Chapter meeting: March 4th, 2025* WHAT…Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations between 4 and 8 inches possible. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. * WHERE…In Minnesota, Washington County. In Wisconsin, Barron, Rusk, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, and St. Croix Counties. * WHEN…From Tuesday evening through Wednesday afternoon. * IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday morning commute. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Rain is expected Tuesday evening before transitioning over to all snowfall late Tuesday evening to early overnight. The heaviest snowfall is forecast Tuesday night through Wednesday morning.
Peter Jonas will give his presentation at our October 7th, 2025 Chapter meeting!The next chapter meeting will be on April 1st.
Chapter meeting: March 4th, 2025 Meeting/presentation starts at 7:00 Network & Dinner at 6:00pm. Juniors Restaurant & Tap House 414 South Main Street, River Falls, WI
What’s the Deal with Aquatic Organism Passage? Presented By Peter Jonas
As partnership specialist for Trout Unlimited’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TU-DARE), Peter Jonas helps anglers, farmers, resource professionals, environmentalists, educators, students, and government officials work together to heal watersheds.
I have developed experience and expertise in recruiting partners, community building, public speaking and grant writing in his prior work as an ordained minister and as a founding member of RUTH—Rural Unity through Hope, a community organizing coalition.
I am a life member of Trout Unlimited and has served on the boards of the Southern Wisconsin and Wisconsin Clear Waters Chapters. Recently, he has worked to secure support and funding for stream restoration projects in Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties.
Peter also enjoys participating in stream days with middle and high school students, being a fishing buddy and facilitator forReel Recovery, a program that offers cancer survivors an opportunity to learn to fly fish in a transformative community.
Peter and his wife Kary live in Eau Claire, WI. They have three adult children.
Program The Driftless Area Restoration Effort is in the process of gathering data about the size and condition of stream road crossings throughout the Driftless Region. Why is this data important, and how does work on fish passage complement our ongoing stream restoration efforts?
The Footsteps we walk in—the paths we help others make: Being mentored and Mentoring in Outdoor Life and Conservation Who taught you how to fish? Who were the people that helped you embrace a conservation ethic? How have you passed this way of life on to others? Peter Jonas will explore mentoring and being mentored in an time of storytelling and reflection on the place of fly fishing in the quest to become truly human
Peter Jonas Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Partnership Specialist Eau Claire, WI 608-323-2006 peter.jonas@tu.org
Chapter meeting: February 4th, 2025 Meeting/presentation starts at 7:00 Network & Dinner at 6:00pm. Juniors Restaurant & Tap House 414 South Main Street, River Falls, WI
Annual Dick Frantes Memorial Fly Tying EventIn honor of Dick Frantes, come and participate in this opportunity to watch our chapter’s experienced tyers craft their favorite fly patterns. If you are a beginner and want to try your hand at tying a basic fly pattern we will have materials and instruction available or, feel free to bring your own materials and join in. There will be some fun tying skill events, such as tying “in hand,” tying blindfolded, and tying with your non-dominant hand.
If you have not already done so, please contact Suzanne Constantini, smccon26@gmail.com to ensure that we make room for you.
If you have some fly fishing related books that are gathering dust bring them along and swap them out for others that may be new to you. And, if you have some excess tying materials, bring them along as well and possibly you can make a trade for another material you may not have.
If you by chance have an old pair(s) of leaky breathable waders how about bringing them to the chapter meeting. Missie Hanson repurposes them into some pretty spectacular wading bags. There’s a chance you might even win one if she decides to offer a wader bag as a drawing prize at one of our chapter meetings.
Chapter meeting: January 7th, 2025Meeting/presentation starts at 7:00 Network & Dinner at 6:00pm. Juniors Restaurant & Tap House 414 South Main Street, River Falls, WI
“All About Streamers”Presented By Lund’s Fly ShopPanel MembersNick Altringer, Brian Smolinski, and Gabe Schubert Come and participate in this question and answer get together. This will be a fabulous opportunity to have many of your questions about fly fishing with streamers answered by these three local experts. Your questions will be the subject matter for this event. So start thinking about what you would like to know about fly fishing with streamers for trout and warm water species such as Northern Pike, Muskie, Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. Ask and learn about rod/reel selection, rigging, fly selection, presentation tactics just to name of few.
Those of you that are unable to attend can stream the meeting on the Kiap-TU-Wish YouTube Channel with the link below!
Subscribe to our channel to be notified of all uploads and access our content.
Pictured Above is an ERO structure located in the South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River
Chapter meeting: Monday November 4thMeeting/presentation starts at 7:00 Network & Dinner at 6:00pm. Juniors Restaurant & Tap House 414 South Main Street, River Falls, WI
Elevated Riparian Optimized (ERO) structures: A six-year updateGuest Speaker: Loren HaasLoren Haas is a Kiap-TU-Wish former board member and current chapter member and is much involved in our chapter’s stream restoration projects. He received his Bachelor’s degree from U.W. Stout. His knowledge of fluvial dynamics has been garnered from his career in industry, his own research, and through interactions with like-minded individuals. In looking back, Loren tells of fishing brook trout while growing up in Wisconsin. “Many of the smaller streams had under-sized single lane bridge-crossings with the best deep holes under and just downstream of them. I called it road fishing — driving from bridge to bridge to find brook trout. The same forces that formed holes under bridges are at work in the ERO structures.” The inovative restoration projects depicted in Loren’s presentation are testament to his remarkable expertise in water dynamics and velocities and how they can be used to further the quality of our endangered streams and fish populations.
Those unable to attend can stream the meeting on the Kiap-TU-Wish YouTube Channel with the link below!
Subscribe to our channel to be notified of all uploads and access our content.
We kick off the KIAP calendar year with an Open House and Gear Swap at Rush River Brewery in River Falls. The event will start at 6 pm on Thursday, September 5th (note- the remainder of our chapter meeting will be the first Tuesday of the month at Juniors in River Falls).
Please come out and meet up with your old friends and make some new ones, discussing how your summer went and how the big one got away. Please invite spouses, significant others, friends, and anyone you think might be interested in joining Trout Unlimited.
There will be something for everyone! Farmers market, food truck, and music. Plus we will be having a gear swap. Bring in your used fishing equipment and drop it off with your name and price. If your item sells, the money is yours to keep. We will also be signing up new members at half off the usual price – only $17.50!
