R E E L L I N E S Established 1962 www.azflycasters.org We support catch and release. December 2017 MISSION STATEMENT The Arizona Flycasters Club is a non-profit tax-exempt organization that is dedicated to encourage, support, and educate its members and the community in the sport of fly fishing, the techniques of fly fishing, and the ethics of catch and release which promotes the conservation of fish and their habitats. The organization s activities also encourage friendship, enjoyment, sportsmanship, and safety. President s Lines Hello AFC members, and Happy Holidays! It s the time of year we look forward to being with our families and friends to enjoy good food and great company. I wish you all the best of the holidays. Jim Rondoni President 623-363-3368 Brad Norgaard Vice President 602-670-9582 Alan Davis Secretary 925-785-5583 Don Mickus Treasurer 602-861-2021 AFC is affiliated with the International Federation of Fly Fishers, an organization dedicated to the betterment of the sport of fly fishing through conservation, restoration, and education. All members I spoke to really enjoyed the October outing at Fisheads San Juan River Lodge. A special thanks to Chris and his crew for an outstanding event. They took really good care of us. Our fly tying classes will start January 31. Our casting classes continue through April. If you haven t had a chance to attend one of the Wednesday casting meet-ups with John Doss through AZFISHBOOK, try to attend. They are a good time. At the December general meeting, we are going to do something different for the raffle. In the spirit of Christmas, we will have a gift exchange. Please bring a wrapped gift (fly fishing-related), and you will receive one raffle ticket in exchange for your gift. You also can purchase additional tickets. At the end of the night, we will conduct the raffle, and winners will get the opportunity to pick any gift still on the table. Well folks, my time as president has come to a close. I want to acknowledge all the board members. They have been tremendous running the day-to-day operations of AFC. Most importantly though, I want to personally thank the executive board members: Brad Norgaard, Don Mickus, and Alan Davis, as they have gone above and beyond the norm in their efforts to make AFC a better club. To John Doss, I want to acknowledge a person whose passion for AFC is equaled by no other. I have been on the board for 10 years in different capacities and want to thank the people who mentored me during that time and made me realize how fortunate I was to be a part of AFC. Ron Rosenlof, Dick Kennedy, Jon Wallace, Glen Knight, and Ron Robinson are among the many who made my time on the board worth every minute. A special thanks also to Roger Cahoon, and although we do not agree on every issue, we always share the same dedication and commitment to the club. Finally, my sincerest thanks to all of you, as it has been an honor and privilege to be the president of the BEST club in the West. Jim Rondoni AFC President president@azflycasters.com, jrondoman@gmail.com
SCHEDULE December 6, 13, 20, 27 9:00 AM Weekly Casting Meet-Ups (Roadrunner Park) 14 7:00 PM General Meeting (SSCC) 16 9:00 AM Casting Class (Roadrunner Park) 19 7:00 PM General Education Class (Make Your Own Dubbing)(SSCC) 21 7:00 PM Board Meeting (SSCC) January 1 Membership Dues 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 9:00 AM Weekly Casting Meet-Ups (Roadrunner Park) 11 7:00 PM General Meeting (SSCC) 18 7:00 PM Board Meeting (SSCC) 20 9:00 AM Casting Class (Roadrunner Park) 31 7:00 PM First Fly Tying Class (SSCC) February 5, 6, 12, 14, 7:00 PM Fly Tying Classes (SSCC) 20, 21, 26 7, 14, 21, 28 9:00 AM Weekly Casting Meet-Ups (Roadrunner Park) 8 7:00 PM General Meeting (SSCC) 15 7:00 PM Board Meeting (SSCC) 17 9:00 AM Casting Class (Roadrunner Park) March 4 Annual Banquet & Raffle 7, 14, 21, 28 9:00 AM Weekly Casting Meet-Ups (Roadrunner Park) 8 7:00 PM General Meeting (SSCC) 15 7:00 PM Board Meeting (SSCC) 20 7:00 PM General Education Class (SSCC) April 4, 11, 18, 25 9:00 AM Weekly Casting Meet-Ups (Roadrunner Park) 12 7:00 PM General Meeting (SSCC) 17 7:00 PM General Education Class (SSCC) 19 7:00 PM Board Meeting (SSCC) May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 9:00 AM Weekly Casting Meet-Ups (Roadrunner Park) 10 7:00 PM General Meeting (SSCC) 15 7:00 PM General Education Class (SSCC) 17 7:00 PM Board Meeting (SSCC) 2
