WISCONSIN BASS FEDERATION
Reps Meeting- Portage, WI
October 9, 2011
Mike Simonds – President
Called the meeting to order
Pat Loendorf – Secretary’s Report
Roll call: Clubs missing: Badgerland, 3 Rivers Bass, Belle City Bass Anglers, Northern Illinois Bassmasters, River Road Bassmasters and State line Bass Anglers.
Brad Lemke – Treasurer
Reviewed the Treasurer’s report. A motion was made and 2nd to accept them.
Steve Hjort – Conservation Director
- We need to look for programs that will link us to local organizations
- We need the water quality improved.
- We need the invasive species to be under control.
- Boat landings need to be improved.
- Weeds need to be removed.
- Cribs need to be utilized.
- Piers need to be improved.
- Shoreline buffers need to be installed.
- Clubs need to improve the lakes and use that as their conservation projects. If you need help, send Steve an email.
- The culling issue is in the past.
Adam Barnard – Youth Director
- The Junior State Tournament was held in Pewaukee
- Dante Cirillo from C & R Bass Anglers Youth Club won in the 11-14 age group.
- Kyler Chelminiak from C & R Bass Anglers Youth Club won in the 15-18 age group
- The boys will advance on to the Nationals in Georgia next year.
- Next year the Junior State Tournament will be held on Mason Lake on July 29th.
- TBF has asked our federation to host the High School Tournament next year. The winners could advance to receive a $5000 scholarship
- Our Wisconsin State Champions – Kyler Chiminiak and Nicholas Petersen won the High School Central Regional Tournament that was held October 8th on Kinkaid Lake in Carbondale, IL. They beat out 6 other states and advance to the High School National Championship on Lake Murray, South Carolina.
- Adam has four Kids Casting kits if your club needs one.
- We have 5 junior clubs right now and I would like to see that number go up.
- Volunteers are needed for the Kid’s Casting events at the Madison Fishing Expo. Contact Adam if your club is interested.
Andy Ritchie- Tournament Director
- Andy said that our federation had a good year.
- State tournament had over 860 fish brought in.
- We have an excellent state team for next year.
- 3 Rivers Bass won the 4 Man Classic tournament held on Pools 6 and 7. They had over 65 pounds of fish. Lake Ripley Lunkers came in second and in third place was Red Nek Bassmasters.
- Tournaments for next year:
- Mr. Bass Tournament, May 19-20 Pools 5 & 5A – Fountain City
- Adult State Championship, August 17-19 Lake Winnebago – Oshkosh
- 4 Man Classic, September 22-23 Boom Lake – Rhinelander
- TBF Northern Divisional, September 5-7 Pools 7, 8 & 9 – LaCrosse
- The Reps tourney was held October 8th on Little Green Lake. First place for the third consecutive year was Mike Simonds from C & R Bass Anglers with three fish weighing 9.57 pounds. Second place with three fish weighing 9.12 pounds was Larry Hildebrandt and Max Stawinoga from Madison Bass. Mike also caught the big bass of the day – a 4.20 pound largemouth.
Mike Simonds- President
- Mike thanked his board of directors for their service to the Federation during the year.
- There was a minute of silence for Randy Waite and David “Pops” Garcznyski who passed away this year.
- Three generations of the Garcznyski family were present at our meeting. They made a donation to the Federation’s Youth programs in Pop’s memory. A special plaque was given to the family from our federation.
- TBF has opened a trophy shop. You can check it out online and place an order.
- Mike said that the LaCrosse area declared that the federation is awesome to work with.
- We now have a new website.
- It is very user friendly
- Everything that you need is on there – entry forms, by laws, 2012 calendar, board members and info, message board, important links (click on each one to view), Photo page, news info, convention (March 10th – Portage).
- Keep your rep list up to date.
- Any outdoor show can be put on the site for a minimal fee. You can have a banner ad for the same price.
- Facebook and Twitter are combined together.
- FLW and TBF feeds into our site.
- All of the board members have his/her email addresses.
- Andy Ritchie has 10-15 years in his position. And may be resigning.
- We need to appoint a person (this is not a board position) who would serve as an assistant tournament director. Mileage and motels would be paid but it would be no free ride to state.
- Andy gives up 8 of his weekends and it is a tough job Andy has done a magnificent job.
- Mike asked if anyone would like to volunteer to follow Andy and learn what Andy does. Andy would show this person the ropes. Ray Loendorf and Dave Aldrich volunteered.
- Mike would like some new people volunteering their time so Greg Van Meter was chosen as the Assistant Tournament Director.
- Wisconsin did a great job at Divisional and took second place.
- There were 211 out of 216 limits brought in.
- Advancing to the Federation National Championship in Flippin, Arkansas will be, as boater, Brady Farrell and Tom Tischer as our non boater.
New Business:
- Elections:
- Steve Hjort was nominated for Conservation Director. It was 2nd. Unanimous vote.
- Pat Loendorf was nominated for Secretary. It was 2nd. Unanimous vote.
- Mike Simonds was nominated for President. It was 2nd. Unanimous vote.
- Jim Schleifer will remain the Zone 4 Director.
- Roger Modrzejewski is the new Zone 2 Director.
- The 2012 Convention is going to be March 10thin Portage
- We lost money on last year’s convention
- Donations and sponsorships were down
- We will have to see how the 2012 Convention goes – we may have to omit the 2013 convention.
- It was mentioned that maybe we could get a pressure washer for the boats after the big tournaments. Steve talked to a warden and he should get back to him this winter.
- The subject of contestants canceling at the last minute for a big tournament. The zone directors try to get partners for everyone and don’t believe in taking two boaters at the last minute and taking a boat away from one. They try to find an observer. It was suggested that you might have to take away from the lowest number boater from the club that the member didn’t show up from. We will finalize this discussion in March. We need to make a deadline as to when you can cancel. Bring this back to your club.
- Volunteers are needed at the Madison Fishing Expo. Contact Adam if your club is interested.
There was a motion to adjourn and 2nd
Pat Loendorf – Secretary/ Wisconsin Bass Federation
