fishing and the effects of pressure changes · the map for the area you’re interested in. if you...

www.sdwalleyesunlimited.orgApril 2014

South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited

Todd HeitkampNWS Meteorologist and owner of Dakota Bait Shop

There have been days that we all canrelate to when the fishing has beenextremely slow. You have to admit thatsometimes you come away scratching yourhead saying, “Where were the fish?”especially, if you had great success theprevious day on the same lake, using thesame presentation. So what changed fromone day to the next? As most people doalready, you could blame it on the weather.And most likely, it’s not due to a significantchange, but more often only a change in theair pressure that determines your level ofsuccess. So let’s take a closer look at thepressure and its effects.

Fishing & the Effects of Pressure Changes

As a cold front approaches the area, thepressure will be falling and the wind will beout of the south. Once the front passes, thewind becomes northerly and the pressurethen begins to rise. In between these twostates of the atmosphere, the barometricpressure will usually hold steady for a periodtime. The key to your fishing success is towatch what changes in the barometricpressure. In other words, is it rising, falling,or holding steady?

When you think of pressure, think ofweight measurement, as the barometricpressure reading is actually the weight ofthe atmosphere. When the pressure isfalling, the atmosphere is lighter and whenthe pressure is rising, the air becomesheavier. This change to the weight of theatmosphere or pressure exerts a force onthe earth’s surface. Humans and animals,including fish, feel the effects of thesechanges in pressure. Just think ofGrandma’s arthritis flaring up or Grandpa’s“trick” knee. My Grandpa would always sayhe knew when a storm would beapproaching because his knee would hurtmore than usual and that was and is due tothe change in barometric pressure.

Fish are the same way. They feel theweight of the atmosphere or the pressurechanges through their air bladder. As thepressure falls, their bladder shrinks, makingmore room for food. In other words, they’rehungry and on the prowl looking for prey.You can say the fish come to you! When thepressure is rising, the fish are driven intodeeper water and become even morelethargic because their bladder enlarges tostay buoyant. This enlarged air bladder takesup more space in the body of the fish, so

they feel full and less likely to feed. On thesedays, you have to go looking for the fish!

The changes in pressure or the force thatis exerted has more influence in the winterthan in summer due to the ice taking upmore volume to the lake. Plus, fish inshallower bodies of water are affected morethan those in deeper lakes. With a river, likethe Missouri River, it seems as if the pressurechanges have less affect on the fish withinthe system due to the existence of the rivercurrent. The species of the fish can also makea difference. It seems that pike are leastaffected by the changes, where the perch“family”, which includes walleyes, is mostaffected. But honestly, we’re still learning.

Full Bucket DaysThe hours leading up to a frontal

passage can be some of the moresuccessful periods a fisherman can havedue to the “feeding frenzy” of the fish. I callthese days our “full bucket” days. Thistheory has been put to the test many times.On many occasions, my boys and I would hitthe lake and take note of the pressure andthe expected time of the front movingthrough the area. We didn’t have to movearound to find the fish, they came to us.

Empty Bucket DaysOn the post-frontal days (pressure

rising), we weren’t as successful and we hadto move around quite a bit to find the moreaggressive fish. These days are what we callour “empty bucket” days. A person has towork harder during these slower periods tofind and ultimately catch fish.

Watch Your Flasher The effects of the pressure can easily be

seen by watching your flasher. On these highpressure days, fish can be enticed to comeup off the bottom and investigate your lureor bait. But after a brief investigation, the fishdrops back down to the bottom withouttouching your bait. Or, in some cases, the fishwon’t come off the bottom at all. You can seethe bottom flicker on your flasher, so youknow fish are there, but they’re notinterested in feeding at all! Changing thepresentation by “downsizing” may help, butmore often than not, a person has to bemobile and go look for the fish that may be alittle more aggressive. Take your auger inone in hand and your flasher in the other andgo search for those aggressive fish. Plus, youmay not be able to stay in one spot as theaggressive fish will have left or been caughtafter a period of time.

Continued on Page 2

CONTENTS:

Boating Safety in South DakotaPage 2

Protect South Dakota WatersPage 3

New Apparel OnlinePage 4

View of a Conservation Officerin South Dakota

Page 4

South Dakota Chapters Undertake Tailrace Dock

Project at Fort Randall DamPage 5

Rapid City Area ChapterPresident’s News

Page 6

Central South Dakota ChapterPresident’s News

Page 8

Sioux Empire ChapterPresident’s News

Page 9

2014 Calendar of EventsPage 10

Sioux Empire FishingTournament Application

Page 11

Missouri River Region MountainSnowpack Report 2013-2014

for Missouri River BasinPage 12-13

Good Earth State Park Receives $2 Million Gift

Page 14

SDWU ApplicationPage 15

Fishing and the Effects of Pressure Changes


Boating Safety in South Dakota

Continued from Page 1

If a person sets up camp before searchingfor the fish, you need to watch your flasherand be ready to move if the flasher doesn’tindicate fish. I usually give it 30 minutes. If Idon’t mark a fish within that time frame, Imove to a different location. Time on the iceis short, so fully utilize every minute by usingyour flasher and become more efficient.

