Across the Stream – January 2009
A Publication of Heart of America Fly Fishers
Monday, January 19 - 7 pm
Mark Shelton new products
Monday, February 16 - 7 pm
Rob Freeman Alaska
President’s Message
Fall is on its way
by Darren Watson
Looking back at 2008 our club had a calendar full of activities and we ended the year with a great auction. Our next meeting we have a Fishpond & SAGE representative, Mark Shelton, reviewing new products for 2009. I’m an avid SAGE and Fishpond buyer so it should be interesting to see the new products. In February we have a speaker, Rob Freeman, talking about fishing Alaska and it should be a great program as well.
As most of you know, in December we lost a valued club member, fishing buddy, and friend Gervis Beiriger. He was an active member to our club for many, many years and will be greatly missed.
We are working on the outing schedule for 2009. If you have any suggestions on an outing we are always looking for a new place for our club to fish. Our Spring Program is approaching very quickly and you should find more information in this newsletter and on the website. Make sure you have February 21st on your schedules. Chad Mason has been a regular contributor to Fly Rod and Reel Magazine on fishing in the Midwest. The program will be held at Missouri Dept of Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO.
I’m sure 2009 will be a great year!
Heart of America Fly Fishers
Spring Program • Chad Mason
Saturday, February 21, 2009
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Continental Breakfast to start at 8:30 a.m.
MDC Discovery Center
4750 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO
Club members: $40.00
after, February 1, 2003: $45.00
Nonmembers: $50.00
Registration fee includes a lunch catered by Alpine Catering
Fishing the Mid West and Fly Fishing Tips:
Learn the tactics employed by one of America’s great fishermen for pursuing 17 species of fish in locations in the Mid Western states and drivable from Kansas City.
Fly Tying for Mid West Fishing:
Thoughts and demonstrations on designing and tying Mid Western state flies.
Fly Casting:
Learn Chad’s basics and fundamentals suitable for all fly casters in locations around the Mid West.
An active professional outdoor writer for many years, Chad is a regular contributor to Fly Rod and Reel Magazine. Chad resides in Des Moines Iowa with his wife and three daughters.
He is also a columnist for Gun Dog and Shooting Sportsman magazines and a contributing writer to Outdoor Life. Chad’s original fly patterns have been featured on the cover of Fly Tyer. His collection of hunting essays, Voices on the Wind (Countrysport Press, 2002), received the rare Must-Read rating from Today’s Books magazine in the “Environment & Spirituality” category.
Chad has fished extensively throughout the Midwest and used his experiences as the basis for an article appearing last year in Fly Rod and Reel Magazine about fishing Midwest streams.
Questions? Call Don Grundy @ 816-781-9019 or Dick Martin @ 816-781-9557
Send checks made payable to HOAFF, to: Paul Bennetts, P.O. Box 731, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201
HOAFF Annual Banquet
by Mark Borserine
The Horde from HOAFF descended on Bennett Spring again this year for our traditional winter outing and Annual Banquet. Attendance at the Annual Banquet was counted at thirty-five. There were four who had to return to Kansas City due to one of their party’s suddenly being taken ill so all-in-all there were forty members there.
We appreciate and enjoy your coming and sharing this annual event with us! And, we appreciate your generosity to your club: The raffle for the Orvis rod went very well, brining in $380 and again, we took in enough to cover the cost of the Banquet plus change. Everyone seemed to have a great time and certainly the weather cooperated! It seems that the “jinx” I started two years ago with the Snow and Ice Storms seems to have been finally broken.
