Fly fisherman hooked on conservation to speak at Lake Erie Center March 21

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The community is invited to a free, public talk on fishing, conservation and healthy habitat at The University of Toledo Lake Erie Center.

Brad White, president of the Fallen Timbers chapter of Trout Unlimited and an avid fly fisherman, will speak Thursday, March 21, at 7 p.m. at the Lake Erie Center, 6200 Bayshore Road in Oregon.

Trout Unlimited, which has about 300,000 members nationwide, is a nonprofit organization that works to conserve, protect and restore North America’s cold-water fisheries and their watersheds. The local chapter has 300 members.

“I want to introduce people to Trout Unlimited and talk about the varied activities and programs we get involved in, such as our Trout in the Classroom program,” said White, a retired software entrepreneur in Perrysburg. “We also host events for veterans, stream cleanups and more. Our efforts in the Great Lakes region continue to expand.”

White also serves as vice president of the Merickel-Farley Trout Club and is a member of the Anglers of the Au Sable, Fly Fishers International and the North Branch Boys.

The local chapter of Trout Unlimited meets monthly in Maumee and takes trips to locations where trout and salmon can be found.

“Even though the western basin of Lake Erie is not a hot spot for cold-water fish, Trout Unlimited is interested in local problems on the lake,” Dr. Christine Mayer, professor in the UToledo Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, said. “Most members are avid anglers who also care deeply about conservation.”

White’s talk is part of the Lake Erie Center’s Public Lecture Series.

A shuttle will be available to transport visitors from UToledo’s Main Campus to the Lake Erie Center and back. The shuttle will depart at 6:15 p.m. from the south side of Bowman-Oddy Laboratories. Passengers must reserve a spot. Email lakeeriecenter@utoledo.edu or call 419.530.8360 to make a reservation for the shuttle.

The Lake Erie Center is UToledo’s freshwater research and science education campus focused on finding solutions to water quality issues that face the Great Lakes, including harmful algal blooms, invasive species and pollutants.