The Red Letter OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RED STICK FLY FISHERS

Transcription

1 The Red Letter OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RED STICK FLY FISHERS Next Membership Meeting: Monday, Nov. 14, 7:00PM at the Wildlife and Fisheries Building on Quail Drive Next Fly Tying Meeting: Monday, Nov. 28, 7:00PM at Bass Pro, Denham Springs, La.

2 Photograph by unknown It might be time to go. Too good to pass up!!!, Thanks Emmitt Red Stick Fly Fishers (RSFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of fly fishing, conservation and outdoor ethics. Programs are held the second Monday of each month at Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries located on Quail Dr. at 7:00 pm. Fly tying is held the fourth Monday of each month, except December. The location currently alternates between Orvis, Cabela s in Gonzales and Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs. These events also begin at 7:00 pm. Dues are $25 for individuals or families, free for students. RSFF is affiliated with the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) Gulf Coast Council. Submissions to The Red Letter must be received by the Editor no later than the first Monday of each month. Correspondence or club information can be obtained through the club web site, or by (see last page for member contacts), or by regular mail at: RSFF PO Box 3761 Baton Rouge, La RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 1 Baton Rouge, La

3 Our Sincerest Condolences to Mr. Emmitt Simmons Wanda Simmons, wife of Emmitt Simmons (RSFF Fly Tying Chair) passed away suddenly on 10/31. Please join me in keeping Emmitt and his family in your prayers as they deal with the loss of their loved one! Funeral services were held 11/3 at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. If you would like to sign their online guest book and/or view the memorial video, follow the link and type in Wanda Simmons. In celebration of that great LSU win!!! Not sure he would be welcome back RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 2 Baton Rouge, La

4 November 14 meeting: Lane Pelissier Our special guest will be Lane Pelissier of Lafayette. Lane is president of the Acadiana Fly Rodders club, and owner of Vermillion Bay Rod Company. He is a student of the science of custom rod building and specializes in building custom inshore fly rods as well as producing carbon fiber grips and exotic wood reel inserts supplied to domestic and international custom rod builders. If you attended our last meeting, Lane brought one of his rods built on a CTS blank. A few of our best casters took a shot at casting this rod and were very impressed! He not only builds fly rods but also custom casting and spinning rods. Lane will talk about the "Common Cents System" for determining the true action of a fly rod. He will also discuss tips and techniques for rod building, as well as the benefits of carbon fiber grips. For anyone who enjoys casting, or rod building, this is a meeting not to miss! As always, guests and visitors are welcome. Fall Catch-n-Eat - November 12 weekend It's time for our annual fall marsh fishing outing along Highway 1 corridor. Fishing is great right now from boat, bank, kayak or canoe for specks, reds, flounder, sheepshead, drum, and white trout. Water is clearing up - great for flies! Water is cooler - fish fight harder! Tides are lower - great for sight casting! It's comfortable all day long! Everyone handles their own reservations at a favorite place of stay. Popular places are Boudreaux's Condeaux s, Galliano Inn, Catfish Lake Cabins, Days Inn all of which are in Golden Meadow. Also popular is Boudreaux's in Leeville and Blue Dolphin Inn in Grand Isle. Saturday evening is the usual fish & shrimp fry. The location is Boudreaux's Condeaux's in Golden Meadow. The menu for Saturday evening includes fresh fried fish fillets, shrimp, potatoes, bread and veggies. Dessert contributions are welcomed. You bring your own soft drinks or alternative beverage. You may also want to bring a couple of folding chairs as seating is likely to be limited. For folks going down on Friday, we usually have a gathering at one of the local restaurants. Or you may choose to go your own. If interested, contact Randy Leonpacher, Saltwater Chairman, at or Randy Leonpacher. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 3 Baton Rouge, La

5 Flashback to 2010, Photos to get you fired up! RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 4 Baton Rouge, La

