Float tube party at Chilson

For anyone who’s wanted to try their hand (and feet) at float tube fishing, don’t miss the club’s outing at Chilson Pool from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 7. The Great Float Tube Experiencence was organized by Tom Miller and Legendary bellyboater John Gwinnup will lead instruction.  We’ll have several styles of tube on hand.  Fishing is catch and release only; barbless hooks only.  Appropriate swim attire required.



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Dee and Pat are 2018 Activities co-chairs

If you'd like to suggest or coordinate a club outing in 2018, contact Dee and Pat Mikulak, Dee and Pat.  They ensure our planned outings don' overlap, and communicate trip plans to club members.

Mark your calendar! Spring trip planning begins

It's late winter - time to start plotting trips in early spring.  Norm Engelbrecht has come up with two likely prospects - pencil in John Martin Reservoir for May 1 and Jumbo for May 22.

Jumbo's become familiar to the club as a terrific spring walleye lake; John Martin is an enormous, sprawling reservoir in southeast Colorado that is supposed to be in great shape for walleye, white bass and crappie.

For a writeup on John Martin by Terry Wickstram in the Denver Post, visit here.

Time for an update of, "Loveland's toughest angler!"

It has been a while now since the Loveland Fishing Club decided whom among us is No. 1 in the sheer ability to try something questionable involving our physical, mental or marital well being.  This is the call for nominations for 2008 Loveland's Toughest Angler.  Send your suggestions to Bill.

Over the years, guys and gals, we have had some doozies.  I am reminded of long-time club member Frank Zupanc, dazzling us with one crazy adventure after another -- including a legendary, could-have-been-tragic-but-wasn't spill into Boyd Lake and numerous other solitary float tube adventures, despite that broken back thing of his.  And of course we have to bring up the late Dave Harem, whom I met for the first time as he emerged from Boyd Lake one hot summer weekend.  The jet skis and wake boats buzzed around him like hornets as he took off his flippers fresh from maneuvering his belly boat from the Marina Inlet to the far east bank and back.  I can't recall what he caught, but he going after mid-day walleye.

There's also Jim Clune, and that memorable, non-angling adventure in 2013 with Norm Engelbrecht and Jim Roode, ignoring Jim's all-too-recent heart attack, and the worst flooding in northern Colorado history, to fight their way up flooded canyon roads for a black powder moose hunting trip.  (I also recall loyal wife Jean telling me, "Well, it is really hard to get a moose tag.")

And who could forget the frozen dozen among us who braved minus 23 temperatures, fluctuating water levels and 25 mph winds, to unsuccessfully ice fish Lake Grandby?

Now that I think on it, that trip included two female charter members of the club, Dottie Bethel and Shirley Smilley,  Dottie always a bit whiny about the cold but Shirley tough as nails and stoic in that howling blizzard.  And how about Shirley on that Glen Elder, Kansas fishing trip, freshly released from a three-month West Coast hospital stay?  But for the most part, the members we sometimes call "toughest" have been males of our outfit, possibly confirming that old cliche', "It's amazing how many boys make it to adulthood."

Anyway, with spring still far away and local ice getting rotten, it is time to give ourselves something new to discuss over breakfast.  Female nominees are especially welcome, but we seek any and all recent evidence of club members' questionable judgment.

We even have a slogan for all this, submitted in casual conversation by Dave on that fateful 2004 Lake Grandby outing:  "You know, I think we do things like this to remind ourselves we still can."

Dang, I miss that dude.

So, whatcha been up to lately?  You can tell us about it over breakfast Friday.  Or if involves someone else, you can whisper it in my ear.

Mike Scheber has passed away

Former Loveland Fishing Club member Mike Scheber, a good friend and club member, always looking for ways to volunteer on projects involving kids or seniors, has passed away at his home in Clarksville, Tennessee.  Online condolences may be made by going to to this website:  http://www.gatewayfh.com.

Obituary:

Michael Allan Scheber, age 68, of Clarksville, TN passed away on Monday January 29, 2018 at his residence. 

He was born June 6, 1949 in Chicago, IL the son of the late Charles John Scheber Sr. and Dorothy Armbrust Scheber, Michael served his country in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971 in the 4th Infantry in Vietnam. Following his time in the service he served as a volunteer firefighter for over 30 years with the Buckeye Valley Fire District in Arizona. He also worked for over 15 years as a truck driver with the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 2009. 

While living in Colorado he was a member of the Loveland Fishing Club. He is survived by his wife Sharon Abbott Scheber of Clarksville; a son Jason Patrick Scheber of Ft. Collins, CO; a daughter Traci C. Scheber of Clarksville; a daughter and son in law Jennifer and Richard Adamowich of Clarksville. Michael is also survived by grandchildren Clinton Scheber; Halley Adamowich; Mathew Scheber; Ayden Adamowich; and Kayla Adamowich; as well as a great grandson Kiran Adamowich. 

In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by an infant daughter Melissa; a brother Charles John Scheber Jr.; and a granddaughter Kennedy Adamowich. 

In keeping with Michael's wishes, there will be no public funeral services. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the American Cancer Society. Arrangements are under the care of Gateway Funeral Home and Cremation Center 335 Franklin Street Clarksville, TN 37040. Phone 931-919-2600. Online condolences may be made by going to http://www.gatewayfh.com.

Tell your state senator and representative to pass the hunting and fishing bill

Colorado has gone 13 years in without increasing spending on hunting and fishing. See the article below on introduction of  S.B. 18-143, the "Hunting, Fishing and Parks for Future Generations Act" in the Colorado Senate.  

The bill will be heard by the Senate Finance Committee, the folks who killed it last year.  

If you think it's time to change that, you might contact your state senator and representative on this one.  Loveland's elected officials are Senator Kevin Lundberg, kevin@kevinlundberg.com, Phone: 303-866-4853; and Representative Hugh McKean, hugh.mckean.house@state.co.us; Phone: 303-866-2947.
If your residence is elsewhere, you can easily find your elected legislator at http://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator

License increase bill introduced in Colorado Senate

A bill termed the "Hunting, Fishing, and Parks for Future Generations Act (Senate Bill 18-143) was introduced in the Colorado Senate on Jan. 29 in an effort to bring a long-term funding solution to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The bill is sponsored by two Republicans -- Sen. Don Coram of Montrose and Rep. Jim Wilson of Salida, and two Democrats -- Sen. Stephen Fenberg of Boulder and Rep. Jeni Arndt of Fort Collins. Introduction of the bill follows roughly three-years of public meetings with legislators and outdoor enthusiasts to gather feedback on the agency’s financial challenges and the future of Colorado’s outdoor recreation opportunities, state parks and wildlife.  The last badly needed effort died in the Senate Finance Committee last year.  Among other things, the bill would end the free fishing license for seniors - the fee would be $8 a year, and set a similar fee for 16- and 17-year-olds.  The last fee increase came in 2005, while inflation has increased nearly 30 percent.

The Alamosa News has an article on the bill introduction.  Click here:  https://alamosanews.com/article/hunting-fishing-and-parks-for-future-generations-act-introduced.