Dec - The Yahara Fishing Club

December
2015
Editors: Tom Raschke (tomraschke50@gmail.com) or 608-219-9243
Stan Nichols (sanicho1@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Towing the Line
What are the most important connections
between an angler and a fish? Probably
the line and the hook.
If either fails no fish.
Brandon from Cabela’s gave a
primer on lines at the November meeting.
There are three basic types of line: monofilament, fluorocarbon, and braided. Each has a best
use. Monofilament has good abrasion resistance,
there are many colors so it can be matched to
the color of the water, it holds knots well, and
it is neutrally buoyant. However it doesn’t last
long, it is bad for memory (i.e. it tends to stay
curled when stored on a spool for a long time). It
also has up to 25% stretch. Stretch can be good
or bad. Stretch makes the line less sensitive to
bites but it may aid in fish hook-up and it can
be used with stiff (i.e. graphite) rods without
breaking them on the hook set. It is a good,
all around fishing line, especially for beginners.
Fluorocarbon has no stretch, it is good for
bite detection, it lasts one or two seasons of
moderate use, it sinks quickly, it is abrasion
resistant, and it is invisible in water. However, it
is hard to tie knots in and it is bad for memory.
Braided line is no stretch, it is very strong,
it floats, it is visible but is available in a variety
of colors, it can slice through weeds, it is very
versatile, and it has no memory. However, it
Club Web site: http://www.yaharafishingclub.org
Notes by Stan Nichols
frays after use, it is easy to get backlashes,
it can cut through rod eyes and line winders
on reels. Its fine diameter is good for trolling.
From personal experience I have a few other
thoughts. Using no stretch line with a stiff pole
can be disastrous. Too hard a hook set can break
a pole or rip the hook out of a fish’s mouth. Some
anglers are going back to fiberglass or other
“soft” poles when using no stretch line. I find
backlashes are more frequent and line can be
pulled into the spool when using light test braids
with casting gear. I typically use about 60 pound
braid to get around this. Not that you need that
heavy a line to land a fish but backlashes are
less frequent and easier to get out. When using
braid on a casting reel you need to put tape or
some other backing on the reel arbor. Otherwise
the line will just spin around and not be retrieved.
I don’t like braid for ice fishing. Once it starts
to fray it collects water that freezes on the line.
A tournament angler I know takes a long cast
with braided line then puts a piece of electricians
tape across the spool at that point. If he gets
a bad backlash he can cut the line at that point
without the backlash going deeper into the spool.
What is the best combination? – Perhaps
a braided line with a fluorocarbon leader. It is
sensitive, abrasion resistant, little memory, and
Continued next
YFC CLUB MEETING INFORMATION
The Tuesday, December 8th meeting will be back at the VFW hall.
The general meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.
This is the annual Pot Luck - Bring a dish to share.
Towing the line, continued
Yahara Fishing Club
the leader is invisible. Each line has a purpose, use
what works best for your type of fishing. As a footnote,
Charlie Grimm recommended a website called “Grog” to
learn fishing knots. See http://www.animatedknots.com/
Charlie also recommends yellow line to senior
citizens who have trouble seeing bites.
Member Pics
Brandon also discussed entry-level ice flashers and
compared the three main types: Marcum, Vexilar, and
Hummingbird. I won’t go into details but in his analysis
he thought that for price and features the Hummingbird
Ice 35 was the best deal. If you are in the market for
a new ice flasher go to Cabela’s and find Brandon. He
may be in the fishing department or taking care of the
aquarium. Before going out you may want to talk to Jim
Kusada, our in-house flasher expert or take him along.
Knots
Last meeting Charlie Grimm mentioned a website
for learning knots. It is a website with knots for a
variety of purposes, including boating, fishing, splicing,
etc.
The animated examples are easy to follow.
See:
http://www.animatedknots.com/
indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com
2016 Board Member Richard
Conner in NJ this summer.
