2023 Minutes
Springfield Crappie Club
Spring Meeting Minutes
Sunday August 6, 2023, 1:00 PM
KC Lake Club
Springfield, IL
President Kenny Barlow called the meeting to order at 1:05 pm and welcomed the 17 members in attendance.
Secretary Report
Secretary Steve Mozley distributed copies of the February 5, 2023, club meeting minutes. President Barlow recommended the club forego the reading of the minutes.
Moved by Ken Barlow to approve the minutes. Seconded by Ken Kucher. Motion passed.
Treasurer Report
Treasurer Rosetta Shinn reported the club assets held at Heartland Credit Union as follows:
Total Savings: $3,590.24
Total Checking: $4,464.68
Total Savings & Checking: $8,054.92
Rosetta said after the Board considered the account balances and projected expenditures, we approved additional funding for fall tournaments which we’ll discuss in a few minutes.
Moved by Brian Cuffle to approve treasurer’s report. Seconded by Jerry Jallas. Motion passed.
Kenny Barlow said we’ve decided to put additional funds into the fall tournaments as a result of funding from sponsors.
Tournament Director Report
Rick Montooth reported the following:
Rick provided a handout showing Stats for Angler of the Year based on the best four club tournaments w the following teams leading:
Brian Bently: 17.67
Arick Clark/Brandon Waggoner: 16.10
Carlo Catalano/Jerry Jallas: 14.49
Big Fish Leader: Brian Bently: 1.43 lbs. Lake Decatur
Tournament Participation:
Lake Sangchrist Open – 5 boats made $10.00
Lake Decatur/ Lake Springfield 2 Day – 9 boats
Lake Shelbyville Bash – 15 boats made $250
Lake Shelbyville Club – 11 boats
Lake Springfield Club - 11 boats
Club tournaments are 100% payout.
On October 14 Club tournament at Lake Decatur, will start 1⁄2 hour earlier that day to work around a group of youth that same day. The morning meeting will start at 6:00 am; take off at 6:30 am and fish from 6:30 am – 2:00 pm. Be back at the ramp no later than 2:00 pm. All the specifics will be on the application.
Kenny Barlow said the club is fortunate to have the level of sponsor support and club finances. As a result the Board considered the club account balances and future expenditures and recommends the club fund the Lake Springfield Club Classic with $1000.00.
Brian Buchanan asked how the funds will be paid out and it was discussed that the additional funding will go into the general payout for 1, 2, 3 etc. places.
Moved by Kenny Barlow to approve the funding of the Lake Springfield Classic this fall with $1000. Seconded by Ken Kuchar. Motion passed.
Kenny Barlow said the Board considered the club account balance and future expenditures and recommends the club fund the remaining three club fall tournaments with $300.00 each.
Moved by Kenny Barlow to fund the remaining three club fall tournaments with $300.00 each. Seconded by Rick Montooth. Motioned passed.
We were reminded that when we fish Lake Shelbyville, we’ll be able to trailer.
Election of Officers
Kenny Barlow asked the existing Board to run one more year. Kenny Barlow and Rosetta Shinn agreed to run another year as president and treasurer respectively.
President:
Brian Buchanan nominated Brian Cuffle and Rosetta Shinn nominated Kenny Barlow for president.
Kenny Barlow and Brian Cuffle announced their candidacy for club president.
Candidates Kenny Barlow and Brian Cuffle left.
Vice President:
Brandon Waggoner for club vice-president (ran unopposed)
Treasurer:
Kenny Barlow nominated Rosetta Shinn and Brian Buchanan nominated Brian Bently for treasurer. Rosetta Shinn and Brian Bently announced their candidacy for club treasurer.
Candidates Rosetta Shinn and Brian Bently left the room while the club voted and were invited back into the room for the counting of the ballots. Brian Bently was voted club treasurer for 2024.
Steven Mozley for club secretary 2024 (ran unopposed)
Arick Clark for tournament director 2024 (ran unopposed)
Kenny Barlow congratulated the new incoming officers and emphasized the importance of our club maintaining good financial records. Rick Montooth said it is good to see so many members stepping up willing to serve the club as an officer.
Vice President Report
Ken Kucher said our two-day tournament on two different lakes didn’t work as hoped with only 9 boats participating.
