Category: News

Dave Carlson Previews 2019 Conservation Work Day Projects and Financial Support

Oak Brook TU’s 2019 conservation activities include financial and volunteer support for projects in both Wisconsin and Michigan in support of Trout Unlimited’s mission of conserving, protecting and restoring coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in the Midwest. Our conservation financial commitments this year include support for the Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE); Kickapoo River watershed stream restorations in Vernon County, Wisconsin; continued stream improvement work near Sparta, Wisconsin; and biological monitoring and survey work on the Coldwater and Dowagiac Rivers in Michigan. Volunteer support is needed for our May 18 and October macroinvertebrate studies on the Coldwater River Watershed in Alto, Michigan outside of Grand Rapids and a June 22 stream improvement work day in Sparta. “We plan to continue the important conservation work on our Chapter’s priority projects in support of the Wisconsin’s Driftless Area and Michigan’s Coldwater River watershed,” said Dave Carlson, Conservation Committee Chair.  “The Conservation Committee is also pursuing new opportunities ‘closer to home’, such as a DuPage River Cleanup Day on May 4 in Naperville, Illinois. Interested volunteers should contact Dave Carlson via email (dmcarlson@hotmail.com). “Planned work days provide an opportunity for fun and friendship along with making a valuable contribution to stream conservation. As our projects are several hours from Chicago, we try to coordinate carpooling, lodging and fishing opportunities for interested members,” said Dave Carlson. 2019 Conservation Project Highlights The Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE) is a long-term initiative to protect, restore and enhance cold water rivers in the Driftless Area of southeast Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and northwest Illinois. TUDARE relies greatly on the work and passion of TU volunteers. OBTU’s support includes money donated to directly support TUDARE general operations. For more information on TUDARE, read the interview with Duke Welter, who helped found the effort over 15 years ago.  For more information on TUDARE, read the interview with Duke Welter, TUDARE Coordinator, who helped founded the effort over 15 years ago. Several creeks in the Kickapoo River watershed are scheduled for improvement work in 2019, including Warner Creek, Billings Creek, Tainter Creek and Weister Creek. Weister Creek is a great example of a stream restoration in the Driftless Area supported by OBTU. For the past several years, OBTU along with a wide range of other organizations have provided financial support for this project within the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. It is a multi-year project with a total length of 2.6 miles that, in addition to stream improvement, provides habitat for hunting and is a demonstration site for many nongame wildlife habitat practices. In-stream work on the final Phase 5 section is expected to be completed this summer. See the interview with project manager Paul Hayes for more information on the Weister Creek restoration plan which was originally published in the OBTU Flyer newsletter. Other stream restoration projects in the Driftless Area encompass work to reduce soil erosion and phosphorus discharge near the city of Sparta. Since 2014, OBTU has provided both volunteer manpower and financial support that has been leveraged with local government funds. This year, stream restoration work will continue on Beaver Creek just north of Sparta. A half-day project planned in June will provide an opportunity to get together for some fishing in the heart of the Driftless Area before and after our work. Conservation activities in Michigan will be focused on the Coldwater River watershed near Grand Rapids and the Dowagiac River near Niles. Two macroinvertebrate survey work days will be part of our ongoing cooperative effort with the Coldwater River Watershed Council (CRWC) that began 14 years ago. Members collect stream samples from designated sites, then count and classify the aquatic insects and various macroinvertebrates found. By classifying and trending the population data, the CRWC gets an idea of how stream health is evolving. This year, we will be expanding data collected at the Coldwater survey sites to include water temperature monitoring. Volunteers are encouraged to plan some fishing on the Coldwater River watershed or other rivers in the area such as the Rouge, Muskegon or Pere Marquette.  OBTU is represented on the Coldwater River Watershed Council by Marvin Strauch. The Dowagiac River represents a relatively new stream restoration opportunity for OBTU. It is one of the closest rivers to our chapter with potential for a high-quality coldwater fishery. The planned removal of the Pucker Street Dam in Niles, Michigan appears to be on track for this summer. This will open up the entire river system to upstream migrations of steelhead, salmon, and other fish species. It will also expand opportunities for volunteers to help with watershed planning and habitat monitoring. Conservation efforts on the Dowagiac River are driven by MEANDRS (Meeting Ecological and Agricultural Needs within the Dowagiac River System), of which OBTU is a Board member. (See the interview with Marcy Hamilton, Senior Planner with the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, for more information on the Niles dam removal and Dowagiac River restoration plan which was originally published in the OBTU Flyer newsletter). An exciting initiative closer to home is development of coldwater habitat and fishing access in the Illinois Driftless Area. TUDARE and its partners were awarded a large grant from the USDA’S Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that includes areas not been served in the past, including part of northwest Illinois. The grant will provide funding for restoration projects for the period from 2019-2023. This funding will cover a significant share of individual project costs, with matching dollars—usually around 20-35% of the costs—provided by state or county agencies, foundations, businesses, individuals, TU and other conservation nonprofits. OBTU activities in 2019 will be focused on planning, bringing together local landowners and agency partners and identifying potential conservation projects. Plans include expanding a pilot project to monitor water temperatures in Coon Creek in Jo Davies County that was begun in 2018. 2019 Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed to make these 2019 commitments happen. The Conservation Committee is looking for members who are interested in leading or supporting an event. If you’d like to be on the Conservation Committee, email Dave Carlson at dmcarlson@hotmail.com. The Committee meets by phone conference calls each month, so location should not be an issue for ongoing participation. The financial support of conservation efforts is made possible by the fundraising efforts of the chapter. Watch for additional information on fundraising activities in the OBTU May-June newsletter.

 

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MAY 15 “SPRING FLING” OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULED FOR NAPERVILLE

We will conclude our 2018-19 chapter meeting schedule with a “Spring Fling” open house on Wednesday, May 15, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the White Eagle Homeowners Clubhouse at 4265 White Eagle Drive in Naperville. The organization’s Spring Fling event is free to its members, friends and general public and has something for everyone: —  An evening of fellowship and networking with your TU colleagues. —  Fishing information for Midwest locations for trout, steelhead, salmon and smallmouth bass. —  Oak Brook TU membership-hosted weekend fishing trips. —  Fly tying workshops for novice and experienced tiers. —  Oak Brook TU information tables on conservation volunteer activities planned for the 2019 summer and fall seasons as well as youth education and advocacy programs. —  Orvis and DuPage Fly Fishing representatives will on hand with their latest 2019 fishing gear and apparel. —  Door prizes for all attendees from Orvis Yorktown, new L.L. Bean Oak Brook store, and DuPage Fly Fishing Co. store, plus a bucket raffle featuring fishing gear and other prizes. — A free dinner featuring grilled bratwurst and hot dogs for attendees. See the 2019 Spring Event Open House Flyer for more information and save the date today.

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President’s Letter

You may be wondering: “What has Oak Brook TU been doing lately?”   I am proud to say that our chapter continues to put “runs on the board.”  I’ve summarized recent OBTU accomplishments in my membership letter.  In the past year Oak Brook TU conservation efforts have contributed funding and/or work days to a number of significant projects including: Weister Creek improvement project in the Wisconsin Driftless Area Beaver Creek stream improvement in the Driftless area near Sparta, WI. Funding of TUDARE (Driftless Area Restoration Effort) Coldwater River Watershed semi-annual entomology surveys and stream improvement work        near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Water temperature monitoring in the Coldwater River and Coon Creek in northwest Illinois. Stream survey work preparing for the Dowagiac River Pucker Street Dam removal in Niles, MI. Funding earmarked for Great Lakes Coaster Brook Trout Restoration. And closer to home, we recently “adopted” a Naperville section of the West DuPage River for a semi-annual stream clean-up.  Hopefully many of you will join us on Saturday, May 4, from 9am to 12 noon for our first clean-up followed by an informal lunch at a local restaurant. Oak Brook TU continues to be at the forefront of providing youth education to help develop the next generation of coldwater conservation advocates through the following programs: Our popular youth fly fishing classes are scheduled monthly on Saturdays from May through September. Thanks to our volunteers we have taught fly fishing basics to over 1,000 students over the past 15 years. Our chapter has taken a lead role in establishing and growing the “Trout-in-the-Classroom” program which is now delivered to 28 schools in Illinois. Twelve of these schools are directly managed by our chapter. Oak Brook TU continues to take a leadership role in the Illinois Council of Trout Unlimited’s Youth Conservation and Fly Fishing Camp which takes place on Michigan’s Au Sable River each summer for 13 to 18 year-olds. For adults, our chapter offers free adult education programs such as the Tuesday night fly rod casting instruction during the summer months and fall fly tying sessions at the Bolingbrook Bass Pro Shops store. Our chapter also continues to advocate for coldwater conservation.  Most recently, we participated in meetings with two Illinois congressional offices regarding the Asian Carp Issue. We expect the Army Core of Engineers Plan for the Brandon Roads Project to be recommended to Congress in the near future.  Be on the lookout for opportunities to do some personal advocacy on this issue. All of these good works would not be possible without strong support from many of our 1,200 members.  In recent years we have had fundraising success through our Spring Donation Solicitation, Fall Rod Raffle and December Holiday Party; these programs have kept our conservation and education programs strong. Over the past year, our publicity and communications outreach efforts have resulted in major articles in both Chicago and national publications, and our relatively new website generated over 10,000 visits—a 27% increase over 2017.  And in November, we launched our Instagram account.  Make sure you are signed up for it along with our Facebook page to stay abreast of other chapter news! Due to our strong membership and some very committed Board members, Oak Brook TU continues to thrive. The key to our success as a Trout Unlimited chapter is volunteerism, and I encourage members to contact committee chairpersons for more information on areas of personal interest.  A list of all committee chairs is included in our OBTU website Leadership page. Thank you for all that you do to “conserve, protect and restore North America’s cold water fisheries and their watersheds”. Willie Beshire President, Oak Brook Trout Unlimited Chapter E:  wbeshire@aol.com M: 630-200-2532

 

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Member Profile: Meet Fred Hodge

By Jim Schmiedeskamp This newsletter issue marks our second Oak Brook TU Chapter member profile, which is a way for our membership to get to know each other better.  This issue’s profile features Fred Hodge. Fred Hodge has always been a “man in motion”—both on the ground, on the water and in the air. He can be found at most chapter youth education volunteer activities—and usually well-tanned thanks to his seasonal visits to a second home in Kauai, one of the more scenic Hawaiian islands. Fred has enjoyed three primary passions throughout most of his 84 years: fly fishing and fly tying, being involved in the Boy Scouts of America, and aviation. Fred’s aviation career started after being drafted and trained as an Air Force pilot where he flew single-engine jets, B-25 bombers and C-47 cargo planes.  His only “near death” experience occurred when an Air Force T-28 training airplane he was piloting blew up on take-off during his flight training school.  Fred moved onto a successful commercial airline career at United Airlines where he spent most of his time piloting DC-6s and 747s for over 30 years. After flying over 40 different Air Force and commercial aircraft, Fred retired as a professional pilot in 1994.  However, he continued flying as a volunteer pilot for another 25 years for the Medinah’s Aviators organization, which comprised pilots who flew Shrine Hospital children and their parents or guardians to a Shrine Hospital.  Fred’s flights took critically burned children from Chicago to a special Shrine hospital in Cincinnati. Fred’s involvement in the Boy Scouts started as a youth and attained Eagle Scout status at age 17.  He continues to combine his passion for fly fishing education and the Boy Scouts by being a Fly Fishing Merit Badge Counselor and teacher at two annual Boy Scout summer camps in Minnesota and New Mexico in addition to the annual Illinois TU annual summer youth camp in Michigan. Fred’s commitment to TU youth education was recognized in 2010 with its Youth Counselor Award at its annual celebration. Fred is the father of three daughters and seven grandchildren. Hometown:  East Lansing, Michigan Current home: Oak Brook How long as a TU member: 19 years as a “TU Life Member” Introduction to fly fishing:  At age 12 trout fishing with his father on the Two Hearted River located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s short story on it. Favorite fishing holes:  Michigan’s Au Sable River, the Kenai River in Alaska, and the Madison River in Montana.

