Please join us for a great line up of membership meetings this spring on the second Tuesday of each month at Schwoegler’s Bowling. After the fly tying extravaganza in January, you’ll have the chances to learn about some of the best trout fishing in the Driftless Area and buy all the gear and flies economically (often cheap!) to catch them.
February 10. Kasey Yallaly, the DNR Fish Biologist for much of the Northern part of WI’s Driftless Region, will discuss some of the streams she cares for. A short summary: big streams, little streams, lots of brown trout, lots of brook trout, big brown trout, big brook trout, lots of public access, lots of great DNR and TU work. Kasey is a great biologist, a great speaker with good stories to tell.
March 10. The return of the Meicher Auction to its traditional time! We already have some great flies and gear to auction with more to come. Gear up for the season and support SWTU. This will be our only fundraising activity of the year. The February newsletter will have details on donating items. If you wish to donate money to be put toward gift cards to raffle, checks can be mailed any time to SWTU, PO BOX 45555, Madison, WI 53744-5555, or checks/cash/gift cards can be given to Treasurer, Michael Westbury, or President, Topf Wells, at a monthly gathering.
April 14. Jason Freund will be our featured speaker of the year. He is an expert angler, tyer, historian, and scientist. His blogs are fun, his skill and knowledge impressive, and he is one of Wisconsin TU’s most dedicated leaders. Based in LaCrosse, on the faculty of UW-LaCrosse and the President of the Coulee Chapter, Jason knows a lot about the streams we fish and some we should be fishing. This is also our annual meeting with chapter elections.
Last Updated: February 2, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Remembering Landowners Who Made a Difference
By Topf Wells
Throughout ’25 we mourned the loss of great SWTU members and leaders. Alas, 2026 starts with more losses; this time of great allies of trout, trout streams and conservation – Herb Schraepher and Jim Sime. Read More
SWTU Fy Tying Classes: Teaching a New Vise
Posted: February 2, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Students and instructors have been busy improving skills and whipping out flies as they approach halfway through SWTU’s 8-week Beginning and Intermediate fly tying classes. Here are a couple photos courtesy Henry Nehls-Lowe … Read More
Halford’s Rough Olive
Last Updated: February 3, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
by Rusty Dunn
The period shortly before and after 1900 was a time of upheaval in the fly-fishing world. Centuries-old methods of wet-fly fishing were abruptly cast aside in favor of floating dry flies. Angling historian Tony Hayter characterized the period as “The Dry Fly Revolution”. Indeed, revolution was in the air, but it landed softly and floated atop trout streams with wings upright and divided. The chief revolutionary of the time was the great English angler Frederick M. Halford (1844-1914), who authored what could be termed the ‘Revolutionary Manifesto’ of fly angling in a series of seven books from 1886 to 1913. The first two, Floating Flies and How to Dress Them (1886) and Dry Fly Fishing in Theory and Practice (1889), are arguably the most influential fly-fishing books ever published. Read More
Posted: February 2, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Vets on the Fly Activities – February 2026
By Dyan Lesnik
Veterans on the Fly starts back up on Wednesday, February 4. They meet Wednesday’s at The V (VFW Post 1318, 2740 Ski Ln, Fitchburg). Fly tying starts around 5:30 but come early and have dinner at the VFW grill. We do a different fly each week, and all veterans and their families are welcome. Even if you are just curious about tying or fly fishing come on out – there is never any cost. Learn more at their Facebook page.
Posted: February 2, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
New Members – February 2026
We’re pleased to announce the addition of the following new member to our ranks!
We are honored to have you among us. Please join our next meeting. We’d love to get to know you better, answer any questions and give you some free flies! If any questions about the meeting, please contact Dyan Lesnik.
* Note that some longer-term members may be captured in the list above. A glitch in the excel file has made it harder to sort … but it’s better to be inclusive and we’re happy to have your continued support!
Last Updated: February 3, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Wheeler Wilcox Creek? What’s That?
By Topf Wells
Wheeler Wilcox Creek (WWC) is a tributary to the Upper Yahara River. It enters the river in Windsor downstream of the current restoration work in DeForest. A vigilant SWTU member alerted the Board to some concerns about WWC in connection with the proposed data center on 1600 acres west of DeForest.
WWC is not a trout stream but it’s spring fed and provides cold water to the Upper Yahara. Folks were concerned that the data center would discharge stormwater to the creek, which would probably raise its temperature, especially during warm weather. Read More
Newscasts – January 2026
Last Updated: February 3, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
This issue is filled with great information, including:
Last Updated: January 5, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Join in the 2026 Fly Tying Jamboree
A fun and informal chapter gathering on Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Monthly chapter meetings typically start at 7 pm, but for the Fly Tying Jamboree arrive anytime after 5:30 for setting up your fly tying station, ordering food, drinks and socializing. As always, the meeting will be held at Schwoegler’s Lanes.
We’ll hold a brief (we promise) business meeting about 7 and then back to fly tying.
For anyone who has wondered if fly tying is a) learnable, b) productive, and c) fun, please attend this meeting. You’ll see some great and fun fly tying and have the chance to tie a fly yourself. Yes indeed, you can leave the meeting with a fly you tied, guaranteed by SWTU to catch fish.
Schwoegler’s Lanes, 444 Grand Canyon Dr., Madison, WI 53719
Posted: January 5, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Save the Dates! A Strong Lineup of Future Gatherings
Please join us for a great line up of membership meetings this spring on the second Tuesday of each month at Schwoegler’s Bowling. After the fly tying extravaganza in January, you’ll have the chances to learn about some of the best trout fishing in the Driftless Area and buy all the gear and flies economically (often cheap!) to catch them.
February 10. Kasey Yallaly, the DNR Fish Biologist for much of the Northern part of WI’s Driftless Region, will discuss some of the streams she cares for. A short summary: big streams, little streams, lots of brown trout, lots of brook trout, big brown trout, big brook trout, lots of public access, lots of great DNR and TU work. Kasey is a great biologist, a great speaker with good stories to tell.
March 10. The return of the Meicher Auction to its traditional time! We already have some great flies and gear to auction with more to come. Gear up for the season and support SWTU. This will be our only fundraising activity of the year. The February newsletter will have details on donating items. If you wish to donate money to be put toward gift cards to raffle, checks can be mailed any time to SWTU, PO BOX 45555, Madison, WI 53744-5555, or checks/cash/gift cards can be given to Treasurer, Michael Westbury, or President, Topf Wells, at a monthly gathering.
April 14. Jason Freund will be our featured speaker of the year. He is an expert angler, tyer, historian, and scientist. His blogs are fun, his skill and knowledge impressive, and he is one of Wisconsin TU’s most dedicated leaders. Based in LaCrosse, on the faculty of UW-LaCrosse and the President of the Coulee Chapter, Jason knows a lot about the streams we fish and some we should be fishing. This is also our annual meeting with chapter elections.
Posted: January 5, 2026 by Drew Kasel Leave a Comment
Learn What Your Board’s Been Up To
Minutes from SWTU Board of Director meetings can be viewed in this Google Drive. If you have questions on what you read in them, reach out to one of the Board members listed on the last page of each newsletter. (Note that you may need to click the “Last Modified” header at the top to sort the list with the latest minutes at the top.)
We occasionally receive donations from members or supporters via a giving program through their employer and often administered by a third party. We really appreciate those gifts, the generosity of the donors and the opportunities afforded by the businesses and the administrators. We just wish we could thank those donors personally. So, to whoever donated through a program administered by Benevity and the American Online Giving Foundation, thank you!
Recent Posts
Categories