Listen to the ForecastSo, the next time you’re planning your

fishing trip, listen to the forecast. Since thereis no pressure forecast, listen to the windforecast. If the wind is out of the south, the

pressure will be falling and you shouldexperience one of those “full bucket” days. Ifa northerly wind is forecast, the pressure willbe rising and you’ll need to “search” for thefish to avoid the “empty bucket” syndrome.

You can get the latest weather forecastat www.weather.gov and you can click onthe map for the area you’re interested in. Ifyou want to see the 3-day history of thepressure changes, you can also get thatinformation from National Weather Servicewebsites. Once you get to the forecastpage, you can click on the 3-day History linkthat it is directly underneath the currentconditions. For Sioux Falls, you can godirectly to the history page at http://w1.

weather.gov/data/obhistory/KFSD.html.Remember, the weather is just one

factor that can influence your success but itis one factor that is often over-looked andcannot be changed. I would like to say thateveryone needs to try to “time” theirfishing trips to coordinate with the dayswith falling pressure, but obviously that’snot possible. If you’re like me, you go whenyou can go. Therefore, it’s important toknow what the pressure is doing and beable to adjust while on the ice. Many of therecent advances in fishing technology havemade it easier to minimize the number of“empty bucket” days. But ultimately it’s leftup to only one thing – us!

Fishing and the Effects of Pressure Changes, Continued

Source: SD Games, Fish and Parks Rulesand Regulations http://gfp.sd.gov/fishing-boating/boating/rules-regs.aspx

As we anticipate the ice leaving the riversand lakes and boats being taken out ofwinter storage, please remember to brush upon your water safety rules, regulations andsafe boating tips. South Dakota does offer anapproved online boater education courseand exam. Further information is available athttp://www.boat-ed.com/southdakota/

Personal Watercraft (PWC) Rules• Personal watercraft must be licensed,

numbered, and operated in compliancewith all state laws and regulationspertaining to motorboats less than 16feet in length (Class A)

• Except in an emergency, those underage 14 may not operate a personalwatercraft unless there is another person

on board who is 18 years or older • Each person aboard personal watercraft

must have a US Coast Guard approvedlife jacket

• Personal watercraft operation is notpermitted from one-half hour after sunsetto one-half hour before sunrise unlessproper navigation lights are displayed

• If the vessel is equipped with a lanyard-type engine cutoff, the lanyard must beattached to the operator's person,clothing, or life jacket

• A US Coast Guard approved fireextinguisher (Type B-1) is required

• When within 150 feet of any dock,swimmer, swim raft, or non-motorizedboat, your operating speed must be"slow no wake." This is defined as theslowest speed necessary to maintainsteerage, but no greater than 5 mph.

• It is unlawful to chase or harass wildlife

Boater Safety Tips• Wear your life jacket. Always. • Make sure your boat has ALL required

safety equipment. • Avoid alcohol while boating. Alcohol

use affects judgment, vision, balance,and coordination. Reports suggest thatalcohol was a contributing factor inabout one in five boating fatalities.

• Complete an approved boating safetycourse. You may save on your boatinsurance, and you most certainly will bea more knowledgeable operator for it.

• Know the rules. They were developedfor your safety, and the safety of thosearound you.

• Don't overload. Know the capacity ofyour boat and stay within those limits.

• Boat with a partner, and let family orfriends knows of your boating plans.

• Check the weather forecast.


Protect South Dakota WatersSource: SD Games, Fish and Parks Rulesand Regulations http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/nuisance/aquatic/default.aspx

Our state water systems have beeninvaded by aquatic invasive species.Aquatic invasive species have beenintroduced to our state water bothaccidentally and purposely. This results inthese species populating out of control,creating environmental devastation andecological havoc.

So what is aquatic invasive species?According to information posted on the SDGFP website, an aquatic invasive species is“A nonindigenous species that threatensthe diversity or abundance of native speciesor the ecological stability of infestedwaters, or commercial, agricultural,aquacultural or recreational activitiesdependent on such waters (EPA 1990).”

Aquatic invasive species arecharacterized as• Producing many offspring. • Having early and rapid development. • Adapting easily to environment, diet. • Tolerant of a broad range of conditions. • Free of natural controls.

