Social Events
Canoe Trips
Weekend canoe/camping trips are one of the most fun ways to meet the other members of ISU AFS. Usually we float for the first afternoon, camp on the sandbar, and go home the next morning. Past trips have been on the Boone River. These trips are open to all members of AFS, but you MUST BE A PAID MEMBER before the trip. Guests are welcome, but you must pay for their share before the trip as well. Costs usually run around $15/person, depending on where we go and how many people we have.
This year's canoe trip is Saturday-Sunday, September 26-27, 2009. We will be putting in a little north of Highway 30 on the Des Moines River and floating down to Ledges State Park. This is typically a ~two-hour float, but we will be stopping regularly on sandbars to take a break. We will also camp on a sand bar overnight near the end, and then finish the float to Ledges the next morning.
We will provide the canoes, paddles, and PFDs. You need to provide your own camping equipment, including tents and sleeping bags. You also need to bring your own food, including drinks! The final price will be determined on Wednesday when we have a final count, but it looks like $15/person.
You MUST RSVP before Wednesday, September 23, 2009, with confirmation of your participation.
Fly Tying & Fishing Clinic
The Iowa DNR offers an annual fly tying and fishing clinic through their Outdoor Experience program. The weekend is designed for inexperienced fly fishers and tyers who want to learn more about all sorts of topics, including tackle, knots, entomology, tying, casting, and more!
The program is held at the Springbrook Conservation Education Center, Springbrook State Park. Regular price including lodging, food, and the sessions is $75.00. BUT if you go through us, you can get in for FREE.
Fishing Tournaments
In collaboration with the Iowa State Fishing Club.
Professional Development
Network
Meet local biologists and researchers in the fisheries field at our subunit meetings, and attend chapter meetings, student colloquia, regional conferences, and the national meeting! All of the people you meet are colleagues, and many could be your employer or advisor in the future.
Practice Your Field Skills
Help out with our annual Squaw Creek Watershed stream electrofishing, Mississippi River night electrofishing, or springtime pallid sturgeon sampling on the Missouri River! We also hold a kids' fishing derby every year, and are working on more public outreach projects this year.
Squaw Creek Sampling
This fall we are planning to electrofish in the Squaw Creek Watershed, the area around Ames. This is a great way to learn some basic fisheries skills including electrofishing, netting, and identifying fishes. It's also a LOT of fun! If you aren't sure about fisheries and just want to try it out, this is the thing to do! We will be sampling Onion Creek in Reactor Woods and College Creek on campus during the month of October. We need to know YOUR schedule so that we can set a good time for everyone.
Please respond to the poll by Sunday, September 27, 2009, to let us know your schedule.
Walleye Sampling with the Iowa DNR
The Iowa DNR holds an annual walleye sample every October at both Guttenberg and Bellevue. These Mississippi River towns both have their own fisheries station that you may work at someday, and the DNR guys you meet could be your boss. They are great people to meet if you want to be in fisheries, and they are very patient with people who are just learning. The sampling occurs during two weeks of October, the 12th - 15th and the 26th - 29th. These are Monday - Thursday sampling days. You must be there by 5:00pm on the day of sampling. For directions to either station, click here.
Bellevue needs four volunteers every night.
Note that Bellevue station does not have their own quarters, so you will need to find a place to stay.
Contact: Mike Steuck, michael.steuck@dnr.iowa.gov
Guttenberg needs two volunteers every night.
This station DOES have free quarters to stay in.
Contact: Caleb Schnitzler, caleb.schnitzler@dnr.iowa.gov
Please respond to the poll by Wednesday, September 23, 2009, to let us know when you are available and willing to help. The President will use this information to assign people to the open volunteer spots, so it is VERY IMPORTANT for you to respond if you want to help out.
First Aid/CPR Certification
Offered through the American Red Cross.
Fish Iowa! Education Training
Offered through the Iowa DNR.
Public Outreach Activities
Fish! Day Teaching Program
This hour-long program is taught in collaboration with the National Association for Interpretation ISU Student Chapter. We teach kids the basics of casting, baiting a hook, identifying fishes, and fishing regulations. The program began in 2009, and is offered to local elementary schools, Scout packs, and other young groups.
Annual Kids' Fishing Clinic and Tournament
Every year the ISU AFS holds a fishing clinic and tournament for the Ames area. Last year, we tagged fish in the Lake LaVerne on campus, and kids who caught a tagged fish won a special prize. We had a great turnout, and we look forward to having an even bigger success this year!