BrookieAugust 2019

Fond du LacGreen LakeMarquetteWaushara

Winnebago

CWTU

Central Wisconsin Trout Unlimited

Board Meeting & Picnic: Picnic at theTuckers’ on the PineHosted by: John & LauraTuesday, August 135:30-6:15 - Picnic Meal Served 6:15 - Board MeetingN5424 Sunny Hill Road, Saxevilleon the Pine River

CWTU River Restoration Work Days• August 17 Bird Creek

• September 21 Bird Creek

Stream & Field DayBird Creek in Wautoma Saturday, September 21Bird Creek ParkWautoma (west side of town, park entrance is on 16th Ave.)

UPCOMINGEVENTS

Habitat Work Day Crew, West Branch of the White River – July 20, 2019

Have you ever wanted the inside track on the best places to �sh for trout and at the same time have a positive impact on stream habitat? If so, then the position of CWTU Workday Coordinator is for you. Our chapter is seeking a person or persons for this rewarding and important position for the 2020 workday season.

�e duties are not di�cult. �e DNR is responsible for selecting the locations, determining tasks and providing equipment. We provide the volunteers. �ere are only �ve stream habitat workdays per year – one each month from May through September.

The Workday Coordinator’s responsibilities are:

• Collaborate with the DNR Fisheries Unit.

• Send workday announcements to membership.

• Arrange for CWTU trailer to worksite and site set-up, e.g., tables, sign-in and waiver sheets, Porta-Potty, trash containers.

• Arrange for light breakfast and streamside lunch. (Currently we have 2 volunteers who handle coffee, donuts and beverages).

• Arrange for workday photos.

• Calculate volunteer hours at year end.

NOTE: Dennis Drazkowski has detailed records from past years to assist in all of the above.

WANTEDBy Dennis Drazkowski

�e CWTU Workday program is recognized statewide as a successful model. It is also a key function of our chapter. Please give the Workday Coordinator position serious thought and consideration. We need your help!If you are interested or need more information please contact President Stan Cichowski, stanleycichows-ki@att.net or Dennis Drazkowski, ddrazkowski@g-mail.com.

Many thanks to everyone who ventured out to today's workday. The weather was not our friend, but despite the torrid conditions it was successful. A special thanks to all of you who stuck around during the storm to help out with lunch - I really appreciate it.

Central Wisconsin streams are known for their giant, Hexagenia limbata, may�y hatch. �e emergence occurs sometime in June and it runs for a couple of weeks. �e beginning date is determined by the type of spring we have. Cold springs lead to later hatches, like this year. �e large Hex nymphs live in the mud along the sides of streams, and when ready, emerge to the surface as duns. �e duns �oat along the surface like little sailboats and are o�en picked o� by �sh before they can �y up into the trees. A�er one to four days in the trees, they come back to the water, as clear-winged spinners, to mate in the air. �ey then fall to the water’s surface, and lay eggs in the water. �is starts the life cycle anew.It has been a while since I have joined the ranks of the deet soaked, slightly deranged, night stalking Hex �shers. I had done quite a bit of this in the past, and even caught a 24-inch brown trout, but age, the comfort of the couch, and the desire not to be a mosquito pincushion kept me away. A friend (who shall remain nameless to protect his innocence) coaxed me o� the couch this June to join him on a stretch of river that he had been �shing for over 40 years. �is was water that held fewer �sh, but those that were there were big. �is was con�rmed when I was shown pictures of two �shermen (who also will remain unnamed) holding giant brown trout (at arms length) and grinning like they had just won the lottery. �ese �sh were caught along this stretch.We �shed two consecutive nights. �e �rst night we sat in our vehicles waiting for a 30-minute shower to end. �e delay meant we got down to the river in the dark. I was underequipped for these bigger �sh with a four weight rod, no headlamp, and a small, shallow trout net. I did have a 10-pound, Maxima tippet though.As soon as we got down to the stream there were some Hex spinners on the water and a �sh was rising 15 feet away. I could hear it, but not see it. From the bank, I cast about 15 times and put the �sh down. Later, I cast to two other �sh with the same results. My friend spent most of his time trying to put me in the right position to �sh and didn’t �sh as much.�en it got quiet, �sh stopped rising and we headed home at about 11 p.m. No �sh.

