Clinton Valley Trout Unlimited

Chapter President – Alan Johnston

Alan Johnston joined TU in 1982 and became very active in the chapter. In the 80s and early 90s Alan was editor of the chapter news letter, was banquet chairman and a chapter officer. Alan was inactive for a few years and then became very active again 5 years ago. He now holds the position of Chapter President and Banquet Chair. Alan is a retired Ford product design engineer and with his past TU and work experience hopes to bring many good qualities to the chapter leadership team. He is very excited about the progress the chapter is making. “We have improved the membership meeting and have grown the size of the board and the banquet”. Furthermore “we are in the process of making many exciting changes in the chapter including moving to a new meeting location”. As President “I am excited to see an extremely bright and evolutionary future for our chapter”.

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Vice President – Jason Davis

Jason has been a member of Clinton Valley Trout Unlimited since early 2009 and was elected as the Chapter Vice President in December of 2010.  He is the owner of The Downstream Drift, a Southeast Michigan based fly fishing guide service that specializes in teaching how to fish the Clinton River and Paint Creek.  Jason is currently an employee at Bass Pro Shops in Auburn Hills.  As a fisherman Jason has fished all over the state of Michigan yet the Clinton River and Paint Creek are what he considers to be his “home waters”.  In his words, “the fisheries right here in our own watershed should not be overlooked as we are sitting on gems that should be treasured”.  Jason is also the author of “An Angler’s Guide to Paint Creek”, the first ever guide book written on Southeast Michigan’s gem of a trout stream.

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Secretary – Tim O’Connor

Several of my fondest memories from my childhood involve fishing. My uncle is the person who I give credit to for my love of fishing. The first trout I ever caught was with him, at an annual Trout Fishing Derby, held at a local country club pond. I won first prize and a new rod and reel combo. I was 7 years old. Forty years later, I am still trout fishing. I have been fishing since I was 4 years old and will do so until I cannot get out and cast a line.

I am from Massachusetts. I have been lucky enough to fish some of the oldest native trout streams known to American men. In 1994, I came to Michigan for the renowned fishing, primarily the AuSable(which I fish at least once every year) and Lake St Clair. I came here as a bass fisherman, but I found that the pleasure I get from standing in a quiet trout stream far outweighs the fun of a 3 pound bronzeback smallie.

I joined TU in 1997 originally, missed paying dues in 98, since 99 until 2010, I made sure to pay up every year. I became a Life Member in 2010 and am no longer just a supporter but an active member. I am very pleased to be able to do what I do to help. The thought of doing something so valuable to future generations is perhaps the most rewarding experience of my life. I am so very proud to have Paint Creek as not only my personal home water, but also our chapter’s home water.

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Treasurer -Mark Schwalbach

Mark Schwalbach is an Investment Real Estate Underwriter at PNC Financial Services Group.  Mark graduated from Detroit Mercy University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance.  Mark started fly fishing in college and hasn’t put the rod down since.  Mark and his wife Lindsay have two kids, ages 4 and 1.  He joined CVTU in 2008 and became a board member in 2009.  Mark is eager to hit the ground running in 2011 with the addition of new board members and is apart of the Banquet Committee again.  He is also interested in stream restoration projects on the Paint Creek.

 

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Conservation Chairman – Ken Koster

My name is Kenneth Koster and I have been a CVTU member for, I’m guessing, 20 years, and a board member for the last few years. I am a former DNR employee (6 years State Parks and 28 years as a Technician for the Fisheries Division).

Preserving and protecting local resources (Paint Creek, the Clinton River) helps ensure that a quality outdoor experience is easily available to help pass on a conservation minded ethic to future generations.

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Membership Chairman - Kip Lowrie

Keith (Kip) Lowrie joined the TU board in 2010. He has a background in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Lake Superior State University as well as Michigan State University. His special interest is in aquatic Biology and Video Production. Kip graduated from Oakland University in 2007 with a BGS degree, a minor in Biology and a concentration in Film Aesthetics and History. Kip is entering his 11th year as owner/guide for Woodland Rivers Guide Service which is a Southeast Michigan based Fly-Fishing Guide Service for trout, salmon and steelhead. Kip hopes to bring and share some of his knowledge and understanding for Management, Conservation and Preservation to Trout Unlimited

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Board Member – Howie Everson

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Board Member - Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston joined Trout Unlimited in 2006, and has been a board member for CVTU since the fall of 2006. During my time on the board I have worked on the newsletter, the web site and organizing several conservation projects for the chapter. I am also the banquet “co-chairman” with my father, and enjoy raising money for the chapter to use for future conservation projects. I am a senior project engineer in the automotive industry working on the design of shipping racks and dunnage. My wife (Erin), my son (Zachary), and I enjoy spending time up north at our cabin in Atlanta year round. In my spare time I enjoy fishing, hunting, sports, snowmobiling, boating and spending time with my family and friends.

