CALIFORNIA FLY FISHERS UNLIMITED
SACRAMENTO’S OLDEST FLY FISHING
CLUB SINCE 1962
WWW.CFFU.ORG
June 2015
CASTING NEWS FROM LAURIE BANKS
My Greatest Fishing Lesson was Learned on a Golf Course
I was recently at Eagle Canyon Lakes with a group of club members. Last year I caught two beautiful trophy trout but this year I
got skunked. Our guide Sam said he knew how frustrating it can be when you don’t catch fish and everyone around you does. I told
him it really didn’t matter to me. It was a gorgeous day, a picturesque location and I was enjoying the company of friends. He said
he wished everyone had that attitude. He’s seen some guys get so upset they’ve come close to breaking their rods.
I know where I got my “Zen” attitude. I learned it in my early twenties on a golf course. I had taken a college golf class and I went
to a little par three with some friends to give it a try. I was averaging about nine stokes a hole (seriously… I was that bad). I could
feel my blood pressure rise with every mis-hit ball. I was so mad, I wanted to throw my club in the nearest water trap or beat it
against a tree. My friends playing in front of us were doing fine. My partner Caroline was doing worse than I was, averaging twelve
strokes a hole. I turned to grumble something about how stupid this sport was when she said, “Isn’t this fun!” I thought, “Fun??
You’ve got to be kidding me!” She continued, “It’s a beautiful day, the grounds are gorgeous and we are spending a Saturday with
friends!”
OMG! The person who had the worst score was the one having the best time! What an incredible perspective to have! I’ve long
since lost contact with Caroline but her attitude never left me.
It’s frustrating to get skunked when fly fishing, when those around you are catching. It’s not that we are competing against our
friends, or even competing against the fish; maybe we just hate to feel left out. If you’re the only one not catching it can make you
think, what’s wrong with me? If having a day of fishing, but not catching raises feelings of anger, jealousy even self-doubt, then
why would we want to continue, let alone introduce this sport to youth, breast cancer survivors and wounded veterans. Sometimes
we need to remind ourselves that catching the most or the biggest fish isn’t the most important part of fishing, it’s spending time
with friends, enjoying the magnificent scenery and wildlife surrounding our lakes and rivers, relaxing, escaping from our everyday
problems, and feeling the tie to nature as our line connects to the water. So let’s put on our “rose-colored” sunglasse when we go
fishing and enjoy every minute of this amazing sport! And keep in mind this quote from Roderick Haig-Brown (Fisherman's Spring,
1951)
"There will be days when the fishing is better than one's most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over
just staying home."
p.s. I was walking past Del Oro Racket Club this morning. A young man was smashing his tennis racket against the sidewalk. I had
to smile and thought “Maybe he should take up golf.”
Laurie Banks
JUNE 2 SPEAKER
Our June speaker is Hutch Hutchinson, the Orvis rep from Colorado. He will be presenting an outdoor
program called Casting Help For Your Buddy. If you enjoy casting a fly rod and would like to improve
your skills or just learn more about it, then plan on being here for this one! Hutch is one of the most engaging and entertaining casting instructors that you’ll ever see! He will share many casting tips with us that
we in turn will want to share with a buddy. We all have a buddy that could really use some help, right ?
For your buddy’s sake don’t miss this presentation!
It’s summer, the days are long, and we will be having this program outdoors. Be sure to bring your sunglasses.
See you on the lawn…
Ken Giesser
CFFU Programs Director
FLY TYING DEMO
Come see Bill Ozawa, this month’s demo tier. Bill will tie the ’Jay Fair Swimming Bugger’
fly pattern. He will start tying at 6:15 pm so come early to watch him tie some of his magic at
the vise.
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 1
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— June 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
10 YEARS AGO – June 2005, Issue #508, page 10,
“Annual CFFU Spring Lawn Party”
“Torrential rain fell everywhere, but not on Howard and
Donna Ross’ Annual Spring Lawn Party. There was a slight chill
and a bit of a breeze from time to time but nary a drop spoiled the
fun.
The weather forecast was very threatening, but at eight oclock in the morning Melanie Howard promised great weather and
the picnic was going to proceed, no matter what. She had purchased
the food and nothing was going to stop a good time.
