www.hoaff.org March/April 2015

Presidents Message March/April 2015 HOAFF MEETINGS It's March and trout and warm water is finally upon us. March 16 – Member Meeting Now if the weather would cooperate since March came in like a lion Community of Christ Church with snow, rain mixture and cold temperatures we can start enjoying Cameron Cipponeri-- Frying Pan our passion this upcoming season. If you are like me, my fishing Anglers fever is sky high and my remedy is going down to Mountain Home, April 20 – Member Meeting Arkansas for the annual Sow Bug for fly fishing and being one of the Community of Christ Church featured fly tyers at this event. So March 26th, I'll be getting out of Bob Mattucks – Missouri Department this cabin fever environment in Mission, Kansas. Hope everyone of Conservation is all and well with you, my fellow members, and welcome the new May 18 – Member Meeting members who've joined in the last few months! To our new members, Community of Christ Church you received our new fly box with our logo and along with it a lot of Chris Carpenter – Bamboo Fly Rods camaraderie. You have met some of our members as well as the officers and directors of HOAFF. Our club will sharpen your knowledge, learn new techniques in fly fishing and improve your abilities. We have very good fly tyers in our club who can show you the art of . Recently our club had the privilege of having Rick Hafele for our annual seminar. Rick gave us valuable information in entomology, fly fishing techniques and tying both dry and nymph patterns of 1326 Acacia Club Rd • Hollister, Mo 65672 417-334-1005 • 866-362-1928 which he uses to catch trout. I really enjoyed this seminar as did our www.charteredwaters.com members who attended. To both our present and new members don't forget we have a Certified Fly Casting Instructor in Mark Borserine, who has helped me tremendously in correcting my casting faults. And we have Mike George, worlwide and nationally well known who also specializes in deer hair flies. Mike has been instrumental in improving my fly tying capabilities and continue to learn from him. These two gentlemen are always very helpful and great guys to share their knowledge and get to know. So in closing, Heart of America Fly Fishers, is the perfect resource and perfect place to meet to enjoy our passion for fly fishing in the upcoming season. Tight lines!

Steve Hegstrom www.AmatoBooks.com

March/April 2015 1 Across the Stream Crooked Creek Canoes 2015 OFFICERS James C & Becky Walker New Members 1002 MC 4006 Yellville, AR 72687 President 870-404-6054 Steve Hegstrom for 2015 [email protected] 913-677-4806 [email protected] Past President The Heart of America Fly Fishers Peet Crissey welcomes the following new members 913-706-7299 [email protected] for 2015, welcome! Secretary Paul Bowman John Hudson Jim Jorgensen 913-481-1129 [email protected] John Dougherty Jim Mitchell Jeffery Good Jack Niermann Treasurer Pat Saviano Ward Svarvari Ron Carruthers 816-741-7251 [email protected] Paul Taylor Robbie Small Jim Gribble Jeff Lee Newsletter Mark Borserine 913-381-0722 [email protected] Programs James Edward John Bell Ohnemus, 75, of 913-484-9762 [email protected] Raymore, Mo., Cliff Cain 913-558-506 [email protected] died Jan. 28, 2015,. Ohnemus, Outings Chris Holman was born Jan. 2, 913-244-0610 [email protected] 1940, in Melrose, Peet Crissey Iowa. A lifelong 913-706-7299 [email protected] outdoorsman Membership who caught the fever to hunt and fish at Ron Carruthers an early age from his brothers on the farm, 816-741-7251 [email protected] Ohnemus had a passion for all number Conservation Chair of outdoor pursuits: archery, bicycling, Kevin Carril 913-362-9379 [email protected] backpacking, canoeing, cross-country Arkansas- John Bell skiing, fly fishing and turkey and deer hunting. Ohnemus was an avid member Web Master Bill Brant of the Heart of America Fly Fishers club 816-941-9691 [email protected] and the Water Garden Society of Greater Kansas City and he did prison ministry. Raffle/Auction Mark Borserine 913-381-0722 [email protected] Jim was at one time our club’s Outings Spring Programs Chair, we will all remember his cookouts! Dick Martin Also, he often presented accounts of his 816-781-9557 [email protected] high country fishing trips using Llamas as Don Grundy 816-781-9019 [email protected] pack animals. Jim was a true Enthusiast in the most positive sense and we will all Event Coordinator miss him! Thomas & Thomas Bill Brant 413-475-3840 816-941-9691 [email protected] [email protected] www.thomasandthomas.com Library Carol Falkner 816-453-8946 [email protected]

March/April 2015 2 Across the Stream MooseCreek Rods And Knives Coming to our March 16th Meeting Keith Gann Classic Bamboo Flyrods Custom Sheaths is Cameron Cipponeri, guide for Bamboo Display Rods and Reels Handcrafted Knives Custom Fly Tying Tools Bamboo Rods Restored and Repaired Vintage American Shotguns Cleaned and Refurbished Frying Pan Anglers Outdoor Books and Collectibles [email protected] 913-299-960 www.moosecreekrodsandknives.com Hi! My name is Cameron. I’m a fly fishing guide at Frying Pan Anglers in Basalt, CO. I want to share my passion for fly fishing and guiding in the Roaring Fork Vally. There are over 100 miles of great water for Trout Fishing. Whether you like to float or wade fish, we have both! You can be at 3 world famous rivers all in one day. The dry fly fishing is said to be best in the world on the Frying Pan River.

“...it’s simply the best there is.”

Annual Blue River Rescue Gaston’s White River Resort 1777 River Road By: Kevin Carril Lakeview, AR 72642 Saturday, March 28th – 8:00AM 870-431-5202

www.gastons.com This year’s event, sponsored by the Lakeside Alex George Lake parking lot on the Nature Center, marks its 25th year! If you Blue River Road and then proceed to have participated in this before, you know the clean-up site. To reach Alex George it is a fun time. If you have never helped Lake, take I-435 to Holmes, go south out at the Rescue, please consider giving on Holmes 1 mile, turn left (east) on it a try this year. It would be wonderful Red Bridge Road and go 1 mile, turn if our club had good participation as this left (north) on Blue River Road and event reaches this significant milestone. Alex George will be on the West side Last year we enjoyed good weather and we of the road. have ordered good weather for this year. Wear your work clothes, good shoes As we did last year, we will be both picking and bring some work gloves. We will up trash and cutting honeysuckle along provide the rest. Please help me with a part of the Blue River that our club has planning for tools by signing up at the adopted as part of the Missouri Stream March meeting or by contacting me at Team. We will be working on the bank 913-544-4686 or [email protected]. not in the water. The plan is to meet at

Club Outing at Roaring River State Park

April 24-26, members will again have the opportunity to gather at Roaring River State Park for some great fishing. Lodging will be available at Roaring River Resort, with two large cabins reserved for the first eight to contact Chris Holman or Peet Crissey, after that you’ll need to make your own reservations at Roaring River Resort: 417-847-3235 http://www.roaringriverresort.com/roomRates.html

There will be a cookout on Saturday evening for everyone. We always have a great time at this outing so plan to come!

March/April 2015 3 Wishes & Fishes Fly Shop 627 Central Blvd PO Box 751 Mailing Spring Seminar February 21, 2015 Bull Shoals, Ar 72619-0751 Shop # 870-445-3848 Cell # 870-404-8906 Fishing Rick Hafele from Portland Oregon, a nationally http://theflyfishing-store.com known aquatic biologist and authority on nymphs http://flyfisharkansas.com as well as author of several books and DVDs was our presenter for our Spring Seminar. Rick took us through the life cycles of major stream insect species with a lot of useful advice on patterns, tactics and techniques. He was very generous in answering questions, autographing books and Rick Hafele spending however much time our members wanted with him. I can confidently say we all learned a lot of information that we can “take away” from this presentation! Bennett Spring State Park Concession Shop Our club’s seminar was held at Cabela’s this year, using their conference room at their invitation. Cabela’s did a great job in hosting this event and we want to thank Jim Rogers School of Fly Fishing them for their generosity! They’ve invited us back for next year.

