SWTU, P.O. Box 45555, Madison, WI 53744-5555 president@swtu.org

The Original Pheasant Tail

The Original Pheasant Tail

Fountains of Youth – Classic trout flies that have withstood the test of time … flies that remain “forever young”

by Rusty Dunn

What is your absolute favorite trout fly? The fly that catches trout for you on any stream, day after day, week after week, month after month, throughout the season? If you were mandated to carry but a single fly pattern, what would fill your fly box? Many experi­enced anglers, including both everyday fly fishers and distin­guished experts, would opt for a Pheasant Tail Nymph. The Pheasant Tail is one of history’s great­est flies; per­haps THE greatest fly. A promi­nent online vendor of commercial trout flies today offers no fewer than 36 var­i­a­tions of the venerable Pheasant Tail. It’s for good rea­son; the fly is simply a trout-catching magnet. Read More

Register Now for Neonics Forum: October 30, 2024

Have you been wondering if our local hatches are diminishing and fewer than in the past? So have we. For that reason, the State Council of Wisconsin Trout Unlimited applied for and received a grant from the Department of Natural Resources to hold a forum on the impacts of the use of neonicotinoids, a common pesticide used widely in Wisconsin that is 30 times more powerful than DDT. Please join us on October 30 at the Discovery Center on 330 North Orchard Street in Madison to hear noted national and state experts discuss this topic and what might be done to limit its harmful impacts. Registration information is at: CleanWisconsin.org/neonic-forum

(click on the flyer for a larger PDF version)

Quick links to cool content

Interesting Article on Badger Mill Creek: The Capital Times interviewed SWTU’s Topf Wells and several others for a good look at the issues surrounding Badger Mill Creek.

Do you have an eagle eye for eagles? Learn more about Bald Eagle Nest Watch and some simple, fun ways you can help these magnificent feathered friends.

Vets on the Fly Activities

By Dyan Lesnik

Vets on the Fly activities are free for all Vets and their family members. All equipment is provided so just show up for their events for socialization and fishing fun. Learn more at their Facebook page.

Tough News but Still Hope for Allen Creek

By Topf Wells

Please read the recent assessment on the Allen and Liberty Creeks watershed by Dan Oele and Mitch Trow. Ouch, this one hurts. Liberty Creek really no longer functions as a trout stream and will be declassified. Too many row crops where the water temps are cool and water is too warm where the creek flows through public lands. Water temps are the limiting factor for Allen Creek, caused by the dam that forms Evansville’s Lake Leota. That lake is the center of a lovely and beloved Evansville park. It features lots of neat stuff and the pond itself offers good warmwater fishing. But it costs the creek. Mitch has provided some additional observations on Allen and therein lies the hope. The stream has excellent habitat and pleasant fishing where it flows through the Public Hunting Area. The DNR will continue to monitor the creek and explore ways of mitigating the temps that sometimes get too high in the summer.

SWTU Member Discounts at D&S

Pat Hasburgh is a longtime SWTU member and former Board Member .. and the owner of D&S Bait, Tackle and Fly Shop. Pat’s offered some great fly gear and flies at very reasonable prices since he opened. He’s steadily been building up a fly tying department. To celebrate, Pat is offering a 10% discount for SWTU members on any fly or spin gear in the shop. Pat has generously supported SWTU with many donations. Stop by and see what he has to offer.

New Members – October 2024

We’re pleased to announce the addition of the following new member to our ranks! Read More

Newscasts – September 2024

This issue is filled with great information, including:

Meicher Madness Auction – Our September 10 Membership Meeting

Auction

Don’t miss this legendary event
By Topf Wells

The Meicher Madness Auction was one of SWTU’s most popular and profitable events for many years. Stopped by COVID, it returns at our Tuesday, September 10 meeting at Schwoegler’s on Grand Canyon Drive. (nevermind one reference to a different month at the end of a prior message)

Good to get there early
You can order food and drinks at the Schwoegler’s main bar it will be delivered to your table. We’re hoping for and expecting a bigger crowd for the auction. If you plan on dinner, PLEASE arrive between 5:30 and 6 p.m. If the auction is your main interest, be there before 7 to peruse the items. If you’re bringing items to donate, please also try to get there early so they can be set out and people have the chance to look everything over.

Amazing items already on hand and more to come
As noted below (“no junk”) the chapter regularly receives donations of quality (sometimes extreme quality) items from generous donors and estates. This includes flies, rods, reels, fly tying material and even a large kit of spin casting lures. Fellow members will also show up with gear to donate to the auction … one of the most popular being hand-tied fly patterns for our local waters. Also books, art, camping stuff and other quality outdoor-themed gear.

Wait, there’s more! Win a hand-built rod just for showing up!!
From all attendees, we will do a drawing for a fly rod.

Here are some needs and changes for this year’s auction: Read More

Fall Workday Schedule and a Special Call for Assistance

Mark your calendars! Conservation Chair Jim Hess has once again worked with public officials and partner organizations to plan out a series of stream workdays.

September 28 – Hefty Creek (Green County)
Clearing woody invasives and installing a brush bundle. Vince Schmitz will be leading this project.

A special plea from Topf Wells for this first workday
Please, please, please attend our September 28 workday on Hefty Creek. We have a wonderful problem with our work days.  We get so much done we’re in demand. We need to finish all the brush cutting and in stream bundling in one work day (the 28th) so we can honor Dane County’s request for an October project.  We’re getting help from the DNR. Mitch Trow, our acting fish biologist, who will mow work paths for us and Vince Schmitz, another great DNR biologist and the brush bundle pro, will join us on Saturday.  If we have enough folks that we can start bundling as soon as we start cutting brush, we’ll do this.  So, please help.  BTW, this marks our third and probably final year of working on this restoration.  Our work has completed the project in areas the DNR could not reach with heavy equipment.

October 12 – Falk Wells Sugar River Wildlife Area or Davidson Wildlife Unit (Dane County)
Clearing box elders and invasive woodies. Meeting with County officials on Sept 4 to evaluate. We could also end up on Kittleson. Read More