Across the Stream - August 2003
A Publication of Heart of America Fly
Fishers
HOAFF August Meeting
Monday, August 18, 2003 - 7pm
Constance Whiston
Fly Fishing the Texas Hill Country
Fly fishing the Colorado, the Nueces, the Llano, the Guadalupe,
San Marcos and more. Fly fishing the Texas Hill Rivers is not only an
informative program, it will display the beauty of Texas spring-fed rivers and
the healthy variety of fish living in their waters.
Arkansas Drafts Trout Management Plan
Your Comments are important to Arkansas' Trout
From Judy Boston, MSFF Conservation
Director
Arkansas has joined
Missouri in developing a Trout Management Plan to help guide the management for
the future.
The draft is posted on the
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission website at www.agfc.com. Click on Fishing and then on Draft Trout
Management Plan.
Youll
notice that there is also a link to send your comments by email. It has been
made as easy as possible for you to comment.
Darrell Bowman, Arkansas
Trout Biologist, presented this draft Trout Management Plan to the AGFC
Commissioners June 26, 2003. A 90-day public comment period, ending September 30, will allow the
proposal to be fine-tuned before it is presented to the Commissioners for a
final vote this fall. Responses from anglers are vital to achieve the type of
trout fisheries in Arkansas that we desire, and for which the potential is so
great.
The draft Trout Management
Plan (TMP) is one the most important documents where anglers can voice their
opinion since the catch and release areas were established. Arkansas has had a
Trout Program to manage the trout fisheries for years, but no real management plan with development goals in mind.
Arkansas crappie, bass, and
other species have a management plan in place. It is time to have a plan for trout.
The goals-driven trout
management plan would put data from angler preferences, biologic information,
and habitat information, all scientifically
gathered, as the rationale for clearly written fishing regulations.
Some of the most pressing
problems facing Arkansas
trout fisheries are:
1. Inadequate
dissolved oxygen
2. Siltation
from road and structural development
3. Streambed
and riparian habitat degradation
The TMP addresses all three
of these problems, and much more. And the advantage is that the TMP is actually
plural. It calls for multiple Plans, one for each trout water. The TMP reflects
the need for each trout water to be managed individually, as each has its own
needs and characteristics.
If the TMP is adopted,
implementation plans will be developed using the strategies intended to attain
the objectives of the stated goals, followed by actual implementation, and then
monitoring and evaluation would occur.
Another asset of the TMP is
that nowhere it states there should be specific regulation areas and limits, its a plan for the overall development of
quality fisheries. Darrell writes, The overall goal is to produce a plan that addresses the wise
management of trout resources while taking into consider-ation all stakeholders
in partnership.
Darrell also explains that
the TMP is
built on the premise of stakeholder participation and feedback. Input from
stakeholders must be considered as part of the information needed to develop
specific management plans in the Implementation Plan phase for any given trout
water.
Everyone interested in the trout fisheries in Arkansas should read
the draft TMP for themselves and send their comments and suggestion. A
bonus for your effort is learning the history of the current program, including
stocking data, and an explanation of various management techniques used in
Arkansas.
Please send an email
supporting the Trout Management Plan to Darrell Bowman
(dwbowman@agfc.state.ar.us and put Trout Management Plan in the subject line) or send a note to him at 201 E 5th Street, Mountain Home, AR
72653. Or you may send a copy to the AGFC Commissioners at #2 Natural Resources
Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205.
Restoring Native
Trout
We
have made donations, matched by Terry Middleton, to these research efforts to
restore and protect the native cutthroat of Yellowstone National Park.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Restoration
As one of only five species of trout
native to Yellowstone National Park, westslope cutthroat trout have great
historical and ecological importance to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
However, they have declined
dramatically within the park since the introduction of nonnative fish species
and outside of Yellowstone due to habitat fragmentation.
Therefore, the Yellowstone Park
Foundation (YPF) has committed to help fund continued efforts to restore these
trout to Yellowstone.
A 2000 status assessment indicates that
westslope cutthroat currently occupy less than half of their historic range,
and most of these populations are hybridized. Genetically pure cutthroat were
identified in only one small tributary in Yellowstone, the North Fork of Fan
Creek.
The YPF, along with our donation, is
funding the collection of data to be used in the Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Restoration Project, which will help ensure the long-term conservation of this
native species.
Yellowstone
Cutthroat Trout Conservation
Yellowstone cutthroat trout currently
occupy only 10% of their historic range, and Yellowstone National Park is home
to 91% of the worlds remaining
population.
Yellowstone Lake and its tributaries
make up the majority of this range. Of the 126 known tributaries to Yellowstone
Lake, 68 host spawning runs of Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Since the discovery
of predatory lake trout in 1994 and the 1998 discovery of whirling disease, in
Yellowstone Lake, monitoring of the cutthroat trout population in the lake and
its tributaries has become a top priority. Virtually no systematic inventory of
cutthroat trout populations has been conducted upstream of the inlet to
Yellowstone Lake. This project will collect information on the size and
duration of the cutthroat trout spawning run, estimate the abundance of
resident cutthroat trout in the Yellowstone River, and establish radio-tracking
for life history classifications and movements throughout Yellowstone Lake.
Our donation will aid in a multi-year monitoring effort that will provide essential data on the status of
the worlds largest
remaining pure Yellowstone cutthroat trout population. A complete fish health
assessment will be conducted in cooperation with the United States-Fish &
Wildlife Service.
2003 Officers Contact
List
PRESIDENT
David Andrews
davidgandrews@kc.rr.com
Home:
(816) 741-8314
PAST PRESIDENT
John Richards
jreyedoc1@aol.com
Home:
(816) 781-0545
Office:
(816) 781-0500
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Frank Neal
Home:
(913) 541-8031
Office:
(913) 764-3970
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Tom
James
tom@blackdogsports.com
Office:
816-213-7815
PROGRAMS
Cliff Cain
cliffcain@hotmail.com
Home:
(913) 780-3865
Office:
(913) 433-5224
John Bell
j.bell@kcc.state.ks.us
Home:
(785) 843-1782
Office:
(785) 271-3139
OUTINGS
Jim Ohnemus
johnemus@kcp.com
Home:
(816) 322-1381
MEMBERSHIP
Cliff Newton
ccnewton@sbcglobal.net
Home:
(816) 348 7626
Office:
(816) 426 3925 x260
Fred Clark
fclarks@planetkc.com
Home: (913) 831-0305
CONSERVATION
Jim Bevan
jbevan@adjkcmo.com
Home: (816) 363-8131
Office: (913) 529-5000
BLUE
RIVER PROJECT
Barbara Davis
barbara.j.davis@accenture.com
Home: (816) 587-6219
Office: (913) 319 1607
LIBRARY
Raymond Zook
rzook@kc.rr.com
Home: (816) 941-2862
EDUCATION
Dick Martin
rlm@mllfpc.com
Home: (816) 781-9557
Office: (816) 221-1430
Don Grundy
dlgrundy@msn.com
Home 816-781-9019
WEBMASTER
Vicky Newton
svnewton@sbcglobal.net
Home: (816) 348 7626
RAFFLE/AUCTION
Jim Walker
jwalker@earthlink.net
Home: (913) 814-0633
Office: (913) 794 8940
HISTORIAN
Bill Brant
flyfish@sky.net
Home: (816) 941-9691
Office: (913) 458-6826
SOUTHERN
COUNCIL LIASON
Hod McIntosh
singingreels@worldnet.att.net
Home: (913) 722-3684
Missouri River
Clean-up
Kansas city is experiencing a renewed
interest in the Missouri River. The Rivermarket area is revitalized with
restaurants and lofts with river views, and wastelands along the river are
being converted to city parks.
Missouri River Relief is an
organization focused on making the river and watershed a more enjoyable place.
This Fall they are concentrating their efforts on the Kansas City area.
The clean-up is scheduled for Saturday,
September 13, 2003 from 10am to 5pm and will stretch from English Landing Park
in Parkville to La Benite Park as well as several miles on the Kansas River.
While the clean-up is going on, there
will also be a River Festival in Berkeley Park. This will be a great
opportunity to learn more about water quality and watershed issues as well as
featuring entertaining displays and live music.
What to wear?
Be prepared to get dirty, after all,
this is the Big Muddy. Strong shoes
that wont get sucked
off in the mud, long sleeve shirts and long pants and a hat. Sunscreen and bug
repellant are also recommended. The group will provide work gloves. All
volunteers working on boats or along the river are REQUIRED to where life
jackets. These will be provided, but if you have a favorite life jacket, bring
it along.
How long will it take?
Volunteers will be out at specific
trash sites for about 2 to 4 hours filling trash bags and dragging larger items to the banks for pickup.
If the weather doesnt cooperate, the alternate date is
September 14th. For more information about the Missouri River Relief Kansas
City Clean-up, or any other clean up activities on the Missouri River, visit
their website at www.riverrelief.org.
Search Continues for
Raffle/Auction Coordinator
Jim Walker will be leaving
for Phoenix. Jim has been the brains and talent behind the auction and has the
annual process is well organized and documented.
In order for the club to
continue with our annual auction, someone will need to step forward to chair
this function. If you have any interest or know of someone in the club who
might make a good chair, please contact Jim Walker or any Board member.
Water, Water Everywhere...
As fly fishers, were surrounded by
water in rivers, lakes and streams and none of it is safe to drink.
by Tom James
As fly anglers, we are
outside in the elements and in many cases, using considerable energy to hike to
that secret, isolated fishing spot. Our bodies are constantly using up stores
of water. We are surrounded by water in rivers, lakes and streams and none of
it is safe to drink.
Proper hydration does more
than just keep you from getting thirsty, it is important to make the body
function at maximum efficiency.
Water delivers oxygen and
nutrients to every cell in the body. It lubricates joints and moistens the
oxygen we breathe.
Water is a coolant for the
body and helps regulate body temperature. You need as much water in cold
weather as you do in warmer seasons.
The Nutrition Information
Center at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center offers tips for maintaining
proper hydration.
Use conventional wisdom of 8 glasses a day.
More when you spend time outside.
Dont wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel
thirsty, you are already in the stages of dehydration.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Make sure you have plenty of water available.
Do not substitute caffeinated drinks and
alcohol for water. These act like diuretics, causing you to lose more water.
Dont underestimate the amount of water lost to perspiration.
When its warm outside, cold water is the best fluid for
keeping hydrated. Cool water is absorbed much more quickly than warm fluids and
may have a positive effect on cooling the body.
The rate of fluid loss can
vary with activity levels, air temperature, humidity and altitude.
Dehydration
Your body wont tell you youre thirsty until youre already feeling
the effects of dehydration.
Symptoms of dehydration
include nausea, headache, fatigue, decreased coordination and impaired
judgement. Dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
The best way to combat
dehydration is to drink plenty of water.
Water Contaminents
Most of us would like to
think that the crystal clear, cold waters we fish are clean and safe to drink,
but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that 90% of the
worlds
fresh water is contaminated.
Giardiasis is an intestinal
illness caused by a microscopic parasite called Giardia limblia. Giardia is
found in two forms, an active trophozoite and a dormant cyst. Both forms can
invade the body where they attach themselves to the walls of the small
intestines and feed off the host. Just ten trophozoites or cysts can make you
sick.
Anyone can get giardiasis
but it tends to be more frequent in individuals who drink improperly treated
surface water.
The parasite is spread
through feces of infected people and animals. The beaver has gained a
reputation for its
spread and it is sometimes called beaver fever
though fever is rarely present.
Symptoms include nausea,
abdominal cramps, mild to severe diarrhea that may last for several weeks or
months, with significant weight loss. These symptoms may appear within 3 to 25
days but usually showup within 10 days.
Though some may recover
without medication, antibiotics are usually prescribed to treat giardiasis.
Cryptosporidium is another
dangerous microorganism that can contaminate drinking water.
While Giardia is often
considered the primary water-safety concern, wilderness studies suggest that
many backcountry illnesses are actually caused by bacteria or viruses.
Safe Water
So we know it is important
to drink water while out fishing and we know that surface water may be
contaminated with microogranisms that can make us sick. So what do we do now?
Since you never know whats in the water, you
need to make sure the water you drink is safe. There are several ways of
ensuring your drinking water is safe for consumption.
Boiling water
Bringing your own water
Filtering or Purifying surface water
While boiling is effective
for making water safe for drinking, it is a time consuming process when you
consider the boiling and cooling time. Wilderness experts recommend bringing
the water to a rolling boil for at least one minute to be sure it is safe to
drink.
One way to ensure safe
drinking water is to bring your own water from home or bottled water. Carrying
ample water supplies can be heavy in an already loaded fly vest. One of the
best new features is a hydration pack in fly vests like the Coastal Pack from
William Joseph.
Chemical purifying water
used to be the only way to get safe water in the backcountry. It gave the water
a bad, iodine taste and now is not considered the best method. New products on
the market purify the water and may be the only way to eliminate small viruses.
Filtering out the harmful
microorganisms is one of the best ways to always have safe water. Filters are
small and easy to stash in a vest pocket and can remove contaminants like
bacteria and protozoa as small as 0.3 microns. With the new Exstream
water-bottle system from Katadyn, the filter is built into the lid of the
bottle. Fill the bottle with stream water and suck the clean water through the
straw.
Water is all around us
while we are fishing. There is no excuse for becoming dehydrated. But it is
important to know your water is safe to drink.
Heart of America Fly Fishers Meetings
Meetings
are held at 7pm - 3rd Monday of each month
Johnson County Courthouse Extension, 6000 Lamar, Shawnee Mission,
Kansas-Room C)
Hatch of the Month
Bring
a fly, one of your own creations or one you bought at one of our local fly
shops or even donate a dollar and youll be entered
into the drawing to win the collection of flies. Its a great way to sharpen your fly tying
skills and expand your fly patterns.
Fly Tying Small
Groups
The following members have volunteered
to host a small group at their home for flytying and good discussion about
flyfishing. Each person needs to bring their own material and equipment.
Contact the following hosts to join the group:
Bill
Brant
816-941-9691
2120 Redbridge
Terr.
3rd Thursday
8-10 People
Location: MDC
Discovery Center
Walt
Fulps
913-432-0861
10601 West
55th
Shawnee, KS
66203
Weekend 5
People
Location:
Shawnee/55th & Nieman
If you are interested in
hosting a fly tying small group, contact John Richards at the next meeting.
Upcoming Progams & Events
Monday, August 18,
2003 Constance Whiston - Fly
Fishing the Texas Hill Country
Monday, September
15, 2003 Darrell Bowman
October 3-5, 2003 Southern Council Conclave
Mountain Home
October 17-19, 2003 North Fork of White River
River of Life
Farm
Monday, October 20,
2003 Member Slide Show
November 17, 2003 Annual Auction & Raffle
December 5-7, 2003 Bennett Spring Outing/Banquet
Visit our Advertisers:
Dan Bailey
Order Toll
Free 800-356-4052
Fax
406-222-8450
209
West Park Street
PO
Box 1019
Livingston,
MT 59047
E-mail: info@dan-bailey.com
Website: www.dan-bailey.com
Ramada Inn
1127
NE Hwy 62
Mountain
Home, AR 72653
(870)
425-9191
ramada@ramadainnmtnhome.com
Brass Door Motel
Hwy 62W
Gassville,
AR 72635
Motel Phone
(870) 435-2988
Restaurant Phone
(870) 435-2288
(877) 272-7736
Powder Creek Shooting Park
8601 Monticello Rd
Lenexa, KS 66227
Club 913-422-5603
Home
913-390-0544
Dale Fultons Blue Ribbon Flies
1343 Hwy. 5
South
Mountain
Home, Arkansas 72653
(870)
425-0447
Fax
(870) 425-6954
http://www.mtnhome.net/fultons/
http://www.mtnhome.net/brf/
E-mail:
bluflyar@mtnhome.com
St. Croix Rod
856
4th Ave. N.
Park
Falls, WI 54552
(800)
826-7042
www.stcroixrods.com
Wapsi
Ask for Wapsi at Better
Fly Shops Everywhere!
Mountain
Home, AR 72653
Sand Springs Resort
1996 Hwy 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-5857
417-588-3110 fax
www.sandspringsresort.com
Days Inn - Mountain Home
1746
Hwy. 62 East
Mountain
Home, AR 72653
Phone:
(870) 425-1010
Fax:
(870) 425-1115
Two Rivers Fly Shop
13718 Hwy 5 South
Norfork, AR 72658
870 499-3060 Fax 870
499-5951
www.tworiversflyshop.com
Branson Lodge
2456
State Highway 165
Branson,
MO 65616
1-800-334-3104
www.bransonlodge.com
Rio Products
5050 S. Yellowstone Hwy,
Idaho Falls, Idaho
83402 USA Tel.
208-524-7760
Fax 208-524-7763
e-mail:
rio@rioproducts.com
website:
www.rioproducts.com
Gastons Tackle
Bennett Springs State
Park
11798 Highway 64 - Lot
63
Lebanon,
MO 65536
417-532-9449
Loon Outdoors
www.loonoutdoors.com
Black Dog Sports
www.blackdogsports.com
Rainbow Fly Shop
4706-D Shrank Drive
Independence, MO 64055
816-373-2283
9-5
Tuesday - Saturday
River Run Outfitters
212 South Commercial
Branson, MO 65616
417-332-0460
877-699-3474 (toll free)
www.riverrunoutfitters.com
Readings Fly Shop
11937 Highway 64A
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-588-4334
Trophy Country
Route 1, Box 177A
Huntsville, MO 65269
Phone: (660) 277-4447
Fax: (660) 277-4443
e-mail:
rodgers@cvalley.net
www.trophycountry.com
Rileys Station
Miles
& Michelle Riley
129
CR 640
Buffalo,
AR 72653
whiteriver.net/rileys/
888-533-2151
870-425-4221
Bennett Spring State Park
Concession Shop
26248 Hwy 64 A
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-4307
1-800-334-6946
Larrys Sporting Goods
25976 State Highway 64A
Lebanon, MO 65536
877-456-7243 or
417-532-8678
e-mail: larrys@bennettspring.com
www.bennettspring.com
Andys Catch
Phone: 417 - 532-0755
Fax: 417-532-1101
16161 Highway 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
www.AndysCatch.com
K&K Flyfishers
Everything for Todays Flyfisherman
Total Equipment Selection
Great How
To
Schools
Pro Staff for Your Questions
Fishing Trips: Alaska
Canada
Montana
Bahamas
87th & Grant, Overland Park, KS 66212
www.kkflyfishers.com
913-341-8118
Sawdust Clay Art
Handmade wood sculptures of your
favorite fish.
PO Box 575 Liberty,
MO 64068
(816) 792-4603
lylesw@mdc.state.mo.us