Jacob Ott, Damian Wiles, Paul Wilson, Ken Hansford, Randall Augustine, Dennis Cottrill, Dewey Taylor, Paul Moore, and Mike Wells for the efforts to make this a successful fly fishing retreat. 
Special thanks to our sponsors:
The Guilford Foundation for providing funds to equip the warriors with complete fly rod setups, and rain jackets The following sponsors provided funds for lodging, meals and transportation: Mountain State Prosthetics, LLC College Park Industries Ossur North America, Inc. Otto Bock US, Inc. Angling Arts Classes Announced
(Charleston, WV January 11, 2013) The Kanawha Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited announced its Angling Arts classes for 2013. Five classes will be conducted in two different sessions starting January 24, 2013.
Beginning Fly Fishing, a four-week class; Beginning Fly Tying, a six-week class; and Beginning Rod Building, a seven-week class, highlight the first session. These classes start at 6:00pm at the Kanawha County Elk Elementary Center, located approximately one mile north from the I-79 Mink Shoals Exit. The second session starts after the conclusion of each of the first session classes, and it features a new speciality class: Stream Quality Assessment in West Virginia, a four-week class starting March 7. This class teaches students how to determine the “health” of a stream through assessing its physical and chemical conditions as well as collecting and evaluating its macro invertebrates (bugs in the stream). Students will have opportunity to put their classroom training into practice with a field trip to a stream. Also in the second session, Beginning Fly Fishing and Intermediate Fly Fishing, both four-week classes, start February 28. Fly Tying, starts March 14 for six weeks; and Intermediate Rod Building starts March 21, running four weeks. The Intermediate Fly Fishing class became popular last year when it introduced video evaluation of casting techniques. There is a $30 fee for each class; plus fly tying and rod building classes have an additional supplies expense. Class size is limited from 12 to 18, depending upon the class. Participants must be at least 14 years old, or 12 years old when accompanied by an adult student. The classes are presented in cooperation with the Kanawha County school system. For more information or to register, email: KVCTUClasses@gmail.com or visit the Trout Unlimited booth at the Hunting and Fishing Show, Charleston Civic Center, January 18-20. 2013 Angling Arts Schedule
First Session Beginning Fly Fishing: January 24 - February 14 Beginning Fly Tying: January 24 - February 28 Beginning Rod Building: January 24 - March 7 Second Session Beginning Fly Fishing: February 28 - March 21 Intermediate Fly Fishing: February 28 - March 21 Beginning Fly Tying: March 14 - April 25 Intermediate Rod Building: March 21 - April 18 Stream Quality Assessment: March 7 - April 11 (Loop Creek Assessment: April 27) Registration Fee for Each Class: $30 In addition, Beginning Fly Tying has a $5.00 materials fee; Intermediate Rod Building a $15 materials fee. Also, students in the rod building class must purchase materials to build the fishing rod of their choice. These classes start at 6:00pm at the Kanawha County Elk Elementary Center, located approximately one mile north from the I-79 Mink Shoals Exit. For more information or to register, please email us: KVCTUClasses@gmail.com Note: Classes run for different durations due to the nature of each class. For example, Rod Building needs the additional time because of the work involved in crafting a fishing rod. These different durations thus affect the starting time of the Second Session classes. |
Upcoming EventsMay Membership Meeting - May 14, 2013For the last membership meeting before our summer break, one of our own chapter members will present his fishing experiences on the Salmon River in upstate New York. Come out to learn what over 20 years of fishing for Coho, Kings, Steelhead, and Browns can teach you. Join us Tuesday, May 14th, 7 PM @ South Charleston Public Library
Bucket Brigade - June 8, 2013On June 8th, we will take part in our annual effort to improve life for Brook Trout in the Middle Fork of the Williams River. Check the Limestone Fines section of the Activities Page for more information about the event history. Here are the details for the 2013 Bucket Brigade!
Meeting Place: Meet at 9:00 AM in the parking lot at the Cranberry Mountain Visitors Center (Nature Center). The Nature Center is located on Rt. 39 at the junction with the Highland Scenic Highway. Work Site: The work site is located on the Highland Scenic Highway. If you should arrive after 9:00 AM, drive out the Scenic Highway until you spot the work crew. What To Bring: Bring work gloves and a 3-5 gallon plastic bucket if you have one. Expect to get wet and dirty, so wear appropriate clothing. The trail is usually wet and muddy so wear your mud shoes. Weather: It always rains so bring rain gear or expect to get wet. Safety: Be careful at all times and do not try to exceed your normal capabilities. The buckets will usually contain 25 to 35 pounds of sand. Always watch out for traffic when you are near the Highland Scenic Highway. Food: Food will be provided for lunch. Drinks and a mid-morning snack will also be provided. These were Ernie’s instructions from 2012. It is only appropriate that we use his words as an inspiration for us to be there this year. If you have questions regarding contact Jeff Nelsen 304-768-3933 or jefflnelsen@suddenlink.net |
