Across
the Stream – November 2007
A
Publication of Heart of America Fly Fishers
HOAFF November Meeting
Monday, November 19 - 7:00pm
Jeff Williams
Trout Biologist for
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
No
December Member Meeting
President’s Message
Auction Success
by Mark Borserine
We had a very successful Auction, netting over $ 4,000. Thanks for
your generosity and attendance and thanks to my cousin Beverly and her husband,
Marty Read, our auctioneer. Marty observed that this was a better auction than
last year, the members were noticeably ‘looser’ with their change; he felt that in another ten years or so, he
might have you all trained properly! Humor, of course.
Marty enjoyed you all a lot! I will be Auction Chair next year and between the
great stuff I’m going to get and Marty’s skill we expect to really have you all
whipped into shape! On the serious side, many thanks to Jim Mattes and the good
job he’s done these last two years. Jim is going to take a major officer
position in Sertoma and doesn’t feel that he can do too many things which is both understandable and laudable. For myself, I said I
would be Auction Chair if the Directors found me a replacement as President
which I am happy to announce will be Darren Watson. Darren has the talent and
energy that will make a great President for the club! And, I will keep my
promise regarding the Auction; however, that means that every member of the
Club is also a member of the Auction Committee – I’ll have you all out combing
for good stuff!
Our one remaining significant event for the year is our Annual
Banquet, December 1st at Ollie’s Bar-B-Que on 64 Hiway between Bennett Spring
State Park and Lebanon, closer to the Park. Fishing on
Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the traditional cookout at noon at the Spring
Shelter and dinner on Saturday night. For Pete’s Sake, let’s hope for
good weather this year! We need a break! Dinner will be $15 – I’m in charge of
the Banquet, fulfilling the role of Past President before fully “passing”; sort of like “near
death”. You will not want to miss my Farewell Address (45 min. or less)!
Promise me you’ll drink plenty beforehand! You can let me know by e-mail:
MAJBORSER@aol.com or sign up at the meeting next Monday night. You can also
give me a call: (913) 915-1002. Paying
at the door is OK but I do need a head count to make sure everyone has
something to eat!
Bob Jacklin Spring Program
Saturday, February 23, 2008 • 8:00am - 4:00pm
Bob Jacklin has been a fly Fishing Guide and
Outfitter in the Yellowstone region for over 36 years and has a full service
Fly Fishing Shop in West Yellowstone. He is a world-class fly fisherman, fly
tyer, and fly casting instructor.
Bob holds a Masters Certification as a fly
casting instructor, and sits on the FFF’s Board of Governors for fly casting
instructions. He has been tying flies commercially since 1963 and is a past
recipient of the FFF’s Buz Buszek award for his contributions to the art of fly
tying. There are few people in the country with as much in-depth knowledge of
fly fishing, fly casting, and fly tying as Bob Jacklin. He is a charter member
of the Federation of Fly Fishers, on the pro-staff for St, Croix Rods, Ross
Reels, and Cortland Lines. In
2004, at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, Bob Jacklin
was inducted into the very prestigious “Fly Fishing Hall of Fame.”
HOAFF
& FFF members: $40.00 • Nonmembers: $50.00
Registration
fee includes a catered lunch
Community of Christ Church • 79th & Mission
Road
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
HOAFF Annual Banquet
December 1 – 3, 2007
by Ron Carruthers
It hardly seems possible that 2007 is about over and the holiday
season is upon us. It is already time to start looking through those catalogs
so Santa will have some idea what to bring this year. I trust everyone made the
most of their fishing season. But just in case anyone is a little short HOAFF
has one more outing to help cool your fishing fever.
Yes, the Annual Banquet is just a few short weeks away. So clear
your calendars and make those reservations today.
The club will provide a lunch for all members on Saturday December
1. Lunch will be served around noon at the picnic pavilion across from the
spring. Wader and vest attire is acceptable or should we make it mandatory?
