CALIFORNIA FLY FISHERS UNLIMITED SACRAMENTO’S OLDEST FLY FISHING CLUB SINCE 1962 April 2015 WWW.CFFU.ORG CASTING NEWS FROM LAURIE BANKS At the General Meetings, you may have noticed the colorful pins some members wear on their clothing. These are the President’s Pins. Each year, the president gives one to every club member who helps make CFFU an amazing club, or actively helps with club sponsored conservation, education or community service projects. For those members who have too many pins to wear, and have their collection stored at home, you have my sincere admiration. If you don’t have this year’s pin, I encourage you to earn one. You might help our club prosper by serving as a director, officer, committee member or fishmeister. You could help boy scouts earn their fly fishing merit badges, participate in community fishing derbies, help clean a stretch of the American River Parkway, deliver salmon or steelhead eggs for the Fish in the Classroom Program, or participate in a conservation project. Check your emails and the webpage for more information on upcoming events. The second pin is harder to find. It’s called The Coachman. Ask any new fly fisher and they will remind you how complex a sport fly fishing is; learning to cast, choosing and tying flies, entomology, learning knots and fishing techniques. With this in mind, the Coachman Program was founded by Mike Monroe, Forrest Oldham and Terry Thomas in 1983. The purpose was to help new fly fishers gain fly fishing fundamentals. Tech Thursday classes were designed to help members gain a degree of mastery in all the various facets of the sport. When a member can demonstrate proficiency, he or she is awarded the Coachman Pin. Participating in the Coachman program will challenge and push you to become a well-rounded fly fisher. For more info check out the CFFU website under classes/ coachman requirements, or talk with Sam Yee, our Coachman Award director. I hope many of you will be recognized for your efforts by earning these two awards this year. I know each is only an inexpensive pin, but it is symbolic of so much more. It’s the pride we feel when assess our personal growth and accomplishments as fly fishers and stewards of our waters. It’s the gratification we experience knowing we contributed to educating youth and helping our community. It’s the friendships that we cultivate as we work to earn these pins. All these things are priceless. Laurie Banks APRIL 7TH SPEAKER Our April Speaker is renowned fly fisher and world class photographer John Sherman. He will be presenting his slide show “Fly Fishing for Delta Bass” which will visually take us through the Delta, targeting the various black bass species including largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. John is the Simms Co. sales rep for California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. He resides in Discovery Bay and regularly fishes the California Delta. In 2010 he teamed with Captain Mike Costello to produce the definitive book “Fly Fishing the California Delta”. His photographs really capture the Delta in a way that only a fisherman’s eye can see! His work has appeared in virtually every outdoor publication and we’re very fortunate to have him as a speaker. You won’t want to miss this one! Ken Giesser CFFU Programs Director FLY TYING DEMO NAME BADGE DRAWING by Rich Wilson Each month we will be drawing for a $30.00 gift certificate to be redeemed at one of the 3 fly shops in our area. Each month the $30.00 gift certificate will be from a different fly shop in rotation. To qualify for the name badge drawing a member MUST be wearing his or her CFFU engraved name badge. Each member will receive one ticket for wearing his or her engraved badge. At the end of the meeting one ticket will be drawn for the gift certificate. You must be present at the time of the drawing. New members will still be eligible to receive the 10% off any item at the LOGO table. Don't forget your name badge! ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 1 Come see Bob Bettati, this month’s demo tier. Bob will tie some of his favorite fly patterns. He will start tying at 6:15 pm so come early to watch him tie some of his magic at the vise. REFRESHMENTS Bev Lorens will be serving hot dogs, chips, drinks before the meeting. More info on page 11. Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. KELSEY BASS RANCH KIENE’S FLY SHOP THE FLY SHOP (REDDING) www.kelseybassranch.net/ www.kiene.com www.theflyshop.com DAVID LASS guide JAY and GLENN FAIR FLY FISHING SPECIALTIES www.jayfairflies.com www.flyfishingspecialties.com 619 West Pine St. Lodi, CA 95737 209-368-9261 10356 Donner Pass Rd. Truckee, CA 96161 530-388-8261 2654 Marconi Ave. Sacramento, CA. 916-486-9958 / 800-4000-FLY 810 Center Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080 530-529-2831 4140 Churn Creek Rd. Redding, CA 96002 800-669-0359 6360 Tupelo Drive Citrus Heights, CA. 95610 916-722-1055 PHIL WHITE guide SIX HANDS WINERY Redding, CA 530-222-3555 3515 Fair Oaks Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95864 916-776-2053 13783 Isleton Walnut Grove, CA 95690 916-776-2053 www.sixhandswinery.com INTERMOUNTAIN LODGING VIRGINIA LAKES RESORT CARVALHO FAMILY WINES MARK KAESEMEYER guide P.O. Box 273 Mt. Shasta, CA 530-926-9851 www.coldcreekinn.com HC 62 BOX 1065 Bridgeport, CA. 93517-9602 760-647-6484 www.virginialakesresort.com 35265 Willow Ave. Clarksburg, CA. 95612 916-744-1625 www.carvalhowines.com Special thanks to A special thanks to Joe and Barbara Bania Beth Bittner Roberts For their generous donation. For a generous donation. ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 2 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. FROM THE PAST MARK YOUR CALENDARS FROM THE PAST, California Fly Fishermen Unlimited, On The Fly, April 6th CFFU Board meeting at 6:30 pm April 7th CFFU General meeting at 7:00 pm “OTTER Reports – August 23rd- East Fork of the Carson River” April 16th Tech Thursday at 6:30 pm. “Bill Ozawa, Brian Sonner, Jim Kelly, Rich Trimble and Robert Rountree fished the East Fork of the Carson River. They left Placerville shortly after 6 a.m. arriving about two hours later. Bill and Robert fished at the bridge downstream. Bill caught a 15-16 inch rainbow right off the bat using a Griffith’s Gnat. Then later he landed another nice fish, and three smaller trout, about 7-10 inches each. Brian caught one fish by the gauging station. Jim and Rich caught fish too, but didn’t get a report on how they did. Robert didn’t have any luck, but he had several bites. Bill stated: “All my fish were caught on Griffith’s Gnats, but I did get one take on a #14 caddis, lost that one. Looked like a pretty good fish”.” April 25th Deadline for article submission to newsletter April 6th