Winter 2009 Gulf Streamer

Transcription

Winter 2009
Gulf Coast Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers
The Gulf Streamer
Calendar of Events:
March 18-20
Sow Bug Round Up
Mountain Home, AR
April 8-10
Gulf Coast Conclave
New Braunfels, TX
For more information on these
events, see the official GCC
website at www.gulfcoast.org.
Fly Fishing Film Tour
In order to do something a little different, we are pleased to announce that a special addition to the program at the 2010 FFF Gulf Coast Council Conclave will be a
Friday night showing of the “Fly Fishing Film Tour”.
A cash bar will open at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Pappasito's Fajita Dinner… Brooks
guarantee’s that the fajitas are GREAT! Seating will be classroom style for comfortable
dining during the shows.
All of the films will be new for 2010, and they will show some fantastic fishing for trout,
bass, bonefish, pike and muskie, and redfish…additional new material is still being reviewed. These are wonderful films!
In addition, just to keep thing fun,
there will be drawings for some great
prizes.
Please order your tickets when Preregistering - Fly Fishing Film Tour
Admission and Pappasitos Fajita Dinner only $30.00 or Film Tour Admission only just $15.00 (prior to March
26th), or $20 / $17at the door.
The Fly Fishing Film Tour has been
tremendously popular the last three
years. If you’ve never had the opportunity to participate in this event, then
you’re in for a real treat and will have
a marvelous time.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 2
President’s Message
the eastern side of this Council. However, it will give
many of us from east of Texas would like the opportunity
to check the fabulous fishing of the Hill country.
Since becoming elected to serve as
your Council President, I have had
the opportunity to get to know
some of the Council Presidents in
other parts of the country. These
relationships are often based on the
sharing of information, which we then utilize to make our
respective Councils stronger. In those discussions, one of
the things that quickly became apparent to me was the fact
that many Councils do not have Expo’s or Conclaves. And
even amongst those that do, few put on a show that compares with the Expo’s that the Gulf Coast Council has held
for the past three years.
A large number of the Federators and non-Federator club
members in this Council have been involved in their local
clubs for many years and that for most of those years, in
order to attend a Conclave or EXPO a ten or more hour
drive to Mountain Home, AR was required. Therefore,
only a small number of these folks regularly (or ever) attended Federation Conclaves (Expo’s).
Over the first three years of this Council, our EXPO’s were
held in Lake Charles. LA – the geographic center of the
Gulf Coast Council. While the GCC put on three great
EXPO’s, attendance was less than we hope for or needed
for success. So, we’ve decided to locate this EXPO in New
Braunfels, TX, situated in the Texas Hill Country - the
“Heart of Texas”. With over 70% of our Federators located
in central and south Texas, New Braunfels also happens to
be within the geographic center of the bulk of the GCC’s
Federators.
This change in venue was made in order to honor a commitment that was made by this Council AND the clubs
when these FFF club’s affiliated with the Gulf Coast Council. There was a pledge made by all to have Expo’s within
easier traveling distance of the majority of our Federators
within this newly formed Council. This location in New
Braunfels will be within a three hour drive for more than
70% of the GCC’s members. It will however make it a
much longer drive for me and those Federators who live on
Since this council stretches from western Florida to the Rio
Grande, it is impossible to have a single local Expo that is
close to the homes of all our members; therefore our goal is
to have smaller, one day Expo for those folks on the eastern
side of our Council in the coming year.
As you peruse this newsletter you’ll quickly realize that the
bulk of the articles were written by workshop presenters at
the upcoming 2010 GCC EXPO. We thought that you’d
like a chance to “get to know” some of these folks a little
better before you attend their classes in April.
The diversity of these programs reflect the fact that although this Council is named after the Gulf Coast, we represent a wide diversity of fly fishing - from cold water trout
streams, to warm waters, to coastal fishing, and to even
tossing flies in the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
This diversity is reflected in the selection of a red eared
sunfish, a.k.a. chinquapin or shell crackers, as our 2010
conclave pin. In working on the design of the EXPO pin
with Brooks Bouldin, I pulled out my collection of conclave Expo pins… it consisted of 35 pins that I could locate. Now that should give you an indication of my strong
believe in the Federation and attending Federation EXPO’s/
Conclaves.