2019 Illinois TU Youth Fly Fishing and Conservation Camp Seeking Applicants

The 12th annual edition of the Illinois Council of Trout Unlimited Youth Conservation and Fly Fishing camp is scheduled July 21-26, 2019 at the RAM Conference Center in Roscommon, Michigan. The 2019 camp delivers a rigorous introduction to the sport of fly fishing on the famed Au Sable River in Michigan while also developing the next generation of cold water conservation advocates.  An experienced Trout Unlimited mentor team will conduct fly fishing instruction and guide twelve 13- to 18-year-old campers through prime time morning and evening trout fishing sessions on several sections of the Au Sable River.  Throughout the mid-day periods, field trips include an electro-shock survey of the local trout population, entomology surveys to capture and identify aquatic insect life, a stream improvement project to enhance trout habitat, a trout dissection with anatomy lesson, and explorations of the natural environment and its history. “The camp is designed to be an intense experience that makes a significant impact on youth,” said Dan LaFave, Oak Brook Trout Unlimited board member and camp director.  “Campers will learn more about conservation and fly fishing in a week than many of us learn in a lifetime. It is an enjoyable and educational experience.” The camp cost includes round-trip transportation from Chicago, lodging, meals and equipment.  The tuition fee is $575 (comprised of a $75 deposit at the time of application plus a $500 remaining balance due one month before camp).  Sponsorship is available for campers with financial need.  For detailed information, including an application, please visit the Youth Camp web page for more information and application.

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OBTU Among Top 5 Trout Unlimited Instagram Accounts in Followers

Since its launch last November, Oak Brook TU’s Instagram account has over 700 followers ranking #5 among TU’s 52 Instagram accounts according to Chris Pierson, who created and manages our photo sharing social media channel. You can check out our new  Instagram account and follow it for fly fishing information from Oak Brook TU and news from other TU chapters, as well as our business partners and preferred guides, fly fishing gear companies and other conservation organizations.

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New Sponsor and Business Partners

Oak Brook TU is pleased to announce the addition of a new “Valued Sponsor” and two new “Business Partners.” Rush Creek Distilling of Harvard, Illinois is our latest Valued Sponsor who is donating their craft-made whiskey, vodka and gin products in support of our 2019 fundraising programs. Rush Creek Distilling’s inspiration comes from founders and brothers Mark and Todd Stricker who proudly craft their distilled spirits with no shortcuts using nearby pure spring water, select local grains and uncompromising craftmanship. Offering live music, craft cocktails, tastings and tours. You can get there by car en route to a Driftless Area fishing trip. Visit their website for more information.

Visit Rush Creek Distilling, in Harvard, Illinois for live music, craft cocktails, tastings and a tour.

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Two New Business Partners

Trails & Tides is a downtown Naperville retail store featuring Southern Tide and Patagonia apparel and accessories for men, women, boys and girls. Visit their website for more information. Sandhill Coffee debuts as another new business partner.  Founded by Phil Wingo, his vision is to provide a premium coffee that makes connections to others and the environment. As a proud member of 1% for the Planet, Sandhill Cofee will donate 1% of its yearly revenue to an environmental non-profit.  It is currently available at Casey’s Foods and DuPage Fly Fishing in Naperville, and Gene’s Sausage and Deli in Chicago. Learn more about their small batch sustainable specialty coffees by visiting the Sandhill Coffee website.

Sandhill Coffee is a premium specialty coffee available at Casey’s Foods and DuPage Fly Fishing in Naperville, and Gene’s Sausage and Deli in Chicago.

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 Librarian’s Corner

By Phil Young Providence (Confluence Films) 70m / DVD In 2003, two South Africans began a fly fishing guide service and searched for fishing sites along the east coast of Africa. They found a relatively untouched fishery in the Seychelles Islands and soon wondered how they were going to handle their increasing number of clients. Then in 2009, Somali pirates invaded the area and the local government closed the area to tourism and fishing. This DVD is the story of what they found when the area was opened in 2015 and they returned to the flats of the Seychelles. Providence is an exciting fly fishing adventure story that is so beautifully filmed that my wife sat with me and watched it from beginning to end. You will enjoy it too. This DVD, as well as others in the chapter’s library, are available for check out at chapter meetings. If you are holding any of the chapter’s other videos, please return them when you are finished so that others may view them.

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Award-winning Wildlife Photography Exhibits on Display in Chicago

The Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park is showcasing Thomas Mangelsen’s award-winning wildlife photography through June 2. Named “A Life in the Wild,” the noted wildlife photographer’s work will features 40 large-scale prints. Admission is $9 for adults and $7 for seniors. For more information visit the museum’s website  for hours and additional information. The Field Museum is now featuring a “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” exhibit through January 12, 2020. The exhibit–with over 100 mostly large images–was produced by the Natural History Museum in London. Started in 1965, this is the longest-running nature photography competition in the world and involved 45,000 submissions from 95 countries. Visit the Field Museum’s website for hours and additional information.

 

At the April 17 membership meeting, speaker Carl Hueter his shared his success catching trophy brook trout in Labrador, Canada’s most eastern province. He also described the abundance of large northern pike in the region’s many lakes that connect the streams and rivers where brook trout reside. For more information on Labrador’s trophy northern pike, see the DUN Magazine 2018 Fall issue story. DUN Magazine is currently offering one-year subscriptions for $40.00 which is 50% off their newsstand price.

“Our Planet” Debuts New Series on Netflix

2018 Rod Raffle Reels In $2,684!

Oak Brook Trout Unlimited would like to thank everyone who participated in our 2018 Rod Raffle which generated $2,684 toward covering our annual operating costs covering monthly meeting facility rental fees, speaker fee and/or travel expense, membership communications, our website and administrative expenses (insurance and miscellaneous fees).  We must provide Chapter funding for these programs because there are no other outside sources of funding. National Trout Unlimited membership dues are not shared with our Chapter for funding our local conservation activities, youth programs and general operating expenses. The annual fundraiser featured 80 participants, with another 16 providing “restricted” donations to the chapter’s conservation, youth camp scholarships and endowment fund. The $4,410 gross revenue netted $2,684 after expenses. The 80 rod raffle participants was a drop off from 96 in 2017. The first prize winner was Paul Stinsa of Glenview Heights, who selected an Orvis Recon 4wt Recon Rod and Battenkill Reel with fly line—a $648 retail value. The second prize winner was Frank Zbyliski of Palos Heights who received a Fishpond Westwater Roll Top Duffel and Ice Storm Cooler. The 10 Third Prize winners of a $25 Orvis Gift Card were: Wayne Bernahl, Elmhurst Mark Bethke, Naperville Mike Finney, Channahon Chris Mehuys, Chatham Clifford Pixler, Glen Ellyn Joe Weisenberger, Ashland, Oregon Jim White, Oak Park Phil Uhl, Oak Forest Joe Vitti, Downers Grove Frank Zbyliski, Palos Heights

Holiday Party a Social and Financial Success!

Our December 12 Holiday Party at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton drew 57 members and guests for our annual social event and fundraiser.  The Holiday Party—which included a silent auction and bucket raffles—netted $4,052 after expenses. Special thanks to the following guides who donated one-day trips for two anglers: Dowagiac River—Jay Anglin of Anglin Outdoors. Driftless Area—Mat Wagner of The Driftless Angler. Muskegon River—Kevin Feenstra of Feenstra Guide Service. Northern Illinois Rivers—Mike Allen of Midwest Waters Angling Co. Please support these guides as you make your 2019 fishing plans.  For a list of other OBTU “business partners” and past donors to our Holiday Party and monthly raffles, please see our website “Business Partners” page in the “About Us” section. Your donations to our annual rod raffle and holiday party event help fund our Chapter’s general operating expenses for the year for monthly meetings, speakers, and various conservation and youth education activities.

Arrowhead Golf Club was our new 2018 Holiday Party venue where 57 members and guests gathered. Tom Wilhelm kept things moving as our MC with Rod Raffle, Bucket Raffle and Silent Auction winner announcements.

Oak Brook TU Chapter Elects New Officers and Directors

Oak Brook TU Chapter 2018 Financial Report

The highlights of the Oak Brook TU Chapter’s 2018 Finance Report follow: Revenue $31,036 was raised in the chapter’s 2018 fiscal year (October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018) through the following sources per the Revenue chart below: —  Spring Solicitation, Annual Rod Raffle, Holiday Party Fundraiser and Meeting Raffles. —  Contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations. —  Investment and interest income. Expenses $23,057 in expenses were incurred across the following consolidated categories per the chart below. —  $15,701 for conservation, youth education and membership programs. —  $5,326 for fundraising costs including printing, mailing and prize expenses. —  $2,303 for general administrative expenses which includes accounting software, email services, website support costs, and miscellaneous printing/mailing costs. The Chapter ended the 2018 fiscal year with net income of $7,979.  See the detailed 2018 Financial Report_Newsletter. The Oak Brook TU Endowment Fund ended the 2018 fiscal year with $35,642.  The objective of the Oak Brook TU Endowment Fund is to provide long-term funding of key chapter conservation initiatives through the fund’s investment earnings. The Endowment Fund principal is permanently restricted to generate earnings for future chapter conservation initiative.  The fund is invested with Vanguard.  For questions about the Oak Brook TU Endowment Fund, please contact Fred Hodge (630.267.9643).

February 20 Meeting Speaker:  Guide Abe Downs on Fly Fishing Wisconsin’s North Woods for Smallmouth, Pike and Muskie

Abe Downs will speak on fly fishing Wisconsin’s northern waters for smallmouth bass, northern pike and muskie. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Oak Brook Recreation Center Central Park West Building.  Guests are welcome. Abe Downs, owner of Great Northern Fly Fishing, is an Orvis endorsed guide, serving both experienced and novice fly fishers.  Located in the heart of Wisconsin in Stevens Point, Great Northern Fly Fishing specializes in guided fly fishing trips on northern Wisconsin rivers.  Anglers can choose between McKenzie drift boat and wade fishing on the beautiful and historic Wisconsin River and surrounding waters. Stevens Point is a 4.5-hour drive from Chicago. For more information, visit the Northern Fly Fishing website.

