Federation of Fly Fisher's Ohio Council Newsletter Volume 3 / Issue1 Spring Project Healing Waters (PHW) March 2009

Transcription

1 Federation of Fly Fisher's Ohio Council Newsletter Volume 3 / Issue1 Spring 2009 Project Healing Waters (PHW) March 2009 The OHC will be presenting a program to the Brecksville Veterans administration on March 24, There will be 15 to 20 staff members in attendance to see and hear an overview of a program of basic fly fishing, casting and tying. The program will be staffed initially by volunteers from North Coast Fly Fishers but all are welcome. We will be helping disabled vets that have served our country. This is a start up program so I am sure that we will be modifying it as we evolve. I would like all of you reading this to see if you have some time available for this satisfying work. The program is a joint collaboration of PHW, FFF and TU. It is not for our edification but to help our warriors. A large pool of volunteers allows for scheduling ease. Not all can be available for every session and this gives us coverage for the instruction instead of relying on only a few individuals. This program is a long term ongoing project for FFF, TU, OHC and our VA s. In addition to the project in the Cleveland area, Mark Poston will be working with the Miami Valley Fly Fishers to look at starting a program in the Dayton area. Mark is a retired doctor of veterinary medicine and is quite eager to start a program. Dr. Tom Sheets, a retired dentist that already works with the VA in Cincinnati, is contacting his local club, the Buckeye United Fly Fishers to start a program there. It is imperative that we have support from local clubs to staff these projects. Without the volunteers, the programs will not survive. If you can volunteer, please contact me through the OHC web site or my below. You can also contact your local club, if mentioned above. If the locations mentioned are not convenient to you but others are and you want to start a program at your local VA, let me know and I can send you information concerning PWH and starting your program. Let s put our best foot forward on this project and get it going to show all our heroes from older conflicts to present ones that their service was appreciated and perhaps we can give back a little with the activity we so enjoy. In 2007, PHW had a program at 3 facilities and as of now, there are over 100 programs throughout the country that are up and running or in the process of being formed. We here in the Midwest are the largest growing sector. Thanks for your attention and please volunteer. If you have no time but have other talents or resources, we can always use innovative solutions to problems. We can all help in our own ways. Paul Blanch Treasurer Ohio Council of FFF Blanch.ps@alertstamping.com; work phone: x222 The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 1 of 15

2 ABEL REELS TO BENEFIT PROJECT HEALING WATERS CAMARILLO, Calif. - A custom anodized Abel Super 5N reels will benefit Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc., announced Jeff Patterson, director of sales for the tackle manufacturer. Project Healing Waters mission is to serve military personnel and veterans who have been wounded, injured, or disabled and aid in their physical and emotional recovery by introducing or rebuilding the skills of fly-fishing and fly-tying and enjoying these skills on fishing outings and as lifelong recreation. The 50 PHW programs, operated at VA and military hospitals The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 2 of 15

3 nationwide, are taught on a local basis by volunteers from Federation of Fly Fishers Clubs, Trout Unlimited Chapters, or independent fly fishing clubs. The Abel Super 5N trout reel will be anodized in a deep blue finish, with a gold drag knob, and red aluminum handle to correspond with the symbolic colors of the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing logo. The reel will also feature an engraved logo of the non-profit organization. The 5.9 ounce reel is designed for 5- or 6-weight lines with a capacity of 125 yards of backing and a 5-weight; 100 yards and a 6-weight. The large arbor reel has a hub of inches. The custom reel is featured at and is available for purchase on the Abel website for $700, with $400 of each sale being donated to Project Healing Waters, Inc. by Abel. The reel is also available through authorized Abel dealers with a portion of each sale going to the veteran organization. While initially focusing on the military personnel in the Washington, DC area, the Project has expanded nationwide and is offering its services and program to active military personnel and veterans in Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals throughout the country. The Project's program provides basic fly-fishing, fly-casting and fly-tying classes and clinics for the wounded and injured personnel ranging from beginners to those with prior fly-fishing and tying experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities. All activities and services are provided to the participants at no cost. Fly-fishing and tying equipment and materials are provided to the participants, including equipment that accommodates their special needs. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing activities are dependent on tax deductible financial donations under the provisions of Section 501(c) (3) of the IRS Code. The organization is incorporated in the state of Maryland. "We are honored to be a part of Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing and the men and women veterans the organization serves and are proud to do whatever we can to get them out fishing again. God bless 'em all," said Patterson. For information or sales, phone , info@abelreels.com Aviador Street Camarillo, CA Phone (805) Fax (805) info@abelreels.com The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 3 of 15