In order to make registration easier for you, Brooks
Bouldin, our EXPO chairman, worked very diligently in
having an interactive registration form designed and placed
Please go
on our council website, http://gulfcoastfff.org
to it today and register for the 2010 Gulf Coast EPXO!
I know that if you will are come to the first Gulf Coast
Council EXPO located in the “heart of Texas” that you’ll
have a marvelous time!
See ya’ in New Braunfels!
Kyle Moppert
President GCC
The Gulf Streamer
Page 3
Carolyn Dunn by Bob Tabbert
Carolyn Dunn was a shining Jewel on Rusty many places nationally and you may have had the opportunity to
earth; she is now a shining Jewel in internationally seeking out new fly taste Carolyn’s home made whole
Heaven. Carolyn passed away at her fishing adventures. Their years living wheat breads, crunchy with walnuts
and cranberries. Can you imagine
home in Lafayette with Rusty on
Carolyn kneading that bread
Sunday December 20, 2009. She
dough, intense, confident? The
was born in 1943 in Yukon,
bread dough never had a chance!
Oklahoma. Her valued Christian
She faced all of her projects with
standards were rooted in her
intense confidence, finding
early childhood. She lived out
her biblical beliefs, volunteering
solutions, obtaining results.
in many areas of her community
She recognized and accepted God’s
by helping others less fortunate,
gift of grace in her life and wanted
through her prayers and her
to be a blessing to others.
handiwork. Carolyn’s fly fishing
Carolyn’s desire to excel, her love
interests covered all aspects of
of the outdoors and her need to
the sport. She and Rusty enjoyed
share were all rooted in her deep
fishing for all species in all
faith. She often spoke of the
waters, warm, salt and cold. Her
beauty of nature and how she felt
favorite was wild trout.
the peace and tranquility of the
closeness of God when
You may have first met Carolyn
at one of the FFF Conclaves in
experiencing it.
Livingston, Mt. Home, Lake
Where ever you may have met
Charles, Baton Rouge, Lafayette,
Carolyn, consider your self
West Yellowstone or up at one of
fortunate to have known this Lady
the Toledo Bend Rendezvous.
and experienced her charms and
She was always there studying,
skills.
learning, teaching fly tying,
teaching casting. An attractive
Carolyn was a Jewel on earth, now
lady, with a black pony tail, dark
she is a shinning Jewel in Heaven.
rimmed glasses, very intense,
leaning over her vise, explaining,
teaching, willing you to learn
how to tie your perfect flies. Her
own ties were exquisite!
As the first FFF woman Certified in Alaska, raising their two sons, with
Casting Instructor in Louisiana you a remote primitive cabin for weekend
may have met or seen her on the trips was an experience that shaped
casting lawn, teaching, sharing, their interest in fly fishing.
intense, showing you how to cast
perfect loops. Or you may have been
privileged to fly fish with her. She
fished all waters, for all fish. She was
a serious trout fisher, intensely
observing, reading waters, and
carefully placing her fly in the best
position. Her intense concentration
when drifting her fly through a good
seam tricked many a trout. Her
passion for fly fishing took she and
Or you may have sat at a coffee shop
with her and Rusty, visiting, planning,
and enjoying her friendship and sly
humor. Or you may have been
privileged to attend one of the Dunn’s
famous FFF fly tying sessions, Food
Feathers & Fun, where the Acadiana
Flyrodders and their guests shared an Carolyn doing two of the things she
evening of food, fly tying and loved, tying flies and sharing with
friendship with Rusty and Carolyn. Or others.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 4
New Braunfels Civic Center, New
Braunfels, TX
April 9-10, 2010
GCC Annual Awards of Recognition
The Gulf Coast Council (GCC) FFF
annually presents various awards to
recognize accomplishments by individuals
and clubs for their efforts in conservation,
education, outreach, and in other areas that
promote the goals and ideals of our
Council and the FFF overall.
Except for the President’s Award, each is
open to nomination from FFF members
within the Council. Please think about
any individuals or clubs that meet the
qualifications and have had outstanding
efforts in those areas.
Marc Pinsel has agreed to head up this
year’s GCC Awards Committee, but I will
be “collecting” the nominations for the
Please email your
Committee.
nominations to: Bowfin47@gmail.com no
later than 7 p.m. Friday, May 26th, 2010.
The 2010 awards will be presented at
Saturday night banquet of the 2010 FFF
Gulf Coast Expo in New Braunfels, TX.
