Last year saw the return of the Meicher Madness Auction – one of SWTU’s most fun and profitable events that got held up by COVID for a few years. After raising more than $4,000 least year, we’re doing it again on Tuesday, September 9, and hope to see you at Schwoegler’s Lanes for it!
The auction starts at 7PM, but please show up to Schwoegler’s before then if at all possible … as early as 5:30 to order food and to hand in any donated items and to peruse the auction offerings.
Larry Meicher was a founding member of SWTU and a tremendous force for good in our Chapter and at State Council. Larry did everything for us, serving as an officer and board member, a fly tying instructor, a participant at work days, and always as a passionate conservationist. One of his many contributions to SWTU was the creation of the March Madness Auction. At his passing we named the event Meicher Madness in his honor.
The madness and fun will continue on September 9. Everyone will have a chance at cool and highly usable gear, and the proceeds will support Chapter activities. As a teaser … one auction item will be a two-night state in the Green Cabin (pictured) at the West Fork Fishing Club (generously donated by that organization). Check out this flier to learn more about this fantastic opportunity!
Here are some auction needs and reminders:
Help. We need about a dozen folks to help at the auction itself: cashiers, folks to check in all the bidders, organizers of all the gear, and runners to make sure the bidders get the stuff they win.
Contact Topf Wells at topfwells@gmail.com if you can help.
Useful Auction Items. Traditionally members have brought in just about any gear they no longer had a use for. Along with great stuff, we must have received a hundred leaky waders and other items that had aged into oblivion.
Our last auction put much of the good gear in our chapter storeroom in the hands of the lucky and generous attendees. We can definitely use some of the good stuff in your personal storeroom. As you look at your piles of gear, you might think: 1. What am I not using? and 2. What might a beginning angler need or want? Just make sure it’s usable. Thanks!
Buyers. With all this gear, we need buyers who want or need fishing stuff. Lots of you might be like me. At last count, I have 10 fly rods, 3 working fly reels, and 6 spinning outfits. I’ll buy something at the auction but not sure what that might be. For those of our 800 members and friends who might be new to fishing, trout fishing or still gearing up, this auction is a golden opportunity to get some top notch fishing stuff at extremely reasonable prices. This will be a great meeting to invite a new member of the Chapter or a new angler.
Special Request. Trips and flies tied by our skilled fly tying members were the best sellers at all the previous auctions. Those fly tyers have been supplying flies for great causes and we have not offered any trips for over a year. But any trip or flies would be a most welcome addition to this year’s auction.
We hope to see you on Tuesday, September 9 at 7PM … or hopefully a little earlier (you can order food starting at 5:30)! Please mark your calendar and think how you could help make this a fun and successful event.
Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719
– Topf Wells and Dyan Lesnik (SWTU President and Vice President)
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Last Updated: September 2, 2025 by Drew Kasel
Meicher Madness Auction at the September 9 Membership Meeting
The auction starts at 7PM, but please show up to Schwoegler’s before then if at all possible … as early as 5:30 to order food and to hand in any donated items and to peruse the auction offerings.
Larry Meicher was a founding member of SWTU and a tremendous force for good in our Chapter and at State Council. Larry did everything for us, serving as an officer and board member, a fly tying instructor, a participant at work days, and always as a passionate conservationist. One of his many contributions to SWTU was the creation of the March Madness Auction. At his passing we named the event Meicher Madness in his honor.
Here are some auction needs and reminders:
Help. We need about a dozen folks to help at the auction itself: cashiers, folks to check in all the bidders, organizers of all the gear, and runners to make sure the bidders get the stuff they win.
Contact Topf Wells at topfwells@gmail.com if you can help.
Useful Auction Items. Traditionally members have brought in just about any gear they no longer had a use for. Along with great stuff, we must have received a hundred leaky waders and other items that had aged into oblivion.
Our last auction put much of the good gear in our chapter storeroom in the hands of the lucky and generous attendees. We can definitely use some of the good stuff in your personal storeroom. As you look at your piles of gear, you might think: 1. What am I not using? and 2. What might a beginning angler need or want? Just make sure it’s usable. Thanks!
Buyers. With all this gear, we need buyers who want or need fishing stuff. Lots of you might be like me. At last count, I have 10 fly rods, 3 working fly reels, and 6 spinning outfits. I’ll buy something at the auction but not sure what that might be. For those of our 800 members and friends who might be new to fishing, trout fishing or still gearing up, this auction is a golden opportunity to get some top notch fishing stuff at extremely reasonable prices. This will be a great meeting to invite a new member of the Chapter or a new angler.
Special Request. Trips and flies tied by our skilled fly tying members were the best sellers at all the previous auctions. Those fly tyers have been supplying flies for great causes and we have not offered any trips for over a year. But any trip or flies would be a most welcome addition to this year’s auction.
We hope to see you on Tuesday, September 9 at 7PM … or hopefully a little earlier (you can order food starting at 5:30)! Please mark your calendar and think how you could help make this a fun and successful event.
Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719
– Topf Wells and Dyan Lesnik (SWTU President and Vice President)
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