Donna and Howard’s river bluff home overlooking the
Rossmore Bar of the American River has a spectacular view to the
Sierras as well as beautiful landscaping, etc. Attendees all felt like
they were living the high life. Gary and Melanie Howard, with Jeff
Howard, pr ovided a gr eat meal of bar -b-qued brisket, salads,
chili beans, home made beer (!) and home made ice cream. Fiftyfour people attended. CFFU members brought spouses, friends, and
children. Susan and Dave Sylstra brought their son-in-law and
daughter who were visiting from Sumatra, Indonesia.
Everyone had a great time and the party did not break up
until after dark. Thanks to our very generous hosts and arrangers.”
June 1st
Monthly Social 6-8 pm
June 2nd
CFFU Board meeting at 4:30 pm
June 2nd
CFFU General meeting at 7:00 pm
June 18th
Tech Thursday meeting at 6:30 pm.
June 25th
Deadline for article submission to newsletter
July 6th
CFFU Board meeting at 6:30 pm
July 7th
CFFU General meeting at 7:00 pm
July 16th
Tech Thursday meeting at 6:30 pm
July 25th
Deadline for article submission to newsletter
August 3rd
CFFU Board meeting at 6:30 pm
August 4th
CFFU General meeting at 7:00 pm
PRE-MEETING CASTING by SAM YEE
REFRESHMENTS
Bev Lorens will be serving hot dogs, chips, drinks before the meeting.
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!
Free Fly Casting Instruction before the monthly meeting from 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.
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
Annual BBQ
vacant
Annual Dinner
vacant
Audio Visual Tech
Arthur Herron, 2010 thru 2015
916-364-7545/ [email protected]
Bittner Scholarship
Bill Felts, 2010 thru 2015
916-768-0658/ [email protected]
ON THE FLY— June 2015
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
916-448-3125/ [email protected]
916-709-1309/[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Chris Weiland 2010 thru 2015
916-691-2873/ [email protected]
Refreshments
Beverly Lorens
916-283-6773/[email protected]
SARA Rep.
John Barris, 2012 thru 2015
916-524-5634/ [email protected]
Sergeant At Arms
Larry Coulter, 2007 thru 2015
916-689-1885/ [email protected]
Sportsmen’s Expo
Richard Wilson, 2006 thru 2015 916-364-7545/ [email protected]
Web Master
Phoebe Larne, 2001 thru 2015
916-961-1462/ [email protected]
Youth Programs
Gary Howard, 2000 thru 2015
916-383-1221/ [email protected]
Page 3
Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
SOCIAL MEETING MAY 21
Thanks for all the support last night (May 21) at the Entomology Tech Thursday Workshop. I always get the best questions from
CFFU members, especially Rich Wilson. We had 23 club members in attendance!
Ken Davis
SOCIAL MEETING JUNE 1
Topic- Casting On the Water with Hutch Hutchinson
When: Monday, June 1st 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: Gristmill Recreation Area (on the American River- directions below)
8:00-? Food, drinks and conversation at Brookside Restaurant and Bar- directions below
Please join us Monday, June 1st for an evening on the river. This month’s guest speaker, Hutch Hutchinson lives in Colorado. Since he will
be in the Sacramento area for his presentation at Tuesday’s General Meeting, he also volunteered to put on an on-the-water casting clinic
on Monday night. Hutch’s forte is diagnosing casting problems and helping fix the problems. Hutch will bring a variety of rods (including
spey and switch) and lines for us to try. Bring your own rod. Our club casting instructors will also be there to assist. Come just to observe
and learn, or better yet, participate!
You may also want to bring water, a chair, hat, sunglasses, and sun block. After our evening on the river, join us for food and drink at
Brookside Restaurant and Bar.
Directions to Gristmill Recreation Area, Mir a Del Rio Dr ., Sacr amento
From Folsom Blvd. turn north onto Butterfield Way. (Butterfield Way is between Watt and Bradshaw). Take the 1st right onto Stoughton
Way. Stoughton Way will end at Mira Del Rio. When you are at that stop sign look across the street, one house to the left, and you will see
the entrance to Gristmill. (The area is residential. The entrance to the park almost looks like someone’s driveway.) Follow the road to the
parking lot. You can drive right up to the water. Parking costs $5.
