O c t o b e r - The Yahara Fishing Club

October
2014
Editors: Tom Raschke (tomraschke50@gmail.com) or 608-219-9243
Stan Nichols (sanicho1@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Club Web site: http://www.yaharafishingclub.org
Whittlin’ for Fish
Notes From The Prez
I took a bird-carving course once. The instructor said carving birds is easy. Just take a block of
wood and cut away everything that doesn’t look like
a bird. John Eversoll’s advise for carving fishing
lures at the September YFC meeting was much
the same. Take a block of wood and cut away
everything that doesn’t look like the lure you want
to make. John is an award winning lure maker
and he “jumped” around on topics so I don’t
know if he actually said that but he probably
did. Since I am an “ apprentice” lure maker
and John gave a good handout we can get
you started making your own fishing lures.
John’s best piece of advise if you want to start
making wooden fishing lures is to get the book,
Making Wooden Fishing Lures by Rich Rousseau.
He has patterns and instructions for making a
variety of lures. If you don’t like the size of the
patterns you can always make them larger or
smaller by using a copy machine or scanning
them in to a computer and printing them out at
a different size. If you don’t have wood working
tools or are a real beginner Jan’s Netcraft Catalog
has lure making kits or for a little more advanced
person, kits with a variety of screws, lips, split rings,
hooks,etc. for making lures. I found my copy of the
book at the Duluth Trading Company store in Mt.
Horeb. I also found a book and some tip sheets
“on-line” for not only making wooden lures but also a
variety of lures including spinners and jigs from Real
Pro’s Sportfishing at www.infor@luremaking.com.
Andy Davidson, a lure maker and member
of the Smallmouth Alliance from Mt. Horeb
got me started making lures. I sure Andy is
another willing source for advice.
Let’s focus on making wooden fishing lures.
First you need the wood. Most lures are made
from softwoods like white pine, basswood, or white
cedar. They are light, durable, and float well for
surface lures. Basswood is probably the easiest to
Our October meeting is as late into the month
as they get – the 14th. But, that’s the second
Tuesday of the month according to my calendar,
so make note. We have one of our members,
Roy Vivian, who has offered to be our speaker
at the October meeting. He will give a presentation on Lake Mendota walleye fishing. Since
I regularly fish Lake Mendota for bass and walleyes, I am very much looking forward to this.
One of the more important things we need
to do as an organization is to recruit some
people to serve the Club as Directors and
Officers. With the unfortunate passing of Don
Gostomski, and the resignation (early this year) of
Joe Guastella, we are currently short a couple of
Board members. The terms of several of our other
Directors are expiring, though we may want to see
if they would consider serving again. However, we
do need Club members to be willing to “step up to
the plate” and to serve on our Board, as well as to
serve the Board and the Club as Officers. For the
most part, it’s not a large time commitment, in that
the meetings of the Board are just once per month
for about an hour and a half. Our Board members
have historically been willing to take a leading
role in organizing Club activities and events, and
in serving as volunteer staff at those functions,
and many of those who might be candidates to
serve as Board members are already participating
in this way. If we are to continue to be a vibrant
and successful organization, it is essential that we
have good people come forward to serve, and not
just the same people who have served in the past.
We have something of a core group of people
who continue to donate their time to our Club, but
we do need new people as well, new people with
fresh perspectives, new ideas, and some time
and energy to devote to the task. Among other
things, the Board needs to rework our By Laws, to
establish priorities for how we spend our charitable
Continued Page 2
Continued Page 3
Whittlin’ continued
Yahara Fishing Club
find in places like Woodcrafter Supply in Monona.
John gets white pine from Pukal Lumber in Arbor
Vitae. I know some makers that found white
cedar fence posts. Hardwoods like white oak
or maple are all right for sinking lures, as they
are heavy. I’ve used old implement (i.e. broom,
rakes, hoes, shovel) handles for making round
lures. It cuts down on the carving or woodturning.