Have you heard of Zebra Mussels,Eurasian Watermilfoil and Brittle Naiad?

These are aquatic invasive species currentlyfound in South Dakota borders butreportedly in relatively low levels ofinfestation at this point.

Two species of Asian carp, big head andsilver carp, are of major concern by GFP. Inpart because of the floods of 2010 and2011, these carp have expanded theirterritory for spawning up the Missouri Riverinto the James, Big Sioux and Vermillionrivers. Currently, the Asian carp have notbreached the Sioux Falls or Vermillion damsso their northbound movement in thoserivers is stymied at point.

We each need to do our part to beproactive in keeping the infestation levelslow.

Keep Aquatic Invasive Species Out of South Dakota’s WaterAlways Do:• Remove aquatic plants and animals

before leaving any water body.• Drain water from bait bucket, live well,

bilge and motor before leaving anywater body.

• Dispose of unwanted bait, fish parts,and worms in the trash.

• Spray/wash boat, trailer, and equipment

with high pressure hot water on yourway home or at home – OR – dryeverything for at least 5 days.

• Always report questionable species.NEVER DO:• Never release live animals or plants –

this includes all aquarium species, bait,pets or water garden plants. Do notrelease these into the wild. If you cannotfind another home for animals, disposeof them in a trash can or bury them. Sealplants in plastic bags and dispose.

WHY?Because these hitchhikers can:• Reduce game fish populations• Ruin boat engines and jam steering

equipment• Make lakes/rivers unusable by boaters

and swimmers• Dramatically increase the operating

costs of drinking water plans, powerplants, dam maintenance, and industrialprocesses

• Reduce native species• Degrade ecosystems• Affect human health• Reduce property values• Affect local economies of water-

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Oahe Walleye Limits LoweredGFP News: December 18, 2013

PIERRE, S.D. – Standard statewide harvestrestrictions for walleye are in effect on LakeOahe as of Dec. 15, 2013. Anglers will be

allowed four walleye per day; however, nomore than one may be 20 inches or greaterin length.

There is no minimum length limit andwalleye kept from Lake Oahe count as part of

the statewide possession limit of eight fish.For additional information on fisheries

regulations, please see the 2014 FishingHandbook at: http://gfp.sd.gov/fishing-boating/rules-regs.aspx.


New Apparel Now Online at www.sdwalleyesunlimited.orgDusty Wasmund, SDWU Treasurer

South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited isexcited to announce our new apparelshopping site is now live atwww.sdwalleyesunlimited.org. Click"Clothing Store" on the left side of thehome page.

The new site is user friendly andcurrently stocked with severalitems we offered at this year’sSioux Empire ChapterBanquet on March 29th.

There is a wide selection

of items we will be adding in the nearfuture. If there is a specific item you arelooking for, please email Dusty Wasmundat dustywasmund@ yahoo.com and wecan check on availability with our newpartner and clothing sitehttp://www.102companies.com/.

102companies.com is a localcompany located at 27142 470th Ave,off I-29 next to the Tea Airport. You willbe able to pick up your items at their

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View of a Conservation Officer in South DakotaJeremy Roe, Conservation Officer Supervisor

Region 3 is made up of 20 countieslocated in the southeast corner of the state.Fully staffed, there are 15 ConservationOfficers, 3 District Conservation OfficerSupervisors (DCOS) and one RegionalConservation Officer Supervisor (RCOS) toperform the duties of wildlife lawenforcement and public relations within theRegion. Additionally, these officers are alsoresponsible for the overall fisheries, landand game management duties the GameFish and Parks Department has within thegiven area

Lake PatrolsConservation Officers spend the

majority of their summer patrolling thelakes conducting compliance and bag limitchecks on fishermen and enforcing thestates boating laws. Many of the lakes inRegion 3 are popular for recreational

boating and can become very congestedon nice weekend days. While the majorityof the boaters obey all the laws of SouthDakota, there are always some that chooseto ignore or disregard these same laws. Afocal point for Region 3 ConservationOfficers was identifying those boatoperators who were boating under theinfluence of alcohol or drugs. There were14 boating-under- the- influence arrestsmade during the summer 2013 in theRegion.

2013 Deer CaseConservation Officers wrapped up a

large deer case early this summer thatextended from one end of the State to theother. There were two individuals whocould not resist the temptation of somelarge deer in an area they did not havepermission or deer tags to hunt. The twoindividuals ultimately were charged with 16counts of illegal hunting from no licenses,

to shooting from the road, knowinglytrespassing and more. The harvest of theillegal deer took place West River but withthe close working relationship with EastRiver Conservation Officers, these hunterswere brought to justice. The two hunterswere charged with just over 7,000 dollars incriminal and civil charges. The landownerhad been watching these deer for years andeven had the largest deer named; it scoredjust over 180 inches.

