Meeting Attendees
Tom Vanderputten, Keith Loutzenhiser, Mike Beachy, Nick Christofeno, Jim Mock,
Derrick Peacock
Meeting Minutes
The meeting minutes for October 12, 2022 were approved.
- Fishing Reports
- Mike fished Corson Park on Oct 23 (5 for 10 shows) and Oct 30 (1 for 2 shows). Small leech patterns and fishing depressions at rocks. Not getting a lot from log jams.
- Treasurer’s Report
- Keith Loutzenhiser submitted a summary report for October 2022. The total account balances
- are $24,041.09
- Expenditures: $ 22 to State of Indiana, $1,500 to Mike Beachy (reimbursement for purchase from Don Fiwek).
- Deposits: $1,092.50 (Membership reimbursement from TU National)
- Mike Beachy to use LECTU credit card for purchase of reel for 2023 Outing.
- Corson Park
- On October 27 th Matt Horsley, Mike Beachy, and Rhonda DeClarie did a walk- through of Corson Park.
- Matt liked the habitat for year round brown trout fishery and would support a Catch/Release.
- The NRC has a 2 year backlog for proposal submissions, but Matt suggested a fast track method to have the Catch/Release proposal completed prior to the park opening.
- The next phase is to meet with the property owners on County Rd. 8, and secure their cooperation.
- The main trail is nearly complete, and auxiliary trails are soon to be developed.
- State Brown Trout
- Matt had previously stated that he would like to have 10,000 Browns for stocking in 2024.
- Recent spawning of brood stock produced 100,000 fertilized eggs. There will be natural attrition, but the start of the program is positive.
- The state may provide some of the eggs to the Elkhart Conservation Club.
- Work Days
- Mike spoke with Tom Enright of Middlebury Parks about cleaning the river in the Spring Street section (there is excessive timber fall).
- There needs to be cutting and removal with selective cabling.
- Fly Tying Sessions
- LECTU and the Middlebury Library will host winter fly tying sessions.
- The sessions with be the first Saturday of each month and will be January, February, March, and April. The sessions will run from 9:00am until Noon.
- The Elkhart Parks Department is interested in having LECTU host a fly tying session at Bonneyville Mill. This would be open for the entire county. The potential is for a large event. This event would stimulate interest in LECTU, Trout Fishing, and The Little Elkhart River.
- Winter Show Schedule
- The Heartland Show in Lebanon, IN is January 21-22, 2023
- The Three Rivers Fly Fishermen show in Fort Wayne is February 11, 2023
- Tim Flagler Visit
- Mike informed Eric Graham that LECTU would be interested in sponsoring an event (possibly
- September 23 rd , 2023) while Tim is already here for the Duneland and SJRVFF events.
- The venue would be either Elkhart or South Bend. Costs would be split between the clubs.
- Outing and Adopt-A-Trout
- The outing date is set for Saturday May 6, 2023.
- The single event raffle license application has been submitted to the state of Indiana.
- LECTU needs to reserve the Riverbend Park after January 1,2023 (rental agreement, State -105, and Game of Chance exemption).
- Letter is ready to be submitted to Middlebury Parks Department with certificate of insurance and request for waiver to sell raffle tickets in the park.
- Nick Halle (TU National) has been contacted regarding discounted TU purchases (e.g. Ross Reel).
- Food Service: LECTU may outsource the lunch instead of having members responsible for the food and preparation.
- Featured Speaker
- We need to have the speaker selected in time to print fliers and show handouts.
- H.A.M. Project
- The Habitat Access Management for the Christmas Holidays (Delivery the 2 nd -3 rd week of December).
- We will need 9 hams for 6 properties.
- LECTU Website
- The website has not been functioning for the past 18 months. LECTU members have agreed to outsource this work. Keith has a possible contact and will report at the next meeting.
- Library Key Pickup
- Wayne, Keith, and Mike have been listed by the Library being able to secure a building key for our monthly LECTU meetings. One of them will pick up the key prior to Wednesday of the meeting.
- LECTU Meeting Place and Date
- Next Meeting – Wednesday – December 14, 2022
- NOTE: The Middlebury Library has reopened for normal activities and LECTU will again meet in one of the library conference rooms.
- Tom Vanderputten – LECTU Secretary