President's Line New Ideas for the Picnic

Volume Seven Issue Seven July 2002 President’s Line While we finally have broken our dry spell this spring may also fish the island pond or tie flies if you wish. having plenty of rain to fill our lakes and ponds the west is Don’t forget to buy loads of tickets for the Thomas and having the worst drought in one hundred years. You Thomas rod we are giving away at the August meeting. should remember this if you plan a trip out there for fish- This is an 8'6" six weight and tickets are selling for $2.00 ing. Low water conditions and warmer water tempera- each.Your contribution will help with the costs of putting tures puts undue stress on the trout and lowers their sur- on the picnic and future programs, so don’t be stingy, buy vival rate especially if they are subject to an extended fight hundreds, it will increase your odds of winning. while being caught. Please respect our resources and catch Stay cool and fish hard, see you at the next meeting. less than you normally would. If twenty fish is a normal – Stuart Weniger day in years past, then only catch ten and call it a day. Use a heavier rod and tippet to shorten the length of time you play the fish. If you find a big pod of fish then catch a cou- “There’s no zen like the zen of the predator.” ple and move on. Spend more time observing the fish than Nevada Barr – Deep South catching them; you might be surprised what you can learn. Save and conserve our resources for another year. I want to take a moment and thank everyone who has New Ideas for the Picnic helped me this year. It takes a combined effort of many to It’s funny how some ideas come up. Picture five or six put on programs, plan meetings, and keep things rolling so guys sitting around a meeting table kicking around ideas this club can continue to grow. The unselfish gift of time for the upcoming club picnic as the evening slides and effort of all who hold an office or have volunteered to toward late evening. Bill White really gets credit for the help have made my job easier and the tasks less painful. first idea. I heard him mention his thoughts as to what Thank you all! happens to scrap materials that get swept off our fly Write down this date and location on your calendar, tying benches and what could we do with them. I pro- October 12th at the Salvation Army, Camp Hiawatha. This pose a tying contest. Here’s what we’ll do: everyone save is the date and place of our annual picnic. We are in the all those little, leftover bits of yarn, chenille, dubbing, process of planning many exciting activities and programs. trimmed out hackle, balls of fluff, marabou and whatev- I can tell you this secret, start practicing your casting tech- er else you’d normally toss into the trash. Drop ‘em into niques, and sharpen your fly tying skills. Spencer Percival, a ziplock baggie or whatever and bring ‘em to the picnic. Eric Schmidt, and Bill White are putting their ideas togeth- We’ll put all of these leftovers into a big salad bowl and er to make a fun day testing our abilities. I overheard some then we’ll see how innovative the tyers in this club are. of their ideas and they sound very challenging. We are still Tyers will need to bring their vices, tools and hooks. You working on an evening program and guest speaker, which will have total creative freedom. A panel will be formed we hope to have worked out soon. We will be bringing you to judge the flies and we’ll put them on display as the more details as they develop and asking for volunteers. day goes along. Eric Schmidt even said it might be fun to The next meeting will be held on July 11th due to the have tyers tie flies in relay fashion. For example: the first fourth being the first Thursday. The program will be Bass tyer puts a hook in the vice and ties in the tail. Then he fishing techniques and tactics put on by Tony Daniel. You continued on page 3 • Next Meeting: (July 11 - 7:00 p.m.) Pushed back due to the 4th. • The Boy Scouts of America are seeking volunteers – see Page 2. •Tie a new variation on the classic Prince Nymph – see Page 3. 2 Flatland Flyfishers Club Views Bill Etheridge and a 17 inch smallmouth bass caught east of Winnepeg, Canada in Crow Duck Lake. The fish ate an epoxy head streamer tied by Stuart Weniger. Bill says that although they caught bigger fish on that trip, this was the most photogenic. Help A Scout Earn the new Fly Fishing Merit Badge Last years biannual Boy Scout Jamboree was held from July does each imitate? Tie six flies from at least two of the above 25 to August 1 at Ft. A.P. Hill, Virginia. 107 volunteers from types. the Federation and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife 5. Go to a suitable fishing location and make observations on assisted to teach bait fishing and fly fishing. In addition, the the types of insects fish may be eating. Look for flying insects U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staffed a very popular air con- and some that may be on or beneath the water’s surface. ditioned trailer to teach fly tying to as many as 18 students Look under rocks. Explain the importance of matching the simultaneously. hatch. Fish Hook Lake had been stocked with 6500 channel catfish 6. Explain to your counselor the injuries that could occur for the Jamboree along with the resident bass and bluegill while fly fishing and the proper treatment including cuts, population. The fishing venue was open from 5:30 am to 5:30 scratches, puncture wounds, insect bites, hypothermia and pm every day of the event. More than 3000 scouters partici- heat reactions. Explain how to remove a hook that has lodged pated in one or more fly fishing activities including fly cast- in your arm. name and explain five safety practices you ing, fly tying and knot tying; all skills that can be applied should always follow while fly fishing. toward the Fly Fishing Merit Badge due out this year. 7. Explain the importance of practicing “Leave No Trace” and Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting move- how it positively affects fly fishing resources. ment, was an avid fly fisherman and during his global trav- 8. Obtain a copy of the regulations affecting game fishing els, always took the opportunity to wet a line. where you live. Explain why they were adopted and what The Merit Badge requirements are as follows: you accomplish by following them. 1. Discuss how to match a fly rod, line and leader to get a bal- 9. Explain what good outdoor sportsmen-like behavior is and anced system. Discuss the several types of fly lines and how it relates to fishermen. Tell how the Outdoor Code of the explain how and when each would be used. Review with a Boy Scouts of America relates to the fishing sportsman, counselor how to care for this equipment. including the aspects of littering, trespassing, courteous 2. Demonstrate the ability to cast a fly consistently and accu- behavior, and obeying fishing regulations. rately using overhead and roll cast techniques. 10. Catch two different kinds of fish using the fly fishing tech- 3. Demonstrate how to tie proper knots to prepare a fly rod niques learned above and identify them. Release at least one for fishing: a) backing to a fly reel spool using an arbor knot; of them unharmed. Clean and cook another fish. b) backing to fly line using a nail knot; c) leader to fly line Hopefully our club can play a large role in providing merit using nail knot; d) tippet to leader using double surgeon’s badge counselors to the scouts at the local level as well as knot or loop to loop connection; e) fly to tippet using providing volunteers to help out next summer at the scout improved clinch knot. camp at Quivira. We will discuss this important topic at the 4. Explain how the following types of flies are used: dry flies, business meeting July 11. Thanks to Roger Bryson for brining wet flies, nymphs, streamers, bass bugs and poppers. What this subject to our attention. Flatland Flyfishers 3 Picnic Ideas The Royal Prince Nymph continued from page 1 or she passes the fly to the next tyer, who fashions a rib Taking the original and an abdomen and then passes the fly along to the Prince Nymph and third tyer who dresses the thorax. And so on and so on adding a touch of red until the fly is finished. or orange floss to the Come find Eric or Bill or myself at the July meeting belly has proven to and let us know what you think. We’re open to new catch some attention ideas! when the original Idea number two evolved during a discussion of the doesn’t seem to do annual casting contest. It was proposed that casting tar- the trick. A Royal gets be placed up to 100 yards or so down range; well Stimulator makes a great indicator with the Royal Prince out of casting range. The fly caster begins in an estab- on an 18 to 20 inch dropper depending on conditions.

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