Sunday, October 26, 2008

WCSFO MEETING MINUTES

October 18, 2008

WCSFO president, Ted Lind, of Walleyes Unlimited, USA, began our meeting at 9:38 a.m. While attendance was light, those in attendance covered a wide portion of our state and represented the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, various clubs and fish species. For representation, clubs are reminded to send their representatives or presidents for the upcoming annual statewide spring meeting.

Secretary & media director, Larry Van Veghel, of the Wisconsin Fishing Club Ltd., read the minutes from our statewide spring meeting. The minutes were approved as read.

Our treasurer, Chuck Plotz, of Walleyes Unlimited USA, was in the hospital, and we wish him a speedy recovery. Ted Lind said we have $3055.93 in our saving account. This is up slightly from spring. We have $4613.05 in our checking account, and this is down almost $800.00 from the spring meeting total.

We will print more “Kids Fishing Klinics” publications in 2009. Both the DNR and The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation are helping to get these pro fishing booklets to the youth of Wisconsin.

Ted Lind has dumped the old WCSFO computer components. Many of the items are obsolete.

We discussed getting member clubs to keep up their WCSFO contact information. Clubs must make sure we know the addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of their presidents, treasurers, and representatives. Clubs that are not members are asked to join as are fishing related businesses and individual members.

Cornell Stroik, of the Wisconsin BASS Federation, and Jim Peterson, of the Madison Fishing Expo, had numerous questions regarding tournament permits. George Meyer, of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation stated that the listing of social security numbers is an invasion of privacy.

Having consistent Mississippi River permit regulations for Minnesota and Wisconsin is being worked on, as are the Wisconsin/Iowa regulations. It is hoped that all three states will soon be the same.

Wardens now enforce regulations on tournament anglers the same way as with all other anglers, said Mike Staggs, Director Bureau of Fisheries Management, WDNR.

Tournament numbers on waters, VHS control, and education of tournament organizers regarding what to do with any dead fish was brought up. Organizers must inform their people that they cannot take home more fish than allowed in the daily possession limits.

Round gobies and yellow perch, said Staggs, have VHS in the Milwaukee area, per studies conducted this year. In 2007, German brown trout, smallmouth bass, and lake whitefish became the first listed species.

Wild Rose Hatchery, http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/wildrose/, has Phase 1 completed. This is for the reproduction of trout and salmon. The rest of this portion of the hatchery will up “up-and-going” this year. The Phase 2 Great Lakes spotted musky, sturgeon, pike and walleye, state-of-the-art area will open for production in 2010. (See below for more information on this hatchery.)

Larry Van Veghel asked Staggs if the west of Ixonia carp barrier keeping Rock River carp out of the Oconomowoc River was breached during this year’s high water levels, and Staggs said it was. Van Veghel had observed at least 1,000 carp being kept back by the barrier earlier this year. Staggs offered a high water high note in that he said the high water flows helped the trout streams by cleaning them and positioning the newly installed rocks to create ideal aquifers for trout.

Jim Schommer, of Walleyes For Tomorrow, asked about the portable fish hatcheries and their permitting. Many were on hiatus due to the VHS situation. It is not the DNR that permits these structures; it is the Department of Agriculture. Staggs expects them to be permitted soon.

Our next topic was getting new anglers into our fine sport. The DNR is looking for many ways to do this. Van Veghel brought up what the late WCSFO president Mike Ross had suggested years ago. Ross had pushed for the WDNR having rental fishing boats at state park launches and on major launch sites. It would generate money for the DNR, plus new anglers could afford to buy licenses and go fishing on the water instead of only from limited access shore sites.

George Meyer brought in a WWF proposal to increase the hunting, fishing & trapping licenses by $0.50 and allowing conservation groups to apply for monetary grants for new or increased knowledge hands-on-skills for training youth in hunting, fishing and trapping. These would be in addition to what is already being done. We voted unanimously to support this proposal.

We also voted unanimously to support the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation’s motion for supplementary funds for the Wisconsin Fish and Wildlife Account. This means matching funds would come from groups other than anglers, hunters and trappers and who are also beneficiaries of fish and wildlife management in Wisconsin.

John Durben, of the Green Bay Area Great Lakes Sport Fishermen, brought up violations by commercial fishermen. Staggs said one boat was given a $25,000.00 fine.

Ted Lind is always working to get more access onto our waterways, and he said the North Lake, in Waukesha County, launch is still being held up. The WDNR has the land, but the people who are suing keep switching lawyers so that the case can be retried.

Okauchee Lake, in Waukesha County, will go from 17- to 35- parking places at a cost of $600.00.00. The contract with the Golden Mast will continue for 5 more years with plans for expansion. To the northwest of Okauchee, in the same county, on Ashippun Lake they have received a county grant for the concrete ramp and boarding pier.

On the Wisconsin/Illinois border and in Kenosha County, the Twin Lakes, (Elizabeth & Marie) are getting a grant for renovation and for adding 20 parking places. Walworth County’s popular Delavan Lake will get expanded piers and upgrading, but so far, nothing is being done about the high launch fee of $10.25. Out-of-state anglers pay more.

We held our election of officers. All current officers were unanimously reelected.

Club memberships are a minimum of $30.00 with an option of paying $1.00/member up to a maximum of $500.00. Most clubs pay $30.00/year.

Our next must-attend meeting is at 9 a.m. on March 21, 2009 (Third Saturday) at Gander Mountain in Franklin, WI. We hope to have store merchandise discounts for all who attend.
We adjourned at 12:55 p.m.

Respectively submitted
By
L.A. Van Veghel
WCSFO secretary & media director
WCSFO’s 24th Year

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