4 Knot So Lucky By Jim Stone 12/22/08 Choosing the correct fishing knot for the purpose at hand and tying it well increases the chances of landing the larger fish. Much has been written on the topics of knots over the ages and a lot of the information appears to be true. Tying fishing knots is best learned while off the water; and practice indeed does make perfect. The two most critical knot styles for fly-fishing are the ones that connect the tippet to the fly, and the ones that connect the tippet to the leader. Why are the tippet knots so critical? Because they are the weakest links between the fly angler and the fish! I had some free time since the sub-freezing temperatures outside shows no signs of letting up soon, which put my outdoor plans on hold. So with boredom setting in, I looked for something to do. I spotted a spool of fishing line resting on a cabinet shelf so I picked it up and started practicing knots. Since I had plenty of time to kill, I decided to learn to tie some new fishing knots. After 28 years of using clinch and blood knots on my tippet connections, I wanted to see what improvements could be made in my fishing luck knot-wise. I found plenty of knot information in my fishing books and magazines, as well as on the Internet, which has helped my quest. There was a good reason why I was interested in finding better tippet knots, and this is where the story begins. In March 2003 I started making furled leaders and because of their design, my leader connection to the tippet became loop-to-loop. Since that time, my tippet loop was just a simple overhand knot, or a perfection loop, and I stayed with the clinch knot for the fly. The furled leaders are here to stay for my fishing purposes because of their great performance, but as I discovered over time, a lot of my tippet failures occurred at the loop-to-loop connection. This is what prompted me to find a better way to make the knot connections, and along the way I found out so much more. The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 4 of 15

5 After deciding on a few new knots to practice, a question came to mind about whether they were actually better options to use for fishing. I needed a way to test them so I could document the results for later evaluation. I figured the best test would be a knot-verses-knot comparison. This was accomplished by using two size 2 streamer hooks with the point and barbs removed, two pieces of 3/8" dowel rod to exert pressure, and some 0X tippet. The test is easy; just tie the hooks on opposite ends of a piece of tippet material using different knots, being sure that the knots are lubricated before drawing tight, then pull apart until failure happens using the dowel rod pieces. One of the knots will break, or on rare occasions, the tippet will break between the knots. The same two knots should be tested against each other at least ten times and the results written down. When one of the knots prevails with the most wins, then that would be the stronger of the two. Try the winner against other knots to see how it stacks up with them. Through a process of elimination, you will find the strongest hook knot for your use. I used the same method to find a better tippet loop knot except the hooks weren't used, only the dowels. The final testing phase was between the strongest hook knot and the strongest loop knot. What I was looking for this time, and hoping to see, was that the loop knot prevailed as the winner most often. This would mean that I wanted the hook knot or the tippet material to be at fault for most of the failures. Why? If I have a fish break off, I wouldn't want it to be trailing a couple of feet of tippet material until the hook dislodges from its body. Besides, I didn't want to be replacing my tippet material every time I lost a fly. Noticed that I haven't mentioned the names of any of the knots tested other than the ones I have been using in the past? Every fly fisherman should already be familiar with many of the knots used in the sport so I didn't feel mentioning them would have been worthwhile. Since there could only be one winner in each class that satisfies my needs, I saved their names until now. For connecting the tippet to the furled leader a Spider Hitch Loop will be my new norm, and to tie on the fly, a Davy Wotton Knot should do nicely. Both knots are strong and very easy to tie, and with practice both can almost be tied with your eyes closed. A big advantage when the lighting gets low in the afternoon. These knots, as well as other fishing knots, can be found on the Internet if you want to become more familiar with them. The previous paragraphs discussed the methods for some simple knot testing that anyone can do, and these were my primary ways of testing. I encourage everyone to give this simple The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 5 of 15

