The Drift – Nov 2025
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| The Drift: Words from our president Another trout season has closed and the browns and brookies are now or soon will be on their spawning redds. I hope some of you enjoyed a few outings in early October to get you through the next few months of winter. It’s now time to catch up on those projects you’ve been putting off during the fishing season, and after you’ve accomplished them, maybe sit down with your favorite beverage and reflect on your times on the water. Ask yourself, did I fish well? Did I fish with a purpose every time I hit the stream or made a cast? Did I try something new, say new water or a new technique like doing more dry fly fishing, or more streamer fishing? Did I learn anything that I didn’t know before? If you do this, it might help you plan the way or where you fish, or what you can do in 2026 to make you a better angler. For all of you who like to tie your own flies, I’m sure there are some new patterns that might interest you, there may be a few new materials you would like to try. Many of our local fly shops feature tying get togethers. From what my better half tells me; these sessions are a blast and very informative. You get to meet new fellow anglers, trade ideas and stories, and maybe even find a fishing partner or two. So, keep your chins up, the new season is only two months away. Perhaps mother nature will smile on us and gift us some winter days when we will be able to wet a line and fish without our guides icing up. I sure hope so. Our Annual Holiday and Chapter Awards Banquet will be held on Tuesday December 2nd, at Juniors Restaurant and Tap House in River Falls. The Banquet Committee worked with Jeff Wesley to provide a buffet meal this year. The opportunity to purchase tickets will show up soon in your email in-box via Mail Chimp. Chris Silver, an outstanding local musician, will be playing and singing for a few hours before and during the buffet dinner. As a roots music renaissance performer and multi-instrumentalist, Chris Silver has made a name for himself as a songwriter and is known throughout the U.S. for his virtuosity on guitar, mandolin, and fiddle. His music is soulful and innovative and takes the listener to a musical space where Americiana roots music is fused with jazz, blues, folk and country with the sensibility of a contemporary singer/songwriter. So, mark your calendars and be looking for further details and ticket purchasing through Eventbrite online. Our annual fund-raising efforts continue with the Hap Lutter Memorial Fund. Plans are in the works for an on-line auction and a 3 x 100 chance offering. The 3 x 100 will feature a Norling bamboo rod, a Josh Cunningham painting and a Sage rod. Watch your email for details and announcements for these events. A second spraying has been done on the South Fork of the Kinni on sites where the willows were removed. The Maintenance committee is meeting to review an option to do a controlled burn of the site and then present the details to the board for review and approval. Bill Heth, President of the Clear Waters Chapter informed me that their board approved support for the internship program we developed with UW-Stout and WDNR. They plan to contribute 50 percent of the annual cost. We will continue to seek additional funds to help sustain this effort in sponsoring educational opportunities for the students in the field of environmental sciences. They are our future. Hope to see you at the banquet or at one of our chapter meetings. Suzanne |