2008 Officers
President
Darren Watson
816-805-8761 dwatson@lawingfinancial.com
Past President
Mark Borserine
913-381-0722 majborser@aol.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
Newsletter Assistant
Mark Borserine
913-381-0722 majborser@aol.com
Programs
John Bell
785-843-1782 j.bell@kcc.state.ks.us
Cliff Cain
913-558-5069 cliffcain@hotmail.com
Education
Outings
Ron Carruthers
816-741-7251 rcarruthers2@kc.rr.com
Jim Bebb
913-721-3397 jbebb@communitynationalbank.net
Membership
Frederick Clark
913-831-0305 fclarks@planetkc.com
Dan Sulit
913-268-3848 kenaisu@aol.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
Bill Brant
816-941-9691 billandkathy@kc.rr.com
Raffle/Auction
Mark Borserine
913-381-0722 majborser@aol.com
Spring Programs
Dick Martin
816-781-9557 rlm@mllfpc.com
Don Grundy
816-781-9019 dgrundy@sbcglobal.net
Event Coordinator
Bill Brant
816-941-9691 billandkathy@kc.rr.com
Southern Council Liaison
Hod McIntosh
913-722-3684 singingreels@kc.rr.com
Supernumerary
David Andrews
816-741-8314 davidgandrews@kc.rr.com
Rockbridge Rainbow Trout & Game Ranch
by Ron Carruthers
For all of you that plan your New Year’s resolution to be “fish more in 2009” our first 2009 HOAFF outing should give you an excellent start. Be sure to mark January 23 – 25 on your new 2009 calendars. Call (417) 679-3619 for reservations and be sure to let them know you are with the HOAFF group.
Rockbridge comes highly recommended from several of our members. The trout are plentiful and the average size is 2 lbs. A record trout of 16 lbs has yet to be broken. If you want to read a little more and see a few pictures visit their website at www.rockbridgemo.com.
A few details:
The winter rates are $25 per person over the age of 13. Trout are $4.20 per lb. which includes cleaning, freezing and packaging. You must keep what you catch.
The catch and release rate is $80 per day from dawn to dusk. Barbless hooks are required. Please note the entire 2 mile stream is open in the winter for catch and release fishing.
No Missouri fishing license and trout stamp is required. Rockbridge is a private stream.
Accommodations:
Both houses and rooms are available.
Standard rooms are $89 per night double occupancy. Each room has 2 double beds and a bath.
The Red House, $270 per night is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath renovated farm house. 7 twin beds and 1 queen. Sleeps 8 – 10
The New House, $225 per night is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch style house. 6 twin beds. Sleeps 6
Check out their website for additional housing information and two new places, the Oak Ridge Place and Ralph’s Ridge Condos.
Rockbridge has an excellent restaurant serving meals from 8 am to 8 pm daily. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are just a short walk away. Check out their Smoked Trout appetizer, well maybe not for breakfast. Unfortunately the Grist Mill Club Lounge is closed during the winter months so we will have to improvise.
Pull out the fleece underwear and that mad bomber hat you bought years ago for the winter fishing trip you never got to go on and let’s get 2009 started out right. Be sure to make your reservations early. The only crowd promises be us.
Reservations:
Rockbridge Rainbow Trout & Game Ranch
PO Box 100
Hwy N, Road 142
Rockbridge, Missouri 65741
(417) 679-3619
www.rockbridgemo.com
info@rockbridgemo.com
Cancellation Policy:
30 days cancellation notice or the first nights rent will be charged.
No fee is charged in the case of snow, ice etc. No deposit is required at the time of booking.
Winter Dry Fly?
by John Berry
Winter has finally arrived in Cotter. On Friday, I guided for ten hours in the cold rain. We caught plenty of fish but the rain never let up. On Saturday and Sunday the rain continued turning the local rivers and creeks into a muddy mess. By Monday and Tuesday, the temperatures had dropped into the teens. It was overcast with no hint of sunshine and the wind was howling out of the West sending the wind-chill plummeting into single digits.
