Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers, 257 North Main, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Google SEI FF. President s Message. Dear SEIFF Members and Friends,

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers, 257 North Main, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Google SEI FF. President s Message. Dear SEIFF Members and Friends,"

Derrick West
5 years ago
Views:

Club Chronicle Since 1972, promoting the sport of fly fishing November 2014 Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers, 257 North Main, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Google SEI FF President s Message I N S I D E T H I S

year to be a fly fisherman do I love the fall in Idaho Dear SEIFF Members and Friends, What a great time of the year to be a fly fisherman.

1 Club Chronicle Since 1972, promoting the sport of fly fishing November 2014 Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers, 257 North Main, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Google SEI FF President s Message I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E President s Message November Club Meeting Fly of the Month Calendar of Events October Board Meeting Winter Fishing the Midge Taylor s Hot Spot Area Fishing Reports What a great time of the year to be a fly fisherman do I love the fall in Idaho Dear SEIFF Members and Friends, What a great time of the year to be a fly fisherman. The trout are hungry, the weather is generally quite nice and the blue winged olive hatch just gets better. Cold mornings can give way to beautiful, relatively warm afternoons with trout eager to take some of our varied imitations, whether those imitations be a #20 dry fly, a #2 articulated streamer, or a well presented chironomid pattern hung from an indicator. Naturally, it is OK to be a hunter at this time of the year also---more hunters mean less fishing pressure god, do I love the fall in Idaho. Opportunities abound, whether you want to go after those elusive steelhead, fish great rivers like the Madison, Henry s Fork, and South Fork. And don t forget about the outstanding Stillwater fishing we have in our backyard. Daniels, Chesterfield, Henry s Lake, Hawkins, Treasureton, to name only a few. These lakes and reservoirs can produce hungry and large fish more right now, than any other time during the year!!!! Fish from your favorite water craft, sight fish to cruising fish along the shore line, or wade your favorite river or stream. The fish are eager for an easy meal this time of the year. But remember, the cold north winds will soon be chilling our bones and causing our beloved waters to turn into that slick hard stuff that many of us don t approve of. Well, that is a topic for another newsletter. Soo, get out and enjoy some of the finest fishing that the year has to offer. Dress for the elements and wreak havoc on some hungry, unsuspecting Salmonids. The club meetings are always interesting and get even more so as the weather outside turns cold and blustery. What better way is there to stay connected with your fly fishing and fly tying thru the winter months than attending meetings and programs offered by the Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers. Remember-all are welcome and there is no charge for attendance. SEIFF is committed to conservation, education and outreach. And I am proud of what the club has done and is continuing to do. I highly recommend being a part of something very worthwhile. Anyone interested can contact any of the board members, club members and myself for more information concerning the Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers. Or, better yet, just come to one of our monthly meetings. All meetings are held the second Thursday of the month (October thru April) and are held at The Portneuf River Outfitters Fly Fishing Store on North Main St. in Old Town Pocatello. Hope to see you at the November 13th meeting. Sincerely, Tom Banyas, President, SEIFF Clicking on this icon will connect you to the SEIFF website for more information about this topic.

SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 2 Upcoming Club Program Kodiak, Alaska The November 13th SEIFF club meeting will take us to Kodiak Island in Alaska.

This experience has allowed him to write articles for several major flyfishing magazines and to author three major books on fly-fishing this area through Frank Amato Publications: Snake River Country

2 SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 2 Upcoming Club Program Kodiak, Alaska The November 13th SEIFF club meeting will take us to Kodiak Island in Alaska. Our presenter is a long- time supporter and advocate for fly fishing, fly tying and the SEIFF, Mr. Bruce Staples. Bruce Staples is one of the Greater Yellowstone region s most experienced flyfishers. This experience has allowed him to write articles for several major flyfishing magazines and to author three major books on fly-fishing this area through Frank Amato Publications: Snake River Country Flies and Waters, The Yellowstone Park River Journal, and Trout Country Flies. Stackpole Books released his fourth, Flies for the Greater Yellowstone Area, in December, Bruce originated the East Idaho Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo concept. He has demonstrated his fly tying skills on an international basis and teaches all skill levels of fly tying. In 2001, he was the thirty-second recipient of the Federation of Fly Fishers Buz Buszek Memorial Award for fly tying excellence. He is a member of the Whiting Farms and Daiichi Pro Staffs. Bruce lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The November 13 th club meeting will take us to Kodiak Island in Alaska From the end of August to around the first of October, many streams and still waters along the Kodiak road system teem with silver salmon. From the Buskin River, just outside the town of Kodiak, to the Pasagshak River thirty-five miles south on the road system, the fly-fisher has opportunity to encounter fresh silvers ranging to more than twenty pounds and loaded with energy. This 45 minute slide program reveals where success is most likely along the road system and what tackle is best suited for achieving it. It also provides information on how to acquire the gracious services of Dan Busch s Kodiak Island River Camps in order to maximize the enjoyment of the road system s silver salmon angling. The meeting is Thursday November 13 th and begins right at 7:00 PM. All meetings are free and open to anyone that is interested in attending. The SEIFF meetings are held at The Portneuf River Outfitters fly fishing store on North Main St. in Old Town Pocatello. Come early and watch Bruce tie up some of his KILLER patterns prior to his presentation. This is a can t miss evening, especially if you have an interest in fishing for silvers in Alaska. I hope to see you all there. Sincerely, Tom Banyas, programs guy for SEIFF

SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 3 Fly of the Month Western Coachman The Western Coachman is a pattern developed and made popular by Buz Buszek around 1940.

It has proven effective on small streams as a nice attractor pattern.

3 SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 3 Fly of the Month Western Coachman The Western Coachman is a pattern developed and made popular by Buz Buszek around This is one of many patterns that was inspired by the Coachman, a fly rumored to have been created by the coachman or driver for the royal family in the 1820's. It has proven effective on small streams as a nice attractor pattern. I have also had good success with it by floating it dry through a run, then slowly retrieving it as a wet fly just under the surface. I have used it with success on the South Fork and John Flick used it to win the Jackson Hole One Fly in It demonstrates the talent of a great tier and fly fisher, Buz Buszek. The Federation of Flyfishers selected this fly as its August 2014 fly of the month. Further information about it, together with detailed tying instructions can be found at the Federation s website: Tying Material: Tom Dial Contributor Hook: Daiichi 1550 #10-20 Thread: Flymaster Black 6/0 Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippet Rib: Small Gold Wire Body: Peacock Herl, 2-4 strands Wing: White Deer Hair Hackle: Brown Hen or Indian Neck Dates to Remember -Upcoming Events General Membership Meeting, program Bruce Staples Alaska Fishing, 7 P.M., Portneuf River Outfitters, 207 N. Main Newsletter Articles Due Board of Directors Meeting, 7 P.M., Portneuf River Outfitters, 207 N. Main THANKSGIVING General Membership Meeting, program TBA, 7 P.M., Portneuf River Outfitters, 207 N. Main Newsletter Articles Due Board of Directors Meeting, 7 P.M., Portneuf River Outfitters, 207 N. Main MERRY CHRISTMAS Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo, Idaho Expo Fairgrounds, Boise, Idaho Idaho Falls Fly Fishing Expo, Shilo Inn Federation of Flyfishers, International Fair, Bend Oregon, For more information see: Western Coachman

SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 4 October Board Meeting By Dave Johnson, Secretary Attendance: Darrell Brown, Roger Thompson, Tom Banyas, and Dave Johnson Minutes: Minutes from last meeting

4 SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 4 October Board Meeting By Dave Johnson, Secretary Attendance: Darrell Brown, Roger Thompson, Tom Banyas, and Dave Johnson Minutes: Minutes from last meeting were read and accepted as read. Finances: No Report Mike Settell: Mike works with Watershed Guardians for Mink Creek supports restoring beavers in the watershed to promote habitat quality. He asked for SEIFF s support in holding a Fish Data Derby where fishermen/women would fish the area to gain statistical data on the benefits of area beaver activity on fish quality. Data on fish species and sizes can have a direct relationship with beaver colonies. Those board members present were in favor of supporting this effort. We agreed to put information on the web site, club newsletter and other public announcement forums. Club Liability Coverage: Tom brought it up that our coverage is due for renewal. It was moved, seconded and approved to renew the policy. Duplicate Donation: The Taylor memorial donation voted on in August was rescinded as it was determined that this would have resulted in making a duplicate donation. TU Bylaws and Membership: Trout Unlimited bylaws state that the only way a person can become a member of a local chapter is to join Trout Unlimited. Our chapter bylaws are consistent with this and any monies locally received would be in the form of a contribution or donation. The membership policy topic has been clarified as a policy statement to the chapter bylaws. Darrell reported that this is now posted on the website. October Board Meeting-Cont. Programs: November s meeting will feature Bruce Staples giving a presentation on fishing from the road system on Kodiak Island. For December, Tom is working on having a presentation from the Casting for Warriors group on the results of the fishing weekend in the Stanley basin area. The club supported this weekend event with tied flies and donations of fly rods. There will also be a social time immediately following the program presentation. Meeting adjourned at 8:45. November Club Meeting Adventure Fishing Kodiak Island, Alaska Club Elections: Darrell will write a proposed policy on election of board officers and present it for the boards review at the next meeting. Club Deposits: It is the club s operating protocol that monies received on behalf of the club are to be placed in the deposit bag in the treasurer's folder. As a minimum, all monies received should be deposited prior to the next board meeting with an accounting report of all deposits and checks written during the past month. Funds Received: Check #1214, from Upper Snake River Cutthroats, was received. A $ check from the Idaho Council of Trout Unlimited for the Pebble Creek Project was received. Both checks will be deposited in the club's account. November 13, 2014 Portneuf Outfitters 257 North Main Downtown Pocatello