The banquet will be held Saturday evening a few short miles east
on Highway 64 at Ollie’s BBQ and Steakhouse. Don’t drive
too fast or you could miss it. It is only two miles up the road on the right,
just look for all the cars in the parking lot. The food is great, the bar well
stocked and there promises to be plenty of fish stories for everyone.
Speaking of fish stories, don’t forget the fishing. The Bennett
Spring catch and release program is now in full swing. Just ask Darren Watson
how the fishing has been? If you missed the picture I am sure he will have a
few extras to pass out at the banquet. The good news is the brown trout was
caught on Sunday November 11 which means it was released and is still swimming
in the spring. Plan to stay a few days and enjoy Bennett Spring at its absolute
best.
Reservations are on your own.
The park has several cabins for rent at this time of year and many of
the motels around the park also stay open for the season. For a few hardy souls
I am sure camping can be an adventure. Try to support those businesses that
advertise in our newsletter whenever you can.
You will recall that last years banquet met with an icy demise not
once but twice. I don’t believe lightning or in this case ice will be allowed
to strike twice so be sure to pack a pair of shorts for the summer like weather
we will be having at this year’s event.
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.
Brown on Hopper
by John Berry,
www.berrybrothersguides.com
The other day my wife, Lori, and I decided to fish grasshoppers at
Rim Shoals. The hopper fishing had been absolutely spectacular this year
probably the best I have seen since I began fly fishing three decades ago. Lori
and I had fished a lot of clients during the hopper action this year but we had
not gotten much of a chance to fish them our selves. We arrived at Rim about
noon and there was about one and a half generators running. This is the
absolute perfect level for hopper fishing. We launched my Shawnee and headed up
stream to Jenkins Creek. I bought a new boat this year and it is surprisingly
wide and comfortable, the perfect boat for this type of fishing.
We nosed into the shoals and turned off the motor. As we began
drifting down stream we quickly picked up our rods and began casting. I was
into a fish immediately. It was a nice fourteen inch rainbow that came to the
boat fairly quickly. Lori’s turn came next. She tagged a solid sixteen inch
rainbow and struggled with it a bit before it finally came to the boat.
By this time we were drifting by some weed beds where I had a
client take a twenty two inch brown the previous week on a zebra midge. I cast
my fly so that it would drift along the edge of the bed figuring somebody would
notice. Sure enough, I got a strong strike. I set the hook and felt the weight
of a good fish. Suddenly the leader snapped and flew back in my face as if it
were spring loaded. The leader was now about four feet long and my fly was
among the missing. I was heart broken. I had fished that hopper all summer and
although it was severely beaten up it was still catching trout. The legs were
gone and the foam was chewed. I should have changed the leader when I began
fishing but I was in a hurry to get started.
I looked out and saw the fly floating near the weed bed. I guess
the trout had spit it. I started the motor and went to retrieve it. It took
three tries but Lori finally netted it and brought it to the boat. I set up the
drift to allow Lori to continue fishing while I concentrated on repairing the
leader, tying on a fresh 4X tippet and reattaching the fly. Of course, while I
was doing this Lori landed a couple of trout.
By the time I had made my repairs we had drifted almost to the
ramp. I stood and made my first cast. I had noticed a clump of aquatic weed
near the bank. It was considerably further than I usually cast but it looked so
fishy that I banged the line out a good sixty feet directly at it. The fly
landed right beside the clump with a splash and drifted about six inches before
I saw a big swirl. I instinctively set the hook and immediately felt the weight
of a heavy fish.
It began an intense struggle with a short run. I quickly realized
that I had 4X tippet, a size six hook and a five weight rod. This was
substantially heavier tackle than I ordinarily fish with. I reasoned that I
could put a lot of pressure on this trout. I had the rod bent nearly double and
took line whenever I had the opportunity. It was like reeling in an anvil. The
trout was dogging the bottom and was refusing to come to the surface. It took a
slow turn and headed to the other side of the boat. Lori reeled in her line,
stowed her rod and grabbed the big Brodin boat net.
