PINE RIVER AREA CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED
36th ANNUAL
CONSERVATION BANQUET

WHERE: Cadillac Grill 7839 39 ½ Rd. (Eldorado Golf Course)
WHEN: Saturday May 2nd, 2026
5:00 PM Doors Open
Social Time, Cocktails (cash bar), Silent Auction, Live Auction, Raffles Preview
7:00 PM Dinner
Silent Auction closes, Live Auction and Raffle drawings begin
COST: $60.00 per person, children 12 and under $15.00 each

RAFFLE ITEMS INCLUDE SPORTING EQUIPMENT, ARTWORK, SPINNING AND FLY RODS AND REELS, HOUSE HOLD ITEMS AND GIFT CERTIFICATES, CLOTHING, JEWELRY, CAMPING AND YOUTH ITEMS.

$5 RAFFLE ITEMS
1. Thomas & Thomas 7wt. Fly rod and Lamson reel combo
2. Blackstone 28 in. Out Door Propane Grill
3. Adirondack Side-by Side Chair plus Single Chair by Tom Jobson

Visa and Mastercard accepted at door for auctions items, raffles tickets and dinners

For reservations or ticket information, call:
John Zakrajsek — 231‑942‑8536

If you’d like to reserve a table or sponsor a prize, please contact John Zakrajsek at the number above.

For tickets by mail, download and complete the form, then send it to:
John Zakrajsek
530 W. 13th St.
Cadillac, MI 49601

About Pine River TU

We are a grass roots group of dedicated angler/conservationists in the Cadillac Michigan area whose purposes are:

1. To conserve, protect and restore our local cold water streams and fisheries and their watersheds.
2. To study, understand and enhance our wild cold water resources.
3. To pass on our love and knowledge for the sport to the next generation of anglers in our area. This is done by person-to-person interactions, by group participation at meetings and activities and with partnerships with other local organizations.

We hope you take the time to check out our history, our projects and fund raising efforts. We also want you to contact us. Let us know what you think about our site. Inform us of important conservation issues in your neighborhood. Give us ideas about projects. As importantly, we want you to get involved with our Chapter. Give us a call, attend one of our meetings and let us know if you want to get involved.

Fall 2025 Newsletter

Since our last update, the TU Board has been working on a number of initiatives and partnering with others on small projects within the Pine River watershed and beyond. Perhaps most importantly, the board is working on a spring fundraiser banquet, currently scheduled for Saturday, May 2. Mark your calendars for what is sure to be a great time. We are planning to return to the Willow Greenhouse venue. Stay tuned for more information regarding ticket sales and prizes.

Casey Boyer and Al Johnson have recently joined the board and have already been involved in outreach and fundraising efforts and we welcome their input and help with the banquet in the spring. Many thanks to both of them for coming aboard!

In the field, the chapter is working with the State TU Council monitoring progress of Sago pondweed transplants in multiple locations in the Pine. If successful it could be introduced into other Michigan streams in the future. Pondweed helps provide habitat for juvenile fish and invertebrates. We have also identified another section of the North Branch to be targeted for improvements during the summer of 2025. Permit applications and contracts will be pursued in cooperation with MDNR Fisheries Division this winter so a project can be implemented as soon as contractors are available. The anticipated costs for the project are expected to be around $15,000. The focus will be on narrowing and deepening the channel using woody debris from on site. The upstream project completed in 2024 is looking great and having the desired impact. Drone footage taken before and after the work on the North Branch is showing changes to the stream bed soon after the project was completed. The East Branch has received a remote stream monitoring device thanks to the Pine River Association. This would be the third of its kind on the Pine, and data can be reviewed online for free at Monitor My Watershed. We appreciate the partnership with Pine River Association!

In the spring, board members joined the Agriscience and Natural Resources class at the Career Technical Center for a day of fly tying fun. Vices and materials were provided by the chapter so 50 high school students could learn the basics of fly tying. It was a great day of engaging activities for the students and a great reminder why we teach young people about cold water conservation. We encourage you to check and renew your TU membership. If you wish to donate or help with any river or banquet project, please contact Tim Birtles at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 231-775-1661.