Many articles have been written on the subject but most of them are not based on catching fish but instead on expounding on someone s new midge pattern.

5 SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 5 Winter Fishing the Midge By Buck Goodrich, Newsletter Winter and spring can be prime time for fishing the old midge. This little creature has been the source of frustration and enjoyment for fly fishers for as long as people have been fly fishing. Many articles have been written on the subject but most of them are not based on catching fish but instead on expounding on someone s new midge pattern. This article is about catching fish during a midge hatch. Technically speaking the midge or snow fly is a member of the order Diptera and has a complete metamorphosis (egg, larvae, pupae and adult). There are over 73,000 species in the world. Deer flies, craneflies, black fly and mosquitoes are all members of the Diptera order. The family these little guys belong to is chironomidae. So much for the technical stuff lets talk fishing. First, the pattern is not important. You need three basic colors: red, gray and black. Tying the fly can easily be accomplished by your spouse or young kids. The pattern I use has a 3/32 black or copper bead on a midge hook (like Tiemco 2487) in sizes Most of the time size 16 works great. After placing the bead on the hook and putting the hook in the vise, attach a small diameter copper wire on the hook. Don t forget extension cords can be a great source of copper wire but disconnect them before you strip the insulation off. Next dub the color you desire on the hook. The dubbing material is not important. I make the red midge dubbing from acrylic yarn and mix a small amount of orange Aunt Lydias yarn with it. I don t like to use mono color dubbing so most of the time I will mix something with the base color. For gray, muskrat works well and black use acrylic yarn with a small amount of gray Aunt Lydias Yarn. Rib the body and the fly is done (the ribbing probably isn t necessary but I feel better tying the fly with more then 1 material). You can make a fancier fly but it won t work any better. Fishing the Midge-cont. Yes you may catch your share of whitefish using this technique but you will also get those trout. For some reason it seems that when you start catching whities you don t catch trout and the reverse. This might be my imagination but it sure seems that way. During the winter just catching any fish on a fly is enjoyable so suffer thru the whities and you will be amply rewarded. Tie up a few of these flies and get ready for some fun winter fishing. Taylor s Hot Spot Daniels Reservoir By John Taylor, Newsletter Contributor October's hot spot was so good it will be tough to equal but here we go---daniel s reservoir should be up to the task! Hopefully it won't freeze completely until December. Whether fishing the channel along the edges or in the middle of the reservoir there should be lots of action. Use strike indicators at various depths with beadhead nymphs or leeches. If you prefer cast and strip this method works as well. Sometimes casting orange soft hackles at rising fish can be a blast. You can go over from Hawkins reservoir (weather permitting) or thru Malad. Good luck and good fishing!!!! Now it is time to fish this anti Atlantic Salmon Fly. You can fish dry for midges, if you like self-punishment, but to catch fish you should fish wet. Most of the fish feeding around, you during a midge hatch, are not feeding on the surface. Fight your desire to fish dry! The fishing technique is an old one and apparently was developed in Montana. It uses a strike indicator (either a regular strike indicator or a good floating dry fly) and one or two flies. The flies should not be fished too deep (1 to 2 feet is typical) and of course use a floating line. Simply casting the fly upstream and getting as long of a drag free drift as possible is all it takes. When the strike indicator goes under set the hook. This technique works on lakes and reservoirs as well as moving water.

SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 6 Reports Courtesy of: Area Fishing Reports THE SOUTH FORK: Jimmy s All Season s Anglers Beautiful weather means spotty BWO activity.

This inconsistency should change as some cooler cloudy weather arrives.

