May - Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Newscasts
May 2016 Serving the Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Western Trout Fishing on a Budget ...
Living Your Dreams
Meet your new Board members!
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Our May 10 Chapter Meeting
Would you like to live the dream of trout fishing out
west but feel you can't afford it?
Bob Haase will share his experiences and lessons
learned during annual 10 to 14 day trips to Wyoming,
Montana, and
Colorado on an $800
per person budget.
He will provide tips
for planning a trip
and discuss all the
things a person
should consider
when organizing and
deciding to go on any
out of state fishing
trip.
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Tristan Kloss, President
Matt Sment, Vice President
Laura Beck Nielsen, Secretary
Tom Parker, Treasurer
Scot Stewart, Chapter Delegate to the State
Council of TU
Board of Directors: Mark Maffit and Amy
Klusmeier as new to the Board*. Topf Wells,
Jim Hess, Michael Burda and Mary Ann Doll
will continue in their current roles.
Congratulations! View the full listing, with contact
information, at the end of this newsletter.
*Amy, of course, did recently serve as VP and is continuing as
Chair of the Icebreaker event!
Remembering Doug Wadsworth
One of the truly good guys
We are sad to report the passing
of Doug Wadsworth, a true friend
to our Chapter. Just last year,
Doug won the “Streamkeeper”
rod for his contributions to our
workdays. He no longer wields a
saw or stacks mountains of
brush, but he was there with the
coffee, donuts and a friendly
greeting. Doug was also a
committed volunteer to our
Project Healing Waters initiative,
donating countless hours to
helping veterans. (The photos at
right are of Doug helping people
at last year’s Casting Clinic.)
The principles Bob will share could be applied to
musky fishing, walleye fishing, elk hunting, etc. Join
us on May 10 and learn all about it!
As usual, the meeting is upstairs at the Coliseum Bar
and Grill on East Olin Avenue at 7 p.m. but please join
us earlier for dinner and a few stories.
You Must Be Present to Win
We’ve had no winner at the past meetings, so the
drawing has grown $80. Please join us at our next
Chapter meeting for a chance to win a gift certificate
to Fontana Sports Specialties. You need only be
present to win!
A Memorial Service will be held
at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 7th,
2016 at Messiah Lutheran
Church, 5202 Cottage Grove.
Visitation will be held at the
church from 9 a.m. until the time
of service on Saturday.
Be sure to check out the back
page and save the date for our
Special Annual Fishing Day on
Saturday, June 11. It’s an
opportunity to make a difference
for some amazing people!
Per his obituary, in lieu of flowers, donations may be
made to two of Doug’s favorite organizations: Southern
Wisconsin Trout Unlimited (PO Box 45555, Madison
WI 53744) or the Ruffed Grouse Society (c/o Jim
Shurts, 2822 Chamberlain Ave., Madison WI 53705).
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Below are photos from our workday on the Sugar River
at the Neperud Farm on April 23. This is a picturesque
new public section of the river we’ll continue improving
on May 14.
Saturday, May 14, 2016 Workday
Our next workday will be Saturday, May
14 on Sugar River at the newly acquired
Neperud property. This is the site for a
major streambank improvement planned
for this year.
Teamwork!
When: Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 9 a.m. to
Noon (Chapter Approved Sawyers please arrive
at 8:30).
What: Cutting and treating willows, box elders, and
invasive brush to benefit trout stream habitat and
provide access to the stream. Plus, we will be planting
20 Oak trees and 75 native shrubs. Also friendly
camaraderie, refreshments, coffee and a chance to
give back to the resource!
Where: Sugar River – Neperud Property. South of
Paoli at 1065 Hwy 69. The fire number may or may
not be up. Drive south from Madison on Hwy 69, after
you pass Paoli you will come to the Hamlet of Basco,
the farm is on the west side of Hwy 69, across from
Henry Road. Here is a map.
Gnarly!
Bring: Bring work gloves, loppers and hand saws;
otherwise the chapter has equipment you can use.
Parking: Park in the U-shape drive, east of the barn.
