wolf river country summer 2013

1 | WOLF RIVER COUNTRY Summ er 2013 w w w.wo l f r i ve rcount r y.com

S U M M E R 2 0 1 3

Fishin’For Fun?Local Fundraisers Offer Family Fun Opportunities

“Good Ol’ Days”Gathering the Good News About the Walleye Fishery

PLUSWhere’s Walter?

Find Him and Win Your Share of

$5,000 in Prizes

A Different Kind of Photo Contest

Old Rails Become New Trails

Another Fish Story

Rescuing Chessies

w w w.wo l f r i ve rcount r y.com WOLF RIVER COUNTRY | 5

»»»»

This way to WRC

www.wolfrivercountry.com

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY GORDON PAGEL

Is there “something” in the water… something rejuvenating,

youthful, life giving? No doubt!

So come on along, because the water’s just fi ne!

The Weed Beds on the East Shore of Lake Poygan.

IN EVERY ISSUE 7 From the Publisher 8 Where’s Walter 10 Photo Contest 17 WRC Business 31 Chessie Rescue 47 Passing Currents 54 Road Trip! 68 Parting Shot

FEATURES 8 | Where’s Walter Find Walter and win

12 | Something Fishy Local fundraising fun B Y LY N N K U H N S

22 | The Good Ol’ Days The walleye fi shery at its best B Y LY N N K U H N S

ON THE WATER 31 | Chesapeake Retriever Rescue of Wisconsin

The perfect water dog B Y LY N N K U H N S

39 | Mississippi Bullhead A Wolf River fi sh story B Y J O H N FA U C H E R

47 | Something in the Water Regenerative powers of immersion

B Y LY N N K U H N S

SILENT SPORTS 59 | State Recreational Trails Walk, bike, run B Y W I L L S TA H L

ARTS & CRAFTS 65 | Wega Arts Six years of growing pains B Y K AT H Y F E H L

47

31

1 | WOLF RIVER COUNTRY Summ er 2013

w w w.wo l f r i ve rcount r y.com

S U M M E R 2 0 1 3

Fishin’For Fun?Local Fundraisers Offer Family Fun Opportunities

“Good Ol’ Days”Gathering the Good News About the Walleye Fishery

PLUSWhere’s Walter?Find Him and Win Your Share of $5,000 in PrizesA Different Kind of Photo Contest

Old Rails Become New TrailsAnother Fish Story

Rescuing Chessies

CONTENTS

22

6 | WOLF RIVER COUNTRY w w w.wo l f r i ve rcount r y.com

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Why do I publish this magazine? In the moment, it often feels the time demands are endless. And the anxiety created by concerns over how readers and advertisers will respond can be excruciating. Perhaps it is the knowledge that relief will be as extreme and ultimately exquisite.

Maybe it is the love I have for the Wolf River. I love the way it imposes on urbanization. The way it reaches down from the North, bringing with it all those wonderfully wild attributes. Attributes we normally associate with pure wilderness: wild, undeveloped shorelines, abundant wildlife, and a fishery that has no match.

Or is it about redhorse and leaky wooden boats?

I have a love for fishing. Attributable mostly to frequent exposure, thanks to my Dad, at a tender age. My earliest memories are of sitting on the banks of the Little Wolf or its south branch fishing for redhorse. Others include trudging through the woods and over the hill to a small lake where my Dad kept an old wooden rowboat. I remember it as wooden anyway. I know there was an old rusty coffee can to bail with while we fished for perch. There was a sleepless night before an opening day, my first trip with Dad and the other men. And there was the Boy Scout weekend at Odd Fellows. The bass were on their beds. Dad and I had the secret bait. Floating, silver Rapalas. I was the envy of every scout there.

So I love fishing and the outdoors, and I guess my love for Wolf River Country is a natural thing. And publishing this magazine then is about preserving something I cherish, the river and the memories, too.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

I invite you in with the hope you will embrace the River’s wild side, find your own reason to fall in love with it, and come to realize its intrinsic value. Then I am certain it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for you to allow harm to come to it. This incredible resource we call the Wolf River.

For the love of fishing.

Thanks, Dad!

For The Love of Fishing

Gordon PagelPublisher, Wolf River Country

PHONE (920) 841-2118


PUBLISHER/EDITORGordon [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORWill Stahl

FIELD EDITORLynn [email protected]

DESIGN & CREATIVE DIRECTIONMike Heidl Art Direction + DesignMike Heidl, Creative [email protected]

ADVERTISING DESIGNWhitedog DesignElizabeth Aaron, Principal/Graphic Designer [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJohn FaucherKathy FehlLynn KuhnsGordon PagelWill StahlAmelia Compton Wolf

PHOTOGRAPHERSAnn FaucherJohn FaucherRachel FosterGordon Pagel

REPRINTS, ADVERTISING RATES, SUBSCRIPTIONS www.wolfrivercountry.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, CORRECTIONS, STORY IDEAS: [email protected]

WOLF RIVER COUNTRY OFFICE422 E. Frances StreetAppleton, WI 54911(920) 841-2118

2013 PUBLICATION SCHEDULE June (Summer), September (Fall),December (Winter)

Copyright 2013 by WRC Magazine.

Reproductions in whole or in part without

written permission are prohibited.

Postmaster: send address changes to:

422 E. Frances Street, Appleton, WI 54911;

(920) 841-2118


WALTER

HOW WALTER EVOLVED:

LOTS OF STUFF!

There is over $5,000 of stuff to give away: Golfi ng, including dining and good food, too. Lots of food! issue. He is also in one other location that is not an ad. I may provide hints on Facebook.

We will be giving away multiple prizes on a weekly basis Name the businesses in the two ads Walter was found in. of the 3rd location that was not an ad. Include your

Mail to: Walter 422 E. Frances StreetAppleton, WI 54911

All weekly winners will be eligible for a grand prize drawing.

or “Like” us on Facebook for more details and the list of

Email to:[email protected]

“Heeeere’s Allow me to make the introduction. to fi nd out more about Walter’s family,

All of us, meaning my staff and I, want you But we want to make it fun to read the ads, too.

It’s a simple idea. We hide Walter.

1. 2. 3.


fi shing, lodging, the list goes on, Walter is in two ads in this If you have trouble fi nding him,

and here is how you enter: Provide the page number name, address and phone number.

Visit www.wolfrivercountry.com

weekly prizes. Good Luck!

Johnathan Kuehl is Walter’s creator.

Kuehl, born and raised in Wisconsin, has been drawing since he could hold a pencil. His parents could never get him to put his pencil down, and little has changed since. He graduated from the Art Institutes International Minnesota with a BA in Media Arts and Animation. Since then he has focused his talents on creating illustrated, animated and interactive material. His professional work includes television animations, web and interactive material, video games, caricatures, comics, illustrations and much more. For the last six years, Kuehl has been the lead artist for the children’s educational brand, “Kampp Tales: Outdoor Adventures 4 Kids!” Kampp Tales is focused around a mid-west family and their love and respect for the great outdoors. When he isn’t illustrating, Kuehl travels all over Wisconsin visiting family, Summerfest, fi shing, and just relaxing in the great outdoors.

www.bloovoodoostudios.com

ORMessage the answers to us on Facebook.

Walter!” This is Walter. Walter is a walleye. In future issues you will have the opportunity but for now I will simply provide a little insight in to why he came to be.

to read Wolf River Country from cover to cover, which we’re certain you will. So the concept of “Where’s Walter” was born.

You fi nd Walter. We give you stuff.

BY GORDON PAGEL

4. 5. 6.


WIN A CARICATURE OF YOUR PHOTOA Different Kind of Photo Contest

We want to see pictures of your favorite people doing what we all love best…playing in Wolf River Country.

Fishing, hunting, boating, whatever the activity, as long as it’s happening here in Wolf River Country, it qualifi es! And this isn’t your normal photo contest. Your submission will not be judged on the quality of the photography, but rather how well the subject lends itself to caricature interpretation. The Wolf River Country staff and artist, Johnathan Kuehl, will pick the winner.

Johnathan Kuehl will create an original caricature of the winning photo. The caricature will be published in the next issue of Wolf River Country Magazine. Whoever submits the winning photo will also receive the caricature in a digital format and you will have permission to reproduce the image for your own personal use.

By submitting a photo, you will have agreed to allow us to publish both the submitted photo and the resulting caricature.

You can mail prints to: Photo Contest 422 E. Frances StreetAppleton, WI 54911

Digital images can be sent to: [email protected] Type “Photo Contest” in the subject

You can also enter by “LIKING” us on Facebook and posting your photo with the comment, “Photo Contest Entry.”

Digital images should be sent in thelargest fi le possible. Include as much information about the time and place as is possible. Feel free to provide captions.

Good Luck!


PHOTO CONTEST

CAPTAIN BOB CARYL, RED BANKS RESORT


collector’s pin, and then you head up or down the Wolf River with your boat, bait and tackle. Or just have fun fishing from the near-by banks or handicap-accessible docks.

You’ll be among about 200 eager adults and 50 excited children, all Ruff-Fish-Tournament hopefuls. Your goal is to catch as many 12-inch or longer carp, sheephead and suckers as you can—maybe an occasional dogfish or bullhead. When registered by 4 p.m., each of those fish will earn a ticket for the prize drawings, so the more fish you land, the better your chances.