Fly Tyer of the Year - Awarded annually
to an individual who has made a
significant contribution to the art of fly
tying, through any combination of
innovation, enhancement of the art, or
education of others.
Junior Fly Angler of the Year Awarded to an individual 18 years of age
or younger who has made a significant
contribution to the promotion of our sport
to his peers, or to his club or community,
or the sport in general, either in the form
of fly tying, casting, conservation,
education, or other achievements.
Education Award - Awarded to an
individual or club that has made
outstanding contributions to passing along
the art of fly fishing to others, whether in
the form of fly tying, casting, or any of the
(Man of the other fly fishing arts and sciences.
Excellence Award
Year) - Awarded to a man who has
demonstrated unusual devotion to Conservation Award - Awarded to an
the sport of fly fishing, and through
individual or club that has made
his devotion, has benefited the Gulf
Coast Council, the FFF and/or his outstanding contributions to the
conservation of our fisheries resources,
club.
either through projects or activism.
Excellence Award (Woman of the Year)
- Awarded to a woman who has
demonstrated unusual devotion to the
sport of fly fishing, and through her
devotion, has benefitted the Gulf Coast
Council, the FFF, and/or her club.
Community Award - Awarded to a club
that has been very active outside it’s own
membership, and as such, has made
outstanding contributions to the
community at large, through participation
in external activities and/or with other
organizations.
Fellowship Award - Awarded to a club
that has demonstrated an outstanding
commitment to their membership through
activities and gatherings, and effective
communications such as newsletter and/or
website. The GCC recognizes that
fellowship is the seed for increasing
membership in both clubs and the FFF.
Friend of the Gulf Coast Council - An
award or awards given to an individual,
individuals, group, or groups who have
made outstanding contributions to the
Gulf Coast Council in some way.
Nominees must not be a member of the
FFF GCC and need not be a member of
the FFF.
President's Award – This recipient is a
person, chosen by the President of the
Gulf Coast Council, to be nationally
recognized by the FFF at the FFF National
EXPO for their outstanding contributions
to the Council, to the Federation, and the
sport of fly fishing.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 5
GCC By Laws and the 2010 GCC Annual Meeting by Kyle Moppert
While most members of this Council
only see the ‘fun” side of the GCC
EXPO, the clubs, Officers and Board of
Directors, along with many Federators in
this Council, have a more serious,
“business” side which must be addressed.
The GCC By Laws call for an Annual
Meeting to be held each year, which is
normally held in conjunction with our
annual gathering. This year’s Annual
Meeting of the Gulf Coast Council will
be held on Sunday, April 11 at 8 a.m. at
the Courtyard Marriot River Village in
New Braunfels, TX.
At last year’s Annual Meeting, there was
some confusion on the part of several
attendees who had never been privy their
club’s copy of the GCC By Laws.
Therefore, to eliminate such problems in
the future and to be as inclusive as
possible, we have placed the GCC
Bylaws on our web site, http://
www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?
page=conclave-2010 .
I would ask each Federator in this
Council to please take a few minutes and
familiarize themselves with the Council’s
By Laws and to please attend this open
Annual Meeting of the members of this
Council. After all, this is YOUR Council
and YOUR GCC Officers and YOUR
Board of Directors (BOD) who will be
elected at this meeting. The Treasures
Report on the status of the Councils
finances and voting covering financial
decisions for the upcoming year are
included at this open meeting of
Federators
Many of the current officers and BOD’s
have held those positions since the
inception of this Council, and it is time
for other Federators to step up and
assume some leadership in this Council.
We do encourage those clubs and that
have never had a representative at the
GCC Council level to please nominate
one or more of your members. In
addition, if you are one of the GCC
Federators who is not affiliated with a
particular club or may not wish to go
through their club to be nominated and
you would like to be on the BOD, please
contact me. I’m heading up the 2010
Committee,
and
we
Nominating
encourage all the GCC clubs and
interested individuals send-in (i.e. email
me) nominations for officers and
members of next year’s BOD.
As many attendees will be traveling
home at the conclusion of the meeting, I
plan on keeping this meeting limited to a
reasonable time period.
The following are some of points of
interest from the GCC By Laws
pertaining to the Annual Meeting, to
which I’ve added explanations:
ARTICLE V - MEETINGS OF THE
COUNCIL
Section 1.
General Membership.
