Pineywoods Fly Fishers
Founded 1988
Chapter of the Southern
Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers
Web page http//freepages.outdoors.rootsweb.com/~wem1
President: Kenneth Baker V-President: Royce R Feaster Sec/Tres: Bill Heugel
February 2002
We had a very interesting meeting in
January. Bill Heugel was our program
and he showed several fly patterns and discussed not only how to tie them, but
told what the best material was for each pattern. He covered several other subjects including leaders, fly lines,
and etc. Good job, Bill.
We discussed several upcoming projects. The first item was a fly tying class on January 29th, which will be over by the time you get this newsletter. Perhaps we will have a report in this issue.
One of the things discussed was the coming workshop (formally the open house) on Saturday, April 20th at the Chamber of Commerce building. We are doing some different things this year. Noted Fly Fisherman and Author Tom Nixon will be our guest. He will be allotted time to tie his favorite flies and talk about whatever he desires. If you possibly can attend, please do so, as hearing Tom will be well worth the time spent attending.
There will be several outings available this year. I know you cannot make all of them, but I urge you to take part in some of them. These outings and workshops and etc. are provided not only for fellowship, but also to help us all become better fly fishermen.
Once again, if there is something we are not doing that you would like, please let us know. We try to have some tying classes, rod building classes, fishing outings, interesting programs and workshops as well as just fellowship meetings. Once again I would like your input as to what you, the membership, would be interested in doing.
We had 4 visitors at the last meeting. They were Joe Ramires, Chris Holland, Melvin Cates and Howard Hinton. I know that several on them joined the club. We were glad to have them.
I hope some of you have been able to fish. Reports I have gotten have not been real good, but as always: “A Bad Day Fishing Beats A Good Day Working”.
I have had no other items that reported on the fly tying class last Tuesday, so here goes.
There were four topnotch instructors that included Bill Heugel, Walter McLendon, Jay Renken, and Doug Douglas. We tied five Adams flies: 1 size 12 standard Adams, 1 hair wing size 12 Adams, 1 parachute size 12 Adams, 1 size 16 standard Adams, and 1size 18 standard Adams. The instructors supplied all needed materials and instructions. We just supplied the tools and thread. There was a lot of moaning and groaning countermanded by a lot of encouragement and pats on the back. Everyone had a good time joking and learning.
There were either 14 or 15 student tiers and the 4 instructors in attendance.
We also discussed the rod building class and what kits to purchase. Anyone who wants to purchase thru H & H and get the club discount should contact Bill Heugel as soon as possible. The date for the first class will be sometime in February, I believe.
I had some great
fun with the Kokanee salmon this past October and November, a species not known
for taking flies... I did come up with a pattern that appears to be a white
wooly worm with orange lead eyes at its butt, and an orange, woolhead egg on
front, complete it with a veil of white crystal flash and Voila!!! Kokanee
Killer...!! Many salmon are snagged on the spawning beds although it is quite
illegal because the Brown trout in the
Missouri River
also use the same redds, and we don't want to stress these fish... Brown Trout
numbers have decreased over the years thanks to the introduction of these
salmon. When salmon die, a mold/algae covers them during decomposition.. this
process eventually began to take its toll on the Browns who spawn at the same
time, that normally didn't die after spawning, and now are beginning to do so.
So anyway, snagging is not allowed. While fishing for Kokanees, it is hard to
avoid foul hooking a few fish, these I release keeping only those who took the
hook in their mouth.... I kept plenty of fish for the smoker and the pressure
canner this time!!!