26248 Hwy 64A · Lebanon, MO 65536 At the Officers’ meeting Monday night the 2nd it was recommended and accepted 417-532-4307 · 1-800-334-6946 that a committee be formed to look at ways we could improve the Spring Seminar, especially in publicizing it to bring greater attendance; this will be discussed at the upcoming March 16th meeting and if you’re interested, please come forward!

Fly Rods · Reels Nets · Tying Materials

11937 Hwy 64 Lebanon, MO 65536 417-588-4334

Visit us for all your fishing needs Steve Hegstrom Dick Martin Duane Kelly

Rick Hafele

March/April 2015 4 Across the Stream Rainbow Fly Shop Complete selection of Mill Creek Restoration Rods, Reels and Lines Elm Spring Branch Project 4621 S. Shank Dr. Engineering plans are complete and more Independence, MO 64055 Phone: (816)373-2283 than $100,000 has already been committed to a total stream restoration on one of Missouri's finest spring-fed tributaries. Full line fly fishing shop and expert guide service This project represents a breakthrough - a 2626 State Hwy. 165 Total Ecosystem Restoration in Missouri. Branson, MO 65616 417.332.0460 Rick Hafele For just $30,000 more, we can make the 1.877.699.FISH (3474)

stream meander an additional 2,000 feet. www.riverrunoutfitters.com To reach this goal, the Mill Creek Watershed Coalition is committed to raising $15,000 to be matched through partner grants. We can't do it without you.

The Heart of America Fly Fishers will match members’ donations up to $500 toward this worthy conservation project. Announcement will be made and donations taken at the March 16th meeting – cash, credit card and checks will be taken. You can also mail a check to our club treasurer, Ron Carruthers or call him with your credit card information (do not eMail credit card information).

Caddis & Soft-Hackled Flies By: Steve Jenkins

Under appreciated and often ignored. If aquatic and they are available as flying insects almost insects can get an inferiority complex, surely all year. Now, we must be honest, caddis flies caddis flies would have that in spades. Books are generally smaller than or stoneflies and even poems have been written for centuries – and some can be really tiny. about mayflies. And, consider the “exotic” names attached to mayflies – Quill Gordon, Light Cahill, When the caddis finally emerges, it doesn't sit Pale Morning Dun, and on and on. What names majestically on the water like a , as if to do caddis flies get? Sedge, Grannom, and you can’t say, “I made it, look at me.” When caddis emerge, think of many more. Who eagerly awaits a caddis they beat it fast, off the water, into the air and hatch like the Hendricksons, the Green Drakes into the weeds. They don’t hang around beating or the “Hex”? Okay, maybe you are thinking their chest to become trout food. Caddis spend of the Mother’s Day caddis – an anticipated three stages of their lives in the water – egg, hatch in places like the Arkansas River near larva, and pupa. Mayflies spend two stages in the Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado. I knew a water – egg and nymph. Caddis have one adult fisherman in Upstate NY who was so hooked on stage after emerging from the water. Mayflies the Hendricksons on the Battenkill, he took two have two adult stages after emergence – dun and days off from work for six weeks every season spinner. Mayflies reproduce in the spinner stage so he could follow this hatch from the lower and then they drop to the water, dead. Caddis can stretches in New York clear to the headwaters reproduce over several days, and in some species above Manchester, Vermont. And, he fished the the female dives under the water to lay eggs on the weekends, too. There was a good caddis hatch just bottom. So, you need to use different approaches following the Hendricksons on the Battenkill, to simulate the stage of life of these two types of but he and many others couldn’t be bothered. insects when you are trying to fool fish.