The 2019 TU Upper Midwest Regional is Coming to Illinois

Meet Willie Beshire

By Jim Schmiedeskamp Starting with this newsletter issue, I will be profiling various members of the Oak Brook TU Chapter as a way to for our membership to get to know each other better.  With the election of our 2019 Officers at our January 16 annual meeting, I thought I’d start with our new President—Willie Beshire. Willie became involved in Oak Brook TU after retiring as a teacher at Wheaton Warrenville South High School where he taught various math courses for 10 years.  Teaching became a second career after working for 27 years as a management consultant for two global consulting firms, including Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting).  His last consulting location was Australia where he worked for nine years. Willie’s first OBTU volunteer role was as an Illinois TU Council Summer Youth Camp mentor in 2014 which grew into the Camp Director position in 2015.  He has been the Camp Director through 2018.  With his new responsibilities as Chapter President, Willie has turned over the Camp Director reins to Dan LaFave.  As Camp Director, Willie has traveled the Chicago area visiting other TU chapters, attending various fishing and outdoor shows, and staffing special year-round events at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops promoting the camp and its educational benefits for 13-18 young men and women.  Besides the Illinois TU Council Camp Director position,  Willie became more involved in the OBTU Chapter overseeing our membership meeting content as the Meeting Programs Committee Chairman in 2016.  He became the chapter’s Vice President in 2017, a role he served through the end of 2018. Like many OBTU volunteers, getting involved has provided many post-career benefits. “My experience at OBTU has exceeded my own expectations in many ways,” says Willie. “I look forward to continue developing new friendships and working with the OBTU team to optimize our collective experience.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any ideas for improving our chapter.  Also, let me know if you would like to get more involved.” Hometown:  Medina, Ohio Current home: Wheaton, IL How long as a TU member: 7 years Introduction to fly fishing:  About 15 years ago by friends who were leading the Fly Fishing Field Studies course at the College of DuPage (COD).  Later became an “Adjunct Instructor” assisting with the COD program. Favorite “fishing hole”:  Too many to count!  Any good trout stream in the Driftless Area.  The Muskegon River is a great place to chase steelhead.  And the Au Sable River, the home of the IL Youth Camp and birth place of TU, is a sentimental favorite. Email:  wbeshire@aol.com

Orvis Yorktown Offers Free February Introductory Fly Tying Workshops

Saturdays 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. February 2 through February 23 Learn the basics of fly tying for free at Orvis Fly Tying 101! During this two-hour class you will learn essential fly tying techniques and leave having tied your first fly. As a thank you for taking the class, you will receive special offers on fly tying materials, accessories, and kits. Classes will be offered through Saturday, February 23. 8 students per class, and registration is required.  Fly tying equipment and materials are provided. View the Orvis Yorktown website event calendar for upcoming dates and to sign up on their website. Participants must register online.  Contact the store directly for any questions. Orvis Yorktown 306 Yorktown Center Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630-932-6573 Email:  retail-yorktownstr042@orvis.com

Volunteer for our May 4 “Adopt-a-Stream” Naperville Project

Come out for the Oak Brook TU spring 2019 DuPage River Cleanup Day—9 a.m. to 12 noon!   Bring your river shoes or waders and join us for a morning of removing debris and litter along the West Branch of the DuPage River from Gartner Road to 75th Street in Naperville. This event is part of the DuPage County “Adopt-A-Stream” program to help keep local water resources clean. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at Pioneer Park which is located at 1212 S. Washington Street in Naperville.  Lunch will follow at a downtown Naperville restaurant TBD for interested members. Gloves, trash pokers, garbage bags, water and technical support will be provided. For more information and/or to sign up please contact: Chris Pierson—chris.pierson.630@gmail.com; 630-470-8183 Dave Carlson— dmcarlson@hotmail.com; 312-953-6759

Follow Oak Brook TU Via Facebook and Instagram

If you have a Facebook account, help spread our chapter’s news, meeting information and volunteer activities by visiting our Facebook page and “Follow” and “Like” our page as well as individual posts and share our information with Facebook friends. Also feel free to post your own photos from personal fishing trips and Oak Brook TU activities you participate in. Connect to our Facebook page here. You can check out our new Instagram account and follow it for fly fishing information from Oak Brook TU and news from other TU chapters, our business partners, our preferred guides, fly fishing gear companies and other conservation organizations.

Two Brothers Artisan Brewing Latest OBTU Business Partner 

Two Brothers Artisan Brewing of Warrenville has become OBTU’s newest business partner. Twenty-one years ago, brothers Jim and Jason Ebel followed their passion for craft beer when they founded Two Brothers Brewing Company.  Since then, Two Brothers has helped revolutionize the Chicago craft beer scene with a passion for creating high-quality, well-balanced beers that push the boundaries of flavor and innovation. A Chicago craft beer pioneer, Two Brothers has been instrumental in introducing and popularizing a number of beer styles to the area, including German Hefeweizens, French Country Ales and Sours.  Currently, Two Brothers boasts an extensive lineup, featuring seven year-rounds, nine seasonals and a number of artisan beers released throughout the year. Two Brothers beers can be purchased at most Binny’s locations as well as at its three Chicago western suburb restaurants: the Taphouse in Warrenville, the Craftsman in downtown Naperville, and the Roundhouse in Aurora. Visit the Two Brothers website for more information on its craft beers and area restaurants.

The Librarian’s Corner

Smithsonian Channel Debuts “America’s Mississippi”

It begins at Minnesota’s Lake Itasca and ends in the Gulf of Mexico. From north to south, the mighty Mississippi River is a 2,300-mile marvel and America’s lifeline to the world.  Follow the river as it carves its path from the northern headwaters to the nation’s heartland to the southern bayou.  Discover how the Mississippi operates as an engine of commerce, and see how its wildlife thrive in and above its rushing waters and along its lush, green banks. The three-part series on the Smithsonian Channel features 60-minute segments as follows: “The Headwaters” traces the birth of the Mississippi River at Minnesota’s Lake Itasca through the Driftless Area of Wisconsin and Iowa. “The Heartland” covers the Mississippi River from the confluence of the Missouri River into the heart of America and witness life under water, in the skies, and along its banks. “The Bayou” follows the Mississippi River into the Deep South, through Cajun country, and finally the Gulf of Mexico. Also available for viewing on the Smithsonian Channel is a three-part series on Yellowstone Park.  Of special interest is the “Mystery in Yellowstone” episode which traces the decline in the Park’s elk population from 20,000 to 5,000 over the last decade due to the introduction of invasive lake trout in Yellowstone Lake.  It’s a very interesting biologist investigation connecting natural predators like wolves and grizzly bears to the declining elk population and the role Yellowstone Lake’s lake trout played in the elk decline. Visit the Smithsonian Channel website for viewing dates and times for both programs.

Dun Magazine Now Offering 50% off One-Year Subscription

Dun Magazine is no ordinary fly fishing publication.  This quarterly publication is a work of art perfect for both reading and display on your coffee table.  Published by OBTU business partner and friend Jen Ripple, Dun Magazine is over-sized to showcase the stunning photography inside. Priced at $20.00 per issue at retail, Dun Magazine is now accepting one-year subscriptions for $40.00.  Visit the Dun Magazine website for more information and to have it delivered to your front door.

Annual Rod Raffle Features 12 Great Prizes

Your donation to our annual rod raffle helps fund our Chapter’s general operating expenses for the year for monthly meetings, speakers, and various activities.  We are again selling booklets of five raffle tickets for $20.

This year, we are offering a choice for both our First and Second Prize Winners. 

FIRST PRIZE:  Your Choice: Orvis Recon Rod and Hydros Reel Trout Outfit.  A $648 retail value!
If trout fishing is your focus, choose a 4wt, 5wt or 6wt outfit with line from the Orvis Lombard store. Or…

Sage 8wt Rod & Reel Outfit for Smallmouth and/or Steelhead–A $654 retail value!
If your preference is smallmouth or steelhead fishing, Bass Pro Shops is offering an 8wt Sage Rod and Reel outfit featuring a Sage Platinum Spectrum Reel and Sage 8wt Graphite Rod.

SECOND PRIZE:  Your Choice of 2 of 3 Great Fishpond Fishing Gear Items!
Westwater Roll Top Duffel
Nomad Mid-length Net
Ice Storm Cooler

THIRD PRIZE: Orvis $25 gift cards for 10 winners. Redeemable at any Orvis store or via a website or catalog phone order.

If you do not receive your tickets in the mail or would like to purchase additional tickets, please contact Jim Schmiedeskamp via email and include “Raffle Tickets” in the subject line.  Email:  jimschmieds@gmail.com

Your ticket stubs with or without a donation should be mailed by December 1, 2018 to:
Oak Brook Chapter Trout Unlimited
P.O. Box 5046
Oak Brook, IL 60522-5046

The winning ticket will be drawn at our December Holiday party on Wednesday December 12th.  You are welcome to come to our next monthly membership meeting on Wednesday, November 28th and drop off your ticket stubs and money in person in lieu of mailing them.

Your ticket stubs should be mailed by December 1, 2018.  You do not have to be in attendance at the December 12 Holiday Party to be selected as a winner.

An Orvis Recon Rod with Hydros Reel and line is a great trout outfit in your choice of 4wt, 5wt or 6wt options as one of two First Prizes to pick from with a Sage 8wt smallmouth/steelhead outfit as another option.

On November 28 Learn about Kamchatka, Russia—30” Rainbows in the Land of Volcanoes

Oak Brook TU member John Snyder reports on his September 2018 trip to Kamchatka, Russia and his pursuit of its giant 30-inch rainbows at our November 28, 2018 membership meeting at the Oak Brook Recreation Center Central Park West Building at 7 p.m. Guests are welcome.

 Note: Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, our November membership meeting was moved back a week to the fourth Wednesday of the month and returns to our usual meeting location.

Oak Brook Trout Unlimited Debuts on Instagram!

“Thanks to OBTU member Chris Pierson, our chapter is now on Instagram, the photo-sharing social media platform,” said Jim Schmiedeskamp, Communications and Publicity Committee Chair.

“Our chapter now has an Instagram account that will regularly feature photos from our chapter activities, sponsors, business partners and like-minded conservation organizations. This account will help us get the word out about what our local chapter is doing and will help create many wonderful networking opportunities not only for Oak Brook TU but for also our chapter members as well as many others who will follow us on Instagram. Chris will be a great asset to our chapter’s publicity and membership communications!”

To view photo postings, download or visit the Instagram website (www.instagram.com). Once you’ve logged in, search for “tuoakbrook” and click on our account. Here you’ll find photos from meetings and other members as well as photos from other Trout unlimited chapters and companies who support Trout Unlimited.  Or you go directly to our Oakbrook TU Instagram account here.  Click on any photo for more information.

If you would like to submit any photos of your own, please email your photos to Chris Pierson at tuoakbrook@gmail.com and he will work on posting them. Please be sure to include your name, rough location of where the photo was taken (who wants to give up their best fishing spots anyways?), and any details you’d like for us to include in the caption.

We look forward to sharing many memorable moments from our chapter!

Driftless Area Floods Becoming the New Normal

The current Fall issue of Wisconsin Trout features a cover story written by Duke Welter on the recent disastrous floods in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area and their impact due to record-breaking rainfalls in late August and early September.  Duke Welter is the Outreach Coordinator for TU’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE) and an OBTU 2018 February  meeting speaker.

Read the article in the 2018 Wisconsin Trout Fall Issue.

The Richardson’s Professionally Tie One On

By Jim Schmiedeskamp

Nancy and Mike Richardson decided it was time to wind down their greenhouse operation that they owned and ran seven days a week for 28 years in Geneva, Illinois.  Selling herbs to retailers involved growing and caring for the delicate plants 24/7 from seed to store, which included transporting them to market in their own trucks.  A day off to go fishing or take a vacation was a dream postponed based on the demands of their business.

Five years ago, the Richardson’s decided to sell their greenhouse business and pursue something different, something less demanding as a “pre-retirement business.”

Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Nancy’s brother Steve was good friends with Chris Helm, a retired University of Toledo administrator and owner of Whitetail Fly Tieing Supplies, a mail order business he had started out of the basement of his house in Toledo.  Steve introduced his brother-in-law Mike Richardson to fly tying and subsequently to Chris Helm, who was a nationally known fly tier and fly fishing speaker.

