ROCKPORT — George's River Trout Unlimited (GRTU) welcomes Robert Cotiaux, director of Maine TU Trout Camp, for a two-topic presentation, Tuesday, March 11, in Rockport

Cotiaux and Jim Wescott will speak about the Crooked River Priority Waters project which began by removing the dam at Edes Falls in Naples, Maine. They will discuss how conservation partnerships and public relations began and continue to this day with additional plans to improve the watershed for local Landlocked Salmon populations. Cotiaux will also discuss Maine’s premier youth fly-fishing camp which takes place annually each June in Solon, Maine. Maine TU Trout Camp is built on a model of other successful Trout Unlimited youth programs around the country and is dedicated to educating youth about Maine’s cold-water fisheries. The camp’s mission is to build tomorrow’s conservation leaders, giving teens a solid foundation in conservation, entomology, and biology, while keeping it fun and interesting with fly-fishing. 

Prospective campers and parents are encouraged to attend to meet Cotiaux and GRTU chapter members who often volunteer at the camp. Information on Maine TU Trout Camp will be available at the meeting and can also be found online. The camp is for students 13-17 years old who are interested in learning more about fly fishing, fly tying, resource sustainability, effects of climate change, the importance of native fish, and how they can become leaders in these vital areas. 

The GRTU meeting March 11 will be held upstairs in the fly shop at Maine Sport in Rockport. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. with “Trout Talk,” an informal gathering for those who wish to visit before the presentation. The formal meeting and featured presentation begin at 7 p.m. GRTU conducts a raffle directly following the speaker.

GRTU meetings are free and open to the public.

Trout Unlimited is a nonprofit organization with a mission dedicated to conserve, protect and restore North America's cold water fisheries and their watersheds.

TU membership is open to all. Visit us on Facebook, or online at www.georgesrivertu.org.