Who is going to be at the meeting on 11/1

I’m thinking of driving down from So. St. Paul. I see attendance as a “must” if we are going to hold on to our rights and fishing heritage.

At risk of sounding like a dork- what is this meeting about? Where?
Thanks, Gregg

November 1, 2006 Strzelczyk Great Hall, Cleary Center, UW-La Crosse, 615 East Avenue South, Wednesday La Crosse at 7:00 p.m.

The meeting(s) are for comment on the proposed DNR rule changes for tournament fishing in Wisconsin. There are a number of very important issues to be discussed at these meetings such as a proposed ban on all live release tournaments July through August, Limiting the number of tournaments on bodies of water, if you go to the DNR website you can find the proposals.

If there is anyone who tournament fishes (no matter what species) you MUST be at these meetings. If you sit back and expect others to take care of this for you, you might find yourself NEVER fishing another Summer tournament in Wisconsin again. If they would happen to pull this off (I pray to God they don’t), I fear greatly what proposals will follow…

I think i will be there.

Here is one for starters.

There will only be 4 permited tourneys per month, per pool. A permit will be required if there is more than $500.00 at stake and 40 guys or twenty boats. Permits are per pool so if you are on 7, 8, 9 you eat up 3 permits. So if on the first saturday of the month on pool 8 you have a permited bass tourney, a permited walleye tournement, a permited sheepshead tourney and a permited catfish tourney you would not be able to hold a permited tourney out of any of the launches on pool 8 for the rest of the month.

Reread that and think about what it will do to you as fishermen and your way of life.

Reread it again and think about what it will do to the small businesses that make a majority of their yearly income during the 6 months of the year when the tournement guys come calling.

Reread it again and think about all the things you can knock off your honey do list .

Reread it again and think about how tired your wife/girlfriend will be from having you around all the time….

She’ll be begging you to go fishing.

Even more if your UGLY…….Right BLUE!

I wouldn’t know, you better go ask Slop.

Just a question if for some reason this rule change was passed wouldn’t you beable to still get a permit from another state like Minn. or Iowa to hold some of the same events? This would be of no use for inland waters but maybe something to keep in mind.

I’ll try my best to get there.

its rediculous we even have to go through this. I could be fishing that night

If your launch site is in WI, you need a WI permit. At least that is my understanding of it.

Go to the Bass federation TBF website there is an interview with Pat MUST READ

Here is one question that Mike asked Pat that is of significant importance to you in LaX

Mike- Knowing how crucial dissolved oxygen is to a fish’s health, how does dissolved oxygen levels differ on lakes as opposed to rivers? It Seems more fish died at the Mississippi river tournaments.

Pat-It sure happened to us. At the Winneconne Tournament it was definitely a factor. We had dissolved oxygen levels below 5ppm. I don’t know why, the net location seemed like it was in a good spot. Maybe it was because of the storm. The FLW
Tournament in 2005 the dissolved oxygen levels were fine at first. They dipped below 5ppm resulting in a stressful level several times. At Lacrosse the first year, the net pens didn’t arrive on time and we needed to hold the fish in smaller pens till the larger nets arrived. That was part of the issue. Plus, LMBV ( Large mouth bass virus) was present. Our control fish died as high or higher than the tournament caught fish. The second year at Lacrosse, the control fish died at about 10% and the tournament caught fish at about 20%. That is with LMBV. I was surprised the mortality was as low as it was. In 2005 we held 700 fish in the pens, that may have been another factor in the high mortality. In 2006 we only held 100.

This is Steve Hjort, the new Conservation Director for TBF

I implore all of you that live near the Mississippi River to attend the November 1st meeting. I don’t really care which side of the fence you are on but a strong turnout will show the DNR that we mean business and are united. I also ask that you contact every business owner that might make a sale to a tournament fisherman and ask them to attend the meetings or send a written letter stating their postion to DNR on this issue. We need to get as many people involved in this critical public hearing process as possible.

We will likely have only one chance to voice our collective opinions on this issue and that will be during the public hearing process. After that it will be in the hands of committees and the State legislature.

For more information go to TBF, BASS or DNR websites and look up NR20.40.

Thanks in advance for your attention and cooperation.

I will be there. If anyone in the LAX area needs directions or help getting there, let me know.

Also, I would encourage that all tournament Angler that attend wear something appropriate and professional to indeed show that you are a tournament angler.

A room full of people might not have the same effect as a visual room full of tournament anglers…..

I’ll be there.

Even if you go to a meeting……. send Schmalz, Patrick J – DNR [email protected] an email saying you are against the new version of NR20-40 because……(pick any reason that makes you happy.) Include your name and address

And if a new reason comes to mind send him another…..

Heck put him in your friends file and send him one a day till the 18th of November. Make sure that you take every oppurtunity to let him know how you feel.