CFFU Board meeting at 6:30 pm April 7th CFFU General meeting at 7:00 pm April 18th Arcade Creek clean-up at 8:30 am (see page 4) April 25th Deadline for article submission to newsletter April 29th Monthly Social at 6:30 pm May 13th New members meeting 10 YEARS AGO – October 2005, Issue #512, page 3, PRE-MEETING CASTING by Sam Yee TECH THURSDAY California Fly Fishers Unlimited offers a series of programs each month on the "technical" aspects of fly fishing. The program covers fly fishing topics, ranging from beginning fly casting and introductory fly tying, to more advanced topics such as rod building, tying Atlantic Salmon patterns, and spey casting. Let Carl know if there are any subjects you would like to see... or to teach! Tech Thursday’s are held on the third Thursday of the month at the Northminster Church, 3235 Pope Avenue, Sacramento, CA NEW MEMBERS MEETING Free Fly Casting Instruction before the monthly meeting from 6 5:30 until the meeting starts by Ken Giesser, Forrest Oldham, & Sam Yee, FFF Certified Casting Instructor. Just bring your favorite fly rod and a brightly colored floating line. Some loaner fly rods will be available but please be careful with them since they belong to the casting volunteers and not the club. Don't be shy, just ask for some help, there is usually others who are at the same stage of learning. Beginning Fly Casting to Advanced, casting in the wind, improve your roll casting, get more distance, be more accurate plus single hand switch & spey casting. This month (April 7th) there will be a casting contest consisting of: New members are encouraged to attend one of the quarterly meetings held at the Northminster Church, 3235 Pope Avenue, Sacramento, CA. The next meeting will be May 13th. Here you can meet other new members, ask questions, receive contact information and possibly find a fishing buddy. President Laurie Banks and Membership Director Rich Wilson supervise these meetings and will help you get the most out of your club. You will also receive a certificate for 6 free flies from local fly fishing shops. Farthest roll cast Farthest non-double haul cast FREE FLY DRAWING Bring a Fly to the monthly meeting and have a chance to win. Drop the fly in the cup at Rich Wilson’s desk and receive a ticket. At the end of the evening, a ticket is drawn and the winner gets all of the fly’s in the cup. WHO’S WHO IN CFFU OFFICERS NAME President President Elect Past President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President Secretary Treasurer DIRECTORS Laurie Banks 2015 916-972-8537/ [email protected] Dave Lentz 2015 Bob Effa, 2015 916-443-4968/ [email protected] Chuck Honeycutt 2015 916-203-6092/[email protected] Craig McCulloch 2015 916-456-2482/[email protected] Phil Shipley 2015 916-383-3453/[email protected] Jim Berdan, 2009 thru 2015 916-448-3125/ [email protected] NAME PHONE NUMBER/ EMAIL ADDRESS Conservation Policy Dir. PHONE NUMBER/E-MAIL ADDRESS Keith Pfeifer 2015 COMMITTEES 530-753-7920/[email protected] Conservation Programs Dir. Bill Felts 2014 -2015 916-768-0658/ [email protected] Membership Director Richard Wilson, 2006 thru 2015 916-364-7545/ [email protected] Outings Director Rich Kendall 2015 916-277-4388/[email protected] Programs Director Ken Giesser 2014-2015 916-685-3125/ [email protected] Public Relations Director Jim Walker 2015 916-536-9049/[email protected] Tech Services Director Carl Lang, 2007 thru 2015 COMMITTEES NAME 916-967-2126/ [email protected] PHONE NUMBER/ EMAIL ADDRESS NAME PHONE NUMBER/ EMAIL ADDRESS Coachman Award Sam Yee, 2007 thru 2015 916-505-7722/ [email protected] Fly Tiers Exchange Don Wallace, 2012 thru 2015 916-422-8674/ [email protected] Fly Tying Demo John Daniels, 2011 thru 2015 530-750-3511/ [email protected] Fish Derby Tim Au-Young, 1999 thru 2015 916-688-3529/ [email protected] Fish in the Classroom Brandie Herron, 2010 thru 2015 916-364-7545/ [email protected] Howe Park Fish Derby vacant Library Jim Kelley, 2008 thru 2015 List Serve Meister Gregory Shaffer, 1999 thru 2015 530-271-5556/ [email protected] 916-725-4101/ [email protected] Logo Sales Glenn Yee, 2008 thru 2015 916-421-6922/ [email protected] Mentoring Andy Penn, 2014-2015 916-687-6799/ [email protected] NCCIFFF Rep. Jim Berdan, 2013-2015 New Members Laurie Bank 2015 916-709-1309/[email protected] Newsletter Editor Chris Weiland 2010 thru 2015 916-691-2873/ [email protected] 916-448-3125/ [email protected] Refreshments Beverly Lorens 916-283-6773/[email protected] SARA Rep. John Barris, 2012 thru 2015 916-524-5634/ [email protected] 916-689-1885/ [email protected] Annual BBQ vacant Sergeant At Arms Larry Coulter, 2007 thru 2015 Annual Dinner vacant Sportsmen’s Expo Richard Wilson, 2006 thru 2015 916-364-7545/ [email protected] Audio Visual Tech Arthur Herron, 2010 thru 2015 916-364-7545/ [email protected] Web Master Phoebe Larne, 2001 thru 2015 916-961-1462/ [email protected] Bittner Scholarship Bill Felts, 2010 thru 2015 916-768-0658/ [email protected] Youth Programs Gary Howard, 2000 thru 2015 916-383-1221/ [email protected] ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 3 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. MARCH 3RD SPEAKER REPORT On March 3rd, we were treated to an outstanding program from Andrew Harris that featured fly fishing the Lower Sacramento River without an indicator! This phenomenal stretch of water from Redding to Red Bluff is typically floated by boat and fished deep with nymphs, split shot and a “bobber”, but Andrew showed us a few new tricks. He opened our eyes to the possibility of fishing this river like we would any other western tailwater. Some of the methods he suggested were high sticking, side drifting, dry flies, dry/droppers, Tenkara, traditional swinging and throwing streamers with light spey rods. He then broke the river down according to water type and depth and told us what to look for when matching this to our preferred method of fishing. He went over access points for the wading angler including River Trail, Caldwell Park, Posse Grounds, Park Marina Drive, Girvan Drive, Knighton Road, Anderson River Park (my personal favorite), and Balls Ferry. He even included information on hatches and corresponding artificial flies to match. This was a terrific program, loaded with great information from a true professional! Many questions were asked and answered and we all left with a little better understanding of the Lower Sac. Thanks Andrew. Ken Giesser, CFFU Programs Director APRIL 29TH MONTHLY SOCIAL Jeff Howard recently attended a symposium on the Yuba River sponsored by Lance Gray. He would like to share some of the ideas for building two six foot adjustable nymphing set-ups that he learned. These are used for rivers or streams where depths vary significantly. Tying the