The Lake Shelbyville Bash only had 4 club member boats participating. Discussion followed that opening tournaments especially with larger payouts may tend to draw teams that are higher skilled leaving average teams out gunned. Members were reminded that club member Brian Bently won the Open Bash fishing without a partner in an aluminum boat with a 25 HP. Rick Montooth said more participation from club members would have brought in more money. He said he’s unsure if moving the Bash to Lake Decatur will bring in the money that we potentially could see from Lake Shelbyville. Ken Kucher said we only had 4 club teams fishing the Shelbyville Bash this spring. The good thing about the Bash is that the guy sitting over there (Brian Bently) won the Bash. Applause followed. Coach said it is the first time in club history that a club member won the Bash. Rick Montooth said I think we’ve lost sight of what the Bash is for. The Bash has been the big fund raiser for our club. The opens haven’t made any money for the club in the past 3 years. It is either the Bash or the sponsors that bring money in. If we could have gotten 4 more club members at the Bash we would have made over $500 for the club. I know the incoming Board is planning to hold the Bash on Lake Decatur. I’m against that. I think you’ll get a better turnout at Lake Shelbyville. HOI had a tournament the same day as our Bash, and we lost at least 3 boats to them. Brian Cuffle said we have always had an issue with club members fishing the open tournaments. Jim Tintori said I consider myself just an average fisherman and I don’t fish the open because I feel like I’m going up against guys that fish the lakes several times a week. I’m not going to just write a check for $50 or $100. So, looking at the open I’m not going to fish against those guys. Rick Montooth said a member who’s not here today that fished the Bash asked where the other club members are. He said don’t they know this is the club’s primary fund raiser. Rick said the bottom line is you’re helping the club, that’s the bottom line.
Steve Mozley said he could remember when Brian Buchanan asked me to fish an open on Lake Sangchrist and I just didn’t feel like I was good enough. After seeing club member Brian Bently win the Bash (fishing alone with a 25hp) fishing against some of the best in the area opened my eyes. Brian Buchanan said you guys have done a good job having over $8000 in the account, but it’s not from the open tournaments, it’s from the
sponsors. It’s not the number of boats fishing in our tournaments that bring in the money, but the support from sponsors. Brian wants to thank all the sponsors. He said HOI is 100% payout. It’s the sponsors that make the difference. Kenny Barlow said we need to all work together to get all the sponsors we can.
Brandon Waggoner said we need the club to grow by bringing in new members. He referred to when he first came to the club he and others weren’t treated well. People said things to us that weren’t appropriate. We need to be a club and help each other. Show respect for everybody and help them out. If someone shows up and has never fished, or backed a boat in, we need to help them out. If we can’t do that as a club we’re never going to grow. Brandon said it’s important how we treat each other. We need to treat each other with respect. Brian Bently agrees and said we need to support each other. Rick Montooth said if we wanted to grow we could open all of our tournaments so anyone could fish, but then again we’re going to lose some guys
that don’t want to fish against everyone.
Lakes 2024
Spring
Saturday, March 30 – Open - Lake Sangchrist
Sunday, April 14 – Club - Lake Springfield; Backup Lake Sangchrist (the vote for these two lakes was tied with Kenny Barlow breaking the tie)
Sunday, April 28 – Open Bash - Lake Decatur
Saturday, May 11 – Club – Lake Shelbyville; Backup Lake Clinton
Sunday, June 2 – Club – Lake Decatur; Backup Lake Springfield
Fall
Sunday, September 15 – Club – Lake Decatur; Backup Lake Shelbyville
Sunday, September 29, Club – Lake Shelbyville; Backup IL River
Saturday & Sunday October 12-13, Club – Mark Twain; Backup Lake Shelbyville
Sunday, October 27, Club Classic – Lake Springfield
Sunday, November 10, Open - Lake Decatur
Rick Montooth said we have an open this year on Lake Decatur on Saturday, November 4, 2023. Also fall tournament apps should be posted by August 11. Rick said he stayed up until 1:00 am requesting lakes the first day the web-site opened up, but then other tournaments came in later on top of us. He thinks moving our tournament dates to Sunday is a good idea. Brian Buchanan agreed that there is a lot less pressure on Sundays. He also said it’s hard to get a tournament on Lake Jacksonville because of the pressure from the bass clubs. Jerry Jallas reminded the club that these dates are pending availability come November 1, when we can sign up for lakes.
