Due to the Coronavirus pandemic and cancellation of our April and May 2020 chapter meetings, SWTU is conducting the 2020 Board of Directors election online. Please complete this web ballot by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. One vote per SWTU member.
The Nominating Committee of the SWTU Board presents the following slate of candidates for the 2020-2021 program year:
President: Jim Hess
Vice President: Topf Wells
Treasurer: Tom Parker
Secretary: Henry Nehls-Lowe
Directors: Dave Fowler, Pat Hasburgh, Ben Lubchansky, Zach Olufs, Curt Riedl, Tom Thrall
State Council Delegate: Michael Williamson
Past President: Amy Klusmeier
Meet the nominated new board members and officers
Jim Hess
Jim has been a member of SWTU for 19 years, joining the chapter after moving to Madison to become the Executive Director of Monona Terrace Convention Center. After retiring in 2010, he focused his efforts on conservation issues, including volunteering at our workdays. He is currently the Chair of the Conservation Committee, planning and leading our workday activities, which he plans to continue doing with help from his committee members. He also has served as a SWTU Board Director from 2013 to 2019.
Zach Olufs
Zach has been living in and fishing the Madison area since 2009. He joined SWTU in 2017 attracted by the stream restoration workdays. Since joining, he has attended most chapter meetings and stream workdays, participated in the fly tying classes and volunteered at the SWTU booth at the Wisconsin Fishing Expo. He has also taken the responsibility of monitoring an easement on East Branch Blue Mounds Creek as part of the Streamkeepers Program. Zach currently works in research for UW’s Department of Anesthesiology and in his free time actively maintains an all-things-fishing social media presence on YouTube and Instagram under the ‘brand’ of Olufs Waterview.
Henry Nehls-Lowe
Henry previously served on the SWTU board for 2000-02, and during his term led a chapter-sponsored stream improvement project of 1 mile of the West Branch of the Sugar River. For the past 14 years he has co-instructed the SWTU intermediate and advanced fly tying courses, and currently coordinates fly tier demonstrations at the SWTU Icebreaker. In 2017 Henry retired from 28 years in environmental public health with the State Department of Health Services.
Michael Williamson
Michael first joined SWTU in 1980 and has been a member of TU ever since, either here in Wisconsin or his home state of North Carolina where he first started trout fishing in the Smokies. He has served on the SWTU Finance Committee for the past five years and has been active in Chapter events and workdays since moving back to the state in 2012. He has been a lifelong fisherman and outdoorsman and has focused on conservation issues in both states including his service as Deputy Secretary of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources and as a board member for the Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation. He retired in 2017 as Executive Director of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.
Posted: June 17, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Remembering Tom Wendlelburg
Tom was one of the most memorable characters in SWTU’s history and in the last 50 years of Wisconsin inland trout fishing. He battled demons in his life and finally fought them to at least a draw by the end of his life. He could be challenging to be around. Read More
Last Updated: June 17, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
New Members – June 2020
We’re pleased to announce the addition of the following new members to our ranks! Read More
Newscasts – May 2020
Last Updated: June 24, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
This issue has lots of great information, including:
Last Updated: May 11, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Online Chapter Election
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic and cancellation of our April and May 2020 chapter meetings, SWTU is conducting the 2020 Board of Directors election online. Please complete this web ballot by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. One vote per SWTU member.
The Nominating Committee of the SWTU Board presents the following slate of candidates for the 2020-2021 program year:
President: Jim Hess
Vice President: Topf Wells
Treasurer: Tom Parker
Secretary: Henry Nehls-Lowe
Directors: Dave Fowler, Pat Hasburgh, Ben Lubchansky, Zach Olufs, Curt Riedl, Tom Thrall
State Council Delegate: Michael Williamson
Past President: Amy Klusmeier
Meet the nominated new board members and officers
Jim Hess
Jim has been a member of SWTU for 19 years, joining the chapter after moving to Madison to become the Executive Director of Monona Terrace Convention Center. After retiring in 2010, he focused his efforts on conservation issues, including volunteering at our workdays. He is currently the Chair of the Conservation Committee, planning and leading our workday activities, which he plans to continue doing with help from his committee members. He also has served as a SWTU Board Director from 2013 to 2019.
Zach Olufs
Zach has been living in and fishing the Madison area since 2009. He joined SWTU in 2017 attracted by the stream restoration workdays. Since joining, he has attended most chapter meetings and stream workdays, participated in the fly tying classes and volunteered at the SWTU booth at the Wisconsin Fishing Expo. He has also taken the responsibility of monitoring an easement on East Branch Blue Mounds Creek as part of the Streamkeepers Program. Zach currently works in research for UW’s Department of Anesthesiology and in his free time actively maintains an all-things-fishing social media presence on YouTube and Instagram under the ‘brand’ of Olufs Waterview.
Henry Nehls-Lowe
Henry previously served on the SWTU board for 2000-02, and during his term led a chapter-sponsored stream improvement project of 1 mile of the West Branch of the Sugar River. For the past 14 years he has co-instructed the SWTU intermediate and advanced fly tying courses, and currently coordinates fly tier demonstrations at the SWTU Icebreaker. In 2017 Henry retired from 28 years in environmental public health with the State Department of Health Services.
Michael Williamson
Michael first joined SWTU in 1980 and has been a member of TU ever since, either here in Wisconsin or his home state of North Carolina where he first started trout fishing in the Smokies. He has served on the SWTU Finance Committee for the past five years and has been active in Chapter events and workdays since moving back to the state in 2012. He has been a lifelong fisherman and outdoorsman and has focused on conservation issues in both states including his service as Deputy Secretary of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources and as a board member for the Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation. He retired in 2017 as Executive Director of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.
Posted: May 11, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Remembering Dan Wisniewski
Earlier this year, the State Council of Trout Unlimited honored Dan’s significant achievements with a Lifetime Achievement Award. It’s the second such award ever granted – read the article about Dan to learn about some of his many accomplishments.
Dan made a real and lasting difference as a husband, father, friend, conservationist, fly tier and fishing partner. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
Black Ghost
Last Updated: May 11, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
by Major Oliver Leach
Editor’s Note – The Covid-19 quarantine allows Maj. Oliver Leach, Rusty Dunn’s friend and mentor, to write a long-promised column on Herbie Welch’s famous feather-wing streamer, the Black Ghost.
Most dedicated fly anglers would likely agree that the Black Ghost is one of the all-time best streamer flies. It was created by Herbert L. (Herbie) Welch, a legendary guide, artist, taxidermist, fly tier and caster from Lake Mooselookmeguntic, which is nestled in Maine’s famous Rangeley Lakes region. Mr. Welch pioneered the use of long-shanked hooks for streamer flies, because he believed they more accurately imitated long-bodied smelt baitfish. He was a neighbor of many famous fly dressers, including the renowned Carrie Stevens, who in 1924 created what is possibly the most famous feather-wing streamer of all, the Gray Ghost. Read More
Last Updated: May 12, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
A message from our Treasurer
Please click on this link to view our Chapter’s Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2020 & 2019, the Statement of Activity for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 and the fiscal year 2021 Operating Budget.
The Chapter had an excellent year in F/Y 2020, generating over $59,000 in revenue. This was due in large part to a successful 50th Anniversary Fundraising Appeal and some very generous donations from individuals, company partners and foundations. In addition, our annual Icebreaker raised $4,300 for the Chapter despite unfavorable weather conditions the day of the event. Expenses totaled $35,019 resulting in a net surplus of just over $24,000 for the year; a new record for the Chapter. Read More
Posted: May 11, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
New Place to Fish, Close to Home, and We Can Use Them
Dane County has opened a new easement on the Sugar River. SWTU helped obtain this one because the landowner attended our Verona dinner for Sugar River landowners and began negotiations with Sara Rigelman shortly thereafter.
The easement is on the Fisherdale Holstein Farm on STH 69 south of Paoli. It is the second while house and farm buildings on your right (west) as you drive south on 69). Access is on the southern property line where the landowner has removed a short section of fence allowing entry.
Enjoy! Special thanks to Sara, Dane County Executive, Dane County Board, and the Department of Land and Water Resources, the Sarbacker family (landowners) and Pat Hasburgh. Pat cooked and served the meal. His pulled pork is irresistible.
Last Updated: May 11, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Wisconsin Women’s Fly Fishing Clinics
It is with great sadness that the organizational team that presents the annual Wisconsin Women’s Fly-fishing Clinics has made the decision not to hold the Women clinics for 2020. Read More
Last Updated: May 11, 2020 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
New Members – May 2020
We’re pleased to announce the addition of the following new members to our ranks! Read More
Recent Posts
Categories