2013 Archery ViolationA Conservation Officer received a call

from a concerned citizen about some illegalhunting methods taking place. During thecourse of the investigation, theConservation Officer obtained some cellphone pictures of the deer. The Officer wasable to determine that the individual whoshot the deer did not have an “any deer”archery tag for the 2013 archery season.

Continued on Page 6


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South Dakota Chapters Undertake Tailrace Dock Project at Fort Randall DamRocky Niewenhuis, SDWU State Director

Jeremy Jennings has been coordinating the Tailrace DockProject at Fort Randall Dam. Jeremy has provided some photosfrom the project. If you wish to donate to the project or volunteer,contact Jeremy at 605-487-7845, ext. 3224.


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View of a Conservation Officer in South Dakota, ContinuedContinued from Page 4

Instead he had 2 “antlerless” archery tags.The individual who shot the deer convincedhis brother to tag the deer for him. TheBoone and Crocket score of the deer was151 3/8 inches. The individual who shot thedeer pled guilty to hunting big gamewithout a license and was fined $700. Theindividual who tagged the deer illegallypled guilty to lending a license and wasfined $600. Since the deer scored so high,it was classified as a trophy and theindividuals were required to pay restitution

to the state of South Dakota in the amountof $3,000 jointly.

Winter Patrol ActivityWhen the weather starts turning cold,

the wildlife becomes more active during thenight time and so do our ConservationOfficers. Conservation Officers spendmany hours patrolling the countrysidebetween the hours of sunset and sunriseprotecting the wildlife and trying to deterillegal hunting activities. During the fallthere were over 40 citations issued for theuse of artificial light, multiple driving under

the influence of alcohol arrests, multipledrug arrests, several pursuits and eludingsituations with weapons violations.

These are just a few cases that Region 3Conservation Officers worked this last fall.The Conservation Officers of the state trytheir best to keep the Sportsman safe andprotect the resources everyday, but as youcan see, they are faced with greatchallenges. Please help us protect SouthDakota’s Wildlife and Fisheries for years tocome. Call the Tips Hotline 1-888-over-bagif you see someone breaking the laws.

Rapid City Area Chapter President’s NewsCal Modlin, President

Cal Modlin here from Rapid City. I wouldlike to thank (I think) the members of theRCAC of SDWU. I feel privileged andhonored that you have welcomed me to bea part of and to help manage SDWU.

I’ll share a little about myself. I'mNebraska-born and a lifelong South Dakotaresident, from east to west. All of which isgood. Some of my friends say I'm addictedto walleye fishing; others say I'm possessedby it. Frankly, I'm OK with either one. Bigeyes forever -- No work, No worry, Nowishin', Gone fishin' !

If you can’t find me at a fishing hole, youcan reach me at 3706 W Omaha St, RapidCity, SD 57702 or [email protected] or605-430-2937.

Outdoor ExpoWe had a good turn out for the Outdoor

Expo this year. We signed up some newmembers, had many renewals, and sold

some SDWU merchandise. Thanks toDenny Dunlap, coordinator, and the manyvolunteers. Congratulations to Ed Whillockon winning the SDWU jacket.

RCAC Kids Fishing Day 2014We scheduled the Kids Fishing Day for

June 7. Thanks to Larry Talley, coordinator,and all the volunteers for their help insupporting this fun event. We want to thankCabelas (Kindra Lee PR and Marketing) forteaming up with us again this year.

Annual Walleye BanquetOur annual walleye banquet was held

March 22 at the Moose Club. It shaped upas another successful event and good time.The social started at 5:00, dinner was servedat 6:00, and the live auction began shortlyafter that. We had many raffle boards,poker tables, and other fun activities to fillthe evening. Thanks to Larry Smith(coordinator) Loren, Brenda, Mike, Nancy,Delbert and the many behind-the-scenes

volunteers that it takes to make it happen.

View on Legislative SessionWith another legislative session gone

by, it appears we gained a little, but wedidn’t lose a lot of water! This shows us thatwe must pay attention to the never-endingchanges that are presented. It is importantwe keep everyone’s best interest in mind,especially for our future generations.

Thanks for committed service to RCAC by the Johnsons

I'd like thank Mike Johnson and hisdriving force, Brenda, for their years ofleadership. Yes, Mike, your shoes are toobig for me to fill, but with yours and theother members support, I think we cankeep moving forward.

