Across
the Stream – September 2007
A
Publication of Heart of America Fly Fishers
HOAFF September Meeting
Monday, September 20 - 7:00pm
HOAFF Annual Family Picnic
Shawnee Mission Park • Shelter #4
President’s Message
Autumn just around
the corner
by Mark Borserine
The days are growning longer, the leaves
drying out and the nights getting cooler. We are entering my favorite time of
the year, Autumn. Havilah Babcock, a famous sporting
writer wrote a book titled “My Health Gets Better in November” referring to the
coming of upland bird gunning season. The same
applies to Fly Fishers. Water levels may be lower, water clearer and
fish warier but they do go on the feed this time of year and the scenery is
never more beautiful than with the turning leaves, especially in the Ozarks.
Autumn, in my opinion, is also one of the best times to “hit” the West; summer
crowds are gone, days are cool and the mountains are at their most scenic with
the Aspens turning yellow. Some of my best fly fishing has been in the West in
September and early October!
In the annual “cycle” of the Heart of America, autumn brings on
our Picnic (Sept. 17th), the auction (Oct. 15th), a fall outing to Taneycomo (Nov. 4-6) and our winter outing to Bennett
Spring (Dec. 1-3); There is something major every month in the “Autumn of
HOAFF”. Our Spring Seminar in 2008 is February 23rd featuring Bob Jacklin from West Yellowstone, MT and will be held at the
Church again; we only give you January to rest!
Don’t forget the Southern Council Conclave October 4-6th in
Mountain Home, one of the Premier events of the entire year for those of us
lucky enough to belong to an FFF affiliate club!
Autumn is one of the very best seasons for the Fly Fisher –get out
and enjoy the cooler weather, the brilliant colors and the crystal clear
water! Go on the Fall Outing, get to
Conclave, be sure to be at the Winter Outing and Annual Banquet!
Annual Auction & Raffle
by
Jim Mattes
The annual HOAFF auction and raffle will take place on Monday,
October 15, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. Items will be available for viewing by 6:00, so
come early. It will take place at our meeting location at Community of Christ
Church, 79th & Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS.
We’ve already received a number of items. If you like guided flyfishing trips, this is the years to come to the auction.
Though the commercial items are great, everyone really enjoys the hand crafted
flies and equipment contributed by our members. We also will need additional
help from our members for such things as setup, ticket sales and refreshments.
If you can contribute please give me a call or you can sign up at the October
meeting.
Many members have already pledged donations. Let me know if you
have something in mind or just bring the item to the October meeting.
In the weeks ahead we will plan to post auction items on our
website. Be sure to check the website for updates www.hoaff.org.
The auction is a great opportunity to introduce others to our
great club. Think about bringing a friend (or more than one), and lots of
money!
2007
Officers
President
Mark Borserine
913-381-0722 majborser@aol.com
Past President
David Andrews
816-741-8314 davidgandrews@kc.rr.com
Secretary
Jim Jorgenson
913-469-1950 jjorgensen@ci.lenexa.ks.us
Treasurer
Paul Bennetts
913-338-3837 pbennetts1@comcast.net
Newsletter
Tom James
816-718-0393 tom@blackdogsports.com
Programs
John Bell
785-843-1782 j.bell@kcc.state.ks.us
Cliff Cain
913-558-5069 cliffcain@hotmail.com
Education/Recognition
Bill Lindley
913-888-3177
Norm Crisp
913-645-1994 streamsideff@yahoo.com
Outings
Darren Watson dwatson@lawingfinancial.com
Ron Carruthers
816-741-7251 rcarruthers2@kc.rr.com
Membership
Travis Knight
816-246-4168 tdk883@yahoo.com
Frederick Clark
913-831-0305 fclarks@planetkc.com
Conservation Team
Kevin Carril
913-362-9379 rrac3@sbcglobal.net
John Bell
785-843-1782 j.bell@kcc.state.ks.us
Library
Doug McDonald
913-764-6678 mcdoug5148@sbcglobal.net
Web Master
Vicky Newton
816-943-8306 svnewton@sbcglobal.net
Raffle/Auction
Jim Mattes
913-268-6161 jimmattes@mattesappraisal.com
Spring Programs
Dick Martin
816-781-9557 rlm@mllfpc.com
Don Grundy
816-781-9019 dgrundy@sbcglobal.net
Historian/Event Coordinator
Bill Brant
816-941-9691 billandkathy@kc.rr.com
Southern Council Liaison
Hod McIntosh
913-722-3684 singingreels@kc.rr.com
Supernumerary
Ray Zook
816-941-2862 rzook@kc.rr.com
Mill Creek Volunteer Day
September
15th • Bohigian Conservation Area on Mill Creek
by Kevin
Carril
Thanks to everyone who has indicated that they will be attending
the Volunteer Day at the Bohigian Conservation Area
on Mill Creek on September 15th. Our efforts will be important for improving
the habitat for adult trout and the work should be fun. Remember that we need
to meet at the conservation area by 10:30 a.m. Please wear long pants and
leather shoes and bring work gloves, safety glasses and a hat if possible.