AFC s Christmas Extravaganza Featuring Cinda Howard "Fly Fishing the Lakes and Streams of the White Mountains" Gift Exchange, Bring A Buddy, and Fundraisers December 14, 2017 7:00 PM Sunnyslope Community Center December marks the holiday season, so in that spirit AFC s monthly meeting will follow that theme. SPEAKER CINDA HOWARD Cinda has been featured in several fly fishing articles and books, including Fly Fisher s Guide to Arizona by Will Jordan and Arizona s Official Fishing Guide by Arizona Highways and Arizona Game and Fish Department, as an expert on fly fishing Arizona. She's spent her whole life fishing and picked up a fly rod in 1996. She worked for the Orvis Company as a fly fishing manager for eight years before branching off and starting her own business in 2012. Cinda spends a considerable amount of time instructing people on the sport of fly fishing. She is extremely passionate not only about fly fishing but also teaching others. She hosts trips all across the world and has taken clients fly fishing in Alaska, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Belize, and the Bahamas. Cinda loves to fish for trout, steelhead, pike, carp, bonefish, tarpon, and anything else that will take a fly. Don t miss it! FUNDRAISERS TO BENEFIT TROUT UNLIMITED S STREAM GIRLS AND THE ST. MARY S FOOD BANK Special Raffle Cinda is donating a 50%-off guided trip in the White Mountains and a box of flies. Proceeds will go toward Trout Unlimited s STREAM Girls program and the Arizona Women of Trout Unlimited. This is a Special Raffle separate from the Gift Exchange Raffle discussed below. Special Raffle Tickets will be $5 per ticket or 5 for $20. Bring A Buddy Bring a friend and you and your friend will receive a Gift Exchange Raffle ticket. First-time visitors also will receive a Gift Exchange Raffle ticket. Gift Exchange Raffle Bring a canned food item for St. Mary s Food Bank and you will receive a Gift Exchange Raffle ticket. Bring a wrapped gift to donate to the Gift Exchange Raffle (preferably something related to fly fishing) and you will receive a ticket. You also can buy additional Gift Exchange Raffle tickets at $1 each, 7 for $5, or 15 for $10. At the end of the evening, the raffle will be conducted. Winners get to pick the item of their choice from the items that are remaining. 3
Casting Class Saturday, December 16, 9:00 AM Roadrunner Park Ron Robinson, Education Chair Our basic casting class will again be held at Roadrunner Park, located at Cactus Road and 36th Street, just off State Route 51. We will gather at the northeast corner of the park. Instruction will start at 9:00 AM and finish around 11:00 AM. We will have some fun games to help improve your accuracy. The club will have rods and reels for those in need. If you have questions, give Ron a call at 602-867-8820. General Education Class Make Your Own Dubbing Tuesday, December 19, 7:00 PM Sunnyslope Community Center Ron Robinson, Education Chair A BIG thank you to Connie Richards for her outstanding class in November on how to "match the hatch". We all learned a great deal from Connie. At this month s class, you will have the opportunity to make your own dubbing for all types of flies. Bring some sandwich bags to keep your creations safe, and bring your fly tying equipment to tie some flies with your new dubbing. Ron Robinson will have hooks for you. The class is free to all club members and will be held on Tuesday, December 19, from 7:00 to 8:45 PM at Sunnyslope Community Center. Keep an eye on the calendar our fly tying classes will return on January 31. Hook: Standard dry, sizes 8-12 Thread: Black 6/0 Shell: Black deer hair Underbody: Peacock herl Head: Thread 4 Deer Hair Beetle 1. Place the debarbed hook in the vise. Start the thread just behind the eye of the hook and wrap back into the bend of the hook to form a thread base. Wrap the thread back up to about two eye lengths away from the eye. 2. Take a small bunch of deer hair, clean out the under fur, and stack the butt ends. Place the bundle of deer hair at the point where the bobbin is hanging and tie in the bundle, wrapping over it back to the bend of the hook. Hold on to the hair as you wrap over it. Don t let the hair spin around the hook. It may be necessary to wrap over the hair a couple times to secure it all down. 3. Next, take five or six strands of peacock herl and tie them in by the tips at the base of the deer hair. Wrap the peacock around the thread to form a rope and then wrap the peacock to form the underbody of the fly. Keep wrapping until you are one eye length away from the eye. Tie off and trim the excess. 4. Now fold the deer hair over the top of the peacock to form the shell, tying off the hair at the end of the body. Lift up the ends of the hair and make several wraps of thread under them to help the hair stand up. Whip finish and cut the thread. Take the ends of the hair and trim upwards to form the head of the beetle. Finally, trim several hairs from the rear of the fly to form the legs. The fly is now complete. This is a simple but effective representation of a small black beetle and quite a versatile fly. Fished dry on top, it will often produce in clear water. It also fishes well after a good rain when beetles get washed into the water. It also can be productive on windy days or where are overhanging trees or bushes.