But with October advancing, streamer fishing will give better chances for big fish up and down the river.

Remember that streamer pattern selection is not as important as presentation.

6 SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 6 Reports Courtesy of: Area Fishing Reports THE SOUTH FORK: Jimmy s All Season s Anglers Beautiful weather means spotty BWO activity. BWOs can be active under such, but not everywhere on the river. We have reports of some good fishing resulting from BWOs during our recent gorgeous weather, but this takes place unpredictably. This inconsistency should change as some cooler cloudy weather arrives. Combine this with the recent constant flow out of Palisades Dam, and the immediate future looks good for responses to BWO activity. But with October advancing, streamer fishing will give better chances for big fish up and down the river. With sunrise closing in on 8AM, and sunset closing in on 7PM, this makes for more convenient times for presenting streamers. So will the upcoming change in weather. Remember that streamer pattern selection is not as important as presentation. All Seasons Angler THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY & BIG LOST MACKAY: Silver Creek Outfitters Silver Creek: The Fall Baetis and the Mahogany Duns are gaining momentum as the days get shorter and the mornings get cooler. For the Baetis, have the full arsenal of Harrop duns, cripples, and spinners in size The Mahoganies are the last big bug of the season on the Creek and you should also have the dun, emerger, and spinner patterns. This time of year, watch for the cool, cloudy. On these blustery days, fishing hoppers or ripping streamers can be fantastic. FYI, if you find some early brown trout on redds, let them be and watch your step. The Big Wood: The Wood is back and fishing well. There are a few Red Quills, but you can expect the Fall Baetis to really ramp up over the next few weeks. Have a few size 12 Parachute Adams and some size Gulper Specials in Olive with a high-vis post to match these two bugs. With the slight color to the water, nymphing is going to be very productive. Be sure to have plenty of nymphs with hot spots. Check out Steve Parrot's blog on hot spot nymphs and come on down to the shop and we will hook you up with some great patterns including Egan's Frenchy, The Red Dart, Bishop's Dynamite, and the Iron Lotus ( Big Lost below Mackay Res: The flows are all over the map right now. What they will be tomorrow is a mystery. Despite the wacky flows, the fishing is stellar. Some Tricos in the morning followed by a steady Baetis hatch into the early afternoon. To fool these seasoned trout, have a range of Baetis patterns from size 20 to 24. Trouthunter 6 or 6.5X tippet on a 9 to 12 foot leader is a good idea. No risers, no worries. Fishing a dry dropper rig or Euro Nymphing is very productive. For nymphs, try small Baetis style nymphs (18-22) or Zebra Midge in olive, black, or red. Attractor nymphs like the Rainbow Warrior, Iron Lotus, or Bishop's Dynamite in size 16 and 18 also work very well. THE HENRY S FORK: Henry s Fork Anglers Upper Henry s Fork: Henry s Lake Outlet is low but fishable. Walking in from the Nature Conservancy Flat Ranch access should be productive. This stream picks up quite a bit of water from springs and tributaries before it joins the Henry s Fork below Big Springs and can produce some quality trout at this time of year. Kokanee move all the way up from the Island Park Reservoir bringing big rainbows with them. Below the confluence with the Henry s Lake Outlet the Henry s Fork has been fishing very well with streamers and nymphs. Blue Winged Olives have also been coming off later in the day creating some good dry fly options. Don t neglect the water further down at Lower Coffee Pot Rapids. Box Canyon: The current flow from Island Park Dam has been a steady 200 cfs, too low to float but great for wade fishing. Smaller nymphs are very productive when the water is low like this. We recommend size 18 Zebra Nymphs, Flashback Pheasant Tail TB, Cocktail, Two Bit Hooker, and Skinny Nelson. Streamers and buggers are also very productive. (Continued on Page 7)

SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 7 Area Fishing Reports - Continued Flat Water: Many anglers think of autumn as the time to catch large trout on streamers without considering how good dry fly

Small terrestrials including beetles and ants will also work with some of the most persnickety trout. Canyon Water: Use the same patterns described for the Box Canyon.

) If you are a little more adventuresome you can hike down into the canyon from some of the trails including Sheep Falls (FS #163) and Wood Road #6 (FS #151).

