Spokane Fly Fishers www.spokaneflyfishers.com March, 2014

RAFFLE: MARCH MEETING MARCH 12, 2014 RAFFLE

Don’t miss this meeting! Always an enjoyable evening, the raffle provides the funding for the club’s conservation and educational efforts.

The local fly shops and the generous members have donated a great number of items to make our Conserva-tion Raffle a success. The items will include flies, fly rods, guided fishing trips, chances to fish with a club mentor, and numerous other items, including a lot of fly tying equipment and materials.

You can check in your donated items beginning at 5:30 PM.

The kitchen will have hot dogs, etc. available after 5:00 PM.

Please bring your friends, neighbors and families. Don’t for-get your checkbooks and/or cash. We will also be able to take Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit cards.

Ticket sales and viewing will begin at 6 PM and the RAFFLE will begin at 7 PM.

The prices for the tickets are:

$1 1 ticket $5 7 tickets $10 15 tickets

Once you have purchased your tickets, you put your as-signed number on the back and then place a ticket in the bag placed in front of each item you wish to win. If you like, you could put a lot of tickets in one item that you REALLY want. After depositing your tickets, just sit back, listen for your number, enjoy the drawings and get ready to pick up the item or items you win.

There is still time to get into the early drawing by giving your donated item to the club prior to March 8th. Contact Dan Wells at 731-0116 for directions to drop off the items.

THIS IS A REALLY FUN, WORTHWHILE EVENT.

OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS

President Kurt Tempel

Vice President Gale Allen

Treasurer Nedra Bayne

Secretary Dan Wells

Board Position 1 Brad Thompson

Board Position 2 Mike Fortney

Board Position 3 Sherie Patano

Past President Mike Berube

Sgt. At Arms Larry Ray

Contact us at:

P. O. Box 4141

Spokane, WA 99220

Or

sffishers@comcast.net

COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

Programs: Gale Allen

Barbless Flyer Editor: Linda Howe

Conservation: Dan Wells

Outings Don Tietz

Membership Sherie Patano

Fly Fishing School: Mike Berube

Librarian: Larry Ray

Project Healing Waters: Norm Scott

FFF Liaison: Dan Ferguson

Beg. Fly Tying: Betty Smith-Lambert

Int. Fly Tying: Dan Ferguson

Casting for Recovery: Mary Kovatch

AROUND THE BEND

Mar. 8, Coffee Pot Outing Mar. 12,SFF Meeting 7PM

RAFFLE

Mar. 19, SFF Board Meeting 6:30 PM Mar. 22-23, Clark Fork River Outing Mar. 29, Pontoon Safety Still Water Class

THE BARBLESS FLYER Page 2

PREZ SEZ By: Kurt Tempel

As I sit and write this month's column, I'm thawing out from the past two weeks of sub-zero temperatures. Don’t get me wrong, I love this time of year but am ready to start some serious fishing in warmer weather! We wrapped up a great intermediate fly tying class. Many thanks to Mike Berube and Dan Ferguson again for the countless hours it takes to shop for materials and then package the material for our use each week. You guys rock! Same for our beginning fly tying class--Betty Smith-Lambert. Thank you all for your diligence and effort. Next up is our Conservation and Education Raffle on March 12th. Dan Wells is heading this up with his Conservation Committee team. Proceeds from this raffle go to the club’s Con-servation & Education efforts. These events are always fun for all --you don't want to miss this March event! We are also getting ready to start our annual fly fishing school. I'd like to encourage all of you to find out from Mike Berube where he could use some help. Extra sets of hands and fishing experience really help make the class top-notch--plus it's fun working with people who are brand new to fishing. Give it a thought. Our first fishing event for the year will be on Coffeepot Lake on March 8th. Dan Wells and Mike Fortney are hosting the event. Last year the lake was ice free and we did catch some really nice fish (along with snow, rain, and wind). I'm excited and ready! Don’t forget to pre-flight your gear! Hope to see you on the water soon. Stay warm and get out and do some Spring fishing!

DUES FOR 2014-2015

By: Sherie Patano, Membership Chair

Don’t forget that annual dues can be paid anytime now. May 31, 2014 is the last day to pay dues. This will keep you current through May 2015. It is important to pay on time as then you will be listed in our directory and stay on our active roster. There is a renewal form in this barbless, or you can pay at either our March, April or May meeting. You may also send in your renewal by mail to: Spokane Fly Fishers P.O. Box 4141

Spokane WA 99220 Again, thank you for helping make SFF the great club that it is.

