“Take care of the fish and the fishing will take care of itself”. This simple idea launched in 1959 and it inspires us still.

Started by 16 fishermen in Michigan who wanted to protect their local river, TU has grown to 300,000 members and supporters in 400 local chapters throughout the country and has been instrumental in restoring more than 10,000 miles of rivers and streams around the country. TU has been a force in protecting habitat for trout and salmon from Alaska to Maine. Since its founding, TU and its local chapters and volunteers have made numerous tangible contributions to conservation in the United States, including significant reforms in state water law in the East and West and on-the-ground projects to restore and reconnect streams. TU has mobilized the sporting community to protect some of America’s last best places to hunt and fish and works at the state and federal levels to achieve protections for trout and salmon. TU members are the back bone that keeps the organization growing and moving forward in everything from on-the-ground restoration of rivers and streams to involving young people in conservation. The 50th anniversary celebration is really a celebration of all our members around the country.

As it marked its 50th birthday in 2009, Trout Unlimited can take great pride in its accomplishments as a steward of and advocate for America’s trout and salmon and their watershed, said Trout Unlimited CEO Charles Gauvin. This occasion is as much about envisioning the future as it is about celebrating the past, so as we toast the organizations accomplishments, we must remind ourselves of the need to preserve in realizing the promise inherent in the TU mission.

The Collegiate Peaks Anglers Chapter was chartered in 1985 and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015. Fred Rasmussen and Vern Rutherford got together to get this chapter rolling. Many of the founding members are still active and carrying out the TU mission. We accomplished our first stream improvement project within the first month of existence and have been hard at work since. Started with 35 people, the chapter now boasts over 300 members. This chapter has won numerous state and national Trout Unlimited awards and our projects have garnered many state and federal awards as well.

The state council of TU, Colorado Trout Unlimited celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020 as well.

TU’s mission is to conserve, protect, and restore the coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in the United States.