Spokane Fly Fishers September, 2011

Transcription

1 Spokane Fly Fishers September, 2011 SEPTEMBER 14 MEETING: TWO PART PROGRAM FISH ACCESSIBLE WESTERN WASHINGTON WATERS FOR SALMON, PINKS AND COHOS AND FLY FISHING PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO PRESENTED BY: WALT BALEK By: Judy Kaufman Here is an opportunity to learn about fishing for salmon on the West Side. Walt will also be tying Beach Flies that catch those salmon. There will be some talk about wade fishing for those great fish. A road trip to the West Side matches up quite well to an airline ticket to the far North. Part two of the presentation is Fly Fishing Puerto Vallarta. The SFF has not had a tropical salt water program for way too long. This winter when the snow is flying and the wind is howling, remember what you saw and heard from Walt back in September. Walt Balek is a past president of the SFF and recipient of the Founders and Fly Fisherman of the Year Awards. Walt has been an instructor for the Fly Fishing School for many years. He knows fly fishing and, by the way, his casting is like silk. Walt will be doing a fly tying demonstration starting at 6:30 P.M. before the meeting on September 14th. OCTOBER SPEAKER By: Kurt Tempel Our October speaker is Brian O' Keefe. He'll be talking about Steelhead fishing in the Northwest. Brain lives in Butte, Oregon and works as an angling and outdoor photographer. He spent his summers growing up guiding in the Northwest and Alaska for trout, salmon and steelhead. He's an accomplished fly caster and a Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor from the Fly Fishing Federation (FFF). Before his evening Steelhead presentation on October 12th, he'll be instructing a "hands-on" outdoor photography clinic. This will be an event you'll not want to miss! Details on the time, cost and locations of this clinic will be provided in the next newsletter. OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Board Position 1 Board Position 2 Board Position 3 Past President Sgt. At Arms Mike Berube Kurt Tempel Gale Allen Sherrie Patano Brad Thompson Dan Wight Klaus Rissman Fred Howe Carla Ferguson Contact us at: P. O. Box 4141 Spokane, WA Or sffishers@comcast.net COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Programs: Kurt Tempel Barbless Flyer Editor: Linda Howe Conservation: Mike Keegan Outings Don Tietz Membership Mary Kovatch Fly Fishing School: Mike Berube Dan Ferguson Librarian: Robert Stock/Larry May Project Healing Waters: Tim Reed FFF Liaison: Dan Ferguson Beg. Fly Tying: Betty Smith-Lambert Int. Fly Tying: Dan Ferguson Club Chef: Carla Ferguson Volunteer Coordinator: Judy Kaufman AROUND THE BEND Sept. 9/10 Clark Fork River Outing Sept. 14 SFF Meeting 7:00 PM Sept. 16/18 Missouri River Outing Sept. 21 SFF Board Meeting 6:30 PM

2 THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 2 PREZ SEZ By: Mike Berube Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a great spring and summer fishing season. I was able to get out and hit all of my favorite lakes and streams. Although the St. Joe flows were still a bit high during the club outing the cutthroat were still eager to chomp on a CDC Caddis. If anyone wants to learn to tie this hot pattern let me know and we can get it done. There are still several outings on the calendar, hope to see you on the water. It was great to see a lot of new faces at the outings and I was glad to see them taking advantage of our mentoring program. It s always good to see new members getting involved. The Speaker s Committee has landed some really great speakers for this year s meetings. Kudos to our Speakers Committee! Our goal is to try and broaden everyone s fishing horizons and we think this year s speakers will do that for you. The Fly Tying auction is right around the corner, November s meeting will be here before we know it. So start tying and get your donations ready! We will have a sign-up sheet at the September meeting for you to commit to a donation. This is a big fund raiser for the club and we need maximum participation to make it a success. If you re a new member or have been around a while we would invite you to get involved in the club activities and to participate on a committee. So if you ve been thinking about it, give me a call and we ll get you in contact with the right people. See you at the September meeting. Mike NORTHWEST NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE WATER FESTIVAL On Thursday September 22 and Friday September 23, the Institute is sponsoring a water festival for 5th grade students from the Spokane Public Schools. There will be eight sessions of about 20 minutes each day on topics related to water conservation and related topics. The club has been asked to participate by giving fly casting clinics. The event will take place at Liberty Lake Park from about 10 AM to 2 PM each day including a lunch break. We will have signup sheets at the September meeting. Both the local TU chapter and our club are participants for the fly casting clinic. Your participation is appreciated. For the future of outdoor activities including fishing, it behooves us to help youngsters to be educated on these related issues. NOVEMBER 9TH MEETING SFF ANNUAL FLY AUCTION THE FLY AUCTION, WITH YOUR DONATIONS AND WINNING BIDS, SUPPORTS THE CLUB S ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR. START TYING NOW AND GET YOUR DONATION READY.

