NEWSLETTER OF THE HIGH PLAINS DRIFTERS Jan 2014 WWW.HPD-FFF.COM 2014 Board President Tim Papich Vice President & FFF Liaison Bruce Brown Secretary Michael Vella Treasurer Don Butt Education Geoffrey Bostic Fund Raising Dale Anderson Meeting Director & Membership Von Fransen Trips Paul Boals Website & Newsletter David Saunders Inside President s Address 2014 Club Trips 2013 Christmas Party Photo Contest Results New Website Trips Pueblo, CO Feb 22 South Platte River (Pancake Breakfast) March 22 Classes Open Session Jan 11 Beg. Tying Feb 8 Open Session Feb 8 Upcoming Active HPD Products Announcements The Denver Fly Show is from Jan 3-5 The International Sportsman's Expo is from Jan 16-19 Meetings Jan 15 Feb 19 Landon Mayer March 19 Events Denver Fly Fishing Show Jan 3-5 HPD Kids Day May 31 2014 HPD Calendars - $15 (See inside) Mugs (Four Fish Options) - $20 Long Sleeve (Four Fish Options) - $25 Short Sleeve (Four Fish Options) - $20 See last page for availability information
UPCOMING TRIPS BY PAUL BOALS On February 22nd we will be fishing the Arkansas river in Pueblo. This is a great winter fishery since the temperatures are usually warmer than in Denver. The stream restoration and fishery management that has been done in the last several years has definitely paid off when it comes to the size and health of these rainbows. I fished there two weeks ago and was able to net 6 fish during the morning all were between 17-20 inches with strong coloration. During these months I typically use Eggs and San Juans. On my last trip I used Trout Beads for the first time and absolutely loved them. Also any black or red midges should do fine as well. We will meet on the river at 9:00 am at the Juniper Road parking lot off of 96. For those who want to car pool we can meet at the south Cabela's location no later than 7:00am. Plan on meeting back at the parking lot for lunch at 1:00 pm. Since I'm unsure who is going as of now plan to bring your own lunch. On March 22nd we will have our annual Pancake Breakfast at Mike Owen's Cabin on the South Platte. This has been a lot of fun for the last several years. For those who would like to help with the preparation or clean up with breakfast please contact me. Breakfast will be served from 7:30-9:00am then we will break up into groups to fish. We will try to designate group leaders to focus on different areas of the river or teach basic fishing techniques for those who are new to the sport. UPCOMING CLASSES BY GEOFFERY BOSTIC Beginning the second Saturday in February (2/8/14) HPD will be offering a beginner fly tying class. The class is 3 sessions and will be held on the second Saturday of the month at Holy Cross Lutheran Church from February thru March. Classes will be from at 8am until 10am with an open tying session to follow from 10am to 2pm. The open session is meant to allow the different skill level attendees to practice the skills they have learned in each class with some of the clubs more experienced members. The class will discuss the tools needed, materials used and basic skills to tie a fly. The patterns that will be demonstrated in the class are: Class 1 Brassie and Zebra/Mercury Midge, class 2 Woolly Bugger and Pheasant Tail, and class 3 Elk Hair Caddis and the Adams. Class is free to any HPD member and materials will be supplied along with vises and some tools. Anybody that is interested in learning to tie come join Ralph Rhoades and our other HDP volunteers for our beginner fly tying class. Coffee and snacks will be provided.
PRESIDENT S ADDRESS BY TIM PAPICH High Plains Drifters, This is my first newsletter as President and the first order of business is to thank the outgoing board members; Steve Hall newsletter, George Brown Trips and James Baird Membership and FFF liaison. They put in many hours at their positions and helped the club to be successful, their presence on the board will be missed. A special thanks to Brett Edwards, our outgoing President and education chairman. He set a high standard for me and his dedication to making the club a success is second to none. His sense of humor made the board meetings enjoyable and his stories kept everyone laughing, usually at his expense. Brett was always the first to step up and volunteer for any event or class, he made sure the board was taking care of their responsibilities and he was always concerned that the member s needs were the number one concern. His dedication to the education committee was representative of his dedication to the rest of the cub. He wanted to make sure all members had an opportunity to learn about all aspect of fly fishing, whether they were beginners or seasoned veterans. I am sure Brett will still be involved in many events and meetings, but now he has more free time to go fishing.
