Vice-president John Durben began our meeting at 9:20 a.m. President Ted Lind had to step down due to not being able to devote enough time to WCSFO since his wife is ill. Also retiring is our Treasurer and Historian Chuck Plotz. Thank you to both Walleyes Unlimited USA gentlemen for your many years of fine service in WCSFO, in helping to improve fishing in our state, and in working toward providing better fish habitat.
Secretary and 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.
Ted Lind will remain as a WCSFO member, and he read the Treasurer’s report as Chuck Plotz was unable to attend. Lind said we have $5343.05 in our checking account, and we have $3,059.13 in our savings account. The money from our offshoot organization C.A.S.T. has been added to our accounts. The Treasurer’s report was approved as read.
Elections were held, since this is the meeting normally scheduled for elections. Here are the results:
President: John E. Durben, Green Bay Area Great Lakes Sport Fishermen (GBAGLSF); Vice President: Jim Schommer, Walleyes For Tomorrow (W.F.T.); Secretary: Lawrence A. Van Veghel, Wisconsin Fishing Club, Ltd. (WFT) &Treasurer: Cornell Stroik, Wisconsin, The BASS Federation (WTBF).
We discussed the change in officers and the transference of material. Committee Chairs remain the same. John Durben is the Webmaster. L.A. Van Veghel (Larry) continues as the Media Director, and Wayne Avery is the Kids Fishing Coordinator. Bass are represented by Cornell Stroik, and Walleyes are represented by Jim Schommer. John Durben represents the Great Lakes species. We currently have vacancies for Muskies, Panfish, Inland Trout and other species.
Ted Lind stated that we must get more people to show up. Our mailing and dues lists will be updated. Dues forms for 2010 will go out at the beginning of the year. Clubs that are behind in paying are urged to “catch up.”
We talked about doing sport shows like we did in the past. It was decided that this didn’t seem to help WCSFO membership grow, although member clubs volunteering their time to man our booth did have some membership growth.
Lind said the new Friess Lake access in open. Sheboygan has extended ramps 20’ due to low Lake Michigan water. The DNR got a favorable ruling from the judge regarding getting a public launch on North Lake, in Waukesha County. For now, the launch building is scheduled to start in spring of 2010. The lake association has been against the DNR’s launch choice even though it is much better regarding launch depth and the lack of it filling in with silt.
Per George Meyer, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (WWF), there is now a ban on phosphorous being in fertilizers. Phosphorous can only be in fertilizers used in emergencies.
WWF is pushing to reduce dish washing detergents that contain water polluting phosphorous, and they are continuing to push for a ban on using Mercury, a heavy metal, in components.
Meyer said that a new slow, no wake law is in effect within 100 feet of shore. Personal watercraft must maintain slow, no wakes within 200 feet of shore.
Mike Staggs, Director Bureau of Fisheries Management, WDNR, was unable to attend.
From new Treasurer Cornell Stroik, our Bass specie rep., the Wisconsin Bass Federation clubs have not and are not actively pushing for culling in their tournaments this year. Also representing C.A.S.T., he said that C.A.S.T. should continue working toward the education of people holding tournaments.
Meyer added that “…WCSFO work together with WWF and other interested groups to get together possibly in September or October of 2010 for learning how to run a fishing tournament.” This was discussed and unanimously passed.
Our 2010 statewide spring meeting will again be held at Gander Mountain in Franklin, WI. The date for the meeting is on March 20, and this is the third Saturday.
For representation, member clubs must send their delegates. New member clubs are always welcome as are new individual and business members.
Respectively submitted,
L.A. Van Veghel
WCSFO Secretary & Media Director
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