By John Gremmer

On the way home I was excited about witnessing once again the biological phenomenon of the Hex hatch. Why had I abandoned Hex �shing? It is such an unusual sensory experience.�ere was no moon that night and I had a hard time seeing. At the beginning there were few Hex, but my friend pointed out, a�er time went by, Hex spinners �ying high up in the air in the bright spots between the tree branches. A short time later they were buzzing back and forth horizontally, 10 feet above the water. Soon they were dropping on the water. Many were wiggling, laying eggs and making concentric circles on the water’s surface. Witnessing the Hex hatch is a peak visual, auditory, emotional and physical experience. �e sounds of the night, frogs, deer snorts, birds, insects, etc., the feel of the water pushing up against you, and the sight of millions and millions of Hexes in the air and on the water lead to a peak �y �shing experience. �e best may be when you start hearing the �sh starting to feed! Big, noisy, splashes get your attention and change your mindset to predator mode. On the second night we hit the stream a little earlier. �ere were no Hex in sight. No �sh rising either. �en the previous night’s Hex dance repeated itself. �is time I had the right equipment. I was armed with a 6-weight rod, a headlamp, plenty of deet and a large net.I got in the water and discovered that the stream had risen quite a bit over the last 24 hours. I was immediately above my waist and getting that upli�ing, tipping feeling that happens when you wade too deep. A�er about 10 steps I found a shallow section and waded downstream about 50 yards. �en I waited. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually the spinners hit the water and I started �inging my imitation at a rising �sh. �irty casts later he took it, threw water, and slashed from bank to bank. As I reached for my new net, the line went slack and it was gone. I never did see the �sh. Wow! What a thrill!Meanwhile, my friend had caught a nice 20-inch brown and released it. Later, I saw his light upstream and headed up toward him. When I reached him he was �ghting a 23-inch �sh. My camera recorded the big brown in the net. Head to tail, the �sh went from the top of the net to 6 inches up the handle. He needs a bigger net, too.I wish everyone could/would witness this special biological event that takes place in our area. It is stunning and amazing. You don’t have to �sh—just take it all in. Bring a �ashlight and plenty of DEET.

Night Moves: Dancing With Hexes In Central Wisconsin

Witnessing the Hex hatch is a peak visual, auditory, emotional and physical experience.

Monday Evenings: October 14 & 28 / November 4 & 11

For questions and to register contact:David Pable at 920-233-2939email: dandgp@sbcglobal.net

A big thanks to Harvey Jones for hosting the July picnic. �ere was a great turnout of about 40 and the weather was fantastic. Also a thanks to all who help Harvey put this on, especially Mike Salas maning the grilling.

July Picnic at Harvey Jones’ on the Pine

PHOTOSNEEDEDfor CWTU 2020 calendar project

Contact John Gremmer at: jgremmer@charter.net

CWTU will be producing a 12-month calendar for 2020 to be distributed at the annual banquet in October. Members should submit high-resolu-tion images related to trout, trout �shing, work days, water monitoring, bugs, the �y �shing school, stream environments, etc.—everything that TU is about.

Get to Know CWTU MembersJennifer Parmley

How long have you been a TU member? A few months.

Are you a chapter board member and/or officer? No, but I edit the Brookie, manage all of the Facebook and Instagram posts and write all of the press releases.

What drew you to joining TU? The stylish hat you receive when you become a new member.

First fishing catch and/or memory? Fishing off the dock at my great aunt and uncle’s cottage on Lake Lundgren near Pembine.

Favorite lure or fly? Storm WildEye Live Pike soft bait lure I caught and landed my largest pike to date on, which, by the way, was 37”.

Dream trip? Costa Rica.

Most enjoyable TU activity to attend or participate in? Chapter banquets.

Where do you call home? Oshkosh.

Do you have a pet, if so name and what? Bailey, a mini-dachshund beagle mix, whose bark is definitely bigger than her bite.

Other activities you enjoy? Traveling, running, working out, reading, baking, hiking and movies.

Who are the people close to you, family? My husband, Wayne, daughters, Elizabeth (18) & Abigail (15) and stepsons Clay (18) & Spencer (15).

Recent book read or favorite? Favorite book “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown.

Favorite movie/TV? It’s a toss up between “The Heat” and “The Proposal.”

Favorite food? A good ribeye with roasted vegetables.

Guilty pleasure? Watching “American Ninja Warrior.

Jen enjoying her first summer Canadian fishing trip. “Enjoying” is a relative term, it was July 1st, so weather was in the low 40’s, snowing, sleeting and hailing.Photo above, the rewards, a nice laker on the last day of the trip.

Clay ParmleyHow long have you been a TU member? 5 years, became a member at age 13.

Are you a chapter board member and/or officer? No, but I have been a mentor for the past 4 years at the state youth camp and was a mentor/guide this year at the fly fishing school.

What drew you to joining TU? My dad.

First fishing catch and/or memory? Ealiest fishing memory was at age 2 catching bluegills off the dock on Boot Lake with my dad.

Favorite lure or fly? For a Fly the Tounge Depressor and for spinning tackle a yellow jointed Jitterbug.

Favorite fish species to chase? I love chasing a wide range of spieces on the fly, but right now gar are my favorite.

Favorite place to fish? Sylvania Wilderness Area.

Dream trip? Wilderness trip for Grayling in the Northwest Territories.

Most enjoyable TU activity to attend or participate in? Dan Harmon III Fly Fishing School and TroutFest.

Where do you call home? Oshkosh.

Do you have a pet, if so name and what? Nigel my Ball Python.

Other activities you enjoy? Looking for reptiles and amphibians in the wild. Also working with them in a lab setting. Canoeing, wilderness camping, backpacking, and enjoying music.