Their casual friendship resulted in an offer by the Richardson’s to buy Whitetail Fly Tieing Supplies when Chris Helm decided to sell his business due to cancer in 2014.  After the purchase agreement was finalized, Nancy spent three months in Toledo conducting a full inventory assessment in preparation for transporting all fly tying supplies to Geneva, while Mike was starting to transform their home’s basement to a warehouse and retail showroom through the build-out of innovative displays and space-efficient product storage units.

Over 1,800 Customers Coast to Coast—and Worldwide
Four years later, the Richardson’s have grown their fly tying retail e-commerce business from over 700 customers to 1,800 with orders coming from fly tiers coast to coast—from Washington and Oregon to Pennsylvania—as well as worldwide.  After creating their website and on-line catalog, the Richardson’s marketed their business through advertising in fly fishing magazines and participating in fly fishing shows throughout the country.  Today, their business continues to grow thanks to customer referrals and the power of internet search engines.  Their website now features a video tour of their “virtual” store.

“We continue to acquire new customers who have found us by searching the internet,” said Nancy Richardson. “In fact, we have had pilots flying company executives into the DuPage Airport for business trips, who have Googled “fly shop near me” and decided to make a personal shopping trip to visit us while killing downtime.”

Today the e-commerce business stocks over 13,000 SKUs or unique items with their specialty being in deer, elk and other animal hair materials.  Nancy is primarily responsible for sales and marketing, while Mike can be found processing entire deer hides as well doing the dyeing, grading and packaging of individual products. While not a retail “walk-in” business, the Richardson’s will welcome OBTU members on an appointment basis.

About the Business
Whitetail Fly Tieing Supplies carries a full range of fly tying materials including adhesives, natural materials, synthetics, tube fly materials, threads, tools, books, DVDs and hooks. They stock hard-to-find items such as discontinued Partridge hooks, Gudebrod thread, and McClean’s Velveteen Dubbing, and manufacture the Brassie Hair Packer and the Magnum Hair Stacker exclusively for their business. Mike has also designed and built a Zonker Jig and Cutter. They also carry a large assortment of German scissors that are micro serrated on both blades.

Deer hair is one of the company’s custom items. Hides are hand selected to assure top quality, specific hair for numerous patterns. Mike personally grades all hides by season of harvest, color, texture, and length of hair. Hides are processed and custom cut to their customers’ specific needs.

OBTU Valued Sponsor and TU Business Partner
As an Oak Brook TU “valued sponsor,” Whitetail Fly Tieing Supplies supports the TU mission to conserve and restore our coldwater fisheries and donates products and gift certificates in support of the chapter’s fundraising programs such as our monthly meeting raffles and annual Holiday Party fundraiser. The firm is also a Trout Unlimited national Business Partner.

While running an e-commerce business is still a 24/7 operation with a commitment to fill orders within 24 hours, the Richardson’s are now able to do a little fishing, fly tieing and spending time with their two grandchildren.  This past summer, Nancy volunteered as a mentor for the 2018 Illinois TU Youth Camp in Michigan.

Outdoors Camp Commitment
“I really believe in camps for kids as a learning experience, and being outdoors is a big thing with me,” said Nancy Richardson. “The TU camp was well run with lots of scheduled activities for both the campers and mentors. I really enjoyed the experience and plan on volunteering to be a mentor again in 2019.”

“I was delighted that Nancy joined our 2018 youth camp team,” said Willie Beshire, Oak Brook TU Vice President and Illinois TU Council Youth Camp Director. “As a first-year volunteer, Nancy jumped right in, helping with the camp planning and being a camp mentor supervising both girls and boys. I am very excited that Nancy has re-enlisted for our 2019 youth camp.”

Oak Brook TU in the News

Oak Brook TU is featured in the new Fall issue of TROUT Magazine, the national publication of Trout Unlimited, on pages 61-62. The chapter is the lead story in the publication’s “Actionline News from the Field” section covering TU local chapter news.  The article, written by OBTU’s Jim Schmiedeskamp, highlights the chapter’s recently completed 10^th year of its signature “Trout in the Classroom” youth education program and Dean Hansen, OBTU’s “Bug Keeper.”  As a retired entomologist, Dean Hansen has been migrating from his home in Minneapolis to Chicago each April for a week of “Trout in the Classroom” presentations featuring live aquatic insects.  Read the article in the TROUT online issue.

Oak Brook TU’s Endowment Fund

The Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited Conservation and Conservation Education Endowment Fund was created in 1992 as a distinct, independent entity governed by its own Board of Trustees as a repository for a permanently restricted endowment principle and unrestricted endowment earnings. In 1999, the Endowment Fund and Oak Brook Trout Unlimited (OBTU) Boards agreed to changes to the OBTU by-laws bringing the Fund and its separate Board under the Chapter’s organizational umbrella. In accord with those by-laws provisions, the renamed Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited Conservation Endowment Fund has continued to serve as a repository for its permanently restricted endowment principal and the unrestricted earnings it has produced.

The OBTU Board of Directors selects Endowment Trustees from members and friends of the OBTU Chapter on the basis of their long-term familiarity with the Chapter’s financial needs and aspirations and on the basis of their financial management and fund-raising skills. The Trustees manage the Fund in accord with policies adopted and filed in 2013. At its discretion, the Fund’s Board of Trustees may disburse from the Fund only its earnings on principal in response to requests from the OBTU Board of Directors to pay for specific conservation stream restoration and conservation education projects.

Earnings from gifts to the Endowment Fund principal will enhance the Chapter’s future contributions to the conservation, protection and restoration of coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

“Donations from family foundations and trusts represent opportunities to help grow our Endowment Fund,” said Fred Hodge, Endowment Committee Chair. “Members interested in making a donation to our Endowment Fund can contact me for more information.  Donations are tax deductible.”

Fred Hodge’s contact information:
Email:  fnh435@aol.com
Phone: 630-267-9643

Oak Brook TU’s Endowment Fund

The Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited Conservation and Conservation Education Endowment Fund was created in 1992 as a distinct, independent entity governed by its own Board of Trustees as a repository for a permanently restricted endowment principle and unrestricted endowment earnings. In 1999, the Endowment Fund and Oak Brook Trout Unlimited (OBTU) Boards agreed to changes to the OBTU by-laws bringing the Fund and its separate Board under the Chapter’s organizational umbrella. In accord with those by-laws provisions, the renamed Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited Conservation Endowment Fund has continued to serve as a repository for its permanently restricted endowment principal and the unrestricted earnings it has produced.

The OBTU Board of Directors selects Endowment Trustees from members and friends of the OBTU Chapter on the basis of their long-term familiarity with the Chapter’s financial needs and aspirations and on the basis of their financial management and fund-raising skills. The Trustees manage the Fund in accord with policies adopted and filed in 2013. At its discretion, the Fund’s Board of Trustees may disburse from the Fund only its earnings on principal in response to requests from the OBTU Board of Directors to pay for specific conservation stream restoration and conservation education projects.

Earnings from gifts to the Endowment Fund principal will enhance the Chapter’s future contributions to the conservation, protection and restoration of coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

“Donations from family foundations and trusts represent opportunities to help grow our Endowment Fund,” said Fred Hodge, Endowment Committee Chair. “Members interested in making a donation to our Endowment Fund can contact me for more information.  Donations are tax deductible.”

Fred Hodge’s contact information:
Email:  fnh435@aol.com
Phone: 630-267-9643

President’s Letter–September 2018

Members and Friends:

We have wrapped up a busy and productive spring and summer of Youth Education Programs, Conservation projects and Fundraising, and with our fiscal year ending September 30, we are setting our budgets and formulating our plans and objectives for our new fiscal year.

The critical component to achieving our goals will be member involvement and engagement in the form of volunteering time and energies.

One of our objectives during the past few years has been to expand the proactive nature of our various committees and encourage the committee chairpersons to develop and execute activities consistent with our strategic plan.

To this end, our Committee Chairpersons need volunteers to periodically step up and assist them. It could be as simple as a singular event or activity or assisting on a more regular and consistent basis.

Below I have listed our current Chairpersons and their respective committees.

I am asking ALL our members and friends to review the list and if an area appeals to you please contact myself or the Chairperson for more information on the committee’s activities and needs.

Finance/Accounting—Jack Potts
Membership—Ken Krueger
Fundraising—John Snyder
Communication/Publicity—Jim Schmiedeskamp
Conservation—Dave Carlson
Youth/Adult Education—Marv Strauch
Women’s Initiative/Events—Carol Hennessy
Meeting Programs/Events Planning—Willie Beshire
Endowment Committee Chair—Fred Hodge
Leadership Development Committee Chair—Lisa Gilmore

These individuals can be reached by visiting our website’s “Leadership” page. If you haven’t visited our website, please check it out at:  obtu.org.   Each Committee Chairperson is listed along with their email address to request contact or more information. Or you can call me at 630-939-3471.

Our Chapter—the Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited—is well positioned to continue making a difference in the lives of numerous young boys and girls in the Chicago area and coldwater streams in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Only through the efforts of all our members will we achieve our goals.

Respectfully,

David Lunardini
Chapter President

Fly Fishing Author Jason Randall To Speak October 17

Ever wonder what it would be like to take a fishing trip with the country’s best anglers? Author Jason Randall fishes with fly fishing giants such as George Daniel, Landon Mayer, Lefty Kreh, Ed Jaworowski, Ed Engle, Gary Borger, and Joe Humphreys and shares their top nymphing techniques, flies, and tactics in his latest book “Nymph Masters: Fly Fishing Secrets From Expert Anglers.”  The book is currently available on Amazon.com.

Jason will be our featured speaker at the October 17 membership meeting, at 7 p.m. at the Canterberry Room in the Oak Brook Recreation Center  main building.  Guests are welcome.

Jason covers everything from rigging flies, reading the water, casting, and fighting fish as he travels the United States, from Pennsylvania to Alaska, in his quest to learn the methods of the masters.  He last spoke at an Oak Brook TU meeting in February 2017.

Jason Randall is a resident of Woodstock, Illinois and a member of the Lee Wulff TU Chapter. He has been an outdoor writer for the last 12 years with feature articles appearing regularly in American Angler, as well as Fly Fisherman, Eastern Fly Fishing, Northwest Fly Fishing and many other outdoor magazines. He is a veterinarian certified in fish health and medicine and is also a member of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association and the Society for Freshwater Science.

His first book, Moving Water: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Currents was released in 2012. It studies the effect of current on trout, their prey species and presentation, where vertical layers of current create drag and requires adjustments to improve nymph fishing success.

His second book Feeding Time: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What, Where and When Trout Eat, was released in August of 2013. It focuses on matching your fishing strategies to the trout’s feeding strategies, especially when targeting large trout.

In 2014, the third book in the Fly Fisher’s Guide trilogy was released. Titled Trout Sense; A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What Trout See, Hear and Smell, it offers anglers an opportunity to know more about the quarry they seek.

Free Introductory Fly Tying Workshops

OBTU is sponsoring a series of free introductory fly tying workshops for both its members and the general public on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the Bass Pro Shops Bolingbrook store on the following dates:

October 9
October 23
November 6

Fly tying equipment and materials will be provided.  There will be 12 participants per class.  Sign up today by contacting Lisa Piggott, Bass Pro Shops, at 630.296.2702

Bass Pro Shops is located at 709 Janes Avenue, Bolingbrook.

