Wednesday, January 17, 2024

 


With the weather much improved and the likelihood that the darned lake is finally frozen, we have a consensus to try Boyd Friday morning, say about 9 a.m. starting at the boat ramp.
If someone doesn't have a state park pass and wants a lift, let me know and we can just drive over from my house about 8:30, 1915 Pikes Peak Drive. Bill


Meet the 2024 Loveland Fishing Club Board! Aw, you know who they are

We had a busy January general meeting on Tuesday.

Danny Barker, after a year as our vice president, stepped up to the role of president for a year, succeeding Tom Miller. Tom moves over to the role of Parliamentarian, after warm round of applause from the club for really stepping up when the club needed him most. 

Darrell Knight is new vice president, and by club tradition moves up to president in 2025.

Meanwhile, Kathleen Barker (yeah, Danny's girlfriend) continues as secretary, while Ken Kesterke is our new treasurer. 

Dave Johnson continues as membership liaison, and Jim Roode as government affairs liaison.

Danny Barker, left, Darrell Knight,
Kathleen Barker and Ken Kesterke



Below is the complete list of folks responsible for portions of club activities. You'll see we have a few remaining vacancies:
  

  • Activities chair, who helps the rest of us plan trips and other activities during the year, and 
  • Meeting chair, who helps plan our monthly speakers and communications. 

We're also needing someone to lead the club's involvement in the annual Loveland Kids Fishing Derby. It's been well led for several years by Rick Golz, but he's going to be unavailable that day (something to do with a 50th wedding anniversary!) He'll be available to help you get going on this important project. 

Here's what Rick has to say: "I would be glad to hand off the information needed to whomever you can get to take over the derby. In my opinion this event has the most impact on the club mission in the community. The kids and families have a great experience that lasts over generations."
 
Interested in helping out with this vital annual community event? Talk it over with Rick, e-mail 
then let Danny know you'd like to get involved.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, members approved some updated language in the club bylaws. The original language can be found in an article posted Sunday, and the complete bylaws are posted on the Pages Directory on the upper right portion of this blog. 

2023 Club Officers and other contacts: 


Club e-mail: lovelandfishing@gmail.com

President: Danny Barker

Vice President:  Darrell Knight

Secretary: Kathleen Barker

Treasurer: Ken Kesterke

Parliamentarian/Immediate Past President:  Tom Miller

Government Affairs Liaison: Jim Roode

Membership Liaison: Dave Johnson

Boat Day: Danny Barker

Activities Chair: Vacant

Banner keeper, Dennis Kelsey

Editor, Publicity Chair: Bill Prater

Friends of the Big Thompson: Walt Graul 

Kids Fishing Derby chair:  Vacant 

Meeting chair: Vacant

Membership Committee: John Gwinnup, Dave Johnson, Jim Visger

Senior Derby Chair: Bob Dierkes, Vicki Tesar

Updated: Jan. 16, 2024

Sunday, January 14, 2024

New officers to be elected; other actions at Tuesday's meeting

 After a year's indenture as club vice president, Danny Barker will be formally declared our 2024 President at Tuesday's meeting. We'll also be voting at the 2 p.m. meeting at Chilson Center on new members of the Board and changes in club-bylaws, and Jim Roode will reveal winner of this year's "Angler of the Year" competition, awarded to the club member who in 2023 

caught the largest fish from Colorado public waters. Dress warmly if you must, but be there. 



Monday, January 8, 2024

"Tom Miller on the hook for the Community"

Page one of The Loveland Reporter-Herald Tuesday morning featured a lengthy interview with the club's outgoing president, Tom Miller. In a Q & A by Pamela Johnson, the paper said, "Dedicated to fishing, and to the community, Miller hopes membership and participation in the group will grow this year, getting more residents and families outside, casting their lines in area waters and, at the same time, building community spirit and strewardship." Here's a link to the complete article: 

https://enewspaper.reporterherald.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=1d08342d-1705-4aec-84d4-95c2867c9c0b&share=true


Photo by the Reporter-Herald's Jenny Sparks of 2024 President Danny Barker, left, and
Tom Miller. 

Friday, January 5, 2024

Parks and Wildlife releases updated lake and stream survey summaries

 Each year Colorado Parks and Wildlife fisheries biologists updates its information on lakes and streams, and they are now available on the CPW website, https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/FisherySurveySummaries.aspx

Among the lakes with data from spring through fall 2023 are Boyd, Carter, Boedecker reservoirs and the Big Thompson and Cache la Poudre Rivers. This includes things like the gill net and electroshock results from 2023 compared to previous years. Among other things, it's showing white bass numbers declined pretty dramatically, likely a result of angler harvest of a very healthy white bass population. 

First big ice fishing trip of the season!

Okay, if the weather turns icy we'll likely stay home and watch fishing shows. But for now some of the club's legendary ice fishing clan plans a Wednesday, Jan. 10th outing to a top secret lake about two hours west of Loveland.

Okay, it's Meadow Creek, a gorgeous, mostly private but kinda public lake a few miles west of the Moose Visitor Center on Highway 14. Not to brag, or oversell the trip, but we caught some nice trout there last fall. All but a few of them escaped back into the lake unscathed.

Interested? Drop me a text at 970-988-9174. We'll set up a definite time and work out carpooling in a few days. If you need gear, we can work it out. Just let us know. Bill



Dennis Lund has passed away

Dennis D. Lund of Loveland, 87, a former member of the Loveland Fishing Club and a good fishing companion, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

No further information on services is available. Arrangements are being made by the Neptune Society.



Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Sportsmen's Expo is Jan. 11-14 at Colorado Convention Center

 

Here's the Colorado Parks and Wildlife news release:


DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is sponsoring and hosting educational booths at this year’s annual International Sportsmen’s Exposition at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver on Jan. 11-14, 2024. A digital coupon for a $3 discount off one adult ticket is available on the CPW website, https://cpw.state.co.us/Pages/ISE.aspx

Jim Roode won't be volunteering at the event this year, but is going down if someone needs a ride. You can reach him at Jim.
The International Sportsmen’s Expo is an event where more than 500 companies pack two giant halls with outdoor camping, off-roading, fishing, and hunting products and expert presentations are offered to attendees each day. 

This premier expo allows hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts to preview new outdoor gear, learn new casting techniques, see what lodges offer, look at live raptors up close, and find new places to explore in Colorado. 

Event ticket and parking information is available at www.sportsexpos.com/attend. Youth 15 and under and active military with ID can enter for free. Veterans can access a limited supply of free passes at Vettix.org



For more information about the expo and a complete list of exhibits, visit https://cpw.state.co.us/Pages/ISE.aspx or https://www.sportsexpos.com/attend/denver

Almost Time! To go ice fishing. Let's plan ahead

 Okay folks, if our late buddy Norm were still around he'd be clamoring for us to bundle up and head to the Laramie Lakes to freeze our butts off. Absent Norm, I'd say we're still a week or so away from water that's frozen enough to fish on around here. So! Let's either figure out a high country spot to try, an hour or two up in the mountains, or persuade some gullible members to go try out Boyd or Lon Hagler and report back.

For now, drop me a note, Ice Water Bill, and I'll add you to a distribution list of club members interested in possible upcoming ice fishing ventures. Let me know if you're new to the art and might need some loaner equipment to get started. And to get you motivated, here's a photo of outgoing President Tom Miller, describing what ice fishing was like in the old days to 2024 President Danny Barker.