leaders will take about ½ hour, so we will also have plenty of time to eat, drink and socialize. You are welcome to just watch, or if you would like to practice the techniques please bring a nail knot tool and a thing-a-ma-bobber. Jeff will bring the other materials we will need which include leader material, swivels and running line. Each of us will be tying three nail knots plus two duncan loop knots. If you plan on making your leaders, and are unfamiliar with these knots, you may want to learn them before the class. The class will begin at 6:30 pm. If you can bring food or drink (even adult beverages) to share it would be much appreciated!! Remember to wear your name badge if you have one. Don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me if you have any questions. Hope to see you on the 29th! Laurie Banks (916) 709-1309 Directions: The East Ranch Clubhouse is part of a condominium complex. The address is 150 East Ranch Road. It is located near Highway 50, off the Howe exit. The nearest cross streets are American River Drive and Munroe. East Ranch Road doesn’t have a street sign but a low stone monument in a flower bed. There are two entrances; the clubhouse is by the southern one. Power lines straddle this entrance providing a great landmark. As you turn on to East Ranch Road you will notice eight parking spots on the right hand side. (If these are full you can park on either side of the street). Directly in front of the parking spaces you will see the wrought iron fence surrounding the pool. The clubhouse is attached to the swimming pool. CREEK CLEAN-UP APRIL 18TH CFFU, Let’s Clean-up Arcade Creek! CFFU club members, it’s time to clean Arcade Creek! This year, the date is Saturday, April 18th and the location, as always is Del Paso Park on Auburn Blvd. The Park meeting place is east of Watt Avenue and just west of the confluence of Auburn Blvd and Winding Way. We will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Bridge Road entrance to the Park and park free at the parking lot just inside the entrance. Please make sure you go to the Bridge Road entrance; not the Park Road entrance. After coffee and refreshments, we will have a short orientation that advises everyone of the route, the time frame, the clean-up techniques and safety procedures. The trek is a hike along both sides of the creek with each individual choosing one side to walk. We travel from our meeting place and end our walk at the Park Street entrance. It is about one mile and takes about 90 to 120 minutes. I will have trash bags and other necessities. NOTE: It is best to dress appropriately. I suggest boots for everyone and waders for the hearty souls who are not afraid to get into the creek to pick up trash. Old clothes are a must as are gloves. Bring water if you want. Rain gear, if needed, or a hat and sun protection are advisable depending on the weather. It is a good idea to bring a pick-up gadget which can be purchased at any home improvement store. This saves a lot of stooping over. And, it is a convenient device to have around the house. There are other events of interest to us on this day. But the Arcade Creek Clean-up is more fun and satisfying that you might think. Also, it is a good way to earn your Presidential Pin. Hope to see you there on Saturday the 18th. Bill Felts, Creek Week Meister ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 4 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. CONSERVATION NEWS UPDATE: FEDERAL FUNDING FOR KLAMATH DAMS REMOVAL UNLIKELY The Klamath River was once one of the great western salmon and steelhead streams. In terms of annual average flows, it is the second largest river in California. Dams, water diversion, mining, logging, overfishing and drought have contributed to the demise of this historic river. The Klamath River begins in Oregon, flowing out of Klamath Lake and ending approximately 260 miles at the Pacific Ocean in northern California. The Klamath Basin is as important for ducks, geese and other waterfowl as it is for salmon and steelhead. The Basin’s wildlife refuges, including Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as the nation’s first waterfowl refuge) are home to approximately 80% of the Pacific Flyway waterfowl in Fall and Spring during their annual migrations. The first of five dams was built on the Klamath in 1918, setting the stage for decades of fighting between ranchers, farmers, native tribes, commercial and sport fisherman, and environmental activists over rights to the river and its water. These dams, including J.C. Boyle, Copco No.1 and 2, Fall Creek and Iron Gate, were part of PacifiCorp’s extensive Klamath Hydroelectric Project which was built from 1903 to 1962 in southern Oregon and California’s Siskiyou county. In 2000, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) re-licensing process was initiated for PacifiCorp’s Klamath River Project. In 2001, a severe drought hit this region forcing the U.S. Interior Department to cut off water to farmers in mid-season and increase flows for salmon and steelhead migrations as required under the Endangered Species Protection Act. Farmers were not happy, and the following year convinced Vice President Dick Cheney to order the Interior Department to provide water to the farmers, regardless of river conditions. The result of insufficient water for the salmon migration was devastating. In September 2002, tens of thousands of salmon washed up on shores of the lower river. It was the biggest adult salmon die-off in the history of the Western United States, leading to the eventual closure of the commercial salmon season four years later along 700 miles of the northern Pacific coast. In 2004 PacifiCorp submitted its application to the FERC for a new 50 year license. Hostilities between the various polarized groups continued into 2005 when, surprisingly, representatives of farmers, ranchers, commercial fisherman, environmentalists and the five native tribes began to talk about potential solutions to their problems. In 2007, as part of the dam re-licensing process, the FERC ruled that the four hydroelectric dams would have to include new fish ladders in order to receive renewal approval. Fish ladder installation was estimated to cost $150 million more than removing the dams. PacifiCorp was owned by a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, owned by financier, Warren Buffet, and although PacifiCorp had no interest in removing the dams, the decision came down to pure economics (and public relations) for Mr. Buffet…the dams would be removed. In 2010, PacifiCorp entered into settlement discussions with a diverse group of 40 stakeholders, including Federal agencies, the States of California and Oregon, Native American tribes, counties, irrigators, farmers, ranchers, environmentalists