November 2014 The Angler’s Creel The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club Promoting Knowledge of cold water fisheries, Volume 14 Issue 2 fish habitat, conservation and stream ecology Roll casts from the President’s desk: Eric Baumann Upcoming Events November Fish Fry Wednesday, November 19, 2014 DINNERS Tuck Scott will speak on: (For Reservations see page 3 & 4) Wednesday, November 19, 2014 “Fly Fishing South Carolina Low Tuck Scott: Fly Fishing South Caro- lina’s Low Country Saltwater Marsh Country Saltwater Marsh” Wednesday, December 17, 2014 Jerry Darkes: Fly Fishing Across the Great Lakes Wednesday, January 21, 2015 On Saturday, November 1st, 2014, the Museum honored the Trout Club by making us a mem- Dan Leavens: Montana Fishing; Big ber of the Museum’s Arkite Society for donors who have made an annual gift to the museum Hole, Beaverhead, Madison, Jefferson, of $1,000 or more for over 25 consecutive years. This great honor is a reflection of the stew- and Ruby Rivers. ardship the Trout Club has enjoyed over the years through the ongoing support of our mem- Friday, March 6, 2015 bers, the enduring work of our Committees that touches everything we do, the unsung efforts Film Festival: Note change of of our Executive / Advisory Committee, our club officers, the Museum, and donors who gen- date. erously support our fund raising efforts. Saturday, April 25, 2015 Banquet and Benefit Thanks to members Bill Grake, Jim DeCoker, Cheri Baumann, Ara Hamamjian and new mem- bers Samantha Butler and Bob Barnes (both graduates of Ara’s Fly Tying Class) for volunteer- ing to share their knowledge and experiences about the artful sport of fishing at the Museum’s Outings & Classes Think and Drink with the Extinct event last month. A good handful of applications found their way into the hands of prospective Trout Club members during the evening. Our very capable Film Fest Committee is diligently planning the 2015 Fly Fishing Film Festi- November 22, 2014 val event to be held Friday, March 6, 2015. Please note the date change and mark your calen- Jr. Trout Club Outing dars twice, once for the event and then again about 3 or 4 weeks prior with a personal reminder December 1, 2014 to buy your tickets. Rocky River Steelhead Outing Details on page 5 *Fly Tying Classes Continued on page 6 Plan on attending our classes that start January 7, 2015, bring a buddy. Details on page 4. Fly Tying and Norm’s Beloved Bighorn River ALPHA TO OMEGA —Norman Hyams As for my first trout on a fly, my alpha fish, that event I clearly remember. I was fourteen years old and an accomplished—so I thought—front lawn fly caster. Our big morning arrived. I walked the road down-stream until I found a series of small pocket wa- ters. The fly I selected was a Parmachene Belle, a small Red and White married wing fly with a yellow gloss body wrapped with turns of tinsel and a red and white married wing tail—a fly of late Nineteenth Century fame. I took my first trout, a silver skinned speckled beauty about ten inches long. Victory was mine. Between alpha and omega there are 22 other letters in the Greek alphabet. Each letter could represent any number of great trips of mine to places in the world where trout and Atlantic Salmon are found. They dwell in beautiful habitats and I have been privileged to fish for them. In addition to our western States, I’ve fished Argentine and Chilean Patagonia, and the Northern Nouveau Quebec rivers that were so liberal with their Atlantic Salmon, as was the Panoi of Russia. As I am writing this, I am looking at my cherished Au Sable of Michigan. I have brought my grandson here (as I brought my sons) to keep this tradition in our family. Now, as to my omega fish. In 1988, the year of the big Yellowstone burn, I discovered what the Big Horn River in Montana had to offer. The Big Horn rises in Wyoming as the Wind River, in a region I have backpacked several times. When the river turns northward and enters the Big Horn Canyon its name changes and, controlled by the Yellowstone Dam, it forms a lake 75 miles long and 500 feet deep. The canyon walls contain abundant limestone that enriches the water, effectively creating an artificial spring creek where trout feed all day long on good hatches of May flies, caddis flies, midges , and one stone fly, the Yellow Sally. Needless to say, I have fished many of these hatches through all kinds of conditions. I consider the Big Horn some