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BEGINNING FLY TYING REPORT

By: Betty Smith -Lambert

The results are in! Six people have completed the Beginning Fly Tying Class and have passed the “graduation test” which was to tie the “Stimulator”. People who ask for donation flies take note!! These people have been added to the “know how to tie list”.

This year’s class was composed of Norm and Val Urbat, Carl Sturm, Brad Levine, Mitch Bowers, John Rude and Rich Hurst. Each of them found fly tying to have special difficulties “just for them” but had the “stick to it attitude” that leads to success.

They progressed from putting a hook into a vice and thread on the hook to putting beads on hooks, and taught me a new way to control beads. Each has broken and recovered from broken thread, and found that forgetting to put a material on at the instructed position can usually be repaired. They packed hair and spread it all over the room and themselves. I even inflicted them with two methods of dubbing, a method that is often considered one of the most difficult techniques of fly tying.

I would be remiss if I did not mention those that helped me. Bob Mielbrecht revised and printed the manuals as well as taught the introduction to tying. I don’t think that I could have done as good a job at either as I am not a computer person nor do I convey the ele-ments of beginning tying as well as Bob.

Beginning Fly Tying would not be possible without Mary Kovatch. She helps with the prob-lems the students create for themselves and does the practical lectures on – “well, how does one fish this fly?”.

THAT'S A WRAP! INTERMEDIATE FLY TYING A GREAT SUCCESS

By: Mike Berube What a great way to spend Thursday nights when it's freezing outside. Huddle up with 25 of your closest tying buds and create some great patterns. The six classes went by really fast but we learned some new techniques and pat-terns...everything from a size 16 emerger to a size 4 clouser minnow.

I can't thank the volunteer tyers enough! I asked, and you came through. Dan Wight, Bob Newman, Carolyn Sells, Dan Ferguson, Brad Thompson, and yours truly shared not only some great patterns but some new techniques also. Again this year, Dan Ferguson was es-pecially helpful in the success of this class. Thanks Dan! If you took the beginner's class this year, I hope to see you next year in the intermediate.

MEMBERSHIP By: Sherie Patano, Chair

We have two new memberships to share with you. Please welcome Harvey Richman and Ed and Sandy Bartlett to the club. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to meet them at our next meeting.

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AMBER LAKE OUTING By: Dan Wells/Mike Berube

Amber Lake could still be cold and windy for our outing on 12 April. I’ll test the waters and give everyone that signed-up a lake/fishing report on the 11th (Friday afternoon). The table with muf-fins and coffee will be set-up near the boat launch by 8 AM. Dam-sel and dragon fly nymph patterns, leeches and Chironomids should work well. Very little shore casting available - selective

gear rules, internal combustion motors prohibited, catch-and-release.

Directions: Take I-90 west to the Cheney Exit. Go completely through town and then left on Mullinix Road. Continue on Mullinix for about 10 miles to Pine Springs Road. Turn right and stay on Pine Springs until you find a small Amber Lake sign where you’ll turn left and follow the dirt road to the parking lot. You can drive down the hill to unload, but you have to park in the lot on top.

Questions: Contact Dan at Dan.wells92@yahoo.com or Cell# 509-731-0116.

OMAK LAKE OUTING - APRIL 26-27TH Host: Kurt Tempel

Ok gang--I didn’t miss this year’s outing’s committee meeting but find myself hosting another trip to one of my secret spots. Not sure how this happened AGAIN but here's the info you'll need to make this a great trip.

We'll meet at 6:00 AM in Airway Heights in front of the Starbucks coffee shop (Wal-Mart Plaza) and then depart Spokane for the lake. You'll need a Colville Indian Reservation fishing permit for the two days of fishing we're planning (Sat and Sun). The three-day permit costs $20.00 (a one-day permit costs $10.00) Permits can be purchased at Swede’s Fly Shop. The plan is to fish all day Saturday and then grab a motel in Omak so we can fish a half a day on Sunday before driving home. I’m plan-ning to stay at the Roadway Inn in Omak.

You'll need a boat with a gas motor or have a friend who owns one. The lake is 10 miles long and when the afternoon wind kicks up I've seen white caps and waves to four feet. A pontoon boat or float tube doesn't allow you to access the good spots from where you are allowed to launch your boats. I fish the lake with a 6-wt rod and sink tip line using a 3x leader and tippet. You will be fishing in water from 3-12 feet deep.

