SWTU, P.O. Box 45555, Madison, WI 53744-5555 president@swtu.org

Trout on (much less than) a tankful – Let’s talk nearby creeks

Join us at Schwoegler’s on Tuesday, November 8
By Topf Wells

trout on a tankfulJustin Haglund, the DNR fish biologist for Iowa and Richland Counties, will be our speaker at the November 8th meeting at Schwoegler’s Bowling on Grand Canyon Drive.  Dinner and drinks starting at 530 with Justin’s presentation about 7.

Justin has some real news on a nearby creek that you’ll find interesting and maybe even exciting.  He has surveyed and assessed Smith Conley Creek and has requested and helped on several SWTU/Nohr workdays on the creek with another scheduled in November.

Smith Conley has miles of easements and is an easy 3/4-1 hour trip from Madison.  Nevertheless, many of our members don’t know about it and fewer fish it.  With good reason.  Many of the easements don’t offer great habitat and are tough to fish.

Justin has documented healthy trout numbers in parts of that stream (comparable to some sections of Gordon!).  The workdays are part of his larger plan to significantly improve habitat, access, and fishing opportunities on Smith Conley.  SWTU can be a big help to Justin (editorial comment:  just as we were on Gordon and Kittleson and look how those turned out).

That’s not all.  Justin has discovered some amazingly healthy brook trout streams in eastern Iowa County, including Whtiford Creek.  Whitford joins the Dodge Branch on a lovely property owned by The Prairie Enthusiasts, where SWTU might schedule a work day in the spring.

Justin has been the biologist for Iowa and Richland Counties for five years.  He has obtained large easements on Kittleson and Gordon Creeks and has been extraordinarily helpful in assisting SWTU in holding work days on those and other streams.  He completed a superb and major restoration on Willow Creek two years ago that is playing to rave reviews from Willow Creek anglers.  Justin also served as a key biologist on the development of the DNR’s first Inland Trout Plan.

Justin’s talk will focus on the most recent studies and workdays on Smith Conley (both the DNR’s and SWTU’s) and his plans for its much better future.  He’ll have time to answer questions about other streams and plans in his area.

A REMINDER: We meet Tuesday, November 8, at Schwoegler’s Bowling on Grand Canyon Drive on Madison’s West Side. Dinner and drinks are available starting at 5:30, with presentations at 7.

If you or someone in your household is not feeling well, we urge you to stay home. Please also consider CDC guidelines for gatherings, including staying up to date with vaccinations. Thank you for your kind consideration. Like most venues, Schwoegler’s does not require masks but we’ll respect any member’s decision to wear one.

Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719