HFFA President’s Message

President’s Message November 2014

Hi HFFA Members,

In the last Presidents message I indicated that the Housy was fishing great and water levels were conducive to excellent maneuverability making most sections of the river accessible to wading.  These conditions have continued this past month so if you haven’t been able to make that trip up to the river it is not too late.  In addition, the state has stocked an additional 9 thousand fish in the upper TMA, a mixture of browns and rainbows anywhere from 8 inches to 16 inches in length.  I was able to assist in these stockings over a two-week period and these additional fish were spread out over the entire TMA area utilizing 14 different stocking locations.  I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy all that the river has to offer.

In the last Presidents message and at our HFFA membership meeting in October the communication went out for interested individuals to participate in any or several of the steering committees that we are establishing to help continue the great work of the HFFA.  These opportunities are:

Membership retention and recruitment

Contact Name: Dave Harduby or Phil Maxwell

Website configuration and update

Contact Name: Dave Harduby or Paul Dinice

Wild and Scenic designation

Contact Name: open for lead member

Passenger railway service review

Contact Name: Mike Shannon

Coalition Fund projects identification and review

Contact Name: Dan Kenny or Mike Shannon

Individuals who participate in these committees will be working with the lead member identified above on the ideas, solutions and pathways to our future efforts in each area.  Your support to tackle these key areas will make a huge difference in the number of items we can accomplish and the quality of the end result.   Please join in our efforts!

The next membership meeting will take place on November 6th.   Come join us and bring a friend along.

Mike Shannon

President’s Message October 2014

Hi HFFA Members,

I hope you have had a chance to fish the Hous lately.  The water temps are cooling down with the change in air temperature and the fishing is as good as we anticipated.  The lack of rain in the past couple weeks has brought the water down to around the 300 CFS mark making many areas of the river accessible to wading.  This would be an opportune time to schedule your next trip to the river and take advantage of some great fall fishing.

I was able to participate in the electro-shocking sample conducted by the state, which took place on September 5th.  Mike Humphreys was our guest speaker at the September 4th membership meeting and he extended an invitation for our members to join him in the annual assessment.  The results aren’t published yet however as anticipated the number of trout in the pools that were sampled were stong.  This was anticipated due to the higher than average flows this summer and the cooler air temperatures.  These conditions enabled the fish to stay spread out in the river as opposed to seeking cold-water refuges.

The fall stocking of the Housy has been tentatively set at this point for the end of September and the beginning of October.  I hope to have more information on this at our next membership meeting, which will take place on October 2nd

We are going to be organizing serveral steering committees to review key projects and update the eboard with recommendations.  This is an opportunity for each of you to get involved in a project that interests you personally and be assisting the HFFA to continue the great work it has traditionally accomplished.  Your support will make a difference.

The opportunities are:

Membership recruitment and retention.

Coalition Money Project Identification and review.

Passenger railway service along the Housy

Wild and Scenic designation.

Make plans to join us and bring some friends.

Mike Shannon

A Message from new HFFA President Mike Shannon   June 2014

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I would like to take this opportunity to say  “thank you” to all the members of the Housatonic Fly Fishing Association for the past efforts on the river that have produced the great fishery we have today.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to spend quite a bit of time enjoying everything the river has to offer.  I realize that it took a tremendous amount of hard work and volunteer efforts to make that possible and I am very grateful.

I appreciate the opportunity to serve as the president and I will work with all of you to maintain, and improve the river and its tributaries.  I ask you to join in our efforts in this regard whenever you can.  I look forward to speaking with all of you at our monthly meetings, which will resume again in September, or at one of our planned outings, cookouts, projects or programs.

A special  “thank you” to all the past presidents, executive board members and committee chairs and members for your leadership and hard work over the years.  Without your guidance none of the improvements, projects or programs would have been possible.

Congratulations to all the returning and new board members and officers. I look forward to working with you on the challenges we face going forward in our efforts to protect and improve the rivers and its tributaries.

Thanks again!

Mike

 

BELOW ARE THE MINUTES FROM THE H.F.F.A. Annual Meeting & Officer Elections

H.F.FA.  Annual Meeting

 

Date:  May 31, 2014

Place:  Housatonic River Campground

Event:   HFFA Annual Campout/Annual Meeting

President, Max Ruggiero, called the meeting to order at 1:30. He thanked the members for the opportunity to serve and also officers and committees who helped him over the past four years.

 

2014 Nominations/Election

Max asked outgoing 1st Secretary Dan Kenny to present the 2014/2015 proposed nominated officer slate for consideration.

Dan presented the following proposed nominated officer slate.

 

President                                    Mike Shannon

1st Vice President                 Dave Harduby

2nd Vice President                  Paul Dinice

Secretary                                    Will Stone

2nd Secretary                            Dan Kenny

Treasurer                                   Phil Maxwell

2nd Treasurer                           open

A motion was made, seconded and was unanimously passed to accept the 2014/2015 nominated officer slate as presented. There was no further discussion.

Newly elected President Mike Shannon expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the organization and work with all to uphold the bylaws, goals and objectives of the organization. He also solicited the input and assistance from the members to make the club as effective and fun as possible.

Committee reports

Conservation  – Dan noted an email will go out shortly cancelling the June 7th thermal refuge work due to CTDEEP’s projected high river flows.  He noted that he would advise members on or about June 9th as to the confirmation of the next workday – June 14.

A motion was made and passed to adjourn the meeting at 2:00.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan Kenny

1st Secretary