Across the Stream – February 2009
A Publication of Heart of America Fly Fishers
Monday, February 16 - 7 pm
Rob Freeman Alaska
Saturday, February 21 - 9 am
Spring Program
Monday, March 16 - 7 pm
Charlie Reading - Reading’s Fly Shop
President’s Message
by Darren Watson
Our spring program is just around the corner. It’s scheduled for Saturday, Feb 21st at the Discovery Center. We should have a great program, with Chad Mason as the featured speaker. We also are working on planning some great fishing trips this year. Keep an eye open for the outing schedule. It should be posted soon.
It’s time for membership renewals for 2009. As a friendly reminder, if you haven’t paid you dues yet you will need to soon. We are revising our membership list, and we need you to confirm your address. Also, remember to include you current e-mail to continue to receive our newsletter by e-mail. If you haven’t paid by the end of March 2009, you will not receive a newsletter.
Gervis Joseph Beiriger
by Bruce Cochran
Gervis Joseph Beiriger, 74, Lenexa, Kansas passed away peacefully Friday, December 26, surrounded by his family.
Gervis was born September 16, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois to Joseph C. and Elzer (Schenk) Beiriger. Gervis lived for his wife, children, grandchildren, family and friends. He enjoyed his backyard and fly fishing. A man of great character, his support, guidance, humor and spirit enriched many lives.
I fished with Gervis several times and I’m going to miss him a lot, as I’m sure everyone who knew him will. He was one of the easiest guys to get along with I’ve ever met. He shared my boat with me at the One Fly a couple of years ago and, though the fishing was lousy, he still had a good time, didn’t complain, and was fun to be with.
He, Bill Lindley, Gordon Gifford and I fished the White and Norfork for a few days together once and we all just really enjoyed his company.
The four of us also went to Canada a few years ago to fly fish for pike and smallmouth bass. This anecdote will probably be too long for you to use, but it is important to me because Gervis actually had a positive effect on my life. In Canada we were fishing a lake about 3 miles wide and 7 miles long. We had 2 boats that came with our cabin, so we fished 2 guys to a boat each day. On the first or 2nd day we were all fishing on one side of the lake and not catching anything so we decided to motor across to the other side and try a cove where a creek ran into the lake. Gervis was operating the boat I was in. The water was very choppy and when we got to the other side we dropped anchor in the cove and I turned around to grab one of my three fly rods and found that one of them, the Sage 9’ with a Ross reel (naturally the most expensive one} was gone. We assumed it had bounced out of the boat somewhere but we had no idea where.
OK, fast-forward to 5 days later. Gordon and I are in one boat and Bill & Gervis in another. They were fishing in the cove where I had discovered that my rod was missing. Gervis hooked something he thought was a log on the bottom, in about 7’ of water. When he reeled it in, it was my rod & reel, which his fly had hooked in the tip guide. It must have somehow got yanked out of the boat when we dropped anchor and neither Gervis nor I noticed it. I cleaned it all up and used it the next day. I had to clean out a bunch of caddis larva that had taken up residence in the reel, but everything still worked OK.
After we all got back home Gervis & Mary had all of us and our wives over to look at all our pictures we’d taken on the trip. Gervis was a pretty serious Catholic, and he told me that night that when I lost my rod he had prayed, not that he or I would find it necessarily, but just that something good would come of it. Like maybe my insurance would cover it or something. Now you’d think God would have more important things to do than help some poor slob find his fishing pole, but I figure that if He ever wanted to grab me by the shoulders and shake me to get my attention He would to it through something about fishing or hunting. So , to sum it all up, I started going to church more regularly and taking my religion more seriously because of Gervis.
Gervis was a religious man without being preachy about it. He never talked about his faith or tried to convert anyone that I know of. I have been around some very religious people who were a pain in the ass but Gervis was not like that at all. He was just a regular guy.
I know this is an unbelievable story but I swear it’s true.
Rockbridge Rainbow Trout Ranch
by Ron Carruthers
As I write this article it has been just a week since the Rockbridge outing. I am still struggling to understand what really happened. I have been fly-fishing for about 17 years now. I have had many wonderful trips and have caught several memorable fish but for some reason I just can’t get Rockbridge out of my mind.
