New HTU Board Officers

Thank you for your support in the past election for new Board officers. This was the first time that we have ever asked for the participation of all members to vote for new officers and the first time in recent memory that we have four new Board officers.  The following are your new HTU Board Officers:

                      Chapter Secretary: Paul Nicollian

                      Chapter Treasurer: Mark Pohndorf

                      Chapter Vice President: Thom Winters

                      Chapter President: Cris Giordano

We look forward to our new season beginning in September and hope to see all of you at our first meeting.

Volunteers Needed for India Brook Restoration

We need volunteers to help remove invasive plants at India Brook Park in Mendham Borough, Thursday, July 17. We are working with New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team. The objective is to cut the plants so that they can be treated with an approved herbicide. This is Phase One of our India Brook Restoration plan which includes removing invasive plants such as Autumn olive, Japanese barberry and Asiatic bittersweet, planting native trees and shrubs to restore forests, enhancing cold water stream habitat for trout, improving wildlife habitat value, and maintaining trails for the public to access. 

When: Thursday, July 17th

Where: India Brook Park, 270 Mountainside Road, Mendham 07945

Time: 9:30 am - 2:00pm

Bring: boots, gloves, loppers, hand saws, pruning shears

If you would like to help out please contact Henry Bayard henrybayard@gmail.com

June 12th Chapter Meeting with Benjamin Harris

Benjamin Harris is the Watershed Scientist at Raritan Headwaters Association, where he manages the organization’s surface water monitoring programs to support watershed protection and restoration efforts. He holds a master’s degree in environmental education from the Center for Environmental Policy at Bard College and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bard College. Before coming to RHA, Benjamin worked with several environmental research and education groups along the East Coast, where his work included water quality monitoring, research on algae population dynamics, and lake management. 

Join us for an in-depth look at Raritan Headwaters Association’s annual stream monitoring program, which plays a vital role in assessing the health of our local waterways. We'll explore how RHA and community volunteers collect and analyze macroinvertebrate samples, conduct habitat assessments, and monitor water quality throughout the Raritan Headwaters region. The talk will also introduce an exciting new initiative in collaboration with Hacklebarney Trout Unlimited to monitor and support the recovery of American eel populations—an important but often overlooked species in our aquatic ecosystems.

The meeting is 7:30pm at the Whippany American Legion Hall. If you can’t get there you can attend the ZOOM Meeting. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89443648196?pwd=6daV4hP7erfRWb0bgSDIZDTbqobH8N.1

June Fly of the Month- Isonychia

Isonychia, also known as Slate Drakes, are a significant mayfly hatch, particularly in the East, including New Jersey.The upper Delaware has great Iso hatches. Isonychia begin to hatch in late May or early June (sometimes with concentrated hatching activity) on the West Branch, then continue sporadically through late October. The upper East Branch (a smaller tailwater) activity is similar.

The lower East Branch (and the Beaverkill) usually warm up in mid-June, but the Iso hatches come on strong in late September through October, when water temperatures fall into the 50s. The main stem of the Delaware, especially the upper 10-mile section that benefits from the West Branch's large coldwater releases, has periodic hatches throughout the summer and the fall.

Tie up six nymphs, emergers, or duns and bring them to the June chapter meeting. There will be two raffles.

Fly Tying Monday, May 12th with Cliff Behrens