RCAC Monthly MeetingsMeetings are held the third Monday of

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Bret Afdahl, President

SD Walleyes Unlimited 2014 Annual Meeting

It has been a busy 2014 already and it isonly March. On January 18, SDWUmembers and officers met in Ft. Pierre forour annual meeting. Many topics werediscussed and various items acted on aspart of the business meeting. In addition,Chris Hesla from the South Dakota WildlifeFederation joined us to provide an updateon pending legislation. Of particular notewas a status update on the non-meanderedwater legislation that was being negotiatedamongst numerous parties to resolve along-running dispute in the northeastcorner of SD.

Following the SDWU annual meeting,members of the Game, Fish and ParksDepartment joined us to provideinformation on several topics. GenoAdams, Fisheries Program Administrator,provided an update on the condition ofLakes Sharpe and Oahe. Geno alsoprovided an overview of the various surveyefforts that are undertaken each year on theMissouri River, how they are conducted andwhat information is gathered as a result ofthose efforts. Tony Leif, Director of the

Wildlife Division, talked in depth about thenon-meandered water legislation. Tonygave us background information on the bill,the history of this issue and where thingsstood as of January 18. We again thankeveryone for taking time out of their busyschedules to make the trip to Ft. Pierre andto our guest speakers for sharing theirexpertise with us.

2014 Legislative Session While the 2014 Legislative Session is not

quite wrapped up as of this writing, thework on outdoors related bills is largelycomplete. I would like to draw yourattention to three bills that I viewed asbeing most important in this year’slegislature:• HB 1076 authorizes party fishing under

certain circumstances. This bill passedboth houses and was signed into law byGovernor Daugaard. http://legis.sd.gov/Legislative_Session/Bills/Bill.aspx?Bill=1076&Session=2014

• HB 1185 would give the Game Fish &Parks Commission authority to set out ofstate waterfowl license numbers with acap on increases of 5% each year. Thisbill has not yet been signed by theGovernor. This bill started out as an

effort to allow anyone with a relativeliving in South Dakota to hunt waterfowlin our state with no apparent limit on thenewly created licenses. http://legis.sd.gov/Legislative_Session/Bills/Bill.aspx?Bill=1185&Session=2014

• SB 169 was the attempted compromisesolution to the non-meandered watersissue. The bill made it out of its firstcommittee on a 6-3 vote with GF&Psupport after a lengthy hearing. There wasa great deal of opposition testimony fromlandowners and other agriculture relatedgroups. The bill was ultimately tabled onthe Senate floor by the sponsor whichleaves this issue unresolved. http://legis.s d . g o v / L e g i s l a t i v e _ S e s s i o n /Bills/Bill.aspx?Bill=169&Session=2014

Kid’s Fishing WeekendLooking ahead now, June 6-8, 2014 will

bring the third annual Kid’s FishingWeekend to Downs Marina in Pierre. This isa unique event and a collaborative effortbetween fishing enthusiasts, Game Fish andParks and sponsors from across SouthDakota. Please see the ad in this newsletterfor additional details.

Thank you and good luck this spring onthe water!

Central South Dakota Chapter President’s News

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Jeff Decker, President

‘Tis the season for fun, getting togetherwith friends and celebrating. No, notChristmas! SPRING!!! Spring has arrivedand not any time too soon in my humblestopinion.

For our local chapter here in the SiouxEmpire, this actually wraps a very busy timeof year for us. We owe a debt of thanks toall of you that pitched in to help and attendthe Sports shows and Walleye banquet.

SEAC 2014 Walleye BanquetEleven years of Walleye banquets – it’s

hard to imagine that many have come andgone already. Much effort and organizationgoes into this annual event by a fewdedicated members. But the event issupported by many volunteers the actualday and by the sold out crowd who annuallyattend. The only way to sum this up is to justsay, “Thank you to all that support the SiouxEmpire Chapter of South Dakota WalleyesUnlimited.”

Leadership Role UpdatesA new face has stepped forward in

supporting and leadership roles. DustyWasmund has taken the responsibility overfor Norma and Doug Krouse of the SDWUclothing line and will oversee updating theweb site for that portion. Dusty has alsotaken on the State Role of membershipcoordinator from Lee Jensen and of StateTreasurer from LeRoy Huntimer. Dusty hasbroad shoulders!

LeRoy Huntimer will remain as ourchapter Treasurer and membership WalleyeTournament Director.

SEAC Summer Activities• The Membership Walleye Tournament

will be held June 21st at Platte Creek.Applications for this event are availableon-line at www.sdwalleyesunlimited.orgor in this newsletter.