Directions to Brookside Restaurant & Bar, 9819 Horn Road
After our evening on the river, join us at this casual, rustic bar. (It is only 1 mile from the corner of Butterfield and Folsom.) Go east on
Folsom Blvd, past Bradshaw. Turn right at the next light, Horn Road. The Restaurant is on the left. They have appetizers, dinners, adult
beverages and sodas.
According to Captain Jeter (from DFW’s law enforcement section), because we are not fishing in the closed section of the river, it is not
during spawning season, we will use yarn not hooks, we have no intention to “attempt to take” a fish, we may practice without a license for
our event.
Don’t hesitate to email or call me (916)709-1309 if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!
Laurie
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 4
Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
MAY 5 SPEAKER
On May 5th we were treated to an outstanding program from outfitter Lance Gray that featured Tenkara Fishing. This Japanese style of fly fishing is gaining in popularity and is well suited for the small
Sierra streams that many of us like to fish.
Lance covered the basic equipment and also showed us the difference between traditional Tenkara
flies and Western style files. The will both work with this system. He then zeroed in on the real
beauty of Tenkara fishing which is the inherent ability to present dry flies in extremely precise and
delicate ways that are not always possible with standard fly rods and lines. He even suggested Tenkara fishing will make you a better fisherman because it will force you to maneuver into position and
therefore hone your approach skills.
All in all, this was a very thought provoking and fascinating program. There was genuine excitement
in the room and many questions were asked and answered. I was struck by the notion that Tenkara
fishing really does capture “fly” fishing in its truest form!
Great Program Lance!
Ken Giesser, CFFU Programs Director
2015 SWAP MEET
CFFU’s 2015 Fly Fishing Spring Swap Meet had eleven vendors and was well attended. New this year, was holding the Swap Meet before the
regular April meeting in a room near our regular meeting hall (instead of as part of a weekend event). Most people seemed pleased with the new
format for the swap meet; although one vendor did say they preferred the Saturday sales event. If you would like to see something different for
next year, please let Chuck Honeycutt or myself know.
Many buyers found great deals during the 1.5 hour event. My thanks to those vendors who donated some of their unsold gear to CFFU. As far as
shoppers, the early birds caught the worm and picked off some great deals in the first half-hour.
My thanks to our vendors Chuck Honeycutt, Valerie Adams, Jim Berdan, Barbara Williams, William Ozawa, Nick Fitzgerald, Dick Angus, Mike
Okazaki, Ross Boehm, Sam Sandusky, and Michael Wall for bringing such a wide variety of fly fishing gear to this event.
Next year will be the 9th Annual Swap Meet, so if you missed this one, stay tuned for next year.
John Mott, Swap Meet fishmeister
CONSERVATION NEWS
In a recent interview, Dr. Peter Moyle of UC Davis discusses not only the fate of the delta smelt but the effect of the drought and future water diversions will have on the entire delta ecosystem. See californiawaterblog.com.
This is a very important, straight forward, accurate and scientifically defensible discussion about the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta as a historically
stressed ecosystem where all the inhabitants, not just the delta smelt, have been for years and will continue to be affected by the current drought
and future water management decisions by our government regulators. This includes all the aquatic species (plants, invertebrates, amphibians and
fishes), the resident and migratory birds, land and aquatic mammals, and finally....humans. The current water distribution controversy surrounding
the delta should not be a single species issue as many people have proposed. All the life forms in this ecosystem have been connected for eons and
will continue to be until they are no more.
Keith Pfeifer
Director for Conservation Policy
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 5
Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
CFFU ANNUAL BBQ MAY 21
What a great party tonight. I hope everyone in attendance had as great a time as Mary Anne and I did. Thanks to Chuck Honeycutt
for organizing and all his great assistants as well as Howard and Donna Ross for the use of their beautiful home. My wife Mary
Anne could stay there forever. Hopefully these pictures will come through for everyone. If not, let me know and I will send them to
you.
Chuck Odell
FLY TIERS EXCHANGE by Don Wallace
Photo’s by James Simon
Christie Roberts tied a
Shad Caddis on a U202
size 10 scud hook using
black UTC 140 thread.
The head is a #10 black
glass bead. The body is
green silver lined #10
beads (5 each).