3 THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 3 CONSERVATION CORNER By: Mike Keegan SHERMAN CREEK TREE PLANTING On Saturday June, 25, 14 members plus Karen Honeycutt's people from the Colville National Forest planted 1000 trees at the Growden Dam site on Sherman Creek west of Kettle Falls. These included native maple and wild rose bushes which all had to be planted individually. The dam was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It eventually filled with silt and was of little or no use as a flood control dam. Many thanks to all who helped. Carla Ferguson and helpers provided a great barbecue lunch. We finished just before a storm moved in. This is the same site that was the work for planting willows, dogwoods, and aspen in A total of 7800 plants have now been planted at the site. FORD HATCHERY POND NET Two years ago, we traveled to the Ford Hatchery to discuss a contribution for pond nets. The Board agreed to commit $800 for the net for one of their 12 ponds provided that WDFW purchase the remainder. The new nets have been installed with our commitment being $ for the top section on one pond. SPOKANE RIVER CLEANUP On Saturday October 1, the annual Spokane River Cleanup is scheduled. This will be our fourth outing for this effort. We have been working on the section downstream from the Frisbee golf course across from Downriver Municipal Golf Course plus areas downstream from the water treatment plant and near the Bowl and Pitcher. This work has resulted in a utility trailer full of trash ranging from tires, sandals, beverage containers, etc. We are asking for volunteers and will have a signup sheet at the September meeting. Typically we have 12 to 15 club volunteers. POACHER PATROL The Spokane River is now fishable and there is a need to patrol for poaching. Contact information is in the WDFW regulations booklet. So if you are fishing, hiking, etc. on the river, be on the lookout for bait fishers. Selective gear rules apply from Plese Flats to Monroe Street Bridge and from Upriver Dam to the Idaho line. For violations, call the Washington State Patrol at They will dispatch the information to WDFW. Do not confront the violators but provide the best information you can.

4 THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 4 ONE FLY OUTING REPORT By: Dan Wight We had 16 brave souls this year that took to the water. The weather was a bit unsettled but held off so that we got everyone that arrived out on the water without much trouble. That was really when the trouble began though. Where did the fish go? The setting was great and the staff was superb, as always, I love you guys and gals! The grub was passably good. I was head cook...scary. Carla and Linda watched me closely (compliments even) but the catching...?? was Oh so hard to do. Four fish total for the day would seem to be a "record" of sorts. Even with that, the fish that were hooked and released were of good size. Don Wright took 1st. with a black leach with 2 fish and a very large fish in the pair. Mike Melmoth was 2nd with a nice pair of 14 inchers on a purple Marauder. For third we had a tie, Keith Broyer and Leona Strate each caught a very nice 18 inch fish that looked like a football they were so chunky! Keith with an Olive Willy and Leona used a Six Pack. The lake was quite high, however quite fishable, but it just wasn't our day. The other folks there were not having any better luck with bait or gear... I sure hope we have better luck the next time...but, the rain held off until we were loaded and on the way home. Now that was a great way to end the day, Dry for once and a hot cup of coffee! GEORGETOWN OUTING REPORT By: Gale Allen This was the year of the women at Georgetown Lake as the women outnumbered the men eleven to four. Great odds guys, however they also out fished the men as well. That aside, we were a little early for many of the hatches but found success with sub-surface damsel fly imitations like the six-pack. Wind dominated the first two days but began calming down with the passing of each day and the fishing picked up as well. Local expert and regular contributor to our Conservation Auction, Gregg Edelen spent time with the group sharing his Georgetown wisdom. Evenings were enjoyable with Judy and Jean leading the entertainment with in-depth (?) conversation and harmony (?) and Gale cooking a finger-licking good campfire chicken. We all came away with new friends and good memories and a few wind-knots in our line. MEMBERSHIP Mary Kovatch, Chair There are two new members who have joined the club over the summer. They are: Tom Adams and Virgil Dedas, who is rejoining.

