WFT is similar to Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever, holding annual fundraising dinners and similar events. Arrowood said 10 percent of funds raised remain with local chapters to use at their own discretion, and 90 percent deposited in the organization’s general fund for project expenses.

Walleyes For Tomorrow’s influence on Red Cedar and Rice lakes is impressive. Their work on the Winnebago chain is thrilling and the return of walleyes in both size and numbers in Green Bay is heartwarming.

Thirty years ago, Sturgeon Bay was the place to be on a windy September night trolling No. 18 chrome and blue Rapalas behind the boat.

Back in the days when a 25-horsepower outboard and a boat with bench seats were state-of-the-art tools, many trophy walleyes were led to the net.

The big walleye fishery went down the tubes around 1980, but thanks to Walleyes For Tomorrow, it’s back big time.

Arrowood said Walleyes For Tomorrow focuses on creating new habitat, rehabilitating existing habitat and stocking programs.

There are two different goals in new habitat creation. One path calls for dumping various sizes of stone on a lake’s bottom to provide habitat for forage like crayfish, snails and small baitfish.

The other path requires creating new spawning sites where none previously existed, a process involving placement of rocky/rubble bottom at locations where walleyes may be encouraged to spawn.

The rehabilitation portion of WFT’s mission statement also has two courses -- correcting damage done by past human activities and reclaiming habitat that has deteriorated due to natural means.

Many walleyes swimming in the Winnebago system are there because of the work WTF did in the Wolf and Fox rivers and the grassy marshes at the upper end of lakes in the Winnebago chain.

For years, current flowing into these vital spawning marshes was stymied by siltation that increased because of fallen trees and growth of woody vegetation.

WTF members did extensive mowing, deadfall removal and similar work to get the water flowing again.

Walleyes For Tomorrow works in close concert with the DNR in stocking fingerlings and fry in waters where natural reproduction is limited or nonexistent.

“The DNR won’t let us stock lakes where walleye populations have successful spawns,” Arrowood said. “We try to focus on habitat on these waters.”

Arrowood said WFT stocks fry from portable hatcheries they own.