The trout finally broke the surface. It was a big beautiful female
brown. It had perfectly shaped fins, bright red spots and a huge hopper firmly
hooked in the corner of its mouth. I struggled to work it toward the boat. Lori
patiently waited for the perfect moment and then scooped it. All of the time
she spent netting big fish on Dry Run Creek the past few years really paid off.
Lori kept the net in the water and I worked the boat over to the shore. I got
out and carefully removed the fly while Lori took a few pictures. I took the
tape measure that I always carry and carefully measured the trout. It was a
righteous twenty five inches long. I then spent a few minutes reviving the
brown and the lovingly released it. It was the biggest trout that I had ever
caught on a dry fly. I looked at my watch. We had been on the water for fifteen
minutes!
I should have gone home. All I could think about for the rest of
the day was the big brown. Oh sure, Lori and I caught several more trout that
afternoon but nothing like that.
Catching
Bigger Fish
by Bill Brant
A few weeks ago, Darren Watson agreed to be the new president of
our club. A week later he caught an enormous brown trout at Bennett Springs. Coincidence? I think not. Good things happen to someone when
they step up to help out with the club.
The club does a lot of things. We have monthly meeting, we have
outings, we have a monthly newsletter, we have a web site, and so much more.
All of these things are possible because of the large number of members who
volunteer some of their time to get things done. They are the club officers.
Please consider joining us as a club officer. No fly fishing skill
is required. If you are new to flyfishing or new to the club, that is not an
issue. All that is required is a desire to help the club succeed. If you are
new to the club, this is the absolute best way to get to know the other
members. It’s also a good way to learn more about flyfishing.
If you have an interest in a particular position, many of the
existing officers are willing to consider shuffling positions to accommodate
your preference. If you are interested, there are a few specific positions that
we would really like to fill.
Vice-president – This position is the same thing as a president-elect.
The vice president is intended to assume the club presidency when the current
president steps down.
Web Master – This person maintains the club website. The current
webmaster, Vicky Newton, moved to the Pacific Northwest a year ago. If you are computer literate but not familiar
with web design, the club would be willing to fund a modest amount of web
master training.
Newsletter Assistant – Tom James has been doing an excellent job
with the newsletter for many years. He would like some help gathering articles.
If you want more information about a particular position, ask the
person who currently holds that position. If you are willing to step up and
become an officer, please contact Darren Watson or Bill Brant.
I’m not
making any guarantees, but there does seem to be a trend – I’ve seen several
club members catch their biggest fish after becoming officers.
Upcoming
Events & Programs
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
Jan 21, 2007 Kevin
Kurz - K & K Fly Fishers
Mar 6-8, 2008 White
River Lodge - Mountain Home, AR
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Lilleys'
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1-800-LILLEYS
367
River Lane
Branson,
MO 65616
Wilkinson
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Clint
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272
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870-404-2942
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486-3188
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13715
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816-628-5071
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2626 Hwy
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Branson,
MO 65616
417-332-0460
877-699-3474
(toll free)
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2456
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Branson,
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1-800-334-3104
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Walk
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· 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
785-922-6630
Rim Shoals Lodge & Fly Shop
River Front Lodging
Guided FIshing Trips
Boat/Motor Rental
Full Service Fly Shop
Gary & Paula Flippin
(870) 435-6144
Anglers
and Achery Outfitters
136B
Eden Way
Branson,
MO 65616
(417)
335-4655
Parkview
Lodge
1-888-727-5883
5477
Hwy 165
Branson,
MO
Reading’s Fly Shop
·
Fly Rods •
Reels
·
Nets • Waders
·
Tying Materials
·
Over 1200 Book
Titles
·
11937 Highway
64A
·
Lebanon, MO
65536
·
417-588-4334
Two Ocean Pass Outfitting
Tightline Guide Service
Vogels Homestead Resort
·
Bennett Spring
State Park - Niangua River
·
Lodging • Canoe
& Raft Rental • RV Park
·
11451 Hwy 64
·
Lebanon, MO
65536
·
417-532-4097
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