and fishing groups. Two significant documents resulted from these negotiations. The landmark Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) laid out a plan for the river’s recovery including: the farmers would give up some of their irrigation water in return for guaranteed smaller diversions; the river would be rehabilitated; salmon would be re-introduced in the upper river; and the dams would be removed. The Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) was a companion document and spelled out the process to transfer, decommission and remove the dams in 2020. It also included provisions for operation of the dams and interim measures that PacifiCorp would implement in order to improve water quality and fish habitat, to support and improved fish hatchery operations, and to, in general, benefit environmental resources in the Klamath Basin prior to dam(s) removal. These agreements were finalized in February 2010. It should be noted that not all groups involved in this process were in complete agreement with the compromises that were necessary to finalize these documents. In 2013, the Department of the Interior released a Final Klamath Facilities Removal Impact Statement (Final EIS). The Final EIS stated that full removal of all four PacifiCorp dams was the preferred process to achieve a free flowing river and other stated goals and objectives in the KBRA and the KHSA. In order to proceed, Congressional action was necessary to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to remove the dams. In March 2014, the Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Agreement (UKBCA) was approved by a majority of stakeholders involved for many years in the negotiations to restore the Klamath River. The UKBCA incorporated aspects of the two previous 2010 documents, the KBRA and the KHSA, but went further to clarify the water rights dispute between the tribes and the ranchers. An adjudication panel awarded senior water rights to three Oregon tribes with the ranchers being assured they will receive enough water to operate under most climatic conditions. Also, Pacificorp agreed to levy a small utility charge toward removing the four dams by 2020. This document became the basis for forthcoming Federal legislation. In May 2014, Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, and Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer of California, introduced legislation to implement the revised Klamath River agreement (UKBCA) and to begin removal of the four PacifiCorp dams. This would be the largest, and likely most significant, dam removal project in United States history. Senate Bill 2379, the Klamath Basin Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act, is asking Congress to approve $250 million for this project to increase salmon and steelhead spawning habitat by an estimated 80%. On June 4, 2014, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held an initial hearing on SB-2379. As of March 2015, SB-2379 remains “in committee”, and according to GovTrack.us, has only an 18% chance of moving out of committee, and, even more unfortunate, a 5% chance of ever being enacted. It is truly sad and extremely disappointing that after all the work, over 15 years leading to this final step to protect the beautiful Klamath River, may be in vain. Keith Pfeifer Director for Conservation Policy ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 5 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. FLY TIERS EXCHANGE by Don Wallace Photo’s by James Simon Dell Clark tied a Griffith’s Gnat on a TMC 100 size 24 hook using black 8/0 thread. The body is peacock herl and the hackle is grizzly. Michael Roberts tied a Zebra midge on a Tiemco 2487 size 18-24 hook using black UTC 70 thread. The head is a clear glass midge bead. The rib is small silver wire. Comments: The Zebra Midge is one of the most effective midge patterns out there. It is so simple, but still very effective. The Zebra Midge is tied in red and black. The pattern is also always has a bead. You can use a clear glass bead, silver tungsten bead or a silver brass bead, Such a great little fly! Tim Landrus tied a Green Rockworm on a scud or 1XL-2XL nymph hook size 12-16 using brown or black thread. The underbody is silver tinsel. The abdomen is olive brown vinyl tubing and the thorax is olive brown antron dubbing. The head is a black metal bead. Jim Wright tied a Black AP using a Daiichi 1150 size 10 hook. The head is a silver bead. The abdomen is black hole tinsel ribbed with silver wire. The thorax is black sparkle crystal dubbing brush. William Conway tied an Greenie Weenie on a TMC size 12 hook, using green 6/0 thread. The tail is loop tail with chenille. The body is olive chenille. Comments: Wrap the hook with thread tine in the olive chenille, make a loop for the tail and wrap tightly forward and tie off at the hook eye. It is supposed to mimic an inch worm. The Demo Fly tied by Michael Roberts was a Mercury Blood Midge. It was tied on a Tiemco 200R size 18-22 hook using red UTC 70 thread. The head is a clear glass midge bead. The body is red UTC 70 thread ribbed with small copper wire. The thorax is peacock herl. Comments: The Mercury Blood Midge is an incredibly effective midge, used primarily in technical tailwaters in the west. The Mercury Blood Midge is best tied slim and sparse. It can also be tied without the bead. It is best fished under an indicator and nymphed through deep runs the fly is a great spring and late fall fly pattern. FLY TIERS EXCHANGE UPDATE We are going to be changing the monthly exchange a bit for the rest of the year. The process will be the same: bring 12 flies, whatever pattern you like, and get 12 back from the other participants. All submissions along with their recipes will be featured in the monthly newsletter, thus allowing you to bask in the adulation of your fellow club members. This is an excellent way for new tiers to force themselves to practice, and a great means for seasoned tiers to practice new patterns. What will change is this, instead of a monthly drawing, there will be a single drawing at the end of the year during the December meeting for a $100 gift certificate to one of the area fly shops (which one is up for negotiation right now). Each time you participate in the exchange, you will get to add one ticket to the final drawing. So if you participated in all the remaining months of 2015, you will have 9 chances to win the grand prize --and I am here to tell you that 100 smackeroos will buy a LOT of dubbing. Fly Tier’s Exchange Gift Certificate Award To be part of the Fly Tier's Exchange, just tie 12 flies, turn them in to the exchange at the beginning of the meeting, and the exchange will distribute the participants flies to