Who are the people close to you, family? My dad, Wayne, mother Amy, stepmother Jennifer, my brother Spencer and rmy 2 stepsisters Elizabeth & Abigail.

Recent book read or favorite? Favorite and most recent book read, for the 4th time is “Into the Wild” by John Krakauer.

Favorite movie/TV? Movie would be “Moonrise Kingdom.” For TV shows, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadealpha” and “Futurama.”

Favorite food? Pad Thai.

Guilty pleasure? Buffalo Wild Wings.

Wrangling an 11 foot King Cobra with the use of a clear plastic tube for his day job as an assistant at MToxins venom lab.

CWTU Board of Directors Minutes 6-19-2019Meeting Location: Harvey Jones’ residence on the Pine River in Saxville, Wis.

President Stan Cichowski called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

Minutes of 5-14-2019 Board Meeting: The minutes were reviewed and approved.

Treasurer’s Report: Presented by Joe Peikert and was approved. Dan Harmon III presented a check from a memorial fund collected at Tom Poullette’s funeral. Many who attended knew that CWTU was very important to him and gave in his name.The total was $1,777 and the check was give to Joe Peikert. It will be set aside for a special project in his name which willbe determined at a later date. It was also noted by John Tucker that the work day fund drive was low this year compaired topast years. It was briefly discussed other ways to improve the effort for next year. It was noted that annually it costs about$1,500 to host the 5 work days each summer, which includes food, porta potty and other incidentals.

New Business:

CWTU Banquet Committee: Laura Tucker announced that the banquet planning meeting will be July 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Fin ‘N’ Feather, Winneconne. She noted that more volunteers are needed and anyone is welcome to shadow her this year, since this will be her last year as banquet committee chair. The 2019 banquet will be held on Oct. 26 in Oshkosh.

TU CARES: John Tucker and Mike San Dretto talked about TU CARES, what inspired it, its goals and how things are progressing. It was noted that it is a continuation of all the work Bob Hunt championed in the central sands area and that it was his dream to keep it going. So TU CARES’s definition is: Central Area Restoration Effort for Sustainability. It is a collective effort of the 4 central sands TU chapters, Central WI, Fox Valley, Hornberg and Shaw-paca. In September there will be an awareness event titled “Stream & Field Day” that will tie into and follow the work day on Bird Creek. The event will include tours of the work on Bird Creek, food, games, info booths, presentations and more. TU CARES is asking all four chapters for a $300 donation for supplies needed for the event. The board approved the docation of $300. In addition, Mike proposed buying 24 more CWTU hats for $250, which was approved. Anyone interested in helping with this event can contact Mike San Dretto at msandretto@aol.com.

Brochures: Wayne Parmley announced that he will have an updated brochure for the Dan Harmon III Fly Fishing School as well as a new CWTU general info/new members brochure in time for the TU CARES event.

WI TU Youth Trout Fishing Camp: Wayne Parmley noted we have 2 youth to sponsor for this year’s camp held in August. The board approved the $250 each for a total of $500 to sponsor both kids.

Dan Harmon III Fly Fishing School: Jeff Treu proposed making a donation to the camp as an added thank you to them for providing a great service and facility. It was discussed and determined $250 was an appropriate amount, the board approved. Also there was discussion on possibly raising the rates to attend the school. After a short debate everyone agreed to keep it at the current rate as to not discourage people from signing up. It was noted that often it is couples or multiple family members, so raising rates might make that an issue. The school does make money but that is not the main focus. The school is more about introducing new people to fly fishing and TU. Over the years many of the students have become members as well as active involved volunteers.

Work Day Report: Next work day is Saturday, July 20, 7:45 a.m. to noon at the West Branch of the White River. August and September work days will be back on Bird Creek. August the WI TU Youth Trout Fishing Camp will be joining in and for September there will be the TU CARES event to follow in Bird Creek Park. Note that this will be Dennis Drazkowski‘s last season as work day coordinator. He welcomes anyone interested to shadow him this season to learn the duties.

Guest Visitor: Tom Palka of Colorado was Ira Giese’s guest. Ira noted he was a fellow active TU member.

And we closed with a big thank you to Harvey Jones for hosting the picnic again this summer.

Meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m. - Recorded by Wayne Parmley

Special thanks to our supporters.CWTU Board of DirectorsPresident: Stan Cichowski, 708-362-9001 Vice President/Secretary: Wayne Parmley, 920-540-2315Treasurer: Joe Peikert, 920-779-5270 Past President: Laura Tucker, 920-622-5401

Jeff Treu, 920-410-1250Dennis Drazkowski, 262-409-0558 Jack Talin, 920-420-0577John Tucker, 920-475-2271Bob Haase, 920-922-8003Scott Bahn, 920-886-9651

Bob Jozwowski, 920-765-1887 Dan Harmon III, 920-235-1761David Pable, 920-233-2939Michael Salas, 262-818-3330Mike San Dretto, 920-722-8478Tom Meyer, 715-281-5767

To get conservation events listed or to submit articles please contact: Wayne Parmley at wparmley@gmail or call 920-540-2315