Then you need a pattern. Besides Rousseau’s
book look in various fishing catalogs or outdoor
magazines. Again you can copy the picture and
enlarge it. You can also borrow a lure from a
buddy and trace or photograph it. You will also
need a variety of screws, eye screws, split rings,
lips, propellers, hooks, eyes, etc. John’s favorite
source is Moore’s Lures, 9019 Mid Lake Road,
Woodruff, WI. 54568 (mlures@charter.net). But
Jan’s Netcraft (3350 Briarfield Blvd., Maumee,
OH, www.jannsnetcraft.com); Barlow’s Tackle
Shop, 451 N. Central, Richardson, TX.,
www.barlowstackle.com; Stamina-Lure Parts
Online, 580 North Street, Springfield, IL,
www.LurePartsOnline.com, are some other good
sources that John recommends. I also found
Tackle Craft at W5043, 480th Ave. in Ellsworth,
WI, www.tackle-craft.com, and for heavy-duty
stuff, Rollie and Helen’s Musky Shop, 7543 Hwy.
51 South in Minocqua, WI, www.muskyshop.com
as good sources. Rolly and Helen’s catalog also
has patterns for making lure lips. The Real Pro’s
website from above also has lure making parts.
You can buy small screws, eye screws, etc. at
local hardware stores. A word of advice, don’t do
it unless they are stainless steel. Normal screws,
etc. will rust in the lures and eventually break.
Next you need some tools. A lathe is handing
for making round lures. Band saw, jig saw, hack
saw or coping saw is need to cut out the pattern and
cutting the kerf to insert the lip. A stationary sander
or belt sander is handy for shaping but shaping can
be done by hand with knives, rasps, or Sureform
tools. Dremel tools are also useful for shaping.
Sand paper is needed for final finishing.
John’s steps for making a wooden bait include:
Collect the wood, lay out the pattern, cut the notch
for the lip, mark and drill holes for the lead, pour
lead and glue in plugs, cut to shape and sand, drill
pilot holes for screws, round edges, sand including
finish sanding, seal the wood, coat with a primer,
paint, put in screws, glue in lips, finish with epoxy.
Now for a few details: It is important that the
lure is made symmetrical unless you can design
a certain wobble. Installing lead is trial and error
and you may even need to add lead to surface
lures to get them to sit properly on the water.
Lead can be melted and poured or add split shot
or egg sinkers in the drilled hole and plug with
a piece of dowel. If you make your own lips use
metal or one-sixteenth inch Lexan for smaller
lures and one-eighth inch Lexan for large lures.
Lexan can be bent without heating if you want
a bent lip. The lures need to be sealed before
painting to prevent rot. Sealing can be done
by soaking in a 50:50 ratio of spar varnish and
mineral spirits, by painting with white latex paint,
Elmers glue, or Weldbond glue thinned with
water, or if you are in a hurry spray with lacquer.
Both John and Andy recommend using Ace
Premium Enamel spray paint. Neither one uses
an airbrush. I made a paint booth by turning a
cardboard box on its side and hanging some
hooks from the top. You can use netting, an onion
sack, or lingerie bag for painting on scales. For
eyes you can use stick-ons, beads, glass eyes, or
paint them on. The final and most durable finish
is Envirotex Lite (sometimes known as bar seal)
but it is an epoxy and a little “nasty” so work with.
Polyurethane or lacquer also works but is not as
durable. Got that all done? Now go try it out.
Just a few more hints from John: If you want
some heavy-duty wire for tying spinners, use
bicycle spokes. There is glue called Maxicure that
can be used for gluing rubber baits back together.
Haunt fabric stores, craft stores, hobby stores, etc
for lure making supplies like thread, beads, stickers, fabric, and so forth. They can often be bought
at less cost than in the lure making catalogs.
Finally John’s word of wisdom- nothing
beats catching a fish on your homemade
lure. John can be reached at P.O Box 225,
Elizabeth, IL, 61028, phone 815-858-3753,
e-mail sjevers57@sandprairie.net. I think
John is more than willing to talk to you
These comprehensive notes provided by Stan Nichols
2
Yahara Fishing Club
Notes from the prez continued
funds, and to identify goals for how we serve the community at large.
So, if you can give a little time, or if you know someone who would be
a good Board candidate, come forward, please! Come forward and
volunteer, or come forward and nominate someone, but do come forward, so our Club can have a vigorous and effective governing body.
And, on the subject of volunteers, I think everyone will agree
that Tom Klein has done a truly admirable job in recent years
arranging and coordinating Fishing Club outings. It is apparent that
he has devoted a great deal of his time and energy to doing this.
