|
|
| I thought that is what a public forum was for. |
|
| |
|
|
Making unfounded accusations against an organization or individual is irresponsible in any setting.
There are laws against that as well, and a person should think about that.
I don't think it's out of line to demand specifics about such accusations.
If those specifics can't be produced than I see no credibility in those accusations, only slanderous comments being made.
JS
|
|
| |
|
| Have a nice weekend...Ben
Edited by BenR 6/27/2008 7:09 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Look, Muskies Inc does have issues. Are they trying to fix it? For the sake of the organization and Muskie fishing I sure hope so. I have been involved for about 3 years. ( Currently President of a chapter). I don't like to make public gripes toward international but the time has come. We started in May 2006. International is supposed to pay for the first trip to international board meeting. Saw none of the money. Chapters are to get $5.00 for every member. Have seen none. We were approved for a $250.00 grant for our kids day back in January and have not seen it. I would sure like to know where that money ended up. Hopefully not on a plane ticket to some wannabe muskie territory.I got into an email battle with new President Dan Narsette. After the emails I came away thinking this guy is going to turn it around. I sure hope so. We have a huge battle in Minnesota right now and need EVERYONES support. The future of Muskies depends on it. Am I frustrated at International? Oh yeah in a big way! The next few months will tell me where the future lies.
Good luck to all.
Edited by Scott Webster 6/27/2008 7:31 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Green Bay, WI | Scott,
I would *strongly* recommend that you take advantage of the monthly round-table discussions with Dan & Jay. I put in a call to Jay to find out when the next meeting is, but he was unavailable. But he'll call me back and I will post the date and time here ASAP. But your concerns are important, and this is exactly why the round-table sessions were conceived--to resolve issues such as this as directly as possible.
Thanks for your post. If MI is going to put these types of issues in the past, we must deal with them directly--and I would sure want some answers if I was in your shoes as well.
TB |
|
| |
|
| Every organization has issues on occasion, and Muskies Inc. is no different. There are answers to Scott's and everyone else's questions if you seek them out. I wondered how the money was spent, and I used to think a lot of it was probably being spent needlessly. Because of that I joined Muskies Inc's Finance Committee and got the answers to every question I had. It would have been much easier to jump to conclusions and make snap-judgements, but I didn't want to take that route. Organizations have peaks and valleys just like relationships, and the easy thing to do is to give up on them. MI's best days are ahead, and a few people might someday regret that they backed out without taking the time to find the answers to their questions. Take the time and see for yourself. Good fishing. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 133
Location: WV | Im kinda predicted this to happen with this thread... Muskie inc is a great club. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 178
| TOM BETKA wrote the following in Post 323792:
"As an organization, MI sent a letter to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB), supporting the Wisconsin DNR in its proposal to increase the size limit on musky in the Chippewa Flowage (WI). For even though the citizens of the state voted in favor of the issue at the Conservation Congress spring hearings in April, the Wisconsin CC delegates, at their spring meeting in May, decided to vote *against* the citizens of Wisconsin in this effort. Thus they OPPOSED this size limit increase. I have spoken with Area Fisheries Team Leader Dave Neuswanger, and felt very comfortable that the proposal he and his staff made to increase the size limit was based in solid scientific principle. (EDIT: I also spoke with several local anglers and was advised that there was significant local support for the proposed size limit increase there--and in fact there had been support for several years.) Thus I made the recommendation to the MI Executive Committee that we support the WDNR in this matter. And indeed, last week a letter of support was sent to the Wisconsin NRB to ask them to accept the proposal of the DNR biologists, and the vote of the citizens of the state. The meeting to decide the matter was actually held yesterday and today, so I am not certain of the outcome--but MI again took a stand in support of the musky fishery."
DAVE: Tom, I am pleased to report that the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) acted consistently with the vote of the people at the WCC Spring Hearings AND with the WDNR biologist recommendations that you and other LEADERS of Muskies, Inc. supported so effectively in your recent letter to the NRB. Your support of professional fishery managers is greatly appreciated, especially in situations like this where the undue influence of a few non-professionals threatened to thwart our efforts to better conserve one of the premier muskie fisheries in Wisconsin -- the Chippewa Flowage. I'm writing this while on vacation (fishing on the Flowage and other Sawyer County waters); so from the deck of my 17-foot boat, THANK YOU.