one another. You do not get your contribution back; you get everyone else's work! Your pattern can be of different sizes, but generally the flies are all the same pattern, the same size. Give it a try! Everyone who ties a dozen or more flies and donates them to the Fly Exchange, or to the club to support any club program, will have their name entered into a drawing. The winner of this drawing will receive a gift certificate for $25 to the American Fly Fishing Company. CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST MONTHS WINNER ! William Conway Drop me a line if there are any questions. John E. Daniels ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 6 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. FLY OF THE MONTH Herl Nymph Tied and photographed by: Dell Clark This pattern comes from the book “EFFECTIVE LAKE FLIES” by Mike Andreasen and Allan Ryther, ALLAMI Publications, West Jordan, Utah. The authors state, “The Herl Nymph is one of those flies that is representative of many things. It has been great in the high alpine lakes of the West but should do well most any place. On smaller regular length hooks, it can be a midge or mico caddis and on longer hooks, it could suggest caddis, damsel, mayfly or dragonfly larvae. It’s a basic that can be very productive.” MATERIALS: Hook: TMC 2302, 2x long, size 14 (you can use size 10 - 18, regular to 3x long) Rib: Fine copper wire (copper, gold or silver can be used) Body: Peacock herl Hackle: Black hackle fibers, tied beard style Head: Black ostrich herl Step 1 Step 1) Secure the hook in the vice and lay a thread foundation over the shank and tie in the fine ribbing wire. Step 2 Step 2) Tie in several peacock herls and wind them forward about 3/4 the hook shank length. Step 3 Step 3) Reverse wrap the fine ribbing wire through the peacock herl, about 3 to 4 wraps. Step 4 Step 4) Tie in the hackle fibers beard style. They should extend to about the bend of the hook. Step 5 Step 5) : Tie in the ostrich herl and make about three wraps. Tie off the herl, whip finish and add head cement to finish the HERL NYMPH. ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 7 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. FOR DETAILS ON A PARTICULAR OUTING, PLEASE CONTACT THE FISHMEISTER OR ASST. FISHMEISTER April 10-12 Pyramid Lake, NV Fishmeister: John Daniels Asst. Fishmeister:open April 25-26 Feather River Drift Boat Fishmeister: Valerie Adams Asst. Fishmeister: open May 1-2 Lower Sacramento River Fishmeister: Bo Nishimura Asst. Fishmeister: open May 1-3 Pyramid Lake, NV Fishmeister: Meloney Welborn Asst. Fishmeister: open May 23 Yuba River Fishmeister: Jeff Howard Asst. Fishmeister: open June 6-7 Davis Lake Fishmeister: Gene Goss Asst. Fishmeister: open June 12-14 Eagle Lake Fishmeister: Dennis May Asst. Fishmeister: open PYRAMID LAKE OUTING APRIL 10th-12th Nestled in a desert valley northeast of Reno and fed by the Truckee River is Pyramid Lake, home of the Lahontan Cutthroat. During the spring, the fish are always in the shallows in large schools searching for food. While the numbers are not what they used to be, you still have a better than average chance of catching a good number of fish in the 20-28” range…and there are also 20# leviathans (and bigger) cruising the shore these days. The outing will be April 10-12, 2015, although some go up earlier and some stay later. Looks like most will be staying in town, and a meeting place for breakfast in Sparks will be announced later, along with a meeting place for Saturday. There is a lot of coastline to fish and almost all of it will produce. If you miss the meeting time, then cruising the beaches with an FRS walkie talkie tuned to the club frequency/code (10-4) is your best way of finding folks, because there will be members from Warrior's to Lone Tree, and many points in between. Cell phones do not always function at Pyramid, so having a radio is a must and expect no sympathy from the fishmeister if you show up without one. If you are going up earlier and do not know the area, let me know, and I can see if I can hook you up with someone else. To fish Pyramid, you need a bit heavier rig than usual. The typical setup is an 8 weight with a shooting head. This could be either a traditional running line & head combination (floating or sinking running line with Type 3 & Type 6 heads, sometimes heavier), or an integrated line with a 200+ grain head (5-6 ips sink rate), and straight 10-12# leader (Teeny 200 or Rio Outbound Short). You can get away with a lighter rig, but if the wind comes up, and it often does, you will have problems. Typical flies used are Woolly Buggers and Woolly Worms, size 4-8, HEAVILY hackled (colors: black, olive, chartreuse, white, purple, yellow, blue, etc.) on a straight 10-12# leader. Pyramid Beetles and Tadpoles in white/chartreuse and black/chartreuse are also a good idea. Indicator fishing can also be effective, so you may also want to bring a 6-7 weight, bobbers and a selection of flies. For flies, #12-10 nymphs work well, and local favorites include: Flashback Pheasant Tail, Copper John, Mahalo Nymph, Mahalo Midge, and chironomid patterns. Typically, 8# tippet is as light as you want to go when indicator fishing, with some recommending 10# these days. You will need waders and boots and enough clothes to cover every eventuality because the conditions at Pyramid can range from shirt-sleeve weather to sleet and snow. You will also need a fishing permit, which you can either get online, most sporting goods shops in town, and Crosby’s, a map, and if you plan on driving on the beaches a 4WD is REQUIRED (and a 4WD can still get stuck, so use caution). Ladders are optional and unnecessary I would argue, and float tubers MUST have their liability waivers and life insurance up to date. Attendees will be responsible for their own lodging, food, and debts at the casinos. A sign-up sheet will be available at the next general meeting. John Daniels FEATHER RIVER DRIFT BOAT OUTING APRIL 25TH-26TH Our new outings director asked me to put together a club outing. We will be drifting the Feather River April 25th and 26th (Sat & Sun) for steelhead. This is prime time on the Feather for steelhead. You will be fishing two people to a boat with a guide. The guides provide everything (lunch, flies, tippet, and even a rod if needed). You will also get to learn different access points to wade fish in the future along with how to cast and mend flies and fight big fish. Fishing with a guide helps shorten the learning curve too. We will be using independent guides for this float. Fishing will mostly be indicator fishing but there is a chance to catch steelhead on dry flies too. The rod of choice is a 6wt rod with floating line. The cost is $225 per person or $450 for the