On Wednesday, the sun peeked out and the temperature climbed to a balmy forty three degrees. The rivers had cleared up and the winds had lain down. I called the dam and noted that the Norfork had been turned off. I could not tempt Lori to leave the warmth and comfort of the house. She gathered up a good book and her beloved cats and settled in for the day. I was getting a serious case of cabin fever so I called my fishing buddy, George Peters, to see if he was interested in going fishing. I caught him in the middle of a complex legal case and he was all too willing to take a break from the tedium. We tossed our gear into the back of his Suburban and headed for the Norfork.
When we reached River Ridge Road and saw the Norfork for the first time it seemed high. The further we drove upstream toward the Handicap access the lower the river looked. The water was a little stained but appeared to be quite fishable. There were several anglers gathered there but they seemed to be more interested in talking than fishing. I looked up and saw a bald eagle circling overhead. I knew instinctively that this was a good omen for the day’s fishing. George and I watched it in awe for a while and then quickly threw on our waders, carefully rigged our rods, and walked up into the Catch and Release section. We were the first ones there. George stopped in front of Charlie’s and I continued on up stream.
I headed straight to my favorite spot. I tried several flies before I settled on a size sixteen olive scud. I was nymphing a nice deep run and I took several good fish. The trout were feeding well. The high water of the previous month had left them in good shape, fat and sassy. They all fought well. I moved around a bit, fished several spots, and tagged trout everywhere I went.
George took several trout on a small midge. When that slowed down he changed to a size sixteen parachute Adams. This was no real surprise. I looked in his fly box one time and saw that it was the only pattern he carried. He fished the Adams and took a really fine nineteen inch female rainbow with a substantial girth. He moved up stream a bit to try another piece of water.
He spotted a good looking current thread and put the perfect cast into it. The fly headed downstream in a perfect drag free float. After a few feet it picked up some drag and sunk. George was about to pick it up for another cast when he saw a silver flash near where he thought the fly to be. He instinctively set the hook. The fight was on! Since he was fishing 6X tippet he took his time and played the fish carefully. The trout was fighting fiercely.
I was fishing a nice run a couple of hundred yards upstream and noticed the extreme bend in his rod. About that time, I hooked a fish myself and had to concentrate on the task at hand. After landing and releasing my fish, I looked up and George was still fighting the fish. Another angler had walked up and was watching the struggle. I called down and asked if he wanted a photo (I always carry a camera). He yelled back yes that he had a big one on. I scrambled over to him and took several photos of the trout. It was a twenty one inch, vividly colored, hook jawed, male rainbow. George carefully revived and gently released the big fish.
We fished for a while longer but that was the fish of the day. We headed back to the car. As we walked out I got to thinking should that fish be considered to be caught on a dry fly? Technically it was. On the other hand, it was not on top of the water when the fish took it. Should I be worried about that at all? Or should I just be impressed that George had tagged a good one. Maybe I should just be glad to get out of the house and appreciate a good day on the river after what seemed like a long time.
2009 Membership Application / Renewal
Name: _______________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: _________________________________________________________
Phone (Home/Cell): _____________________________________________________
Phone (Office): ________________________________________________________
Email: _______________________________________________________________
Federation of Fly Fishers Member: Yes __________ No __________
HOAFF Newsletter: Mail _________ Email _________ Both _________
Annual Membership $30.00 _____________
Make check payable to: Heart of America Fly Fishers
Send to: Heart of America Fly Fishers
Membership
P.O. Box 731
Shawnee Mission, KS 66201
Committee Interest:
Newsletter ___
Library ___
Programs ___
Web Master ___
Education ___
Raffle/Auction ___
Outings ___
Spring Program ___
Membership ___
Event Coordinator ___
Conservation ___
Council Coordinator ___
HOAFF Logo Lapel Pins
We now have enameled Lapel/Hat/Vest Pins with the HOAFF logo. Every new member who joins in 2008 will receive a pin. The pins will be available for sale for $5.00 each.
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.
Revenge of the Trout Zombies
Bruce Cochran’s new book, “Revenge Of The Trout Zombies”, published by Willow Creek Press, is a humorous look at trout fishing.