Tim Landrus tied a Marabar (or iginated by Vince
Wilcox) on a 2x nymph
hook size 12-18 using black
8/0 thread. The tail is marabou (green or brown). The
abdomen/body is diamond
braid. The thorax is dubbing
color to match the braid.
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.
Drop me a line if there are any questions.
The Demo Fly tied by Gary Howard was a Tule Chubb
Imitation tied on a Tiemco 7999 size 6 hook using
black 10/ thread. The tail is olive marabou and so is
the hackle. The abdomen and body are Pearl Easy
Body.
John E. Daniels
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 6
Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
FLY OF THE MONTH
Jailbird
Tied and photographed by: Jim Berdan
The Jailbird fly reportedly was first tied by Marla Blair in the early 1990’s while
fishing on the South Platte River in Colorado. Although, her ex-husband, Roger
Blair, also claims to be the inventor of the fly, but we’ll let them work that out. As
you will see, it is a very simple fly to tie and can be tied as a thread midge using
wire or thread as the rib, and tied in a variety of colors (olive, black, red, cream,
etc.). What makes this fly unique is the thin closed-cell foam I used for the wing
case; it came from packaging material for a printer I recently purchased and is 1/16
inch thick. The foam wing case helps orient the fly in the water column when fished
under an indicator. You’re probably thinking that this looks like a zebra midge,
pretty close, but here we use the foam as a wing case and no bead.
MATERIALS:
Hook:
Tiemco 206BL, Size 14 - 20
Thread: Danville’s Flymaster 70 Denier – Black
Rib:
Extra Small Ultra Wire - Silver
Body:
Fine Black Dubbing
Wing Case:
Thin Closed-Cell Foam – White –
1/8 Inch in Width
Head:
Danville’s Flymaster 70 Denier –
Black
Step 1) Start your thread behind the eye and tie in the silver wire. Continue the
Step 1
thread wraps around the bend of the hook.
Step 2
Step 2) Dub a slightly tapered body.
Step 3
Step 3) Spiral wrap the wire forward, tie off as indicated, and
cut or break the wire off.
Step 4
Step 4) Tie in the foam and cover the butt end of the foam with thread
wraps.
Step 5
Step 5) Dub a thorax slightly larger than the body.
Step 6
Step 6) Pull the foam forward and tie off just behind the hook eye.
Step 7
Step 7) Finish the fly with a small head, apply head cement, and give it a try.
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 7
Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
FOR DETAILS ON A PARTICULAR OUTING, PLEASE CONTACT THE FISHMEISTER OR ASST. FISHMEISTER
June 12-14
Eagle Lake
Fishmeister: Dennis May
Asst. Fishmeister: open
July 18
Fuller Lake
Fishmeister: Rich Kendall Asst. Fishmeister: JimWalker
July 23-26
Tuolumne Meadows
Fishmeister: Paul Wisheropp Asst. Fishmeister: open
August 20-23
Twin Lakes (Mammoth Lakes), CA Fishmeister: Jeff Howard
Asst. Fishmeister: open
EAGLE LAKE OUTING JUNE 12-14
Our fly fishing club is planning a return to famed Eagle Lake, home of the famous Eagle Lake Trout, in June. The dates of the outing are June 12-14 2015. Set aside these dates and get ready to battle these sturdy California heritage rainbow trout. Our resident
expert on Eagle Lake will be Susanville resident, and my brother, Bucky May. Bucky has been fishing the lake for over 40 years and
is well known locally as a person who has intimate knowledge of the fishery. He is anxious to share applications which will bring
the best results.
DIRECTIONS can be found by going to http://www.eaglelakerecreationarea.com/camping/christie-campground/
WHERE: Eagle Lake, Lassen Co., CA
WHEN: Friday - Sunday, June 12-14, 2015
MEALS: Due to the early wake-up and with members scattered here and there, we are suggesting that meals be an ad-hoc affair.
MEET: 5:00 a.m, at the entrance of the Christie campground. We will then proceed to the fishing area which is best reached in a
high clearance vehicle although lower clearance vehicles are fine if you are watching closely for obstructions.
BRING: Float tubes, pontoon boats or prams. These are the most advantages applications, although wading can also be quite productive.