New Business
Ken Kucher said we need more youths involved in our club.
Moved by Ken Kucher that youths 12 and under be allowed in our boats during a tournament at no additional charge which would mean 3 people in the boat. Seconded by unknown. Motion passed. Ken Kucher asked why the club needs $3500 in the savings account? He recommended taking $2500 out of savings and put $250 in each of the next 10 club tournaments and keep $1000 in savings account. Some comments were made about maintaining $3500 is in the bylaws. Also, about the trailer breaking down or other unexpected expenses that may come up. The recommendation didn’t receive a second. Rosetta Shinn said as a not for profit and in the event of an audit we should maintain good records such as getting maintaining receipts in club records for all expenditures. We should have a receipt in our records for every check that is written. Brian Buchanan said those are good business practices. Rosetta we should have a group made up of members not on the Board review our financial records to be sure checks written are supported by receipts and deposits get properly deposited. We need to be able to show and prove where we spend the money and where we take it from. She recommended the new officers have someone review our records that is not the treasurer or a club officer. The members should come in and do a review of the records with the club treasurer present to answer any questions. Rick Montooth said the apps will be online by this coming Friday and September 16, is our next tournament on Lake Shelbyville.
Moved by Arick Clark to donate $50.00 to the KC Hall for the use of their facility. Seconded by Ken Kucher. Motion passed.
Moved by Kenny Barlow to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Ken Kucher. Motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Mozley
8/6/2023
Moved by Brian Cuffle to approve the August 6, 2023, club meeting minutes. Seconded by Rick Montooth. Motion passed at the January 21, 2024
club meeting.
Springfield Crappie Club
Spring Meeting Minutes with Bylaw Changes Sunday February 5, 2023, 1:00 PM
KC Lake Club
Springfield, IL
President Kenny Barlow called the meeting to order at 1:05 pm and welcomed the 21 members in attendance.
President Barlow asked the Club for a moment of silence in honor of Buck O’Conner who recently passed. He was a club founding member. Moved by Kenny Barlow to retire Buck’s boat number. Seconded by Jerry Jallas. Motion passed.
President Barlow asked Tournament Director Rick Montooth to share with our club the latest update on trailering. Rick reported that Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) Lake Shelbyville called and approved trailering to other ramps. We’ll meet in the designated parking lot and take off by boat or trailering in the order that your number is called. Be back in the parking lot or at ramp by tournament end time. Kenny said from a safety standpoint this is good news for smaller boats, especially in rough weather. The trailering change is for club tournaments and the bash. Per Jeremy at ACOE the new regulation is subject to change if too many trailers end up at one ramp.
Secretary Report
Copies of the August 14, 2022, club meeting minutes were distributed. Secretary Steve Mozley read the minutes as requested. Moved by Dave Amerson to approve the secretary’s report. Seconded by Carlo Catalano. Motion carried.
Treasurer Report
Treasurer Rosetta Shinn reported the following: Total Savings: $3,059.74
Total Checking: $1,053.34
Total Assets: $4112.74
Checks that haven’t been cashed yet are Big Fish, Web Master ($300) & KC Lake Club
Rick Montooth reported that the Club has received $1200 from sponsors to date.
Moved by Ken Kucher to approve treasurer’s report. Seconded by Carlo Catalano. Motion passed.
Carlo asked when does a membership end? Rick said membership is good through December 31.
Tournament Director’s Report
Rick Montooth provided copies of calendar with tournament dates, By-Laws as of 3/3/2019, Rule Changes from 2022, Stats for Angler of the Year: Best Four Club Tournaments
Rick explained that for the April 15- 16 two-day tournament anglers will fish Lake Decatur on April 15 and Lake Springfield on April 16.
Brian Buchanan asked if angler could pay for both days and fish only one day and it still count towards meeting eligibility for the Club Classic Answer from Rick Montooth: Yes, if paid for both days.
Jerry Jallas asked how the two-day tournament will work for Angler of the Year?
Answer from Rick: Teams total weight of fish brought to scale over 2 days to be divided by 2 for the Angler of the Year. For example, if you catch 8lbs each day the total of 16 lbs. counts for the two-day tournament. For Angler of the Year, 16 lbs. are divided by 2 days with 8 lbs. counting towards Angler of the Year. If fish one day of the two-day tournament and catch 8 lbs. your total for the tournament is 8 lbs. For Angler of the Year the 8 lbs. total is divided by 2 days with 4 lbs. counted towards Angler of the Year.