6 testing method a try: Just be sure to match the tippet to the hook size, and remember to lubricate the knots before drawing tight. Out of curiosity though, I did do some more involved testing to explorer the actual breaking strengths of the knots through the use of a digital weight scale. The numbers that were generated revealed some unexpected results. So without creating too much confusion with a bunch of numbers I will try to summarize some of what I found out. While using the 0X tippet for the tests, which had a label rating of 10 lb. test, I initially had 50% of all of the knots break at 10 lb. and higher, with 12 lb. being the strongest. Even the weakest hook knot tested broke over 10 lb. 30% of the time. This is very suspicious wouldn't you say? I did a separate test, which showed that the actual breaking strength of the line averaged out at 12-1/2 lb. The diameter was also " oversized according to the label's stated diameter size of 0.011", which is close. From experience over the years I have found that several of the line manufactures underrate their line diameters. I suspect now that this carries over to their strength ratings as well. (Keep in mind that some of the better-known fishing line manufactures are closer to their stated dimensions than others.) Everyone may think that I am crazy to carry a micrometer when shopping for fishing line, but I do so now because I need accuracy in the material diameters to make my furled leaders with consistency. I used the 12-1/2" lb. test result as the basis for my percentage ratings during the knot strength trials. The weakest hook knot tested averaged 68% knot strength and the strongest averaged at 80.4% knot strength. This is a smaller range than I thought it would be. Even the ages-old clinch knot was stronger than I expected! However, as I found out, every knot style I tied had a 3 to 4 lb. range between the lowest to the highest breakage points. I tried to be as consistent at tying the knots as I could, but there were variables that could not be controlled that had influences on the results. I only did 10 tests on each knot style and averaged the results for my findings. More tests probably would have been better, but this is what I initially decided to do. Maybe someday I will do the tests again and see if I get the same results. In the meantime, use the simple method outlined above using the dull hooks & dowel rods and do a little knot testing yourself. It is a good excuse to practice your knot tying capabilities, and you may find a better way to attach the tippet and the fly for your way of fishing. I should have done this myself long ago. As for now, I will continue to wait out the cold weather in anticipation for the chance to give my newly discovered knots a good strenuous workout on the open water to see if they will truly fit my needs. Good luck with your knot testing and have fun! You too may find a better way to catch larger fish through the use of stronger knots. The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 6 of 15

7 Mohican Fly Fishers of Ohio Mohican Fly Fishers of Ohio will participate in the Mohican Wildlife Weekend 2009 Written by Jim Stone Once again the Mohican Fly Fishers of Ohio (MFFO) will be participating in the Mohican Wildlife Weekend (MWW), which occurs this year on May 1st through the 3rd. The club will set up close to the Covered Bridge in Mohican State Park on Saturday & Sunday where they will be educating, instructing and promoting the many aspects of fly-fishing. The MFFO club has been participating in the MWW for several years in this capacity and they invite everyone to stop by and visit for a while. They will be able to answer fly-fishing questions, or provide fly tying and fly casting instructions. Ever wondered what lived under the rocks in the Clear Fork River? That question can be answered as some of the activities and demonstrations will occur in the water. If the brown trout are cooperating visitors may witness the capture and release of this beautiful species of fish in a picturesque setting. In the past the MWW occurred in the month of April, but a decision was made to move the festivities to May. This later date will allow the Mohican area to show more of its Spring colors. As everyone knows, "April showers bring May flowers!" Fly-fishing is only a small part of the activities slated for the MWW around the Mohican region. There are many locations mapped out with scheduled activities for the drive-about tour, which are intended to celebrate and educate enthusiasts for a better enjoyment of the outdoors. Some of the scheduled activities are workshops, hikes, crafts, & demonstrations. A couple of the activities will happen after dark. For a complete listing of all of the scheduled Mohican Wildlife Weekend activities please visit the following web site: If you have never visited the area you are in for a visual treat. The Mohican State Park had its beginning around 12,000 years ago when massive glaciers stopped their southerly advance north of the park leaving behind many traces of their presence, and most notably the Clear Fork River Gorge, which was mostly carved by the glacial meltwaters. The gorge is roughly 1,000 feet wide at the top, and about 300 feet deep with the river meandering through the gorge and park for more than 4 miles. So put on your hiking shoes, grab your camera, arrive early, stay late, and enjoy the great outdoors! The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 7 of 15