Some contenders return from fishing by noon to register the morning’s catch, vie for the $50 first-place and two $25 early-bird prizes, and grab a hot dog or burger and soda, then head back out to rough-fish again and earn still more tickets.

Tim Conradt, 52, of Shiocton has been helping out with the Ruff Fish Tournament for nearly 20 years. “It’s a great family event.” he said, “and it’s exciting, especially for the kids. It’s so cool because they get to feel like big-time professional fishing-contest anglers. People of all ages really get into it.”

At the 4 p.m. registration, all the fish are measured and the results tallied. Local businesses, community groups and

Last year—thanks to happy and generous participants, tireless volunteers and hundreds of donations from River Country businesses, community groups and individuals, these three events netted over twenty thousand dollars to assist community charities and benevolent organizations. Come...enjoy....

Shiocton Ruff Fish Tournament: Fishing for Fun at an Affordable Family Event It’s so easy. Go to the boat landing off Mill Street in Shiocton by 9 a.m. on July 13 to enter. Pay only $10 for adults, $5 for kids younger than 12. You’ll receive a commemorative

Something Fishy Is Going On... Here in Wolf River Country


individuals donate prizes. The organization of the Ruff Fish Tournament is headed by Dick Johnson, who’s assisted by about 20 volunteers, many of whom are members of the Shiocton Area Business League.

Each of the 12-and-under anglers also receives a special gift, such as a flashlight, fishing rod, lantern or tackle. The day also offers the on-land fun of a sheephead race, money wheel, raffle packages, food, beverages and other attractions.

“The event has stayed pretty much the same, but the fishing has evolved,” Conradt said, “It used to be mostly with night crawlers, but now, a lot of people fish for carp with corn or other bottom-fish bait.”

Money—usually $5,000 to $6,000—is donated by the Shiocton Area Business League to help fund local school projects and assist area people in need. Since it’s illegal to release rough fish, the bounty, about six 55-gallon barrels full, is distributed to local trappers and also used as fertilizer.

Summertime and the fishin’ is easy... all you need is a few dollars, a pole, sinker, hook, a gob of nightcrawlers, and maybe a boat (optional) to be a winner in Shiocton’s 31st Annual Ruff Fish Tournament.

July 13 (Second Saturday) Tim Conradt, 920-716-1438. http:/www.shiocton.org/

Zittau Immanuel Lutheran Church Fish Boil:After 20 years, they have it down right. And the fun always boils over to gel into sweet, lasting memories. Enjoy all that

for only about eight dollars a ticket, nine on the day-of.

While the fish is perfectly boiled and generously served, the process of this event and the people behind it is what it’s really about. Dave Schmidt, 79, Boom Bay, will serve his third year chairing the

Fish Boil committee and the 60-to-70 well-experienced volunteers. “It doesn’t take much on my part,” he said. “It’s kind of like osmosis— everyone works, and it all just happens.”

Reverend Mark Kinney, who has been with the 158-year-old church for the last six years, commented, “I have never seen anything so well-organized in my life. And, we don’t have to advertise much—it’s all by word of mouth.”

The work starts in mid-July when a crew of four church volunteers head down to Racine’s Salmon-A-Rama fishing tournament. Anglers there often donate their catch, and the Zittau crew gathers about 700 pounds of Chinook with a few brown and lake trout in the mix. That crew cleans the fish and transports them on ice to Wayne Kiesow’s place, where they’re packaged and frozen whole.

Yes, rain or shine, there’s something

fi shy going on... and you’re invited!

This summer, hundreds of hundreds

of people will be happy to pay for

food, drink and fun at area parties

and festivals. It’s good reason to call

in the out-of-towners, invite family

and friends... and enjoy the do-good

benefi ts that help make

Wolf River Country so special.

Lake Michigan fish steaks ready for the plate . . .fish were donated at a Racine salmon tournament, cleaned and frozen. They’ll be graciously served up by volunteers at the Zittau church fish boil on Aug. 18.


The night before the boil, the fish are cut into steaks and kept cool in ice. Before dawn on the 18th, chairs and serving tables will be set up, the hardwood stacked and raffle, quilt and pie-sale areas readied.

A church service starts under the tent at 10 a.m. with EnRoute Music featuring Bill Stevens of Janesville. Then things get shuffled around until 11:30 a.m., when the food service begins and the band keeps playing. Fish-boil dinners are served until 2 p.m., or whenever the fish may run out.

The fish-boil crew, headed by three generations of the Kiesow family, handles the main attraction. Over a wood fire in a huge pot of salted water, the salmon steaks are simmered to perfection. Then fuel oil is poured at the base of the fire, which flares up, boiling the water over to carry the liquid fish fat and other impurities out onto the ground. This is repeated about 20 times to serve the typical 400-to-500 hungry... then happy guests.

Meanwhile, the vegetable pots, managed by three generations of the Schreader family, boil the potatoes and onions. It all comes together indoors, with fish and veggies scooped from Nesco roasters atop plates finished off with rye bread, lemon wedges and cole slaw.

People come from The Fox Valley, Fond du Lac and points between and beyond. Schmidt said, “Folks compare it to Door County’s fish boils, but they also comment that it’s better and much more economical. It’s really a great neighborhood thing—quite an attraction.”

More than $4,500 was raised last year, with 30 percent going to three local food pantries and 70 percent to the church, to be spent as its current projects and community-service plans dictate.

THE RECIPE … A HISTORY ALL ITS OWN.

By: Gordon Pagel

When Vicki Wilson fi rst volunteered to help with the fi sh chowder for

Carpfest some 30 years ago, she was just one of a dozen or so cooks

stirring the pot. The original recipe was in fact more like a “chowder

dump.” “We each would get a bag fi lled with the proper portions of

ingredients,” recalls Wilson. Then from memory, “In the bag were:

three pounds of potatoes, a sleeve of Saltine crackers, one onion,

one can of tomato soup, one baggie of carp, two sticks of butter,

a pint of half and half, and directions for making the chowder.”

In theory, everyone was working with the same recipe and then would

bring their portion to the event and dump it all together. But hey, has

there ever been a cook who hasn’t altered a recipe to make it better?

What’s that little idiom about too many cooks?

The chowder was never really “spoiled,” but about 20 years ago, Miles

LaFever, chef and owner of the White House Inn, took over all the duties

for preparing the chowder. Now Miles does it all!

40 pounds of potatoes, 7 pounds of onions, 7 pounds of celery, and

5 pounds of green peppers. That is just one batch of the vegetables

he prepares for the chowder. The chowder is cooked in a 40 gallon

steam kettle and three batches of thicker stock are prepared.

The day of Carpfest each batch of stock is thinned by adding:

12 quarts of half and half cream, 8 more pounds of butter, and

15 pounds of carp! And then…well then it’s time to eat!

So what does carp chowder taste like? By all accounts, it is nothing less

then delicious and both Wilson and LaFever indicated there are never

any leftovers. You needn’t take their word for it though. Just mark the

second Sunday in August on your calendar and join in on a Wolf River

Country tradition!

You can fi nd the actual recipe on our website:



Carp Fest chairman Tom Herbert, 60, Butte des Morts, said, “It’s just a good-time, small-town family event that also will help members of our community. A lot of the people who come have been coming year after year, and for some, that’s the only time of year they all see each other.” He estimates recent crowds to number a couple thousand.

Miles LaFever, owner/chef of the nearby, award-winning White House Inn, prepares the estimated 80 gallons of chowder. About 30 to 40 Lions Club members and area volunteers—as well as

high school students—help make the festival fun for everyone.The Carp Fest will rock with live music by Power Play, and for the kids, there’s the bounce-and-tumble fun of blow-up structures and games. Raffles, beer paddles and pull-tabs, as well as the sale of carp chowder, brats, chicken sandwiches, pizza slices and beverages mean summer fun and do-good revenue.

The Zittau Immanuel Lutheran ChurchFish Boil is always a success, thanks to the volunteers, the fish-boiling-and-eating fun, and the hundreds of people who enjoy a meal outside, in Wolf River Country.

August 18 (third Sunday annually)10 a.m. worship service, with dinners served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. • 9077 North Rd, one block north of “downtown” Zittau. • (920) 836-3543 • [email protected]

Butte des Morts Lions 38 th Annual Carp Fest: Fun food, prizes and people! Sometimes we think of carp and we think, “Yuck.”

But consider instead some tender slivers of carp simmering in a milky stew with accents of onion and pepper, a cob of corn on the side and a cold beer. Some music is floating in from the park shelter, as paddle and raffle winners hoot, and joyful kids play games and women catch up with each other’s news of summer fun.

We’ve been Carp Festing for more than thirty years. And this summer, the Butte des Morts Lions Carp Fest will bring all that fun together again. It’s all free, with modestly priced food, beverages and raffle tickets offered through the day.

Raffle tickets, which can snag such valuable prizes as a big-screen TV, cash, or half a pig or cow, will be available at Tilly’s Too and other local businesses. The money raised—recently $8,000 to $12,000 each year—supports the international, national and local service work of the Lions as well as local high-school scholarships and park maintenance.

