September 2016Central Wisconsin Trout UnlimitedConserving, Protecting and Restoring Coldwater Fisheries

2002 Wisconsin Trout StampBy Bill Millonig

Riffles, Runs and PoolsBy President Mike SanDretto

It’s not uncommon these days to hear someone say, “You know, people just don’t get together much anymore.” How true. You have a chance to swim against the current. Come to the Annual Central Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited Banquet on Saturday October 15th. This is a special year, our 45th Anniversary. The location is the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Oshkosh at 1 North Main Street. Hours are 4:30pm - 9:30pm. Dinner is served around 6:00pm. We start early and don’t go too late. But if you want to stay later the Hotel facilities are open. If you don’t want to drive home in the dark, the Hotel is also a great place to spend the night and turn the event into a weekend vacation.

By now you should have received your mailing with banquet information with all the details. If you haven’t, let me know at msandretto@aol.com.

Our annual banquet always reminds me of how many people I have become friends with in CWTU. As one who joined Trout Unlimited through a magazine ad it wasn’t until the Brookie News started showing up in the mail did I realize TU has local chapters. The first event I went to was a CWTU banquet. All these people I had never met before were really nice to me. Ending up at a table with interesting people and lively conversation made for a good evening. I even won some stuff.

Please join us at the banquet. You will meet people who care about streams as you do. You will have a good time. The money goes to a good cause. And who knows? You may win some stuff!

Brookie News | Central Wisconsin Trout Unlimited | Conserving, Protecting and Restoring Coldwater Fisheries

So you say there is a chance?By Ira Giese

Four of us recently returned from a trip to SD and MT. In SD, we fished around Rapid Creek, and found some very nice Browns and Rainbows. However, the larger water of the Bighorn River beckoned, and we were soon on our way to Ft. Smith, MT. We were told that the Black Caddis were done and very little PMD’s were hatching. The glimmer of hope for dry fly fishing was Tricos. This usually means that you have a fair hour or so of fishing. Usually marginal fishing with duns early, then an hour or two of a spinner fall. Time for nymphing.

Contrary to intuition, at day break we instantly found fish rising which was followed by a spinnerfall that can only be described as epic! The water was blanketed with Tricos. A square foot of water would have contained 100-300 Tricos! Hundreds of large trout feeding on top like harvesters on a wheat field! These 15-21 inch Browns and Rainbows became

so gluttonous that they lost all caution. They formed pods for safety staying on the surface and gulping 5-20 Tricos at a time. The noise of the fish gulping impeded steady hands when you had to tie on a new fly. The backwaters were filled with Tricos and the fish fed way past the normal times. We had to leave many large rising fish at 3 pm because we still

had 8 or 9 miles to travel to the takeout; a tough but necessary thing to do! The action for us continued almost every day while we were there.

A friend reported the following week that the Trico hatch was fair, and everything was over by 10:30. Always better to be lucky than good!

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Sleepless in Sand CountyBy Jeff Wegand

If I could only fish two months out of the year it would be May and September. Hatches are always better in May but September has less people and the aesthetics of changing trees is what makes the Midwest a destination in the fall. It also opens the door to tertiary water because air temps have cooled marginal cold water fisheries. It also offers opportunities to fish closer to the head waters of the watershed, thus hoping larger browns and brook trout have made their way to spawn before end of October through December.

I have witnessed trout already displaying aggressive behavior by casting to usual

spots and getting a lot of respect. Because of this, I do not think fly selection is of huge importance but your approach and a drag free drift is everything. These fish are super skittish in shallow clear water. When think you are going slow enough, slow down some more. Let water rest as you approach each hole, riffle or run. This gives you a chance to spot rising fish or witness bird activity that gives clues to how fish may be feeding. I am also a huge believer in knee pads. Approach holes like a cat or heron, stealthy on knees, during lighted hours.

If you are looking to match the hatch I have witnessed wonderful baetis in size

14/16, October caddis in size 12/14, and flying ants 14/16. Yes you can catch trout on hoppers like out west, but I have had much more success with caterpillar and beetle patterns.

Lastly, lighten up. It is not how many fish you caught or how big they are. Fishing is a luxury of time and public water. It is a blessing to have both. Enjoy your time in the woods and water at the best time of the year!

September Pine River Work Day

CWTU Board Meeting September 13th, 2016 - 6:15 board meeting 7:30 program.“Fishing the Northern Amazon Basin of Columbia for Peacock Bass and Payara” - Abe downs of Great Northern Fly Fishing Tuesday, Fin and Feather (upstairs banquet area) 22 W Main St, Winneconne

18th Annual Fall Color Hike & Dog WalkSaturday, October 8th, 2016 12:00-3:00 p.m. Deerfield Segment of Ice Age Trail. Registration, Trail access & Parking, Samsel’s Sawmill, W10464 Beechnut Ave. $5/person, $15/family of 4, Dogs FREEContact Bob Jozwowski (920) 765-1887

CWTU Board of Directors Minutes 9/13/16President Mike San Dretto commenced the meeting at 6:15 p.m.

Questions / comments, email Mike at MSandretto@aol.com.

Minutes Meeting for August 9th 2016 Board Meeting was approved.

Treasurer Report Joe Peikert was not able to attend but had sent out a treasurer’s report. This was discussed

and approved. Joe has also been authorized as a check signer and given access to Chase bank account for chapter. He now has

a copy of December 2015 Chapter Cash and Investments and will update restricted funds for next meeting.

Location for Masters Fly Tying - Dave Pable was looking to secure Winneconne High school room for this year’s Master’s class.

His application was denied and a discussion with school staff also revealed they were not willing to designate same room for

duration of Master’s class in the future. There was a suggestion to have Master’s class at Fin & Feather. Fin & Feather welcomed

oportunity and it was unanimously approved to relocate Master’s Class to Fin & Feather this winter.

Chapter Reports - Reports were discussed for Brookie News, Fly Fishing School, River Keepers, Watershed Planning, Monthly

Programs, Troutfest, Historian and Watch Dog. They will be posted on the website for all to review and comment. The reporting

provided a great opportunity for a snapshot look at all the work and planning in our chapter.

Old Business - none

New Business: Proposal of changing Lawrence Creek to Robert Hunt Fishery is coming up at end of month in October in

Madison with NRB. If you are interested in supporting please contact John Tucker.

Motion to Adjourn

CWTU BanquetSaturday, October 15th, 2016 4:30 PM (horsd’oeuvres & raffles start)Contact Laura Tucker (920) 540-5293BEST WESTERN PREMIER Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center1 N Main St, Oshkosh

CWTU Board Meeting Tuesday, November 8, 7:30 pm Fin N’ Feather, Winneconne WI. Tim Pantzlaff of Speyco will present a program about “Taking Your Spey Fishing Interests To The Next Level.”

CWTU Riverkeepers Annual Wrap Up Meeting and DinnerNovember 14 at 5:30 pm at the Fin N Feather Restuarant in Winneconne. Program will include data mining the new SWIMs website.

CWTU Board MeetingDecember 13 at 7:30 pm Ira Giese long time chapter member and facilitator of the Master Tiers program, will present a program about “Fishing Alaska’s Silver Salmon”. Ira has traveled much of the world in pursuit of his passion of fly fishing. As a fly tier and long time outdoor enthusiast his program promises to be entertaining and informative.Fin N’ Feather, Winneconne WI.

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