5 THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 5 GRANDE RONDE OUTING OCTOBER 15 AND 16 Host: Carolyn Sells We will meet at Boggan s Oasis at 8:00am on 10/15. It s 3 to 3 ½ hours from Spokane via Lewiston, Clarkston, Asotin, Anatone and Highway 129. Floating the Ronde in a pontoon boat is great fun, but this is a small fast river with obstacles, rapids and shallows; you must be able to adjust your boat quickly. Boggan s Oasis - Boggan s does have cabins with very reasonable rates to make reservations call There is a restaurant and great milk shakes. There is no cell phone service in the canyon but there is a pay phone at Boggan s. Camping - For those who want to campout, I will be staying at one of the campgrounds upstream from Boggan s (approximately 1 or 5miles). They are strictly a parking space with a pit toilet. The one at 5miles has a rough boat launch. There is plenty of parking and space to pitch a tent. Shuttle Drifting to Shumaker is a long, long shuttle, could cost between 50 and 100 dollars. Boggan s can do the shuttles, but we can group up to save money. I will bring my trailer to stack boats. Fish - We will be targeting steelhead in the 6 to 10 lb range. Fishing options are: Swinging traditional flies (wading or drifting) with floating or sinking line. Some of my favorites are: General Practitioner, Mack s Canyon, Skunk, Undertaker, Beats Me, Grey Heron, Articulated Leeches (black or purple) Nymphing with a strike indicator (wading or drifting) Some of my favorites are: Peacock Stone, Egg Sucking Leech. Egg Patterns, Girdle Bug (purple or black) Swinging dry flies (may still be an option if we have October Caddis flying around) (wading or drifting) Some of my favorites are: October Caddis (6 or 4), Bomber (orange, natural or white Gear - Bring a lunch and water. Bring a 2 way radio (if you have one), hat, camera, suntan lotion and an anchor (this will be used in back eddies only). Emergency Numbers:Tri State Hospital, Clarkston, , St. Joe Hospital, Lewiston, Hopefully we will see you on the river. SPOKANE RIVER OUTING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2011 (DATE CHANGE) 8:30 AM Hosts: Tim Reed Judy Kaufman The date for this outing had to be changed due to the Spokane River Cleanup on the 1st. This is the second Spokane River Outing scheduled for This first Spokane River Outing was canceled due to the high water flow (8,000 cfs). The October outing will see much lower water flows. We will meet at Water Street underneath the Maple Street Bridge at 8:30 A.M. If you plan to float the river, we will set up the boats and shuttle the vehicles to the T.J. Meenach Bridge take out. If you are going to walk and wade the river also meet at Water Street. Walk, waders that need suggestions as to where to fish, we will help you with that information. Please let us know before the outing if you plan to walk and wade. Fishing nymphs will probably be the order of the day. We will call you, if you have signed up, just before the outing with current information. If you didn t sign up and plan to go please call Tim or Judy.