Volunteer for October 13 Coldwater River Watershed Macroinvertebrate Study

Oak Brook TU members will return to the Coldwater River near Alto, Michigan on October 13 to continue the four-year macroinvertebrate survey as part of a Michigan Clean Water Corps grant which commenced in 2014.

The study will take place Saturday, October 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the meeting location at the Tyler Creek Country Club in Alto, Michigan.

As with the past spring and fall surveys, audit teams will be formed, and each team will visit one of five sites along the Coldwater River or its major tributaries.  Each site will be observed for any physical changes since the June audit.  Then samples will be taken by volunteers using D-nets from the various habitat types within each site.  Samples will be collected into large pails before each team returns to our base at Tyler Creek Country Club where we will identify and count everything collected.

Volunteers need to bring their waders.

The Saturday morning activity is usually followed by a cookout and the opportunity to do some local fishing.  Drive time from Chicago to the Tyler Creek Country Club is about 3.5 hours.

To volunteer for the October 13 Coldwater Study, please contact Marv Strauch at your earliest opportunity if you plan to be attend.
E:  mjstrauchjr@gmail.com
M:  708-638-1318.

Marvin Strauch Discusses “Trout in the Classroom” on August 26 Radio Program

Marvin Strauch, OBTU Youth Education Chair, was the featured guest on Mike Nowak’s 1590 AM Sunday morning radio show on August 26. Marvin and Joe Lentino, a Burroughs Junior High School teacher whose class has participated in the program since the 2013 school year, discussed the chapter’s “Trout in the Classroom” program and Trout Unlimited’s coldwater conservation mission during the show’s 10:15-11:00 a.m. segment.

Listen to the Mike Nowak podcast of this segment.

President’s Letter–September 2018

Members and Friends:

We have wrapped up a busy and productive spring and summer of Youth Education Programs, Conservation projects and Fundraising, and with our fiscal year ending September 30, we are setting our budgets and formulating our plans and objectives for our new fiscal year.

The critical component to achieving our goals will be member involvement and engagement in the form of volunteering time and energies.

One of our objectives during the past few years has been to expand the proactive nature of our various committees and encourage the committee chairpersons to develop and execute activities consistent with our strategic plan.

To this end, our Committee Chairpersons need volunteers to periodically step up and assist them. It could be as simple as a singular event or activity or assisting on a more regular and consistent basis.

Below I have listed our current Chairpersons and their respective committees.

I am asking ALL our members and friends to review the list and if an area appeals to you please contact myself or the Chairperson for more information on the committee’s activities and needs.

Finance/Accounting—Jack Potts
Membership—Ken Krueger
Fundraising—John Snyder
Communication/Publicity—Jim Schmiedeskamp
Conservation—Dave Carlson
Youth/Adult Education—Marv Strauch
Women’s Initiative/Events—Carol Hennessy
Meeting Programs/Events Planning—Willie Beshire
Endowment Committee Chair—Fred Hodge
Leadership Development Committee Chair—Lisa Gilmore

These individuals can be reached by visiting our website’s “Leadership” page. If you haven’t visited our website, please check it out at:  obtu.org.   Each Committee Chairperson is listed along with their email address to request contact or more information. Or you can call me at 630-939-3471.

Our Chapter—the Oak Brook Chapter of Trout Unlimited—is well positioned to continue making a difference in the lives of numerous young boys and girls in the Chicago area and coldwater streams in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Only through the efforts of all our members will we achieve our goals.

Respectfully,

David Lunardini
Chapter President

Fly Fishing Author Jason Randall To Speak October 17

Ever wonder what it would be like to take a fishing trip with the country’s best anglers? Author Jason Randall fishes with fly fishing giants such as George Daniel, Landon Mayer, Lefty Kreh, Ed Jaworowski, Ed Engle, Gary Borger, and Joe Humphreys and shares their top nymphing techniques, flies, and tactics in his latest book “Nymph Masters: Fly Fishing Secrets From Expert Anglers.”  The book is currently available on Amazon.com.

Jason will be our featured speaker at the October 17 membership meeting, at 7 p.m. at the Canterberry Room in the Oak Brook Recreation Center  main building.  Guests are welcome.

Jason covers everything from rigging flies, reading the water, casting, and fighting fish as he travels the United States, from Pennsylvania to Alaska, in his quest to learn the methods of the masters.  He last spoke at an Oak Brook TU meeting in February 2017.

Jason Randall is a resident of Woodstock, Illinois and a member of the Lee Wulff TU Chapter. He has been an outdoor writer for the last 12 years with feature articles appearing regularly in American Angler, as well as Fly Fisherman, Eastern Fly Fishing, Northwest Fly Fishing and many other outdoor magazines. He is a veterinarian certified in fish health and medicine and is also a member of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association and the Society for Freshwater Science.

His first book, Moving Water: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Currents was released in 2012. It studies the effect of current on trout, their prey species and presentation, where vertical layers of current create drag and requires adjustments to improve nymph fishing success.

His second book Feeding Time: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What, Where and When Trout Eat, was released in August of 2013. It focuses on matching your fishing strategies to the trout’s feeding strategies, especially when targeting large trout.

In 2014, the third book in the Fly Fisher’s Guide trilogy was released. Titled Trout Sense; A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What Trout See, Hear and Smell, it offers anglers an opportunity to know more about the quarry they seek.

Free Introductory Fly Tying Workshops

OBTU is sponsoring a series of free introductory fly tying workshops for both its members and the general public on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the Bass Pro Shops Bolingbrook store on the following dates:

October 9
October 23
November 6

Fly tying equipment and materials will be provided.  There will be 12 participants per class.  Sign up today by contacting Lisa Piggott, Bass Pro Shops, at 630.296.2702

Bass Pro Shops is located at 709 Janes Avenue, Bolingbrook.

Volunteer for October 13 Coldwater River Watershed Macroinvertebrate Study

Oak Brook TU members will return to the Coldwater River near Alto, Michigan on October 13 to continue the four-year macroinvertebrate survey as part of a Michigan Clean Water Corps grant which commenced in 2014.

The study will take place Saturday, October 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the meeting location at the Tyler Creek Country Club in Alto, Michigan.

As with the past spring and fall surveys, audit teams will be formed, and each team will visit one of five sites along the Coldwater River or its major tributaries.  Each site will be observed for any physical changes since the June audit.  Then samples will be taken by volunteers using D-nets from the various habitat types within each site.  Samples will be collected into large pails before each team returns to our base at Tyler Creek Country Club where we will identify and count everything collected.

Volunteers need to bring their waders.

The Saturday morning activity is usually followed by a cookout and the opportunity to do some local fishing.  Drive time from Chicago to the Tyler Creek Country Club is about 3.5 hours.

To volunteer for the October 13 Coldwater Study, please contact Marv Strauch at your earliest opportunity if you plan to be attend.
E:  mjstrauchjr@gmail.com
M:  708-638-1318.

Youth Fly Fishing Classes Completes 14th Year

Oak Brook TU completed its 14^th year of Youth Fly Fishing classes, instructing 63 boys and girls.  As in the past couple years, five monthly classes were conducted at the Sagawau Environmental Education Center of the Cook County Forest Preserves near Lemont.  Actual outdoor flyrod casting instruction and fishing was at nearby Horsetail Lake.

“The word is definitely out on the OBTU Youth Fly Fishing program,” said Marvin Strauch, Education Chair.  “In addition to the normal registration from Chicago and the suburban area, we had attendees from Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, and even California.  Those from far afield were Boy Scouts looking to earn their fly fishing merit badge.”

This program could not exist without the enthusiastic support of our volunteer members.  We had 25 volunteers helping out; many of these volunteers not only acting as fishing mentors, but also presenting one or more of the programs segments.

Special thanks go out to:  Miguel, and Mirella Alvarez, Ted Bernhard, Wally Bock, Willie Beshire, Steve Carlson, Art Cottrell, Lisa Gilmore, Fred Hodge, Dan LaFave, Mike Lesiak, Dave Lunardini, Dale MacDonald, Greg Prosen, Brian Ross, Bill Thoms, Tom Wilhelm, Phil Young, Stan Zarnowiecki, and Frank Zbylski.

“As we look forward to another successful year in 2019, we hope to hopefully draw more participants from our Trout in the Classroom schools, and to draw more girls,” said Marvin Strauch. “Of course, we can always use more volunteers, as it takes 8-10 volunteers to conduct a class day.  Please consider volunteering for next year and join in on the fun of passing your knowledge of fly fishing and the conservation mission of TU to another generation.”

Marvin Strauch Discusses “Trout in the Classroom” on August 26 Radio Program

Marvin Strauch, OBTU Youth Education Chair, was the featured guest on Mike Nowak’s 1590 AM Sunday morning radio show on August 26. Marvin and Joe Lentino, a Burroughs Junior High School teacher whose class has participated in the program since the 2013 school year, discussed the chapter’s “Trout in the Classroom” program and Trout Unlimited’s coldwater conservation mission during the show’s 10:15-11:00 a.m. segment.

Listen to the Mike Nowak podcast of this segment.

2018 Conservation Fundraising Program Needs Your Support

The mission of your Oak Brook Trout Unlimited Chapter is to conserve, protect and restore coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in the Midwest.  OBTU fulfills our mission through 1) advocacy, 2) K6–12 education programming, and 3) by providing funding and volunteers for hands-on projects to improve and rehabilitate coldwater river systems. There are no other outside sources of funding for our chapter. National Trout Unlimited membership annual dues are not shared with our Chapter.

“To fund these ongoing and new conservation and youth education programs, our board has identified a fund-raising target of $8,000 for these initiatives and would like your support in reaching this goal by June 30, 2018,” said John Snyder, Financial Development Committee Chair. “Each Board member has committed to a personal donation of at least $100.00 to kick off this fund-raising effort and we would like our members’ support at this same level—if possible.  In fact, including a “Friends and Family” focus, your Board members are personally committed to a total of $3,000 in donations.

Mission success requires that we provide cash funding to cover out-of-pocket expenses including contracting for streamside excavation, replanting, baseline studies and K6-12 classroom fish tanks. Last year’s membership solicitation raised over $6,500 for our 2017 conservation and youth education programs:

Last year’s membership solicitation raised over $6,500 to cover out-of-pocket expenses including contracting for Wisconsin Driftless Area streamside excavation work, replanting, Michigan Coldwater River and Dowagiac River watershed baseline studies and K6-12 classroom fish tanks for our youth education programs.

Thank you very much for your 2017 volunteer and financial support of these past activities!

Consistent with our 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, the Chapter continues to focus on an aggressive conservation agenda which builds on our past Wisconsin Driftless Area and other Midwest stream restoration projects, adds an important new focus on the Dowagiac River watershed in Southwest Michigan and continues our commitment to youth education.

Specific 2018-2019 proposed conservation projects requiring cash funding include:

• Weister Creek stream restoration Phase 5 in Vernon County, Wisconsin.
• Sparta, Wisconsin stream restoration project.
• Spring and Fall Coldwater River Watershed (Alto, Michigan) macroinvertebrate studies.
• NEW!!! Dowagiac River stream restoration following the planned 2018 removal of the Pucker Street Dam in Niles, Michigan.
• TU Driftless Area Restoration (TUDARE) projects.

Please review the “ 2018-2019 Conservation Project Flyer” and “ Duke Welter TUDARE Interview” information for more details on these important efforts.

OBTU Donations Are Tax-deductible and May be Matched by Employers
OBTU is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and your donation is tax deductible and may also be matched by your employer. Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 38-1612715 and a download PDF of the IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter for 501(c)(3) non-profit documentation is available on our website’s “Donate” page.