August 11 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.Lions Park and Kachur PavilionDowntown Butte des Morts

RECIPE

For the fun of it, many hands make light work — whether it’s stripping corn, stirring the creamy carp chowder or serving up some cash prizes and trophies. Food, fun and fish mean generous funds for area do-good organizations.


Butte Des Morts Supper Club5756 Main Street

920/582-0665

Open Tuesday - Sunday at 4pm, Dinner at 5pm

Daily Specials Offered

Tuesday $1 TacosDine in Only!

Friday Fish & Chicken Buffet Featuring Perch, Frog Legs,

Broasted Chicken, Haddock & More

Saturday Prime Rib and theFamous “House” Potatoes

Sunday Country Fried Chicken,Stuffing & Mashed Potatoes

www.buttedesmortssupperclub.com

“Excellent food at an affordableprice in a relaxed

environment!”Tilly’s Too

Tavern on the Lake

5071 Washington St.

920/582-7626

Biker Owned - Biker FriendlyTues-Wed-Thurs. 3-Close

Fri-Sat-Sun. 11-CloseClosed on Mondays

Boat Access!135 Feet of Dock Space

Good drinks at fair prices!A great local gathering

place with a view...

“Jimmies”

5776 Main Street

920/582-7211Open at 4pm Daily,

Dinner 5-9pm Weekdays;5-10pm Fri. & Sat.Closed Tuesdays

Homemade Desserts,Soups & Breads!Old Fashioned “Old

Fashions” from Scratch!

White House Inn Specialties:

Saturday Roast Beef, Prime Rib & Roast Duck

Sunday Breakfast from 9am-1pm

Call for Daily Specialswww.whitehouseinnonline.com

Your hosts: Chef Tim & Joan

“Relax...Enjoy the View!”

Your host: Tom Herbert

Owner/chef: Miles LaFever


WRC BUSINESS

It’s all about making a buck. Or is it?

Nope! Often operating a small business in your hometown is more about a shared passion... more about caring than about profi ts. Whether it’s for better fi shing, fi xing a stalled truck fast, catering that class reunion, or to make and sell some awesome cheese....we have friends and neighbors who can make ourlives better.

Don’t be lured away from the small retailers and local service providers by the illusion of saving money.

The cost of losing main street shops and local diners goes

beyond mere dollars. Wolf River Country provides an enviable life style, but it is dependent upon the success of small, locally owned businesses.

Each of us can make a difference. Spending local isn’t just about the future of an individual business. It’s about the future of our communities and the life style they offer.

Support your friends and neighbors. Shop, dine, and seek entertainment locally. And let them know you read about it in Wolf River Country Magazine.

Thank you…

Gordon Pagel, publisher WRCM.

RURAL RELICS FABRIC & ANTIQUES

A new store is opening in

Weyauwega, at 100 West Main

Street, corner of Main and Mill.

Jean Teal has been collecting

fabric for more than forty

years, and she is selling some

of it. Many of the fabrics are

by well known quilters who

designed fabrics for the textile

companies. Jean started a quilt

shop in Hartland, WI, moved to

Oconomowoc, and had a shop

in an old general store in Pine

River. Jean and her husband

John did many quilt shows all

around the country. Jean has won

awards from the Great American

Quilt Festival sponsored by the

Museum of American Folk Art,

among others. Her patterns

Shop, Dine & Play inOur Business Is Your Business Advertisers’ Directory, Views, and Some News



WRC BUSINESS

include the Designing Dresses

series, originally inspired by

the dresses Jean made for her

Toni doll! The series continues

through the decades, with one

depicting the 1950s in the works.

There is a wide range of antiques,

including lots and lots of

Weyauwega collectibles, original

movie posters from several

decades, green depression glass,

graniteware, and more.

There will also be new works

from Eckhardt Originals on

sale. Rebecca Eckhardt paints

furniture and uses decoupage.

Each piece is completely unique.

Eckhardt Originals also

includes a collection of beautiful

hand painted scarves.

www.ruralrelics.com and

look for us on facebook.

Phone 920-538-5068.

Hours: Wed, Thurs., & Fri. 12-5

Saturday and Sunday 11-4

MOUNTAIN BAY OUTFITTERS

Tim Conradt didn’t plan to be in the bike business. The owner of Wolf River Adventures in Shiocton was looking for a Shawano location from which to rent canoes, kayaks and tubes, having realized the section of the Wolf south of Shawano was not much used. In the fall of 2011, he found one, used it for one season and lost it.

When Tim found the old Shawano train station was available, ten blocks from the river, he decided he could move his operations there. Thing is, the building had been a bike shop, and it came stuffed with an inventory of bikes and parts. And it is located right on the Mountain-Bay Trail that runs all the way from Wausau to Green Bay. Okay, may as well get in the bike business too.

Mountain-Bay Outfitters provides a range of services. It rents bikes: the normal one-seat kind, double bikes with side-by-side seating and tandems. The shop sells lines of high-quality bikes and has a service technician for

repairs and tune-ups. Tim told me, “The train station still has many of the train station features.” The old restrooms, made handicapped accessible, will be open to the public. A coffee shop will sell hot and cold drinks and ice cream treats, and the platform, once used for train boarding, will be rebuilt and provide space for outdoor seating.

“The trail gets a lot of use,” Tim told me. It’s paved through Shawano, which makes it very usable for wheel chairs, strollers and casual bike riders. The original reason for the Shawano location has not been forgotten. Mountain Bay rents canoes, kayaks, tubes and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), the newcomer in the paddle-sports world.

Trips begin at the CTH M bridge. Tube trips continue two miles to below the Highway 29 bypass. Canoe trips typically end at CTH CCC. Mountain-Bay provides car shuttle for all rental trips and also for those who bring their own boats.

If you are in the Shawano area and want to rent a bike for a trail ride, buy a bike, get one fixed, stop for a coffee, use a rest room, rent a canoe or arrange a car shuttle for a Wolf River trip, check out Mountain-Bay Outfitters, right on the Mountain-Bay Trail.

For further information call (715) 526-8823 or go to mountainbayoutfitters.com



Separate column here.Pat Morack

became a licensed

guide this spring.

Moracktion Guide

Service is based

out of Pine Grove Resort. Morack is from

Weyauwega and focuses on the Wolf River and

Lake Poygan. I chased some walleyes with

him this past spring with great success. His

specialty, however, is chasing cats, channels

and fl atheads.

See Ad Pg. 35

The Wolf River Diner has new

owners. Pete and

Heather Santkuyl

took over and

reopened the diner

this past November. Check

it out in this issue’s “Road Trip!” restaurant

spotlights.

Wally’s Still in Dale

is another favorite local

eatery with new owners.

The good news is, not

much has changed.

Therefore the name:

Still Wally’s Still.

See Ad Pg. 45

Tustin Shores is owned and run by a local

boy, Jason Rieckmann. There is a full slate of

live entertainment throughout the summer. It’s

a good reason to make the run by boat to the

west end of Lake Poygan.

See Ad Pg. 46

WOLF RIVER COUNTRY | 19


WRC BUSINESS

FREMONT/WEYAUWEGA» Animal Haven Zoo Weyauwega – Ad Pg. 42» Bridge Bar & Restaurant Fremont – Ad Pg. 70» Cabin on the Creek Fremont – Ad Pg. 43» Channel Cat’s Bar & Grill Fremont – Ad Pg. 30» Chico’s Landing Orihula – Ad Pg. 26» Country Rose Shops Poy Sippi – Ad Pg. 35» Dale Gas and Oil Dale – Ad Pg. 29» Erricka Raleigh – RE/MAX Fremont – Ad Pg. 64» Fort Fremont Marine Fremont – Ad Pg. 3» Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce

Fremont – Ad Pg. 72» Fremont Travel Plaza Citgo Fremont – Ad Pg. 61» Fremont Watersports Rental Fremont – Ad Pg. 51» Gala Resort Restaurant & Bar Fremont – Ad Pg. 57» Goode’s Inn

Ad Pg. 55» Hahn-A-Lula Resort Orihula – Ad Pg. 69

» Historic Hotel Fremont Restaurant & Lounge

Fremont – Ad Pg. 2» Hunter’s Sports Bar

Ad Pg. 29» Jason Rieckmann, Realtor Fremont – Ad Pg. 55

» Jellystone Park Camp-Resort Fremont – Ad Pg. 71» Knott Anchor Inn Tustin – Ad Pg. 43» Moracktion Guide Service Fremont – Ad Pg. 35» Nancy’s Gifts Fremont – Ad Pg. 53

» Northbound Trail Convenience Center Fremont – Ad Pg. 53

» Pine Grove Resort Fremont – Ad Pg. 28

» Red Banks Resort Fremont – Ad Pg. 45» Reid Raschke - Financial Advisor Fremont – Ad Pg. 6» Seawall Solutions Fremont – Ad Pg. 58» Slim & Mary Ann’s Zittau – Ad Pg. 46» Still Wally’s Still Dale – Ad Pg. 45» The Coffee Klatsch Weyauwega – Ad Pg. 67