President s Address, continued I am looking forward to working with each member and from the discussions we have had, I think 2014 is going to be an exciting year for HPD. The trips that are planned address some of the comments we have received from the members over the last few years. The education committee is continuing to offer a wide variety of classes for all skill levels on fly tying, rod building and casting. The Saturday open fly tying sessions which began a few years ago will be expanded. I think the membership will enjoy the education offerings and if they take advantage of the opportunities will be better fly tiers and fly fishers. The programs that are already booked have a wide variety of speakers and the members will learn about new areas and ways to fish. I know each board member would welcome any HPD member who wants to help out on their respective committees. There is a lot of hard work involved in each event, class or program, so if you would like to contribute to making the club better, please contact any board member. If you have any questions or concerns, please drop me an email at president@hpd-fff.com, I will get back to you as soon as possible. Tim Papich HPD President 2014 HPD BOARD President Tim Papich Vice President & FFF Liaison Bruce Brown Officers Secretary Michael Vella Treasurer Don Butt Programs Dale Anderson Committee Chairs Trips Paul Boals Education Geoffrey Bostic At Large Paul Scherner Website & Newsletter David Saunders Meeting Director & Membership Von Fransen Advisor Brett Edwards
2014 TRIPS This year we are adjusting our trips format from what we have done in the past. Starting in February the club will host day trips to areas within a few hours of Denver on the Saturday following our monthly meetings. There will be a general meeting location on the river and also a location to meet for those who would like to car pool. Please see the website for more details on each trip and sign-up, also feel free to contact Trips@HPD-FFF.com with any questions or to RSVP to any event. Day Trips 2-22-2014 Arkansas River (Pueblo) 3-22-2014 South Platte River (Pancake Breakfast) 4-19-2014 Clear Creek 5-24-2014 Williams Fork 6-21-2014 South Platte (Charlie Myers SWA) 7-19-2014 Rainbow Falls (Club Picnic) 8-23-2014 Blue River (Green Mtn.) 9-20-2014 Arkansas River (Buena Vista) 10-18-2014 Eagle River (Wolcott) 11-22-2014 South Platte River (Below Chatfield) Multiple Day Trips April 3-6 Arkansas River (Salida) May/June Gunnison River (Pleasure Park) October 2-5 North Park (Walden) HPD Calendars Taking the best of the best from the club s very successful photo contest entries, we developed this 2014 HPD Calendar. Each month the calendar page will show the club activities including meetings, trips and fly tying sessions. The calendars are $15.00 each. We have 50 calendars and they will be brought to the January club meeting.
HPD 2013 CHRISTMAS PARTY BY TIM PAPICH The HPD 2013 Christmas Party was a big success - by all reports, everyone had a good time. The venue was exceptional, the food was delicious and there was an abundance of auction and raffle items. Over 100 people attended the party and took part in the auction and raffle. It gave members a chance to see old friends, talk about the fish that got away and plan trips for the upcoming year. The party was held on the University of Denver Campus at the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management. The university uses this venue to teach large event management skills. Room enough to mingle and view the auction items suddenly became necessary after the Tuscan buffet. The following people worked tirelessly on the Christmas Party Committee and deserve a big thanks Mike Vella, Larry Lester and Dale Anderson. Without them the party would not have been the success it was. Please make sure to note all of the individuals, companies, guides and shops which contributed to the auction. Support them when possible, without them we could never hold such an event.