It was hard to believe that when we left for southern Missouri on Friday morning the temperature was in the teens and forecasted to stay that way. Five HOAFF members, one brother-in-law and two wives formed the team that would brave the cold grey weather for a winter adventure.
From the minute I turned down the lane to Rockbridge I could not help feeling I had been transported back in time. It was a quiet, beautiful valley with a marvelous looking trout stream flowing right down the middle of it. The first thing you noticed was the red clapboard mill built in 1868 and right across the road a small bank that hasn’t been open for business since closing in 1933.
My wife, Peggy, and I quickly checked in and I rushed to put on my gear. There are a lot of clothes to put on when it is only 20 some degrees outside. Kevin Carril had been there for several hours and I was afraid he might have it fished out. By the time I found him Kevin had indeed gotten into the trout, had staked out a great little pool and generously let me know what nymph was working. I headed down stream and caught a few fish before dark set in. I had seen enough to be really excited about the next day.
That evening we were joined by Tom McCloud, Jim and Peggy Bebb, Mark Borserine and his brother-in-law Jerry Wickey. Mark and Jerry were planning to hunt pheasant and quail in the morning and fish in the afternoon. Was this a sportsman’s paradise or what? A great meal followed by a game of 31 and a few Crown Royals ended an almost perfect day. I lost 75 cents.
Kevin and I had decided to fish the Mill Pool early Saturday morning. Believe me it had not warmed up overnight. I rarely fish with egg flies but for some reason I tied one on. My indicator had floated about two feet when it suddenly disappeared. I set the hook on what seemed to be a runaway freight train. The rainbow immediately headed for the falls then turned and dived into the debris on the bottom of the pool. I was soon separated from my 5x tippet. It had all happened so quickly I was stunned. I will admit that I lost all the egg flies I had with me before I finally learned how to set the hook and play those big trout.
With Kevin on one side of the pool and me on the other we always seemed to be into a fish. Virtually every cast resulted in a take. Landing one of those lighting bolts was another matter. That took about five minutes and a lot of luck. Each fish measured about 17” – 19” and had to go at least 2 -3 pounds. Of course it was so cold that the rod guides froze solid in seconds. Netting a fish was an adventure particularly if you forgot to dip your net into the stream. Unfortunately Kevin dunked his reel landing a fish. It was frozen solid. He had to leave the stream to thaw it out in his room. I kept fishing but soon realized my reel was freezing up too. I can’t remember how many fish we lost because the reels would catch just as a big fish decided to head for the opposite side of the pool.
By noon I was totally satisfied. I cannot recall ever catching as many big hard fighting rainbow trout in my life. As I mentioned at the very first I am still trying to figure it all out. Mark and Jerry got plenty of pheasants and quail. They also claimed the Sporting Clays course was a true challenge and by Saturday evening everyone had a load of fish stories to tell. At the end of the day, another great meal, another hand of 31, several Crown Royals and it may never get that good again. I lost another 75 cents.
Hopefully the pictures surrounding this article will better tell the story. Rockbridge is a very special place. One thing is for sure, I for one can’t wait to get back.
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
2009 Membership Application / Renewal
Annual dues are due by March 31st, 2009. After March 31st, only those who are paid members for 2009 will receive e-mail notices and newsletters and those who are not will have to reinstate their membership to begin receiving information again. Renew before March 31st to stay informed!
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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.
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
February 16 Rob Freeman Alaska
February 23 Spring Program - Chad Mason
March 16 Charlie Reading – Reading’s Fly Shop
March 19-21 Sow Bug - Mountain Home, AR
April 17-19 White River Outing
April 20 Darren Watson on Wyoming Cutthroat Slam
May 15-17 WindRush Farms Outing
May 18 Steve Daly – Mountain View Fly Shop
June 6 One Fly Tournament - Lake of the Forest
June 15 Fly tying / casting / social
July 17-19 Little Red River - Heber Springs, AR
July 20 Dennis Whiteside Ozarks Smallmouth Guide
Blue River Clean-up 2009
Mark your calendar! The annual Blue River Rescue is scheduled for April 4th. This year our planned activities will include tree planting. More details will be available in the March newsletter and at the March meeting. Please save this weekend for this conservation project.
