Aquatic biologist Ann Miller will present “Understanding Hatches” at our March 11th Gathering, which she bills as, “Driftless area in Wisconsin gets buggy and insight into writing a hatch guide.”
Ann has a lifelong passion for insects, fly fishing and figuring out what trout eat. Her presentation will dive into the importance of understanding insect life cycle stages with applications to fly fishing.
Ann authored her popular book “Hatch Guide for Upper Midwest Streams” after becoming frustrated while teaching entomology in fly fishing schools with the lack of comprehensive information on Midwest insect hatches, taxonomy, behavior, and flies to match them.
Ann’s new “Pocketguide to Upper Midwest Hatches” was published in March 2023 with Stackpole Books and includes a new section on terrestrial insects. Her book will be available for purchase at the gathering for $30, cash or Venmo.
Ann is also a co-founder and current president of Flygirls of Michigan, an organization whose purpose is to help women become involved in fly fishing. She has served on the board and as an officer of the St. Joseph River Valley Fly Fishers and is on the board of Tie-a-thon, an organization that distributes donated flies to non-profit groups involved with teaching youth, cancer survivors, veterans, and more.
We gather, as always, at Schwoeglers on Grand Canyon Drive on Madison’s West Side. Dinner and drinks will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. with Ann’s presentation following some brief updates at 7.
Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719
Newscasts – March 2025
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
This issue is filled with great information, including:
Last Updated: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
SWTU March 11, 2025 Chapter Gathering: Understanding Hatches
Ann has a lifelong passion for insects, fly fishing and figuring out what trout eat. Her presentation will dive into the importance of understanding insect life cycle stages with applications to fly fishing.
Ann authored her popular book “Hatch Guide for Upper Midwest Streams” after becoming frustrated while teaching entomology in fly fishing schools with the lack of comprehensive information on Midwest insect hatches, taxonomy, behavior, and flies to match them.
Ann’s new “Pocketguide to Upper Midwest Hatches” was published in March 2023 with Stackpole Books and includes a new section on terrestrial insects. Her book will be available for purchase at the gathering for $30, cash or Venmo.
Ann is also a co-founder and current president of Flygirls of Michigan, an organization whose purpose is to help women become involved in fly fishing. She has served on the board and as an officer of the St. Joseph River Valley Fly Fishers and is on the board of Tie-a-thon, an organization that distributes donated flies to non-profit groups involved with teaching youth, cancer survivors, veterans, and more.
We gather, as always, at Schwoeglers on Grand Canyon Drive on Madison’s West Side. Dinner and drinks will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. with Ann’s presentation following some brief updates at 7.
Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Will You Step up for SWTU?
Please consider running for the SWTU Board. It’s fun (most of the time), all the Board Members and Officers are kind and dedicated to SWTU, and we discuss and decide on the full range of chapter activities. They include projects, classes, meetings, special events, finances, outreach, education and advocacy.
Okay, that sounds a bit dry and maybe not fun-filled. Perhaps these details will help. The Board recently reviewed DeForest’s comprehensive plan to improve the Upper Yahara River (Dane County’s new trout stream) with village staff and a stream ecologist. We’re contributing funds, work days and fishing clinics for kids. Board members met with all the DNR biologists and staff in this area and officers from our neighboring TU chapters. Now the DNR will prioritize brushing on Mt. Vernon Creek. We’ll support an intern on the DNR’s summer stream survey crew – the crew that discovered the trout of the Upper Yahara 2-3 years ago. We’re strengthening our ties with the UW Hoofers Fly Fishing Club, connecting with the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association to increase collaboration and coordination, and enabling two youngsters from Dane County to attend the TU Summer Fishing Camp.
These are just a few recent examples of what the Board helps SWTU accomplish. We’d really appreciate your help.
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Learn What Your Board’s Been Up To – March 2025
Minutes from SWTU Board of Director meetings can be viewed in this Google Drive. If you have questions on what you read in them, reach out to one of the Board members listed on the last page of each newsletter. (Note that you may need to click the “Last Modified” header at the top to sort the list with the latest minutes at the top.)
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
SWTU Receives STIHL Grant
Pictured receiving the award are Jim Hess (SWTU Conservation Chair), Paul Krahn (TUDARE), and James Brodzeller (Dane County Watership Coordinator).
2025 Tentative Spring Workday Sites – March update
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
By Jim Hess, Conservation Chair
Still working on locking in all dates and sites, but here is an update as of 2.23.25
April 5 – Duerst Property on the Sugar River (7309 Riverside Rd). The county recently purchased this 625-acre property. We will be clearing honeysuckles and small box elders to help the STIHL sawyers with felling the large box elders..(see separate story above on the STIHL grant) Read More
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Attend the Nohr TU Chapter Banquet: May 2, 2025 in Muscoda
SWTU frequently partners with the Nohr Chapter on Workdays and most all of us enjoy the streams they’ve improved over the years. Visit https://nohrtu.com/events/ for info on the banquet and how to get your tickets.
Registration Full for the 2025 Women’s Fly Fishing Clinics / Volunteers Needed
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
The clinics have filled but there is a waitlist in case of cancellations. This flyer has info on both sold-out events, and you can also learn more here on swtu.org.
You Can Volunteer for the Intermediate Clinic!
This outstanding clinic is in need of our help! They are looking for volunteer guides for their intermediate class! As a guide, you’ll go out with members of the clinic and give 1:1 instruction on casting and fishing, reading the stream, and more. Guides are an integral part of the Intermediate Program, and a very important part of the Wisconsin Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic on the whole.
Take this quote from Dave Fowler, a guide who was a part of the 2024 Intermediate Women’s Clinic: “The success of the Intermediate Clinic is very dependent on folks volunteering to be guides. It’s a really fun time for both the guides and the women, and I know that they really appreciate the knowledge they gain during the Clinic.”
If you are interested in guiding, or know someone who might be, contact Lisa Wilson at lawfinnee@gmail.com.
Sidewinder No-Hackle Dun
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
by Rusty Dunn
It’s mid-Spring on a bluebird April day. The water has warmed following winter’s chill, and trout are looking up. Fish are slashing in the riffles and porpoising in the pools. You reach confidently for a size #18 dark bodied caddis dry fly. Good choice. Fish are on it in a flash. Over the next few hours, you bring dozens to hand. What a glorious day. The thrill of victory.
Just one month earlier on the same stream in March, you found blue-winged olives hatching in abundance and again fish rising everywhere. You reached confidently for a size #18 BWO dun. No takers. You tried a smaller size but only got cautious looks from wary trout. You switched to a parachute BWO. No interest. You tried a BWO emerger. Rejection. You emptied the fly box trying to find a pattern that fish would take but never found one. Standing among rising trout, you were fishless. As daylight faded to evening, your confidence faded to zero. The agony of defeat. Read More
Posted: March 9, 2025 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Throwback article is a fun fishing fox fly find
This fly has been a featured pattern in our free fly tying courses, and you canview the pattern sheet for it here.
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