It’s paperback, retails for $9.95, and is available at book stores. If they don’t have it on the shelf, they can order it. It’s also available on Amazon.com and of course personalized copies are available from me.
Special Membership Meeting in February
by Jim Jorgensen
A special meeting of voting members will be held at the club meeting February 16th, 2008. The purpose of the meeting will be to vote on club directors and to conduct any other club business that is of interest to the members.
The organization of the club is governed by bylaws that were adopted in 2005, and then amended at later dates. The bylaws define the rights and responsibilities of those involved in the club. Following are some of the highlights:
• All Directors shall hold office until their successors are elected.
• The Directors elect the Club Officers and watch over the affairs of the club.
• The Officers run the day-to-day affairs of the club, the Officers include the positions you would recognize, such as the President, the Treasurer, and the numerous chairs.
The current Directors are John Bell, Mark Borserine, Cliff Cain, Tom James, and Jim Jorgensen. The current board members have agreed to serve another term. At the special membership meeting, members will be free to nominate other individuals for the Board of Directors. Following nominations, the members will then have the opportunity to vote.
The new board of Directors will vote to elect this year’s officers. The proposed slate of officers is listed at the end of this article.
When you look over the list of Officers, you will notice some new names: Pete Crissey has agreed to take over outings (he can use more help). Be sure and thank them at the next meeting for helping out. You will also notice that there are a few empty positions. If you are interested, we would be glad to have your help.
If you want to provide any input on the running of the club, feel free to contact any of the Directors before the February meeting or attend the February meeting and speak your mind.
Slate of Officers and Directors
Directors 2009
John Bell
Mark Borserine
Cliff Cain
Tom James
Jim Jorgensen
Officers 2009
President
Darren Watson
Vice-President
Jim Bebb
Past President
Darren Watson
Secretary
Jim Jorgensen
Treasurer
Ron Carruthers
Newsletter
Tom James
Newsletter Assistant
Mark Borserine
Programs
John Bell
Cliff Cain
Education
Open
Outings
Pete Crissey
Membership
Dan Sulit
Frederick Clark
Conservation Chair
Kevin Carril
Missouri Open Position
Arkansas John Bell
Metro KC Open Position
Library
Doug McDonald
Web Master
Bill Brant
Raffle/Auction
Mark Borserine
Spring Programs
Dick Martin
Don Grundy
Event Coordinator
Bill Brant
Liaison SC
Mark Borserine
Supernumerary
David Andrews
Upcoming Events & Programs
January 19 Mark Shelton new products
February 16 Rob Freeman Alaska
February 23 Spring Program - Chad Mason
March 16 Charlie Reading Bennett Springs and Saltwater
April 20 Darren Watson Cutthroat Grand Slam
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
Yager’s Flies
2311 Wakarusa Drive, Suite B
Lawrence, KS 66047
(866) 359-7467
www.yagersflies.com
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)
· Mountain River Fly Shop
· 1177 West Main
· Cotter, AR 72626
· 870-435-6166
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
White Sands Motel & Restaurant
Highway 62B - Next to Cotter's Rainbow Arch Bridge
870-435-2244
Rim Shoals Lodge & Fly Shop
River Front Lodging
Guided FIshing Trips
Boat/Motor Rental
Full Service Fly Shop
Gary & Paula Flippin
(870) 435-6144
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
Tightline Guide Service
Americanfishes.com
More color illustrations of freshwater fish than anyplace on earth
White River Trout Lodge
752 County Rd 703
Cotter, AR 72626
877-84TROUT
Flats Lander Guide Service
Spring and Fall in Kansas,
Summer in the Florida Keys
Capt. Paul “Sodie” Sodamann
785-456-5654
Hunting Sports Plus
Private land access for Hunting • Fishing • Camping
Wapsi
Smoke N’ Fire
8030 W. 151st Street
Overland Park, KS 66223
913-685-1111