» Tustin Shores Tustin – Ad Pg. 46» Union Star Cheese Zittau – Ad Pg. 29

» Webfooters Fremont – Ad Pg. 53» Wega Drive-In Weyauwega – Ad Pg. 17

» Weyauwega Dairy Bar Weyauwega – Ad Pg. 51» Weymont Run Country Club Weyauwega – Ad Pg. 67

» Wolf River Diner Fremont – Ad Pg. 57

HORTONVILLE» Charlie’s Drive-In Hortonville – Ad Pg. 49» Damn Yankees Watering Hole Hortonville – Ad Pg. 40

» Mike Murphy Ford Hortonville – Ad Pg. 34

NEW LONDON» Johnny’s Little Shop of Bait

Ad Pg. 26» New London Tourism

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w w w.wo l f r i ve rcount r y.com WOLF RIVER COUNTRY | 21w w w.wo l f r i ve rcount r y.com WOLF RIVER COUNTRY | 21

June 29Dale Community Fireworks

Daufen Park, Dale

Hortonville Annual Rib “Cook-Off” and Fireworks Display

Damn Yankees Watering Hole

June 30Downtown Fremont

The Big Bang

July 3 Weyauwega

Waupaca County Fairgrounds

ShawanoCity/County Airport, North Airport Road

July 4Winneconne

North of the Bridge

New LondonHatten Park

ShioctonLake Park

July 6Fremont

11th Annual Bayou Bash –Ted’s Grandview Supper Club

Go to WolfRiverCountry.com for quick links to these

and other events.


Eyes—and nets and hands and tags—are on our cherished walleye, with research, sonic gizmos, dedicated weather-hardened souls, tracking and assessments all in play.

If you dare to remember back to this spring, you’ll recall—perhaps with a nasty little shiver — how cold, ice-stormy, windy and snow-

The ‘Good Old Days’

of Walleye Fishing Are Here!BY LYNN KUHNS

“We observed more large 24-inch plus walleye than we can remember in recent years,” said biologist Ryan Koenigs, “which is a great sign of a healthy, balanced fi shery.”

Tagging efforts on Spoehr’s Marsh would indicate a healthy walleye fi shery.


On April 21, up near the Highway CCC bridge, DNR shocking crews capture and tag a female walleye weighing 12.92 pounds. PHOTO BY RACHEL FOSTER

pelted it was. “When will it end?” we despaired to each other.

Around mid-April, some members of the Wisconsin DNR fi sheries staff and several local volunteers also wondered when the end of all that wintry weather would come, because they had a job to do. On April 12, the ice had moved out and the weather cleared for a bit, so they went out over eight days to electro-shock, weigh, measure and tag Wolf River walleye.

Why go through all of this? Because people who fi sh for walleye – and those who make a living from businesses connected with that activity – want to know where these prized game fi sh are; and where they’re headed, and when.

Also, anytime you’re harvesting anything, you want to know about next year’s “crop,” and the next. We want to know the numbers of each age and gender of the walleye population to get a feel for how healthy it is, and what to expect, year-to-year.

Initially, they found some very interesting results. The data are compared to previous years fi ndings to show us how many walleye of what age in each gender we have in the system, and lead to the trends that are developing.

There’s big money in these waters. A 2006 economic-impact study showed that walleye were the favorite target of a large majority of anglers who fi sh the Winnebago system. The study, which was conducted by UW-Extension, UW-Green Bay and the WI DNR, found that fi shing for sport fi sh on this system generates $234 million annually for our local economy and supports 4,200 jobs. And that’s not even counting the revenue generated by sturgeon.

“Walleye are precious ...

for the stories and

images that warm our

hearts and enrich our

individual heritages.”



to our dinner tables, and for all the stories and images that warm our hearts and enrich our heritages.

Enough about why we care; let’s go back to the research. The spring-spawning stock assessment provides information on the size and age structure of the adult walleye population, while also allowing indication of growth rates and overall fi sh health.

In April, two crews of three or four men and women focused on 10 to 12 sites located between the Weyauwega area, northward to the Shawano dam. Members of the tagging crews electro-shocked the fi sh, then netted and placed them into an on-board holding tank. All captured walleye were measured and their gender determined.

Samples of the walleye were weighed and sampled for age.

A yellow Floy T-bar anchor tag—which looks a lot like those plastic things used to attach price tags to clothing—was attached near the dorsal fi n. When a fi sherman catches a tagged walleye, he or

It’s not only about money, but also about something more precious—our sense of place. Many families cherish such traditions as the heart-warming line-up of hopefuls along Winneconne’s Wolf River bridge during the spring walleye runs. Many area residents sense that here in Wolf River Country, we have something so unique and special in all the world, that it’s well worth learning more about and certainly worth preserving.

Whether old-time anglers, or new to this great-outdoors sport, they value fi shing as still another rewarding and meaningful Wolf River Country activity that their children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors may also enjoy.

It seems that walleye especially—with the drama and action of the spring and fall runs, as well as the catches of the summer and through the ice—are precious for the revenue they attract, their gifts

4,752 female walleyes were tagged this spring. Prior to this year, tagging 1,500 females would have been considered a pretty good year.

The successful

class of 2008 is

responsible for

the large number

of female walleyes

in the system

this spring.


The peak spawn on the Wolf River took place between April 20 and 22 when water temperatures were only between 38 and 40 degrees.

On the Wolf River, the tags were inserted into 9,991 “new” fi sh: 5,132 males, 4,752 females and one immature ’eye. On the upper Fox River, 57 males, 48 females and one immature were tagged. The crews also netted 253 recaptured fi sh that had been tagged in previous years.

According to DNR Winnebago Fisheries Biologist Ryan Koenigs, what was notably different in 2013 from other years was the increase in the number of females captured in spawning marshes. “In a good year, we’ll handle around 1,500 females during our stock assessments, but this year, it was more than 4,500. That is a dramatic change. The big reason is that we had a boomer-year class of walleye in 2008. Those females are now fi ve years old and many are spawning for the fi rst time.”

The DNR also uses data from the returned tags to estimate harvest rates, or “rate of exploitation,” and assess how many male and female fi sh of what age are being taken.

Koenigs said, “We’ve estimated that roughly 21 percent of adult female, and 15 percent of the adult male populations are harvested in an average year; values as high as 33 percent in individual years are harvested. Given the high-profi le fi shery we have, and the pressures that are exerted on the population, it’s very important to collect these data on an annual basis so we can track trends in harvest rates and the population.”

While the data from the tagging process dates back to 1993, the best news is coming out right now. Koenigs added, “The system is very healthy. I’ve heard from quite a few anglers that these are the good old days. We have more fi sh in this system now than we’ve had in 20 to 30 years.”

He added that occasionally there may be weaker year classes contributing fewer walleye to the population, but the large year-classes (like that of ’08) can support the overall sustainability of the fi shery. That’s what’s happening now, as the ’08 class is “recruited” into the adult population.Koenigs also noted that while there was a lower male-to-female ratio observed during the spring assessments this year, more than 5,000 males were tagged, indicating there are plenty of males in the system to spawn with the females.

she often notifi es the DNR via mail, e-mail or phone. Information provided includes when and where the fi sh was caught and whether the fi sh was harvested.

The DNR researchers assume that about half the tagged fi sh caught will be reported, and these data are used to estimate the harvest rates exerted on the adult population for that year. Those estimates can lead to effective management of the fi shery, and that can lead to fi shing-fun for all of us.

Over eight days during the chill of April, the crews tagged 10,244 walleye. Normally, peak walleye spawning takes place in 44-to-46 degree water. So, it was to their surprise that, with water temperatures of only 34 degrees, the walleye were starting to spawn. They found plenty of ripe females in their samples.

According to a DNR report, as the week progressed, spawning activity increased—even without much of an increase in water temperature. »»»»MORE

“These are the good old days...”


sent out to an e-mail distribution list [e-mail [email protected] if you would like to be added to the list].

The results point to general trends. According to Koenigs, the most recent download picked up some expected results, as well as some new findings. One finding suggests that male walleyes take up residence in the upper Fox and Wolf rivers for an average of three to four weeks longer than females.

“It seems that the females lay their eggs and return. But the males hang around the marshes longer, until all the spawning has taken place,”

Koenigs said. “They then make a slower migration downstream, and, therefore, the spring fishing is dominated by males.”

He pointed out that year-to-year, such factors as water temperature, water levels, and available forage affect when the “run” begins and ends.

Another finding was that 26 percent of the females remained in the upriver lakes throughout the summer. And still another trend indicates that there’s a large movement of walleye from Lake Winnebago to the upriver lakes in

October and November, and that they over-winter in the upriver lakes. That’s of interest for ice-anglers. Research costs money Local fishing clubs, individuals and other organizations raised all the $32,000 needed to purchase the sonic tags for the movement study. “That, in itself, is remarkable,” Koenigs said. “It’s always great to work with such an involved group of people who strive to understand and improve our fisheries resources. It also shows how much this research means to anglers.”

Members of such local organizations as the Otter Street Fishing Club, Walleyes for Tomorrow, and Sturgeon for

Tomorrow also raised funds for the three electro-fishing boats and much of the equipment used in the spring-tagging process. With that support, very little DNR money is tapped, saving taxpayer and license revenue for other priority DNR work.