You can mail a check made payable to “Oak Brook Trout Unlimited” to:
Oak Brook Chapter Trout Unlimited
P.O. Box 5046
Oak Brook, IL  60522-5046

Many thanks for your financial and volunteer support in 2017 and this year!

Dean Hansen—OBTU’s “Bug Keeper”—Helps Chapter Complete 10th Year of “Trout in the Classroom”

By Jim Schmiedeskamp

Oak Brook Chapter TU has successfully completed its 10th year of supporting “Trout in the Classroom” (TIC).  TIC is a program that allows participating schools to raise trout from eggs to juvenile trout in a class from aquarium tank and release them in a northern Illinois trout stream or Lake Michigan.  This year OBTU supported 11 school programs.  Students from these schools released their trout during the week of April 30.

These release field trips are the culmination of a year’s activity for these students, as they visit the trout stream, test the water quality for comparison to their school tank, and seine and survey for aquatic nymphs and organisms that are part of the trout’s ecosystem.  And of course, they release their trout fingerlings.

This program could not have been successfully completed without the support of OBTU volunteers.  In fact, this year between the April entomology presentations at TIC schools and the release week, 28 OBTU volunteers worked a total of 73 volunteer days.

Dean Hansen is Oak Brook TU’s “bug keeper” providing an array of live aquatic insect specimens for a week’s worth of classes supporting the chapter’s “Trout in the Classroom” program.  The Oak Brook TU program looks forward to Dean’s annual migration from his home in Minneapolis to Chicago every spring for his interactive entomology presentations featuring mayflies, caddisflies, damsel flies and hellgrammites.  Now 75 and a retired commercial bee keeper,  Dean continues to pursue his life’s passion studying insects now with the underwater variety as a volunteer educator.  Here’s a recent interview with Dean as he marks his eighth year as the chapter’s featured entomology classroom expert and presenter.

What do you call your home town?
I grew up in south Minneapolis, just a couple houses from Minnehaha Park, with lots of trees and grasses, and, of course, Minnehaha Creek. OK, not a Class I trout stream, but, still, moving water.

Did you fish as a kid? If yes, for what and with what kind of tackle?
Our parents took a family vacation every summer, usually to a resort on a lake in northern Minnesota. Fishing started at age five or so, with a casting rod and a worm on a hook.  The neighborhood kids also did some worm fishing from the shore of nearby Lake Nokomis.

What was your major at the University of Minnesota (UMN)? I know your graduate work was in entomology. What was your PhD focused on?
I started in the Institute of Technology, first year as an aeronautical engineer, second year as a physics major, but then I did a major switch and became a zoology major for my junior and senior years at UMN.
Funny how life can hinge on such minor points:  Near the end of my junior year, I was walking down the stairway in the Zoology Building and saw a notice about field classes at the UMN’s Itasca Biology Station.  I got the very last available spot in “Field Entomology.”  That six-week session at Itasca changed my life.  I finished my senior year as a zoology major and then entered graduate school as an entomology major in the fall of 1964.  I was fortunate to be able to work on an interesting group of small flies, the larvae of which, in Minnesota and Wisconsin, live in cold trout streams.  In the mountains in the West they are found in similar streams and can be the major group of insects found in such demanding habitats as snowfield and glacier meltwater streams.  They are also found in moving waters above timberline in the Arctic.  I spent parts of three summers collecting specimens in the Big Horn Mountains, on the Beartooth Plateau in Wyoming, and in the Cascade Mountains in Washington.  I worked on nailing down the morphology of the adult stage and then describing the 30 species I found, 10 of which had not been known to science before.

Did you spend your entire career as a commercial “beekeeper”? How did you pick this profession and what did it entail?
Academia was in a contracting phase when I got out in 1973, and, even with a year of college teaching experience (at the UMN Duluth, 1970-71) behind me, I wasn’t able to find a job. I had started keeping a hive or two of bees in 1966, and when the price of honey went from 13 cents in 1970 to over 50 cents in 1973.  I saw commercial beekeepers doing very well financially, so I decided to go where I could earn a living.  I worked for a commercial beekeeper at his family’s honey packing business in 1973-75, while I built up my own beekeeping operation.  My business eventually grew to about 640 colonies of bees, in Minnesota and nearby spots in neighboring Wisconsin.  I sold my honey in 55-gallon barrels to a few specialty bakeries.  I figure I sold something over 1.3 million pounds of honey over the years.

I believe you mentioned you are still working part-time for a local engineering consulting firm responsible for conducting environmental impact assessments for discharge permits for mining activities in northern Minnesota. Do you physically collect the specimens for these studies as well as for your “Trout in the Classroom” programs? If yes, from how many different streams?
I mainly look at samples that have been collected by others, either from northern Minnesota for the possible mining ventures, but also for some watershed districts, and for an agricultural products plant.

I do collect all the live aquatic insect larvae I use in the TIC programs.  I’ve been doing this for five decades, and I joke (but it’s the truth) that I know the square meter to go to in order to collect Hex nymphs, clinging mayflies, giant stoneflies, etc. The Hex nymphs come from one spot, the hellgrammites from a different river, the caddis larvae and clinging mayflies from a third, on and on.  I’ll go to four or five streams to get the material I need for the TIC programs.

How important is TU’s stream restoration work to maintaining a healthy aquatic insect population?
Several factors will work to reduce a healthy population of aquatic insects. Water temperature, of course—this can get complicated, and I’m not in favor of planting trees along a stream to provide shade.  A major detriment in a stream is excessive sediment input.  Tom Waters authored an entire book, “Sediment in Streams”, on just this subject.  Another detriment is lack of “LWD”—that is, Large Woody Debris.  Most insect larvae need something solid to hang on to, be it a rock, submerged tree trunk or branches, or underwater rooted plants.  Shifting sand is all but a biological desert as far as an insect larva is concerned.  Any restoration work that seeks to maintain cool spring water input, reduce fine or coarse sediment, and prevent agriculture chemicals from being washed into a stream, and enhancing the amount of natural “debris” in a stream will be beneficial.  I’ve seen an old car tire being removed from a stream.  It was covered with caddisfly cases, black fly larvae, and some Baetis mayfly nymphs.  That old car tire was providing good solid habitat for a variety of aquatic insects.  But did it belong in the stream?  Absolutely not.  But try to replace it was some rocks or woody debris.  Except for the mud-loving Hex, some sprawling dragonfly nymphs, and bloodworm larvae, the majority of aquatic insects need something solid—even it’s just a submerged leaf blade of a streambank grass—to hold on to.

If there was one aquatic insect that was the proverbial “canary in a coal mine” for detecting water quality issues in a coldwater stream, which bug would it be?
That’s a hard question to answer. I can get to the base of a snowfield and find only one or two chironomid (“my” group of aquatic insects) larvae in the pure, cold stream flowing from under the snowfield.  They’re the only species adapted to living there.  I’d say there’s no “one” proverbial canary in the coal mine.  What one wants is a diverse array of species, some grazing the algae on the rocks, some collecting tiny chunks of food from the water, some shredding the leaf fall and woody debris that get into the stream.  One wants a community, not just a single “good” species.

How many years have you been supporting the Oak Brook TU “Trout in the Classroom” program?
Eight years, is it?

Q. How many different species of live “bugs” do you collect for our TIC classes?
I need to go to five or six streams to get the variety of insects needed. I’ll try to collect about 100 total across these groups: stoneflies, burrowing mayflies, mayfly clingers and swimmers, caddisflies and hellgrammites.

How interested are today’s middle and high school students in your “hands on” content?
I’d say “very.” Actually, the hands-on part of my classes is particularly effective with special education students with some sort of learning challenge. I’ve had several special ed teachers tell me that this is “just perfect” for these students. They use their eyes, their hands, they don’t have to memorize something that will be on a test. They are sort of set free to look, observe, question, hesitate, work at their own pace.  I don’t do that many high school classes—nearly all elementary and middle schools students.  The younger, the better, I feel.  I’ve watched six-year-olds jumping up and down, shaking their arms, and shouting with excitement.  You’ll never get a cool high school senior to do that.

Do you fly fish for trout today?
Yes, but not as often as I’d like.

If yes, do you tie your own flies?
I have in the past. Maybe again this year.  Or maybe I’ll be content to collect chironomids in a snowfield meltwater stream on Wyoming’s Beartooth Plateau again this summer.

President’s Letter

Hello fellow members:

Ahhh, Spring finally arrived with warm weather after a long delay. I’m wondering if the fish have been as impatient as we have been. I think I’ll hit a few spots and check out their willingness to take my offerings.

Many of our Chapter events and activities are happing between now and the inevitable return of Fall. All can be viewed by visiting our website OBTU.org for specifics, but I liked to highlight a few and their importance.

Our Spring Fundraising Campaign for our Conservation and Youth Education programs is kicking off and you have received both letters and emails in late May with details on this program. We have done some wonderful work in both areas over the years and are hoping to be able to continue and expand our efforts going forward. Our members, families and friends have been very generous over the years with both dollars and volunteer hours in supporting these efforts and we thank all, for both past and future support. Last year’s campaign raised $6,500; our 2018 goal is $8,000. Our Fundraising deadline is June 30, 2018.

I’m also looking forward to seeing and meeting NEW participants in our various activities, including our Youth Fly Fishing classes and June 23 Driftless Area work day building lunker structures. Contact Dave Carlson if you want more information about the work day and the planned fishing activities.

A sincere thank you to everyone who volunteered and helped with our “Trout in the Classroom” program this year. We couldn’t do it without you as 28 members donated 75 volunteer days.

Lastly, I’m asking everyone reading my letter this month to help us with our goal of getting more women involved in our Chapter. If you know of any woman who has expressed an interest in fly fishing and/or environmental issues, please inform them of our website: OBTU.org.

Dave Lunardini
President, Oak Brook Trout Unlimited
630-939-3471

Sparta, Wisconsin Work Day Scheduled for June 23

On Saturday, June 23, OBTU members will be returning to Sparta, Wisconsin for a stream restoration work day in the heart of the Driftless Area. The work day will be focused on building “LUNKER” structures for installation in Beaver Creek north of town.

We will meet around 8:30 am at Fisherman’s Park in downtown Sparta.  For those of you who have not been there before, it is easy to get to the park from I-90 and there is plenty of parking.

Lunch will be provided after the project at the picnic shelter in Fisherman’s Park. We should be done with work and lunch by 2:00 pm which will allow for time to fish nearby trout streams.  Volunteers should bring work gloves, work boots, protective glasses and hammers. Bring your waders and fly fishing gear if you want to get into the water for a little fishing.

Please RSVP to Dave Carlson at dmcarlson@hotmail.com or 312-953-6759 if you plan to attend so we can plan the work and estimate food for lunch.

Several of us will be staying around to do some fishing in the Driftless area. We will meet after lunch to discuss places to fish and to pair up new members with others more experienced in the area.  For those of you staying overnight Saturday we will meet at the Old Town Inn in Westby at 7:30 p.m. for dinner.

Cold Day on the Coldwater River

Another year and more bugs to count at the Coldwater River.  On Saturday, May 19, 18 OBTU volunteers met at Tyler Creek campground outside Grand Rapids to begin our semi-annual 2018 macroinvertebrate survey with the Coldwater River Watershed Council (CRWC).

“Into each life a little rain must fall…” and that was definitely the case that weekend according to Marvin Strauch.  Rain during the prior week had raised water levels on the Coldwater and surrounding rivers and colored the water.  But then a new weather system moved in Friday and drenched the area overnight.

