October 16, 2010
President John Durben began our meeting at 9:18 a.m. Long time ex-President Ted Lind was not in attendance.
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.
New Treasurer Cornell Stroik ably read the Treasurer’s report. He said we have $5384.82 in our checking account, and we have $3,061.00 even in our savings account. The Treasurer’s report was approved as read. President Durben submitted a few bills including that for our post office box.
We discussed our continual meeting topic of attracting more members. We have representative vacancies for Muskies, Panfish, Inland Trout and other species, per our spring meeting. Our mailing and dues lists will be updated. Dues forms for 2010 will go out at the beginning of the year. Clubs remaining behind are more than urged to “catch up.”
Per George Meyer, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (WWF), the musky season still starts in June up north. The legislators must react to change this.
The no phosphorous in fertilizer bill was passed.
The Invasive Aquatic Plants and Species Bill is being enforced by wardens, especially when it is blatantly disobeyed. Boat washers were suggested, as they work quite well, but they are too expensive to have at all state launches.
The Department of Agriculture is still looking into a ban on Mercury usage, per Meyer.
With launch expert Lind not in attendance, Meyer covered the boat launching news. We voted to support having a launch in Rawley’s Bay in Door County. Although having numerous rock piles, per WCSFO secretary Van Veghel’s having fished here, there is a safety need for having a launch as there is a long distance between Lake Michigan launches. Van Veghel said that this has long been the back-up, safety site launch for the Washington Island ferries that cross the dangerous Devil’s Door between the Door County Peninsula tip and Washington Island’s Detroit Harbor.
Meyers said the North Lake launch continues to be hung up in court by the North Lake Association personnel.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is pushing for removing wolves from the Federal endangered species list in our state. We have over 762 wolves. The DNR did not stock any of these wolves. These omnivores crossed the borders of Minnesota and Upper Michigan and have reproduced. Van Veghel stated this is because we have deer with CWD, and wolves prey on sick or weak deer. A majority of members’ present advisory voted to support this removal, even though we are a fishery and fish habitat organization.
Per Treasurer Cornell Stroik, who represents the bass anglers of Wisconsin, it was Gerry McGinnis who bought B.A.S.S. away from ESPN. McGinnis is an avid angler who had a long running family TV fishing show.
The Bass Federation, TBF, is reorganizing with “good” officers. TBF is a WCSFO member organization. Stroik also gave us an update on C.A.S.T., our offshoot tournament education organization.
Under “Old Business,” Meyers offered to work with Stroik on this project. Meyers asked if we should have a meeting. WCSFO members are urged to email their comments on this to President Durben, plus Meyers and Stroik. Secretary Van Veghel, due to having the impatience brought on by having cancer, requested that something finally be done on this, as C.A.S.T. has been bringing this up for years. After many years of service, Warren Zaren has retired from C.A.S.T., and only Stroik continues working toward getting things accomplished.
Meyers will send a draft to Mike Staggs asking to put oxygen requirements into the tournament permit request. He also added that he will state that permit requests require mandatory training before issuance to insure that tournaments are correctly and safely run.
Look for a DNR Advisory Board Question in the 2011 Spring Hearings asking if all lakes in southeast Wisconsin should have a 3 walleye 18 inch bag limit. At this time, there is absolutely no biological reason for this regulation.
Mike Staggs, Director Bureau of Fisheries Management, WDNR, unable to attend in spring was not able to attend this fall due to end-of-the-year state budget restraints.
Our March 29, 2011 statewide spring meeting is scheduled for Gander Mountain in Franklin, WI where attendees normally get a discount. This is the third Saturday of the month. Mark your calendars.
For representation, member clubs MUST send their delegates. New member clubs are always welcome as are new individual and business members.
Respectively submitted,
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