of the best trout fishing our world has to offer. On a day in August of 2011 I was once again on this river anticipating action from a black caddis hatch. I had watched this hatch for years. There were many patterns available to fish this fly, but I wanted my own. I had studied its olive/black body and the length of its black wings. Not a complicated matter, but I had become a pretty fussy fly tyer, so I asked a friend to dye some beaver olive green plus some black. Then I blended these dubbings until I got the perfect color. For the wings I opted for cul de canard feathers dyed black. The fly was easy to tie—dub the body, tie on the cul de canard, pull the winging material back over the body to the correct length, and, while still under the pulling pressure, cut the wing which causes it to puff over the body form- ing a fine pattern for this hatch. Thus armed, I picked a spot on the Big Horn where some of the water flows off to a side channel. The flow was gentle but there were many downed saplings criss-crossing the area. Almost hidden in one of these sapling-formed pockets was a nice fish. I tied on one of my black caddis flies, brushed it with a dessicant, and made my presentation. The fish I took was an eighteen inch Rainbow. When I returned to the drift boat and sat down, somehow or other I knew that trout would be my last fish, my omega. And so it was. Norm (Norm is a past president of the Museum of Natural History Trout Club) As you float the Bighorn on the reservation near Custer’s last stand, you can imagine the war parties riding the ridge along the river. You are brought back to present with the tug of a typical 18” brown or rainbow. CMNH Trout Club Fall Outings Junior Trout Club – Julia Swanson, Coordinator/Instructor This year, eight interested young anglers (grades 5 through 8) will join the Cleveland Museum of Natural His- tory’s outdoor educators to form the Junior Trout Club. These eight youths will learn and practice fly fishing skills while building interest and knowledge of cold water fish habitat and stream ecology in Northeast Ohio. This year-long membership consists of eight programs to be held throughout the 2014-2015 year and includes experienced instruction, transportation, fly fishing outfits, gear and supplies; all the things needed to get a good start in the artful sport of fly fishing. I would like to thank the Trout Club for sponsoring this fun and educa- tional opportunity for our youth! If you are or know of a youth who would like to become a member of the Junior Trout Club and learn the skills of fly fishing, please contact me at [email protected] or (216) 231-4600 ext. 3292. Our first meeting is Sat- urday, September 20th, December Rocky River Steelhead Outing PROJECT NAME: Rocky River Steelhead Outing Sign up today! DATE: Monday 1, December, 2014, Rain Date (if needed) TBA LOCATION: Cleveland Metroparks - Rocky River Reservation DESCRIPTION OF OUTING: Steelhead fishing on Rocky River. We will meet at 7:00 A.M. at the bottom of Detroit Rd at the picnic shelter up stream of the Boat Dock. Come prepared to catch many Steelhead under the guidance of noted Steelhead guide, Ara Hamamjian. We will have a short clinic on rigging and techniques while enjoying hot coffee and bagels. The entrance to Rocky River Reservation is on the south side of the 1800 block of Detroit Rd. We will fish until 11:00 A.M. and then adjourn for lunch at the West End Tavern located at 18514 Detroit Ave. in Lake- wood. You are welcome to fish Rocky River in the afternoon on you own. The cost is $10.00. Lunch is on you at the West End Tavern. RESERVATIONS: Contact Karen Menn at 216.231.4600, ext. 3278 or make your check payable to CMNHTC and mail it to Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval, Cleveland, OH 44106 or re- serve on-line at www.cmnhtc.org. Trip CO-ORDINATOR: Bill Grake 440.315.5670 or [email protected] This outing has been a great outing for 20 years to learn the rig setup, the flies that work, the good holes on the Rocky, and to get our members familiar with this fall fishery. The outing will be good fun for novices as well as steelheaders long in the tooth; plus a warm luncheon at a fine local watering hole. Upcoming Outings to look forward to in 2015. * March will be a day outing on one of the east side rivers such as the Grand River. * May will be a 4 day trip to Cherokee, NC to fish for trophy Trout on the Cherokee Indian Reserva- tion.