boat. I can match you with a boat partner if you do not have one. Beginners are also encouraged to join the trip as you'll learn a ton while hooking steelhead. If interested, please email with your date preference or let me know if either date is ok. I will also need a check payable to "Ron Speroni". You can mail to my office at : Valerie Adams ,7932 Sunset Ave, #G, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 Again, checks are payable to Ron Speroni, not myself but mail to address above. Please let me know if any questions. Thank you, Valerie Adams, 916-961-3436 wk ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 8 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. LOWER SACRAMENTO RIVER OUTING MAY 1ST- 2ND WHEN: Friday – May 1 and/or Saturday – May 2 for a Guided Drift Boat trip on the Lower Sacramento River (or possibly other nearby rivers/streams/lakes). TRIP DETAILS: This year the Club will once again have a spring outing for the Lower Sac. Dates are Friday May 1st, and/or Saturday, May 2nd. We also have flexibility to choose other nearby rivers or lakes with advance notice. Our trip cost has been grandfathered to last season’s rate, meaning that a full day trip is still $340, a savings of almost 25 percent off the current $450 daily rate. Also, there is an option to do a half day trip, again at a 2014 grandfathered cost of around $250 per boat/guide (should be in this price range but we are finalizing negotiations) which is almost a hundred dollars off the current rate. Half day offerings are only available to people who already paired up. We've arranged guide services through the Fly Shop and have selected highly experienced guides not only on their ability to put people on fish, but also their skills in teaching people how to fish specific waters, hopefully ensuring increased knowledge when we venture out on our own. Car shuttles are not included in the price of the trip. Guides will typically ask you to help them run a shuttle at the start of the trip, using your vehicle to follow them as they shuttle their trucks/trailers to the takeout point. If you won’t have a vehicle, or if you’d prefer to not help with the shuttle, please let me know as soon as possible. It is possible to arrange private shuttle services at additional cost. Gratuity is customary, and much appreciated. 15% of the trip cost is average (Note: the regular cost of one of these trips is $450). COST: Full Day; $340 per Guide/ Boat for full day; estimated $250 per Guide/Boat for half-day. $170 per person (2 per boat) full day; estimated $125 per person half day. Note: Additional Costs on the day of the trip may include items such as flies & terminal tackle (approx. $10-$30) and any gratuity. WHERE: The Fly Shop, 4140 Churn Creek Road, Redding, CA. SIGN UP AND PAYMENT: Though we should be able to add additional boats/guides if necessary, getting signed up and paid for early will secure your participation. You can pay with a check for $170 per each day per person, made payable to “the Fly Shop”. You can also pay via credit card directly to the Fly Shop though you may be subject to a 10 dollar processing charge. If you have questions or require further information, please e-mail me at [email protected] Please indicate which day you're interested in, and if you already have someone you'd like to fish with so we can make sure you're paired up when guides are assigned. RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: 6 or 7 weight fly rods are ideal, from 9 ft to 10 ft long. Reels should have a good drag system and floating line. Bo Nishimura PYRAMID LAKE OUTING MAY 1-3 FISHMEISTER, ASSISTANT FISHMEISTER, AND CONTACT INFORMATION: Meloney Welborn 916-205-2197 [email protected] SUMMARY: Guided trip to Pyramid with ladders, breakfast and lunch and lots of help. MEETING LOCATION (MEAL AND/OR FISHING): Pyramid Lake MEETING TIME: TBA FISHING FEES: $100 for day or $175 for both days DIRECTION/MAP: TBA EQUIPMENT RECOMMENDATION: TBA MEAL INFORMATION: Great breakfast, lunch provided ADDITIONAL RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS: Grand Sierra Resort has big rooms with 2 queen beds for $75 a night Meloney Welborn ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 9 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. April 18 Lake Pardee September 19 Ice House reservoir May 16 Stumpy Meadows October 17 Lake Amador June 20 Caples/ Woods Lake November 21 Lower Yuba River July 19 Fuller Lake December 19 Lower American August 15 Sly Park When you arrive at the location, turn your radio to Channel 10-4 to contact other members to find out where they are meeting. What are SAFE outings? It’s an acronym for Sacramento Area Fishing Excursions and they are informal, no host outings at different locations each month. The purpose is to afford members an opportunity to get together and fish during the week. A valuable aspect of these outings is to help new members learn the art of fly fishing. To that end, anyone attending the outing that is willing to put on a short class should send a notice out on the list-serve so that new members know about the class. The topic of the class is entirely up to you and may include such topics as: using a float tube, rigging your fly rod, flies to use, water safety, casting from a float tube, etc. So get out there and meet new members and learn some of their tricks and techniques and make new fishing buddies. APRIL 7TH SWAP MEET Details: Set up: 5:00 PM Sales: 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM Hot Dog dinner available Note: Only fly fishing related items (equipment, gear, clothing, artwork, etc.) will be sold. No household or other items will be sold. New: Donated items to CFFU can be sold at the swap meet. All proceeds to benefit CFFU programs. Those wishing to donate items should contact John Mott, Swap Meet Fishmeister before the Swap Meet. Vendors: • Must be CFFU members. • Must pre-register via John Mott, [email protected], (916 254-6688) by Friday, April 3, 2015 to ensure a table. • Secure unsold items in vehicle before 7:00 so the meeting may begin • Unsold items may also be donated to CFFU. Contact John to make arrangements Provide the following information to pre-register: Name Ex: CFFU Member Name E-Mail Address/Phone Number Plan to sell [email protected] (916) 123-7722 Float tube, reel Pre-registration ensures table space. Sales info is used for advertising; it is not a commitment Vendors keep sales income; no sales fees for CFFU members. Swap Meet is a member benefit. Shoppers: • The Swap Meet opens at 5:00 PM. Arrive early for best selection and bring cash or checks. • Sales cease at 6:45 PM. Location: (normal meeting location) RICHARD T. CONZELMANN COMMUNITY CENTER, 2201 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. link