However, Tom has quite appropriately asked that someone else
take over this responsibility, and we need to find someone
to fill his shoes. Anyone willing to take on this task should let
me, or one of our other Board members, know so we can have a
new designated “organizer of outings” before the end of the year.
The Warner Park lagoon water quality and remediation
study, which our Club has helped to fund, has been proceeding,
and a draft report has been issued. I will plan to present
some information about the study’s findings at the October
meeting. In the meantime, enjoy some good fall fishing; the water
is still plenty warm, and we have many fine fall days ahead.
Please be sure to submit your nominations for the Pete
Froland Award as soon as possible. The Board needs to choose
among those nominated so that the award can be made at the
December meeting, in connection with our annual Christmas and
holiday pot-luck. This award is given annually to recognize a
Club member who has made exceptional contributions of time
and energy in support of our Club and the Club’s activities.
Gard
V.F.W. Post 1318
133 Lakeside St.
Madison 53715
608-255-5955
3
Yahara Fishing Club
OUTINGS UPDATE Oct. 2014
Oct . 18th, a Saturday. a great time to fish the Barge out of Genoa
– Walleye, Sauger, panfish and who knows what else. If there are
excessive weeds floating down the river we will opt for a local outing on
Lake Mendota. I will have a weed report at our Oct. 14th. If the weed
report is OK, I will have signup sheets for car pooling to the barge. We
will meet at 4 am at the Sears auto repair area in West Towne Mall.
If the weed report is bad, its Lake Mendota casting for
Pike, etc., I will have signup sheets for boaters and non
boaters. We will meet at 7 am at the Warner launch.
Nov. 8th a Saturday. One day outing to Lake Wisconsin for Walleye
and Sauger. We will meet at the Sunset launch at 7 am. I will have
sign up at the OCTOBER meeting as the YFC meeting is Nov. 11th
Tom Klein
Transporting a boat into or through Minnesota?
Beginning in 2015 a new trailer decal requirement is
scheduled to start. The new law requires anyone who transports
watercraft or water-related equipment like docks and lifts
with a trailer in Minnesota to complete an aquatic invasive
species training course. After completing the course, you
receive a decal that must be displayed on your trailer.
John Quam
Work: 608-873-3366
Fax: 608-873-6663
john@quamsmotorsports.com
1896 Barber Drive • Stoughton, WI 53589
www.quamsmotorsports.com
4
Yahara Fishing Club
We Went to Erie With Captain Hook
Five YFC Anglers (Stan Nichols, Terry
Rogers, Richard Bee, Chris Johnson, and Ray
Fey) went to Lake Erie to fish with Captain Hook
out of Port Clinton, Ohio on September 19 and
20. After loading up in Richard’s pickup truck
and an eight hour drive, the biggest hazard being
getting around Chicago, we arrived at the Pond;
Captain Hook’s townhouse condominiums on
Thursday evening. The condos sit on a 25-acre
pond that can be fished. Terry, Chris, and
Richard tried it the first evening, right off the
deck. Terry caught one small sunfish that is all
I saw caught. We took a ride in the evening to
make sure we could find the boat in the morning.
After a 7:30 departure on Friday morning
with Captain Pat in a 30-foot launch we headed
for the perching grounds. After anchoring up
in about 40 feet of water the lines were over
the side. We fished with two basic spreader
rigs. One had a weight in the middle with two
arms going out to the side with dropper lines
on each arm. The other had a bell sinker on
the bottom and two arms with droppers, one
above the other. Both rigs were baited with
dead crappie-sized minnows. These rigs were
dropped to the bottom and then given one
turn up. The bite was almost instant. If you
didn’t have a bite in two minutes, crank up
the rig because something probably stole your
bait. We probably spent more time reeling
in, rebaiting, and dropping down than we did
fishing. Besides yellow perch we caught white
perch and white bass. We went through minnows fast and you didn’t need a whole minnow,
parts worked. With that in mind, Terry tried
some Gulp minnows-nada, they wanted the
real thing. We had our limit of perch (150) by
about 2:00 in the afternoon. We also kept a
few white perch and white bass to see how
they tasted. The last two fish I caught were
a double on white bass. I literally got a cramp
in my arm from reeling them in. The size of
the perch were about like around Madison.