If you have questions or think you can help, please
contact Jim Hess at [email protected]. We look
forward to seeing you there!
Remember, every workday you attend earns you an
entry into the drawing for the Stream Keeper fly rod,
custom-built by Jim Bartelt.
Jim Hess, Conservation Committee Chair
Beautiful!
Stacking brush at the April 9 workday on Black Earth
Creek near Mazomanie. It’s a beautiful site along Wolf
Run we will be sure to return to!
Neperud photos courtesy Jim Beecher.
View the full album.
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Partnering with Operation Fresh Start
Inagural President’s Column
The Conservation Committee worked with youth from
Operation Fresh Start on Kittelson Creek from April 12
- 15. Operation Fresh Start (OFS) provides a path
forward for disconnected youth in Dane County, ages
16-24, through education, mentoring, and employment
training. OFS leads youth to completing their high
school degree (after having previously dropped out)
and continuing on to higher education and/or selfsustaining employment.
By Tristan Kloss
(Editor’s note: I asked Tristan for a photo of himself
and he instead provided gorgeous trout pictures. I think
we got the right person for the job!)
I write this with a bit of amazement: it has just been a
little over three years since I first sat down at a chapter
meeting for Southern Wisconsin Trout Unlimited.
Within a few minutes of arriving to the meeting, thenpresident Steve Wald approached me and, after
learning I was once a member of the Education
Committee for Southeastern Wisconsin Trout
Unlimited, asked me if I would sit in on SWTU’s own
(then-new) Education Committee in an “advisory” role.
Thinking back on that, I believe Steve already knew he
had me.
The crew sprayed reed canary grass, wild parsnip and
thistles, cleared out a stand of buckthorn, cut and
treated sandbar willows, and then on their last day
hand spread 70 pounds of native grasses and forbs
(wildflowers). It was quite the learning experience
getting to know these young and motivated people.
In that time I’ve
been able to see
first-hand the
breadth and depth
of our
membership’s
commitment to the
SWTU mission of
conserving,
protecting,
improving, and
educating on our
coldwater
resources. I’ve
seen the great
enthusiasm and
passion of both the students and instructors for Project
Healing Waters; I’ve been caught up in the energy and
excitement at the annual Icebreaker; paid homage to
deserving award recipients (and feasted on fantastic
food!) at our Nash Williams Banquet; experienced
camaraderie at our monthly chapter meetings; and
witnessed the transformative effect of fly fishing on the
next generation through Project Green Teen (and you’ll
excuse my absence at the May chapter meeting, as I’ll
be doing my best to put the PGT students on some fish
in Avalanche that night).
That doesn’t even touch upon our robust conservation
program, which includes the Streamkeepers, countless
workdays throughout the year, and the current Sugar
River restoration project, which will improve a mile of
frontage along the Sugar River just south of Paoli. In
short, we do a lot of stuff. A lot of good stuff for trout
fishing, and coldwater resources in general. I’m
honored to help carry that tradition forward for the next
year.
We also can’t forget all that good work comes from the
dedication of the many volunteers who make SWTU
the organization it is today. We couldn’t do it without
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President’s column, continued
Riversmith Fly Casting Clinic
each and every one of you; and while it has been said
before, it can never be said enough: thank you, for
everything you do.
It was a wonderful morning of teaching and learning
about the wonderful sport of trout fishing. Many thanks
to our great volunteers and especially to Matt Sment
for heading up this year’s event!
Some of you might be reading this, are interested in
getting involved, but don’t know where to start. If that
sounds like you, drop me a line (you can find my
contact information at the end of this newsletter) and
let’s chat. There is no amount of effort you can give
that is too small, and everything makes a big
difference for an organization that runs on the sheer
will of its members.
And if you’re new to this whole thing, and just want to
find out more about what we do, I encourage you to
drop by the next chapter meeting and say hello. One
of my goals is to be as welcoming to new faces as
Steve Wald was to me. I hope to meet you soon.
Though I’ll give you fair warning: if you’re not careful,
you may be writing this column in a few years.
