Meeting Minutes

April 5, 2006

Welcome new members JW Moreno, Larry Rydalch, Jason Kretzer, and Ryan Ordway.

Also welcome to guests Jack Drake, Jerry Schneider, Steve Passo, John Armstrong, and David  X”.

Tournament Director, Curt Welch’s fax # to send proof of boat insurance is 720-898-8882

(For the sake of time I neglected reporting that I and Chad Phillips were invited to a BPS Affinity Group luncheon on Thursday, March 30 with BPS corporate personnel to discuss BPS’s involvement with the community and what they have to offer various groups. Also in attendance were bow hunting groups, Trout Unlimited, wheelchair outdoorsmen, the Girl Scouts, the DOW, Rky. Mtn. Arsenal and Stapleton representatives and other outdoor and developmental groups. - Tom Grace)

Mega Bucks lake selections were pared down to three: Alan Henry, TX, Cedar Bluff, KS, and Grand Lake, OK. Mega Bucks will be October 20, 21 & 22.

Tom Grace reported on the BPS Spring Classic bratwurst/hot dog/burger sales that DBM and the CO Walleye Assoc. manned as a joint effort. Traffic was slower than anticipated and DBM netted $1341 for its part. Thanks to Lee Boyd for arranging both donations and discounted purchases of supplies and to all the club members, wives and friends who volunteered their time. All proceeds are put in our general fund for conservation and kids fishing projects.

The CO BASS Federation will be selling hot dogs April 8 & 9 at BPS.  DBM will have our next (and last for a while) fundraiser hotdog sale on Sunday April 16 (Easter).

Treasurer Mark Maline distributed the long awaited ladies gift certificates from the Feb. 27th Annual Club Awards Banquet.  We also now have new artwork for club shirts, jackets and caps. “Top 10” award winners shirts for 2005 will be available for the next meeting. All members may order shirts and jackets with DBM logo – we’ll make pricing  info available.

The Jr. Bassmasters will have their first 2006 walk-around outing Sat., April 22 at Sandy Acres located at E-470 at Hwy 85. Everyone in attendance needs to sign a waiver to enter the property.

Club member and Horsetooth Reservoir resident and guide Chad LaChance gave us the lowdown on things to look for and techniques at Horsetooth. He reminded us that the 40mph speed limit is strictly enforced as well as the lake rule of operating your boat in a counter-clockwise rotation while motoring. Do not cross the lake at angles – go straight across at 90 degrees and then stay on the east side of lake while motoring north or the west side while going south. Chad suggested dead-sticking jerk baits with l-o-n-g pauses, small crank baits and tubes as three more productive baits and techniques. He says the lake should be at or above full pool and there is a maximum number of boats (240) allowed on the lake at any one time.

Club member and Bass Pro Shops Team member Matt Massey talked on fishing his home lake, Chatfield. Matt catches quite a number of bass off rip-rap and says there is quite a bit of brush and grass beds available for fish cover. Matt suggests throwing jerk baits, smaller crank baits and small tubes.

Tom Grace mentioned there will be a Ft. Carson sponsored fishing day for military personnel and families on June 17th at the North Marina parking lot at Pueblo Reservoir. Ft. Carson is providing buses to transport personnel to the lake and then to the hatchery while others fish from about 9am to noon. Then a one hour lunch break and a switch of boating groups and hatchery tour groups. Ft. Carson is providing a medical tent, personnel, chairs tables, and lunches to all. The CO Walleye Assoc. is involved in this project and asked if we would participate as boaters in helping the military families enjoy a day at the lake while moms and dads, women and men are serving our country abroad.. The call for boaters is going out to all of the CO BASS Federation members also. There will be press releases to many radio, TV and newspapers in Pueblo, CO. Springs and Denver announcing this event.

Tourney Director Curt Welch awarded Tom Grace with the 2005 Mega Bucks trophy. Tom stated he would keep it a full twelve months, as it was awarded six months after winning it. J

Drawings were held for the April 8 Pueblo tourney and the May 6 Chatfield tourney.

Tom Grace - secretary