6 2012 Board Members Election Candidate Slate Presented by the Board Nominations from the floor will be entertained for all positions. Nominations will be open until closed at the December meeting just prior to the voting that evening. Office President Vice President Treasurer Recording Secretary Newsletter Editor Fly Tying Chair Education Chair Coldwater Chair Warmwater Chair Saltwater Chair Events Chair Conservation Chair Membership Chair Past President Candidate Dan Weber Greg Brignac Ron Braud Mike LeFleur Sheldon Anderson Emmitt Simmons Dugan Sabins Jack Dial Jack Lithgoe Randy Leonpacker Glen Cormier Roger Del Rio Bill Brown Don Richardson This is your club, it s critical that you give the board feedback as to new topics to cover, changes you d like to see, anything that you believe will better the club.. Your feedback is welcome and wanted!! Club Christmas Pot Luck Dinner, Dec. 12 or as I call it, another eat n meet n by Sheldon Anderson It s time to discuss who will bring those special dishes to be shared with the club. Here's a sample of the goodies we enjoyed last year.. Deer Roast, Brisket, Green Bean Casserole, Broccoli & Cauliflower Dish, Deviled Eggs, Pecan, Cherry & Strawberry (Sugar Free) Pies and Bread... YUM!!! Let s not forget those critical items such as plates, bowls and eating utensils This event is open to family/club members, so come all. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 5 Baton Rouge, La

7 Rod Building Saturday, December 12, 2009 Thinking about a new rod, why not build your own! Time: 8:30am - 1:00pm Location: LDWF Waddill Outdoors Education Center 4142 North Flannery Rd This event is open to RSFF members and members of other FFF clubs. There is no cost. Refreshments will be provided. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED so we can have the appropriate amount of materials and refreshments. Please contact Glen Cormier at (225) or by at catch@laflyfish.com no later than Saturday, December 5. Who should attend? Any club member interested in assembling a custom rod. In addition to beginners building their first fly rod, we often have veterans who come simply because it gives them a venue and time to get started on that rod they've put off for so long. What should beginners bring? The following article explains what materials you need to have to get started in rod building. Some materials will be provided by the club at this clinic. Rod Building 101 Overview and Online Resources Fly Rod Building 101 Checklist and Instructions EACH PARTICIPANT LOOKING TO BUILD A ROD MUST PROCURE A BLANK AND ROD COMPONENTS PRIOR TO THIS SESSION. The club no longer carries or sells reel seats, guides, or other components. In southeast Louisiana, Cabelas and Uptown Angler have, or can order, rod building components for pickup or delivery. You can mail order components from these stores: Cabelas Tackle Craft (blanks by Cabelas, Sage, Loomis, Rainshadow, Rainforest, St Croix, TFO) Hook and Hackle (blanks by PacBay, Rainshadow, St Croix, Forecast, Loomis, H&H Brand, some at 20% discount) Angler's Workshop (blanks by PacBay, Lamiglas, Batson, Diamondback, Sage, AW Brand) Many Red Stick rod builders have long done business with JJ King Flyfishing out of Altura, CA. Jon King is one of the premier rod builders on the West Coast, and a fishing companion to a couple of our club members. His product line and service are RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 6 Baton Rouge, La

8 outstanding. In addition, Jon offers his own brand of fly rod blanks, that in our experience, have made some of our favorite rods! These blanks also sell for much less than the premium blanks. Here is a Fall, 2009 list of available blanks from JJ King with contact information. JJ King Flyfishing Blanks and Components, Fall 2009 Potential builders on a tight budget should contact RSFF club member and past-president Frank Genusa. Frank is an experienced rod builder who has his own custom blanks at a very affordable price. Rods from these blanks compare favorably with the St Croix and Echo rods in the $150 range. What should I expect out of this class? For beginners, you should leave with your rod assembled with cork grip, reel seat, and several guides wrapped. Time permitting, we should also apply the first coat of color preserver. We will also demonstrate applying flex coat to the guides, but participants will have to complete that step at home due to the long drying time (6 hours). We will explain our recommendations - based on experience - for doing the flexcoat process at home, made easy! Fly Tyer s Bench - by Emmitt Simmons Introduction Observations on Fly Tying At the last fly tying session, I overheard Jack Lithgoe making one of his astute observations. He commented on the changeable nature of the materials that are used to tie flies and I paraphrase -- Did you ever notice that every pattern seems to have at least one material that is not made anymore. Indeed, tyers search the internet and network with their fly tying compadres to find the hooks, furs, feathers and other components they need. It s all part of the fun of tying. Maybe you ll find something that works as well or better than the original. While perusing a catalog recently, I came across an artificial jungle cock feather. Most might be willing to settle for a close substitute, but to match the original pattern there s nothing like the real thing. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 7 Baton Rouge, La