Dave Neuswanger
Fisheries Team Leader, Upper Chippewa Basin
Wisconsin DNR, Hayward |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | That's GREAT to hear Dave! Thanks for sharing the news. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Dave,
I appreciate all of your work. I have a seasonal trailer on the Chip. at Sisko's. Would like to meet and talk to you sometime. Will be up for the July 4th holiday weekend. |
|
| |
|
Location: Green Bay, WI | Great to hear Dave! I talked to Tim Simonson Thursday, and he confirmed this as well--but I hadn't spoken to Mike yet, and I wanted to do this (to get some more details) before making an announcement. But I am glad that you made the announcement, as this issue certainly deserves our support...especially after all the planning that you and your team put into it.
My only regret is that I wasn't able personally to attend the NRB hearings, due to my recent surgery.
Hope your vacation is going well. (Mine could be better, lol...)
TB |
|
| |
|
Posts: 720
| Tom how are you feeling? I hope your rehab is going well.
Dave VanDoorn (FRV) |
|
| |
|
Posts: 691
Location: nationwide | Dave,
Does this mean for the 2009 season we have a 50 inch limit on the flowage, a 1 line per angler and motor trolling allowed? Or just the 50 inch limit?
Thanks,
Corey Meyer
|
|
| |
|
Location: Green Bay, WI | Hunter4 - 6/30/2008 3:12 PM
Tom how are you feeling? I hope your rehab is going well.
Dave VanDoorn (FRV)
Thanks for asking Dave...
I am pretty sore, and rehab is tough. But I am hanging in there. I can't say that I would do it all over again, but I didn't have much choice--and I am certainly nowhere near being able to realize the benefits from the surgery yet. It's only been about 18 days.
TB |
|
| |
|
Location: Green Bay, WI | muskymeyer - 6/30/2008 3:33 PM
Dave,
Does this mean for the 2009 season we have a 50 inch limit on the flowage, a 1 line per angler and motor trolling allowed? Or just the 50 inch limit?
Thanks,
Corey Meyer
I am not sure if Dave is following this thread yet, but the way I understood it when he & I talked a couple weeks ago, is that this was only for the 50" limit. Unless the DNR proposed something I was unaware of, the other changes were not included in last week's NRB submission. He mentioned the other changes as possibilities for the future--but I believe the initial change was simply the 50" size limit increase.
Hopefully Dave will come along and clarify for us.
TB |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2361
| Wow! Bem R, how many people were up on that grassy knoll? And if there were people up there, how does it affect the organization now? Conspiracy theory vs. being a current member of Muskies Inc??? That is pretty interesting anyway.
I am a life member, rarely get to a meeting or function of any kind because of where I live, but feel very strongly that all dedicated muskie fisherman need to be members since this is the only real unified voice we have. I have heard the local vs national fund allocation batch plenty of times, but imo the national committee is the big brother of the local committee and stands ready to place funds at your disposal if you have a real need that cannot be met. If you look at the history of the organization you will see that this has happened in several different instances in the past and may well happen in the future and possibly to your very club, if there is need. Otherwise I would like to have the club fund what limited research we can both national and international in scope that will interest and affect all of us as a group. I quickly see the value of being concerned over the loss and possible juristiction of the Leech Lake Spawning and Nursery areas, even though I have never even seen Leech Lake. Though I have never been to Canada, I feel I have a vested interest in Eagle, LOW the Ottawa River, Lac Seoul and the St. Lawrence river, because they are important areas for the resource. Just because they aren't within an hour drive doesn't diminish what they are to musky anglers as a group. Consider the well known guides, writers and educators out there talking about muskies, and then do a quick poll to see which of them supports Muskies INC.. I'll bet you will find near 100%, though you will have the ever present advice and criticism for the organization, those that most consider leaders, and visible figures in musky fishing, to a man, recognize the importance and contributions, made and being made by Muskies INC.
I have heard the "went to the meeting and they were cliquish" argument before, and wish the organization looked for a way to bring guys into the fold quickly. Active clubs tend to suck guys in and get them doing stuff better than some of the other 4 times a year clubs. Clubs ought to have at least one "mixer" tournament a year where all the newbies get paired with all the experienced fisherman as teams to enhance knowledge and comradie. People often think of it on the what has muskies inc done for me? basis, and really it is a heck of a lot. You need to view the big picture and realize that Muskies Inc. is looking out for your many and diversified interests and fisheries as a musky fisherman. You might criticize the magazine, and I have for sometimes lack of content, but it does carry international information and IS a forum for international down to very regional discussions and airing of conflicts. Don't dismiss it lightly because it doesn't spend a whole 3 pages telling you to try fishing in the shade when it's sunny, or some of the other thin soup served in the "for pay" magazines. Funny how many willingly contribute to the people that want to wedge a buck out of your pocket but are reluctant to shell out to a group that is basically atruistic and has your own interests at heart. Why is that? Strange deal if you think about it. |
|
| |
|
| I am not a member, but was considering the idea of joining a few years back. This was until:
I saw the MI magazine reporting that 17 muskys over 50" were caught in Indiana uring 2007, maybe one, two, OK let's say 5, but seventeen. Stop it!
