Wisconsin Council of Trout Unlimited NONPROFIT ORG. 1423 Storytown Road U.S. POSTAGE News and Views from Wisconsin Trout Unlimited Oregon, WI 53575 PAID wicouncil.tu.org PERMIT NO. 1 MADISON, WI Wisconsin Trout Winter 2019 Banquet Time!: WITU’s most important fundraiser February 2 in Oshkosh Wisconsin TU members encouraged to attend and support the TU mission. By Mike Kuhr, Council Vice-Chair there will be plenty of time to so- and 2019 Banquet Committee Chair cialize, visit the cash bar or simply peruse the bucket raffle and silent The 2019 Annual Meeting and auction prizes. Dinner seating will State Council Banquet on Saturday, begin at 6:30 p.m. After dinner we’ll February 2 is almost here. Please hold a live auction for several dif- save the date and plan to join us in ferent fishing trips with some of the Oshkosh. We will once again return top guides and destinations in the to the Best Western Waterfront Ho- state. We’ll also take time to recog- tel and Convention Center. nize some of the best conservation- This location has served us well ists around with a short awards in past years and we’re looking for- program. The evening will finish ward to coming back in February. A with the announcement of our si- limited block of rooms has been set lent auction and bucket raffle win- aside for both Friday and Saturday ners. nights. Call the hotel at 855-230- The Council would like to thank 1900 to make your room reserva- all of the chapters and individuals tions today. Tell them you’re in who donate prizes for the event. town for the Trout Unlimited Ban- Your generosity makes for a suc- quet. cessful banquet and an unforgetta- The Banquet is our Council’s ble evening for our guests. This year biggest fundraiser of the year. The we’ve assembled more than $15,000 Banquet’s success will allow the worth of prizes and we’re eager to Council to continue serving local give them away! chapters, fund programs like the Chapter leaders should plan on Oberstadts The Youth Camp and Women’s Fly attending the State Council meet- Fishing Clinic, and help administer ing earlier in the day to discuss COUNCIL AWARDS AWAIT our Friends of Wisconsin and Wa- Council business. The meeting will tershed Access grant programs. start promptly at 9 a.m. and run un- Wisconsin TU will recognize a variety of deserving people and organizations at Tickets are $35 each (See ad on til 3 p.m. Please RSVP to Council the upcoming WITU Banquet Saturday, February 2 in Oshkosh. back page). You may also purchase Chair Linn Beck at chl- tickets online at http://witu.bpt.me. [email protected] if you plan to attend contact Heidi Oberstadt at hei- efforts of committee members Scott While we do plan for a few walk- the meeting so we can prepare for [email protected]. These Allen, Linn Beck, Todd Franklin, ups every year, ordering tickets in lunch. events are a great way to introduce Paul Kruse, Mike Kuhr and Heidi advance or making arrangements to The Council will also be spon- trout stream ecology and the im- Oberstadt. pay at the door and RSVP’ing to soring a Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic portance of TU’s conservation work We’re focused on planning a fun, [email protected] are highly for beginners during the day on Sat- to a new audience. entertaining and successful ban- encouraged. This event is open to urday, February 2. This free clinic Much planning has already tak- quet. We hope you’ll join us in Osh- the public so please consider bring- will run from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 en place and the Council is indebt- kosh on February 2 to celebrate ing family, friends, co-workers and p.m. Registration is now full, but if ed to the work of the Banquet cold, clean, fishable water in Wis- neighbors. All are welcome. you would like to be put on a wait- Committee. An event of this scale consin. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and ing list for upcoming clinics, please simply wouldn’t happen without the WITU focusing on Stewardship Program, stamp increase By Mike Kuhr, Council Vice Chair Stewardship program come. achieved through the acquisition of reauthorization The Wisconsin State Legislature land and easements, development of As the 2018 election cycle comes Our number-one priority, reau- created the Knowles-Nelson Stew- recreational facilities, and restora- to a close, Wisconsin Trout Unlimit- thorization of the Knowles-Nelson ardship Program in 1989 to preserve tion of wildlife habitat.” ed is looking forward to getting to Stewardship Program, has received valuable natural areas and wildlife Trout anglers should be familiar work on