Wisconsin’s First Trout Unlimited Chapter

Cap Buettner organized the Wolf River chapter of Trout Unlimited in 1959. It was the first chapter in Wisconsin. About this time the state initiated a special preservation program for the upper Wolf River, declaring it a “Trout Fishery” and to begin acquisition of all river shore land to a distance of three hundred feet. Cap was the first person to sell his river frontage. The state now owns about 80% of the Wolf River shore land from the Menominee County line up to Pearson.

The bag limit was originally twenty-five trout. After the drought of the 30’s the limit was reduced to fifteen, then down to ten. Attempts were made in the 50’s to reintroduce rainbow trout. They carried over quite well for several years, but there was no evidence of natural reproduction as the first strain had done.

In the late 60’s Senator Gaylord Nelson named the upper Wolf River a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers.