Tale Waters The Voice of the North Arkansas Fly Fishers

June 11, 2019 North Arkansas Fly Fishers Tale Waters

Dave Boyer to speak on Fly Southern Sowbug Report North Arkansas Fly Fishers meetings California’s Saltwaters. are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at the Van Matre Senior Center located at 1101 Spring St Mountain Home, AR 72653. Membership meeting starts at 7:00 pm. All members and guests are welcome and encouraged to attend. NAFF Board of Directors’ meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 1:00 pm 1st Security Bank on 9th St. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is the slow time of year for Visit North Arkansas Fly Fishers the Sowbug Roundup. But I do Online at Club member Dave Boyer will have a few things to report! www.northarkansasflyfisher.org speak on Southern Cali- During our trip to Lanesboro, fornia’s saltwaters. Locations to Minnesota Schuyler Brower and I fish include Surf, near shore, bays Officers spent quite a bit of time talking to and offshore will be covered. Ap- Steve Sobieniak, the owner of the President — Mike Tipton (870) 404 8845 Vice President — Susan Parsons (618) 791-3638 propriate gear, flies and how to Root River Rod Company. The Secretary — Pat Smith (870) 404-0747 read the various waters when tar- Root River Rod Company is a fly Treasurer — Cindy Louis (870) 425-3968 geting fish. The various species shop located right in Lanesboro Directors available to target. Time to fish and is the only full service fly shop Conservation — Tommy Hagan (870) 430-2091 and other information for prepar- in the Driftless Area. Steve is a Property — Kevin Boddy (870) - 421-7804 ing to fish SoCal waters. Fly fish- Education — Ceil Gasiecki (219) 776-9620 retired carpenter. He builds and Membership — Paul Ashton (870) 425-9230 ing the salt is different, not diffi- repairs bamboo fly rods. He is a Past President — Ken Sickels (870) 321-2661 cult. Appd. by Pres. — Danny Barker (870) 424-4110 very personable guy and we per- Dave Boyer started fly fishing us- suaded him to attend Sowbug as a ing his Dad’s bamboo rod in the vendor. He will also be represent- early 60s on the Truckee River in ing the Root River Hackle Compa- Tale Waters is published 2nd Tues- Reno, NV and various small ny which will give us a source of day of each month. Article deadline is streams in the Eastern Sierras. He hackle at Sowbug--which we have 1st Tuesday of the month. put the rod down in college but not had for a few years. Steve is Staff: Mike Tipton & Rita Billbe picked it up again when his young- also willing to give a presentation: Contact: est son came to live with him in “Fishing the Driftless Area with [email protected] Bamboo”. Cont. Pg.2 Cont. page 2 Page 2

Dallas. Since then he has fished for warm water species, cold water species, and on the Gulf Coast saltwater. He stared attending Sowbug about 11 years ago doing wire woven flies. Then he moved to Southern California, where he decided a 5 hour trip to the East- ern Sierra’s was not his thing, so he started fishing the California Coast. He now lives in Mountain Home and is back to fishing for trout. A Wild Driftless Area Brook Trout!

June President’s Report Sowbug In Lanesboro we checked in at the Root River Fly Shop and persuaded Rob Beasley has retired as the At the June NAFF board meeting the owner to be a vendor at Sowbug Sowbug Tying Chair and passed we reviewed the results of last next year. He will also represent the the baton and vise to David Boyer. year’s budget and put together a Root River Hackle Company at This has been a smooth transition! budget for next year. I had a feel- Sowbug. We stopped by the DNR Dave has been a Sowbug tyer for ing that we were spending money office and biologist marked years. like drunker sailors. But we had a up my map to show us where to go The Sowbug Committee meets great Sowbug Roundup and we fishing. And we set off. I with my every second Tuesday, at 1:00 pm, came out well in the end. I will Tenkara rod (multiple) and at the Baxter County Library. Eve- review last year’s and next year’s Schuyler with his 3 wt. ryone is invited to attend and par- budgets at the June membership ticipate. Schuyler has not been actively fish- meeting. I am ready to answer ing for a while. The first morning I questions! hooked six fish and landed five Schuyler Brower and I spent the while he was still getting geared up. Memorial Day weekend, and a This continued until I broke my couple more days in Lanesboro, rod having caught the fly in a bush. Minnesota fishing the Driftless We were fishing a very heavily area. We had quite an enjoyable stocked location! We proceeded and adventurous time. The adven- from there to the real spring creeks. ture started on the way up when There had been a lot of rain. The we spent the night in Jefferson creeks were like chocolate milk. But City in a hotel that was across the Crow Spring creek was near its freeway from where the tornado source and cleared up pretty quick- touched down. We heard the ly. We found that a “gummi” worm noise of it going by but didn’t real- or a San Juan Worm on the bottom ize what we heard until the next would catch fish. Once we figured morning. this out, we caught enough wild Cont. next page Tale Waters Page 3

June Fly of the Month During my recent trip to the Drift- browns and brookies to keep our- Gummi Worm less Area of SE Minnesota the selves entertained. No more rods streams were very discolored from were broken! the rains. A gummi worm fished below a drop off would catch fish! Schuyler is still not sold on Tenka- The wild fish were not particular ra! about the plastic. Please note, I am not running for re-election this fall. If you have an interest in becoming president of NAFF please contact myself or The plastic worm variation of the San Juan Worm has been around Don’t Forget! for a couple of years now. The fly is usually known as a “squirmy wormy”. Wapsi and several other outfits provide the material to make “squirmy wormies”. I call my Every Friday variation of the squirmy wormy At Dally’s the “gummi worm”. I just like the name better, probably because I 1:00 to 5:00 like to eat Gummi Worm Candy! The main difference between a squirmy wormy and a gummi worm is that I tie gummi worms on jig hooks. This reduces chances of catching the fly on the bottom, where you should be fishing it.

Hook – size 12 or 14 weighted jig hook Thread – color to match body col- or of worm Body – Plastic worm material. It comes in many colors; I use pink and red.

The toughest part of tying this fly is get the material to stay in place as you tie it in. A good thread base and practice helps. Do not use any head cement! It will melt the fly! Page 4

Jimmy T’s Fishing at least through the rest of the Report summer. So, think eggs, worms, big sow bugs and big pheasant tails as that will be the next hatch. Jim Traylor

Another stellar caddis hatch is winding down. The White River is becoming quite popular and famous for this caddis hatch and can be seen at times with guide and private boats lined up in some of the holes. This year mossy wa- ter on weak generation kept most of the fishing upstream above the narrows and on some days above Cane Island. But that’s a great place to fish as those holes were full of brown trout. It was not un- usual to catch as many as 20 a day. Various types of caddis flies are being used on tandem rigs with differing combinations of both caddis and caddis with midges. If it was not raining, the hatch was prolific and if it was raining some- times the strikes were fewer but nevertheless they were still there. Of course, now Bull Shoals lake is up to 685 and still rising and the Norfork is at 573. Both are near- ing the top of the flood pool with the ‘Fork only 7 feet to go and the White only 10 feet to go. So who- ever is praying for rain you can stop now. Soon both dams will be cutting loose with some water and big water fishing will be the norm Page 5

Sowbug Tyers Report June Raffle Items

Even though Sowbug just ended, we are planning next year’s setup for tiers. Thanks, Ron Beasley, for your work and I hope to continue Nice collection of fly tying magazines, Rio leaders, nice collection of hooks, strike improving the experience for the indicators, Leighfield repair kit, Readington that, Strung fuzzy fiber, nice collection of chenille, rooster saddles and neck hackle, McFly foam, Mylar cords, Hogskin tiers. Once we settle on a “theme,” Creek Forceps, Cortland fly real and line, line speed, DVD Orvis The Sporting I will be putting out a request for Life, Gunlock, Stanleys ice off paste, fly line cleaner tiers, tiers that may want to teach a class and tiers or others that may want to conduct a seminar on the “theme.” We have a great resource with our tiers list and we will at- tempt to leverage those talents and experience for the benefit of the event and attendees. I welcome suggestions. Dave Boyer Page 6