8 MOHICAN FLY FISHERS of OHIO 2009 BUCKEYE BAMBOO BASH MAY 9TH AT THE AMERICAN LEGION PAVILION ON THE BANKS OF THE CLEARFORK RIVER BELLVILLE, OHIO STATE RT. 97 & 13 9AM TO 4PM SHOW-BUY-SELL-TRADE & ENJOY COMPANY OF LIKE MINDED PEOPLE BELLVILLE, A QUAINT TOWN WITH NUMEROUS ANTIQUE SHOPS & EATING ESTABLISHMENTS FOR INFORMATION: The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 8 of 15

9 MFFO News Flash ======================================================================== January 31 st, 2009 Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center by Jim Stone Fellow club member Dave Meadows spent a cold Saturday afternoon demonstrating his passion of tying flies to a group of interested fishermen. The session lasted three hours and seemed to have passed in short order. A reporter from WMFD TV did an interview with Dave before the session started and was intrigued enough to hang around and find out what fly-fishing & tying were all about. Dave has been tying flies since 1967 and has studied under legendary tiers such as Orin Champion, Curt Thompson, Phil Baldwin, and Kim Boal. Dave's preferred method of fly-fishing is with the dry fly, and he knows his stuff. The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 9 of 15

10 He discussed the different stages of the main aquatic insects that live in the most rivers that most tiers imitate in the vise. As part of this discussion Dave talked about the different hooks, and hook sizes used for tying the insect imitations. Most participants were in awe with the tiny sized 24 hooks that Dave showed them, but were surprised even more when he passed around a container with 3 dozen size 32 hooks in it. Of course the usual question followed, "What kind and how big of a fish do you catch with something that small? In the right hands and at the right time, a pretty large fish can be landed on these tiny imitations. Dave had a few photos on hand of fish caught with such flies. After explaining the various tools that he had laid out and purpose of their use, Dave locked a hook in his vise and proceeded to tie a parachute mayfly. He explained the different parts of the fly, and techniques as he tied them in; with explanations of the materials being used. Later he tied a nymph, and at the request of a couple of participants, Dave tied a Wooly Bugger. As the session ended, Dave received well deserved round of applause. If you haven't had the opportunity to sit through one of his sessions, do yourself a favor and try to attend one. You won't be disappointed. The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 10 of 15

11 Council Conservation VP Help Needed With the Wild Trout Symposium Marty Seldon The Federation of Fly Fishers has been a cosponsor of the Wild Trout Symposium since 1979, with Mary Seldon still representing us on the Organizing Committee. FFF President Peter Van Gytenbeek was one of the primary founders along with retired UFWS Ass t Regional Director Frank Richardson who ran the Resources Symposiums at FFF Conclaves. Past FFF President Gardner Grant was also a several time chairman. Now in the planning stages, Wild Trout-X is scheduled for September 27-30, 2010, eighteen months from now, at the Holiday, in West Yellowstone, MT: Please consider attending. This unique forum not only offers the latest in wild trout status, technology, and project, but provides fishery conservationists and professionals a format for international interaction in an informal setting that would otherwise not be possible. I am working with FFF s Leah Elwell, Symposium Publicity Committee Chair, to develop an international database as comprehensive as possible of individuals that should be invited. In these difficult economic times we need to greatly expand our coverage. I need your help to assure that the key wild salmon professionals, world class anglers, and fishery conservationists in your area get our notices. I am attaching our Save the Date Notice that is scheduled for release in April when Leah is back to work. Please get me as many contacts as possible either on the attached Excel Chart form. If you don t use Excel just please get me these five items: Agency/Group Name if any, Individuals Name, Title if Any, Country, and the address. Your assistance and participation are invited, hopefully all during March. The Symposium Program Committee is also seeking suggestions for people you know including, members and other groups, authors, anglers, and professionals that might be willing present their and your thoughts, opinions, and projects about any aspect of wild trout and other salmonid angling or conservation. Just pass info on any suggested speakers to either Leah or I. They will be asked to submit an abstract for approval. Skitt Fiske! The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 11 of 15