The Kokanee is a landlocked version of the red salmon, the Sockeye... In saltwater populations, the Sockeye averages to be a 8 TO 12 LB. fish... The Kokanee variety of this specie developed in British Columbia when spawning areas were cut off from the sea by dams while the fish were upstream... the young grew to live totally in fresh water, but averaged quite a bit smaller... normal size can vary. After they were discovered these salmon were cultured in hatcheries and stocked in many places, those plants were successful in establishing naturally recurring populations all over the country. There was a famous run of these fish that emerged from Montana's Flathead Lake that spawned upstream in Glacier National Park drawing 200-300 Bald Eagles every year. It inspired a pilgrimage of bird-watchers and other admirers back when eagle populations were on the rise but still rare...They would pose for photos, sometimes 20 in a dead tree... Those fish matured at 14"... maybe a 1 pound fish at best.. In time some unknown factor caused the
Flathead Lake Kokanee
population to crash. A tiny freshwater shrimp known as the opossum shrimp was
the most likely villain since it occupies the same niche in nature as immature
salmon eventually crowding them out...and now the Kokanee are rare in Flathead.
Those eagles
transferred their energy to another Salmon run, that one coming out of Hauser
Lake just outside Helena!!! The 3 miles below Canyon Ferry Dam at the upper end
of Hauser Lake, now received all the attention from eagle watchers so much so
that the Department closed access to the spawning beds for fishing. Fifteen
years ago, Hauser had the finest Kokanee fishery in the US, maybe the world.
Fish were caught that pushed 6 1/2 pounds, 26" fish... quite a contrast to
those fish in Glacier Park. It was during this time I played with different
patterns, leaning towards Egg-sucking Leeches and they worked... People say
they won't take a fly, this fallacy has
been exposed!!! That Hauser population
also crashed... this one is a mystery, unfortunately... but there are
other Salmon fisheries in the area. A
local irrigation reservoir is one and the other is Holter Lake, downstream from
Hauser... that is the population I was fishing this past fall... Those fish
averaged 18", and a weight of 2 - 2 1/2lbs. Their spawn coincides with a
rare fall-spawn
rainbow trout run.. I was delighted to see trout on the Redds, when one took
and I landed it, expecting a brown, and lo and behold, I had a beautiful 3 lb.
hen rainbow... Carefully, I unhooked and released her.. That was fun!!!!
So anyway, when
elk hunting season turns out to be too warm and dry like this year, there is a
great fishery that goes unmolested... One of these days, my stories will
inspire you East Texans to come visit Montana!!!
Gary Lafontaine wrote in one of his books about a slot below Hauser Dam where he regularly hooked Browns of 30 lbs.... this is the very same slot that I fished for these salmon and other trout.. at times during the spring run of Rainbows., I have hooked and released 15+ fish that will measure between 18 and 24 inches in this area... Still haven't hooked any 30 lb. fish though, but I'm not dead yet!!!!
Note: Larry is now
Conservation Director and spokesman for the Montana Wildlife Federation,
Montana's oldest and largest conservation organization totaling 8000 members.
Larry is also their webmaster so visit
http://www.montanawildlife.com/index.html
to see his work.
By Linda McLendon
Dan Edwards, member and past president of the Montgomery County Fly Rodders and the Texas Fly Fishers will give a presentation on Musky fly fishing. Dan lives in Texas but guides the colder waters up north and around the world for that matter. He has a full background of fly tying for over 45 years, has been a field tester for several fly fishing suppliers and was a Abercrombie and Fitch consultant. He was featured on USA Outdoors and American Legends on TNN. Besides being an IGFA world record holder, Dan is a member of the Federation Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin.
As you will find out, Dan sort of broke fly fishing barriers in the Musky area when no one else could. He made what everyone considered impossible, catching Musky’s an easy sport! He sponsored the world’s first Fly Fishing Musky Flyrod Tournament in 1999 and managed Orvis’ World’s Musky Team Tournament in 2000.
Visit Dan’s website at http://www.flyfishingworld.com/experts/dedwards.htm , read more about him and prepare for a great program at our next meeting!
By Walter McLendon
Chris Brown called and asked us to man our
annual booth at their facility behind Hudson ISD again. It will take place on
March 20-22 (Wed-Fri). We need a few volunteers to tie flies and also teach fly
rod casting to Junior High students each day. Lufkin, Central and Hudson ISD’s
send bus loads of students to spend the day touring booth to booth, learning
about our forestry industry. Our booth is really interesting to these kids. We
get each group for 30 minutes, so we break them into two groups, 15 minutes
each. One is shown how to properly cast the fly rod and given an opportunity to
try it. The second group watches us demonstrate the art of tying, then we
switch groups. I have a display of East Texas aquatic insects in their natural
life cycles with associated flies we have tied.