Welcome New Members
We’re pleased to announce the addition of the
following new members to our ranks.
Frederick Heiden
Rick Heuer
Dawn Ring
Kory Crapser
John Armstrong
Scott Murray
Karlette Schoen
Chris Van Meter
Kathleen Eisenmann
Carrie Lysne
Connor McIntyre
Timothy Heuer
Corinna Gries
Wayne Miller
Frederick Heiden
Mark Huttner
Steve Davis
We are honored to have you among us. Please join us
for a Chapter meeting, and we will give you FREE
raffle tickets, flies and “an offer you can’t refuse” from
some of our most experienced fisher-folk! Try to get
there at 6 p.m. for dinner and to sit with one of our
board members to learn more about us. If you will be
attending your first meeting, please contact Tom
Parker so we can expect you.
Midwest Tenkara Fest 2016
May 14 and 15, Coon Valley, WI
Come enjoy an exciting weekend of Tenkara fly
fishing presentations, fly tying, and more! There will
be a wide variety of vendors on hand to demonstrate
Tenkara rods and accessories. Anglers who are new
to fixed line fly fishing will not want to miss "Tenkara
101" at 11:00 AM on Saturday. The proceeds from the
event will be donated to the Madison Project Healing
Waters Fly Fishing program.
Photos courtesy Jim Beecher.
View the full album.
For more information:
The Midwest Tenkara Fest 2016 Website
[email protected]
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Volunteers needed for upcoming
Women's Fly Fishing Clinic June 15 & 16
A personal story on the power
of the Women’s Clinics:
Looking for few good men and women willing to take
women fishing. You do not need to be an expert, as
the primary goal is to work on skills while also fishing.
The women that you will be fishing with have
completed the basic women's class last year, so you
are not starting out from scratch. If we want to grow
the sport, this is the way to do it. (You aren’t “guiding”
– you’re just fishing with someone newer to our sport.)
In 2012 I signed up for the "Intermediate" Clinic (now
On the Water Skills Clinic). Two years before I took the
Basic Clinic and I hadn't picked up a fly rod since. I
was a little nervous. My first guide was Tom Thrall. We
arrived at the stream and he opened up a fly box filled
with flies, most he tied himself. I was impressed and
felt awful when I proceeded to throw each one directly
into the nearest tree. Tom was patient, calm,
encouraging, and eager to answer all of my questions:
how do you know where you can access water to fish,
when should I use dry flies vs. wet flies, what is an
indicator? We talked for hours, mostly to pass the time
while Tom rigged up my line after another lost fly. As
the sun was setting and Tom was packing up his gear I
lazily dropped a fly a few feet in front of me, the current
made it swing across the stream and a big brown trout
hit it and ran. By some miracle I landed that fish and it
was a moment I don't think either of us will forget! As
we were driving back to camp it was Tom's turn to ask
a question: why don't you come to a chapter meeting?
Eventually I did and the rest, as they say, is history.
Come to Westfork Sports Club, meet in parking lot at
5 p.m. on Wed June 15th geared to fish and meet
your first participant. Fish until dark, campfire that
night.
Thursday be ready by 10:15 and meet your second
participant. Return to WFSC for a lunch and rest at 1.
Head out with 3rd participant at 3 pm. Campfire that
evening.
It’s lots of fun and you can chat with interesting people
at the campfire. Many “flies and lies” can be heard.
Please consider volunteering your time at the Women's
Clinic. The women you fish with will range in skill level
but all will have a deep appreciation for your
willingness to spend time sharing your knowledge on
the stream. You are certain to meet new friends and
share a few adventures, and you may make a
connection that will have a lasting impact on coldwater
conservation or our chapter.
I encourage you to talk to someone that has
participated in this event over the years.
Any questions, please contact Rich Lahti at
[email protected] or 608-516-4480.
-- Amy Klusmeier
Stay Connected
Know what's happening by connecting to
our Chapter Calendar!
Check out Southern Wisconsin Trout
Unlimited on Facebook to connect to
activities, discussions and friends. (You
should be able to view the page without a
Facebook account.)