HPD PHOTO CONTEST BY LARRY LESTER I have to say it has been a bit of work, but a lot of fun putting together and handling the club s photo contest this year. In the early stages I was expecting to be flooded by pictures because all you have to do these days is pull out your phone and shoot. But, after a few months and only receiving I think two pictures I got a little worried. So I started saying photo op to those I was fishing with and by gosh you listened. Shelley Walchak -Category 2 First Place By the close of entries in October I had over 80 pictures to look at and organize into the three categories which were and will be next year (1) the fish or the fisherman (2) the fly and/or its imitation and (3) what do you see around you when you are fishing. My wife Cathy and Nancy Cronin were the judges and they selected the three winners for each category while they let me pick three honorable mention pictures. Originally I had not planned on the picking an extra three, but I got the idea we could use the best of all the great pictures received to make a club calendar so in the end twelve pictures were needed and thus the honorable mention selections. Paul Scherner - People's Choice Award At the Christmas Party we let all the attendees select a People s Choice Award and the award went to Paul Scherner. I believe Paul took this shot while fishing the Arkansas above Canon City in the fall. He took his last cast of the day and then a quick shot of a guy upriver making his final cast. First place in the three categories went to Camden Miller, Shelley Walchak and Jeff Powles respectively. Camden Miller - Category 1 First Place Please be ready to start taking pictures again in 2014. Take a zillion shots and then pick your best three for each category and send them in. Tight lines and don t forget your photo ops.
HPD PHOTO CONTEST RESULTS Fish or Fisherman Paul Boals 2nd place Bruce Brown 3rd Place Camden Miller 1st Place Fly and/or Imitation Steve Hall 2nd Place Paul Boals 3rd Place Shelley Walchak 1st Place
Around When Fishing Mike Vella 2nd Place Jeff Powles 1 st Place Patricia McGregor 3rd Place Other Shelley Walchak Honorable Mention Tom Caprio Honorable Mention Paul Scherner People's Choice Award
NEW WEBSITE Fellow Drifters, we quickly and painfully outgrew our existing website, forcing another much needed replacement. In an attempt to curb the race with technology, and our younger demographics, the new website will be equipped with lots of new features. Features Member Exchange Have some gear you are considering trading for a used pair of waders, maybe just selling some old fly boxes? Let HPD members get first crack at it with Member Exchange. Booking Via the website you will be able Comments, to contact a trip captain and sign up or Members & Social Media request information about all trips and events. Later Comment on articles and trips, add information to locations, and look up members in the club all through on, you can the website. go back in to see the trips Even your share trips on your HPD calendar. with friends on Facebook and Google+. Location Storage The website is equipped to store locations with details, even pictures. No worries, these locations are only Galleries, Articles & Submissions Upload pictures of your latest trip to our gallery, maybe submit an article about visible to club your trip members. Next time and with share other you plan a trip, be sure to check out the locations section, maybe someone found a must see spot near your favorite water. members. Be sure you submit the trip for one of the TBA trips in the future and take the rest of the club on an official HPD trip. If you have any questions about the new site, email admin@hpd-fff.com.
HPD GUIDES High Plains Drifters would like to thank the following outfitters for their support of our organization. We sincerely appreciate their generous support and encourage our membership to support them whenever possible. Chuck Prather Fly Fishing Services, Inc. FFSCHUCK@aol.com flyfishingservicesinc.com Ken Robak Ken s Anglers kenrobak@comcast.net kens-anglers.com Landon Mayer Landon Mayer Fly Fishing 719-210-0619 landonmayer.com Pat Dorsey Blue Quill Angler 800 435 5353 bluequillangler.com Tim Patterson Rigs Adventure Co. 719-210-0619 fishrigs.com HPD SPONSORS High Plains Drifters receives support from many organizations and companies. We sincerely appreciate their generous support and encourage our membership to support them whenever possible. D Borer Rods Finely Crafted Bamboo Rods The following members and the late Gary Hort are thanked for their donations to the High Plains Drifters: The Gary Hort Estate - Brett Edwards - Von Franzen - Doug Geerdes Jeff McClung - Jon Nash - Shelley Walchak Cathy Lester
HPD PRODUCTS Questions? Email info@hpd-fff.com. To order, email info@hpd-fff.com with your information and order. You will be contacted about payment information/options. Orders can also be placed at our website, http://hpd-fff.com/hpd-store/. All products are available, but might not currently be in stock. Some products are ordered when a certain number of orders are reached or after a certain time frame. You will be informed of the current stock/order status before any payment is processed. For any questions or concerns, please contact info@hpd-fff.com.