Visit our Advertisers:
Black Dog Sports
Angler's and Archery Outfitters, Inc.
136B Eden Way
Branson, MO 65616
417-335-4655
Back Country Outfitters
2863 South Campbell
Springfield, MO 65807
417-889-6548
Bass Pro Shop - Olathe KS
12051 Bass Pro Drive
Olathe, KS 66061
913-254-5200
Bennett Springs State Park Concession Shop
26248 Hwy 64A
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-4307
Bob Jacklin's Fly Shop
105 Yellowstone Ave
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
(406)646-7336
Brass Door Motel
Highway 62 West
Gassville, AR 72635
870-435-2988
www.whiteriver.net/brassdoor/
Cabela's KCK
10300 Cabela Drive
Kansas City, KS 66111
913-328-0322 x8208
Chartered Waters
1326 Acacia Club Rd.
Hollister, MO 65672
417-334-1005
Dale Fulton's Blue Ribbon Flies
1343 Highway 5 South
Mountain Home, AR 72653
870-425-0447
Diane Christopher-Fulks Wildlife Watercolors
45-N Street
Lake Lotawana, MO 64086
816-578-4615
Dicks Sporting Goods - Leawood KS
11801 Nall Avenue
Leawood, KS 66211
913-661-0200
Feather-Craft Fly Fishing
8307 Manchester Road
St. Louis, MO 63144
Fishing Pole Guiding, Inc.
27 Haddon Road SouthWest
Calgary, Alberta CANADA T2V2X8
403-259-6245
Flats Lander Guide Service
Paul "Sodie" Sodamann
6390 Rockenham Road
St. George, KS 66535
785-456-5654
Gaston's On the White River
11777 River Road
Lakeview, AR 72642
870-431-5202
Gaston's Tackle
11798 Highway 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-9449
Joe Tomelleri - Artist
8436 Meadow Lane
Leawood, KS 66206
913-383-9771
K&K Flyfishers
8643 Grant
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-341-8118
Lilley's Landing
367 River Lane
Branson, MO 65616
417-334-6380
Loon Outdoors
2728 S. Cole Rd. #110
Boise, ID 93709
208-362-4437
Mickey's Surplus
2601 Strong Ave
Kansas City, KS 66106
913-831-1493
Parkview Lodge
5477 State Highway 165
Branson, MO 65616
417-334-4041
Rainbow Fly Shop
4621 S. Shrank Drive
Independence, MO 64055
816-373-2283
Reading Fly Shop
11937 Highway 64A
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-588-4334
Rim Shoals Resort
153 Rims Shoals Camp
Mountain Home, AR 72653
870-435-6144
Rio Products
5050 S. Yellowstone Hwy
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
208-524-7760
River of Life Farm
RT 1 Box 4535
Dora, MO 65637
417-261-7777
River Run Outfitters
2626 State Hwy 165
Branson, MO 65616
417-332-0460
Saltery Lake Lodge
1516 Larch St. #1
Kodiak, AK 99615
907-486-7083
Sand Springs Resort
1996 Hwy 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-5857
Spring View Motel
11726 Highway 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-588-2116
The Fishing Hole
3731 W. 95th St.
Overland Park, KS 66206
913-642-5554
Tightline Guide Service
13361 Christopher Dr.
Rolla, MO 65401
573-364-7633
Two Rivers Fly Shop
13718 AR Highway 5 South
Norfork, AR 72658
870-499-3060
Vogel's Homestead Resort
11451 Highway 64
Lebanon, MO 65536
417-532-4097
Wapsi Fly, Inc.
27 CR 458
Mountain Home, AR 72653
870-425-9500
White River Trout Lodge
752 County Rd 703
Cotter, AR 72626
870-430-5229
White Sands Motel
P.O. Box 340
Cotter, AR 72626
870-435-2244
Wilkinson Outdoor Adventures
Clint Wilkinson
336 Stephanie
Gassville, AR 72635
870-404-2942
Yager's Fly Shop
2311 Wakarusa Dr.
Lawrence, KS 66047
785-842-1239