And if you know of a member not
receiving emails from SWTU, please have
them email [email protected]!
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Volunteers should have the ability to walk for at least a
mile, along potentially uneven ground adjacent to the
stream. Children under 18 must be supervised by an
adult.
Habitat Snapshot Day on
Black Earth Creek
June 4, 2016
On Saturday, June 4, Join SWTU in gathering “citizen
science,” and help the trout of Black Earth Creek in
the process! Join us and partners Black Earth Creek
Watershed Association, Dane County, River Alliance
of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin DNR and participate
in Black Earth Creek Habitat Snapshot Day. The
objective of this free, single-day event is to engage
citizen supporters of Black Earth Creek in gathering
data on the stream’s condition, which will be used to
prioritize future stream work projects, to the benefit of
water quality and the trout population. Volunteers
should come expecting to have a good time, and to
tromp along the banks of BEC, making observations
about the stream character and the corridor
surrounding it.
What to bring: Volunteers should bring clothes that can
get wet and/or dirty, drinking water, sunscreen, and
bug repellent. Waders, wading boots, and/or pants and
shoes that can be waded in are encouraged, but not
necessary (shorts are discouraged, due to the potential
presence of stinging nettle and wild parsnip).
Cameras/smart phones and GPS units are also
encouraged, but not necessary.
Afterwards, we’ll gather at Festge County Park for a
BBQ lunch. There might even be beer! The event is
rain or shine.
Details:
Where: (In order of the day’s events)
• 8:00 a.m., meet at Rosemary Garfoot Library
(2107 Julius St, Cross Plains, WI 53528 for
brief training
• 9:00 a.m., on-stream assessment walkthrough with trainers, then break into
monitoring teams and disperse to assigned
stream reach in Black Earth Creek watershed
(Black Earth, Garfoot, Vermont, or Brewery
creeks).
• 12:30 p.m., convene for post-event BBQ lunch
and beverages at Festge County Park (4894
Scherbel Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528).
When: Saturday, June 4, 2016, 8 a.m.
Cost: FREE, but pre-registration is required at
https://www.wisconsinrivers.org/events/display/item/h
abitat-snapshot.
Details: All necessary training, equipment, maps,
directions, and support will be provided by Dane
County and Wisconsin DNR staff. Volunteers will meet
in the morning for a brief discussion on how, where,
and why volunteers will be monitoring Black Earth
Creek for this event. Volunteers will then conduct an
on-stream walk-through with trainers, prior to breaking
up into pairs and setting off to monitor an
approximately ½-mile long stretch of stream that has
been assigned to them. Data that will be collected
includes stream habitat and physical characteristics,
presence/absence of aquatic invasive species, status
of habitat improvements, impairments, and more.
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Fountains of Youth
nicest Catskill fly tier was – and that was Art Flick."
Classic trout flies that have withstood the test of
time … flies that remain "forever young"
by Rusty Dunn
Art Flick (1904-1985) was owner and innkeeper of the
Westkill Tavern in West Kill, NY, situated amongst
many of New York's storied Adirondack and Catskill
mountain rivers. He was a modest and humble
gentleman whose 1947 book A Streamside Guide To
Naturals and Their Imitations is arguably the most
influential book ever published for fly fishing the eastern US. In print now for over 60 years, A Streamside
Guide was based on Flick's own extensive and accurate stream entomology plus decades of experience
when matching flies to naturals. A Streamside Guide
simplified insect identification and reduced the list of
"must have" fly patterns to a select few. It demystified
hatch matching and made fly fishing approachable for
novices. Flick's A Streamside Guide was (and still is) a
practical and straight spoken masterpiece.
Ever wonder why "mayflies" are called MAYflies?
May is the month of Ephemeroptera, the delicate,
short-lived, winged jewels we spend so much time
and effort trying to understand. It is a time of plenty.
April's harshness has passed, bugs are hatching, and
fish are on the prowl. It is the sweet of the year.