Volunteer, bring your tying stuff, a chair, a lunch, Texas Forest Service supplies the drinks and we supply the fun. This is your opportunity to show off your skills at any level for these kids do not discriminate or critique. We start about 9AM, break for lunch about noon, then the busses load up the kids to get back to school about 2PM, so the day feels pretty short. Enough time left to fish their two lakes if you wish.
Call or email me if you can volunteer.
5th
Annual Sowbug Roundup
Hello Fly Fishers:
The North Arkansas Fly Fishers invite your club members to join us at the 5th Annual Sowbug Roundup on March 15 & 16. This year's "celebration of fly fishing" will feature demonstrations by 100 expert tyers from all over the country and, this year, even a tyer from Holland. In addition to tyers, there will be presentations on everything from tying knots to building bamboo rods. See furled leaders being made. Learn bass techniques, how to night fish for trout, success with midges and more. Participate in casting clinics with FFF Certified Instructors and visit vendor booths.
The admission cost is only $5 for both days, children under 16 are free with parent. A special arrangement with the Ramada Inn of Mountain Home, where the show is being held, offers a room with 2 double beds for $50 per night with no limit on number of occupants. To reserve one of these rooms, call (870) 425-9191 or Email: ramada@mtnhome.com You must mention the Sowbug Roundup to get the special rate.
Additional show information and lodging possibilities are listed on our web site www.northarkansasflyfisher.org or call Show Chairman Chet Smith at (870) 425-1755 (Email cpsmh@centurytel.net )
Please pass this information on to your members. Thank you for helping us make this year's show another success.
Fred Bach, Publicity Chairman
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Remember!
Mark your calendar for our club meetings,
Every First Tuesday of each Month,
7:00 P M in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin
Mall.
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Calendar
Outings and
Events
*********
February
2 TFF Fly Tying Festival in
Houston
5
PWFF
meeting 7:00 P M Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
16-17Beavers Bend OK. Trout
March 5
PWFF meeting 7:00 P M Lufkin
Room of Lufkin Mall
15-16 Sowbug Roundup Mt. Home, AR
16-17 Shallow Water Expo Houston Texas
23 Fly Fish 2002 Athens, Texas
April
2 PWFF meeting 7:00 P M Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
4-7
SE
Conclave Gulf Shores State Park, AL
13-14 Spring Rendezvous Lake Bistineau, LA bass & bream
20 PWFF Annual Workshop, Chamber of Commerce
May
4 Willow Oak Park/Heugel Haus
Lunch Toledo Bend bass & bream
7 PWFF meting 7:00 P M Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
June
1 Tag Team Event place to be determined
4
PWFF meeting 7:00 P M
Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
July 2 PWFF meeting 7:00 P M Lufkin Room of
Lufkin Mall
August
6 PWFF meeting 7:00 P M
Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
September
3 PWFF meeting 7:00 P M
Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
21-22 Rockport reds & specs
October
1 PWFF meeting 7:00 P M
Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
3-6 Conclave Mt. Home, AR
19 Red
Hills Lake Breakfast bass & bream
November 1-3 Rendezvous North Toledo
Bend State Park
5 PWFF
meeting 7:00 P M Lufkin Room of Lufkin Mall
16-17
Caney Creek Park Sam
Rayburn bass
December
7 Christmas Meeting Chamber of Commerce
14 Tyler
State Park trout stocking
*********
More Club Calendar to follow as dates
confirmed
(Check your calendar, there have been
several dates that have been changed)
*************************
Outings: Walter McLendon assisted by Jimmy
Lee
Library: Jay Renken
Conservation: Gene Sullivan
Programs: Linda McLendon
Membership: Walter
McLendon
Editor: Royce Feaster