Member Musings. Voice of the Fox Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Issue 97.7 May 2014

Transcription

1 Issue 97.7 May 2014 Member Musings Well the new Trout Season is finally here, something much anticipated by many. The early season got off to slow start due to the cool weather conditions and a winter that didn t want to let go. In the last couple of weeks, members have been reporting seeing some of the first Blue-Winged-Olive hatches of the season, something much anticipated by many of us. The April Chapter meeting included the annual election of officers and board members for the Chapter. We have had several board changes. We would like to thank those who have served and seen their terms expire including Shawn McMullin who did a great job as the Chapter Secretary along with Jim Cuhel and Chris Witten who have been board members. At the same time we would like to welcome Dick Stielow as the new Secretary, along with Keith Bassage, Tony Garvey and Rick Schinler as new board members. Each brings a combination of experience and a passion for the mission of the Chapter. Most of you already know Tom Lager from his years of Chapter involvement or from his monthly Let s Talk Bug column in this newsletter. Tom is the new Chapter President who will take over from Joe Bach. Congratulations to Tom and a big thank you to Joe for all he has done as President and commitment to the Chapter. The balance of the board remains the same and we thank these members for the role they play in the success of the Chapter. Our one need remains a Vice President, since at present this position remains unfilled. We will continue in our efforts to fill this critical position. If you were unable to make the April meeting you missed a very informative presentation on fishing the Nipigon River in Ontario presented by Jim Hauer. This river and the lake by the same name are home to some of the largest brook trout in the world. Have you ever dreamed of catching brook trout in the class of several pounds? For many this could be the fishing trip of a lifetime and Jim shared his knowledge of the river, tactics for fishing it, and the surrounding area. There are several members planning trips to this area in the upcoming season. Thank you to Jim for his great presentation and willingness to share. Before the meeting the raffle drawing for the Miller Welder was held. This raffle helped the Chapter to raise $1, A special thank you to Tory Christnacht and Miller Electric for Voice of the Fox Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited making this raffle possible and for all of those selling and purchasing tickets. We have also received the annual installment from the gift of the estate of Dale Druckrey which will help to support our mission. Dale was a big advocate for Habitat work and his support lives on. On April 19th, the Chapter held its first Habitat day of the season on Davies Creek in Waushara County. This marks 30 years of work on the Davies Creek and work to sustain the original habitat improvements done by the Chapter in the 80s. We are fortunate to have Elward Engle lead this work since he was the original DNR person to help spearhead this project. For those not familiar with Davies Creek, it is a tributary to the Pine River and provides valuable spawning habitat to the fish that inhabit the Pine. Fortunately, a good portion of this stream is protected by the fact it is located on DNR land. There is the potential to do further improvements on this water, which is being evaluated. It is now time to go fishing with the opening of the Trout Season. We hope that you will get out and enjoy the waters that Trout Unlimited helps to improve and protect. With the new season we hope to see you on the stream or at a monthly Habitat Day. Editor Davies Creek April 2014

