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Writer's pictureTy Figg
Oct 4, 2023

Mid-MO TU Newsletter September 2023



President’s Message:


Dear Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited Members,


Our next meeting will be October 3rd in the meeting room on the second floor of the Conley Street Hy-Vee in Columbia. As usual, social hour starts at 6:00 PM and business followed by program starts at 7:00 PM. Curt Morgret will be presenting a slide show of the trip that many of us took to Colorado in August. Upcoming events currently planned are:

  • October 3 – Colorado trip slide show

  • November 7 – Chapter Elections (need a short program)

  • December 5 – Holiday Celebration and photo Contest

  • January 2 – (need a program)

  • January 27 - Fly Fishing Film Tour 10:00 AM at the Ragtag Theater in Columbia

  • February 6 – Mike Siepker, Iowa DNR Fisheries Biologist

  • February 23 – Chapter Banquet at the Stoney Creek Inn

  • March 5 – (need a program)

  • April 2 – (need a program)

  • May 7 – (need a program)

  • June 4 – Hot Dog Burn


We are seeking a few volunteers for the nominating committee. This will be a two year appointment so that we have a team to fill unexpected vacancies that may occur between regular elections. I missed the last meeting but from the minutes I see a couple of items to report. Ty Figg reported that we have bank balances in excess of $40,000 and earn very little interest. Ty was authorized to move $20,000 to an insured interest bearing account. A motion was passed to purchase a SWAG package at a cost of $200. There was discussion of the ticket cost for the Fly-Fishing film festival to be held at the RagTag theater on the last Saturday of January. Our break-even cost will be $20 per ticket without a sponsorship. We will be discussing this further at the next meeting and are looking for sponsors. John Wenzlick reported that we no longer have access to our Stream Team sampling location and he was authorized to look for a new location.



August Minutes:

The Mid-Missouri Chapter of Trout Unlimited met on September 5 at HyVee east. There was excellent attendance with roughly 18 members and guests. Vice-president Travis Figg presided over the business meeting. Ty Figg presented a Treasurers report. The chapter bank balances exceed $40,000, which at this time earns little interest. Ty was authorized to investigate moving $20,000 to an insured, interest bearing account. Since the last meeting the chapter approved providing $8600 for the Iowa North Bear project. Items of discussion during the business meeting included the Fly Fishing Film Tour scheduled for the last Saturday of January at RagTag. There was approval of a motion to purchase a SWAG package at a cost of $200. There was further discussion of setting a price for tickets, with $20 being a break-even point with 95 attending and no sponsorship. Discussion of sponsorships will resume at the October meeting.


An FFFT subcommittee, of Travis Figg, Ty Figg and Bill Lamberson met with representatives of Rag Tag on September 6. The meeting focused on whether RagTag would assume the responsibility of Ticket sales, or if that would be handled by the chapter. The subcommittee determined that RagTag handling sales would be less expensive ($1 vs $1.25 per ticket) as well as being a simpler process particularly with respect to sales at the door. RagTag will advertise the event. Food and drinks will be available from Uprise.


Curt Morgret provided a fundraising banquet report. The banquet will be February 23, 2024 at Stoney Creek Inn. Ticket sales will be handled on-line through a TU associated vendor and will commence January 1. An MC has been identified. Curt Morgret and Bill Lamberson will serve as banquet co-chairs.


John Wenzlick provided a Stream Team report. Access to our regular sampling location is no longer available. A motion was passed to authorize John to seek a new sampling site on the Little Piney or another stream in the vicinity.


Travis Figg led a discussion of Iowa stream restoration projects. Mike Siepker recently gave Travis and Ty a tour of restored areas and they were impressed by the work that had been done and expressed support for the MMTU Chapter’s contributions to the effort.


Jim Washabaugh reported that Jim Rogers, Master FFI casting instructor, will be presenting a program at the Capital City Fly Fishers meeting on September 12 at 6:15 pm. The meeting will be at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Tanner Bridge Road in Jefferson City.


That concluded the business meeting.


As the opening event, Bill Lamberson, a devoted fisherman of trico spinners, demonstrated the 16-20 knot, which is easily tied and particularly useful for small dry flies as it does not leave kinks in the leader ahead of the fly. A video demonstrating the knot can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj192wHBcbU.


The main event for the evening was Curt Morgret demonstrating tying a parachute caddis emerger. The fly is tied on a scud hook, Daiichi 1160 or equivalent, size 14 or 16. The rear half of the hook is wrapped with Flashabou or other prismatic tinsel (saltwater flashabou is wider and covers more quickly), peacock herl is wrapped for a thorax, the wing is stacked elk hair, tied to the hook bend and the butts wrapped vertically to form a post for 3-4 wraps of brown parachute hackle. This fly has proven very effective in Missouri, out west and in the Driftless.



Next month’s program will be a slide show from the MMTU Colorado trip organized by Mike Kruse.


The meeting was adjourned by Bill Lamberson, acting president.


Respectfully submitted,

Bill Lamberson

Interim Secretary


North Bear Report:

On August 11th, Ty and I were able to meet up with Mike Siepker from the Iowa DNR to learn more about the upcoming North Bear Creek restoration project.


Mike was gracious enough to spend the afternoon giving us a walking tour of the recently completed project, as well as visit the site of the new project.


The 3 pictures below show what the completed project looks like now. Notice the appropriately sloped banks and the rip rap that's been used to secure them in place. It's tough to see in these pictures, but there was also extensive work done to add in-stream structures.








The picture below shows the new project site. Notice the sharp bank drop off. The restoration efforts will focus on sloping the banks back, securing them with rip rap, and adding in-stream structures similar to the previously completed project.




The project is slated to begin sometime late fall/early winter and hopefully be completed by next spring/summer.


Conservation Corner (If you can read the NY times)

Climate News:

NY Times Climate Forward webinar recordings - Mike Bloomberg,

Bill Gates, Al Gore, World Bank President.



Learn More About Climate Change





President

Doug Grove

Vice President

Travis Figg

Past President

John Wenzlick

Secretary

Open

Treasurer

Open

Banquet Chairs

Curt Morgret

Bill Lamberson Alternative Funding Committee

Travis Figg

Education Director

John Wenzlick

Membership

Curt Morgret

Conservancy

Bill Lamberson

Conservancy

Sam Potter

e-Newsletter

Jeff Holzem

Web Master

Ty Figg

Facebook editor

Ben Moore

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