Monthly Publication of the Texas FlyFishers Volume 34, Issue 5, May, 2015 Texas FlyFishers Trout in the Classroom Project By Matt Blyth Trout in the Classroom is a nationwide environmental education program for children in grades K through 12. It has been in existence for over 20 years. It is run by a variety of teachers, volunteer organizations, government agencies and Trout Unlimited. In our area it is coordinated by volunteers from the Guadalupe River chapter of TU and includes tanks in the Austin, San Antonio and Houston areas. The project provides schools with trout eggs and the necessary equipment to raise the eggs to fry before releasing them in a local river. The program aims to increase student knowledge of fresh water ecology and coldwater conservation issues along with attempting to reconnect urban kids with the natural world around them. There are a total of over 4000 trout in the classroom tanks in operation all over the country. Texas Flyfishers started their involvement with the Trout in the Classroom project in early 2011 when they sponsored the installation and setup of a tank in the aquatic sciences classroom of Katy High School. The project was run by the class teacher, Kathleen Brown and was a great success with her students and with the other teachers who regularly stopped by her classroom to check on their progress. 100 rainbow trout eggs were placed in the tank in late February and hatched out shortly afterwards. Mayde Creek HS students with their tank Also, in this month s issue Conservation New blood, lot s to talk about Page 4 What s Happening this Month Annual Club Auction, Meeting, Fly Tying & Outings Page 5 Alamo Fly Fishers 2014 Bud Priddy Any Fly Contest Page 5 Texas Council of IFFF 2015 Texas Fly Fishing Expo Page 6 Outing Reports Sunfish Spectacular, A Day with the Students Page 10 Fly Of The Month Long Shank Clouser Minnow Page 14
Trout in the Classroom Continued Trout eggs ready for release in one of the TFF sponsored tanks The class followed the development of the fry through each of the stages, monitoring the water quality and health of the fish along with lesson plans covering a wide range of topics from biology, ecology, chemistry and habitat conservation. Progress was tracked both through the Texas Flyfishers online forum and also a blog run by the students at the school. The students were able to take great care of the fish and we had a very high survival rate of both eggs and then fry. The fish were raised through to the middle of the summer semester, at which point there were close to one hundred 2-3 long baby trout that were rapidly out growing their tank and eating everything in sight. The fish were then transported to the Guadalupe and released in the section of river maintained by TU as a trophy trout fishery. This first tank proved to be the catalyst for growing the program in Houston and also for the involvement of TFF. We are now in our fourth year of donating the funds to purchase the tanks and we have tanks in 4 classrooms spread across 3 high schools in the Katy area. Ms. Brown has continued to support the program every year and has actively recruited new teachers who would be willing to take the tanks into their classrooms. All the teachers involved in the project over the last 4 years have been extremely positive about the benefit of the program and the interest it generates in the children. I would like to thank all the TFF members for the donations that allow the purchase of the tanks and if anyone would like to be involved in helping to run the program, with the release of the trout or even with discussing fly fishing and conservation at the schools then please let me know! Matt Blyth The Katy High School trout tank the insulation around the tank is needed to help maintain the cooler temperatures the trout require. Newly hatched fry still with their yolk sacs 2
Trout in the Classroom Continued Trout at the 4 month mark Close up of the 4 month old trout The students have benefited in many ways through this project. They have witnessed the life cycle of the trout and cared for them through each stage. They have also learned about conservation and the need to preserve wild species! Thank you TIC! Ms. Sharon Carswell, Mayde Creek HS Trout Fry Trout release on the Guadalupe Want to be part of this? Volunteer to help out at the 2015 release coming in June. Contact Matt Blyth 3
