Pam Thiel speaks with a gentleman about the Midwest Driftless Area Restoration Effort (MDARE) at the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo at Itasca, Illinois. - FWS photo

The La Crosse FRO exhibited at the weekend Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo at Itasca, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.  Fly fishing enthusiasts were interested in learning about the Midwest Driftless Area Restoration Effort (MDARE), a pilot for the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.  The Illinois Council of Trout Unlimited also had a booth describing the Trout Unlimited Driftless Area Restoration Effort (TUDARE), a complimentary initiative.  The Expo had a series of workshops in three major categories--conservation, fly fishing, and adventure travel.  Trout Unlimited made a presentation on the Challenges of the Driftless that was one of the most popular of the seminar series.  In addition, a nationally-known fly fishing author and fly tier provided a program on southwest Wisconsin trout.  

We took advantage of the venue's location near the Chicago Waterway to educate the public about Asian carp and their potential impact on the Great Lakes.  The Bill Dance video on silver carp was a big hit and eye opener for those that had never seen the acrobatics of silver carp.

Another Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo is scheduled for Minneapolis in late March.  We plan to participate and reach another audience of fly fishing enthusiasts in the northern reaches of the Driftless area.