Yet, if we just pay a little attention, we would My earliest trout fishing experiences were in the see the abundance of caddis. The fish don’t miss East, mostly in Upstate New York. While I knew them, why do we? There are reportedly many about caddis, I didn’t pay any attention because more different caddis flies than either mayflies my mayfly tricks worked just fine. And, besides, or stoneflies. They populate all of our streams fishing dry flies was much more satisfying visually, continued on page 6

March/April 2015 5 to see the artificial land on the water after a the emergence and egg depositing to be going “beautiful” cast, the fish approach and then on at the same time. So, don’t try to figure it out, snatch that fly not realizing it had been faked- just put on a soft-hackled fly in about the right out. So, another notch was added to the rod grip, size and color, cast across stream and let it drift and you saw it all happen. But, in many places, down in the current. If you feel your line get a the mayflies just aren’t as abundant -- major bit heavy, strike – it likely is a fish. tailwaters support a much larger population of caddis flies than mayflies. It’s late October and the Rogue River in Michigan is cold, 49 degrees. The brown trout should Rainbow Trout & Game Ranch When I finally began to pay more attention to be tanking up on minnows to prepare for the PO Box 100 Rockbridge, MO 65741 caddis, I just translated the mayfly techniques spawning season, just weeks away. But, streamers 417-679-3619 into this realm, but with modest success, to say weren’t working. In the afternoon, I saw a few [email protected] www.rockbridgemo.com the least. Of course, I tried dry flies, like an old tanish caddis around, and a few splashy rises. pattern called “Bivisible”. Next came the deer It’s too cold for good dry fly activity and I hair caddis patterns, and they worked better. thought the bugs would be dormant, given the Then there was the Henryville special, with temperatures. But, off came the streamer and deer hair. Note, all are dry flies. As mentioned, on went a pheasant tail olive soft hackle in size caddis flies don’t sit on the water inviting trout 16. In the next hour, it fooled four successive to dinner. So dries just didn’t seem to be as rainbows, and I missed several others. None effective as when mayflies are showing. of these fish were remarkable – what was remarkable was that they took the fly. And later, Three books helped me break the dry fly habit two browns were fooled. There weren’t a bunch with caddis flies. First, was The Caddis and of flies on the water, but the fish were certainly Jann’s Netcraft 3350 Briarfield Blvd the Angler, Solomon & Leiser, 1977, Stackpole interested. I suspect this was the egg-laying Maumee, OH 43537 Books. This book covers all caddis life stages activity they were keying on. 419-868-8288 www.jannsnetcraft.com and has a creel-full of patterns from all over the country. The Caddisfly Handbook, Pobst and Two days later, similar conditions and similar Richards, 1998, The Lyons Press, is a very small results. There was no interest in the streamer, book that really demystifies the caddis patterns, but the soft-hackle was “spot-on”. This time, six breaking them down into major categories, browns were fooled before the action stopped colors and habitat. That book confirmed that near sunset. Then, we had some rain and the you don’t need a whole back-pack of caddis stream came up about six inches and turned patterns. And, then Sylvester Nemes, The Soft black, but still clear. The Rogue emerges from a Hackle Fly, 1975, Chatham Press. This book swampy area contributing the color to the water. provided the subsurface link with a few simple With these conditions, surely the big browns techniques and patterns. Today, I rarely fish a would be looking for meat. No – streamers Jim Teeny dry fly when caddis are about. didn’t work, but the soft-hackle did. This time PO Box 989 Gresham, OR 97030 it was a couple of browns. Four days later, the 503-667-6602 A couple of times in the life cycle of the caddis water had dropped just a mite, but the black www.jimteeny.com fly soft-hackles are productive -- first, when they color was replaced by the normal brownish. emerge. They open the pupae case on the bottom I didn’t even think about streamers and went and then swim to the surface. This is an active straight to the soft-hackle. On the third cast, I time for trout and if there is a big hatch, you can hooked the fly on a branch across the stream spot trout grabbing these emergers through all and had to forfeit the fly and a chunk of leader. levels in the water. Splashing on the surface may So, time out for recovery. I had another leader seem like the take of a mayfly, but likely is the and more flies. The first fish was a male brown emerging caddis just as it reaches the surface, over 13 inches which is a mighty nice fish on this pursued quickly by an eager fish. Caddis move stream. More followed, browns and rainbows. fast. The second time for the soft-hackle is when There was a good bit of surface activity and as the adults return to lay eggs. Many caddis species a diversion, I removed the soft-hackled fly and Everharts Outdoor Store 511 E. Hillcrest Drive will fly quickly to the surface and drop their eggs. tied on a size 16 Ausable caddis. Wow, a brown Clinton, MO 64736] 660-885-4436 In the process, they get entangled in the surface and a 12 inch rainbow just had to eat that fly. tension and become good targets for the trout. Yes, I confess, the Ausable caddis is a dry. But, Other species will actually dive under the surface not a bad score for late October with leaves all for egg laying, so the fish see them on the way over the stream and the water at 49 degrees. down and on the way up. It isn’t uncommon for Thank you Mister caddis and soft-hackled flies.