• Our chapter will again be sponsoringlocal youth to the week-long BobMarshall Conservation Camp held inCuster State Park. Should you as ourmember know of interested youthbetween their sophomore and senioryear in High School who are interestedin outdoor wildlife conservation, pleaseencourage them to apply.

• Kids Day is planned for this summer buta date and place have yet to bedetermined. We have lost the use of theBrandon Quarry due to thedevelopment of the ground surroundingthe quarry. Mark Thompson of Brandonhas been very generous with ourchapter for the past use of the quarryand a debt of thanks is owed to Mark.Our chapter is open to ideas andsuggestions for this worthwhile venture.

SDWU Proposed ProjectUnder current discussion throughout all

the SDWU chapters is a proposed fishingpier project for the Pickstown Dam area.

This project involves a jetty, handicappedaccessible fishing pier and access.

SB169 was defeated This was the bill brought up again this

year to privatize the use of the majority ofbodies of water in South Dakota. Pleaseremain diligent on this topic as it will raiseits ugly head again. Please thank your locallegislatures, SDWF lobbyist, and yourselvesas SDWU members for standing up to becounted and heard that you oppose havingyour rights to access public waterwaystaken away from you.

Patronize our Supporting BusinessesAs members please don’t forget in your

days ahead that when you are out lookingfor the right equipment or service, pleasepatronize the businesses that supportWalleyes Unlimited across the state ofSouth Dakota.

Black Hawk Marine, Dakota Angler, Get-A-Way Lodge, Great Lakes Marine Serviceand Sales, Mag’s Leader Pack, Platte CreekStore, Soo Sports of Sioux Falls, SwensonBrothers Marine Chamberlain, WalleyeCentral, Budweiser Dealers of SouthDakota, Dakota Prop, Len’s Awing andCanvas, Farm Bureau Financial Services,Fort Pierre Motel, Ingersoll Rand, JLA TaxSolutions, Kimball Clark Gas Station,Northview Bait and Storage, Pierre SportsCenter, Pro Marine/Pro Powersports,Romen’s Services.

Sioux Empire Chapter President’s News

I have a reel retirement plan: fishing!


2014 Calendar of EventsRCAC =Rapid City Area Chapter SEAC = Sioux Empire Area Chapter CSDC = Central SD Chapter

CHAPTER DATE EVENT INFORMATION

SEAC April 16, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

RCAC April 21, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

RCAC May 19, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC May 20, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

CSDC May 31-June 1, 2014 (Tentative) Kids Fishing Event Lake Sharpe

CSDC June 6-8, 2014 Central SD Chapter Downs Marina, PierreKids Fishing Weekend

RCAC June 7, 2014 Rapid City Chapter Kids Fishing Day

RCAC June 16, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC June 17, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

SEAC June 21, 2014 Sioux Empire Chapter Platte Creek Walleye Fishing Tournament

CSDC July 9, 2014 Missouri River-Lake Sharpe Lake SharpeClean Up Day

SEAC July 16, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

RCAC July 21, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

RCAC August 18, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC August 20, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

RCAC September 15, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC September 17, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

RCAC October 20, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC October 22, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

RCAC November 17, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC November 18, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

RCAC December 15, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus West (Sturgis Road) at 7 pm

SEAC December 16, 2014 Chapter Meeting Outdoor Campus East (4500 Oxbow, Sioux Falls) at 7 pm

CSDC Chapter Meetings are held Contact Bret Afdahl at 605-222-2972as needed. for meeting dates, time and place.


! Tournament will be a one-day event scheduled for June 21, 2014 out of Platte Creek. June 22, 2014 will be bad weather day. There will be a limit of 50 teams. One team member must be a current member of SD Walleyes Unlimited.

! There will be a supper buffet at 5:30 pm on June 21 at the Platte Creek Store for all participants. The meal (sandwiches and salads) is included in the entry fee.

! The entry fee will be $60.00 per 2-person team. Any team that has more than two members will pay an extra $10.00 per extra team member. Applications must be received by June 14, 2014. No applications will be accepted after June 14, 2014.

! Submit your completed application along with your check or money order to South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited, PO Box 89514, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9514.

! Fishing hours will be from 7 am to 4 pm. The rules meeting will be TBD.

! This will be a 100% payback tournament (less cost of supper).

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Return Application and Payment to South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited

PO Box 89514 Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9514

Call LeRoy Huntimer at (605) 201-7747 with any questions.

Application for Sioux Empire Walleyes Unlimited Tournament

Please Print Legibly!

Member’s Name ___________________________________________

Partner’s Name ____________________________________________

Extra Partner’s Name _______________________________________

Member’s Home Phone ______________________________________

Member’s Work/Cell Phone __________________________________

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“GET THE SERVICE YOU DESERVE”

(605) 224-5546 www.pierresportscenter.com 1440 N. Garfield Ave.

Pierre, SD 57501

2012 Ranger Boat Dealer of the Year!

(Contributed by Jeff Decker)Winter of 2013-2014. The March 1

forecasted runoff for calendar year 2014 is 30.6MAF. This runoff would be 121% of normal

runoff. Mountain snowpack above Fort Peck iscurrently 122% of normal. The mountainsnowpack in the reach between Fort Peck andGarrison is currently 133% of normal.

The following tabulation is a summary ofthis year's mountain snowpackaccumulations and the CY 2014 runoffforecast for the first of each month.

Missouri River Region Mountain Snowpack Report2013-2014 for Missouri River Basin

CY 2013 Mountain Snowpack Accumulations in Percent of Normal

Drainage Basin Jan 1 Feb 1 Mar 1 Apr 1 May 1 Jun 1* Jul 1* Peak Accum.* Peak Date

Above Fort Peck Dam 110% 107% 122%

Fort Peck to Garrison 113% 113% 133%

Forecasted CY 2013 Missouri River Basin Annual Runoff in MAF

Location Jan 1 Feb 1 Mar 1 Apr 1 May 1 Jun 1 Jul 1 Aug 1 Sep 1

Above Sioux City, IA 26.1 26.7 30.6

Percent of Normal 25.2 MAF 104% 106% 121%

* Percent of normal April 15th PeakFor comparison purposes, the mountain snowpack for the previous two years were:

CY 2012 Mountain Snowpack Accumulations in Percent of Normal Peak

Drainage Basin Jan Feb Mar Apr May Peak Accum. Peak Date

Above Fort Peck Dam 79% 87% 94% 96% 72%* 97% 9 Apr

Fort Peck to Garrison 96% 96% 105% 86% 66% 88% 22 Mar

March 4, 2014 U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, Northwestern DivisionMissouri River Basin WaterManagement Omaha, NE(Contributed by Jeff Decker)

Calendar Year Runoff Forecast

Explanation and Purpose of ForecastThe long-range runoff forecast is

presented as the Calendar Year RunoffForecast. This forecast is developed shortlyafter the beginning of each calendar yearand is updated at the beginning of eachmonth to show the actual runoff for historicmonths of that year and the updated

forecast for the remaining months of theyear. This forecast presents monthly inflowsin million acre-feet (MAF) from fiveincremental drainage areas, as defined bythe individual System projects, plus theincremental drainage area between GavinsPoint Dam and Sioux City. Due to theirclose proximity, the Big Bend and Fort

Upper Missouri River Basin March 2014 Calendar Year Runoff Forecast


Randall drainage areas are combined.Summations are provided for the totalMissouri River reach above Gavins PointDam and for the total Missouri River reachabove Sioux City. The Calendar Year RunoffForecast is used in the Monthly Studysimulation model to plan future systemregulation in order to meet the authorizedproject purposes throughout the calendaryear.

2014 Calendar Year Forecast SynopsisThe March 1, 2014 calendar year

forecast for the Missouri River Basin aboveSioux City, IA is 30.6 MAF (121% of normal).Runoff above Gavins Point Dam is forecastto be 28.3 MAF (123% of normal). Theincrease since the February forecast is dueto greater than predicted February runoffand an increase in the March-April runoffforecast due to wet soil conditions, frostdepths, and continued above normal

precipitation patterns. Also contributing tothe increased runoff forecast is a rise inmountain snowpack resulting in increasesto the May-July runoff forecast.

Due to the amount of variability inprecipitation and other hydrologic factorsthat can occur over the next 10 months, therange of expected inflow is quite large andranges from the 41.7 MAF upper basicforecast to the 20.9 MAF lower basicforecast. The upper and lower basicforecasts are used in long-term regulationplanning models to “bracket” the range ofexpected runoff given much wetter or drierconditions, respectively. Given that 10months are being forecasted for this March1 forecast (2 months observed/10 monthsforecast), the range of wetter than normal(upper basic) and lower than normal (lowerbasic) is attributed to all 6 reaches for all 10months. The result is a large range or“bracket” for each reach, and thus, for the

total runoff forecast. As the year progresses,the range will lessen as the number ofobserved months increases and number offorecast months decreases.

Current Conditions

ENSO (La Nina)ENSO-neutral conditions continue in

the equatorial Pacific, and equatorial seasurface temperatures were below-averagein the eastern Pacific Ocean whileremaining above average in the westernPacific. ENSO-neutral conditions areexpected to continue through the NorthernHemisphere through the spring of 2014,with a 50 percent chance of El Ninodeveloping in the summer or fall 2014. ElNino can increase chances for abovenormal temperatures and below normalprecipitation in the Missouri River Basinduring the Northern Hemisphere winter.