LODGING: Many of you may wish to camp at the Christie campground located on Hwy 139. It is about 5.2 miles past the sign for
the Eagle Lake Marina. Brochures with information about camping are available when you sign up to attend at the general monthly
meeting of CFFU. If you wish to stay in Susanville, you will be looking at a 35-45 minute drive to our meeting place 20.9 miles. We
would suggest you make room reservations at either the Super 8 motel, 2975 Johnstonville Rd., 530-257-2782, or at the High Country Inn, 3015 Riverside Dr., 530-257-3450.
Dennis May
FULLER LAKE OUTING JUNE 18
WHERE: Fuller Lake
FISH: Rainbow planters and brown trout
WHEN: Saturday, July 18th,
9:00 a.m., meet at boat launch at Fuller Lake
(There are two separate parking and launch areas at Fuller. The first is close to the dam. The second is where we will meet, and are
having lunch and the float tube clinic at the launch ramp picnic area.
LUNCH: A TACO & BURRITO BAR group lunch at noon will be provided. We will pass the hat for donations. Bring your own
beverages. . Members may want to bring some chips/ dips, salads and dessert items to share along with fish stories. PLEASE
LET RICH OR JIM KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING! (Please send an email to Rich or Jim at above links if you are able
to attend or you have questions.
FEES: Parking at Fuller Lake is $5; Boat Launch is $2, honor system inserted into collection box.. Checks are okay and exact
change is required. (Donation for lunch is requested.)
Continued on page 9
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 8
Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
FULLER LAKE OUTING (CONT.)
FLOAT TUBE BEGINNERS: As far as I know we have not held a clinic for first time float tube user s. I would like exper ienced
members to bring an extra float tube with fins for "newbies" to try out. If available, an extra PFD will also be helpful. At the May CFFU
meeting several members raised their hand to help out with this. A short clinic for beginners will start around 9 am to cover safety points on
float tube use with questions/answers. Float tubes are quite stable, but mishaps can occur. New float tubers will need to bring their own
waders and fishing equipment. Come try it out! Shore fishing is also available at Fuller Lake, but somewhat limited.
DIRECTIONS: To get to Fuller Lake, (Map 1 of 3) take I -80 east and exit at the Grass Valley/ Nevada City/ Hwy 20 exit. Go toward
Grass Valley/Nevada City 4.2 miles and (Map 2 of 3) turn right at Bowman Lake Road/ Discovery Trial. Drive 3.5 miles and you will see
the Fuller Lake dam on your right. (Map 3 of 3) There is parking and easy lake access at the dam but no boat ramp. You can continue from
the dam .7 miles and turn a sharp right at the Fuller Lake boat ramp sign onto rough dirt road. There is a concrete boat ramp, paved parking,
picnic tables and a daily use fee of $5 per car plus a $2 launch fee. Most tubers just launch from the picnic area and just pay the $5.
Both parking areas have modern pit toilets.
EQUIPMENT RECOMMENDATION: To fish Fuller Lake, you really need the following:
a) Float tubes, U-Boats, V-Boats, pontoons, kayaks, canoes, rafts, prams, rowboats, or other such devices are all useable at Fuller Lake. No
gas motors are allowed, but electric are OK. See below for invitation to float tube beginners.
b) Personal floatation device (PFD) - strongly suggested for safety
c) Rods and lines - 4 to 6 weight, 9 foot rods are suggested. A variety of lines may be used - floating, intermediate, or sinking lines, depending on the depth of the fish.
d) Flies - The Sheep Creek Special fly has been popular with OTTERS at Fuller Lake. Wooly buggers of a variety of colors, sizes, and
weights have also worked well. Midges sizes 14 - 22 have been successful for some.
e) Radio - Bring radio tuned to 10 - 4 to keep in touch with other members and share fishing reports.
f) Waders, sunscreen, plenty of water, hat, and personal items. You may even want a sweatshirt for later, or a change of clothes. It can get
very hot in the summer. (A few of our "Wettest Fly Awards" have occurred at this lake, which prompts us to recommend the change of
clothes!)
g) Folding lawn chairs are recommended. There are picnic tables, however they are singles and stationary, seating only about 10 people,
and sometimes fill up. Also, your chair is probably more comfortable!
Fuller Lake is in a beautiful setting and surrounded by tall trees with eagles and osprey joining us to fish. A couple years ago Dick Angus
got a video of an osprey stealing the trout on his line and other have experienced the same "problem". Bring your camera!