12 OHC Education Department Most if not all-meaningful projects that are successful and really promote the Federation of Fly Fishers are thought of and implemented by one or more individuals that belong to one of our OHC clubs. Since the FFF is really driven from the ground up, this is as it should be. Please let me know any additional pet projects that have proven to be successful within your club. We are all looking for ways to promote the sport of fly-fishing and along the way helping to promote our stated goals as an organization. Here are some of the activities that our clubs are currently involved with. BOY SCOUTS of AMERICA Many of the member clubs are working with the local Boy Scout programs in their communities. Much of this work is to allow the Scouts to obtain a Merit badge for Fishing and Fly Fishing. Both FFF and TU have signed letters of intent with BSA Nationally to support the scouting organization. Certification of instructors is done on a local basis through the regional Scouting Councils, and is not difficult. This potential is a great way to introduce fly-fishing to your local youth it also happens to be a very rewarding experience! WOMEN in the OUTDOORS The NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION sponsors the Women in the Outdoors program. This group offers a number of weekend programs throughout the state of Ohio. The goal is to introduce a number of outdoor activities to women. One of the programs in some of these sessions includes fly-fishing and tying. Women in the Outdoors is well funded and very well managed, and they are very well managed. We are in the process of trying to establish a communication link with the state level organizers of this group to determine how OHC might improve and grow our support for this group. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on how we might increase our support to this group, please contact me. HOOKED on FISHING, NOT on DRUGS This program needs to be sponsored or supported by the local Police Departments. Police Departments, School Administrators, Businesses, and local Volunteers are required to make this program a success. In order to develop this program it is necessary to get all participants involved before any sessions are scheduled. Planning materials, educational handouts and fishing equipment are all available through the ODNR. HOFNOD is a flagship program of the FUTURE FISHERMAN FOUNDATION, which is in turn funded by the AMERICAN SPORTSFISHING ASSOCIATION. The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 12 of 15

13 This program is one of the best available currently and through the cooperation of all parties it provides and excellent educational and mentoring opportunity for t]the local youth. If your club would be willing to support one of these programs, the ODNR can and will supply fishing equipment along with training aids, and handouts to support your efforts. PASSPORT to FISHING This one-day program is an excellent opportunity to provide instruction and fishing equipment for a local community. While the current format may be completed in a one-day session, it can be enhanced and the outline allows for customization to fit the activity and participants. There is now in process an updated Passport program that should be completed this year. Passport to Fishing is one of the lead programs for youth that is sponsored by the RECREATIONAL BOATING and FISHING FOUNDATION. During 2008 the OHC Educational group has been coordinating an effort to expand this program to allow for a Passport to Fly Fishing program. ODNR in cooperation with RBFF is reviewing our proposed agenda, and we will be able to determine what changes might be possible with this new formatted program sometime later this year. This is an excellent program that can be structured to suit an event or class in any community. Rods Reels, along with handouts are available from ODNR for any location. Try to allow for 60 to 90 day timeline obtaining the equipment for any program that you want to conduct. CASTING for a CURE and REELING and HEALING Both of these programs are becoming even more active nationally. Planning and coordination with local American Cancer Society personnel is a necessity. A number of our member clubs and their members are active in providing instruction at the retreats that have been formed. The national organizations of TU and FFF have signed on as supporters for both of these programs. If there any members that can provide a direction that we might provide additional support for these program, would really appreciate some direction that our member clubs might provide. PROJECT HEALING WATERS Paul Blanch has made some amazing contacts and has become most active in this program and NCFF is now working through the preliminaries required to conduct one of the first classes/sessions in the Cleveland area. I am sure Paul will provide us all with updates and outline what and how we can support this effort. The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 13 of 15

14 TEMPLE FORK OUTFITTERS and THE SIERRA CLUB With the support and donations from these two organizations there have been somewhere around 700 Fly Rods and Reel outfits donated to the Federation of Fly Fishers organization. These donations were made to promote youth education within and through the local FFF clubs throughout the country. I am not sure,but I have heard some talk that The Sierra Club and TFO may do a second offering of this nature to the FFF clubs. If you have an opportunity to conduct any youth fly fishing sessions, these outfits are great! In addition TEMPLE FORK OUTFITTERS is providing Rods and Reels (fully equipped) to support the PROJECT HEALING WATERS program nationally. Might be worth taking a look at the TFO Rods before you make your next Rod purchase! Respectfully Submitted Jerry Polen VP-Education Firelands Fly Fishers Fly Tying by Firelands Fly Fishers, Lorain County at Gander Mountain, and Wednesdays at 6-9pm The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 14 of 15

15 The Ohio Council of The Federation of Fly Fishers Page 15 of 15