9 LaFleur's Charlie Designed and Demonstrated by Mike LaFleur Chartreuse LaFleuur s Charlie HISTORY The original Charlie was developed in the 1970's by Bob Nauhiem and named after his Bahamian guide Charlie Smith. There are many variations of this fly, but they are all basically an inverted hook pattern. After many years of experimentation and field testing, this is how Mike ties a Charlie. It meets three standards for a fly: 1) It is easy to tie; 2) It is durable; and 3) It catches fish. HOOK: #2 Mustad Signature C71 S SS circle streamer or #2 Mustad EYES: Lead dumbbell eyes painted red with black ends. Use the Wapsi brand sold at many fly shops and catalogues. The size and weight is most important. I use size X- SM with a 5/32 diameter, weighing 1/50 of an ounce. A change in the weight will change the up and down motion of the fly in the water column. THREAD: Danville's Waxed Flymaster Plus -210 Denier thread or a 3/0 pink thread. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 8 Baton Rouge, La

10 BODY: Pearl colored Long Flash Crystal Chenille. Refer to Dan Bailey's Catalogue ( ). You can also use Umpqua's pearl Estaz Grande. WING: Pink, Chartreuse, or Black Fly Fur. The best mills have discontinued making this fur. We are trying to locate a new supplier. In the meantime, use craft fur. Wapsi makes a good one. Tying Instructions: 1. Put the hook in the vice with the hook down (the normal way). Tie in the thread behind the eye of the hook and wrap down about half of the hook shank and then back towards the eye to about one lead eye length from the eye of the hook, leaving enough room for a nice head. Tie in the lead eye using figure-eights, etc. 2. Tie off the thread and remove the hook from the vice. 3. Coat the wraps that hold the dumbbell eye on the hook with super glue. Use Zap-A-Gap CA+, and do a batch at a time. 4. After the glue is dry, put the hook back in the vice with the hook point down and the lead eye on top. Tie in the thread behind the lead eye and wrap back to the bend above the barb. Tie in the Crystal Chenille using several tight wraps to make it secure. Then advance the thread to behind the lead eye. Wrap the Chenille forward in close wraps to the lead eye. Make several tight wraps of the thread and cut off the excess Chenille. Bring the thread in front of the lead eye and then take the hook out of the vice and turn it over so the lead eye is down and the hook point is up. 5. Take the patch of Fly Fur and grab some of the strands that, when twisted together at the base, will be about 1/8 inch in diameter. Cut off as close to the base as possible. This will give you a length of about twice the length of the hook shank. Tie in the Fly Fur in between the lead eye and the eye of the hook, on the hook point side of the hook (on the top as it is sitting in the vice). Continue wrapping the thread between the lead eye and the eye of the hook to form a nice conical head. Whip finish and cut off the thread. Coat the head with head cement. Apply Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 9 Baton Rouge, La

11 COMMENTS: Mike also ties this fly using chartreuse fly fur and thread to match for when the water is dirty. The Chenille is always pearl. On the other hand, during the winter when the water is clear and the sun is bright, a pink or chartreuse Charlie seem to spook the fish. If this occurs, you use black fly fur over black Chenille, with black/ yellow lead eyes. Always use 1/50 oz eyes. That is what makes this fly work so well. Thanks for a demonstrating the All you Need, Mike. I am going to tie a few of these for the Fall Catch and Eat weekend. Featured Tyer - TBD - Bass Pro, Denham Springs, LA Monday, November 28, 7:00PM. That s a wrap for this month. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Bass Pro. Good Fishing to All, Emmitt Simmons RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 10 Baton Rouge, La

