Across the Stream - November 2004
A Publication of Heart of America Fly
Fishers
HOAFF November Meeting
Monday, November 17,
2004 - 7pm
Annual Auction & Raffle
Though
auction bidding begins at 7:00, please come early to allow time to register,
place selections for raffle items, and look over the merchandise. Registration
and previewing will begin at 6:15 pm. We will again accept Visa and MasterCard.
President's Message
Freedom of Speech
by
Dave Andrews
In our country, we highly
value freedom of speech. Yet, each of us has some internal value system which
tells us when to speak and when to not speak. This is different for each
person.
At this time of year,
politics is on everyones
lips. As a 501c3 organization, the HOAFF not only refrains from taking
political positions, but doing so would endanger our clubs charitable status.
At the same time, our clubs
policy has always been to allow our members to speak their minds at club
meetings. Member commentary in no way represents the official positions of the
HOAFF, its board or officers.
Our clubs policy has always
been to support the science behind any initiative. Before we endorse any
position, we require the science to be investigated and presented. If this can
be done adequately, the matter is taken before the board and, sometimes, before
the full membership. Only then does the HOAFF endorse a program, project or
position. We never endorse political candidates.
As individual members, it
is important for us to not be offended by another club members opinions which may
differ from our own. After all, this diversity is what makes us a great nation.
We may also have opinions or statements that we would like to share sometime
that others might find objectionable. We just need to keep in mind that
commentary at club meetings is one persons opinion and may not be shared by anyone else in the room. It
certainly does not represent any position of the HOAFF.
Ghosts
by Steve Jenkins
It wasnt
Back to the Future - it was Back to the Past. For me,
2004 had been a poor fishing year. Not because I hadnt caught fish - I had. But, the numbers
of trips was the problem. It seemed every time Id
plan a trip, something would come up, like the car needed to go into the shop
or a family conflict. And the weather rain happens,
especially when I had trips planned.
There was the trip to Colorado in June.
This was for a memorial service for an old friend who had died in the winter.
The family wanted us all to remember Bob in the surroundings of the cabin he
had built near Leadville. It was a reflectful time. Bob was clearly the best
small stream fly fisherman I ever saw. I had made two 6-½ foot fly rods for his use in those
streams. And, I dont know how
many renegade flies I tied for him. Over 25 years of memories flashed past as
the service progressed.
Fishing in June out there was punk. We
all know that part of the world has been in an extended drought. The streams
generally were lower than they should have been for June. And those around
Leadville where Bob and I fished were no exception. I did manage to catch one
brightly colored brook trout in one of the local mountain streams - it was the memorial
trout for Bob. Even the Frying Pan, a tailwater, was low. Action there was
little better. Yet memories of past fish caught lurked in every corner.
Trips to the Ozarks were sparse. A trip
to New England got scrubbed. In Michigan for Decoration Day, it rained and the
creeks were quite high. While the planning of these trips and the anticipation
of the action is stimulating, at some point it is important to execute.
Catching fish is what its about.
For late August, a second trip to
Colorado and the Frying Pan was in the works. We would meet friends there from
Arizona who were rounding out their Get out of
Dodge summer RV trip through the West.
They figure living in Arizona isnt too bad if
you can escape the summer. Doug and I would work over the Pan. The green drakes
would be nearly gone, as would the PMDs. Blue winged olives could be expected
on cloudy days, but not in the abundance to be seen later in September. But, weve been there in late August before.
And over the years we had perfected a system and the right flies that tended to
work, even when others were shooting blanks.
The results seemed to fit the year. We
caught fish, but not many. Our flies worked, but not spectacularly. The weather
was blue bird, and we like a few clouds. Youd think in four days there would be
some variations in the weather. Not this trip.