Education is Key to Clean Water It is with great sadness that I share information about the grave sickness of our mutual friend. Many of Arkansas’ cherished creeks, streams and rivers are gravely ill. The map from Arkan- sas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) shows the Arkan- sas water bodies that are consid- ered “impaired” (polluted) ac- cording to EPA standards. And these are only water bodies which ADEQ tests on a regular basis. You can find more information about Arkansas polluted water by going to the following ADEQ web- Much of the pollution in Arkansas site link: waters are in “headwater” streamside landowners who clear streams. They start in our area; essentially all vegetation from http:// along banks, are responsible for arkansasdeq.maps.arcgis.com/ not in some out of state far-away place. They start with US. They much of the stream bank erosion apps/MapJournal/index.html? and destruction of the natural ap- start in the beautiful mountains of Arkansas and we are the ones streambed. Those of us who pid=edf6259f9c8840e7b686287b float, fish and swim in our c2c29799 polluting them. Years of animal feeding operations, especially streams also are responsible for I am truly sad, angry, confused (CAFO) poultry production, have much of the pollution when we and also resolved. resulted in millions of tons of leave our trash behind. Munici- pal waste treatment facilities are I am sad that a great friend is litter being spread on fields in Arkansas. A CAFO hog factory discharging effluent which ex- sick, angry this has happened, ceed EPA allowed levels. confused about what to do and now sprays 2.5 million gallons of resolved to do SOMETHING. untreated hog waste annually on Please support Friends of the 550 acres of pasture land in the North Fork and White Rivers’ We can all do SOMETHING and Buffalo River watershed. Live- efforts to protect our streams, right now is the time to begin or stock access to streams not only lakes and rivers by: continue to act to protect our result in destroying the water. streambeds and causing silting Attending Friends Educational and erosion, but defecation also Meetings (See our Website Cal- pollutes the streams. And, endar for details) Page 7

Spring River Report Joining or renewing your 2019 life saver. membership Water levels are flowing at 450 cfs Tight lines and good luck, Making a financial contribution at the Spring and water clarity has Mark Crawford Volunteering for Stream Team been good the last several days. Heavy rains, it seems like weekly, springriverfliesandguides.com and stream clean up events have kept the river up and at times

Contacting your elected officials muddy. Because the river is spring and agencies when necessary fed, it clears quickly. At Mark Crawford springriverfliesandguides.com blog springriverfliesandguides.com Volunteering to serve on a page, up-to-date water conditions Friends of the Rivers committee are posted when the river’s fishing conditions become poor due to Always taking all your trash with high muddy water. It has been you when you go back home changing weekly lately. On average Don’t use our streams as latrines 2-3 days has been the amount of time for the river to clear up. Keep/Restore riparian zones on Clear skies are hopefully ahead. your property The trout have been biting well, Thank you again for your support. but there is a lot of work to get a bite. The use of heavier jigs or a Steve Blumreich split shot 1 ft above the fly will help a lot when trying to get down President to the fish. 417-839-0193 Olive and brown woollies have [email protected] been the hot flies in size 10-8 with a small split shot. An olive or yel- low jig can work well also. On the tough days when a bite is hard to get, downsize to a size 14-16 tung- sten bead head woolly bugger or nymph. Orange, black and white trout magnets are working well. Just get it down deep! Be safe wading as the river is flow- ing strong! Wading staffs can be a Page 8

Musings of a Fly Fishing Guide a child. I explained that a bobber “A Tennessee Lady Fly functions the same way as an indi- Fishing On The White River cator or suspension device. How- ” ever, some people in the fly fishing world don’t like to be put into the same category as bait One day, a lady from Nashville, who sometimes use bobbers. Not Tennessee, called me and said she to confuse her, I did clarify that was celebrating her fiftieth birth- both are used to suspend a fly or day and had always wanted to bait off the bottom of a river or learn how to fly fish. It had been lake. on her bucket list for a long time, After she practiced a little and she decided it was time to get more with the flies and indicator it done. “Would you please show attached to her leader, we were me how? You have guided my ready to fish. I said, “Let’s motor brother on several occasions in the over here, where I think we can past, and he said that you were a set up European style on a tippet find some staged trout.” great guide who could teach me section of the leader. She said, “Staged, what does that mean?” how to fly fish. He told me how “How am I going to remember she asked. much fun fly fishing is and everything you are telling me? thought I would probably enjoy it. That’s a lot for someone to re- “Fish will be in their feeding lies If I find that I like to fly fish, I may member and do!” waiting on the current of the river take up the sport.” to bring them food.” “In time, you’ll remember. You’ll I picked up Miss Tennessee at build up muscle memory and men- Once again, she commented that 8:00 am from one of the local tal memory until you will do these she wouldn’t be able to remember campgrounds along the White Riv- things automatically. The more all the things I was teaching her. er. We were fishing from a boat, time you spend fishing the sooner so we motored up through Buffalo “Yes. you will. It just won’t be in you will get there. You don’t want one day. Remember, Rome wasn’t Shoals to a place I like to go to to develop any bad habits along when teaching someone to fly fish. built in a day. It will take time for the way because they can be very you to become competent at this. I started by teaching her the prop- hard to break.” er way to hold a fly rod, then Don’t try to rush it. Have fun showed her how to make a back I tied on two flies, then added a while you’re learning—it’s ok to cast and forward cast. We did that suspension device (indicator) to make mistakes as long as you learn without flies tied to the tippet, be- her leader. She asked if we were from those mistakes!” cause I wanted to make sure she going to fish with a bobber, since I let her know that my goal for the didn’t hook me or herself. I want- she fished with one when she was next two half-days was to have her ed her to get the feel of moving casting, mending line, watching the fly line and leader through the her indicator, and hooking and air. Once she got her casting un- playing a trout on a fly rod. If we der control, we talked about could do that, then we would mending line and why it was nec- know that we had accomplished a essary. I explained that she would lot. That would at least give her be fishing with two (tandem) flies enough hands-on experience so Page 9 she could decide if fly fishing was at once, the indicator went under. for her or not. She set the hook, and the fight was on. As she was playing her The wind was blowing around 15 fish, I could tell she had a trout mph with wind gusts around 25 hooked on each fly. That happens mph—not the best of conditions quite often when you fish two flys for someone learning to fly fish for rigged the way I have them setup. the first time. She made her first What a way to get started! I netted cast, followed by a mend, then bin- both fish and she couldn’t believe go, fish on. I talked to her about she caught two with one cast. She keeping pressure on the fish until said, “I can’t wait to tell my broth- she could play the fish from the er about this!” reel, keeping enough tension on the fish but not so much that she I could tell that her casting, mend- tore the hook out of the fish’s ing, fishing technique, concentra- mouth. It took her a few caught tion, and ability to play a fish cor- fish to get the hang of hooking rectly was much better than the and playing a fish from rod and day before. I commented on how reel. I explained to her that a lot well she was doing, and she re- of people would strip the fish in marked that she felt more confi- by hand, but I am a firm believer dent because she had a better un- in playing all fish from the reel. If derstanding of the things I had you don’t play your fish from the taught her. I replied, “Yes, you are reel you will hook and lose a big putting what you learned yesterday fish one day, that I can promise to good use today.” you! Miss Tennessee finished the This lady was on fire, catching day with nineteen trout caught. trout after trout. She caught forty- Not bad for someone who had seven trout that morning, with never held a fly rod in her hand! A several trout getting off. She ended good day for a beginner or newbie, up with a two half-day total of sixty as I call them. -six trout caught and released. Not The second day I picked up Miss bad for a Tennessee lady celebrat- Tennessee at 8:00 am and we ing her fiftieth birthday by learn- Weather Cancellation headed back up through Buffalo ing to fly fish on the White River. Policy Shoals. The weather was perfect, She said, “This is so much fun. I NAFF Activities or Meet- with very little wind. A beautiful understand now why my brother ing will be cancelled or day to be on the river. loves to fly fish—it’s addicting! I postponed when the am hooked on fly fishing, and I Mountain Home Public “Do you think the trout will be will be back to see you.” Schools Cancel Classes. staged at the same location as yes- terday?” she asked. Danny Barker Check KTLO radio web- site for school closing “I think you can count on it.” Fly Fishing Guide info. When she made her first cast, I reminded her to mend line and watch her indicator for a take. All Page 10

Membership Report Mike & Gayle Arnett of Shell Knob, MO John & Beth Holler of St. Robert, MO Eric Asbury of Little Rock, AR Amy Howell of Mountain Home, AR Burt & Tammy Ballard of Flippin, AR This year's Sowbug was outstand- Kevin & Terri Hutchinson of Smithville, TX ing in terms of new and returning David & Gloria Boyer of Mountain Home, AR Fred Isensee of Maryland Heights, MO members. Eric Brainard of Bentonville, AR Steve & Betsy Johnson of Mountain Home, 44 new members, an all time high AR Dennis & Sandi Bucher of Bull Shoals, AR and 7 expired members returned Don of Clinton, IA to the club. Chris & Ashley Chamberlin of Mountain Home, AR Stephen Klinkhammer of Dubuque, IA Membership totals are currently Russell & Diane Coffey of Mountain Home, Roger & Karen Lampkin of Mountain Home, 418 memberships with 597 indi- AR AR vidual members. Glen Dimick of Cotter, AR Andrew & Amber Lee of Melbourne, AR Dan & Nicole Driver of Batesville, AR Brad Lemon of Marshall, MI Below are the first set of new Victor & Sheryl Edwards of Crestview, FL Mary Ann & Mark Lockman of Mountain Home, AR members to be introduced. Dana Green of Flippin, AR Joe Maberry of Ovilla, TX Cody & Megan Griffin of Wynne, AR John & Melody McCrackson of Baton Rouge, Bob & Lynn Agosti of Mountain Home, AR Erich & Kristie Grotheer of Jonesboro, AR LA Mark & Lynn Agresta of Batavia, IL Wallace & Lu Haney of Memphis, TN Liz Mealy & Glenn Hirsch of Austin, TX Jon & Corinne Hiser of Midway, AR

SE Minnesota Page 11

Keep It Clean

A few years back I took my Tenka- ra rod on a fishing trip to Alaska. After catching seven species of fish, enthralling guides and learn- ing a lot about fighting big fish, I had a terrific time. That however is not what this article is about. Every evening after a day on the Alaskan rivers I cleaned my Tenka- ra rod. I did that because on the first day of the trip I wiped it down with a napkin and a layer of individual pieces. Lay them in scratching when extending or re- black soot and grit came off. The order on the paper towel. tracting your rod, you should area we were fishing had seen sev- make every effort to rinse and eral volcanic eruptions over the • Let the water run and rinse wipe away the grit causing the past 20 years. The residue still each section inside and out. sound. Even river or pond water remains. Wipe each piece with paper is better than forcing sand parti- towel and allow to dry. cles into the sections of your rod. • If you notice a particularly A clean rod doesn’t get stuck as Now we all don’t fish in volcanic dirty area with tree sap, algae often as a dirty one. areas, but we all lay our rod down or other gunk, you may try on the stream edge after landing a rubbing the spot with a soft prize catch. Tenkara rods collect cloth soaked in denatured al- A good hunter cleans his gun after particles of dust, sand, soil, and as cohol. This will usually dis- a day of shooting. A good Tenka- in this case Alaskan soot and ash. solve the foreign material. ra angler cleans his rod after a day These particles are abrasive and Rinse off the alcohol residue. on the stream. Keep it clean and when the rod is collapsed, they go catch some fish. may get trapped between the sec- • You may lubricate each section tions. That can result in scratches, with Tri-Flow applied with a cuts or stuck sections. These steps soft cloth. Tri-Flow is a dry Dennis Galyardt may help you keep your quality lubricant that repels dust/dirt Tenkara rod functioning like new. and isn’t greasy.

• Carry a cloth with you on the • Reassemble the rod parts in stream and before collapsing proper order and screw on the the rod wipe it down from butt cap. butt to tip. This can remove • Use soap and water on the 90% of the grime from the cork grip, if necessary. surface. • Your rod should be ready for • After the day’s outing, bring action. the rod to a sink and lay out Wild brown taken with a bam- some paper towels. Unscrew boo Tenkara rod. And a gummi the butt cap and pull out the If you ever feel grating or hear worm!

Events of Interest to NAFF Members

June

6/04/2019 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM NAFF Board Meeting, 1st Security Bank, 105 E 9th St

6/11/2010 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Sowbug Roundup meeting, Baxter County Library

6/15/2019 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Trout Days - Bull Shoals State Park (volunteers needed)

6/18/2019 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM NAFF Membership Meeting, Van Matre Senior Center July 7/02/2019 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM NAFF Board Meeting, 1st Security Bank, 105 E 9th St

7/09/2010 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Sowbug Roundup meeting, Baxter County Library

7/16/2019 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM NAFF Membership Meeting, Van Matre Senior Center 7/26/2019 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Branson Fly Fishing Expo(2 days) Lions Community Building 1015 E State Highway 76, Branson, MO 65915