I usually fish a weighted streamer--dark colors seem to work best. The fishing is not technical un-less the weather goes ballistic and you find yourself casting in 30 knot winds--in the rain and or snow. Dress warm. Tribal laws preclude having firearms and alcohol on the lake. We'll have a plan-ning meeting the beginning of April to flush out the remaining details.

Hope to see you!

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WILLIAMS LAKE OUTING - WEDNESDAY, MAY 7th Host: Bill Lundin

Williams Lake is an excellent lake for the beginning fly fisherman new to lake fishing, and the experienced fly fishers who may want to try out their new patterns they've tied over the win-ter. The lake is stocked heavily each spring, which improves the odds for success.

Williams Lake is located South of Cheney. To get there, take the Cheney exit off I-90. Follow through town to Mullinix Road, which is about one mile west of Cheney. Turn left (South) on Mullinix Road to Williams Lake Road. The lake is about 10+ miles from Cheney. Turn left (East) and look for the sign (which may be partially hidden by a tree) for the public launch. Take that road to the parking and launch area. The outing starts at 3 PM. A boat or some type of float is needed to fish this lake. Recommended flies are chironomids, wooly buggers, Olive Willys, bionic worms, still water nymphs, etc.

CLEAR LAKE OUTING - MAY 17TH Host: Mike Berube

Why change a good thing! Fishing in the morning and picnicking in the afternoon. Sounds good to me. We’ll conduct this outing right before the club’s annual award picnic which has been a great time the last couple of years. The outing will take place at the USAF Clear Lake Recreation Area. We can fish for a couple of hours prior to the picnic. I'll be there at 8 AM, we can fish until the picnic starts at 11 AM. There is a boat launch there if you have a boat or you can launch your pontoon boat/float tube right at the beach area at the main office pavilion. The WDFW Spokane Kids Fishing Day will be held here a week or two prior so the likelihood of lots of fish in this area will be great. Standard lake patterns will work: Stillwater Nymphs, Wooly Buggers, Carey Specials, Six Packs, and Olive Willys should do the trick. Directions: East or West bound on I-90, take Exit 264 (Cheney/ Medical Lakes Exit) and go North. Turn Right onto Clear Lake Road on the North side of I-90. Clear Lake Recreation Area is clearly marked at the corner of Clear Lake and Salnave Rd. The Recreation Area is then just a short distance down Clear Lake Road on the Left. From Fairchild AFB, take Hwy 2 West to Brooks Rd and turn left toward Medical Lakes, right at the stop sign in Medical Lakes, Left on Clear Lake and travel about 1 mile to Clear Lake on your right. See you there.

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CASTING FOR RECOVERY By: Mary Kovach

Casting for Recovery-North Idaho and Eastern Washington, is a support and educational program for breast cancer survivors providing psychosocial and medical support, using the sport of fly fishing to promote mental and physi-cal healing. Since 1996 Casting for Recovery has served over 4,500 women. The casting motion used in fly fishing provides a gentle exercise for joint and soft tissue mobility.

There is no cost to the breast cancer participants attending retreats. All of the funds are solicited from generous donors. The women participants are at all stages of treatment and recovery. Any woman who has experienced breast cancer is eligible to participate in the Casting for Recovery-North Idaho and Eastern Washington program. Almost 40% of referrals come from the medical com-munity. The Casting for Recovery-North Idaho and Eastern Washington program differs from any other breast cancer programs because it addresses issues of "survivorship," a significant but largely un-met need of women who have fully or nearly completed medical treatment of their cancer, but are still dealing with the physical, mental and emotional effects from the disease and its treatment. At the retreat there is a volunteer medical doctor and a volunteer psychosocial professional on site. All of the staff who help the women at the retreat are volunteers. All fishing equipment is loaned to the women at the retreat from Orvis. This includes, boots, waders with belt, a vest carrying the most necessary tools a fly fisher needs, plus the rod and reel with line leader and tippet. During the retreat the women are taught to tie flies so they can use them on the river as a part of the fishing experience. There are also sessions on casting. On the final day the women actually use what they have learned by actually fishing on the river. There are river helpers for the fishing so that they can put into practice what they have learned. This year, 2014, the retreat will be held again at the Shoshone Camp on the North Fork of the Coeur D'Alene river. The date is June 27-29. Any woman who is interested in participating may contact me, Mary Kovatch, 487-1224 for applica-tion information. Applications should be submitted by the end of March..