Koenigs leaves no doubt about the value of that generosity: “We would not be able to do what we do without the support of the clubs and the many generous people who support their banquets and other fundraisers, that’s for sure.”

Yes, it’s all about values. All that hands-on, in-the-field work, and all those generous financial donations will support vigilant, ongoing research. But it’s not given only to ensure that these anglers bag some walleye in the next few seasons.

More importantly, this work and that money are offered to help fulfill a dream that we have for our children as part of our legacy: That the fun of fishing will be there in your tomorrow in this lovely, absolutely unique place called Wolf River Country.

Sonic-tracked Wanderings Tell Tales People are also curious where the ’eyes are throughout the year. Another on-going DNR study relates to the movement of walleye—where they will be, and when. This research provides a real-life look at the migration patterns of walleye—how long they’re in the rivers and lakes, when they migrate upstream, and what percent move in late fall.

During the 2011 spring walleye spawn, DNR fisheries biologists surgically implanted 100 sonic telemetry tags in an equal number of males and female walleye dispersed throughout the system to study the movement patterns. In the Wolf River, 60 sonic tags were implanted in 30 male and 30 female walleye. On the upper Fox River at Eureka, 30 tags were implanted, and 10 in Lake Winnebago fish. The tags cost $320 each and have a battery life of about 900 days.

Day and night, the 33 receivers installed along the waterway “listen” for the tags, each communicating with a unique “voice.” The receivers originally were purchased and installed by the DNR and members of fishing clubs for sturgeon-movement studies, and are now being used for other species as well.

As of this writing (April, 2013), the sonic tags have provided information through July 2012. Koenigs said, “We now know that the majority of the walleye over-winter in the upriver lakes, and even those fish that spend the summer in Lake Winnebago end up going upriver to spawn.” The DNR downloads the receivers annually in early June or July and then issues a summary report that is



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Here’s the fi rst in a series of WRCM columns showcasing the work of the Chesapeake Retriever Rescue of Wisconsin. To volunteer, send donations, or offer foster or forever homes; or for information and advice on the breed, call (920) 954-0796.

Dogs romp through Wolf River Country, retrieving ducks, sniffi ng out rabbits, maybe barking a welcome to your houseguests. And, best of all, they’re faithfully there, to keep us feeling appreciated and young, and to keep our kids and maybe their kids happy.


Chessies really are beautiful dogs. Tanner, a stray with Lyme Disease, was rescued from a shelter and found a permanent home with Sue Kersten. Photo by Gordon Pagel


But not all dogs can lead happy lives. To the rescue of one breed comes Sue Kersten, founder/operator of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Rescue of Wisconsin (CRROW), a non-profit organization based in Appleton. It’s dedicated to rescuing and placing “Chessies,” providing information and options to owners, and invitations to the public for volunteer opportunities. Since 1999, Kersten, through CRROW, has placed nearly 200 Chessies in happy, supportive homes. CRROW rescues adoptable purebred or mixed Chesapeake Bay Retriever strays, as well as those in shelters and surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them. While it’s not a shelter or a kennel, CRROW’s work includes securing the dogs, neutering or spaying

them, and finding placement in volunteer “foster” homes; then ultimately, in “forever” homes. “We also educate potential adopters about the breed, to make sure a Chesapeake is the right dog for their family,” Kersten said. “When people think of retrievers, they usually think of the gentle labs and the playful goldens. But the Chessie breed is not genetically related to those breeds.” Like labs, they’re good retrievers, love the water and are dedicated. Kersten said, “Typically, they choose one person with whom to bond. They can be very dominant and set in their ways, so they need somebody who has a knowledge of dogs; preferably of the Chessie breed. They require a firm and consistent style of handling.

But if it gets too harsh, sometimes they’ll just shut down.” The color ranges include the blonds, the sedge and the most common, browns. Some have a light wavy coat, others quite curly. The dog is smart, and will be a good housedog — if it gets a lot of exercise and has a job to do. “It’s also the kind of dog that will just lay by your feet and watch television with you,” Kersten suggested. How does the adoption process work? Typically, a dog is taken in, screened and examined. It’s neutered or spayed, given all vaccines and micro-chipped through the generously discounted services of Wolf River Veterinary Clinic, New London.

CHESSIE RESCUE

Chesapeake Retrievers are full of exuberance and will develop strong bonds with an individual.Photo by Gordon Pagel

June is a senior citizen at 11 years old and available. A sweetheart that loves everyone, including other dogs.CRRW Photo


The dog is fi rst placed in a foster home where it’s evaluated for temperament and training needs, and provided with any needed medical attention. It’s usually fostered for two to three weeks, to provide the dog with basic training, and give Kersten knowledge of the dog’s needs.

Volunteer foster homeowners are screened with reference and background checks, and educated. They don’t have to pay for medical treatment, but do provide food and toys.

For permanent homes, Kersten favors a fenced yard, although that’s not mandatory. “We are very picky about where our dogs go,” she said. “We ask for references and do a home visit.” The payback can be on going. Sue says she received an Easter card from an adoptee;

At press time, Sara was available for adoption. She is almost 3 years old. Large, playful and friendly, she weighs in at almost 80 pounds.CRRW Photo


other placed dogs regularly contact her via Facebook and e-mails.

If you’re now considering fostering or adopting, just think of what that can mean. “If our foster homes are full, and we can’t take any more in, most of the time, the dog could be put to sleep,” Kersten said. “If it is in a high-kill shelter, however, we do everything within our power to keep that from happening.”

Another part of CRROW’s mission is to provide counseling for Chessie owners who seek to surrender their dogs and perhaps avoid the placement process.

This is strictly a self- and donor-supported organization. There’s no federal or state assistance. The relentless need for volunteers, and for foster and permanent homes makes up a huge part of the work.

To raise awareness and solicit donations, Kersten and other CRROW supporters attend such events as the three-day WBAY Pet Expo, and periodically set up tables at pet-supply stores. About 25 times a year, they head out to do their public relations and fundraising work. Kersten added, “We have a pretty good record, and we’re so proud of our foster and forever homes, and our other volunteers.” Volunteers always are

needed: to foster and adopt Chessies, assist with home visits, provide transportation of the dogs, assist in fundraising, and provide dollars, products and/or equipment needed for CRROW to do its doggone good work.

Chesapeake Retriever Rescue of WI1318 S. Kernan AveAppleton, WI 54915

Webpage: www.crrow.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Chesapeake-Retriever-Rescue-of-Wisconsin/192862834775

Email: [email protected]: 920-954-0796

Wolf River Ready BreedBy Amelia Compton Wolff

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers were bred to swim, making them an ideal dog for hunters and sportsmen in the water-abundant Wolf River area. Coming from the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, this breed is known for battling the elements and coming out victorious.

In 1807, an English brig scheduled for a lumber pick up from Chesapeake Bay foundered off the coast of Maryland. From the wreckage two Newfoundland pups were rescued – a male named Sailor and a female named after the sunken vessel, Canton. When the pups were later bred with local retrievers such as the English Otter Hound, Flat-Coat and Curly-Coated Retrievers, the Chessie was born.

The Chessie is considered an “all-American” dog, as it was the nation’s fi rst registered retriever. The hardy Chessie was a companion to General George Custer, who admired the breed’s sense of duty and dignity, and even accompanied him on the battlefi eld.

But Chesapeake Retrievers are probably best known for their superior water retrieving and hunting skills. There’s nothing quite like watching a Chessie joyfully leap into the water from shore. Their fervor is captivating.

An oily, water-resistant outer coat and insulating under coat allow Chessies to swim comfortably in frigid water for considerable periods of time. Their large, strong muzzles permit them to carry waterfowl with a gentle hold. Hunters will fi nd that a Chessie’s memory is impeccable, being able to mark and retrieve several downed birds at a time.

In addition to being skillful hunters and swimmers, the Chessie is touted as a loyal family dog that will move heaven and earth to please its owner. Chessies are fun-loving, intelligent and make great companions.


Indoor Archery Range

Pro-Shop

Tackle


Civilization droned quietly in the distance under a moonlit sky south of New London. By late night the air grew damp, and the bugs settled into their resting places. One lone, dim lantern cast shadows off the riverbank onto the chocolate brown-stained water of the Wolf.

Then, like a sudden explosion, the old Penn level-wind fi shing reel screamed out line, a good 20 feet in one long hard run before it slowed to a random pulse.

“That’s a fi sh, brother,” I said as I sprang into trying to locate a fl ashlight and the huge landing net.

No longer half-asleep, his pupils as big as nickels, my friend Eric Larson asked, “Do you think it’s a missy?”

A Wolf River Memory… Well… A Fish Story.

BY JOHN FAUCHER

NIGHT OF THE CATFISH:

A lot can happen before the start of an average

school day in New London on the Wolf River.

Kenny Schrader is all smiles after his first

keeper flathead in early September.

PHOTO BY JOHN FAUCHER

. . . LIKE A SUDDEN EXPLOSION, THE OLD PENN LEVEL-WIND FISHING REEL SCREAMED OUT LINE . . .


for you when you fight this fish.”

I wasn’t worried about his strength, as Eric is one big Norwegian farmer from Mondovi, Wisconsin. His arms worked as he laid back into the fish with a solid hook set. “Keep him heading our direction, there are lots of snags around here, and these fish know where they are.”