Don’t forget your lunch, sunscreen, bug spray, and water.
Nick Girondo, the biologist responsible
for Mill Creek, has also asked that we add to the above list of things to bring
a small fly rod or ultra light spinning rod along with flies/lures suitable for
catching small sunfish (I don’t think bringing a fly rod will be too great of
burden for most of us). He won’t reveal
yet what he has in mind for these last items.
If your have any questions or wish to volunteer, contact me at
913-362-9379 or rrac3@sbcglobal.net.
Directions:
Taking Hwy 44 west from Rolla Area get off at Doolittle and go
south on Hwy T thru Newburg, make right on Hwy P after crossing over Little
Piney, make a left off of Hwy P at gravel road with Forest Service Picnic Area
sign follow past picnic area then past house on left till gate with old barn on
left and pull in until you see cars.
Taking Hwy 44 east from Fort Wood area get off at Hwy J exit and
go south on Hwy J one mile and make left on Hwy P until you see Hwy AA. Turn
right on Hwy AA to bottom of hill, turn left on Mill Creek Road (1st county
road on left) and immediate right in Gate drive till you see cars. If you make it to a small white church on Hwy
AA you’ve gone too far.
HOAFF Apparel is here
Hats $15 • T-Shirts $12
Now you can get a T-shirt or a
fishing hat with the new Heart of America Fly Fishers Logo.
Dog
Days of Summer
by John Berry,
www.berrybrothersguides.com
In spite of moderate temperatures earlier in the year, we have had
a brutally hot summer this year. I had one recent outing that was actually
quite comfortable despite the 100 degree heat. I was guiding a couple of
anglers one of which was from Arizona. He was accustomed to the heat but not
the humidity.
The guys stayed in our guest house. We decided to start early and
left the house at 5:45 AM. We were on the Norfork
before the sun came up. There was an incredibly heavy layer of fog on the river
and you could only see a few feet in front of you. It was an eerie walk in.
There were a couple of other anglers already on the stream but we were almost
on top of them before we actually saw them. It was about 71 degrees and quite
comfortable. We walked far from the access to one of my favorite places to
fish.
David was an experienced angler who had fished all over the West;
Montana, Utah, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and any other place known for large
trout, steelhead or salmon. He started nymphing with
a red San Juan worm and was soon into a nice cutthroat. After a spirited
struggle, a deeply colored seventeen inch cutt
surrendered to my net. Its girth was almost equal to its length. It was a real
riffle hog. A few casts later he hooked a larger Rainbow that was probably even
more vividly colored. We had to move into quieter water to land the twenty one
inch specimen. We took a few photos and then quickly released the trout. David
caught several more fish but nothing like those two.
Lou was not as experienced and was struggling a bit. I worked with
him and gave him a few pointers on his cast and presentation. He started
picking up fish and was really enjoying himself. About that time, I noted that
the water was coming up. We walked out with the rising water and loaded our
gear and ourselves into my beloved Volvo.
We drove over to the White, quickly waded far from the access and
began fishing. It was beginning to heat up, so we waded a bit deeper to escape
the heat. We began catching fish immediately. The trout were hitting a variety
of flies. We caught fish on scuds, zebra midges and Y2Ks. We didn’t catch any
big fish but we were catching plenty of good, stout, healthy fish in the 12 to
15 inch slot. They fought well and kept our interest.