then I spoke with a member who was selling me to join, then seeming him at the boat ramp the next afternoon with a 40" fish in his cooler,
then guides with MI stickers on their vehicles and boats fishing Indiana waters with 80 degree water temps.
The concept and best intentions of MI are there, but I for one realize that I would be an absent member at best. I have limited time free nowadays, I'd rather spend it on the water, then talking about it.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1529
| while being in canada,its easy to see from a distance. muskies inc is growing. with it pains come and go away being resolved. my hats off to the dedicated countless hours folks give to keep muskies in the forefront. . i am a muskies canada member, which is a canadian org. keeping the musky futures in sight is the main common goal. . theres watchers and doers in every sport. if it wasnt for mci or m.i. folks would still be nailing heads on walls and fertiliziling rose bushes. |
|
| |
|
| Hooper - 7/1/2008 1:02 PM
I am not a member, but was considering the idea of joining a few years back. This was until:
I saw the MI magazine reporting that 17 muskys over 50" were caught in Indiana uring 2007, maybe one, two, OK let's say 5, but seventeen. Stop it!
then I spoke with a member who was selling me to join, then seeming him at the boat ramp the next afternoon with a 40" fish in his cooler,
then guides with MI stickers on their vehicles and boats fishing Indiana waters with 80 degree water temps.
The concept and best intentions of MI are there, but I for one realize that I would be an absent member at best. I have limited time free nowadays, I'd rather spend it on the water, then talking about it.
I can say with total confidence that you found instances of "the exception to the rule". Muskies Inc. members release over 99% of the fish they catch, and this can be looked up, and at least that same percentage of MI members cease fishing for them when the water temperature rises to higher than 80%. There is a letter and also I believe an article in this month's Muskie magazine explaining the issues that arise from fishing in high water temperatures and other situations in which fishing for Muskies may not be in the best interests of the fish. Tom Betka and I recently colaborated on an article entitled "Muskie Fishing In Extreme Conditions". I can send you a copy if you'd like. Muskies Inc. members as a rule, are WELL AWARE of every aspect of Muskie fishing that is both detrimental to the resource, and benefitial. To make the assumtion you made from witnessing the acts of two individuals is short-changing yourself to what Muskies Inc. is all about and what we stand for. Take another look at us and you'll see. Thanks. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I am not a member and I likely wont become one any time soon. Why? I simply dont have the time or money. I dont know much about the organization but I'm sure they do a lot of good things for muskies and I fully support that, but I've got enough to keep me distracted from my degree and future schooling/job that I dont need another one. Plus if I end up moving to Utah I wouldnt be able to attend any meetings anyways. Maybe a Tiger Muskies Inc. could work on getting a brood source for pures so we can keep the fishery going out here. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3147
| Even If you dont have the time to be an active memeber there is still great value for the cause in joining...Its great political value in pointing to the fact that this organization is growing its membership numbers when dealing with DNR's getting new muskie waters size limits etc. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | happy hooker - 7/1/2008 5:58 PM
Even If you dont have the time to be an active memeber there is still great value for the cause in joining...Its great political value in pointing to the fact that this organization is growing its membership numbers when dealing with DNR's getting new muskie waters size limits etc.
Agreed, but I dont have the money to join. Any income not paying bills goes to the gas tank to get me out fishing.
MI could get me to join if they picked up my college tuition tab. |
|
| |
|
| Point, there is a scholarship program.  |
|
| |
|
Posts: 999
| I enjoy reading the magazines, mostly to see what everybody else caught around the country/canada. I really enjoy the logs that narrow everything down. I cant even imagine having a season like Linda Rice, Jason Hammernick or Jerry Sondag, I love to see how their season ended up. Not to forget Eric Jacobson-Brian Hanson's dream season. Great stuff! I can see a membership without something.
Mr Musky |
|
| |