Conservation Several months ago I took over the Conservation Chair. I really had no idea what I was getting into but was interested in conservation and felt that perhaps I could make a contribution to the club and to the sport of fly fishing, which has been a significant factor in my life. Well let me tell you, it has been a real education. I have learned a lot and talked to many involved and committed people. While I knew conservation has always been part of the fly fishing ethic as well as a pressing issue for the entire fishing community, it has been a real revelation to see all that is going on. Currently we have active, ongoing relationships and plans for joint activities with the following programs/organizations/institutes: Galveston Bay Foundation Hartz Institute - July Speaker/Dr. Greg Stuntz TPW - Develop Urban Fisheries o Support rainbow trout stocking program o Powder Horn Ranch - Development Willow Waterhole Association Texas Guide Shallow Flat Ethic Initiative CCA Texas Council of the IFF and the Austin Fly Fishers I am going to attempt as part of my efforts to keep the club members informed or at least reminded about the major initiatives that are underway in our area, nationally and even worldwide. In addition, I hope to incorporate conservation content into our existing programs including our monthly meetings, fishing outings and our educational programs in an attempt to encourage each of us to be more aware, modify our personal fishing practices and perhaps make a greater contribution to conservation organizations and causes. As you know Matt Blyth has held the conservation chair for the past few years and has done a great job. He has headed up the Trout in the Classroom Program and continues to implement and monitor it. Please see his latest status report on his ongoing efforts below. Please keep an eye on the forum, our Facebook page and future editions of Windknots for updates and future programs. Tight Lines, Mike Frankoff Coming in the June Windknots The 2015 Election of Officers and Yearly Dues 4
What s Happening This Month: Annual Auction: The Texas FlyFishers Annual Auction Saturday, May 2 nd, 2015, 10:00 am, Silent and Live Auction along with Raffle Prizes. This is the club s main fund raiser for the year so, please make plans to attend. The auction will take place in the gym at Bethany Christian Church, 3223 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX. For more information concerning the auction, drop off locations, donations or, to volunteer, please contact Skip Donovan at (713) 822-0069 or, Mary Kay Donovan at (713) 828-4414. Correction notice: In the April Windknots and, the Auction Special Edition Windknots, the statement Some of the items on this year s auction items are: should read Some of the items on last year s auction items were: I apologize for any inconvenience this error may have caused. Regards, Chris Sumers Monthly Meeting: May TFF Monthly Meeting Tuesday, May 26th, 2015, 6:30 pm Speaker: Lefty Ray Chapa and his presentation will be Fishing and Photography. This program will show you what to do with a camera once you land that fish of a lifetime. Better yet, bring your fishing buddy or spouse so they know what to do once you hook that big one. Community Center Building in Bayland Park, 6400 Bissonnet St., Houston, Texas 77074. More about Lefty Ray Chapa: Lefty Ray Chapa is an award winning professional photographer and is a frequent contributor to Southwest Fly Fishing magazine, Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, the San Antonio Express-News newspaper, and many more. He specializes in fly fishing, kayak fishing, saltwater fishing, and Texas Hill Country fishing topics. He also covers water fowling and wing shooting. He is also the senior fly casting instructor in Texas as he is the only active instructor from the first certification class given in Texas in 1994. Lefty Ray is also a past president of GRTU and the Alamo Fly Fishers. In 2002 he created the first saltwater kayak seminar, teaching anglers how to chase redfish with a fly rod and a kayak. When not giving slideshows or seminars across the country he is kayak fishing at the Texas coast, fly fishing the Texas Hill Country streams, or shooting at ducks in season. If you ever want to be on the cover of a fishing magazine, this is the man to do it. Invite him on your next fly fishing adventure and it just might happen. Monthly Fly Tying: Katy Navy Fly Tying Group: May 19 th, 2015 from 18:00 20:30 hrs. Katy Navy Fly Tying will be tying the Redfish Crack. The Redfish Crack was the Fly of the Month in the December Windknots. If you would like to print a copy for materials and tying instructions, go to the Texas FlyFishers website, then click on the Windknots tab and click on the December 2014 issue. For time, location and directions contact Don Puckett - water_watcher@yahoo.com 5