About noon, we were getting hungry and we
waded out for lunch. It had become really hot and muggy. The fog had burned off
hours ago and we were sweating bullets by the time we got to the car. I set up
lunch on a picnic table under a shade tree. We drank several bottles of water
each and ate a cool lunch and sat and relaxed for a while. At one o’clock, it
was 98 degrees and David was starting to wilt. We decided to split the day. We
opted to go back to the house and return around four PM.
When I got home, I took a shower and a nap. At four, I looked
outside and saw a bit of lightning and heard thunder. I talked to the guys and
we decided to wait the weather out. At five, we loaded up and returned to the
river. The storm was gone and it left temperatures about fifteen degrees cooler
in its wake.
As we walked in, I noticed an angler slumped over a picnic table.
He had fished through the afternoon and the heat had gotten to him. He said he
was done for the day and was trying to gather the energy to leave. We waded in
the water and began catching fish immediately. We fished till dark and they
caught several fish each.
By splitting the day, we avoided the heat of the
day (it got over 100 degrees). We still managed to get in a full days fishing,
caught plenty of trout, and we were reasonably comfortable doing it.
HOAFF Annual Family Picnic
by Ron Carruthers
What:
HOAFF Annual Family Picnic
Where:
Shawnee Mission Park•Shelter # 4
When:
Monday September 17•Starting 6:30 pm
Mark your
calendars because September’s Monday night meeting will be replaced by the
HOAFF Family Picnic. Spouses, kids and grandkids are all welcome. We have had a
special advance notice from the National Weather Bureau that the current heat
wave will be gone by September 17.
Jim
Jorgensen and Mark Borserine have graciously volunteered to slow cook, I
promise you, the best ribs and brisket you will ever eat. Of course BBQ beans
will come with it. The club will also provide bread/buns, utensils, chips and
beverages. To make sure everyone leaves full please plan to bring a covered
dish or dessert to round out the meal.
Shawnee
Mission Park is on Renner Road near 87th Street and I 435. From I 435 and 87th
go west on 87th to Renner (1st street west of I 435). Turn north (right) to the
park entrance on the left about 1/2 mile at the top of the hill. Enter the park
and stay to the right. Go around the north side of the lake and look for
Shelter # 4. This is the same shelter as last year.
We plan
to start eating around 6:30 pm. To help wear off a few calories there will be a
casting contest so bring your favorite rod. For those of you that may forget...
no worries... the club’s Temple Fork rods will be available.
Don’t miss this one, see you there!!
It’s the Pits!
by Mark Borserine
August 18/19 Jim Bebb and Mark Borserine
pulled an “overnighter” at the fabled Hunting Sports Plus Strip Pits near the
La Cygne Power Plant.
The weather was hot, humid, punctuated by isolated thunderstorms which
must have affected the fishing because we expected to take most of our fish on
poppers and popping bugs and to the contrary, most were caught on Clousers and Zonkers! We caught about 25 Bass between us, several
fat, colorful bluegill and I caught two unidentified fish; which are either
Warmouth or a Bass-Bluegill Hybrid (caught on a white Zonker). I’ve sent photos to a biologist for Missouri
Warm Water fisheries and will let everyone know her opinion which will be
interesting.
Jim and I used my two-man Bass Hunter boat with Trolling Motor,
which is the “lap of luxury”, including being able to have a cooler on
board. I never take it unless I have two
men because it weighs 100 lbs empty but for two, it’s just the thing for the
Pits! When I go alone, I use a float
tube because I can get that up the side of the Pits.
Jim had the largest Bass at about 17 inches. All the Bass were very strong, deeply muscled
and beautifully colored as you can see in the photos. I am told that two 11 pound Bass were caught
and released in the pits already this year!
The opinion is that the next Missouri State Record Bass will come from
the Strip Pits; Daryl Traylor, owner of HSP got that opinion from the MO Dept
of Conservation!
The only
unpleasant thing that happened in the entire two days was that when we went to
bed on Saturday night, it was too hot to sleep.
Fortunately, after a couple of hours a little thunderstorm blew through
and cooled things off!
Reprinted
from “This Month’s Tips”:
North Louisiana Fly Fishers newsletter August 2007
by Dan Gracia
I have fairly weak wrists and now that I’m having some trouble
with carpal tunnel in my right wrist, I found this tip especially helpful!