CFFU Meeting Location See you at the Swap Meet!!!! John Mott ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 10 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. REFRESHMENT CORNER 2015 We are going to try some new food and snack items this year. Bring your quarters and bills for donation. Some new food offerings will work which we will keep; others will fade away. The refreshments are a modest money making activity for the club. They also enhance the social aspect of the Club. Donations in form of "Greenbacks" are welcomed. Also, if you enjoy baking, donated cookies have been a real nice addition with the beverages available before the meeting. Ingredients are not inexpensive (bakers are donating the ingredients and labor) so help the Club by tossing in a few quarters. For the Swap Meet before Club meeting, hot dog meal will again be offered. --"The Meal" for suggested donation of $5.00: Come early for best choice. *Choice of dinner size hot dog, or Polish dog on Hoagie Bun with sesame seeds or Evergood Fine Food Sausage with smaller hot dog bun *Choice of beverage of bottled water, soft drink, diet and regular Snapple ice tea *Chips or designated cookies or trail bar or cracker *Ice cream treat, choice of: Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich, Drumstick or Hagan Daz bar (quanties and choice will be limited- first come, first choice. ) Or Candy Bar- variety available A La Carte options: $1.00 Water or soft drink $2.00 Snapple (20 oz) $2.50 (or $3 if not exact change) Hot dog, Polish or sausage with bun $1.25 Candy bar $2.00 Hagan Daz ice cream bar, as available $1.50 (or $2 if not exact change) Drumstick or Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich $1.00 Coffee or Decafe and choice of donated baked item $0.50 Donated baked item when available. Bev Lorens INTRODUCTION TO FLY FISHING CLASS REPORT MARCH 14TH The Introduction to Fly Fishing Class was held on Saturday, March 14. Seven club members who were either new to fly fishing or wanted a review attended. Instructor Bill Montalvo showed students the correct way to put their rod together, attach their reel and leader and explained tippet and leader sizes. Jeff Howard taught them the knots they would need to attach their tippet and flies. Tim Landrus showed them a wide variety of equipment and accessories and answered all their questions. At the end of the session, participants filled out an evaluation of the class. We were pleased that they felt more confident in their skills. They also gave us great feedback to help us plan future classes. I want to thank the instructors mentioned above. Dell Clark, Howard Ross and Jim Walker offered their assistance so participants could receive one-on-one help. I’m so glad our new club members came to learn the first steps of this wonderful sport. ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 11 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. MARCH 25TH SOCIAL REPORT Hello All! Wednesday was the March Social and an unplanned amazing dinner buffet. Larry Gorman, Jim Walker, Waldo Dewitt, Sheila Cavanaugh, Keith and Betty Pfiefer, Jeff Howard, Forrest Oldham, Rich Wilson, Ken Geiser, Bev Loran, Nick Fitzgerald, Larry Coulter, Kristie Roberts, Craig Mccullough, and me Meloney showed up with lots of food! Everyone seemed to have a hankering for delicious, hot appetizers like two types of homemade meatballs that were to die for, potstickers, little tacos with chunky, spicy guacamole, cookies, fresh strawberries, wines, beers... I could go on but I'd be rooting in the fridge if I did. Ken Davis gave a class on taking photos of the fish, landscapes and lots of other subjects we'll be seeing soon with fishing trips and anywhere. Much useful instruction about taking good shots. The rule of three, image quality, what leads your eye forward, aspect ratio and lots of angles. We all talked of the new calendar we will be putting together for the club. Everyone had great ideas for this project and I think Laurie is going to let us all know how we can help. Thank you so much Ken and Laurie for all your hard work! Meloney Welborn 2015 BITTNER SCHOLARSHIP WINNER CFFU has selected Meredith Nagel of UC Davis's Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture to be the winner of the 2015 Bittner Scholarship. Her research projects includes investigating the effects of temperature and food-availability on the growth and survival of delta smelt. While there are many potential causes for the decline in delta smelt population abundances, Ms. Nagel's research focuses on changes in the Bay-Delta food web ecology and environmental parameters as potential stressors and cause for low survival of the species. The overarching goal of this research is to provide laboratory tested data to conservation managers to aid in the restoration of the Bay-Delta food webs and ecosystem health. The scholarship funds will help with the cost of running the experiments for this study. Bill Felts FIRST ANNUAL CHILI COOK OFF REPORT, MARCH 3RD 1st Annual --- CFFU Chili Cook Off Results: Last Tuesday CFFU had its first Chili Cook Off - and it was a HUGE Success! We had 10 entries plus toppings --- and I cannot say THANK YOU enough times to the 10 people who entered the chili contest. Our chili cookers really made this event possible – and the tasting was fun for all. Our chili cookers were – in no particular order: Phil McKibben, Rob Scafe, George Lazar, Christie Roberts, Chuck Parrett, Keith & Betty Pfeifer, Michael Wall, Nick Fitzgerald, Michael Wall Ken Geisser. And the title of Chili King & Chili Queen – plus a $25 gift certificate – Goes to Keith and Betty Pfeifer - for their No Beans Firehouse Chili --- which was crock pot #4. Chuck Honeycutt Keith and Betty Pfeifer crowned King and Queen. CREATE A FLY CONTEST REPORT, MARCH 3RD The first “Create a Fly” contest was a big success. There were eight entries. Everyone got into the spirit of the “St. Patrick’s Day.” All the flies reflected that theme, as can be seen in their names as listed below. Members voted for their favorite. There was a tie between Jeff Howard’s “St. Patty’s Spey” and Jim Berdan’s “Fiddler’s Green.” Jeff won with the luck of the draw of his number from the Fly Tying Exchange box. Thanks to all who participated. The contestants and their flies were: Laurie Banks tied the St. Patty’s Bad Hair Day Wayne Chubb tied the Patricia Eileen Jeff Howard tied the St. Patty’s Spey Dell Clark tied the Double Shamrock Lucky Royal Renegade Phil McKibbin tied the Woodybugger Forrest Oldham tied the Fighting Irish Jim Berdan tied the Fiddler’s Green John Coldiron tied the Blarney Stone ON THE FLY— April 2015 St. Patty’s Spey by Jeff Howard Page 12 Fiddler’s Green by Jim Berdan Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. WHY