Just outside reach of our lantern, a big boil broke surface and the fish took another run. “He’s big, this is a nice fish,” said Eric. “I know, just keep going—get him in,” I said as I waded in knee-deep with the net. The fish finally tired, and Eric was able to coax him into the shallows where I stood with the net to scoop him up. “Yeah, we got him, we got him. He’s in the net, brother,” I said. Eric set the pole down and rushed over to help get the fish ready for inspection.

Eric is my old college roommate; we call each other “brother.” You could hear his heartbeat in his voice.

“Yes, let’s go see,” I said. “I baited with the biggest live chub last time,” Flathead catfish, known locally as “Mississippi bullhead” or “missies,” only eat live bait.

“What do you want me to do,” asked Eric, who had traveled to the Wolf River for the previous five summers in hopes of catching a big flathead on hook and line.

The bait clicker continued to sing at sporadic loud intervals, occasionally stopping.

“Get yourself set, rod tip down, and the next time he runs, flip the bait clicker up and nail him hard,” I said. “Once he’s on, don’t give him slack and keep tension on him all the time. Let the rod tip do some of the work

When time allows and other fish don’t bite, catfish can be the saving grace. The bonus being they make for excellent table fare. John Faucher, with a stringer of channel cat eaters.

When flathead fishing the Wolf River you can always bet on some other whiskered friends like the channel cat, who also like live bait. Eric Larsen holds a nice meal of early May cats and a bonus crappie caught on the Wolf. PHOTO BY JOHN FAUCHER


FLATHEAD CATFISH SCIENTIFIC NAME: PYLODICTIS OLIVARISThe fl athead catfi sh is a species of North American freshwater catfi sh. This is the only species of the genus Pylodictis.

Common names: Flathead catfi sh, Mississippi bull-head, Missy, shovelhead catfi sh, mud cat, Johnnie cat, yellow catfi sh.

Habitat: Rivers with deep pools, sandbars, impoundments and submerged timber and cut banks.

Prey: Anything live and available at mealtime. Dislikes dead or decaying matter.

Average size: 20-30 inches, 10- 20 pounds. The State Record is 74 pounds 5.1 ounces, caught in Vernon County on the Mississippi River in 2001.

Wolf River slot size limit: One fi sh per day between the sizes of 30 inches and 36 inches.

Fish less than 30” and between 36 and 42 inches must be released.

Table fare rating 1-10: 10. A strong fi sh with fi rm white fl esh.

Weakness: Susceptible to over harvest. Males typically guard nest after spawning while females leave.

Description: Ugly yet beautiful brown and yel-low molted color smooth skin, with a broad head, muscular back, and squared, powerful tail. Flat-heads have a pronounced underbite with sandpa-per like abrasions on the upper and lower jaws.

Attitude: Bullheaded, solitary and opportunistic. Roams like an ally cat after days of sitting in one spot.


In Downtown Tustin

“That was awesome, brother, thanks,” he said. We unhooked the fi sh and weighed it at around 30 pounds on a cheap digital scale.

Eric had pursued a Wolf River fl athead for fi ve years and caught plenty of channel cats, but this fi sh was special. It was his fi rst missy, and it was a big one.

We decided to tie the fi sh off and take plenty of photos at fi rst light in the morning. There’s just something about Wolf River photos in the early morning light.

All the rest of that night, we talked, cheered and felt pretty good about our accomplishment. At sunrise I came to in my chair from a brief catnap and saw Eric sitting there on the ground with the rope in one hand and the other pigtail-coiled loose end fl oating in the current.

From the looks of the man who’d been like a brother for the last 20 years, something had happened to his fi sh in the night.

“Say it isn’t so,” I said. There was a long quiet moment. “Eric, you awake?”

He looked back with a one-third smile. “The good Lord giveth, the good Lord taketh away.” We both started laughing.

So we never did get a photo of that fi sh, but it’s one you could never really take away from Eric Larsen. He’s been back after it every year since.

That’s the way these catfi sh are on the Wolf River. They call you; it’s like some sort of life passage you go through when you meet one of these fi sh.

Fish dreams live here!

Flathead catfish are one of the most elusive predators in the Wolf River system. Slot size limits are in place to protect certain size productive fish. Fish under 30 inches must be released and fish between 36 and 42 inches must also be released. PHOTO BY ANN FAUCHER


Do you have a favorite artesian well? A roadside self-serve water bar you frequent to refi ll those empty Evian bottles? We’d like to know which one you visit and why?

Email me at: [email protected]


BY LYNN KUHNSPhotos By Gordon Pagel

Anyone who loves our Wolf River Country already knows that there is “something” in the water here that is not only priceless but also indescribable. What’s in there?

The Wolf River/Winnebago system has more than 166,000 acres of lakes and rivers and so many feeder streams, marshes, channels, bays and sloughs, that it’s legendary or should be.

The unique-in-the-whole-world waters of Wolf River Country fl ow on to defi ne much of what we see, do,

and think about here every day. Yet, it seems that mere words could never describe what we actually feel about this place, and all its water-water-everywhere wonders.

But indescribable? If you know me, you know that I’m going to try to wrap some words around the essence of what’s in the Wolf’s waters because that “something” seems to always attract us, engage us, inspire us, and then launch a whole boatload of neighborly comments, questions and stories. It also seems to defi ne much of what we are and are becoming.


PASSING CURRENTS


What’s in there?

Maybe you swim or fish in the waters of the Wolf. Maybe you waterski or Jet-ski or whitewater-wake your powerboat, letting your children know the thrill of speed over wide river water. Maybe you duck-hunt from a beat-up ol’ skiff or cruise around soaking up sun and fun in a pleasure boat on these waters. Perhaps you paddle a kayak or canoe through the sloughs, easing yourself in toward a place where birds and fish hardly know you’re coming.

Maybe you gaze out over the water’s surface toward the sunsets or sunrises or watch wide-eyed as a distant darker-than-deep-water threat spawns another wild spring storm.

Maybe you mystically enter the heart-rate-lowering tranquility of the mirroring waters at day’s end under the peace of its azure-sky, and let it become a forever part of your soul.

Maybe you reach out to hold a hand. Or perhaps you recall that

Since I’m in the water of Lake Winneconne swimming for hours any summer’s week, or I’m paddling my canoe up Mud Creek at sunset, or I’m fishing in it from our dock with my grand-nephew, sometimes I will take it all for granted (it’s only water).

But when I dive under with my eyes open and see the same murky, wave-ribbed bottom I’ve swum over for decades; when I wait for that great blue heron to take off from a Mud Creek shore with an effort so gracefully familiar I feel its lift; when I pray for that pesky perch to actually take my grand-nephew’s worm, as I’ve prayed so many summertimes before, then that Something reaches me with a gift. I’m not so seasoned to it all that I don’t wonder: What’s in there? And I’m not alone. So come, kick off those landlubber shoes, get your proverbial feet wet, and get in the swim with me because there is something in the water, and it’s just fine!

Consider the waters of Wolf River Country to be a huge aquatic treasure-chest with a sweetly secret and special gift waiting just for you just beneath its surface.

PASSING CURRENTS


calloused or soft hand that you had squeezed when you two were lost together in the glow of a long-ago shore-side sunset.

Maybe you have a little child at your side, and you demonstrate how to cast a line. Perhaps you now watch with a smile as your son teaches his daughter the same angler’s skills near the same waters. As if with a power of its own, your wrist fl icks an imaginary line out in unison with their casts. What’s in there?

Go, fi nd out. Enjoy your special gift. It’s something just for you.

Each of our aquatic recreational activities has its history. Back in those waters of time, maybe your family homesteaded, farmed, or set up shop here. Maybe they evolved as a tribe, or fl ourished as summer tourists and moved here.

Maybe your grampa was the one who paid a thousand and fi fty bucks--“That was some money, back then!”--for some swampy, useless wedge of land. Then he fi lled it and built a little boathouse on it. And now your kids’ kids play in that boathouse and swim and fi sh where Great-grampa did. If so, then you know that something in the water is pretty close to eternal. It fl ows out from our yesterdays into the tomorrows of the people we love, and those whom we will never know.


Now it’s summertime in Wolf River Country. And if there’s anything that the waters here hold for us, it’s fun, but we have to get out and experience it. There’s the barefooted, soul-baring thrill of the extreme sports of waterskiing and wakeboarding. With it, screams of laughter, maybe a few spikes of fear, and the animal-like roar of boat engines as white water sprays off into artistic fountains and the lake forms playful wakes. There’s the peace of shaded bank-side bird-watching reveries. And that perfectly indescribable feeling

of waiting-watching while angling for another walleye dinner. Through every summer, we see that relentless, generous and powerful Wolf River as a gift in itself. It’s squeezed to ease between tiny historic towns perched on its banks and around ancient barns and lazing milk cows. It flows past new McMansions and tiny squatting boathouses and holds up festive pontoon party boats and drab old camouflaged tippy skiffs. What good are words? Hard to say. We each can only sense what’s in these waters through any season, any year, any lifetime and beyond to our legacies.