6 THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 6 NOTES FROM A SELDOM SEEN MEMBER PART 4 OF A SERIES SPOTLIGHT ON SFF MEMBER MATT BROOKS By Felix Martinez Matt Brooks donated a variety of fly patterns in the boxes that he provided to the SFF Annual Fundraiser Auction. He describes himself as a advanced beginner" fly tyer. He is also the busy supervisor of a large histology laboratory and the father of three young, active boys: Dillon 8, Jacob 7, and Jaden 3 years old. Matt, his wife Alice, and the boys moved to Spokane from Boulder, Colorado in Matt and Alice grew up in Oklahoma. As a youngster, Matt fished with his friends and family for warm water species in ponds and lakes near his home. He began fly fishing in 2004 when he and Alice found a commercial camping spot on the Illinois River in Oklahoma where he could fly fish for stocked brook trout. He taught himself to use a Cabela s combo package of fly rod, reel, and line. Without instruction, he merely guessed at what to do for leader, knots, casting, fly selection, and presentation. Matt says it took a long time before he caught his first trout on a fly. When asked what attracted him to fly fishing, he muses there's something mystical about catching a fish on a fly especially one that you ve tied" Matt and Alice moved to Boulder Colorado in 2004 to begin his career as a histotechnologist. There, he became friends with Patrick States, a phlebotomist and fly fisherman at Boulder Community Hospital. Soon, both were fishing for native greenback cutthroat trout on the Roaring River in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Here, Matt learned the principles of sight fishing and presenting a yellow and a green Elk Hair Caddis or purple San Juan Worm to selective greenbacks. Patrick introduced Matt to Kirk Seltzer, a fishing guide of the Boulder region, who would meet with them at Boulder Beer Pub to discuss, over barley sandwiches, fly fishing and fly tying. The pub allowed them to set up their vises and tie flies on the premises, where many curious patrons and passerby would stop and chat with them about fly tying. Matt s goals as a fly tyer are to become proficient at tying a variety of different patterns and learning as many different tying styles as possible. Someday, he wants to easily match any hatch". His current favorite fly to tie is the Stimulator because, to him, it represents a complex challenge of the use of many materials that require several carefully-executed steps to yield an attractive fly. Plus, there is the end-result bonus of a versatile dry fly that can be used to imitate a variety of insects. His favorite wet fly is the pheasant tail. Matt ties for relaxation and as stress relief as often as possible. In the world of a busy job and parenting, this usually means a couple of hours a week, if he is lucky. Dillon, Jacob, and Jaden like to watch and to be around him as he ties flies. While Matt enjoys teaching the boys about fly tying, he admits it can be frustrating when the boys want to help with every fly. One of his favorite times of the week is Saturday night, with the boys in bed, when he can sit down and tie flies for fun. He particularly likes to try a new color on any pattern that strikes his fancy. Notice the variety of Matt s patterns in the picture of his fly box -- advanced beginner, indeed!

7 THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 7 UPCOMING 2011 OUTINGS SCHEDULE Chairman: Don Tietz DATE OUTING HOST RATING/EXPLANATION See Summer Barbless For: 9/10-9/11 Clark Fork River Jim and Jo Gooley 2: Float: bridge abutments, 9/16-9/18 Missouri River Carolyn Sells 2: Float: obstacles Small rapids, obstacles See September Barbless For: 10/2 Spokane River J. Kaufman/T. Reed 3: Float: rapids, obstacles, Sweepers 3: Wade: slick 10/15-10/16 Grande Ronde Carolyn Sells 4: Wade: slick rocks, Boulders, visibility 4: Float: Low fast water, Obstacles. For Outing Ratings, please see the February Barbless or check the website. BECOME INVOLVED IN THE SFF Whether your interest is in fly fishing, fly tying, teaching others, cooking, planning, or conservation, assisting with special meetings like the Fly Auction, the Extravaganza, or the Conservation Raffle, the SFF provides opportunities for you to become involved. Sign up sheets will be at all the meetings.sign up, become involved and do your part. FFF COOKBOOK There is still time to submit your entry into the FFF Cookbook. Contact Carla Ferguson at

8 THE BARBLESS FLYER Spokane Fly Fishers P. O. Box 4141 Spokane, WA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR NAME TAGS TO THE MEETING NEXT MEETING SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 WALT BALEK SALMON FISHING IN WASHINGTON AND FLY FISHING IN MEXICO ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL 1104 W. HEROY THE MISSION OF THE SPOKANE FLY FISHERS IS TO PROVIDE A FAMILY FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION FOR PROMOTING THE SPORT OF FLY FISHING THROUGH EDUCATION, APPLICATION, AND CONSERVATION.