12 Leaders for the Fly: in 8 Parts by Bill Brown, Membership Chair Part 3 Leader Design There is no one right design for any type of leader. One that will work for you depends on your type of fishing, your casting speed, the flies you use, where you fish and sometimes weather conditions, particularly wind speed and temperature, since line stiffness can vary depending on how hot it is. I m going to discuss several design concepts and let you decide which one(s) you d like to try. I suggest you try some of the different designs for yourself and choose which one(s) work for you. I ll start with some designs for trout fishing since those can be the most complex. (All of the concepts used on these designs can be applied to other types of fishing.) We ll then visit fishing for the warm, freshwater species, then on to saltwater leaders. When designing any leader taper one must always be aware of the tippet size that will be used with the leader. Tippet size can determine taper rate and number of sections needed in the leader, depending on the design you use. Of course, tippet size is dependent on the fly you will be casting. The larger the fly the stiffer the tippet needs to be to turn the fly over. Table 1 shows a match-up of tippet size to fly size you can use to select proper tippet size. The fly sizes listed are approximate. Very bushy flies and weighted flies may take larger tippets than listed and tippet sizes from different manufacturers will vary in stiffness. Table 1 Approximate Fly Size for Tippet Diameters Fly Size X Size Diameter, in. 1/0-2/ / /0 0X X X X X X X X Leaders can be of any length, but the most used lengths run from 6 ft. to 12 ft., extending out to 20 ft. in situations where fish are extremely leader shy. Table 2 provides some idea of the uses of leaders of different lengths. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 11 Baton Rouge, La

13 Table 2 Leader Lengths Length, ft. Typical uses 6 Bass, Bream, Saltwater and most sinking lines 7.5 Trout in small streams, streamers, large flies and heavy nymphs. Line shy Bass, Bream, and saltwater species. Intermediate and sink tip lines. 9 Trout in moderate sized streams, fish are not line shy. Shallow saltwater 12 With floating line for Lake Trout. Trout in larger streams and using size 16 or smaller flies 15 and above Extremely spooky trout. Events Calendar by "Catch" Cormier, Events Chair Asterisk (*) denotes a RSFF-sponsored event. Activities designated with (M) are only for members and their immediate family, or members of other clubs. All other activities are open to the public. This is only major events. For a list of all activities, such as kayak demos, general fishing seminars, LDWF and BREC events, go to rsff.org and click on the "Calendar" page. Recurring Activities * Membership Meeting: 7:00pm-9:00pm, 2nd Monday of each month, Wildlife and Fisheries building, Quail Drive, Baton Rouge. Casting instruction prior to meeting during Daylight Savings Time. * Fly Tying Sessions: 7:00pm-9:00pm, 4th Monday of each month. Meeting locations rotate. - January, April, July, October - Cabela s. - February, May, August, November - Bass Pro. - March, June, September, December - Orvis. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 12 Baton Rouge, La