2 Let s Talk Bugs Tom Lager Visiting large metro areas is acceptable for a reasonable period of time that is defined by a prescribed departure; however, schedule change can impose opportunities, especially if I remain calm enough to consider alternatives. Well on this trip, downtown Minneapolis was to be home for another day rather than the Driftless Region, thus necessitating a search for alternatives. West Central Wisconsin streams in the River Falls area became my best option for fishing, an area previously disregarded and assumed to be crowded and over-fished. The Kinnickinnic River upstream of River Falls was my first choice but not fished since it was a slowly flowing reach with a shifting sand substrate and had numerous cars occupying access points. The nearby Rush River was the second choice and even from the road looked to have the required attributes of good trout water. The Rush River proved to be a great trout river. Upstream of the Highway 10 crossing it is a swift flowing limestone cobbled river comprised of riffles, long sweeping runs and pools. The watershed encompasses 150,000 acres through which 550 miles of streams flow forming a 4th order river system which eventually joins the Mississippi River in Lake Pepin. Coldwater springs and streams are plentiful providing more than 100 miles of trout water. The watershed consists of steeply wooded hillsides with narrow ridge tops and valleys. The steep slopes of the landscape restrict agriculture to 30% of the watershed and the 45% that is wooded helps maintain the riparian corridors. The sand and gravel load moving downstream during periods of high discharge is evident by the delta formed at the river mouth in Lake Pepin. Picking rocks revealed another feature of this river important to trout, the macroinvertebrate populations, which are very abundant due to the high dissolved calcium carbonate content of the water and the relatively stable cobble riffles and gravel bars. The swift current in high gradient reaches enables filtering feeders such as Hydropsychid caddisflies (Tan or Spotted Sedge), Grannom / Black caddis (Brachycentrus) and Black Fly larvae to flourish. Among the cobble in protected crannies Blue Winged Olive (BWO; Baetis), Sulphurs (Ephemerella) and midges were very common and some Maccaffertium (March Brown) were found clinging to the smooth surfaces of boulders. The diverse mix of permeable bottom substrate and the hydraulic flush of a generous volume of cold water form a rich habitat for bugs. While I fished a sporadic late evening BWO spinner fall, late morning and early afternoon BWO hatches are still prolific. If you visit this watershed or similar ones, in the near future, keep in mind the next hatch will be the Grannom, also called Black or Gray Caddis, to be followed by Sulphurs. The pictured Hydropsychid caddis larva (note BWO larvae on the left side; see the color on our website) is a vivid light green color to keep in mind for future nymphing fly patterns. This unexpected occasion significantly enhanced my understanding of a watershed worth revisiting, worth experiencing during its seasons. The water had warmed to 56 F by air temperatures finally achieving the upper 60 F s; the bugs were responding and trout followed. This cadence goes on without us being present; unless we schedule time to be there, we will miss the machinery of His creation since we cannot count of serendipitous fortune. And when you are there pick the rocks and they will help you understand the opportunities. Caddis Pupa Jesse Walters Hook: Mustad C49S, Thread: black, 8/0 Tag: silver flashabou Body: olive d rib over light olive quick descent dubbing Legs: partridge Head: black quick descent dubbing

3 Office: E. Enterprise Ave., Suite 500 Appleton, WI The Fox Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter is sponsoring the 36th Annual Fishing Day for People with Disabilities on Saturday, May 17, 2014 from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. The events will again be held at the Main Creek Farm north of Shioction, the map is posted on our website (foxvalleytu.org) Chapter members are needed to help with the fishing activities, cleaning and icing fish, cooking burgers and brats and clean-up. If you can help out for a few hours on May 17th, please contact Rich Erickson ( ) or Jim Jenkin ( ). If you know of someone who would enjoy being able to take part in the Fishing Day for People with Disabilities, please contact Rich or Jim.