Fuller Lake is one of several small lakes in the scenic Bowman Road Area of the Tahoe National Forest. The lakes range from 5,600 feet to
7,000 feet in this beautiful high Sierra country. Lake fishing can be excellent for catching trout. It's not much more than an hour's drive
from Sacramento (roughly 70 miles), nestled in the Sierra Nevada just far enough away from the highway to provide a scenic and secluded
setting. It is a great place to escape the valley heat (elevation 5340 feet) and fish for some very eager Rainbow and Brown trout (planters
and holdovers to 18 inches) almost all year round.
Rich Kendall
TUOLUMNE MEADOWS OUTING JULY 23-26
GENERAL INFO: From the Tuolumne Meadows campground there is fishing at the Tuolumne River or several small lakes and creeks. these are
close to the car or a short hike (2 milers or less). Outside the park there are several lakes such a Saddlebag, Tioga, or Ellery that have a variety of
trout. this year, those of us seeking a short hike will the the ferry across Saddlebag and hike into the 12 Lakes basin to seek-out the Sierra Slam
(Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Golden).
WHEN: Thursday, July 23 - Sunday, July 26, 2015
WHERE: Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, CA on the Tioga Rd. at Tuolomne Meadows, about 1.5 hours NE of Yosemite Valley,
8,600 ft. Elev.
CAMPING: Group Campsite - Deadline of March 14th for Paul to make reservations for you for a Group Campsite. Contact Paul prior to that date
if you want to be included! Group sites hold up to 30 people without car restrictions. Individual sites hold up to 6 people with only 2 car alloweds. No Hookups.
MEALS: TBA
FEES: National Park entrance fee.
EQUIPMENT: TBA
DIRECTIONS: Distance: 176 mi / 283 km Time: 4 hours
Take Highway 99 south to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park.
Paul Wisheropp
ON THE FLY— June 2015
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Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
June 20
Caples/ Woods Lake
October 17
Lake Amador
July 19
Fuller Lake
November 21
Lower Yuba River
August 15
Sly Park
December 19
Lower American
September 19
Ice House reservoir
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.
PYRAMID LAKE OUTING MAY 1& 2
Hi All! The Pyramid Lake adventure was a wonderful success. Choppy waves with cool wind but not too cold. Laurie Banks, Jake
Mater, Betty and Keith Pfiefer, Chuck Odell, Chuck Honeycutt, Jim Rumick, Bill Ozawa, Shiela Cavanagh, Nick Fitzgerald, Craig
Mcculloch, Richard Miller and myself, Meloney Welborn all caught fish. Some bigger than others with
Nick catching a fifteen pound salmon? Not sure what kind of fish but it might have been a salmon and I think he would be thrilled
if you asked him. Sheila caught a 10 pound trout on her
first day fly fishing! She might never fish again as how can you top that? All caught some big ones though and were very happy. Rob Anderson was a great guide and made some mean
lunches too. Fishing all day with a crew of experienced, handsome guys to fix lines, attach flies, and give lessons... Rob even took
pity on my abysmal casting, climbed up on the ladder
with me and gave me some excellent tips. It was well worth the trip and we’ll definitely do it again next year if Rob is available. Annual?
Meloney Welborn
CFFU members with some very nice fish.
ON THE FLY— June 2015
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Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.
YUBA RIVER OUTING MAY 23
What a perfect week of weather we have had!! Luckily the trend continued for our Saturday Outing. We had a full group show up to the Chevron
meeting place along Hwy 20. A few others were at the gate. We all threw a few things out on the tables and talked about lunch.
After getting all suited up and geared up, I spoke about the best areas to fish, then we all trickled to the water’s edge little by little.
Around 11 am I came up and Tim and John had the Charcoal well on its way, THANKS GUYS!
I also noticed Tim was a little damp OOPS! My phone got the OOPS as well that day. I immediately turned it off and I can’t believe it works a
couple days later, much like Tim’s waders.
The reports at lunch were normal for the Yuba: John -1 12in. Bow on variegated orange n black Stonefly, Kevin-2 16-17 in. on rubber leg and
golden stone, Brad - 1 12 in. S&M, brown, Mike - 7 12-18 in. Brown rubber leg & red headed stepchild
I know Ty got some but not sure his numbers.