“We were a bit delayed in the morning, waiting for the rains to break,” said Strauch. “Of course, that gave us a bit more time to finish the campsite breakfast prepared by Stan Zarnowiecki.  He has really hit his stride with eggs and sausages over a camp stove!”

The survey sites were on the Coldwater River at the M-43 crossing (in the midst of the area that had previously been destroyed by the haphazard tree cutting of a drainage commission contractor), Coldwater at Freeport, and on the tributaries streams – Duck Creek, Tyler Creek, and Cain Creek.  These feeders are responsible for much of the cold water feeding the Coldwater.  The Cain Creek site was an adjustment from last year and proved to be quite a healthy site.  This survey site lies within a nature preserve – Maher Sanctuary – a lush habitat, plenty of forest canopy, with close growing native plants on the forest floor.  Not surprisingly, that site yielded phenomenal numbers of mayflies (Baetis and March Browns), stoneflies, and cased caddis.  As well, despite the rains, that site was flowing very clear.  It was a glimpse into what all streams in this area could be if properly protected.

CRWC members prepared lunch for us after the count was completed.  As well, each OBTU volunteer was given a framed print of the Coldwater River.  It was an acknowledgement of our 14 years of cooperation in working to conserve and protect this southern Michigan trout stream.

Our members spent the rest of the weekend trout fishing on western Michigan, on the Coldwater River, Tyler Creek, the Rogue River, the Muskegon and the Pere Marquette.  It was a successful conservation project and a fun weekend, though complicated by the elements.

You can view the results of our previous Macroinvertebrate surveys, as well as the environmental data on a host of Michigan streams at the MiCorps website – www.micorps.net – select the Data Exchange tab, then View Exchange.  There are a few Coldwater Rivers in Michigan.  Select the data for sites in Kent or Barry counties.

Special thanks go out to our volunteers: Miguel and Mirella Alvarez, Steve Carlson, Dave Carlson, Art Cottrell, Jim Hohenberger, Jim Jones, Ken Krueger, Dan LaFave, Frank Martin, John Martyn, Phillip Martyn, Alex Martyn, Ed Michael, Marvin Strauch, and Stan Zarnowiecki.

Chicago Life Magazine Feature Trout in the Classroom Story

The Chicago Life Summer issue features a three-page story on our “Trout in the Classroom” program written by the publication’s conservation writer Chris Johnson.  The Chicago Life magazine will be included in all home deliveries to subscribers of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times Saturday papers in the Chicago metropolitan area this weekend. The combined circulation of both papers is 102,000.  It is not available at newsstands.

See the Chicago Life Trout in Classroom article.

Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium Premiere’s New Reef Exhibit

The Shedd Aquarium, an OBTU business partner, has introduced a new special exhibit titled “Underwater Beauty” which opened May 25. The display features over 100 species from around the world arranged according to various themes such as “Shimmer” featuring a school of false herring; “Colors” showcasing a rainbow of colorful fish, underwater creatures and coral; “Patterns” depicting fish with spots and stripes that make them blend in or stand out as survival demands; and “Rhythms” which is all about ways of moving.

This is the first special exhibit to come under the Shedd’s new, simplified all-in-one price policy.  According to the Shedd Aquarium, its mission is to ensure that all underwater beauty is conserved, protected and treasured because each animal plays a critical role in maintaining the balance and health of its aquatic environment.

For more information, visit the Shedd Aquarium website.

The Librarian’s Corner

By Phil Young

Raising the Ghost (Flyboys Production / 2008) 1hr 07m / DVD

Close your eyes and imagine that you are on the steelhead trip of a lifetime.  A helicopter drops you, your friends, your camping gear and an inflatable raft on a remote stretch of the Skeena River deep in British Columbia.  You break out the single-handed fly rods and the spey rods and find that huge steelhead are taking whatever you throw at them, even green drake dry flies on a dead drift.

This is Raising the Ghost.  You won’t find any information regarding rod size, grain weights or fly selection here, but you will find an enjoyable and entertaining film.  There is also a conservation message about how steelhead populations are 2% of their historic numbers due to over harvesting, poor timber practices, mining at the headwaters, dam building/hydropower and the introduction of different genetic strains of hatchery fish.  We must all do what we can to preserve wild steelhead populations.

This DVD, as well as others in the chapter’s library, are available for check out at chapter meetings.  If you are holding any of the chapter’s other videos, please return them when you are finished so that others may view them.

Book Review: “Kings of the Yukon”

Written by Adam Weymouth, “Kings of the Yukon” (272 pages; $27) documents the five species of salmon that swim the Yukon River each summer.  The book traces the author’s summer journey paddling the 2,000-mile length of the Yukon River, from its headwaters in northwest Canada to its mouth off Alaska’s coast in the Bering Sea. Weymouth describes the Yukon River as “the most complex salmon fishery in the world.”

President’s Letter

March 2018

Hello fellow members:

We are preparing for another active spring and summer season featuring our Youth Education and Conservation Programs.  These include our “Trout in the Classroom,” Youth Fly Fishing Classes, Michigan’s Coldwater River macroinvertebrate study and stream restoration work in Wisconsin.  This newsletter features a detailed overview of our 2018 conservation plans.

I ask all members and friends of the chapter to access our website for ongoing activities and review our newsletters and emails to stay informed about opportunities to volunteer and get involved. You can also call me if you have questions or need clarification on something.

Please don’t be concerned about not having any specific experience or knowledge about any volunteer activity or program taking place. Individuals will be there to explain and guide you along. We ALL had a first experience and we view these as not only as an opportunity to provide interesting programs and activities to the participants, but to use them as an opportunity to train our volunteers.

Additionally, watch for information about our Spring Conservation Fundraising campaign and the specific, intended use of your donations in the next few weeks.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge the passing of one our members, Ron Kurasz. Ron was a friend and a mentor who was always willing to share his fishing knowledge and experiences. He additionally, was a very active and supportive member of our chapter who participated frequently in our programs. His knowledge and helping hands will be missed.

Dave Lunardini
President, Oak Brook Trout Unlimited
630-939-3471

2018 Conservation Project Plans Announced

OBTU’s 2018 conservation activities include financial and volunteer support for projects in both Wisconsin and Michigan in support of Trout Unlimited’s mission of conserving, protecting and restoring coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in the Midwest.

Our conservation financial commitments this year include Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE); Weister Creek restoration in Vernon County, WI; continued stream restoration work in Sparta, WI; and biological monitoring and survey work on the Coldwater and Dowagiac River watersheds in Michigan.

Volunteer support is needed for our May 19 and October macroinvertebrate studies on the Coldwater River Watershed in Alto, MI outside of Grand Rapids and a June 23 stream restoration work day in Sparta, WI.

“We plan to continue the important conservation work on our Chapter’s priority projects in support of the Wisconsin’s Driftless Area and Michigan’s Coldwater River watershed,” said Dave Carlson, Conservation Committee Chair.  “The Conservation Committee is also pursuing new opportunities ‘closer to home’, such as involvement with the Dowagiac River in Southwest Michigan which is only 90 miles from Chicago.”  Interested volunteers should contact Dave Carlson via email (dmcarlson@hotmail.com).

“Several work days are planned, which provide an opportunity for fun and friendship along with making a valuable contribution to stream conservation. As our projects are several hours from Chicago, we try to coordinate carpooling, lodging and fishing opportunities for interested members,” said Dave Carlson.

2018 Conservation Project Highlights

Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE) is a long-term initiative to protect, restore and enhance cold water rivers in the Driftless Area of southeast Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and northwest Illinois. TUDARE relies greatly on the work and passion of TU volunteers. OBTU’s support is in the form of money donated to directly support TUDARE general operations.

Weister Creek is a great example of a stream restoration in the Driftless Area supported by OBTU. For the past several years OBTU along with a wide range of other organizations, have provided financial support for this project within the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. It is a big project with a total length of 2.6 miles that in addition to stream improvement provides habitat for hunting and is a demonstration site for many nongame wildlife habitat practices. Work on the Phase 4 section is well under way; with in-stream work to be completed this summer. Fund raising has begun for the Phase 5 final section, which is expected to be completed next year.  Read the interview with project manager Paul Hayes for more information on the Weister Creek restoration plan which was originally published in the OBTU Flyer newsletter.

Other stream restoration projects in the Driftless Area encompass work to reduce soil erosion and phosphorus discharge near the city of Sparta, WI. Since 2014, OBTU has provided both volunteer manpower and financial support that has been leveraged with local government funds. This year, we will continue stream restoration heading north on Beaver Creek just outside of Sparta. A work day to build LUNKER structures will be scheduled for Saturday, June 23. This project will provide an opportunity to get together for some fishing in the heart of the Driftless Area before and after our work.

Conservation activities in Michigan will be focused on the Coldwater River watershed near Grand Rapids and the Dowagiac River near Niles. Two macroinvertebrate survey work days will be part of our ongoing cooperative effort with the Coldwater River Watershed Council (CRWC) that began 13 years ago. Members collect stream samples from designated sites, then count and classify the aquatic insects and various macroinvertebrates found. By classifying and trending the population data, the CRWC gets an idea of how stream health is evolving. Volunteers are encouraged to plan some fishing on the Coldwater River watershed or other rivers in the area such as the Rouge, Muskegon or Pere Marquette. OBTU is represented on the Coldwater River Watershed Council by Marvin Strauch.

For more background information on the Coldwater River Watershed macroinvertebrate surveys, read the interview with Aaron Snell, Restoration Biologist of Streamside Ecological Services, who developed the study’s structure on the OBTU website.

The Dowagiac River represents a relatively new stream restoration focus for OBTU. The Dowagiac is one of the closest rivers to our chapter with potential for a high-quality coldwater fishery. The planned removal of the Pucker Street Dam in Niles, Michigan this summer will open up the entire river system to upstream migrations of steelhead, salmon, and other fish species.  Conservation efforts on the Dowagiac River are driven by MEANDRS (Meeting Ecological and Agricultural Needs within the Dowagiac River System), of which OBTU is a Board member. Volunteers will be needed to help with numerous monitoring and habitat activities this year. More information will be provided once the date for a training session is set.  (Read the interview with project leader Marcy Hamilton—Senior Planner with the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission—for more information on the Niles dam removal and Dowagiac River restoration plan which was originally published in the OBTU Flyer newsletter).

An exciting new initiative this year is to begin developing coldwater habitat and fishing access in the Illinois Driftless Area. TUDARE and its partners were recently awarded a large grant from the USDA’S Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that covers areas that have not been served in the past, including part of northwest Illinois. The grant will provide funding for restoration projects for the period from 2019-2023. This funding will cover a significant share of individual project costs, with matching dollars—usually around 20-35% of the costs—provided by state or county agencies, foundations, businesses, individuals, TU and other conservation nonprofits. Activities in 2018 will be focused on planning, bringing together local organization and agency partners and identifying landowners who are interested in accommodating a restoration project.

2018 Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed to make these 2018 commitments happen. The Conservation Committee is looking for members who are interested in leading or supporting an event. If you’d like to be on the Conservation Committee, email Dave Carlson at dmcarlson@hotmail.com. The Committee meets by phone conference calls each month, so location should not be an issue for ongoing participation. Identify landowners who would be interested.

The financial support of conservation efforts is made possible by the fundraising efforts of the chapter. Watch for additional information on fundraising activities in forthcoming newsletters.