The major ghosts, however, were waiting
for the September trip to New England. It was like the earlier part of the year
was just a warm-up. The day after we got to Vermont, I headed across the lake,
into the Adirondacks to fish the West Branch of the Ausable River, near Lake
Placid. It has been a favorite haunt. The wading is tough, especially in the
fall. The stream structure is all tumbled rocks (boulders) and they are always
slick. But in the fall, they are super slick. And if the water has been low (as
it was), they are super slicker. I fished hard all day, working one of the most
productive runs in my memories of that stream - like the 21-inch brown caught
about high noon on a sunny day in mid-September. I saved that pool for noon on
this trip. Over the years, the stream changes some, especially during the
winters with heavy ice. This spot had changed and it was difficult to get the
cast to the sweet spot because of the intervening fast water.
I was careful, approaching the pool in the cover of the bank. But, it didnt help. And downstream, where the
current carved a small pool at the far bank, a fisherman took a very nice fish
in the evening on my second trip to the Ausable. I have always wondered if I
had been about 20 minutes earlier to that spot, maybe that fish would have been
mine. This time I saw not one fish, nor
did I excite a strike - just ghosts.
The next day I drove down to the
Battenkill, in New York to meet a friend, Jim, my Adirondack Guide. It was another beautiful day. The
creek was up a tad from a recent rainstorm (Hurricane Ivan), but very fishable
and mighty clear. Upstream initially, I was looking for tricos. Late-September
is late for this mayfly, but they had been reported. Right at the state line
pool I remembered surprising success a few years back when trico spinners were
falling. On that trip, conventional upstream casts, with a 7X leader, seemed to
spook the fish. When I started casting slack line down stream, I connected. It
was fun, while it lasted. But, neither of us saw a fish that morning. The
trouble with morning fly fishing is timing. When you get onto the stream, the
fishing is probably the best it will be and it will only get poorer as the
morning wears on.
In the afternoon, we moved downstream a
mile. I recognized one special spot. My older son, Matt, was about nine. It was
late July and we were fishing together, me with flies and he used a Mepps
spinner. Some overhanging brush along the bank sheltered a run that produced
his first trout, a brook, about 8 inches. It was over 30 years ago. I had to
drift my .56%er (Yep, I use it back there, too) through the same spot. And, on
the first cast, it was another brookie, about 8 Inches. Ghosts.
The next week found me in the
Adirondacks again. Jim brought his camper. Three days on the Ausable should
produce some action, but the water was even lower. On the first day, we fished
Jims favorite run. He caught one
nice brown on a prince nymph. I had 14 serious - even vicious - strikes but
never put a fish in my hand. On Wednesday, Dan, another friend who hadnt fished there for 10 years, joined us.
We moved downstream some five miles to his favorite spot. The morning produced
only a couple of feeble strikes. After lunch, where I predicted that 3 PM would
see the start of the action, we swapped stretches of the stream to fish. I
caught my first 13 inch brown right at 3 PM!
Another followed about 45 minutes later. They took the Royal Wulff, dry,
which was fished with an Ausable Wulff dropper. Action! But, it was hard work over this stretch of
water that had produced so well in the past. More Ghosts.
It was getting dark when we quit. I had
waded back to the spot we normally enter the stream - adjacent to a very large
pool. Jim and Dan were on the other side. Dan held up a large brown. He waded
over to show me this 18 ½ inch female
that had inhaled his deer hair caddis. The fish had died so was headed for the
dinner table. I cast a couple of times into the big pool and had a vicious
strike - and landed it in the presence of that audience - a 15 ½ inch male brown in all its fall
spawning glory. It, too, had inhaled the fly and was dying. Jim had no luck.
Dan caught only that one fish and in a spot where his ghosts lurked, too.
Sometimes, even when the action is slow
the ghosts can keep you focused. But, catching is the name of the game, but
even a few fish help keep the ghosts under control.
2004 Officers
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
Mark Borserine
majborser@aol.com
(913) 381-0722
TREASURER
Paul Bennetts
pbennetts1@comcast.net
913-338-3837
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Tom
James
tom@blackdogsports.com
Office: 816-718-0393
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
BLUE RIVER
PROJECT
Raymond Zook
rzook@kc.rr.com
Home: (816) 941-2862
LIBRARY
Doug McDonald
mcdoug5148@aol.com
(913) 669-5222
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
Dan
Zimmerman
dzmmrmn@aol.com
(913) 829-4768
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
Heart of America Fly Fishers Meetings
Meetings are held at 7pm on the 3rd Monday of each month
Johnson County Courthouse Extension,
6000 Lamar, Shawnee Mission, Kansas Room C
Hatch of the Month
Bring a fly or a couple of
flies to add to the Match of the Month collection. During each meeting names
are drawn and the winner receives the collection of flies. This is a great way
to learn new fly patterns and share some of your favorite flies with the rest
of the club. Members can also donate a dollar to enter for the drawing.