4 Catch More Fish Mother s Day Tribute Don Clouthier Just Google Mother s Day Hatch and you will come up with Fly Hatches ID ed as Mother s Day Hatches all across the Rockies. There is the Mothers Day Caddis Hatch in Montana; then there is the famous Mother s Day Hatch on the Arkansas River... which is in Colorado. There are a few more Mothers Day Caddis Hatches on the Yellowstone and another hatch on the Yakima River. Here in Wisconsin we are careful not to compare our wonderful mothers to fly hatches representing fish food... we love our mothers too much for that. But, not to be outdone, we do have in Wisconsin around Mother s Day (usually starting the first Saturday in May) on our Trout Streams what I call a GoreTex Hatch. I don t think the term will catch on but you must admit that you ll see a ton of breathable waders and jackets showing up on our streams in early May. The point of this story is to celebrate the generosity of our favorite females (our mom and the mother of our children) who graciously send us off on our fishing adventures. Every day should be Mother s Day! Let me share an example of the lengths some mothers will go to keep their MEN happy. About twenty years ago, when our boys were in grade school, we took the quintessential family vacation to Yellowstone National Park. It was to be a camping trip and we had reserved a site for a week at the Madison Campground, just inside the park from West Yellowstone. Charlotte, an old college friend then living in Bozeman, camped with us and made sure we saw all the sights, especially the wildlife. We swam, we hiked we had campfires and we fished... and the late July weather was great. Most of the streams were too large and fast for my young boys so they, not so patiently, watched me fish from the bank, always under the watchful eye of their mother. One day in West Yellowstone I asked at the three large fly shops where I could safely take the young boys fishin. Some guy at Bob Lilly s Fly Shop suggested a small stream off the ring road near Old Faithful. I think it was called Nez Pierce Creek, after the Native American tribe. up while my boys flogged the creek. That is when my youngest son hooked the largest catch of his short career... his mother. Yes, he put a No. 8 hopper into his MOM s left temple. We were all stunned but Char knew what to do. She had worked as a Park Ranger and had seen this movie many times. While the color drained from MOM s face Char treated it as another day in the Park. Just cut off the hopper, she said tie another on and keep fishing. So that was what we did. What a wonderful MOM to go along with that plan. We fished for another hour then returned to camp for Dr. Char to complete her medical duties. Although I had to perform the surgery, these were Char s instructions: Pour the girl a stiff drink, wash the wound with Listerine, push the hook through, cut off the barb, back out the hook then have another stiff drink. Done. This was when I learned the real value of barbless hooks and the incredible love and sacrifice of our MOMs. Happy Mother s Day. Corn Casserole 1 can whole kernal corn, drained 1 can cream style corn 1 cup sour cream 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix 1 stick butter, melted 2 cups cheddar cheese Mix all ingredients together except the 2 cups cheddar cheese and pour into a 9x9 baking dish. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. Spread 2 cups cheddar cheese over top and bake until melted. About 2 or 3 minutes. Great alone or as a side dish with poultry or pork. Enjoy, BoB Kinderman So we parked the car along the road and off we went. Three guys with two fly rods chaperoned by MOM and Char. It was another beautiful day. As soon as we got away from the road we started to fish. Short leaders and large bugs are just the ticket for beginners. We fished for a while and it was a beautiful little creek but somebody forgot to put fish in it. I was coaching both boys and apparently not successfully. On the bank Mom and Char were catching

