Mike Clifford

One of my memories of Norm Minas while we were helping to film the river documentary Everglades of the North.

That is very sad. Praying for his family.

Praying for a miracle.

All Activity is the newest "latest posts". Pretty easy to figure it all out. WAY better photo submission.

Oh, and the CC admin would need to go in and "resend" the last one to new contacts added. Otherwise, we won't get it automatically.

Might be because when I was administering the CC....I never actually got the emails then either. Just test copies! So I never added myself, just everybody else. Thanks for the add!

Nothing here. Mine is mikeclifford2@gmail.com

Please sign me up for this. Thanks.

Somewhere packed away, I have the entire set of Critical Trends for every Il watershed. Amazing books. The last book by Joel is a must-have!#

I understand the DNR was out shocking for black and silver carp. Saw a Facebook posting of one below Wilmington. Any news on this?

A spectacular issue, I might add.

Thanks!!

I sent Crystal my article and new address for the previous issue.

Does anybody have a pdf of the last newsletter they can share? I wrote an article, but they no longer mail me the hard copy since I retired from the group. Greatly appreciate it. mikeclifford2@gmail.com

Many thanks to all that assisted at this event!!

Hopefully the constant contact is still a viable option?

Very well thought out response, as always. My only regret during my tenure as conservation director is that I didn't find a way to get the ISA behind those dam removals more. So many battles....so little time.

Not upset at all. Just asking if I need to read between the lines. Not in this case? Cool.

Unless you were baiting me into another discussion entirely, Ron. Hard to tell with you sometimes.

Probably golf courses and condos. Or just plain old strip malls.

Eric brings up a great point. Given the fact that we reside in a primarily urban environment where 4.1% of the land statewide is publicly owned, private enterprise is going to develop among their privately owned parcels. Barring any real efforts towards green infrastructure, there isn't a whole lot of concern by developers for how their projects are going to affect the fishing, let alone clean drinking water and naturally pleasing aesthetics in a riverine environment. I don't need to tell the original poster that the days of "The Fox" running around plugging drain pipes is a thing of the past. A concerted effort among community and private interests to see that the economic development is done in a less invasive manner might be the only "best practices" approach available to us.

She submitted the bill on a Monday, on Tuesday she called me to apologize that she had forgotten that somebody in government strongly suggested she speak with myself and the ISA before doing so. We had never spoken previously. I arranged the meeting for that afternoon. On Wednesday morning, she pulled the bill.

I came to the meeting with information regarding the effects of lead on wildlife, and the fact that it is mainly loons...that have a flyway in a very remote northwest portion of IL. I proposed that the ISA and IDNR team up to educate first, rather than penalize for something not based on science as it applies here. We did just that. Remember all the lead alternatives I acquired and gave them away at the Blowout on a conservation table dedicated to such. "I recently met with Mike Clifford and Don Rego from the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance (ISA). Mike Clifford is the Conservation Director of and on the Executive Board of ISA. Mr. Clifford and I discussed the interests of fishing groups and the intent of the legislation. After meeting with Mr. Clifford, I have decided to pursue a statewide education program regarding lead weights as an alternative to the full ban. I look forward to working with the stakeholders involved and incorporating your interests in order to create a meaningful education program. Below, please find the statements from Mike Clifford at the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance. Sincerely, Heather A. Steans State Senator 7th District"

My tactics were to meet with a legislator right on the river. Like the senator who wanted to ban lead in fishing. We had pie and coffee overlooking the Kankakee. Took me about 20 minutes to change her mind with thoughtful, reasonable and professional discussion.