Duke Welter on the Driftless Area Restoration Initiatives

Spearheaded by Trout Unlimited, the Driftless Area Restoration Effort is a locally driven effort to protect, restore, and enhance rivers and streams for fish and other aquatic life throughout the four-state Driftless Area.

TU’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort, (TUDARE) is an initiative Duke Welter helped found back in 2003. As TUDARE’s Outreach Coordinator, Duke travels the four-state region regularly, getting the word out about the great trout waters in the unglaciated area.  He fishes with reporters, with policy makers, with students, with teachers, with project volunteers, and on his days off he fishes where projects might help, and where they already have helped produce healthy fisheries.

Before Duke went to work for TU in 2010, he served as vice-chair of its National Board of Trustees and as chair of its National Leadership Council, the grassroots leadership body of TU. He has been active in conservation efforts and advocacy for over 30 years, working on groundwater protection, protecting rivers from mining impacts, removing small dams, wetland and river restoration, regional watershed issues, public lands access and funding for natural resource management.  For his conservation work he was recognized by the River Alliance of Wisconsin as a “River Champion of the Decade” in 2003, by Trout Unlimited as its “National Conservation Volunteer of the Year” in 2002, and with TU’s highest award for volunteer leadership in 2011.

As a follow up to Duke’s presentation to the Oak Brook TU chapter at its February 21, 2018 membership meeting, Duke provided answers to an interview which you can read here.

April 18 Speaker: Carl Hueter, former Michigan TU Council President, on the “History of Trout Unlimited and its Founding on the banks of the Au Sable River”

Carl Hueter will speak on the “History of Trout Unlimited and fishing Michigan’s Au Sable River” on April 18, at 7 p.m. at the Oak Brook Recreation Center Central Park West Building.

Carl was a TU National Leadership Council member subsequent to becoming Michigan TU Council Chairman. He is not only a noted conservationist of northern Michigan’s Au Sable River “Holy Waters,” but an ardent angler of the Au Sable River North Branch, a master of its hatches and an accomplished imitator of the insects found there and elsewhere. Carl is also a classic tackle aficionado who sells cane, fine reels, and other angling paraphernalia through his resurrected Wanigas Rod Company, originally operated by Art Neumann, TU’s first executive director.

Carl has been an enthusiastic supporter of Illinois TU Youth Camp and an active participant as a fly fishing instructor.  He also owns a historic river house on the North Branch of the Au Sable River where he hosts Illinois Council youth campers each summer for a fly fishing session.

A professional architect by trade, Carl makes his home in Ann Arbor.

May 16 Speaker: Guide Mike Allen on “Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in Illinois”

Guide Mike Allen of Midwest Waters Angling will speak on “Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in the greater Chicago and northern Illinois area” which will include the Kankakee, Fox, Des Plaines, DuPage Illinois and Rock Rivers at 7 p.m. at the Oak Brook Recreation Center Central Park West Building.

Growing up in Illinois, Mike’s early years were filled with many days spent along the local banks of the DuPage River, or pond hopping with fly rod in hand. He was lucky enough to have a father who put a fly rod in his hands at a young age, and in doing so Mike fly fished into his teens. After high school, Mike entered military service to serve his country. After his time in the service, Mike longed for something close to nature again. Fly fishing would soon fill this void.

In 1992, the DuPage River Fly Tying Club became a mainstay in Mike’s fishing and fly tying, and he has remained closely involved for the past 20 years. Mike now makes his home in the Fox River Valley. His home waters of the Fox and DuPage Rivers are two of the many watersheds in northern Illinois that he has come to learn and love.

Mike has fished these rivers extensively over the years, and looks forward to sharing all of these truly special waters with you. Mike enjoys all kinds of fishing, but specializes in warm water fly fishing for native smallmouth bass, carp, and pike.

Oak Brook TU Receives Wisconsin Trout Unlimited Award

The Wisconsin Trout Unlimited State Council presented the Oak Brook TU chapter with its “Reel Award” at its annual banquet on February 3.  The Reel Award was given to the OBTU chapter in recognition of its long-term commitment to the TU mission of conserving and restoring coldwater fisheries in the state of Wisconsin and the many volunteer hours and financial support provided to projects.

It is awarded to those who’ve played a significant partnership role in one or more TU projects, or in other areas such as education or advocacy.

The banquet’s program stated “Like other chapters that may not have a tremendous amount of coldwater resources close to home, this chapter long ago figured out how to coordinate carpooling, lodging and fishing opportunities to get their members to travel north into Wisconsin. When they get here, they work hard, then enjoy the wonderful trout fishing resources that they have helped restore.”

Great Lakes Health Updated by Joel Brammeier of the Alliance for the Great Lakes

Joel Brammeier, President and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, oversees a staff of more than 25 professionals and 15,000 volunteers dedicated to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. Joel has a strong track record of advancing critical conservation efforts and is the author of a first-of-its-kind report describing options for separating the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basins to stop the spread of invasive species.

Joel spoke to the Oak Brook (Chicago) Trout Unlimited chapter on the state of the Great Lakes and federal policy news that could impact them in May 2017. He reported on what the Alliance had heard from members of Congress and key stakeholders and gave an overview of what the Alliance and its partners were doing to protect the lakes. Joel also commented on the status of invasive species prevention efforts, including Asian carp control measures and then provided a further update on the status of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brandon Road Study which was completed in February 2017 and released in August 2017 to the public for comments. The Brandon Road Study included recommendations supporting additional measures to block the migration of Asian Carp to Lake Michigan via the Chicago Area Waterway System.

This article provides an update on recent financial support by Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Ontario for Asian carp control measures while Illinois funding stalls.

“Conservation organizations and interested individuals will be important in ensuring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers moves beyond just study and into actual construction of control measures at the Brandon Road facility,” said Joel Brammeier. “You can sign up for our email list to receive action alerts on this and other Great Lakes issues.” https://greatlakes.org/subscribe/”

Orvis Yorktown and Bass Pro Shops Offer Free Fly Fishing Classes

Orvis Yorktown and Bass Pro Shops Offer Free Fly Fishing Classes
If you’re looking for a great way to introduce fly fishing to a spouse, friend or other family member, the Orvis Fly Fishing 101 class is the perfect event to get started. All ages are welcome to attend the free class for novices, but those under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Participants will learn the fly casting basics and outfit rigging during the 9-11 am Saturday and Sunday sessions held at the Orvis Yorktown store location.

Upon completion of the course, participants will receive special instore offers valid toward the purchase of Orvis products and a Free Trout Unlimited membership—a $35 value—for first-time members.

Fly Fishing 101 Dates
April: 22, 29
May: 6, 13, 20, 27
Check the Orvis Yorktown website for June and July dates.

Fly Fishing 201 Dates
This class is ideal for graduates of Fly Fishing 101 or intermediate fly casters and will include a short outing on local water and a chance to catch your first fish!
Check the Orvis Yorktown website for June and July dates.
Reserve your spot by visiting the Orvis Yorktown website or calling the store: (630) 932-6573

Bass Pros Shops Bolingbrook Store Classes
Commencing April 10, Bass Pro Shops will be offering free introductory fly fishing classes at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday each month in their second floor Conservation class room.
The Tuesday class—titled “Fly Fishing Isn’t Just for Trout Anymore”—will focus on the ability to fly fish for local warm water species like bass and other panfish as a means to introduce the sport to novices, with trout and other coldwater species part of the program.
This introductory class would focus on the basics–choosing the right equipment based on the desired species, rigging a rod, basic knot tying, etc.

The April 10 session will feature Captain Will Winans, owner and guide for Big River Fly Fishing, who will be presenting “Fly Fishing on the Kankakee River for smallmouth bass.

On Saturdays starting April 14, flyrod casting instruction will be provided from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No advance sign-ups are required. Check the Bass Pro Shops website to confirm class dates and times.

Ron Kurasz—In Memoriam 1943-2018

Ronald James Kurasz was born on March 9,1943 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  He grew up in the Brighton Park neighborhood in Chicago.  A high school knee injury kept him from being drafted into the armed services but could not stop him from charging through streams and rivers or float tubing in pursuit of his favorite pastime—fishing.  Ron’s career as a claims adjuster was the perfect fit as it allowed him many opportunities to fish in between calling on insureds and investigating claims.

His fishing beginnings started in earnest at Saganashkee Slough. From there it was on to stream fishing in the Midwest and later on with trips out west and out of the country.  According to his brother Alan, “Ron oftentimes said he should take up a second hobby, mentioning golf on occasion, but I think when he came across his first water hazard on the course, he would have dropped his clubs and pulled out his fly rod.”

Ron was active in the Oak Brook Trout Unlimited chapter and Illinois Smallmouth Alliance.  He enjoyed teaching young and old the techniques of fly fishing.

“Ron was quite willing to give his time to Oak Brook TU, said Marvin Strauch, OBTU Youth Education Chair.  “He helped out for quite a number of years with our Youth Fly Fishing program and was an Orvis FF101/201 program volunteer. He was good with kids, and an extremely good caster, so he helped a lot of kids in our youth program. I know that Ron also took part in many of our chapter conservation projects.”

Ron passed away on February 18, just short of his 75^th birthday.  He is survived by his brother, Alan, who believes Ron is scouting out new waters somewhere in heaven above.

Lefty Kreh—In Memoriam 1925-2018

Lefty Kreh, one of the pre-eminent sport fishermen of his time, died on March 14 at his home in Cockeysville, Md., north of Baltimore. He was 93. His granddaughter Sammantha Aus said the cause was congestive heart failure.

For a half century, Mr. Kreh, a globe-trotting fisherman, journalist and author, was a colorful and highly influential figure in both freshwater and saltwater fly-fishing. In countless articles and more than 30 books, in videos, on television and at innumerable public appearances, he converted his vast experience into lucid observations and practical advice for anglers at all levels.

Read the entire New York Times obituary.

The Librarian’s Corner

By Phil Young

Two more excellent DVD’s from the Skagit Master series.  Now all four are in the OBTU Chapter library.

Skagit Master 2:  Steelheading Outside the Box (New Water Media / 2010) 1hr 50m / DVD

Just as it says on the back jacket of this DVD, “There are no indicators or dead drift nymphs in this film …”.  Using the two-handed rod, Scott Howell shows you how to catch steelhead on the surface with a variety of casts using his steelhead popper (the “ska-opper”).  Then he will show you how to fish intruders and the “prom dress”, demonstrating a number of casts and upstream/downstream mends to let the fly fall quickly to the depth you need before swinging it across the current to the fish.

Skagit Master 3:  Steelhead Flies Beyond the Books (New Water Media / 2012) 1hr 12m / DVD

Hannah Belford, Tom Larimer, Eric Neufeld, Jeff Hickman, Ed Hepp, Scott Howard, Ed Ward and Larry French tie the Grizzly Bear, Reverse Marabou, Orange Blossom, Fish Taco, Underachiever, Ska-opper and the Intruder.  Underwater photography shows the profile and action of these flies under various water and light conditions.  When you see the movement of these flies and their materials in a flow tank, you will understand why Muskegon River guide Kevin Feenstra uses so much flashabou.

These DVDs, as well as others in the chapter’s library, are available for check out at chapter meetings.  If you are holding any of the chapter’s other videos, please return them when you are finished so that others may view them.

Trout Fishing for Kids—March 31, 8 a.m. to 12 noon

Grove Lake at Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve

 Introduce young anglers to trout fishing at this FREE event.

• Kids 15 and under only
• Registration is not required.
• Bait provided
• Rod-and-reel combos provided for loan
• Tips from Forest Preserve District experts
• Questions? Call 630-933-7668