MINNESOTA TROUT UNLIMITED AWARD RECIPIENTS 2025
THE DR. THOMAS WATERS AWARD FOR MINNESOTA CONSERVATION: MARK REISETTER
For his lifetime of achievements in coldwater conservation, MNTU presented the 2025 Dr. Thomas Waters Award for Minnesota Conservation to Mark Reisetter.
A deeply dedicated teacher and conservationist, Mark has been a member of TU since the late 1970s. He served as Win-Cres President starting in 1981 and, more recently, has served as the Southeast Vice Chair on MNTU’s Board of Directors since 2009.
Mark founded Lewiston Area Trout Guides in 1999, retiring in 2017 after 19 years of sharing the incredible trout waters of Minnesota with countless people, including Senator Tina Smith and Governor Tim Walz. Always an educator, Mark has taught a flyfishing class at White Water State Park since 2010.
If you have every visited MNTU’s Facebook page, you’ve seen some of Mark’s work for us, as he has been our social media guru for many years. This comes easily for Mark, considering he’s a wonderful storyteller who generously shares his love, knowledge and passion for Minnesota’s trout waters with others. Mark is also unafraid to speak his mind when it comes to the conservation of those waters. He regularly attends the DNR Roundtable and is engaged with issues that threaten our coldwater resources. For example, Mark recently spoke at our press conference announcing the lawsuit MNTU filed challenging the state to do a better job of preventing nitrate pollution. In his friendly, Norwegian way, Mark demands accountability and change when and where it is needed.
This is all to say that Mark lives the mission of Trout Unlimited, for which all members of this organization have benefited, and believes that our waters need to be protected and preserved for all to enjoy now and in the future.
Thank you, Mark Reisetter, for truly making a difference for coldwater conservation in the state of Minnesota! Congratulations on this very deserved award!
MNTU DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS
Win-Cres Chapter – Joe Lepley (accepted by sister, Victoria Gally)
A retired Winona educator, Joe died in August of 2022. Joe was a longtime president of the Win-Cres Chapter of Trout Unlimited and had been an important member for many years; helping to build cribs and skyhooks, and clearing debris, willow, and boxelder from numerous riparian corridors.
Upon Joe’s death, the Win-Cres Chapter learned that Joe had bequeathed the chapter with a sizable endowment, guaranteeing the chapter with adequate operating funds for years to come. Win-Cres memorialized Joseph Dale Lepley by placing a bench in Winona’s Lake Park with a plaque that reads: “The Win-Cres Chapter of Trout Unlimited Honors the Memory of Joe Lepley (1952 – 2022) for his Service, Leadership, and Generosity. “What you do for yourself dies with you when you leave this world, what you do for others lives on forever” – Sir Ken Robinson
Our sincere thanks to Joe for his many years of service to Minnesota Trout Unlimited. His sister, Victoria, is here to accept this award for Joe.
Hiawatha Chapter – Frank Angelotti (accepted by wife, Deb Angelotti)
Frank passed away in December and was a dedicated member of Hiawatha TU.
To quote from Frank’s obituary:
“Although Frank enjoyed all the trappings of a productive livelihood, he was most passionate about fly fishing and conservation. He was active in Trout Unlimited (TU) at the state and local levels, enjoying many responsibilities within the local chapter over the years, including president. Frank spent many hours on the streams of Southeast Minnesota fishing and helping his local chapter of TU with rehabilitation work on trout streams. His passion for the sport went beyond just fishing. He was interested in the art and history of fly-tying and rod building. He shared his love of fly-tying with many people while teaching community education classes.”
Our sincere thanks to Frank for his many years of service to Minnesota Trout Unlimited. His wife, Debra, is here to accept this award for Frank.
Twin Cities Chapter – Lee Stoe
Lee has been a member of TU for over 20 years, volunteering in a range of activities from working with youth to teaching fly casting to picking up trash on Eagle Creek to installing cedar revetments in the South Branch of the Vermillion. In 2024 alone, Lee volunteered on a total of 14 events with 50 volunteer hours, more than any other member of TCTU. He is deeply involved in advocacy work in Southeast Minnesota as an active volunteer with the Land Stewardship Project and has also testified at the state capitol on behalf of MNTU.
Thank you, Lee, for all you do for Minnesota TU and congratulations for this very deserved award!
Headwaters Chapter – Bob and Val Wagner
The world of fly fishing is truly enriched by dedicated people like Bob and Val Wagner. For nearly 25 years as members of the Headwaters Chapter of TU, Bob and Val have shared their passion and knowledge of fly fishing with others by teaching fly casting and fly tying, especially to youth and women. Bob estimates the number of people they have reached is in the thousands.
Not only are they incredible teachers and anglers, but wonderful human beings who I consider it a privilege to call friends.
Thank you, Bob and Val, for all you do for Minnesota TU and congratulations for this very deserved award!
Gitche Gumee Chapter – Peder Yurista
A trout angler since age 12, Peder joined Trout Unlimited shortly after moving to Duluth in 2000 and soon volunteered to serve on the Gitche Gumee chapter Board. Peder leads by example – whether it’s leading riparian tree plantings, sharing his insights of restoration designs, or walking countless miles of stream for brook trout research on northeast trout streams – Peder always answers the call without hesitation. He also serves on the MNTU Board of Directors and is a generous donor to coldwater conservation work.
Our sincere thanks to Peder for his many years of service to Minnesota Trout Unlimited. Peder was not able to make it today, but if he was I am sure he would ask you to join him this spring setting out temperature loggers. We will make sure he receives this much deserved award.