GFP News: January 16, 2014PIERRE, S.D. – The S.D. Parks and WildlifeFoundation recently announced a $2 milliongift from the Robert and Rita ElmenFoundation designated to “provide qualityenhancements to create a world class visitorcenter and theater for Good Earth State Park.”

“The Native American history was whatinitially grabbed our attention,” said RobertElmen. “I researched what other sites withso many mounds and artifacts had done tointerpret history for visitors. I found that astate-of-the-art visitor center that would dojustice to Good Earth would cost more thanthe State of South Dakota anticipated. Thisgift to the Foundation will make it possibleto properly interpret the centuries of culturereflected at Good Earth.”

Because the gift will be completed overa period of 25 years, the Department of

Game, Fish and Parks has introducedHouse Bill 1013 to authorize the SouthDakota Building Authority to seek bondfinancing to utilize this gift for constructionof a visitor center and associatedinterpretive displays at Good Earth StatePark at Blood Run.

“Bob and Rita Elmen’s magnificentgenerosity will dramatically impact ourability to showcase one of America’s andSouth Dakota’s great places,” said JeffScherschligt, past president of the S.D.Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Scherschligtemphasized, however, “We are gettingcloser to our fundraising goal, but we arenot done. To complete other aspects of thevisitor center, an access road, exhibits,interpretive sites and trails, the S.D. Parksand Wildlife must still raise another $1.2million in private funds.”

Good Earth State Park is part of BloodRun National Historic Landmark locatedsoutheast of Sioux Falls, S.D. The landmarkis comprised of several thousand acres onboth sides of the Big Sioux River in SouthDakota and Iowa. Ancestors of the Omahaand Iowa tribes established villages atBlood Run in the late 1400s. From at leastAD 1600 to 1700, this tribal communitysupported a population as high as 6,000and served as a vibrant exchange center,drawing trade from the Rocky Mountains tothe Atlantic Coast.

Good Earth State Park at Blood Run wasdedicated on July 19, 2013. At thededication, Gov. Daugaard praised theresults of a public/private partnership tomove the state toward a fully functioning13th state park and preserving forever thisunique historic site.

Good Earth State Park Receives $2 Million Gift

The One’s To Know – The Boating Pro’s

I-90 Exit 48 • Black Hawk, SD • (605) 787-9000 • www.blackhawkmarineboats.com

Thank you for supporting SD Walleyes Unlimited!Thank you for being a valuable SDWU member! It is time to renew your annual SDWU membership.Your continued support allows SDWU to accomplish its goals. Our membership year runs from April 1 to March 31. Members receive quarterly newsletters and other benefits. Our annual membership fee is only$25.00. PLEASE PRINT – we need your current mailing address, so you receive our newsletter.

Name ______________________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip ______________________________________________________________________________

Phone # __________________________________ E-mail address ____________________________________

Names of family members (spouse & children under 18) wishing to have membership cards:

____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________

Annual membership: (includes entire family) ______ @ $25.00 $ ________

Total remitted: $________

SDWU is recognized by the IRS as a public charity under IRC Sec. 501(c)(3).Your membership fee is tax deductible as a charitable contribution

Please make checks payable to: South Dakota Walleyes Unlimited.

Send checks to: SDWU OR SDWU OR SDWUPO Box 89514 PO Box 9574 PO Box 655Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9515 Rapid City, SD 57709 Fort Pierre, SD 57532

Thanks again for your support! If you are interested in active participation in our organization, please

indicate where your interests lie. Annual Banquet_______, Kids Fishing Day_______, Annual Member

Fishing Tournament _______, Program Committee (help arrange guest speakers etc. for monthly

meetings) ______, Other _________________

MISSION STATEMENT: SDWU is a statewide membership driven organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and improving fisheries in the state of South Dakota. We are committedto promoting the sport of fishing and outdoor activities through education, conservation,activism, and fiscal responsibility to ensure opportunity, access and habitat for anglers of allability levels.

South Dakota Walleyes UnlimitedP.O. Box 89514Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9514

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSIOUX FALLS, SDPERMIT NO. 7900

All SDWU Members

In an effort to bec

ome a better organiza

tion and to give

all members a voice, SDWU encoura

ges you to utilize t

he

website www.sdwall

eyesunlimited.org. M

any of us are

unable to make the m

onthly meetings because of

commitments or geography.

The website will all

ow

you to voice your t

houghts and to kee

p up with

the current events

of your local chapt

er.

fishing and the effects of pressure changes · the map for the area you’re interested in. if you...

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