I ended the day with 5 on and 2 dropper snagged fish to hand; so really to me, that’s a big 0.
We had a really great lunch with tons of really good stuff!! THANKS EVERYONE.
I know at the end of the day Mike, Brad, Kevin and Ty got as many as 4 more after I left.
I would say that a lot of the fish were taking the Jimmy Leg fly.
All in all a great time was had on the Yuba.
Thanks Again everyone for your help.
Jeff Howard
MYRTLE POWELL AND BUZZ HACKLE
My article this month moves from a conservation theme to a brief history of a legendary Northern California fishing company, a noted
woman fly-tier and an iconic fly. The company is the E. C. Powell fishing establishment, the fly tier is Myrtle Powell and the fly is the Buzz Hackle.
E. C. Powell began building cane (bamboo) fly rods in the early 1900s, and his early creations are still considered to be some of the best
engineered fly rods ever built. Mr. Powell discovered unique techniques for designing and assembling the raw bamboo into semi-hollow pieces
that could be tailored into different rod weights. Five and six weight rods were approximately 8 feet in length, with complex tapers and stout butt
sections. During the 1930’s and 1940’s, E. C. Powell began manufacturing fly rods in a factory located at 624 C Street in Marysville, California.
Today, these early Powell bamboo rods are sought by collectors of vintage fishing gear and can sell for thousands of dollars. After E. C. Powell’s
death, his son, Walton, continued to manufacture rods (cane, fiberglass and graphite) for many years in the Marysville shop. In subsequent years,
Walton’s son, Press, would become a respected fly rod craftsman, focusing on the newer graphite rods. Press Powell founded the Chico Fly Fishing Shop and passed away in 2004. Although no Powell family member works for the current Powell Fly Rod Company, the rods continue to be
manufactured under the Powell name in Novato, California. The current fly fishing club in Chico, California, is named the E. C. Powell Fly Fishers
Club, in memory of this legendary fly fisher and rod builder.
Myrtle Powell was the wife of E. C. Powell and an accomplished fly tier. She tied a variety
of flies commercially, and they were sold out of the Marysville fly shop. In the 1920s a friend of the
Powell’s, Al Lent, asked Mrs. Powell to develop a fly that would help him catch more fish in the Yuba
Rivers, particularly the North Fork. He specifically requested that the attractor pattern have the following materials: peacock herl, brown hackle, grizzly hackle and tinsel. The fly developed by Mrs. Powell
apparently worked so well that many customers of the fly shop were requesting it. A few years later,
Mr. Lent’s son, nicknamed “Buzz”, died, and Myrtle Powell named the fly in honor of his son. The
Buzz Hackle was born and over the years became the go-to fly for many fisherman on the North Yuba
River.
The Buzz Hackle is a classic dry fly attractor pattern with peacock herl for the body and
hackle fore and aft. The aft hackle is grizzly and is one size larger than the brown fore hackle. The
larger aft hackle helps support the extra weight of the hook curve so that the fly floats more evenly on
the water. Silver tinsel under the grizzly hackle, and gold tinsel under the brown hackle provide some
“bling”, along with a classic red tail. A picture of the Buzz Hackle and the materials recipe are presented below.
Materials:
On a personal note: I inherited some of my grandfather’s fly-fishing “stuff”. Most noteworthy is a cardboard fly box from the E. C. Powell Company in Marysville, probably from the 1930s. In
the box are several well-worn flies, mostly size 10 wet flies with yellow bodies and gray hackles;
however, there is one fly with a small red tail, some grizzly hackle and a body of worn herl. Is this the
famous Buzz Hackle? I would like to believe it is, but after 80 years who knows for sure.
Hook: TMC 100, #10-16
Keith Pfeifer
Aft hackle: Grizzly over silver tinsel
Director for Conservation Policy
Fore hackle: Brown over gold tinsel
ON THE FLY— June 2015
Page 11
Thread: Danville Black 6/0
Body: Peacock herl
Tail: Red hackle fibers
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:
Sam Yee
John Moseley
Chuck Odell
Rob Anderson
Ken Davis
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— June 2015
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Copyright (c) 2006 CFFU— All rights reserved.