By Topf Wells
The Spring 2019 Conservation Congress Hearings will occur at Monona Grove High School (4400 Monona Drive) AT 7 p.m. on Monday, April 8. Learn about some important fishing and hunting regulations changes being proposed. 

This hearing will feature many proposed regulation changes for fishing and hunting, including Questions 41-46, which affect trout streams in our area. You can participate in three ways: 1. attend; 2. attend, ask for a log-in number and fill in the questionnaire via the internet wherever you want to; 3. fill in the questions via the internet. If you choose option 1 or 2, your preferences will be counted in the county-wide and statewide totals. Option 3 results are only included in the statewide totals.

Dan Oele, the DNR fish biologist for Dane, Green, and Rock Counties, recently discussed Questions 41-46 with the SWTU Board. The Board very much appreciates the time and care Dan spent preparing for and leading the discussion.  Q. 41 changes regulations on a few Driftless Area streams to provide for consistent regs across contiguous easements or to promote the harvest of brown trout competing with wild brook trout.  Q. 42 eliminates an unnecessary regulation on a small section of Plum Run, a small tributary to Knapp Creek.  Q. 43 completely protects wild brook trout in Harker and Lowery Creeks (these native trout are the source for the DNR’s re-introduction of wild brook trout in the Driftless Area).  Q. 44 opens a mile of Castle Rock Creek to the harvest of trout and to the use of bait or spinning gear.  Q. 46 offers a more restrictive reg on lower Black Earth Creek (1 trout > 18 inches) as one step to boost the overall population of trout.  The Board thought all of these proposals made some sense and were worth supporting or at least not opposing. We appreciate Dan’s efforts in developing additional protection for lower BEC’s trout.

1. 45 changes the limit from 3 trout with a 12 inch maximum to 5 trout with a 12 inch maximum on Crooked Creek, Big Green River, Little Grant River, Borah Creek, Camp Creek, Knapp Creek, Elk Creek, Gordon Creek, and Mt. Vernon Creek. The reason for the change is the DNR’s goal of simplifying regulations. This change would conform the limits on these streams to the limit involving a 12 inch maximum found throughout the rest of the state. The DNR believes the population of trout in these streams is robust and stable enough to support the potential additional harvest.  The Board questioned whether this simplification is needed since these streams occurs in a large, contiguous area, the southern half of the Driftless Area. The Board also noted that the trout populations in Gordon and Mt. Vernon Creeks have not yet returned to their levels of several years ago.

The questionnaire also includes advisory questions generated by the Conservation Congress and the public. Questions 82 and 83 ask whether you support increases to the Inland Trout Stamp and the Great Lakes Trout and Salmon Stamp. TU State Council supports both and is leading the effort to have the Inland Trout Stamp increase included in the new state budget.

The Inland Trout Stamp funds the DNR people and material for stream restoration. Many of our area streams need some Tender Loving Care and more Trout Stamp funds would really help. If the Legislature and Governor seriously consider the increase, both will pay attention to the results of these two questions.

The Board strongly encourages SWTU members to participate in the Conservation Congress hearing.  Please note that these questions are advisory. The DNR is not legally bound to implement the changes supported at the hearing. You can google the spring 2019 Conservation Congress Hearing to learn more about the process or the questions or to find the location of hearings in counties other than Dane.