Rick explained that in a conversation with IDNR Lake Sangchrist that of the 10% collected by the State, 10% of the 10% will be provided back to support the site where the funds were collected instead of the State of Illinois. For example, we have to pay the State 10% when we hold our open tournament on Lake Sangchrist 3/25 and 10% of the 10% goes to Lake Sangchrist.
In response to a question about which ramps our tournaments will be held at Rick provided the following: 3/25 Lake Sangchrist Open – East Ramp
4/1 Lake Springfield – Sailboat Ramp
4/15 Lake Decatur – Nelson Marina
4/16 Lake Springfield – Sailboat Ramp
4/29 Lake Shelbyville Bash – Wilborn Ramp and trailering is allowed. 5/13 Lake Shelbyville – Wilborn Ramp and trailering is allowed.
9/16 Lake Shelbyville – Wilborn Ramp and trailering is allowed.
9/30 Lake Springfield – Sailboat Ramp
10/14 Lake Decatur – Nelson Ramp
10/29 Lake Springfield Classic – Lindsay Ramp
11/4 Lake Decatur Open – Nelson Park Ramp
Angler of the Year 2022 Winner
1st Danny Runkle – 23.66 lbs.
We have a jacket that the club will present to Danny when we see him. 2nd Ryan Markwell/Sam Hardy – 18.92 lbs. fishing only two tournaments. Big Fish Winner (2022) Winner
Arick Clark with 1.95 lb. on Lk. Decatur
Arick Clark was awarded Big Fish plaque
Last year number of boats by tournament
Lk Springfield – 8 boats
Lk Decatur – 14 boats
Rend Lake – 4 boats
Lk Shelbyville Bash – 9 boats
Lk Shelbyville (September) – 11 boats
Lk Springfield (October) – 10 boats
Lk Decatur – 11 boats
Lk Springfield Classic– 11 boats
Lk Springfield Open – 10 boats
By-Laws 3/3/2019 Version CHANGES
Rick reported that at the previous meeting President Barlow asked if any club members would like to serve on the By-Laws committee. The committee was made up of the eBoard and chaired by Rick. Rick reported that the committee thought the 3/3/2019 By-Laws look good and were an improvement over the previous. The committee recommended the following additional changes:
Pg. 1. ARTICLE III Membership, SECTION A – QUALIFICATIONS:
“This club will consist of no more than 120 teams of 2 people. (Total of 240 persons).”
Moved by Rick Montooth to remove the above from the By-Laws since it is no longer relevant. Seconded by Arick Clark. Motion carried. “A member without a partner has the right to pick their own partner for a tournament without going to a waiting list.”
Moved by Rick Montooth to remove the above from the By-Laws since it is no longer relevant. Seconded by Carlo Catalano. Motion carried.
“The person on the waiting list may fish a tournament in case of a team vacancy.”
Moved by Rick Montooth to remove the above from the By-Laws since it is no longer relevant. Seconded by Carlo Catalano. Motion carried. “The waiting list will consist of 20 persons or 10 teams.”
Moved by Rick Montooth to remove the above from the By-Laws since it is no longer relevant. Seconded by Ken Kuchar. Motion carried.
“If a team dissolves themselves from membership of the SCC, the first team at the top of the waiting list has priority for the membership of the SCC. If a team dissolves, but the team members decide to stay in the SCC, each has a right to pick a new partner. If both members stay in the SCC, it must be decided who will stay in the 120-team tournament and which will go to the waiting list. This will be determined by flipping of a coin.”
Moved by Rick Montooth to remove the above from the By-Laws since it is no longer relevant. Seconded by Rosetta Shinn. Motion carried.
Pg 6 ARTICLE VI, Tournament Rules and Regulations 9. b.
“Trailering is allowed at Lake Shelbyville following the tournament morning meeting”.
“Trailering at any other location is allowed only upon the direction of the tournament director at the tournament morning meeting.”
Moved by Rick Montooth to remove the above references to trailering from the By-Laws and replace with: Trailering to be determined by the governing body responsible for managing the lake, except when it is a safety issue and then the decision to be made by the eBoard. Seconded by Kenny Barlow.
