December 2016Central Wisconsin Trout UnlimitedConserving, Protecting and Restoring Coldwater Fisheries

2002 Wisconsin Trout StampBy Bill Millonig

Welcome new members of the Board of Directors. Jack Talin, David Pable and Mike Maier which happended at December meeting. We are excited to have their ideas, counsel and energy guiding the chapter. Jack is a long-standing member of the chapter and has been an active participant in chapter activities. Jack has been particularly interested in water monitoring and was named River Keeper of the Year for 2016. David has a passion for fly tying and teaching. He took on leading Masters Fly Tying when Ira Giese was looking for someone to do this. When John Gremmer said, he could no longer

lead introduction courses David came forward and organized a course for beginning fly tyers coming up in January. If you have been to recent workdays you know Mike well and his enthusiasm for the work of Trout Unlimited. Since joining CWTU Mike has been to all workdays this summer. He demonstrated and taught fly casting for our chapter at the Greater Wisconsin Outdoor and Sportsman Festival and obtained a gift from his employer for the banquet.

We are looking forward to a 2017 filled with activities and events of interest to all chapter members. Bob Smaglik is planning on another great for TroutFest

Saturday February 25th if you are interested in supporting. Bob is always looking for new ways to get people involved in this wonderful free show CWTU puts on. If you would like to help work on TroutFest, give Bob a call at 920-267-0441.

Coming up in January will be our campaign for the CWTU Habitat Restoration Fund. The money we collect is set aside to support stream restoration costs. Please consider donating when we send out a mailing this year. We hope your New Year is a good one!

Riffles, Runs and PoolsBy President Mike SanDretto

Brookie News | Central Wisconsin Trout Unlimited | Conserving, Protecting and Restoring Coldwater Fisheries

If you dream of fishing for trout or salmon in parts of the world where the fish grow big but the human footprint is small. This may sound like a fishing fantasy because of cost and time, but there is a happy medium. Not so far from home exists a wilderness experience that can satisfy your fishing wild side at a minimum of time and expense.

Lake Superior and its tributary waters come to the front and center in fulfilling this experience. The south shore, located in the U.P. of Michigan is approximately a 5 hr drive and has many lesser known streams with strange names like the Laughing Whitefish, the Big Two Hearted and the Little Garlic. All of these and many more are worthy of a Spring, Summer or Fall trip.

The experience could also be north shore bordered by Canada, which can begin with a 6 hr drive to Sault Sainte Marie. Access exists with scenic trans canadian hwy 17 westward to Thunder Bay. Here there are another 6 more hrs of

unpressured stream after stream flowing into Lake Superior. You will encounter the mighty Nipigon and more modest but productive streams like the Jackpine and the Steel.

Most of these streams have similar fisheries as south shore. This means Spring is a time of steelhead runs, Summer, consists mostly fishing for resident populations of brook trout, brown trout, rainbow or juvenile steelhead and even in some cases a summer run of atlantic salmon. Fall however is the season of plenty on many of these streams. It’s a time when much of the usual fishing population are in the timber in pursuit of small or big game. It’s also a time when many of these small to medium size streams have runs of coaster brook trout, chinook and coho salmon, only to be followed by brown trout, steelhead and even lake trout.

Of course not all streams are created equal, but you don’t have to travel cross country which opens opportunity for

you occasional yearly trips to discover their secrets.

So if the wilderness and new water is calling you from far away. Take the short drive and get there more often to get your fix.

Just look north, but not too far north…

The Wilderness NextdoorBy Jeff Treu

Go to cwtu.org for the latest and to sign up to receive our newsletter via email! | December 2016

Jack Talin has been named 2016 Riverkeeper of the Year for his outstanding efforts and contributions to the continued pursuit of healthy Central Sands Region streams. Jack is the team leader that performs Level 2 monitoring of Wedde Creek, Mecan River, and just this May, started monitoring the South Branch of the Wedde at the request of the DNR. In addition to the Level 2 monitoring, Jack also participated in the Total Phosphorus program by taking samples at Murray Creek, Radley Creek, and added sampling of the Mecan River on Hwy 21 after some concern was reported about possible abnormal algae growth at the Mecan Springs. There seems to be no ‘No’ in Jack’s vocabulary when it comes to protecting our water. Thanks Jack for a job well done!

River Keeper of the YearBy Jeff Wegand

Pictured is Jack Talin receiving his award from Bob Jozwowski at the

Annual November Riverkeepers Wrap Up.