our top priorities: Reautho- plenty of bi-partisan support in the habitat, protect water quality and with one important part of the Stew- rization of the stewardship program past. Recent polls show more than fisheries and expand opportunities ardship Program – the Streambank and a $5 increase in both the Inland 90 percent of voters support re-au- for outdoor recreation. Protection Program. The DNR has and Great Lakes Trout Stamps. thorization. It was last renewed in According to the DNR, “The Both of these items will need to be 2011 for a 10-year period at $86 mil- conservation and recreation goals of See STEWARDSHIP, page 17 included in the state budget. lion per year. That level of funding the stewardship program are Election results show Wisconsin has dwindled to $33 million in re- returning to a period of divided gov- cent years. ernment. Democrat Tony Evers will Wisconsin TU and our partners Diversity/Women’s Initiative serve as governor while Republicans in the conservation community are will maintain their stronghold on asking that stewardship program be Committee seeks members both houses of the legislature. renewed for a 10-year period at $50 The Wisconsin Council’s newly formed Diversity/Women’s Initiative Luckily for us, cold, clean, fish- million per year. This modest invest- able water is not a partisan issue. Committee is seeking members who are interested in developing a more di- ment will go a long way in ensuring verse TU membership base including women and minorities. If you are in- Our coldwater fisheries issues tend public access to quality outdoor rec- to cut across party lines. terested in being involved in this crucial effort, please contact Heidi reation areas for generations to Oberstadt at [email protected]. Winter 2019 Wisconsin Trout Page 2 Chairman’s Beck’s Final Column Leadership role was inspirational I think back to when I was 18 and really get involved with the Central my parents talking about how time Wisconsin Chapter that I would flies and it keeps going faster and have ended up here, I would have faster as the years pass. Man, they said that you were kidding me. I weren’t kidding. know being in leadership isn’t for Serving as your Council Chair everybody, but you never know until for the last four years was an amaz- you jump in with both feet and try. ing opportunity, and I thank all of Life is funny and throws a lot of you for putting me in this position. curves as you venture through. If It’s been an honor to serve as your someone asks you to be involved, chair. Words can’t describe how I maybe they see something in you feel. My term as chair will end at the that you might not see in yourself. next meeting in February. All I can say is that my experience It seems like yesterday that the was over the top in all aspects. I adventure started, and now four know we all share a passion for con- years have come and gone. It has servation and fishing. When you ask been a wonderful experience work- yourself if you want to stand up for ing for such a great organization. what you believe, the answer be- Being involved and making deci- comes clear: Do what your heart sions that help our watersheds was feels, and the rest will fall into place. more than I could ask for. The out- Not everyone is ready or wants to doors and everything that encom- take on a leadership role, but there passes it has been a passion of mine are other ways to get involved in forever, and it’s been an honor to TU. For example, consider repre- improve things the best I can. senting your chapter by attending a The people I have met in TU, the Council meeting. Our next meeting DNR and many conservation coincides with our annual fundrais- groups have been inspiring. ing banquet on February 2. Banquet When I began as chair about proceeds help us fund our efforts in- four years ago, our natural resourc- volving coldwater conservation, es were under attack by our legisla- youth, veterans, advocacy and more. ture. I asked former Chairs Kim Consider attending or helping McCarthy and Henry Koltz if this out at one of many chapter or coun- was going to be the norm. They said cil events. Habitat work days, they had never seen anything like it stream monitoring, advocacy ef- and didn’t know what to expect. forts, youth events, veterans pro- Fortunately, TU members pulled grams or fundraising activities are Support Wisconsin TU together, and we weathered the all important aspects of TU, and we Support TU and storm. We didn’t succeed across the need volunteers to keep these pro- and get your Wisconsin show it off! board, but we did get some wins, so grams and events going.