Ex-member dies at 101
I got an email several days ago asking if I had any information
on a lifetime member of the club, Margaret Eithun. The email
was from her daughter and the information for creating an obit. I
checked around and couldn’t find anything, and called Jack Hurst.
His wife answered, as Jack was deer hunting, and had just got
his buck - BY BOW!. She did not recall Margaret, but did know
the president mentioned by her daughter, Ray Amble. Here is
the good part - see the obit. She was 101!. Jack is a young pup.
Tom Raschke
http://host.madison.com/news/local/obituaries/eithunmargaret-l/article_b9a3b960-a722-5315-9dd2-74783dd820ab.html
2
Yahara Fishing Club
Shrinking Newsletter
You may notice that this newsletter came up faster than the older issues. Thanks
to Dan Corfman of the Rock Valley Anglers who showed me a free program (paint.net)
that reduces picture sizes significantly, which makes the entire issue much smaller.
Right now there are many ads that I will need to reduce, so it should continue to get smaller.
I should be able to get the newsletter to half its current size.
3
The History of Lake Mendota
in the Palm of Your Hands
Yahara Fishing Club
Our Waters, Our Future Writing Contest
by Don Sanford
Have you ever wondered why someone
built a road across Lake Mendota’s North Bay?
Or perhaps you want to know when a sea serpent was last spotted, or if your friend really
did swim across the lake many years ago.
The answers to these questions, and many
more, can be found in my recently published book,
On Fourth Lake: A Social History of Lake Mendota.
It is the story of the people, places and events
that have shaped the shoreline of Lake Mendota,
Madison’s greatest lake, as we know it today—the
story of Native people, settlers, iceboaters, sailors,
fishers, hunters, explorers, politicians, entertainers,
lifeguards, boat captains, inventors, scientists
and Olympians, much of it in their own words.
I spent over a decade preparing this social
history of Lake Mendota. My work combines
the personal experiences of people who lived,
worked and played on the lake with the events that
shaped Madison, the Badger State and the nation.
The first book of its kind, On Fourth Lake
takes you on a guided tour around Lake Mendota,
looking at the lakeshore from the water. It is richly
illustrated with more than 500 maps, newspaper
articles and photographs. Many of the images
were sourced from private collections and have
never before been available to the public. This
book is a must-have for anyone who spends
time on Lake Mendota or has an interest in
the history of Madison and Dane County.
A Lake Mendota mariner, I am a member of
the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club, past Commodore
of the Mendota Yacht Club, and Commodore of
the International Nite Ice Yacht Class Association. I hold a 100-ton Masters License, Great
Lakes and Inland Waters. Since 2006, I have
been a captain for Betty Lou Cruises in Madison.
I also host Madison School & Community Recreation’s (MSCR) Lake Mendota celebrity cruises.
You may order On Fourth Lake online at:
LakeMendotaHistory.com or Amazon.com. The
following Madison book and museum stores,
gift shops and retail stores also carry the book:
University Book Store, A Room of One’s Own,
Mystery to Me, Wisconsin Historical Museum
store, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
museum store, Orange Tree Imports, Union
South Badger Market, Boathouse of Madison, D
& S Bait (Northport Drive), and Ace Hardware
(Williamson Street). Visit the website for a list
of upcoming book events. I can be reached at
Don@LakeMendotaHistory.com, (608) 225-7520.
4
What’s your vision of a positive future for
water and people in south-central Wisconsin?
The “Our Waters, Our Future” Writing Contest
seeks inspiring short stories that can fuel conversations and actions to ensure healthy waters
and vibrant communities for generations to come.
The winning story will be published in
Madison Magazine. Top finalists will receive
other awards.
Submit your story by February 1, 2016.
The contest is open to all Wisconsin residents
and students ages 18 and up.
For
complete
details,
visit
wsc.limnology.wisc.edu/writing-contest.
The following organizations have teamed up
to tap your creativity: UW-Madison’s Water Sustainability and Climate Project and Center for Limnology, Madison Magazine, Sustain Dane, and the
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters.
Jenny Seifert
Science Writer|Outreach Coordinator
Water Sustainability and Climate Project | University of Wisconsin-Madison
jseifert2@wisc.edu | 608-890-2137 (o) |
608-512-6259 (c)
wsc.limnology.wisc.edu | yahara2070.org
Yahara Fishing Club
D&S Bait, Tackle & Archery, LLC
Winter 2015 Fishing Seminar Schedule
D&S Bait, 1411 Northport Dr, Madison, WI
(608) 241-4225 | www.dsbait.com | info@dsbait.com
We’re happy to announce our lineup for the Winter
2015 Fishing Seminar series! With local experts stopping
in to speak on a variety of topics, it’s a can’t miss for
every fisherman and woman. Come on in on Thursday
nights to catch some pointers. The seminars start at
7pm and are always free to the public. There’s often
special sales that run right after for those who want to
pick up new gear or a new hobby. We’ll be starting on
the first week of December. The line-up is as follows:
DATE
SPEAKER
December
12/03 Pat Westberg
12/10 Ron Barefield
12/17 Kevin Slagg
V.F.W. Post 1318
133 Lakeside St.
Madison 53715
608-255-5955
TOPIC
Pike on the Chain
Mississippi River Fishing
Panfish and Plastics
For those of you new to this, we offer these FREE
fishing clinics right here at our store, given by local area
fishermen, about our local waters. We are fortunate to
have many local fishermen donate their time & talent
to give these seminars & to share their knowledge of
our lakes. So stop by & hear what they have to say!
ALL TOPICS & SPEAKERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
John Quam
Work: 608-873-3366
Fax: 608-873-6663
john@quamsmotorsports.com
1896 Barber Drive • Stoughton, WI 53589
www.quamsmotorsports.com
5
Yahara Fishing Club
From the Forum
Got out yesterday the 25th & started trolling out in front of the train trestle
with small cranks & lead core line. Picked up 16 shorts & NO keepers. Went
down to a few different points to vertical jig blade baits & one eyes with no luck.
Back to trolling & picked up a few more, still no keepers! Only a hand full of
boats out on a super nice day. Never saw a keeper caught. Of course “the day
before” heard one boat had est. 80 boated with many 20” - 28” in the slot {they
all have to go back} using mega fat heads/jig combo. Have fished this body of
water for many years & have notice at times that the bite can be every other day.
Happy Turkey Day - Go Pack
Kevin Tvedten
Join the Forum
Join over half the clubs members are on the Forum, where you can share
fishing tips and communicate
with everyone with one email.
Go to the
club website, follow the instructions in red in the upper left hand corner.
see http://www.yaharafishingclub.org/
6
Yahara Fishing Club
Your Fishing Story And Fishing
Pictures Could Be Here
See the stories and pictures in this issue?
Send me your fishing reports and pictures
I’d like to publish them.
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, December 8th
The meeting is at the VFW Hall : Annual Christmas Pot Luck
Calendar of Upcoming Events
December Events
December 8th, Still on a Tuesday, still at the VFW Hall on 133 Lakeside St
Annual pot luck.
January Events
January 13th, a Wednesday at the VFW Hall on Cottage Grove Road
The Yahara Fishing Club’s doors are open to EVERYONE, so invite a friend to the meeting!
President - Gard Strother ......258-8555 Director - Gerald King 608-513-8575 Director -Rich Connor 608-467-8849.
Vice Pres. - Phil James ...........212-2506 Director - Tom Wilke.... 608-834-9554 Director - Larry Reed ...608-221-0362
Treas - Colleen Marsden 630-408-9646 Director - Gary Schutte 608-237-1395 Director - Roger Matiasek 254-493-3219
Secretary John Pribek .... 608-577-4360