Other Club Events This Month: Bridgeland Nature Fest Saturday, May 2, 2015 10:00 am 5:00 pm. If you are not planning to go to the auction and would like to help out, we need for volunteers to help man the TFF booth. 16919 North Bridgeland Lake Parkway, Cypress, TX 77433. For more information, contact Don Puckett - water_watcher@yahoo.com May Freshwater Outing Colorado River at Columbus, May 16, 2015, 7:30 am, Kayak and fish the Columbus Loop, located about an hour west of Katy just off I-10. The trip on the Colorado River at Columbus, Texas is a one day trip leaving at 8:00 am from Howells Canoe Livery and, floating and fishing over 6.1 miles known as the Columbus Loop taking out at Beason s Park, under the Hwy. 90 Bridge. If you don t have a kayak, they are available for rent at Howell s (www.howellcanoe.com). I would suggest anything from a 5wt to an 8wt with a floating line. The 8wt can be real handy throwing into the wind that I expect to have in the afternoon. The river is wider and more open than upstream and is more affected by the wind. Flies: good sized streamers and poppers for bass, smaller poppers, spiders, and nymphs for sunfish. Last year in mid-may, the fellow I was fishing with, had a yellow foam popper (about 2" long) that was killing them. Outing Leader - Ralph Havis To sign up for the outings, look for the thread under the Freshwater Outings tab on the Forum on the Club s website. May Saltwater Outing Chocolate Bayou Saturday, May 30, 2015, Note: This is the makeup date from the January Outing - The First Annual (?) Grand Slam Tournament, Location: Chocolate Bayou Boat Ramp at FM2004 Bridge (GPS: 29,21180, 95.208719). Outing Leader: Don Hanselman, (713) 816-0884 Non-Club Events This Month: Alamo Fly Fishers The Annual Bud Priddy "Any Fly" Contest on the Nueces River, Saturday, May 2, 2015. Registration: 7:00am - 8:00am at Lindbergh Park, Camp Wood, and registration fee is $20.00 and a donated fly. Fishing is from 7:00am - 5:00pm. Results must be turned in before 5:30pm at Casa Sifuentes Restaurant, located on the main street in Camp Wood. Dinner is included in the entry fee. The big change is that any fly or flies can now be used. No restrictions. For more information, Contact Lefty Ray Chapa at (210) 260-6154 6th Annual World Championship Bass On The Fly Fishing Tournament, Lake Fork, Texas, USA, Saturday, May 2 nd, 2015, 6:00 am 2:00 pm, Lake Fork Marina. Entry fee $60. NEW! Optional Big Sunfish Tourney, Friday, May 1 st, 2015 from 3:00 6:00 pm, Entry fee $10. There will be a Pot Luck Fish Fry to follow. For more information, contact tedwarren@peoplescom.net with any questions or suggestions. Check out the website at www.bassonthefly.org Happy Hour at Orvis - Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm., 5727 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057, (713) 783-2111. Call for dates. 6
IFFF Texas Council Expo May 29-31, 2015 at the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center, 375 S. Castell Ave. and, at the Cypress Bend Park, 424 South Castell Ave., both in New Braunfels, TX. Activities include casting instruction and certification, fly tying, a Friday night showing of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival and the Council Banquet and Auction on Saturday evening. For more information go to http://txflyfishexpo.com Russell Husted, Council President Mark Your Calendar Coming Events: June Freshwater Outing South Llano River, Junction, TX, June 12-14, 2015, For time, location and directions contact Don Puckett - water_watcher@yahoo.com June Saltwater Outing Fence Lake, Fulton, TX Saturday, June 27 th, 2015, Stalk redfish and trout in the clear shallow waters of Fence Lake, nestled in the eastern shore of Aransas Bay and St. Joe s Island. Outing Leader: Chris Sumers, csumers@comcast.net June TFF Monthly Meeting Tuesday, June 30th, 2015, 6:30 pm. The speaker is Jim Kelly from Dallas who will speak about the Lower Mountain Fork in Oklahoma. The meeting location is the Community Center Building in Bayland Park, 6400 Bissonnet St., Houston, Texas 77074. Note: The June Meeting is when the Club holds its Annual Election of Officers. If you are interesting in serving as an officer of the Club, contact Marcos Enriquez or, one of the other officers. Their names are listed on the back page. Reel Recovery: Catch and Release The Drawing for the RR Quilt will be held at the May TFF meeting. This will be the last opportunity to purchase a chance for this beautiful piece of needle work, if any are still available. Linda Love, the lady who sponsored the making of the quilt (and also assisted the Tri-County Quilting Guild in the making of the quilt) will be at the meeting to draw the winning raffle ticket. We will be taking pictures for sure!! I am very proud of the support our TFF club gives to RR, and I hope everyone present can share in the momentous success for fundraising for our Houston retreat in 2016. Dave Steffek 7
Hold my beer and watch this! Spring is in the air and the redfish are on the flats. You get up early in the morning, down a cup, or two, of coffee. You grab your gear, left strategically next to the door (so you wouldn t forget anything) and out the door you go for a great day on the water until you get a mile or two down the road and you realize that you double checked everything but, your boat trailer. Not that it would happen to anyone we know but, too many boat owners ignore their trailers, leading to breakdowns on the road and potentially dangerous situations. Routine inspections and maintenance keep your trailer safe and working and can extend its life for many years. Also keep in mind that you now have to get your trailer inspected before you will be able to renew your license plates. Inspection and Action Steps Before Use (not necessarily in order of importance) Grease the wheel bearings before use (see below) Check that tires are properly inflated (usually around 50 lbs. pressure, not 30-35 like most auto tires) and check the tire tread for wear and sidewalls for spider cracks that may indicate dry rot Wheel lug nuts are tight, or more importantly, have not frozen themselves to the lugs; Inspect the whole trailer for cracks or severely rusted areas that may have become weak, including the springs and axles Check rollers and runners for cracks or breaks; ensure rollers are clean and have not locked up Check the winch's operation and the condition of the strap or cable Check that the trailer ball is tightly mounted and the right size for the hitch; clean any debris from both before seating the hitch on the ball Ensure that the hitch coupler is locked in place and secured with a bolt or lock Inspect the condition of trailer safety chains. When you hook up the trailer to the hitch, cross the safety chains before securing them to the tow vehicle (the crossed chains "cradle" the trailer hitch if it comes free from the ball) Ensure the trailer tongue jack(dolly) is completely rotated up and locked in place Ensure the trailer lights are working, including brake lights and turn signals. If the trailer has brakes, test that they are working Avoid overloading the trailer by removing heavy items from the boat and transporting them inside the tow vehicle (many boaters remove outboards) Routine Maintenance Check the trailer for non-galvanized parts (U-bolts, nuts, wheel lug nuts, add-ons) and spray them with a rust inhibitor like Corrosion X After immersion in salt water, rinse the trailer with fresh water; if practical, dunk the trailer in a fresh water lake on the way home (you can also run the motor to flush it with fresh water) If the trailer is painted rather than galvanized, check carefully for rust; remove rust and repaint as needed; use auto wax to help protect the paint In hot, sunny areas, spray the outside of the tires with a product like Armor-All to prevent dry rot caused by heat 8
The Wheel Bearings Because the wheel bearings are the most vulnerable part of a boat trailer, take the time to keep them well-greased and protected from the elements. If the trailer does not already have them, install "bearing buddies" on each hub; these help protect the bearings from water. They also have a grease nipple for quick application of bearing grease Install dust covers over the bearing buddies Add bearing grease before starting out - but not so much that the rear seals are pushed out; be sure to use marine grease, especially in salt water If the trailer has not been used recently, stop after a short distance of towing to check the hubs for heat, which indicates a bearing problem. If the bearings heat up even when greased, repacking is probably necessary. You can do this yourself if you are competent mechanic; otherwise go to a professional. Spare Parts to Carry Fully inflated spare tire of the right size Grease gun and extra grease Road flares, a set of DOT reflective safety triangles and a working flashlight, if towing at night Spare fuses and light bulbs for lights Long-distance towers may choose to carry a spare wheel hub, complete with new bearings and seals Tips for Safe Trailer Use Always use a good tie-down to secure the boat to the trailer At stops when towing, visually check the trailer and boat, check the winch strap and tie-downs are still tight, and feel the wheel hubs for heat that indicates a bearing problem After arriving at the water, allow bearings to cool before immersing the wheels in the water (sudden contraction with cold can suck water into the bearings) Before launching the boat, unplug the trailer lights This is not a complete check list but, if you follow these tips, you ll be the fellow who is fishing, not the fellow who is on the side of the road waiting for help. Chris 9
Outings Reports: April Freshwater Outing The John Scarborough Sunfish Spectacular, April 18, 2015 We had four contestants show up on Friday evening to camp out but, only three stayed on through the 5 inches of rain we received that night. Mary Kay (Donovan) went out in the rain with Matt (Arnold) to attempt a frog catch but, the weather was too rainy and windy. They still cooked and chatted until late under the pool pavilion. Saturday the 18th began with a clear sky and low winds. By noon, all 14 anglers were back at the pavilion, ready for lunch and to plan their afternoon attack on the 7 Lakes fish. Mary Kay and Skip (who served as the supervisor) cooked lunch for all. There was a drawing held at 12:45 pm and Skip (Donovan) and Ralph (Havis) each won a TFO rod. All present were able to win a prize from the table. After lunch, all went after more fish except for Skip and Matt, who went out to catch a frog on a fly rod. (Mission accomplished). Around 14:00 hrs. we received a light rain which lasted for a couple of hours. A few hearty anglers hung in there and fished until dark. From the catch logs turned in, a total of 102 bream and 28 bass were caught. Matt s frog and fish were not counted in this total, neither were mine. From all the pictures I received, Garland Sparks caught the longest bream, at 11 inches, Don Puck Puckett caught the most bass (8 each) and bream (22 each) and, Matt caught the most frogs. We had fun and, the Lord blessed us with fair weather. It was, however, brought to my attention by Mr. Jerry Brown that I had forgotten to make the Margarita Run. I guess Matt and I will have to address that for future events. Thanks to all who come out and we hope you all had a good time. Michael J. Arnold, Manager Damon Seven Lakes 10
April Spring Cypress High School Outing, Lake Somerville, TX, April 17 th, 2015 Note: This report comes in two parts, the first report is from Puck and the second part comes from three of the students who participated in the outings. Up until the time that we actually arrived at Nails Creek Unit at Lake Somerville State Park, we were not sure if this outing was going to be a wash out or not. But, the fishing gods were smiling on us, the sky cleared and for the time of the outing, it was a beautiful. On hand were: 10 volunteers from a) Texas Parks and Wildlife Department b) Texas Fly Fishers c) Interns d) School staff and, the 21 Cypress Springs High School students (my count could be off slightly) As we waited for the students to arrive, I started the coffee pot, set up chairs, and we made introductions and swapped stories. About the time the coffee ran out, the students arrived. We moved everybody into the pavilion and for the first 30 minutes or so, we talked about: 1. Safety 2. Why fly fish... 3. Difference between fly casting and conventional tackle... (Thanks Don H.) 4. Basic mechanics behind casting... 5. Rigging the fly rod, which turned out to be more hands on training... 6. Knots, more hands And then We then moved out into the grassy areas, which this state park has plenty of, and began flinging lines. Once our students could get the lines out more than 3 rod lengths it was time to move to the water. 1. We saw fish, gar, bass, carp, but no takers. 2. Somebody saw a snake. I didn't get to it in time to ID it. 3. The water was just starting to recede from the recent rains, and even the bluegill weren't interested. Lunch whistle was blown at 1200 and it was back to the tables for lunch, and more chatting. Students were interviewing the volunteers for their homework assignments as we sat. After policing the area and one last quick look around for any we missed, everybody started loading up for the trip home. Now that we know this can be done, and how much fun it is, we need to look for the opportunities to do it again. Puck 11
From Heather Heatherly, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Good morning everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for the great program and wonderful support that was given for this event. It was really great to see the involvement with the kids and help teach them an activity that they may not have ever experienced. Please feel free to contact us in the future for any other programs that you may be interested in having! We enjoy having programs at this park and meeting new faces! Thanks! Heather Heatherly Nails Creek State Park Site Manager From Richard Meza, Student, Spring Cypress High School The fly fishing field trip was a very enjoyable experience. We had the opportunity to learn about a topic that a majority of us had no idea about. The entire trip was very well planned out as we had plenty of space and time to fish. We were able to learn the skill of fly fishing, which most people our age do not know how to do. Even though nobody caught a fish, everybody seemed to be having a delightful time. The weather was very nice that day as it was not raining like it had been the previous days. All of the volunteers there were extremely friendly and helpful. They looked like they were happy to be there assisting us with fly fishing. Overall it was a very pleasant experience and I would enjoy doing it again. From: Austin Perez, Student, Spring Cypress High School Over the course of the year I was given the opportunity to go fly fishing with my classmates out in Lake Somerville. It was a great opportunity to get to learn about something new and a new experience I have taken into my life. It was a great learning experience that I learned with my classmates and Mr. Puckett and Mr. Akins made it a memory that I will never forget. Not only were they energetic about us taking a visit out in Lake Somerville (Nails Creek), they showed the love and compassion about what they do every day. At first, basically no one knew how to fly fish but at the end of the day everyone was casting as if they were a pro. The whole time everyone was having a great time even though no one caught anything but with the intensity that Mr. Puckett and his crew showed put into fly fishing, that is why everyone still had a great time. To conclude with, everyone there was very polite and helpful and there was never a dull moment out there out on that day at the lake. 12
From Drake Carter, Student, Spring Cypress High School On the exciting trip to Nails creek at Lake Summerville, It was a quiet enjoyable experience. From learning how to fly fish to enjoying lunch as a unit, it was a truly wonderful experience. I loved learning how to fly fish; the technique is very unique and exciting! Out on the water we encountered a couple species of wild life including snakes, alligator gar, carp, and a couple of other species. Throughout the whole day it was nothing but fun and exciting experiences! I loved it! Instructors helped us get the hang of it at first, then it all was on us and we made the best of it. You won t be able to thank them enough for the enjoyable experience you have. Great time! Editor s Note: In closing, I think it should be pointed out that for many of the students, this was their first attempt at fishing. To begin your fishing experience with the fly rod can be somewhat intimidating but, all of the students were up to the task and none of them gave up or, even got frustrated. There is no way of knowing how many will pursue this sport past this event but, I can say that all of the students seem to enjoy this field day and, I hope they came away with a better understanding as to why we fish. Chris 13
Fly Of The Month: Long Shank Clouser Minnow Tied By Chris Sumers A lot of you that will soon be hitting the beaches and jetties and there is a good chance you will find some mackerel, blue fish and other toothy critters. I tie this variation of the Clouser Minnow for just that situation. The extra long shank allows you to fish this fly with out a steel leader, but still offers you a bit of protection. I tied this one in chartreuse and white but, use the color combination you like. Materials: Hook: Mustad 34011, size 1/0 to 4 Thread: Flat Waxed Nylon or 3/0 Monocord Eyes: Painted Lead or Brass Eyes, sized to hook Belly: White Bucktail Flash: Krystal Flash Back: Chartreuse Bucktail 1. Begin with a Mustad 34011 long shank hook (or equal). Tie in green flat wax thread starting at the bend and wrap to a position just ahead of the hook point. Tie in the dumbbell eyes as illustrated. 2. Tie in some white bucktail as shown. 3. Add generous amount of flashabou. 14
4. Add green bucktail equal in length and amount to the white bucktail. 5. Trim and add glue of choice to firmly secure. Until Next Month, Tight Loops! 15
The Texas FlyFishers Executive Committee Marcos Enriquez John Purcell Bob Brill President Vice President / Programs Membership Raymond Lindeen Jim Richards Charles Osborn Treasurer Secretary Webmaster Corey Rich Mike Frankhoff Frank Schlicht Legal Conservation Chair Education Chair Mike Graham Don Puckett Mike Quigley Communications Chair Freshwater Outings Chair Saltwater Outings Chair Chris Sumers Skip and Mary Kay Donovan Alex Blacque Dr. Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival Auction Chairs Door Prizes For more information, go to the club s website at www.texasflyfishers.org 16