VOTE REQUIRED TO REVISE THE BY-LAWS By: Larry Ray

Your Board of Directors has completed a comprehensive review of the club’s Bylaws and Stand-ing Rules, which were last revised in 2008. Substantial changes are needed to bring the Bylaws and Standing Rules into alignment with the club’s actual practices. Changes to the Bylaws and Standing Rules (when Standing Rules changes involve dues structure) require recommendation by the Board to the regular membership. A vote by that membership is then required for final ap-proval. Accordingly, the membership will be asked to approve the recommended changes at the March meeting. Copies of both the current Bylaws and Standing Rules, as well as copies of the proposed changes and summaries of the material changes, will be available for review at the Li-brary desk. The actual vote will be taken by written ballot, which will be handed out and collected at the meeting. All members in good standing who are present at the meeting will be eligible to

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BOOK OF THE MONTH By: Larry Ray

Beginning your day on the lake, you see no surface activity and decide to probe the depths with a searching pattern. No luck. Then a wind picks up and you see a few fish leaping clear of the water. A damsel glides by and another alights on the gunwale. Yet your damsel pattern induces no takes. An occasional swirl by the

lakeshore is tough to discern in the wind. You decide to move closer to shore and cast a damsel nymph near the reeds and retrieve. Still no luck. Later, toward dusk, you see rings on the water from what appear to be surface feeding fish. You notice a midge swarm over your boat and attach a Griffith’s Gnat, but still attract no hits. On the way home you ponder why, despite your effort, the fishing gods failed to smile on you as you would’ve liked.

Ever happen to you? Sure has to me. When it did I would resolve to delve into my book col-lection to determine where I’d gone wrong. But, after some reading you feel overwhelmed and think why can’t someone produce a simpler guide that will explain it all without requir-ing a semester’s reading? (Like Dickens, some of these authors must be paid by the word!) Well, happily, such a guide is available in your SFFC library!

Flyfishing Strategies for Still waters, by Brian Chan, solves many of the mysteries associat-ed with still water fishing. Pocket-sized, its seventy-eight pages in large print cover it all in plain language, with corresponding simple illustrations and with enough color photos of basic patterns and fish to keep it attractive. In the chapter entitled Seasons of a Lake, Chan describes the temperature and oxygen changes that occur seasonally, how they affect fish-ing, and how to adjust your fishing tactics accordingly. He also solves the perplexing mys-tery of seasonal fish kills. In The Anatomy of an Interior Lake, he provides a wonderful little diagram that, along with the text, quickly acquaints you with the shoreline, shoal, drop off, and deep water zones and tactics for approaching each. Entomology/Food Source Profiles discusses each of the “basic food groups” for trout (scuds, chironomids, mayflies, caddis flies, et al) in seventeen pages, again with fine pen and ink illustrations. The chapter on Lake Fishing Strategies discusses, in concise terms, correct tactics for use of each of bugs. There is also a fascinating discussion of trolling with flies.

Again, I can’t say enough about the wonderful brevity of this little guide. So, I’ll quit trying and simply quote Bob Jones, Fishing Editor for BC Outdoors, who wrote in the Forward:

“When the original limited edition of this book was published as a “labour of love” for the Pennask Lake Fishing and Game Club, Brian mailed me a copy and asked for my comments. I was impressed with the wealth of useful information he had condensed into such a neat, pocket-sized package. It was then passed on to several other fly fishers and outdoor writ-ers, and their comments invited. The general consensus: he should publish a second edi-tion so they could buy their own copies.”

Thankfully, for those of us who have to keep it simple, he did. The following members hold overdue books (name and due date shown): Dan Ferguson (Jan ‘14), Alan Kelly (Oct ‘13), Brian Soth (Feb ‘14). Please return the overdue books at the upcoming SFF meeting or call me at 425-299-1488 to arrange extensions.