14 Our sponsor Bass Pro Shops in Denham Springs holds a free Fly Tying Clinic the 4th Saturday of each month (3rd Saturday in December). Time is 9:30am - 12 noon. Upstairs in Conference Room. Bring tools, materials provided. For more info, call Harold Henkel (225) Events * November (Fri-Sun) - RSFF Fall Catch-and-Eat. Marsh fishing trip for reds, specks, drum and other species. Highway 1 corridor. Culminates with Saturday evening fish fry at Boudreauxs Condeauxs in Golden Meadow or Boudreaux Motel in Leeville. For more info, check the article in this newsletter. December 3 (Sat) - BackCast III. Fly fishing only, paddlecraft-only cookie jar type tournament. For legal reasons, the Bayou Coast club considers this a friendly get-together with a money pool. RSFF and other fly clubs members welcome. For details, go to and click on the "Events" forum. * January (Fri-Mon) - Rainbow Coalition trip to the Little Mo. Join us for fabulous rainbow trout (and now brown trout) fishing in the middle of winter on the Little Missouri River in Murfreesboro, AR. About 7 hours from Baton Rouge if you include gas stops. Stocking begins in October on the tailwater and in the mountain stream in December. Trip includes lodging, some meals, and great comradery! Beginners to coldwater fishing can enjoy on-the-water learning and success with the club experts. For details, contact Jack Dial, Coldwater Chairman. * January 21 (Sat) - Event TBA. We originally reserved Waddill for this day for an early Fly Fishing 101. However, if we move the Fly Fishing 101 date back to March, then we will use this date for some other activity. Most likely at this point a "Tie In" where everyone comes to tie flies, with no instructor. A chance for everyone to restock their tying boxes for the season ahead. Beginners can also come and sit and learn from the tiers. February 4 (Sat) - Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival. Saturday, February 4, Time 8:30am to 4:30pm. Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer, Houston. This year marks the 20th annual tying extravaganza held by the Texas Fly Fishers club. Special guest will be Lefty Kreh. For complete details, go to February (Sat-Sun) - Cabelas Spring Expo. 9:00am pm, Cabelas in Gonzales. Red Stick will be tying flies and doing interactive casting demos both days. Come out and join us! Members who tie or cast will also get certificates for vendor pricing during the event! For beginner tiers, there will be a fly tying clinic conducted by Darrel RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 13 Baton Rouge, La

15 Crawford upstairs in the Conference Room starting at 9:00am. For more info, go to February (Fri-Sun) - 10th ever Little Mo Fly Fishing Festival. Community Hall, Murfreesboro, AR. Cost $10. Folks gather on Friday evening for gumbo and conversation, the main event is on Saturday with programs, fly tying, and exhibitors. The highlight comes on Saturday evening, with the annual "State of the Little Missouri" presentation by Arkansas Fish and Game biologists. There's an on-the-water casting session on Sunday morning by Jeff Guerin. For more info, go to February 25 (Sat) - 25th annual Acadiana Fly Rodders Conclave. 8:30am - 3:00pm, Grace Presbyterian Church, 518 Roselawn Blvd, Lafayette. Programs, fly tying, exhibitors, casting games and more. A $5 lunch is available. The annual AFR Awards Banquet is held that evening, and usually features a guest speaker For more info, go to acadianafly.blogspot.com. * March 3 (Sat) Red Stick Day Fly Fishing Festival. 8:30am - 3:30pm. LDWF Waddill Outdoors Center, 4141 N. Flannery Rd, Baton Rouge. FREE admission. A celebration of fly fishing; featuring programs, fly tying demos, casting instruction, manufacturer exhibits, kayak demos, fishing, raffles. Free admission and refreshments. A $5 lunch is available. For more info, go to * March 10 (Sat) - Event TBD. This will likely be "Fly Fishing 101" if the January date is moved. Fly Fishing :00am - 2:00pm. LDWF Waddill Outdoors Education Center. Free workshop on the basics of fly fishing, including equipment, knots, fly casting, and fly tying. Includes lunch and refreshments. Registration required. * March (Fri-Sun) - RSFF March Brown Trip (tentative). Annual spring trip for to the Little Missouri River in Arkansas during peak of the March Brown Mayfly hatch. For more details, go to or contact Jack Dial, Coldwater Chairman. March (Thu-Sat) - Sowbug Roundup. Baxter County Fairgrounds, Mountain Home, AR. Annual club conclave of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers. The largest fly tying event in the south, possibly the country! Also programs, vendors, raffles, and more. Good fishing for trout on White and Norfork Rivers. This year, Sowbug has moved to the fairgrounds location. Check for more details. March 31 (Sat) - Paddlepalooza IX, kayak fishing tournament hosted by Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club. Lots of prizes, two meals (Friday night and Saturday after the weighin), and captains bag for each participant. A great opportunity to learn about rigging and RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 14 Baton Rouge, La