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Board Member - Steve Priest

Steve grew up in Ohio and developed a love for fishing from his Grandmother.  He came to Michigan 25 years ago to complete a residency in colorectal surgery at Beaumont Hospital and never left.  Steve had been living in York, Pennsylvania minutes from blue ribbon fly fishing streams, but he didn’t fly fish at the time. Looking back he regrets that he hadn’t taken up the sport at that time. However he has since been back to fish those streams.  Steve was introduced to fly fishing 15 years ago on the Pere Marquette river and hasn’t looked back since. He loved the beauty and tranquility of wading a river.  After learning the basics of fly fishing he went on to trying his hand at fly tying.  He met a number of CVTU members tying flies and joined shortly afterward.  Steve has served as a board member for the last 10 years.  Trout Unlimited gives him an opportunity to give back to a sport that he has grown to love.

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Board Member – Mike Hrabonz

I joined Clinton Valley Trout Unlimited in 1982 after attending the Mid West Fly Show and learning about all the conservation projects our chapter performed on the Paint Creek.  I did not fly fish very much before joining the chapter and have enjoyed the quest of learning to fly fish and taking care of our precious resources. Most importantly, I have met so many great people along the way that share our passion for clean streams and quality fishing.

I was raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan and have been in the sales side of business related to supplying the auto industry.  Early in my business career I was transferred to New York, Ohio and Minnesota and came back to Michigan in 1980.  The auto industry has always been high stress and fly fishing puts things in perspective.

I have had the opportunity to fish many of our streams in Michigan and enjoy going to Montana every few years to fish Yellowstone Park. If there is one weekend I most look forward to it is the weekend our chapter goes to Wa Wa Sum.  There are two many great memories to list and I hope our new members take advantage of this weekend in May.

The thirty years as a member  CVTU have gone by fast and I look forward to many more years of working with our members and sharing time on the stream.

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Board Member – Mark Tracey

Mark fished ever since he was a child. His introduction to fly fishing by pure luck, literally. He won a fly rod in in a drawing in the late 70′s and learned to “pop” for bluegills on a small lake near his home.  It took him almost another ten years to get around to fly fishing for trout. Once started, there was no going back. Mark became a member of Clinton Valley in the early 90′s and with a couple of short lapses, he has been a member ever since. Currently Mark is serving my third term as a board member. His responsibilities on the board include managing the chapters merchandise as well as recruiting and assisting teachers in chapter sponsored “Salmon in the Classroom” project. Other then fly fishing, Mark enjoy working on river cleanup and restoration projects.

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Board Member – Tom Losiowski

Tom has been a T.U. member for 25+ years with a brief period of inactivity in between. He is an avid fly fisherman and tyer. Clinton Valley offers him the opportunity to associate with like minded sportsmen who want to give back to the resource which gives us so much enjoyment. The upper Manistee is Tom’s favorite river to fish but the work on Paint Creek and the Clinton are critical to our chapter’s mission of bringing visibility to coldwater conservation efforts.

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Board Member – Adam Avery

As a board member of Clinton Valley Trout Unlimited my role has focused on Paint Creek conservation efforts.  In collaboration with biology and statistics faculty and students at Oakland University, I have led an on-going comprehensive study of Paint Creek summer flow and thermal regimes in order to provide data to support ecologically based stream management practices.  While this project has been my primary focus, I also was engaged in the process of establishing new minimum size limits for trout which are included in the new Paint Creek gear restricted regulations that take effect in 2011.   My future contributions remain focused on completing the Paint Creek Flow/Thermal regime study.

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Board Member – Mark Piasecki

Although Mark has been a passionate fly fisher, and tyer for over 30 years, he is relatively new to Trout Unlimited. Mark decided to join Clinton Valley Trout Unlimited not only to meet fellow fly fisher and attend meetings, but thought it was important to protect, and preserve his favorite trout stream Paint Creek. Mark is very interested in international fishing competition, and has fished on the US team against Canada in European style match fishing. Mark also enjoys collecting fishing reels, rod building, and mountain biking.

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Board Member - Jeffery Aisthorpe  

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Board Member - Charles Jergler 

Charles Jergler is a middle school teacher in the Waterford School District.  He graduated from Siena Heights University with an English/Biology degree and a specialization in Elementary Education.  He has also earned a MA in School Counseling from Wayne State University.  Charles and his wife Jennifer live in Lake Orion with their two children Kendyl and Evan.  Although he has only been fly fishing for about eight years, he has fond early memories of dunking worms with his parents on local ponds and lakes.  Charles truly enjoys the peace and solitude that comes from a trout stream and is very passionate about protecting and preserving our Paint Creek gem and its surrounding waters.

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