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Anti-static Bag Chironomid

This is an oversized chironomid used in British Columbia quite a bit. They call it a Bomber. It was used quite a bit when the club went to the lakes of the Kamloops area a couple of years ago. Smaller sizes would be better for our lakes. Experiment with colors of underbody, rib, and bead. Don’t be afraid to use it as a dropper in streams or rivers. Good luck. Hook: Size 12 Curved nymph hook Thread: 8/0 Red (underbody) Bead: 1/8 Gills: White antron Rib: Red Body: Anti-static bag (ASB) strip De-barb hook, place bead on hook, and place in vise. Now slide bead to bend of hook. Start thread at eye and wrap towards bend about 1/8 inch. At this point tie in antron on top of

hook. Ensure it stays on top. Wrap thread towards eye, when at eye lift antron and take three wraps under the antron on the shank and then three wraps back on top of antron. Whip finish and cut thread. Trim antron at a slight angle on shank and trim antron (gills) to length, about 1/8 inch in front of eye.

Slide bead back over the antron butts to the hook eye, antron should be on top of hook and

sticking out over the eye with bead against it. Re-start thread behind bead as normal. Tie in rib (wire) and wrap thread in close wraps to barb, keeping rib on bottom of hook while

wrapping. Wrap to bead and back again to a point above barb. This has formed a smooth red underbody, you should have covered all bare hook.

Cut a small angle into the ASB and tie in above barb and wrap thread to the bead. Begin wrap-

ping ASB to bead with slightly overlapping wraps, tie off, leave thread here. Begin counter wrapping rib wire towards bead. You should have 5-6 wraps. Tie off on top with

several tight wraps. Cut or twist off rib. Form a neat small tapered head behind bead, whip finish and cut thread. Apply thin coat or two of head cement over body. You’re done!

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2014 OUTINGS SCHEDULE

DATE OUTING HOST RATING / EXPLANATION

Feb 28 - Mar 2 Olympic Peninsula Northwest Fly Anglers Could be cold/windy. Wade / Float

Steelhead See January Barbless Float under various conditions (2-4)

Mar 8 Coffeepot See February Barbless 1-Could be cold/windy.

Mar 22-23 Clark Fork River See February Barbless 2-Float:Bridge abutments, small

St Regis, MT rapids, obstacles

Mar 29 Pontoon Safety Still Water Don Tietz and Crew 1-Could be cold/windy.

Class Medical Lake

April 12 Amber Lake Dan Wells / Mike Fortney 1-Could be cold/windy.

April 26-27 Omak Lake Kurt Tempel/ Mike Berube 1-Could be cold/windy.

May 3 Kid's Fishing / Clear Lake

May 7 (Wed) Williams Lake Bill Lundin 1 Evening Float

May 17 Clear Lake Mike Berube AM Only

May 17 Club Picnic PM

May 24 One Fly HOST NEEDED 1

Location To Be Determined

May 30-Jun 1 Lake Chopaka Northwest Fly Anglers 1 Rough Road access.

Caution with Trailers

Jun 4 (Wed) Amber HOST NEEDED 1 Evening Float

Jun 28-29 North Fork CDA HOST NEEDED 2 Wading

Jul 18-20 Kelly Creek John Hudson 2 Wading

Northwest Fly Anglers will be our guests

Aug 1-3 St Joe River Rick Newman 1-3-Wade: Depending on where.

Aug 15-17 Kootenai River Dan Wight 2-Float:Bridge abutments, small

rapids, obstacles

Aug 23 Spokane River HOST NEEDED 3 Float: rapids, obstacles, sweepers

3 Wade: Slick

Sep 6 Pontoon Safety Mvg Water Don Tietz and Crew 1

Class Corbin Park Post Falls

Sep 13-14 Clark Fork River HOST NEEDED 2-Float:Bridge abutments, small

rapids, obstacles

Sept19-21 Missouri River Carolyn Sells 2-Float: Bridge abutments,

Obstacles

As you can see, hosts are needed for some of the outings. If you wish to volunteer or have any questions contact Don Tietz. E-mail don@troutfisher.org or phone his cell: 509 850-5076.

Please see February, 2014 Barbless for Rating Descriptions.

THE BARBLESS FLYER Spokane Fly Fishers P. O. Box 4141 Spokane, WA 99220

NEXT MEETING

MARCH 12, 2014

CONSERVATION & EDUCATION RAFFLE

TICKETS & VIEWING 6:00 PM RAFFLE 7:OO PM

ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL 1104 W. HEROY

“THE MISSION OF THE SPOKANE FLY FISHERS IS TO PROVIDE A FAMILY FRIENDLY

ORGANIZATION FOR PROMOTING THE SPORT OF FLY FISHING THROUGH EDUCATION, APPLICATION, AND CONSERVATION.”

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR NAME TAGS TO THE MEETING

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED —