Capitol Rally April 9

[J. Rosonke]

A Capitol Rally in support of SJR-2002 (Sustainable Funding for our conservation priorities) has been scheduled for APRIL 9TH.

The auditorium at the State Historical Building has been reserved as a gathering point.  If you can attend please be there by 9:30 a.m.  Then we will go up the Hill to the Capitol so that folks can speak face to face with their Representatives.

For those of you in far South East Iowa there will be a charter bus available. 
HyVee will be suppling coffee and donuts for the morning and Budwiser will supply beverages for the return trip home only. If you or anyone you know in Lee, Van Buren, Des Moines, Henry, or Jefferson Counties that would like a free trip to the rally please have them contact Rick Tebbs
[email protected]

[J. Rosonke]

Here's some Ice fishing for ya,

15 minutes after I posted this yesterday I headed over to Clear Lake.

fished off farmers beach because it was the only place with enough people to be sure it was a safe walk. (There was one guy east of the Island)

There was over 20" of ice yet and dry on top once you get 75 feet from shore (Slushy near shore) but it's all shunky rotten ice, no hard good ice even at the bottom.

The bite was pretty much non existant until right near dark, then it got pretty good.

I hadn't planned on staying after dark so I didn't drag any light source out there so I quit at about 8:10 with 2 yellows and 1 keeper eye. (I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever ice fished past 8 pm on natural light only)

There were 2 guys with a 4 wheeler 75 feet from me knocking 'em dead, 3 or 4 times the number of fish in the same time. Apparantly that 75 feet made a big difference.


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Improved water quality means improved fishing, there's no doubt about that.

It also means lakes might last more than 30 years before they are silted in shadows of themselves. Fishermen on the Des Moines river Impoundments know all about that.

[Oldbear]

Its time to Quit Jeremy.  Don't want to fish for the fisherman.

[J. Rosonke]

Oldbear, It's not time to quit until November 2010 when this becomes part of the State Constitution.

And then on to the next challenge.

[KrappieSlayer]

all you old bears and crowes need to wake up and realize that this is a very important subject to be discussing or at least, thanks to Mr. Rosonke be reading.  I haven't read it anywhere aside from here and I appreciate the updates and information.  This is something, although you may not appreciate it, for your kids, grandkids and many others to enjoy and to help enhance the sport of fishing, ice fishing,  and anything to do with fishing. 

Keep it up Rosonke, don't let a few old un-informed "fishermen/women" let you down.  Your work and appreciation for this sport is more than most and also preserves our water and much more in the state.
Thanks.

[J. Rosonke]

I've been at this long enough to know there'll always be nay sayers, honestly they bother me less than the pure apathy I see from so many outdoorsmen in Iowa.

Just so no one thinks this is a crusade by a few, The Iowa Conservation Alliance has been the lead Organization on this issue for 6 years give or take. ICA is an alliance of many of the sportsmen's groups in the state including:

 
Cedar Rapids B.A.S.S.
 
Huntmasters Club
 
Iowa Chapter of Pheasants Forever
 
Iowa Trappers Association
 
Iowa State Coon Hunters Association
 
Iowa Chapter of the Foundation for
North American Wild Sheep
 
Ducks Unlimited
 
Iowa B.A.S.S.
 
Whitetails Unlimited
 
Rivertown Duck club
 
North Bear Trout Unlimited Chapter
 
Izaak Walton League of America, Iowa Division
 
East Central Iowa Fur Takers of America
 
Iowa Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society of America
 
Safari Club International, Iowa Chapter
 
Upper Great Plains Chapter of Muskies, Inc.
 
Waterfowl Association of Iowa
 
National Wild Turkey Federation, Iowa State Chapter

In addition these groups have a lobbiest declaration in favor of the Bill:

State Police Officers Council

IA. State Assn. of Counties

IA. Dept. of Natural Resources

IA. Dept. of Agriculture

IA. Environmental Council

IA. Assn. of County Conservation Boards

IA. Bowhunters Assn.

The Nature Conservancy

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Each of these groups should be contacting their members about SJR 2002, but some are better suited to quick action than others and none of us are very experienced in a grassroots campaign of this magnitude so these groups may not all have gotten the word out as well as they'd like.

My "home Organization" the Waterfowl Association of Iowa, was basically born on the net so I have taken it upon myself to get the word out on several forums.

There's no way we can reach everyone directly so we're counting on like minded sportsmen to help pass the word!