Skitter on over to Schwoegler’s and join the fun
By Topf Wells

Please join us for our next meeting at Schwoegler’s Lanes on Tuesday, July 12. We’ll meet in their community room on the southern end of the building. The room is just off the southernmost entryway near the pro shop.

Mike Miller’s presentation will start about 7. Dinner and drinks are available at 5:30.  Dinner is a great time to catch up with old TU friends and make some new ones.  We’re lucky to have some great new members in SWTU.  To our new members:  please think of attending the meeting. You’ll receive free flies and a warm welcome.  If you’re dining, try to arrive close to 5:30 so you’ll have plenty of time to order and enjoy your food.

Trout anglers in this area and in much of the country have been worrying and wondering about mayflies, caddis and other aquatic insects for several years. The quantity and variety of trout’s and our favorite insects seem to be declining. Is that the case? If so, how bad? Why? Can anything be done?

Mike Miller, the Wisconsin DNR’s stream ecologist, has been researching these and related questions. His work is advancing and he is approaching the stage at which we can help him. I think I’ve heard as much discussion on these topics as just about anything related to our streams and fly fishing. Mike will share some insights on this exciting work underway … he will have some answers and will also generate plenty of questions.

New members are most welcome to attend! We’d love to see you and offer a friendly greeting as well as a pack of free flies.

For the safety of all, if you or someone in your household is not feeling well, we urge you to stay home. Please also consider the CDC guidelines for gatherings, including staying up to date with your vaccinations. Thank you for your kind consideration. Like most venues, Schwoegler’s does not require masks but we’ll respect any member’s decision to wear one.

 Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719

Looking ahead to our Tuesday, August 9 meeting …

August’s meeting will provide a tour of fish and trout management in our area through the eyes of Kailee Berge, SWTU’s first fish intern.  Kailee has spent her summer in the field with John Lyons, Curator of Fish at the UW-Madison Zoological Museum,  DNR Fish Biologists Dan Oele, Justin Haglund, Nate Nye, and Tim Parks, and DNR water quality biologists Kim Kuber and Camille Bruhn.  In a few months, Kailee has helped survey every sort of stream and river, measured and test waterways, and census anglers (she was also a huge help on our workdays).  She’s seen more fish and been in more streams than most of us will in years.

Kailee will describe some of her experiences and what she’s learned at our August meeting.  This will be a fun and very informative presentation.  Kailee is then off to her final semester of study and research in the Caribbean.  Let’s thank her for her great work and send her off in fine fashion!