5 Making Sense of Fly Lines Mark Heifner I had a conversation recently with a novice fisherman who had just purchased a 5 wt fly rod. He both stated and asked I get a 5 wt line, right? Well, yes, but it s not that simple anymore. (Note, most rods will cast a line heavier and lighter than their optimal line). How would you answer that question? I would start with telling him to first match the line to the species of fish he is fishing for and technique, then match the line to the rod. A quick primer on weight forward lines, which make up most lines these days. First, fly lines are supposed to be a certain weight for the first 30 feet, based on AFFTA standards- 5 wt lines are supposed to be between 134 and 146 grains, with a target of 140, but some have deviated to better fit modern rods, more later. General purpose fly lines in a 5 weight, on average, have a front taper around 6.5', body around 26', and rear taper around 5.5', and running line of 52. These are rough numbers, meant for reference. A short front taper gets the weight forward to load the road more quickly and turn over flies better. On the other hand, it is a less delicate presentation. A short belly and/or short rear taper get the line to the running line quicker, to allow shooting line quicker. On the other hand, a longer belly or longer taper allow you to hold more line in the air or mend better. Shooting line is quicker than false casting and holding more line in the air,(aeralizing line) but not as accurate. Some lines have a shorter belly but a long rear taper, to shoot line more quickly but still be able to hold some line in the air, or mend. Some lines will taper down to a second belly to accomplish the same thing. The line manufacturers have managed to mix these variables into dizzying array, just pick up a fly fishing catalog. Let s start to match the line to the species and technique. 4 to 6 weight rods are the common weights for trout and pan fish, 6 to 8 wt for bass, 8 wt and above for northern and muskie. 4 wt rods tend to be thought of as dry fly rods, 6 wts seem to be pegged for larger or windier streams, nymphing, or large trout. If you were targeting dry flies with a 4 wt, you might go with a line with a longer front taper for a delicate delivery, and a longer belly or rear taper to be able to mend or aeralize line. Wulff triangle taper or Rio s Trout LT take the front taper to the extreme where it takes up most of the head. Cortland Platinum trout has a little longer front taper at 8', and longer rear taper for mending, etc, so not quite as extreme. For a 6 wt, you might go with a shorter head to turn over heavier nymph rigs or streamers, or better turn over in wind. For nymphing, a longer belly or rear taper will also help with mending. S.A. s nymph/indicator has a short front taper- 3', 30' belly and 16' rear taper. Rio s Gold (considered a generalist line) 6 wt front taper is 5.5', a little shorter than other generalist lines, and a long rear taper, for the mending. If we have jumped to other species like bass or muskie, a line with a short, heavy head for quick loading and strong turn over, and a short belly/ rear taper to allow quick pick up and shooting the line back out are common among bass and northern/muskie lines. A line that is a little different is Rio Smallmouth. It has a compound taper- short front taper, heavier, short head, an initial rear taper to a second narrower belly so you can shoot it quicker, yet have some heft to the second belly to still aeralize/mend the line. Let s circle back to that 5 wt rod we started this all with. A 5 wt implies a generalist approach to trout. You can do a decent job of presenting small dries with a 5 wt but still nymph or cast small to medium streamers. Unless you are going to carry different lines on the stream with you, then you will probably want a generalist line. S.A. s GPX and Trout, and Rio s Grand and Avid are generalist lines whose tapers are fairly similar. As you start to zero in on a line, it s now the turn of the rod manufacturers to complicate things. Many newer rods are very fast, stiff, and do not load well with a 140 grain 5 wt line, especially at shorter differences. In response, many fly lines are heavier, essentially a 5.5 wt line. Even then, some rods that are listed as 5 wt s, actually perform better with a 6 wt line! So now I am back with that novice. Does he have a 5 wt rod in his hand? Or really a 5.5 or 6 wt rod? S.A s Trout is conventionally weighted, GPX is a half size heavier, as is as both Rio s Grand or Avid. Rods that list their action as Fast, or even Ultra Fast tend to do better with heavier lines. Rods that call their action as Moderate Fast, Moderate, or Slow are more apt to do well with a conventionally weighted line. As one moves down to a 4 wt, or even lighter, rods are made more for a conventionally weighted line since these rods are more for a delicate presentation, but a number still need a heavier line. Unfortunately, you have to try the line on the rod. I won a Grady 5 wt bamboo rod a couple of years ago at Cabin Fever Day. I initially fished it with what I had, a SA GPX line, and it did fine, a sweet rod. However, when I finally spooled up a SA trout line, I feel that rod really came alive. I have not done it yet, but I want to try it with a 4 wt line, to see what happens. continued on back page

6 NON PROFIT US Postage PAID Appleton WI Permit No W. Spencer St. Appleton, WI Mark Your Calendars! Sunday, May 11 Mother s Day Saturday, May 17 Fishing Day for People with Disabilities Main Creek Farm See you there! Check website for details! Chapter Board Members President Tom Lager Vice President Open Secretary Dick Stielow Treasurer Al Johnson Board 1 Keith Bassage Board 2 Duane Velie Board 3 Norm Christnacht Board 4 John Hammond Board 5 Tony Garvey Board 6 Steve Heuser Board 7 Roger Genske Board 8 Scott Heinritz Board 9 Don Clouthier Board 10 Jim Jenkin Board 11 Rich Erickson Board 12 Rick Schinler Past President Joe Bach continued from previous page There is a host of articles on this subject out there. There is a good article on tactical fly lines in the Summer 2013 issue of Fly Rod and Reel, that explores the subject of line tapers in more detail. George Anderson at does reviews of fly rods, and lists the line he feels works best on a rod. One other fly line to consider, especially in the lighter lines, is a double taper line. It does not have a rear taper to a running line. Instead, after the front taper, the belly of line runs all the way to the other end of line where you have another front taper. This way you can wear out one end of the line, and then reverse it, essentially getting two lines for the price of one. It will mend and roll cast well, but will never get to a running line for quick shooting. How quickly it loads is related to the front taper, so that is not different than a weight forward line of the same front taper. For trout fishermen who are casting fairly close, roll casting a lot, and/or mending a lot, a double taper makes a lot of sense.