A lot were in the 7-to-9 inch class with
maybe
one
out
of
ten
larger.
There is a facility in Port Clinton that cleans
fish for $1:00 a pound. After a quick calculation
we decided to use it. How long would it take,
even with five knives working, to clean 150+
fish? That evening Terry and I had a discussion
about using the spreader rigs. We thought we
might have been better off just using single
hooks on a straight line. Many bites were
subtle. A straight line may be more sensitive and
a quicker hook set. We missed a lot of bites.
On Saturday the crew decided to try for
walleyes and we got a dose of reality. The lake
was rougher and the fishing much slower. All
day we got a total of three walleyes, but all was
not lost. The sheephead put up a good fight
and they have some big ones. The guide can
usually tell if you got a sheephead. They fight
much better than a walleye. We also caught
some catfish. The basic rig for walleye (and
sheephead and catfish) was one-half a night
crawler on a spinner rig drifting over a shoal.
The walleyes were nice sized fish and we
fried them up for supper. We also tried some
of the white perch. I would classify the taste of
white perch about like a white bass. They were
scaled then filleted with the skin on. I think they
might taste better if they were skinned. It looked
like they have a black streak of fat under the
skin, that if removed would enhance the taste.
Sunday morning it was up early and head
back to Madison. If you fish with Captain Hook, I
have two recommendations. The living facilities
are great but they lack a lot of cooking gear. We
took along an electric fry pan and griddle that
came in very handy. You also may want to bring
your own fishing rod. Many of the Captains
reels had issues. We fished in Ohio waters
and the cost of a fishing license was $19 for
three days. It can be ordered online. For more
information you can look at Captain Hook’s
website-www.capthook.com
Stan Nichols
Pictures on page 6.
5
Yahara Fishing Club
Erie Pictures
Ray Fey, Chris Johnson, Stan
Nichols, Terry Rogers, Richard Bee
If anyone has topics or speakers for future
meetings contact Tom Wilke 834-9554) or
tvwilke@yahoo.com with names, possible
subject, and contact info.
6
Yahara Fishing Club
Anyone Wanna Edit a Newsletter?
I’ve been creating the newsletter for seven years,
now with Stan Nichols as a backup. I am willing
to continue, but if anyone else would like to take
over, let me know. We currently create it with
Adobe InDesign, and I’d be glad to train someone.
Tom Raschke, Editor
Please print
Yahara Fishing Club Membership Form
P.O. Box 3271
Madison, WI 53704
Name ____________________________________________________
If family/youth member, additional name(s) ______________________
Street _____________________________________________________
City_____________________________________
State ____ Zip ___________ Phone ______ - ______ - __________
Email ________________________________@_________________________
Annual dues, from January 1 to December 31:
Individual ..................$25
Family.........................$35
Youth Member........... Free with other paid membership
An Organization to Educate, Protect and Propagate the Interests of All Fishermen in the Yahara Basin Area
Including all of Madison’s Lakes
7
Yahara Fishing Club
P.O. Box 3271
Madison, WI 53704
Check out our web page at: www.yaharafishingclub.org
The next meeting is on Tuesday, October 14th
The Board Of Directors meet at 6:00 pm, The General Membership meeting starts at 7:00 pm.
Speaker: Roy Vivian
Calendar of Upcoming Events
October Events
October 14th , Regular club meeting at the VFW Hall. Roy Vivian will give a
pre-sentation on Lake Mendota walleye fishing
October 18th, a Saturday, fish the Barge out of Genoa.
November Events
November 8th, One day outing to Lake Wisconsin for Walleye and Sauger.
November 11th , Regular club meeting at the VFW Hall.
The Yahara Fishing Club’s doors are open to EVERYONE, so invite a friend to the meeting!
President - Gard Strother ......258-8555 Secretary-Randy Winkleman 358-4885 Director - Jim Kloth.........635-0116
Vice Pres. - Phil James ...........212-2506 Director - Paul Zoch ............ 241-5443 Director - Larry Reed ......221-0362
Treas - Colleen Marsden 630-408-9646 Director - Tom Wilke......... 834-9554 Director - Jesse Tougas ...873-3151