President’s Message:
Dear Mid-Missouri Trout Unlimited Members,
Our next meeting will be our Holiday Party on December 5th at Rock Quarry House where we had it last year. We will start setting up at 6:00 PM and will have the photo contest at about 7:00 PM. As in years past significant others are invited and encouraged to attend. This will be a potluck dinner so please bring a dish and/or desert to share and a beverage to drink. Paper plates, plastic utensils and table cloths will be provided by the chapter. Information about and directions to the venue can be found here: https://www.como.gov/contacts/rock-quarry-house-2/
This year we are asking everyone participating in the Photo Contest to get a ticket.
We are using this photo contest as a "test run" for the banquet ticket sales to ensure this online system works. We're hoping to work out all the kinks PRIOR to the banquet.
If you are submitting photographs to this years photo contest, please take the time to purchase your photo contest entry tickets through the link below. This will significantly help us with our banquet planning!
The winner of the contest will receive the proceeds from the ticket sale as their prize.
The rules for the Photo Contest are as follows:
The photo must have a fishing, cold water fishery conservation or Chapter connection
The photographer must be the contestant or an immediate family member.
Unfortunately, the Conley Street Hy-Vee is not making their club room available starting on January 1, 2024 so we will be looking for a new place to meet.
I won’t go over all the November meeting minutes which are included in the newsletter please read them for the other details.
The Chapter’s biennial elections were held at the November meeting. These are the results:
2024 MMTU Officers
President Doug Grove
Vice President Travis Figg
Past President John Wenzlick
Secretary Bill Lamberson
Treasurer Ty Figg
Financial Reviewer Curt Morgret
At Large Board Members Lynn Kleopfer, Eric Cunningham
Alternative Funding Chalen Jackson
Conservancy Bill Lamberson, Sam Potter
Stream Team John Wenzlick
Education John Wenzlick
E- Newsletter Jeff Holzem
Web Master Ty Figg
Facebook Editor Ben Moore
Upcoming planned events are:
December 5 – Holiday Celebration and Photo Contest
January 2 –
January 27 - 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
Hope to see you at the celebration!
Doug Grove
November Minutes
The Mid-Missouri Chapter of Trout Unlimited met on November 7 at HyVee East. There was excellent attendance with roughly 20 members and guests. After a lively social hour, President Doug Grove called the meeting to order at 7 pm.
President Grove proposed purchasing equipment and developing a tabletop display for illustrating Chapter activities at events. After discussion, Curt Morgret moved to authorize purchase of a TV with HDMI interface at a cost of up to $150.
Travis Figg led discussion of the Fly Fishing Film Tour scheduled at Ragtag on January 27. Tickets are available on the MMTU website, but will not be promoted until closer to the event.
Travis also described a trial run of on-line ticket sales before tickets are made available for the banquet. Those wishing to enter the December photo contest must buy an entry ticket for $5. Tickets will be available on the MMTU website. Winner of the photo contest will receive funds equivalent to entry receipts.
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. Eric Cunningham will MC and Kyle George will donate auction services. Curt asked that members investigate donation of auction prizes.
Chapter officer elections were supervised by John Wenzlick. A slate of Doug Grove – President, John Wenzlick – Past President, Travis Figg – Vice president, Bill Lamberson – Secretary, and Ty Figg – Treasurer, was approved by acclamation. Eric Cunningham and Lynn Kleopfer were selected to be at-large board members.
Committee chairs were appointed as follows:
Banquet – Curt Morgret and Eric Cunningham
Alternative Fundraising – Chalen Jackson
Education – John Wenzlick
Membership – Mike Kruse
Conservancy – Sam Potter and Bill Lamberson
Financial Review – Curt Morgret
Webmaster – Ty Figg
Facebook – Ben Moore
Jeff Holzem – Newsletter
That concluded the business meeting.
Jim Washabaugh presented “Fishing the Missouri Trout Parks - writing of a book”. Jim described the process of writing his book and related anecdotes of his experiences in the trout parks. Many members had caught their first trout in one of the four parks. Jim’s book is available at T. Hargrove in St. Louis, on-line from Feathercraft and Amazon, and locally at Skylark Bookstore.
The meeting was adjourned by Doug Grove, President.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Lamberson, Interim Secretary
Conservation Corner:
Doug, John and I enjoyed showing slides from our Colorado Flattops Wilderness trip to the Capital City club. Although most guys on the trip belong to MidMo TU, it was not an official TU activity. It was open to non-TU members and a friend from Colorado joined us. As I said at the beginning of the presentation, it is becoming less about catching fish, even though that is always fun, but more about enjoying time with friends sharing memories and making more in beautiful wild places. Of course, the increasing heat, droughts and floods makes it harder and harder for wild trout to survive in the West. I believe we have an obligation to care for creation. In fact, TU was founded in 1959 as a conservation organization with a mission "To bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon. What are we doing to take care of trout?
An easy thing we can all do is to ask congress to support permitting reform. With our limited grid, we cannot get enough renewable electricity. Wind and solar are now the the least expensive and they don’t pollute water and air. Reform is crucial because:
Recent laws passed, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Act will lead to big increases in solar and wind projects.
Big wind and solar projects are not near where electricity is needed.
Transmission lines are necessary to connect them.
It takes an average of 7 years to build a transmission line. (4.5 years for approval)
Over 95% of projects awaiting approval are solar, wind and battery.
Please consider using this easy link to get a script to call
The Missouri Stream Team always has lots of good information on our waters. We are so lucky to have four trout parts, Lake Taneycomo, winter stocking in warm water lakes and a few wild trout streams. Check out this recording of three speakers on clean water, Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Rural Life Crisis Center, a retired Research Engineer, who monitored streams in Iowa, and a teacher.
Fishing Tip:
I have had some tough days at McKay casting into the wind. If you also have challenges with the wind, check out this video from Tom Rosenbauer.
Keeping and sending articles and pictures for the newsletter. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing you at the Christmas Party.
Jeff Holzem
Newsletter Editor
Ozark Council Climate Change Coordinator
NLC Climate Change Workgroup Co-chair
President
Doug Grove
Vice President
Travis Figg
Past President
John Wenzlick
Secretary
Bill Lamberson
Treasurer
Ty Figg
Financial Reviewer
Curt Morgret
At Large Board Members
Lynn Kleopfer, Eric Cunningham
Banquet Chairs
Curt Morgret
Alternative Funding Committee
Chalen Jackson
Education Director
John Wenzlick
Stream Team
John Wenzlick
Membership
Curt Morgret
Conservancy
Bill Lamberson
Conservancy
Sam Potter
e-Newsletter
Jeff Holzem
Web Master
Ty Figg
Facebook editor
Ben Moore