Delta Fly Fishers, Inc. December, 2012 Rx Fly Fishing! President’s Message by Marty Kjelson In this Issue will be there and find the fish. We all know Wow, it’s December Page 2—The “Don Payne Award” will trout feed better under cloudy skies , so go already! Hope you all be retired this year but Don will not be had a great Thanksgiv- for it! forgotten by those who knew him ing with a reminder of We also have some additional dates that Page 3—New Years Day on the Moke, all the good things of will allow us to return to the private UCD can it get any better? which we are thankful . waters on the Yuba in 2013. I know the spring can be good too when the bugs start Page 3—Fishing trips make the BEST November ended with a presents nice outing at O’Neill Forebay with great hatching. Our December program will fellowship, a super lunch from Bob and provide talks by members on their travels Page 4—December is Members’ Pro- gram Night Jean Fujimura and Mark Delabarre, and to a variety of waters near and far. I know good fishing, though most of the stripers we will all enjoy that and learn some new Page 4—Rain doesn't deter Trout Bout seemed to have lockjaw. Those who didn’t places to go and new techniques to apply. crowd get the strong tugs of fish, don’t give up on Finally, “ One’s first trout on a fly”. Bill Page 5—Finally, a river runs through it! O’Neill as it’s still a winner and a safe Laughlin shared his experience on Rancho place for small craft. Page 7—RELEASE, WAIVER OF LI- Seco lake with Bob Souza some years back ABILITY, ASSUMPTION OF RISK Thanks to all who helped on the Trout when he first joined the club. Bob acted as HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT AND Bout under the leadership of Charlie mentor, bringing a lot of experience to the INDEMNITY Reames. The crew did a heck of a job in water. Well, as Bill tells it, it really hooked him on fly fishing as he landed nine of Page 8— O'Neill Forebay, hot for providing hot food and drinks to the wet some, cold for others and cold anglers. There were some hardy those huge rainbows that SMUD used to souls out there on the pond under heavy plant there. He used a variety of flies which Page 9— The Prince Nymph and Saw- yer’s Pheasant Tail Nymph rain conditions. Kids learned that fishing included his own creation of an orange and chartreuse wooly bugger, damsel can be challenging , but still fun when the rod bends. nymphs, hares ears , the dependable Red Ryder, and believe it or not a Griffith’s Calendar Another thanks to those who volunteered Gnat. December 1, Steelhead outing, U.C. to be on the Board of Directors for 2013. Bill, always humble, was a bit embar- Davis property on the Yuba at Hwy. Most are returning incumbents, though rassed, as Bob apparently only caught one 20 two, Bob Fujimura and Gil Parker are new. bluegill. My guess is that Bob had plenty Give all these people thanks when you see December 5, Fly of the Month Tying of strikes, but did the LDR thing, ie long them. They do a great job keeping our club Session distance release, to make his mentee feel running efficiently, legally, and with a di- Prince Nymph and Beadhead Pheas- good. I can attest to Bob also doing that to versity of fly fishing experiences that we ant Tail - Instructor Joe Balderston me recently! all enjoy. This story reminds us to offer to mentor December 8, NCCFFF Board Meet- I enjoyed our November speaker , Robert some of our newer , inexperienced mem- ing, Elks Lodge, Fremont www.nccfff.org Tamson , sharing fly fishing on the Texas bers. It’s a good thing and you’ll be coast. Looks like a very interesting place rewarded too. with plenty of opportunities to sight fish December 12, General Membership Have a great Christmas season. for a multiple of species. Meeting Marty Members Program Night We have some good events coming up in December including the Yuba outing for December 19, DFF Board Meeting trout though recent word tells us that it may be true north coast weather, ie rain, January 1, 2013 New Years Outing, wind and cold. I know some hardy folks Van Assen Park And stay safe Have yourself a merry little Christmas. on the water Let your heart be light. little buddy! From now on Our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Make the Yule-tide gay. From now on Our troubles will be miles away. Here we are as in olden days, Happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us Gather near to us once more. Through the years We all will be together If the Fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough, And have yourself a merry little Christmas now. lyrics by Ralph Blane The “Don Payne Award” will be retired this year but Don will not be forgotten by those who knew him By Jerry Neuburger to purchase a special birthday gift for her Everyone in the club was saddened and November 1, 2012—It is said that time husband, Don, a trip with Lani to his grieved for Don’s loss and the others heals all wounds. In some cases the heal- lodge on the Babine later in the year. killed in the crash. It took Lani a full year to recover from the shock and injuries. ing is impossible but it does soften the Don, was a very active member of the memories. club, a member of the board of directors The club searched for an appropriate way In January of 1991 I was president and as and the “go-to” guy when something to memorialize Don as an active member my last act in office I presided over the needed to be done. He helped publicize of the club, someone that made a differ- annual dinner. Back then the club pre- the club’s activities and provided the le- ence. It was decided at a future board sented two awards at the dinner, the Fly gal knowhow to properly rewrite the meeting on my motion that the Presi- Fisher of the Year and the Incomplet An- club’s bylaws. Although very busy in the dent’s Club Service Award be changed to gler. I felt the need for another award, Stockton building and development com- the Don Payne Memorial Award in recog- one that would recognize the person that munity, Don always made time to go on nizing his commitment to the club and his had stepped up and helped me in my term the club’s outings and really enjoyed his efforts. time on the water. as president. I received permission from That was twenty years ago. And, yes, the Board of Directors to create the award It was a shock when the club learned that time does soften the hurt of old wounds as the President’s Club Service Award. Don was killed in a plane crash when but it also brings on change. Very few of When the time came at the Annual Din- flying in with Lani to the Babine on Sep- the club’s members today remember Don, ner, it was my great pleasure to present tember 11th, 1992. and it has become somewhat awkward to have to explain the origins of the award at Don Gillett with the first President’s Club Here’s a quote from an article in the each dinner before its presentation. Service Award for his continued efforts in club’s October 1992, Rx Fly Fishing: making my year an easy one, his leading “Don, Lani Waller, the plane’s pilot, and This coming annual dinner will mark the several outings, his participation as a another fly fisher were approaching the 20th presentation of the Don Payne award board member and, most of all, his men- landing area when the pilot found that and the last one using Don’s name. After torship in the club’s fly tying classes. they had overshot the runway. The pilot this presentation the award will revert to In those days we also had a “prime time” banked the plane to make a second ap- its former name, the President’s Club speaker at the dinner. The speaker we proach but clipped a wing on a tree top. Service Award. The plane crashed into the river where selected that year was Lani Waller, a na- The change in the award’s name will not three of the occupants were killed with tionally noted steelhead angler. Lani put erase Don’s memories for those that re- the impact. Lani was able to escape on a heck of a show with pictures of giant member him, and since Don was an ac- through a broken rear window and was fighting steelhead from the Babine River tive board member who always worked to pulled from the water and is in critical in British Columbia. His thrilling descrip- have the club move forward I’m sure he’d condition.” tions of these fish motivated Linda Payne understand and approve. 2 Bring in the New Year by catching a fish! New Years Day on the Moke, can it get any better? New Years Day Fishout Waders and boots Delta Fly Fishers to welcome in the new Fishmiester: TBD Eye protection (Polarized sunglasses) fishing year by showing up at the tailwa- Date: January 1, 2013 Warm clothing and rain gear ter fishery below the dam with some Time: A little after sunrise Wading staff recommended members fishing and others just taking in the day.