UPCOMING EVENTS

WATER BOATMANCORIXIDAE

BEETLESCOLEOPTRA

CENTRAL REGION TROUT UNLIMITED ADVOCACY TRAINING. FREE AND COMES LUNCH BUFFET.1:00 – 4:00PM (FREE LUNCH AT NOON) JANUARY 7, 2017 FIN & FEATHER WINNECONNE WIRegister at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/central-region-trout-unlimited-advocacy-training-registration-29989725075

CWTU BOARD MEETINGJANUARY 10, 6:30 PMFIN N’ FEATHER, WINNECONNEBob Haase will facilitate another “Night Of Beetles” program with the help of Tom Lager from the Fox Valley Chapter of TU and Charlie Piette from Tight Lines Fly Shop in DePere.

TROUT FESTFEBRUARY 25FIN N’ FEATHER, WINNECONNEThere will be mini seminars, vendors, fly tying demonstrations, DNR staff representatives, and environmental displays. More information will be posted when it becomes available. Mark your calendar for this as it is a great event and it is probably the only FREE event like this in Wisconsin.

CWTU Board of Directors Minutes 12/13/16President Mike San Dretto commenced the meeting at 6:15 p.m.

Minutes Meeting for November 8th 2016 Board Meeting was approved.

Treasurer Report Joe Peikert handed out the treasurer’s report and it was approved.

Election to Open Positions on the Board of Directors- All. A motion to approve a consent calendar of the following: two open board positions where the term ends 2017 to elect David Pable and Michael Maier Also another open board position where the term ends 2018 to elect Jack Talin. The motion to approve was granted. Welcome aboard guys!

Disposition of CWTU Shed – Dennis Drazkowski discussed that we own a shed on Wautoma DNR property. DNR is looking to remove shed in the future. In the past this shed held all of our work equipment before we owned trailer. There are some hand tools, weed whackers, and rope to salvage in the spring. It was mentioned in the meeting if the Ice Age trail would be willing to move and maintain the shed they are welcome to have it. Dennis wanted to thank everyone to their commitment again to CWTU and work days. He appreciated the great hand off from Scott Bahn and looks forward to 2017. In 2016 we average 25 people per work day and accrued 695 total hours which equates to $15,000 worth of service. 2017 will be another great year with most of our work on the Pine River and porta-potties at every work day!

Funding Request: Green Bay TU for Project Healing Waters – John Tucker. Last board meeting we discussed handing off our fly tying equipment and materials to Green Bay. It has been such a huge success up there they have run out of hooks and materials. There was a motion to approve a $250 donation to Project Healing Waters GB and it was approved. Bob Haase will also look for some extra materials he has to donate.

Funding for Advocacy Training – All. Saturday January 7th from 1:00-4:00 pm. Learn how to better communicate issues that matter to you through writing emails, letters and calling your local legislators!

Communications – Bob Haase would like to form a communications board. It would consist of news letter editor, program director, facebook editor and anyone that is a good writer and passionate about our local cold water resources. Bob would like us to be actively writing in news papers and to our legislators. Please contact if you would like to be involved.

Non-Profit Mailing – Mike San Dretto. Will move to Janurary meeting.

Thanks to the Fin N’ Feather – Mike San Dretto. Mike would like to send a letter to Fin & Feather discussing how much we appreciate their support of our chapter! They have not charged us for use of the upstairs room. Many of our board meetings, Master’s fly tying, and Troutfest will all be held there in 2016. A motion was made to donate $300 to the Fin & Feather for their support and it was approved.

Old Business – none.

New Business: Bob Smaglik wanted to let everyone to know Troutfest is coming up again this February 2017. He is looking for fresh faces and ideas to support it. This could be anything from fly tying, to presentation to anything you would like to discuss involving trout fishing and or cold water resources. Please contact in the near future with your ideas and support. See you all there, it is going to be another great year.

Steve Fisher is donating a float tube for State Council banquet 2017 in February. Thank you Steve this is a great gift. Good luck to those who attend!

Scholarship committee funded through flyfishing school is going to support Eric Wegleitner in 2017! He is a graduate student at UW Stevens Point this year and currently working on the wild steelhead telemetry study we helped fund. The Scholarship/Grant is paid on the basis of one half of the Wisconsin Resident semester tuition, exclusive of student fees, etc and continues as long as graduate grades are maintained at a B level and until he receives his Masters Degree. The only other stipulations are that he present a short talk on his course of study at one of the chapters meetings.

Motion to Adjourn

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