No mayfly is more revered or more historic than the
fabled Hendrickson, aka. Ephemerella subvaria.
Hendricksons of the east and upper Midwest are legendary. They are the first large mayfly of the year,
and their emergence signals for many the true beginning of trout season.
Hendrickson duns are truly majestic. Large, stately,
and with wings held high, they leisurely ride the surface for long distances. Hendricksons are probably
the only insect for which you'll want a different fly to
imitate the two sexes. Female duns are larger (about
size #12) and a dirty pinkish grayish tan. Males are
smaller (about #14) and mahogany red. The two
sexes are behaviorally quite distinct also, with males
often hatching from one riffle and females from
another. Trout can be notoriously selective for one
sex or the other.
Flick's home water was Schoharie Creek, and he was
its guardian. The Schoharie had a mix of bass and
trout when Flick moved to West Kill in 1934, but over
time he orchestrated its transformation into a highly
productive cold water trout stream. He repaired
eroded banks and planted willows to stop further erosion. He persuaded the state to install a downstream
barrier dam to prevent migration of bass and pike into
trout water. He successfully lobbied for regulatory
changes that established Schoharie Creek as New
York's first catch-and-release only trout stream. And,
he orchestrated acquisitions that made the Schoharie
an early showpiece of public fishing access rights. He
was a "river keeper" in the purest sense.
Roy Steenrod's Hendrickson and Art Flick's Red Quill
are the Catskill classics for female and male Hendricksons. To many fly anglers, fishing a Red Quill is
synonymous with fishing a mayfly imitation. Don't be
confused by the name, however. An old English fly of
the same name exists, but it imitates very different
mayfly species, ones not found in North America.
As the fly fishing historian J.W. Hills notes, "Everywhere where trout are to be caught, the red cock's
hackle will catch them." Art Flick's Red Quill proves
the point, and does so using only the quill. It is included on most lists of the world's greatest trout flies.
When the "flies of May" come calling, be sure to have a
copy of Flick's A Streamside Guide and some Red
Quills handy.
Harry Darbee, a pillar of Catskill fly tying tradition for
th
much of the 20 century, was once asked who was
the best ever Catskill fly dresser. Darbee smiled and
said, "They were all great tiers. I can't tell you who
was best, but I sure as hell can tell you who the
Copyright 2016, Rusty Dunn
------------------------------------ Art Flick's Red Quill -----------------------------------Art Flick's Red Quill was the first fly to use stripped
dry fly hackle stems ("quills") as a body material.
Hook: Dry fly, #14
Thread: Gray
Wings: Barbs of a wood duck flank feather,
upright and divided
Tail: Natural dun hackle fibers, length
equal to hook shank
Body: Quill of a large hackle feather from a
Rhode Island Red rooster, stripped
and well soaked. The quill body
should be lacquered when dry.
Hackle: Natural dun rooster hackle
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Save the date:
Special Annual Fishing Day
Please mark your calendars for our Chapter's Special Annual Fishing Day on Saturday, June
11, 2016 at Jim Kalscheur's Ponds (just west of Madison; maps and more information will be
provided in future Newscasts). You have the opportunity to provide a great day of fishing for
some very special people who are not ordinarily able to share in the pastime we all love.
[Ed. Note … we are looking for volunteers to help coordinate events such as this one. John has done an amazing
job with it for many years, but he’s earned a respite and it is time for someone else to step up and into this very
rewarding role. Could it be you? Contact a Board member below if interested!]
Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited Leadership:
President
Tristan Kloss
Vice President
Matt Sment
Secretary
Laura Beck Nielsen
Treasurer
Tom Parker
Past President
Matt Krueger
State Council Rep.
Scot Stewart
Board Member
Mary Ann Doll
Board Member
Jim Hess
Board Member
Mark Maffit
Board Member
Topf Wells
Board Member
Amy Klusmeier
Board Member
Michael J. Burda
Newscasts Editor
Drew Kasel
Conservation Committee Chair
Jim Hess
Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited
P.O. Box 45555
Madison, WI 53744-5555
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