It was a wonderful evening with plenty of great music, laughter and plenty of honor for our incredibly worthy award winners. They are listed here with photos below. Many thanks to our honorees and those who made the evening possible, in particular Mary Ann Doll and Ben Lubchansky. See photos and more. 

• Jim Hess– Award of Merit  (see text of Jim’s introduction at the end of the pictures) 
• David Fowler– Gold Trout, Leadership & Education
• John and Rose Schweiger– Pass Lake Award
• Kevin Graeme– Certificate of Appreciation, Outstanding Volunteer
• Fontana Sports– Reel Good Sponsor
• Doug Brown– Certificate of Appreciation, Outstanding Volunteer
• Josh Brown and Kelly Maynard– Landowner Certificate of Appreciation
• Tom and Vicki Sarbarker– Landowner Certificate of Appreciation
• Barb and Larry Lange– Landowner Certificate of Appreciation
• Bob and Nancy Rudd– Landowner Certificate of Appreciation
• Matt Sment– Certificate of Appreciation, Past President
• Tristan Kloss– Certificate of Appreciation, Past President
• Matt Krueger– Certificate of Appreciation, Past President

Comments used by Topf Wells in presenting Jim Hess with SWTU’s highest award.

We might need to think about re-naming this award.  Although all the awards are important, the Award of Merit is our Chapter’s highest award.  Perhaps we should name it the Platinum Trout with Ruby Eyes.  The award goes to a chapter member who has made outstanding contributions for many years.

Jim Hess is this year’s most deserving winner.  For several years, Jim has chaired our Conservation Committee.  With them he has been in charge of our stream work days.  We now have at least six workdays running from late fall to late spring.  Jim does everything.  He selects the site, plans the work, gets the notice out, and supervises the work.  With all respect to those who have set up good work days in the past, I think Jim has put our stream work in the best shape ever.

Over several years he has established great communications with several DNR fish biologists and staff from the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department.  Because of that work, Jim is able to schedule work on a variety of streams ranging for an old favorite like Mt. Vernon, where we made a popular stretch more fishable to Smith Conley, an Iowa County stream.  That not one our members would talk much about but it was an eye-opener for all who saw it.  Because of this variety– the chance to see and learn about new water– Jim has attracted a great group of younger members to our work days.

Jim doesn’t stop with planning and supervising the work days.  Over the past several years he has discovered a Dane County grant program and every year he’s won funding for some much needed equipment.  All of it has been great and really useful like this year’s gas-powered pole saw but the best has been the winch.  We love using it.  This spring we had a work day on Frye Feeder.  With bad hips and being too fat, I was wandering up and down the stream instead of working.  Upstream I saw a bunch of beavers was busy hauling willows into the water.  Downstream, Jim and the crew were using the winch to pull a huge piece of willow out of the water.  A wonderful symmetry, both groups seemed equally happy with what they were doing.

Jim, please come forward and receive your well earned award.

(Jim came forward to a spontaneous, immediate standing ovation.)