I JOINED A FLY FISHING CLUB By Sheila Cavanagh The first thing that comes to mind when answering that question is: to learn more ways to catch fish. Then the big picture sets in – there’s more to my answer than that. I also wanted to find ways to spend more time outdoors and to fish with people who have common interests to mine. I have been a bait fisher most of my life. I started fishing when I was in grade school. We lived in a small East Coast town that had a ‘river running through it’. I would meet my dad at the Steam Boat Dock after school and toss in a line. When I moved from New Jersey to California I wanted to get back to doing what I enjoyed most. What relaxes me more than anything else is fishing. The lakes and rivers in Northern California proved not to be as friendly to me as the Navesink River was and I didn’t catch as many fish. At my stage in life, and with the changes in the world today, I became more and more apprehensive about going to the lakes and rivers alone but I was looking for a way to spend more time outdoors. When I ran into the California Fly Fishers Unlimited (CFFU) booth at the California Sports Expo, I was immediately greeted with a welcoming smile. I had never done any fly fishing before and had lots of questions. They were very helpful and knowledgeable at answering all my questions. I became more and more intrigued about fly fishing. I was especially glad to know that there were women in the club and even had a woman President. I was happy to hear that they had regular outings and went fishing as a group. I had to check this out! I first attended the Social in February. I felt so very welcomed by everyone there. Whenever I asked a question, folks immediately jumped in to answer. I felt I could really learn how to fly fish and I was made to feel that I was not putting people out by asking so many questions. They really wanted to help. I was ‘hooked’! I wanted to join! I loved joining the CFFU Fly Fishing Club because we all have a common interest and the education never stops. There are so many opportunities to learn in this club. I’m learning new skills at every meeting and outing I attend. There is practical hands-on coaching so everyone learns together. There is always knowledge transfer from more experienced members; it’s a bit like an apprenticeship program. As a new member, I would never consider leaving the comfort zone of bait fishing without the support of the fly fishing club. Since joining the club I’ve made new friends, heard lots of fishing stories, seen new places, done new things. I’ve saved money on equipment and will save money on trips and activities. – it’s going to be great to have lots of different people to go out fishing with; and besides all that, It’s Fun! FISH IN THE CITY DERBY REPORT Thanks to all participates and volunteers for the Fish in the City Derby at Howe Park Pond. CFFU assisted in conjunction with The Fulton -El Camino Recreation & Parks Department and FEC Park Police. We had two Derbies between 8:00 to 10 am and 10:30 am to noon. The categories for winners in different age groups were for length and girth of fish caught. The categories were 5 and under, 6-10, 11-16 and 17 and up. Winners were announced at the derby. H & R block had a vendor tent passing out a grand prize raffle of fishing goodies! When limits were caught we had a few who tried their hands at tying wooly buggers! Next Year’s Derby is the 1st Saturday in March. Put it on your calendars now! Fly Tying: Laurie Banks Michael Roberts Christie Roberts Photo Opportunities: Forrest Oldham Laurie Banks Measuring and recording fish: Jeff Howard Laurie Banks Mic McPherson Sheila Cavanaugh John Daniels FLY ROD WINNER FROM 2015 ISE SHOW Buff Hendrickson and Laurie Banks present Bob Bettati with the fly rod from the raffle from the 2015 ISE Show. ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 13 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. THE FLY SHOP FLYER ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 14 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved. OTTER’S ACTIVITIES The OTTER’S (OLD TIMERS TYING, EATING and RECREATIONAL SOCIETY) generally meets weekly for lunch, fly tying and fishing. Everyone is welcome at CFFU OTTERS events. Even “working” folks who may have a day off. An e-mail is sent on the CFFU listserv before each activity; please respond if you will be attending and then just show up. Check the listserve for upcoming events and fly tying. PHOTO CREDIT THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THE NEWSLETTER: Forrest Oldham Chris Weiland Laurie Banks Rich Wilson CALIFORNIA FLY FISHERS UNLIMITED CFFU is a non-profit community organization serving Sacramento and statewide. Since its inception in 1962, the club’s objective has been to promote increased awareness and participation in the art of fly fishing, particularly among families. CFFU also promotes the enhancement and preservation of resources through conservation efforts and in-school programs. Club activities and membership participation include monthly fly fishing programs where special guest speakers provide information on angling around the world. The club also has at least one club outing a month on the water, technical fly fishing clinics and classes, and conservation projects. Meetings are held at 7:00PM on the first Tuesday of the month at Conzelmann Community Center, 2201 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. Individual annual dues are $30 per member, $45 per family, renewed in January of each year and prorated after June 30 th for those joining later, and a $10 initiation fee. Board of Directors meetings are held on the Monday preceding the regular first Tuesday meeting at the law offices of Hiroshima, Lewis and Daggett, 1420 River Park Dr., Sacramento, 95815. ON THE FLY is the official monthly newsletter of the California Fly Fishers Unlimited, P.O. Box 162997, Sacramento, CA 95816. No claim is made by the organization as to the accuracy or veracity of any information within this publication. Apologies are made in advance for all errors and offenses as none are intended. No warranties are made by CFFU on any products or services discussed in this newsletter. Submission of articles and news items is welcomed and encouraged. Preferred format is in an e-mail attachment in plain text sent to [email protected]. Pictures will only be returned upon request. Absolute Deadline for submissions – 25th OF THE MONTH [email protected] WWW.CFFU.ORG Talk about it! Window on the Fishing World SACRAMENTO, CA. 95816 P.O. BOX 162997 ON THE FLY CALIFORNIA FLY FISHERS UNLIMITED ON THE FLY— April 2015 Page 15 Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
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