One of the biggest problems novice fly-fishers have with casting
is controlling their wrist. They usually
use too much of it, too soon. Once it
becomes a habit, it is very hard to break.
One of the biggest reasons this happens is because of the way they grip
the rod. They typically hold the fly rod
like a piece of luggage – what I call the SamsoniteTM
grip. They grab the rod in their fist
and stick their thumb out along the top of the handle. Using this grip, the muscles in your forearm
are relaxed when your wrist is bent. You
can bounce quarters off these same muscles if you try to straighten your wrist
while using this grip. This grip
sabotages your efforts to control your wrist. Don’t use it!
For a much more comfortable and controllable grip, have someone
hand you a dollar bill. You grabbed it
with your thumb and the crook of you index finger didn’t you? Now, holding that dollar bill, turn your hand
palm up and look at how the forearm through the wrist, up to the thumb, all
lines up nicely. You could almost put a
straight edge on it. Also notice that
there is virtually no tension in your forearm with this grip. Now grasp (don’t grab) your fly rod with this
same grip. The fat part of the handle
should be in the palm of your hand and the butt of the rod should exit your
hand between the pads of your palm (where your lifeline curves). The crook of your index finger should be
directly below or slightly ahead of your thumb.
Your thumb should be directly on top of the rod opposite the reel. This is often called the “thumb on top,
extended finger grip”. If your thumb
starts sneaking out past the crook of your forefinger you will lose the
benefits of this grip and the muscles in your forearm will become tired. Don’t let that happen. Because there is virtually no tension in your
forearm while using this grip correctly, it becomes much easier and more
comfortable to control your wrist, and thus the rod, while casting. Give it a try!
Upcoming Events & Programs
Sept 13, 2007 Norm Crisp Nymphing
Class - Discovery Center
Sept 17, 2007 Annual Picnic - Shawnee Mission Park
Oct 4-6, 2007 Southern Council Conclave - Mountain Home, AR
Oct 15, 2007 Annual Auction & Raffle
Nov 2-4, 2007 Fall Outing - Lake Taneycomo,
Branson, Mo
Nov 19, 2007 Jeff Williams - Arkansas Trout
Dec 1-3, 2007 Annual Banquet - Bennett Spring
2008 Upcoming Events
Mar 6-8, 2008 White River
Lodge - Mountain Home, AR
Visit
our Advertisers:
Black
Dog Sports
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
Diane
Cristopher-Fulks
Watercolor
Wildlife
Designs
by Diane
(816)
578-4615
Yager’s Flies
2311 Wakarusa Drive, Suite B
Lawrence, KS 66047
(866) 359-7467
www.yagersflies.com
Lilleys' Landing
1-800-LILLEYS
367
River Lane
Branson,
MO 65616
Wilkinson
Outdoor Adventures
Clint
Wilkinson
272
Wild Cat Shoals Road
Gassville, AR 72635
870-404-2942
Saltery Lake Lodge
1516
Larch Street
Kodiak,
AK 99615
1-800-770-5037
Fax
(907) 486-3188
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
2626 Hwy
165
Branson,
MO 65616
417-332-0460
877-699-3474
(toll free)
Branson
Lodge
2456 State Highway 165
Branson, MO 65616
1-800-334-3104
Eleven
Point Canoe Rental
Fishing
Outfitter
Canoe
Rental
Guide
Service
Camping
417-778-6497
Fishing
Pole Guiding
Bow
River
Crownsnest River
Southern
Alberta
Float
Fishing
Walk
& Wade
· Mountain River Fly Shop
·
1177 West Main
·
Cotter, AR
72626
·
870-435-6166
Gartside’s Secret Stuff
www.jackgartside.com/tying_material.htm
Bennett
Spring State Park Concession Shop
26248 Hwy
64 A
Lebanon,
MO 65536
417-532-4307
1-800-334-6946
Gaston’s
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
Brass
Door Motel
Hwy 62W
Gassville, AR 72635
Motel
Phone
(870)
435-2988
Restaurant
Phone
(870)
435-2288
(877)
272-7736
White
Sands Motel & Restaurant
Highway
62B - Next to Cotter's Rainbow Arch Bridge
870-435-2244
Bass Pro Shops
Chapman Creek Fly & Tackle
2701 North Marshall
Chapman, KS 76431