Projects

The stream bank improvement project for the Hokendauqua Creek is near completion. The stone is in place and there are plans to put plants on the bank. Thanks to all who did the work and supplied all the materials. We are also looking in to other areas of the Hokendauqua Creek that we can improve.

On the youth front, the chapter plans to sponsor at least one student per summer at the Northampton Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs Conservation School. Also, over the years, the chapter has sponsored several students at the Cumberland Valley’s River Conservation School. For the past four years, several teachers have received funding from our chapter to attend the Wildlands Conservancy’s Lehigh River Sojourn.

Since the late 1980s, our chapter has been running fly tying classes which are currently held at the Northampton Area Middle School on Saturday mornings for eight weeks in January and February. Members from the other local chapters help with the classes which usually have about 30 - 40 persons learning to tie. In 2009 we had 63 students signed up.

We organize group trips to locations outside our general area. Several members have gone to Alaska and also the San Juan River area. Each year in June we have gone to the West Branch Ausable River in New York. Other trips to streams in Pennsylvania are in the planning stages.

The Chapter has sponsored six Eagle Scout projects and one Girl Scout project along the banks of the Hokendauqua Creek on the former Atlas Cement property. Fly tying and fishing is taught at the local Scout Jamborees. Some Members also assist with the Women in the Outdoors event in June and the Youth Field Day held at Ontelaunee Park in August. Starting in 2007 we are also assisting the Delaware River Shad Fishermen's Assoc. with their 'Youth Fishing Education Day' held at the Point Phillips Rod and Gun Club.

Our Chapter has purchased and presented to the Northampton High School 'Vibert Boxes' to be filled with Trout eggs and placed in the Hokendauqua Creek by the students. We are also working on a 'Trout in the Classroom' project with the Catasauqua High School. We are looking forward to the 2008-9 project. At this time two other school districts are showing an interest in the TIC program. A 'First Cast' project was held at the Northampton Middle School and one is planned for the Catasauqua High School.

'Project Healing Waters' is our next endeavor. This will be a joint project with Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council, other local chapters, Veteran's associations and VA Hospitals. An organizational meeting has been held to help square things away. We had our first on-stream session on May 16, 2009. Several Veterans and many volunteers enjoyed fishing on the Little Lehigh. Many thanks to the volunteers, Fish and Boat Comm., City of Allentown and other organizations that donated services , food and drinks and other items.