March/April 2015 6 Across the Stream During the seminar, Rick Hafele mentioned Darrel Martin: Observations on Fly Tying from Micropatterns, Tying and Fishing the Small Fly By: D arrel Martin

Tying is a creative process where even scraps of ideas may have value. T.R. Henn, in Practical Fly-Tying, describes the pleasured pain of tying. “This, then, is the joy of what I have tried to describe: an art not without frustration; easy, but difficult to carry out supremely well (as Clausewitz wrote of war); perpetually filled with excitement and interest, because it remains an art, being only partially a craft, and somewhat remotely a science; touching all sorts of stray activities outside itself: and, above all, forcing the fisherman …. to extend his mental investigations ever further and further, and yet force his physical skills to keep pace with them.” Sometimes I think that tying the micropattern is akin to Zen archery, where hitting the target is irrelevant. The essence is the process. Ligo, ergo sum. “I tie, therefore I am.” And, at other times, I think that tying the small fly is nothing more than wrapping scraps around bent steel. I don’t think I will ever be able to tell the difference.

The Krystal Flash Green Rock Worm (Rick Hafele) By: S teve Hegstrom

Hook: Mustad 3906 or Tiemco 3769, size 10-14 Head: Gold bead, size 1/8 Weight: 12 turns non-lead wire, diameter of hook shank Thread: Green 6/0 for 10-12 hook, and 8/0 for size 14 Body: 8-10 strands of green Krystal flash twisted together to form rope. Thorax: Pine Squirrel spun in a dubbing loop

If you attended HOAFF's February seminar featuring at the seminar he almost always fishes this pattern Rick Hafele, he gave us information of one of the caddis with the classic shot and indicator approach. The larva, which are very abundant during the winter naturals don't swim and drift with little or no months including March and April up thru June. Some movement close to the stream bed. Thus the shot of the most numerous are the net-spinning caddis, the and indicator method matches this behavior quite Hydropsychidae (Which is the most common caddisflies well. Rick ties the Krystal Flash Green Rock Worm in Kansas and Missouri) and the free-living green rock in sizes 10-12. For the net-spinning caddis Rick ties worms, the Rhyacophilidae (Widespread in North it in size 14. And 2 points to remember, fish this America). The Krystal flash green rock worm nymph nymph on the bottom and Rick 's favorite nymph is tied to specifically match a green rock worm larva, fishing combinations is this nymph with the Krystal but many species of net-spinng caddis larvae are also Flash BWO Nymph. It is a rather easy fly to tie but bright green. This nymph does a good job of imitating took me a while to master it. I'll be giving away 2 of a wide range of available caddis larvae. You can easily the Krystal Flash Green Rock Worm flies at the next change the body color if you find that bright green isn't HOAFF meeting during the Hatch of the Month what you need in the area you plan to fish. Rick stated plus 2 of our program.

March/April 2015 7 Heart of America Fly Fishers P.O. Box 731

Shawnee Mission, KS 66201

Roaring River Resort, Cassville MO Cassville Resort, River Roaring

Park State River Roaring

Outing Club – 24-26 April

Bob Mattucks – Missouri Department of Conservation of Department Missouri – Mattucks Bob

Community of Christ Church Christ of Community

Meeting Member – 20 April

Alex George Lake George Alex

Cleanup River Blue

March 28– Club Outing Club 28– March

Cameron Cipponeri – Frying Pan Anglers Pan Frying – Cipponeri Cameron

Community of Christ Church Church Christ of Community

Meeting Member – 16 March UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS & EVENTS UPCOMING