16 other setups from nearly 100 folks who participate. As we say, "There's never a loser at Paddlepalooza!" For more info or to register, go to * April (Fri-Sun) - Spring outing to Lake Concordia. Friday thru Sunday. Our annual spring trip to Lake Concordia offers world-class fly fishing for bass, bream, crappie, other species. Stay is at scenic Lakeview Lodge. Nearby options also include Lake St. John, Old River Vidalia, Bayou Cocodrie. Culminates with Saturday evening fish fry. For more details, check or contact Jack Lithgoe, Warmwater Chair. April TBD - Caddo Conclave, 10:00am - 4:30pm, Caddo Lake State Park, Karnack, TX. Co-sponsored by North Louisiana Fly Fishers, East Texas Fly Fishers and Lone Star Fly Fishers. Excellent fishing on premises. May 12 (Sat) - 3rd annual "Bass on the Fly Tournament" Lake Fork Marina, Lake Fork, TX. Proceeds benefit missionary work. Friday afternoon casting clinics, exhibitors, vendor booths, captain's meeting dinner. Saturday fishing with weigh-in at 2:00pm. For more info, go to * May RSFF Spring Catch-and-Eat. Annual spring marsh outing for reds, specks, drum and other species. Highway 1 corridor. Culminates with Saturday evening fish fry at Boudreauxs Condeauxs in Golden Meadow or Boudreaux Motel in Leeville. For more info, check the April/May newsletters or forum at * June (Fri-Sun) - Grand Isle Fly Fishing Weekend, Blue Dolphin Inn, Grand Isle. Co-sponsored by south Louisiana and Mississippi fly-fishing clubs. Registration required. Call Randy Leonpacher (225) or Barry Dauphin (337) or go to RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 15 Baton Rouge, La

17 RSFF Board Position home work/cell address Dan Weber President Don Richardson Past President Greg Brignac Vice President Ron Braud Treasurer Sheldon Anderson Editor Mike LaFleur Secretary Glen Cormier Events Jack Dial Coldwater Emmitt Simmons Fly Tying Randy Leonpacher Saltwater Bill Brown Membership Roger del Rio Conservation Dugan Sabins Education/Programs Jack Lithgoe Warm water Friends of RSFF, Please support our club sponsors! Cabela's - Gonzales, LA All outdoors. St Croix, Sage, Ross, Cabela's own fly rods and reels, fly tying materials, lines and accessories. Green Trout Fly Shop N. Range Ave. Denham Springs, La. (Located in Seldom Seen Antiques). or Specializing in TFO products, Teeny fly lines, warm water flies and accessories. ***** A Bayou Runs Thru It - PO Box 1062, Broussard, LA 70518, (337) , Jerome & Dena Hebert - Custom Flies, Wildlife & Game Fish Art. Backpacker Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA, (225) , Camping, canoes, kayaks, outdoor clothing. Bass Pro Shops - Denham Springs, LA 70726, (225) All outdoors. Sage, Bass Pro, Redington, TFO fly rods, reels, fly tying materials, lines and accessories. Free fly tying class every 4th Saturday. Fish With Rich Guide Service - Capt. Rich Waldner, New Orleans, La, (504) , Fly fishing for reds and specks in the Southeast Louisiana Marsh Louisiana Fly Fishing Louisiana's online fly fishing resource since Check the LFF Calendar and Forum for all events related to fly fishing and kayak fishing in Louisiana and the region. Louisiana Sportsman Magazine PO Box 1199, Boutte, LA, (504) , Louisiana's premier outdoors magazine and online resource. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 16 Baton Rouge, La

18 Mayer Clothiers 5830 S. Sherwood Forest, Baton Rouge, (225) , Jim Mayer, Proprietor. Orvis products, Winston rods, fly tying material, fine clothes for men and ladies. Temple Fork Outfitters Makers of affordable quality fly fishing products. RSFF, PO Box 3761, Page 17 Baton Rouge, La