7 SEIFF Club Chronicle November 2014 Page 7 Area Fishing Reports - Continued Flat Water: Many anglers think of autumn as the time to catch large trout on streamers without considering how good dry fly fishing can be. Trout have been feeding on BWOs and midges from Last Chance down through the Ranch to Pinehaven. Small terrestrials including beetles and ants will also work with some of the most persnickety trout. Canyon Water: Use the same patterns described for the Box Canyon. There is good wading access at Riverside Campground and Hatchery Ford (FS #351.) If you are a little more adventuresome you can hike down into the canyon from some of the trails including Sheep Falls (FS #163) and Wood Road #6 (FS #151). Double nymphing and streamer fishing is very productive in this section. You may see a few fish rising to Baetis during the middle of the day on the lower section so you may want to have a couple of dry flies in your box just in case. Warm River to Ashton: The section from the Stone Bridge below Warm River downstream to the county boat dock below Highway 20 fished great for us this summer and can still produce some good fishing this time of year. There are plenty of cookie-cutter 10-inch rainbows as well as larger rainbows and browns. There is good wading access in the upper and lower stretch. With the Brown Trout spawning or preparing to spawn, streamer fishing is a good choice to get a big fish here. Cloudy days are good, and the fishing is best in the early to mid-afternoon. Be sure to watch out for the fish on redds in this section and try to make sure they are not disturbed if at all possible. Ashton Dam to St Anthony: The dry fly fishing has been good in the mid-afternoons with BWOs (Baetis) in this section. It is a good bet to stick with nymphs and streamers; until you see the BWOs start to pop later on. The browns are very aggressive, so streamer fishing has been very good as well! Be sure to watch out for the fish on redds in this section and try to make sure they are not disturbed if at all possible. St Anthony to Confluence: This fishery is Mike Lawson s favorite on the Henry's Fork at this time of year. The scenery is beautiful and can produce some very large fish. You can catch a lot of fish during the mid-afternoon on little BWOs. His favorite way to fish this water is with a streamer. If streamers are not your thing, you can throw a double nymph rig until you see fish rising. Be sure to watch out for fish on redds in this section and try to make sure they are not disturbed if at all possible. THE YELLOWSTONE PARK: Blue Ribbon Flies Remember the Park closes Nov 2 nd. If you want to fish this beautiful part of our world, do it soon. The Madison in YNP continues to be the focus of most of our customers. The first spawner for an angler has proven to fuel addiction. Some of the customers are getting up early and swinging through the holes with Shakey Beeleys. These are the anglers catching the most brown trout. Some of the customers are showing up at 11am on a sunny day and catching big beautiful rainbows on rubberlegs. Spawner fishing can be fulfilling in several ways. It's easy to think that all of the good holes are taken up. Any small pocket of holding water can have a spawner in it. And there isn't a fisherman in Yellowstone that knows all of them. So never be afraid to explore the Madison, even though 90% of the fisherman are in the well-known holes. A spawner that is yet to see a fly could be waiting for you in some unknown hole. We also have some Baetis fishing on the way. If you find fish rising to them here, you will likely be the only one that has noticed. The Firehole continues to enrich the lives of anglers. We've had great emergences of Baetis as well as White Millers. It seems the weather can do no wrong for the fishing. Even when the fish are tough to catch, one can enjoy the sight of the emergence. As always, swinging soft hackles will be the most productive method of fishing. The risers will be easiest to catch when they are eating Baetis. In this case you want to have a size 22 sparkle dun. These insects are incredibly small. Also, focus on your casting here. I think it's fascinating that the fish here can seem like the easiest fish and the smartest fish in the same day. If you want to fish for spawners the Firehole Canyon has produced for some anglers. A rubberleg nymph-rig would be your go-to setup here.

South East Idaho Fly Fishers (SEIFF) 257 North Main Pocatello, ID 83204 A PUBLICATION OF Google SEIFF or go to: http://www.orgsites.

8 South East Idaho Fly Fishers (SEIFF) 257 North Main Pocatello, ID A PUBLICATION OF Google SEIFF or go to: SEIFF Board Officers Tom Banyas, President Dan Murbarger, Vice-President Clyde Lowther, Treasurer Dave Johnson, Secretary Tom Dial, Newsletter Editor Darrell Brown, Webmaster/Newsletter Layout SEIFF Board Meetings Club members are welcome to attend the meetings on the second Thursday of each month, at 7:00 pm in the Portneuf River Outfitters fly shop at 257 North Main in downtown Pocatello. Website: Google SEIFF or html

Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers, 257 North Main, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Google SEIFF. President s Message

Club Chronicle Since 1972, promoting the sport of fly fishing February 2015 Southeast Idaho Fly Fishers, 257 North Main, Pocatello, Idaho 83204, Google SEIFF I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E President s Message