Featured Fly Tyer
Annual Raffle & Auction
is the focus of our November Meeting so there wont be a featured fly tyer.
If you are interested in
being a featured fly tyer, contact John Richards.
Annual Auction and Raffle
Arrive Early for the Auction
Our yearly auction will be held during
our membership meeting at our usual meeting place of 6000 Lamar, Shawnee
Mission, Kansas on November 15th. Though actual
bidding begins at 7:00, please come early.
You will need to allow time to register, place your selections for
raffle items, and look over the merchandise. Registration and previewing will
begin at 6:15 pm. Food and beverage will be provided. We will again accept Visa
and MasterCard.
A
list of feature items is included below and on pages 4
and 5. Due to space constraints, we could not include everything. A more complete list appears at the website
at www.hoaff.org.
New
Committee Leadership Needed
by
Dave Andrews
Education is one of our
clubs
key missions. We provide many programs at community libraries and the national
fly fishing week activities. This year, we have already managed seven requests
for community education programs.
We have a wonderful team
focused on our annual Spring Seminar, but we do not have anyone focusing on our
community outreach activities.
Each year, our club
conducts an awards banquet in conjunction with our December outing. The FFF and
the Southern Council also requests nominations for awards open to people who
have made significant contributions to our sport. Sometimes miss nominating a
truly deserving individual.
Today, officers and
directors with other responsibilities chip in to provide recognition to our
members and to coordinate requests for educational programs. We have outgrown
our ad-hoc approach to both Recognition and Education.
We can do better. Members
participating on committees find the experience rewarding and fun.
Duties for Education is
mostly coordinating the staffing and scheduling of community requests for
fly-fishing programs. Recognition would entail identifying and nominating
candidates for different awards.
We will be recruiting at
upcoming meetings. Who knows, you might learn more about fly-fishing and have
some fun.
Open Officer and
Committee Chair Positions
Do you have suggestions on how our club
should run? Do you want to make our club better and stronger? If you answered
yes to these questions, than there may be a position as an officer available
for you.
Secretary
The Secretary
is charged with overseeing the smooth operations of the club.
Education
Education
would coordinate fly fishing programs and national fly fishing week activities.
Recognition
Recognition
Committee would identify worthy candidates for awards.
Outings
Outings
Committee plans and manages the Fall and Spring Outings and Annual Picnic.
Annual Banquet/Bennett Spring Trip
December 3 - 5, 2004
Plan now for the Annual
Banquet and Winter Bennett Spring Trip. The Winter Catch and Release season is
always a great time to fish the waters of Bennett Spring and the Annual Banquet
is an event not to be missed.
Reserve a place at Bennett
Spring for lunch Saturday and at the Annual Banquet Saturday night. Sign up at
the next member meeting with John Richards or Jim Ohnemus.
A $15 advance reservation
fee is required to hold a spot for your meal cost (excluding drinks) at the
banquet. The club will furnish lunch at the shelter across the river from the
spring at noon on Saturday.
We will again have a fly
rod and other items to raffle at the banquet.
There are some fine places
to stay while in the Bennett Spring region. Its a good idea to make lodging reservations.
Sand Spring Resort
417-532-5857
Vogels Homestead Resort
417-532-4097
Larrys
417-532-8678
Andys Catch
417-532-0755
Bennett Spring State Park
1-800-334-6946
Call for Nominations
Each year at the Annual
Banquet at Bennett Spring, we award deserving members with a number of awards.
We need your help by nominating member for the following award categories.
Golden Strike
Indicator Award
For the member who always
seem to find themself in compromising situations.
Outstanding Service
Award
For the member who has gone
above and beyond to assist the club and its members.