What’s in there? Only you can answer. Maybe you won’t have the words. And maybe—if you look deep enough into those waters and play with them long enough—you won’t even care. Added note: Our publisher /editor, Gordon Pagel — who has spent plenty of his lifetime on and in Wolf-River-country waters — suggested There’s Something in the Water as the title/theme for my Passing Currents column.

Here’s his comment: “I can’t quite pin the idea down, but it is along

PASSING CURRENTS


the lines of there being ‘something’ in the water. Or perhaps the idea that to benefi t from Wolf River Country’s regenerative powers requires complete immersion, which can be accomplished literally or fi guratively.”

“The latter, as an example, by partaking in traditional local events... and immersing one’s self in the local culture/lifestyle. Think of the movie “Cocoon”... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU5MHGtgA38.

“Our job is to expose this fountain of youth!”


GOODE’S INNYOUR HOSTS Bruce and

Dee Dee Goode

WHERE? N6630 State Road 49,

West Bloomfi eld, (920) 867-2519

www.goodesinn.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Goodes-

Inn/265569243460176

WHEN? Closed Mondays.

Open 11 a.m. to close daily.

Sunday 10:30 a.m. to close.

WHY GO? Goode’s is just a comfortable

and friendly little inn.

The owners, Bruce and Dee Dee

Goode, along with their staff, go out of

their way to make you feel welcome.

The dining is casual and the menu

sticks to the basics, which in turn keeps

the prices incredibly low.

I had the “Awesome” Steak Sandwich.

It lived up to its name, and the

homemade potato salad

was the perfect side.

Goode’s Friday night

fi sh fry features hand

breaded perch, haddock,

and walleye. If you are

really hungry, go for the

“all you can eat” Pollack

for $8. It includes

soup, salad bar and

choice of potato.

Saturday and

Sunday the special

is a broasted

chicken dinner for

$7.75. No time to

dine in you say…then order your

chicken by the bucket “To Go.”

And then there’s Dollar Day! All

day long on Tuesday, tap beers are

$1. And if you work up an appetite

tipping all those beers, quarter pound

burgers are $1. They don’t have a

limit on the burgers, but you must

dine in. No carryouts.

Visit their website or “LIKE” them on

Facebook to see the full menu.

GALA RESORTRESTAURANT & BARYOUR HOST Jill and Bill Schneiter

WHERE? 9692 County Road H,

Fremont, (920) 446-2423

www.galaresort.com

www.facebook.com/pages/

Gala-Resort/148140415226789

R E S T A U R A N T S P O T L I G H T S

ROAD TRIP!B Y G O R D O N P A G E L

The Friday Night crew from Goode’s Inn. From left to right: Bruce and Dee Dee Goode, Teri, Ashley, Peter and Tyler.

Goode’s “Awesome Steak Sandwich” is an 8 to 10 ounce thin cut ribeye. The potato salad was homemade and delicious.


From Fremont take County Road H

south. At just over a mile, Gala will

be on your left on the Wolf River.

WHEN? Open 7 days a week

11 a.m. to close. Kitchen closes at

9 p.m. daily. 10 p.m. Friday

and Saturday.

WHY GO? Waterfront dining,

good food, and 16 microbrews on tap.

Stone Arch’s Six Grain Ale, Central

Waters’ Honey Blonde, and O’so

Brewing’s Night Train are just

a sampling.

Of course there is a Friday night fi sh

fry and Saturday night its tenderloin

and shrimp.

Gala Resort is a road trip that can be done by boat. It’s a pleasant trip up the Wolf River from Winneconne or even Oshkosh.

continued


But through the summer, Thursday

night might be especially worthy of a

road trip. Every Thursday through mid

September is their steak fry. 12-ounce

choice cuts of prime beef grilled out

on the patio. The meal includes baked

potato, salad, and sautéed mushrooms

and onions. Dine in or outside on the

upper or lower patios. You can come

by boat, too. There’s plenty of transient

dock space.

Just looking for a good burger? How

about a third or half pound of fresh

ground sirloin, medium rare? Add

Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms

and onions, and you have a Gala

Burger. Most of the appetizers are

made from scratch, including the onion

rings, mushrooms, cheese curds and

mozzarella sticks.

You can see the entire menu on their

website and Jill is always posting ways

to save on daily specials on Facebook.

WHEN? 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

weekdays – until 8 p.m. weekends.

WHY GO? This is a traditional diner in

every sense of the word. The Santkuyls

officially took over and opened the

diner this last November. In addition to

renovating the iconic neon sign, they

have a fresh, new menu, and boast their

own bakery. Heather’s mom, Deb Dreier,

is the in-house baker. She has extensive

experience from years of employment at

Bults Bake Shop in New London.

Dreier makes all of the diner’s buns,

dinner rolls, and breads. She does get

some help with the cakes, cookies and

pies, which are also baked at the diner.

Laura Coombs works at the diner

part-time. It’s her carrot cake recipe

that will have me making road trips just

for dessert. I photographed the entire

process (check it out on Wolf River

Country’s Facebook page) and of course

WOLF RIVER DINERYOUR HOSTS Pete and

Heather Santkuyl

WHERE? 306 Main Street,

Fremont (920) 446-3153

www.thewolfriverdiner.com

www.facebook.com/theonly

wolfriverdiner

The carrot cake is enough to justify a road trip. Trust me.

ROAD TRIP! continued

With 16 microbrews on tap, you may need to try a couple samplers before settling on your favorite brew.


had to do a taste test. I am a carrot

cake lover. It’s hands down the best

I’ve ever had.

And there is a full breakfast

and sandwich menu, too.

You know … to go with your cake!

The ice cream parlor features

soft-serve and Cedar Crest ice cream.

They serve up malts, shakes, and

sundaes all summer long, and there

is a walk-up window.

Ice cream and cake. Really…do you

need to know more?


CONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND US TO NATURETurning abandoned railroad lines into recreational trails is a Wisconsin idea. The fi rst in the nation was the Elroy-Sparta State Trail in the southwestern part of our state, established in the mid-sixties. The old right-of-way ran across the scenic driftless area and passed through three tunnels, one of them nearly a mile long, dark and spooky, with dripping water and no light you didn’t bring yourself.

That one was a natural, a combination of features that invited some kind of public use. But the idea spread across the nation. “Rails-to-Trails” became a cause and an organization that promoted the idea wherever it could.

Wisconsin has continued to be a pioneer in creating these trails. According to the DNR, we have nearly 2,000 miles of state trails open to various uses: biking, walking and horseback riding in the summer, snowmobiling in the winter. More miles of trails are in development.

Wolf River Country has, as of now, four rails-to-trails segments. The oldest is the Wiouwash; its name was derived from the names of the four counties it was planned to run through: Winnebago, Outagamie, Waupaca and Shawano. It has large gaps in its projected route from Oshkosh to Aniwa in Shawano County, but it currently runs 22 miles from Oshkosh to Hortonville and 19 miles between Split Rock and Birnamwood. Its route is roughly parallel to the



Wolf River in its lower segment and crosses some system tributaries such as the Arrowhead “River” and the Rat River (named for muskrats, not for urban rodents). Its northern segment is in the valley of the Embarrass, a major Wolf feeder stream.

The Mountain-Bay State Trail extends 83 miles between Wausau (Rib Mountain) and Howard (Green Bay). As it approaches and passes through the City of Shawano, it crosses the Wolf River and Wolf River Country. It is paved through Shawano and much used.

The Tomorrow River Trail currently runs 29 miles from Manawa west to Plover to connect with the Green Circle Trail that loops around the Stevens Point area. The eastern part is in the valleys of the Little Wolf and the Tomorrow River, which becomes the Waupaca below Amherst. Both are Wolf River tributaries.

The newest is the Newton-Blackmour Trail, still in development. Though its name sounds as though it were named for a person—or two people—it actually comes from four communities it passes through: New London, Shiocton, Black Creek and Seymour. The DNR reports that it is open between Black Creek and Seymour. Between Black Creek and New London, it is closed until finished.

It all depends where you want to draw the boundaries of Wolf River Country, but with the watershed area from Shawano south, we have at least a hundred miles

of state trails. They connect to segments that reach into other watersheds, towards Oshkosh, Neenah-Menasha and Green Bay on the Fox, Wausau and Stevens Point on the Wisconsin. But just here in the land of the lower Wolf, they are much-used local resources.

From when I first moved to this area, I biked the Wiouwash with my children. When they were young, it was a place where we could ride for miles without worrying about car traffic. One of my favorite pieces of the trail extends from Medina Junction to Hortonville.

Near the road access at Medina Junction is a plaque, explaining that once a community stood on this site with a train station, rail sidings, stockyard and other businesses. It’s totally gone now except for a strange little concrete structure next to the still-active tracks that cross the trail. Shaped like a squat, giant mushroom, all that is left of Medina Junction is empty as a bleached skull, housing only careless people’s trash and the feathery remains of some predator’s meal.

A few hundred yards beyond, the trail crosses the Rat River, a sluggish stream, wandering through a vast wetland, on a heavy wooden bridge meant to hold up trains, not bicycles and snowmobiles. In high summer, this is a place to bring your children. A dozen or more pair of Canada geese glide around with their broods

trailing, gaggles of little geese paddling gamely to keep up with their parents.

