Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Meeting

[msamatt]

Well Al I will say that post buckled me at the knees. That was probably the best post that would make me want to join.

I am 100% with you on the access problem. In fact I developed a plan to address that last summer. But as you say one individual probably won't get much done. So on that front, I could almost be convinced to send some due money as I do believe that to be a very worthy cause!

But let me ask this. If I did join and if I became very active in the SWMO chapter, I am still not in agreement with the direction the Mother Chapter is taking in regards to regulation changes. How would we address this conflict among chapters?

Chief:

What Al wrote about is exactly the type of issue we need for members to help us address. We don't really have a "mother" chapter. We're one MSA. If you were to join the SWMO chapter and would have differences of opinion with those members and everyone else in the rest of the state then so be it. Discussing/arguing about different approaches to the same problems is a health way to run things. I can understand how it looks like we might have the MSA HQ in St. Louis but we don't hand out marching orders to everyone and we're not kicking out members because they don't agree with me or anyone else. The MSA was started by a guy in St. Louis so its only natural that we've kind of spread out from St.L. I obviously recommend joining. Join and see how you like it. I'm sure you won't always see eye to eye with everyone else but so what? If we are all working together to address issues like access, water quality, land use, regs, etc. we can agree to disagree if it means that we're still accomplishing something worthwhile for the resource.

[Gavin]

Matt's correct...There really isnt a National Smallmouth Alliance...The Smallmouth Alliance is a loosely affiliated chapter based organization. Each chapter is independent. TU is a bit different...Folks pay their dues to TU National, and TU national remits a pittance of your dues money to the local chapters. Think its only $4-5 bucks a member, and its really not enough to run a successful club w/o additional money coming in from the members.

I spent a lot of time on the board of Ozark Fly Fishers in St. Louis, and running a club on that scale takes a lot of time and money. Newsletters cost money, education programs cost money, conservation programs cost money, guest speakers cost money, but the financial cost is small when you compare it to the thousands hours of volunteer labor. Join up with Gary's chapter, and your dues get spent on you and your fellow members..Join the board, and you can help spend it.

BTW, Matt...finally got around to sending you a check this week...Gary you can have one too once you get your bank account set up, plus I'll send you some lures and flies to raffle off at your meetings.

[Flysmallie]

Just signed up online through Paypal.

[msamatt]

Matt's correct...There really isnt a National Smallmouth Alliance...The Smallmouth Alliance is a loosely affiliated chapter based organization. Each chapter is independent. TU is a bit different...Folks pay their dues to TU National, and TU national remits a pittance of your dues money to the local chapters. Think its only $4-5 bucks a member, and its really not enough to run a successful club w/o additional money coming in from the members.

I spent a lot of time on the board of Ozark Fly Fishers in St. Louis, and running a club on that scale takes a lot of time and money. Newsletters cost money, education programs cost money, conservation programs cost money, guest speakers cost money, but the financial cost is small when you compare it to the thousands hours of volunteer labor. Join up with Gary's chapter, and your dues get spent on you and your fellow members..Join the board, and you can help spend it.

BTW, Matt...finally got around to sending you a check this week...Gary you can have one too once you get your bank account set up, plus I'll send you some lures and flies to raffle off at your meetings.

Gavin:

Thanks for your support but, to clarify, you don't need to send Gary an additional check. When you join or renew your membership in the MSA you write just one check regardless of your geographic location. And, to help out Gary, I know that he really doesn't want to be the Director/BMIC of the SWMO chapter. He's been there and done that and while I know he's willing to do what he can, to whit all of these threads, he's retired and has lots of other irons in the fire. As Gavin metions, it takes lots of work. But its all worthwhile imho. I'm really please that this discussion is encouraging some of you to join and pitch in.

[ness]

So you all know I ain't all blow and no show, I'm giving the MSA a bit of my dough.

[Gary Lange]

I thank you all for your support of this Chapter of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance and I certainly appreciate that vote of confidence. I will try to get a handle on a meeting place and get some monthly meetings set up. I prefer a weeknight format so that we may fish the weekends. So with that in mind what day during the week works for the most as I want to get the meeting spot set up for the year. I was thinking like a Thursday evening once a month say the first or second Thursday of the month which would put people together right before the weekend and perhaps hook up to go fishing together. Let me know what you guys feel about this day.

[smallmouthjoe]

I thank you all for your support of this Chapter of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance and I certainly appreciate that vote of confidence. I will try to get a handle on a meeting place and get some monthly meetings set up. I prefer a weeknight format so that we may fish the weekends. So with that in mind what day during the week works for the most as I want to get the meeting spot set up for the year. I was thinking like a Thursday evening once a month say the first or second Thursday of the month which would put people together right before the weekend and perhaps hook up to go fishing together. Let me know what you guys feel about this day.

I could probably get one Thursday night off a month. Sounds good, but if Monday or Wednesday night is better for most people that would work better for me personally. Either way, as long as the meetings don't interfere with my school schedule and as long as I have enough notice to ask off of work I'll be there.

[Flysmallie]

I could also make Thursday work most of the time but Monday's or Wednesday's would be best for me too.

[Gary Lange]

Nothing is set in stone so if Monday or Wednesday work for you guys that can be a possibility also. I will have to get a place in mind and see how it works out.

[eric1978]

Nothing is set in stone so if Monday or Wednesday work for you guys that can be a possibility also. I will have to get a place in mind and see how it works out.

Hey Gary, since it sounds like most of the membership you'll be getting initially will be coming from the forum, you could set up a "poll" thread to see what days most people would prefer. Just one thread should do it.