Best Newsletter
Article
For the member who has
pinned the best prose.
Longest Fishing Trip
Award
For the member who went on
a fishing trip and we havent seen them since.
Tall-Tale-Teller
Award
For the member who spins a
yarn as well as they spin deer hair.
Multi-Fly Award
When just on fly just wont do.
Upcoming Events &
Programs
November 15, 2004 Annual
Auction & Raffle
December 3 -
5, 2004 Annual
Banquet/Winter Outing
Bennett
Spring
Visit our Advertisers:
Black
Dog Sports
www.blackdogsports.com
The
Fishing Hole
Ray & Jonell Fincke
(913) 642-5554
3731 W. 95th Overland Park, KS 66206
Rainbow
Fly Shop
4706-D
Shrank Drive
Independence,
MO 64055
816-373-2283
9-5 Tuesday - Saturday
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
Fishing
River Custom Rods
Bill Kreitz
13715 Nation Rd.
Kearney, MO 64060
E-mail: b.kreitz@att.net
816-628-5071
Cell: 816-392-6720
River
Run Outfitters
212
South Commercial
Branson,
MO 65616
417-332-0460
877-699-3474
(toll free)
www.riverrunoutfitters.com
Branson
Lodge
2456 State Highway 165
Branson, MO 65616
1-800-334-3104
www.bransonlodge.com
Sawdust Clay Art
Handmade wood sculptures of your
favorite fish.
PO
Box 575 Liberty, MO 64068
(816)
792-4603 lylesw@mdc.state.mo.us
Loon
Outdoors
www.loonoutdoors.com
Pomeroy
Auction
James J.P.
Rozine
Auctioneer
Kansas City, Kansas
(913) 334-2153
Blue
Ribbon Flies
West Yellowstone, Montana
www.blueribbonflies.com
Lilleys'
Landing
1-800-LILLEYS
367 River Lane
Branson, MO 65616
www.lilleyslanding.com
Dr.
Slick Co.
www.drslick.com
Weaver's
Tackle Store
www.missouritrout.com/weavers
11388 Highway 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-4618
Vogels
Homestead Resort
11451 Hwy 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-4097
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
Spring
View Fly Shop
Ed & Kay
417-588-2116
11726 Highway 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
Andys
Catch
Phone:
417 - 532-0755
Fax:
417-532-1101
16161
Highway 64
Lebanon,
MO 65536
www.AndysCatch.com
Readings
Fly Shop
11937
Highway 64A
Lebanon,
MO 65536
417-588-4334
Bennett
Spring State Park Concession Shop
26248
Hwy 64 A
Lebanon,
MO 65536
417-532-4307
1-800-334-6946
Gastons
Tackle
Bennett
Springs State Park
11798
Highway 64 - Lot 63
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-9449
Sand
Springs Resort
1996
Hwy 64
Lebanon,
MO 65536
417-532-5857
417-588-3110
fax
www.sandspringsresort.com
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
Wilkinson
Outdoor Adventures
Clint Wilkinson
272 Wild Cat Shoals Road
Gassville, AR 72635
870-404-2942
CGFlyfish@excite.com
Rileys Station
Miles & Michelle Riley
129 CR 640
Buffalo, AR 72653
whiteriver.net/rileys/
888-533-2151
870-425-4221
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
Two
Rivers Fly Shop
13718
Hwy 5 South Norfork, AR 72658
870
499-3060 Fax 870 499-5951
www.tworiversflyshop.com
Wapsi
Ask
for Wapsi at Better Fly Shops Everywhere!
Mountain Home, AR 72653
Brass
Door Motel
Hwy
62W
Gassville, AR 72635
Motel
Phone
(870)
435-2988
Restaurant
Phone
(870)
435-2288
(877)
272-7736
The
Red Fern Restaurant
203
N. College St.
(1/2
Block off Hwy 62B)
Mountain Home, AR
870-508-6693
White
Sands Motel & Restaurant
Highway 62B - Next to Cotter's Rainbow
Arch Bridge
870-435-2244
whitesands@mtnhome.com
www.whiteriver.net/whitesands