Beyond the bridge the trail runs through wetlands and woods, alive with frog calls and birdsong in the earlier part of the warm season. When the frogs and birds are finished mating and nesting, it grows quieter until the trees begin to lose their green color with the shortening days.

Readily accessible, well maintained, and best of all…no fees. I wondered.

What does it take to keep this free access to the land available to us all? To find out I talked to Chris Brandt of the Outagamie County Parks Department. Though the Wiouwash and many others are called Wisconsin State Trails, it is the counties’

The remnants of a predator’s meal.

The community of Medina Junction once thrived at this access to the Wiouwash Trail off Medina Junction Road.


responsibility to administer and maintain them. According to Brandt, state grants do provide much of the funding.

While they have no detailed research, the level of use seems to be on the rise. Surprisingly, more people are seen hiking the trail. That comports with my experience. Even on weekdays, I have rarely used the trail without seeing others, and on weekends, traffi c is heavy. Many people are walking in groups, often with dogs.

When I asked why using the Wiouwash doesn’t require trail passes or fees, as trails such as the Fox River Trail out of Green Bay do, Brandt said such charges tend to be more expensive to collect than they are worth. They have looked at what other trail managers have done; some come out a little ahead and some behind. Aside from the cost of collecting the money from all those

The Wiouwash Trail bridge over the Rat River.


little pipe safes and taking it somewhere, a system of passes requires enforcement or it means nothing.

How is maintenance arranged? Brandt told me that the trailside grass is mowed every other week in season. When trail conditions have deteriorated due to washouts or downed trees, the parks department will respond when citizens make them aware. One man, a runner, has appointed himself trail guardian and calls frequently.

While researching this story, I looked at the Master Plan for the Wiouwash Trail, written in the nineties. It was very ambitious with projections of extending the trail from Hortonville to New London and north to connect with the piece running south from Birnamwood to just past Split Rock. Currently, that segment connects with the Mountain-Bay trail at Eland. The original vision would have allowed a person to ride from Oshkosh to Wausau, Green Bay or

Aniwa in Shawano County without using a road. Other pieces were envisioned to reach Ripon and Fond du Lac.

Brandt told me the plan might have been a bit too ambitious. For example, the connection between Hortonville and New London depended on the expected abandonment of a section of rail line that the railroad has continued to find profitable. He did believe that the Newton-Blackmour Trail would be finished through to New London, possibly as soon as this summer. Completion was only waiting for a grant to come through and a property issue to be resolved. Then another connection, between communities and with nature, will be available in Wolf River Country.

Once, the railroad was how everyone and everything went anywhere more than a few miles away. As automobiles and trucks became the way most people and goods were moved, rail traffic dwindled and the track grew silent and rusty. But those old rail lines ran through the heart of the country, slicing through farms and woods and wetlands. Left alone, on their margins

they have grown up into long narrow habitats for plants and animals that change through the seasons. These strips of passable land belong to all of us. Enjoy them.

Note from the Publisher/Editor: I would highly recommend you carry binoculars, especially if walking the trails. In a short 30-minute ride to obtain photos for this story, I saw a deer, a family of geese, a pair of sandhill cranes, dozens of redwing blackbirds, bluebirds, swallows, and two or three other species of birds I simply don’t have the knowledge of to identify. Viewing all through binoculars made my 30-minute jaunt quite pleasurable. Below are two resources to help you in your exploration of Wolf River Country by bike.

www.dnr.wi.gov Type the name of the trail into the search box, if you know it. Otherwise just type “bike trails” and you will get a listing of all the State trails.

www.traillink.com

Where the Wiouwash Trail crosses the Rat River, it resembles a wild life sanctuary.The mushroom-shaped structure along the

Wiouwash Trail. Do you know what this

structure was and its purpose? Send us an

email, if you know anything about this structure

or “LIKE” and then message us on Facebook.


Wega ArtsFilling A Creative Niche

Wega Arts celebrates its sixth year this summer.

BY KATHY FEHL

It’s been a tumultuous time: renovating the Gerold Opera House, trying different events, garnering support, working with kids, and now, happily, we are fi nding our way. We are a volunteer organization and could not exist

without the help and support given by our many friends throughout the community.

June 20th through 22nd the second Wega Arts One Act Play festival will take place. Wega Arts will present brand new plays from all over the country, with actors from Stevens Point, Appleton, Waupaca and Weyauwega as well as other towns, fulfi lling our mission of generating and presenting new material.

In November, from the 14th to the 18th, our third Weyauwega International Film Festival will take place. This is one of our axial events. Last year’s festival included thirty-eight new fi lms from all around the world.

Dr. Jack Rhodes, a fi lm expert who presents a series of movies at the Waupaca Public Library and at Lawrence University, brings knowledgeable and articulate insights that illuminate the movies he picks, partly because of his detailed knowledge, and partly because of the


love of his subject. Dr. Rhodes opened the festival last year with the dark Rock Hudson classic ‘Seconds’ by John Frankenheimer. Among the new films shown last year were ‘Extraordinarily Ordinary’ by Timothy Elliott, a biopic of the filmmaker’s family, ‘Dead Weight’, a horror film by Oshkosh filmmakers Adam Bartlett and John Pata and the Midwest premiere of ‘West of Thunder’, directed and produced by Jodi Bar Lev in Wisconsin and South Dakota and starring Waupaca actor Dan Davies. ‘West of Thunder’ is an unusual mix of intense drama and documentary, and was very well received, here and nationally. The filmmakers involved in these movies were present and spoke about the process. We showed the French film Holy Motors, directed by Leos Carax; this movie was also a Midwest premiere: it had been at Cannes and then the New York Film Festival…and then Weyauwega! This year Dr. Rhodes will present The General, starring and produced by Buster Keaton. New films are already arriving, and during the summer the selection process which entails late nights with popcorn, will begin. The addition of the Waupaca Area Orchestra to Wega Arts, a full thirty or so piece orchestra with professionals from the area and

from as far away as Florida and California, is an extraordinary thing. The old Gerold Opera House comes to life, contributing its great acoustics to the magic. The two concerts so far have been wonderful. The last one, The Three B’s, (Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms), featured Steven Bjella as a guest violin soloist. Mr. Bjella is a renowned violinist and beloved teacher from Stevens Point. He and Emily Sipiorski, the person who created and runs the Waupaca Area Orchestra, performed side by side and moved and inspired the audience. David Cole, the Conductor, is working with Emily on the program for the upcoming concert on October 26th. In between, there will be a fundraiser for the orchestra on July 13th, an open air event with Italian food, wine, and arias! A special event occurs this year: the one hundred and fiftieth

TOP: Chris Martin, Zsanna Bodor, Ian Teal, Carrie Gruman Trinkner, and Dan Crist in BOY UNDER TABLE, by Kathy Fehl from the 2012 Wega Arts One Act Play Festival. BOTTOM: Waupaca Area Orchestra at the Gerold, November 2012.

The Weyauwega-Fremont High School Junior Prom held April 6.


anniversary of the Civil War! We will be partnering with the Weyauwega Historical Society with a dramatization of letters to and from the front, immediately after the Horse and Buggy Days Parade on September 21, in the Gerold Opera House.

The Art Gallery currently is showing a series of Wisconsin fi sh, painted by Justin Sipiorski, a biology teacher at U.W. Steven’s Point, who does illustrations for Peterson’s Guide, among other publications. The fi sh are truly beautifully represented.

The Gerold Opera House has recently begun hosting weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties and other events with great success. A wedding couple can have their ceremony, dance, and dinner all in one place, or any of the above. Several such events have recently taken place at the Gerold including the Weyauwega-Fremont Junior Prom in April.

Last spring we took out all the theater seats, and sanded the fl oors, restoring the original versatile set up as seen in photographs from 1915.

Please go to wegaarts.org for details on all of our events and rental possibilities, too. Please like us on facebook, and sign up for emails, in order to get all of our updates.


PARTING SHOT

FOR MANY IT’S THE FUN OF RECREATION.

And for others it’s about the wildlife and the people… Is that one and the same?

Think again, and that something is a sense of place and unrivaled beauty through all the seasons exuding from the shallow sloughs and rising coolly mysterious from deeper waters.

But it’s also our heritage -- all the stories we spawn to cast out year after year with more and more embellishments as if to fatten them still more. Stories of hunting blue wing teal on frosty morns, or perhaps of wooing the teenage cottage-neighbor girl who could water-ski non-stop from Winneconne to Oshkosh.

But mostly, it’s the fi sh stories telling ours. They grow everywhere in Wolf River Country. Chances are that someone in your clan has a crazy photo like this … and a tall tale to match. But look again at this picture. “

Is there a tale tall enough?

Imagine swimming, skiing, or paddling a kayak or canoe across the placid waters of the Wolf. Then imagine a Mississippi bullhead fi sh, a lurking, living leviathan, swimming right there beneath you.

Oh. Did you feel that?

Yes. There is something awesome in the water.

Yes... defi nitely... there is something pretty darned awesome in these waters.

PH

OTO

CR

ED

IT: R

ICH

AR

D A

ND

VIO

LE

T K

IES

OW

- Lynn Kuhns

wolf river country summer 2013

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