AFC Annual Awards Brad Norgaard, Vice President Can you believe it? It s already December. Where has the year gone? With the end of the year fast approaching, it s time for a call out to the membership for nominees for the club s top three annual awards, which will be announced at our Annual Banquet & Raffle on March 4, 2018. The awards are the Silver Doctor, Member of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award. This is the nomination and award process: Silver Doctor Nominee must be a woman, in good standing, and active in the club within the past year. Nominations can be made by any club member and must be accompanied by a written explanation supporting the nomination, received no later than December 31, 2017. Nominations must be hand delivered or emailed to the Vice President, who acts as the chairman for the Committee of the Whole (the past recipients of the award are collectively called the Committee of the Whole). The Chairman will collect the nominations and send to the Committee of the Whole for a vote. Committee members will vote on nominees and send to the Chairman, who will tally the votes. A framed print silver doctor fly will be ordered, and the Treasurer will procure a $200 award. Recipient will receive the award at the Annual Banquet & Raffle, given by the past recipient. Member of the Year Nominee must be in good standing and active in the club within the past year. Nominations can be made by any club member and must be accompanied by a written explanation supporting the nomination, received no later than December 31, 2017. Nominations must be hand delivered or emailed to the Vice President, who acts as the chairman for the Committee of the Whole (the past recipients of the award are collectively called the Committee of the Whole). The Chairman will collect the nominations and send to the Committee of the Whole for a vote. Committee members will vote on nominees and send to the Chairman, who will tally the votes. An award plaque will be ordered, and the Treasurer will procure a $200 award. Recipient will receive the award at the Annual Banquet & Raffle, given by the past recipient. Lifetime Achievement Award This is the highest honor bestowed by the club. The recipient is no longer required to pay dues. Nominee must be in good standing, active in the club within the past year, an outstanding ambassador, and must continually contribute to the betterment of the club in a number of ways. Nominations can be made by any club member and must be accompanied by a written explanation supporting the nomination, received no later than December 31, 2017. Nominations must be hand delivered or emailed to the Vice President, who acts as the chairman for the Committee of the Whole (the past recipients of the award are collectively called the Committee of the Whole). The Chairman will collect the nominations and send to the Committee of the Whole for a vote. Committee members will vote on nominees and send to the Chairman, who will tally the votes. An award plaque will be ordered, and the Treasurer will procure a $200 award. Recipient will receive the award at the Annual Banquet & Raffle, given by the past recipient. These are prestigious awards and not taken lightly. The club should be proud of the recipients and their many contributions to the club. Each nominee is given careful consideration. If you would like to make a nomination, please shoot me an email or hand me a sealed envelope at the December 14 general meeting. The nomination should state the award, the nominee s name, and a detailed explanation of why you believe the nominee is deserving, and must be received no later than December 31, 2017. Brad Norgaard, Vice President, vp@azflycasters.com 5