The modification in trailering verbiage moved by Rick Montooth to include exception for safety resulted from a recommendation from Brian Buchanan that safety exceptions may occur such as when on Lake Springfield we allow trailering from the Sail Boat ramp to Lindsay Bridge ramp or vice vera due to adverse weather conditions.
Thanks to BnM rods for supporting our club. We are still waiting on the arrival of rods. When we receive them, they will be distributed at tournaments as follows:
Jerry Jallas & Carlo Catalano (Lake Springfield) Mark Markwell (Lake Decatur)
Jim & Bob Tintori (Rend Lake)
Bob Sarko and Rick Clifton (Shelbyville Lake) Danny and Mike Rockford (Lake Springfield) Mark Markwell 2nd time (Lake Decatur)
Jerry Jallas and Carlo Catalano (Lake Springfield Classic)
Thanks to our O’Reilly’s sponsor for the discount on plaques.
Bob Sarko reminded everyone that Lake Clinton allows 10 fish over 10 in and 5 under 10 in.
Rick reported that IDNR fisheries biologist Tad Locher electrofishing sampling results showed Lake Sangchrist is down in quality fish numbers this year. Tad Locher said lakes go through cycles and this happens to be a bad year for crappie. Sampling on Lake Springfield resulted in numerous crappie 13.5 to 14 inches.
Locher told Rick that the rearing pond on Pawnee Rd, (near Wildlife Sanctuary, is pretty useless.) The crappie they’re raising there doesn’t make a dent in the restocking of Lk Springfield, but the City wants them to continue to use it.
The stocking of Lake Sangchrist was interrupted when bluegill got in the rearing pond and ate all the crappie fry. Locher told Rick they are looking into buying crappie to restock with.
eBoard voted to change the holdback for the Bash from 30% with 70% going to payout to 20% holdback to increase payout of 80% of monies received to winners.
Vice President Report
Ken Kuchar said member Joe Malek has a boat and is looking for a partner if you know of someone who would like to join the club and needs a partner with a boat.
Mike Rockford said along those lines of possible new members he asked if our meeting dates are on the club web-site. Rick said no because we don’t have a contract with our web master yet. Mike said for people that might be interested in joining our club it would be good to have the dates on the club web page.
President Report
Kenny Barlow said he’s glad we had a good easy productive meeting. He said he’s also glad we can trailer on Lake Shelbyville. It will be safer for large and small boats because that lake can get rough. That’s a big bonus to be able to trailer.
Carlo Catalano moved that the club make a donation of $50 to the KC Hall for the use of their facility. The motion was seconded by Bob Sarko and passed.
Rick Montooth said our club tried to coordinate with HOI on scheduling tournaments to avoid interfering with each other’s tournaments. Despite those efforts and dates being known, HOI scheduled their Decatur tournament on the same day as our Bash. We changed our date on Sangchrist to accommodate their schedule and understood they were going to do the same to accommodate our Lake Shelbyville Bash. Brian Waggoner said part of the challenge of competing with them is their 100% payout to winners. Brian Buchanan said also their lower entry fees, and all their tournaments are open, which make them very competitive. Jerry Jallas said it appears most of their spring tournaments are on the same day as ours. Comments were made about HOI’s Decatur tournament being criticized for not releasing their tournament fish as required by local rules. All our dates were locked in before theirs.
Some discussion followed about going to Mark Twain in the fall and not the spring due to high water conditions that frequently occur on Mark Twain in spring. In spring Mark Twain is often “washed out”. We vote on 2024 lakes at the August meeting and that issue can be considered then.
Jerry Jallas said it would be nice to have a fish fry at a meeting. He suggested 130 – 150 filets with everyone bringing a covered dish.
Kenny Barlow said we need new blood to serve on the Board. Rick Montooth said at the next meeting we vote for officers and the current slate is done. Someone must step up to the plate. It is all laid out and the money is back in place.
Rick said if you guarantee the money the boats will come, but not as many will come if you base the guarantee on the number of boats that come. Rick said the only time the club has any hold back is for the open tournaments. There’s no holdback for club tournaments.
We’re the oldest club in the US which says something about how we’re doing.
Rick said for the Bash we need 20 boats to pay $1000 out.
Rosetta Shinn moved to adjourn the meeting and was seconded by Carlo Catalano. The motion passed. Respectfully submitted,
Steve Mozley
8/6/2023
Minutes Approved by Club Membership Vote 8/6/2023