Membership Dues David Mayl, Membership Chair It is that time again. Your 2018 membership dues still just $35 for a family membership are due January 1, 2018. If you renew at the December 14 meeting or online by December 31, 2017, you will receive 5 free entries for a special raffle held at the Annual Banquet and Raffle. If you are a new member, you also will receive 5 free entries, plus a box of flies. Here are just a few of the great reasons to renew your membership or join the club: Club-sponsored outings throughout the year including two outings to the San Juan River Monthly education classes Casting classes in the fall, winter, and spring Winter and fall fly tying series Monthly meetings featuring guest fly fishing professionals from around the country Monthly raffle Annual Banquet & Raffle Social interaction with like-minded anglers So join now! Just click above to renew your membership and get your free raffle tickets. Happy Holidays! 6
Board Members Jim Rondoni President 623-363-3368 president@azflycasters.com Brad Norgaard Vice President 602-670-9582 vp@azflycasters.com Alan Davis Secretary 925-785-5583 secretary@azflycasters.com Don Mickus Treasurer/NAU Scholarship 602-920-2350 treasurer@azflycasters.com John Doss Comm./Social Media Chair 623-229-8335 info@azflycasters.com John Doss Programs Chair 623-229-8335 speakers@azflycasters.com Barb and Brian Fayle Hospitality Co-Chairs 602-923-7870 hospitality@azflycasters.com Paul Finell Badges Chair 602-741-6563 badges@ azflycasters.com Chuck Howey Technology Chair 602-866-9495 it@azflycasters.com OPEN Raffle Chair raffle@azflycasters.com Norm Johnson Project Healing Waters 602-993-6524 phxphwff@azflycasters.com OPEN Outings Chair 602-620-2614 outings@azflycasters.com David Mayl Membership Chair 480-236-6757 membership@azflycasters.com Craig Mernitz Fundraising Chair 602-739-2385 Ron Robinson Education Chair 602-867-8820 education@azflycasters.com Ben Sheridan Special Events Chair and specialevents@azflycasters.com Youth Activities Chair 480-223-7815 youth@azflycasters.com Bob Sickles Librarian 602-953-3761 librarian@azflycasters.com Greg Stock IFFF Representative 623-824-6286 IFFF@azflycasters.com OPEN Conservation Chair conservation@azflycasters.com Toni Wallis Merchandise Chair 623-979-2465 merchandise@azflycasters.com Steve Nemecek Newsletter Editor 602-264-9224 newsletter@azflycasters.com AFC Board Elections December 14 General Meeting Jim Rondoni, President The December 14 general meeting is one of great significance. Our annual board elections will be held. Per our Bylaws, I am required to list the names of all members who are up for election or re-election. Existing directors up for re-election are: Chuck Howey Norm Johnson Brad Norgaard Ron Robinson Jim Rondoni Ben Sheridan Each of these individuals must be re-elected at the December 14 general meeting in order to serve on the board. We also will accept nominations from the floor. Please be there to cast your votes. We also have openings to fill: Conservation Chair, Outings Chair, and Raffle Chair. If you would like to fill a position, contact me or any board member. Serving on the board is a great way to help shape the future of our club. Thanks, Jim 7
Your Flyfishing Specialists Serving Arizona since 1981 Guide Service Schools Lessons www.azflyfishing.com SPORTING TRADITIONS SINCE 1856 The ORVIS Company 2011 East Camelback Road, Suite C10 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 TEL. 602.626.7558 A Celebration of the Sporting Life Specializing in Flyfishing & Wingshooting 10050 North Scottsdale Rd. Suite 101 Scottsdale, AZ 85253 8
Arizona Flycasters Club P.O. Box 47357 Phoenix, AZ 85068-7357 Arizona Flycasters Club general meetings are held at 7:00 PM on the second Thursday of every month at the Sunnyslope Community Center. The Annual Banquet and Raffle is held in February or March. Watch for further details. The Arizona Flycasters Club newsletter is published by the Arizona Flycasters Club and is distributed to its members and advertisers. Opinions expressed in the newsletter are not necessarily those of the club. Advertisements are placed as a means of conveying the message of the advertisers. The Arizona Flycasters Club does not necessarily endorse the advertiser s products or services. Arizona Flycasters Club P.O. Box 47357 Phoenix, AZ 85068-7357 http://www.azflycasters.org Next General Meeting: AFC Christmas Extravaganza Cinda Howard- Fly Fishing the Lakes and Streams of the White Mountains Thursday December 14, 2017 7:00 PM This space reserved for your name and address. 9