A meeting of the general membership of
the Council shall be held each year at the
principal office of the Council or at such
other place within or without the Council
as shall be specified in the notice of said
meeting.
The 2010 GCC Annual
Meeting will be held Sunday, April 11 at
8 a.m. at the Courtyard Marriot River
Village in New Braunfels, TX
Section 4.
Eligibility to Vote.
Only individual members and member
clubs, associations, leagues or other
entities, which have paid current dues to
the Federation shall have the right to
vote. Each Federation member and each
club will be allowed one vote. You must
be a member of the Federation to cast a
vote or to represent a club at this
meeting.
So clubs, please send a
member of the Federation to represent
your club’s interest at this meeting.
Section 6.
Quorum.
At any
general membership meeting of the
Council, the quorum will consist of those
members present in person or by proxy.
The vote of the majority of the votes
entitled to be cast by the members
present or represented by proxy at a
meeting shall be necessary for the
adoption of any matter voted upon by the
members, unless a greater proportion is
required by law, the articles of
incorporation or the bylaws. A quorum
will be present.
VI
ARTICLE
DIRECTORS
-
BOARD
OF
Board of Directors.
Section 2.
There shall be a Board of Directors
consisting of not less than ten (10)
persons as determined by the Council
Board. All Directors shall be members of
the Federation in good standing.
Currently, there are 13 Officers and 9
Directors at Large who make up the
GCC BOD, all of whom must be
members of the Federation in good
standing.
Section 3.
Election of Directors.
The election of Directors for the Council
Board will be as follows:
a.
The Nominating
Committee as provided for in Article
VIII, Section 3, shall nominate the
number of persons required to be elected
as directors at the Council Annual
The
General Membership Meeting.
Nominating Committee shall place the
slate of nominees before the membership
for election. The Council Board at its
discretion may do this at the Annual
General Membership Meeting or by
mail-in ballot. The GCC has an open
nominations process, so prior to the
Annual Meeting, please contact the
The Gulf Streamer
Page 6
GCC By Laws and the 2010 GCC Annual Meeting (cont)
Nomination Committee with your working system. However, throughout
nominations for Officers and/or the GCC the last year, I have tried to keep the
entire BOD involved as much as
BOD.
possible.
b.
Each
100%
Federation Member Club and Charter ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS
Club with over 25 members shall have
Officers. The officers
the option to appoint a Director to sit on Section 1.
will
be a President, one or
of
the
Council
the Council Board. If a club exercises its
Vice
Presidents
(the number and
more
option, notice of its appointment must be
given to the Council Board no later than title of the Vice Presidents shall as a
the annual general membership meeting minimum duplicate those established by
of the Council. Directors so appointed the Federation reflecting and continuing
shall serve for one year and are subject to a line of communications from the
all requirements of these bylaws except Federation structure), a Secretary, a
that a club will have the authority to Treasurer and such other officers as may
replace its appointed Director if a be elected in accordance with the
vacancy occurs under Section 13 of this provisions of this Article. Any two or
Article. All Directors shall be members more offices may be held by the same
of the Federation in good standing. 100% person, except the offices of President,
Federation Member Club and Charter Secretary and Treasurer. Upon election
Club are encouraged to appoint a by the Council Board as a whole, or a
member to the GCC BOD. All GCC quorum thereof, these officers shall then
clubs are encouraged to submit names for become directors of the Council Board, if
officers and/or members of the GCC not currently a director. All Officers are
subject election at the 2010 Annual
BOD.
Meeting.
Section 4.
Term of office. All
Election and Term of
Directors shall hold office for one year or Section 2.
until their successors are elected and Office. The officers of the Council will
seated at the annual general membership be elected annually by the Council Board
meeting of the Council. All Directors are at the regular annual meeting of the
subject election at the 2010 Annual Council Board. If the election of officers
will not be held at such meeting, such
Meeting.
election will be held as soon thereafter as
Executive Board. The is convenient. New offices may be
Section 11.
Executive Board shall consist of the created and filled at any meeting of the
President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Council Board. All officers will hold
and Treasurer, and two (2) other office for one year or until their
Directors as voted on by the Council successors are elected. All Directors and
Board as a whole. The Executive Board Officers are subject election at the 2010
shall be empowered to act to the extent Annual Meeting.
permitted by law on the behalf of the
Other Officers.
The
Council Board as a whole between Section 3.
Council
Board
may
elect
or
appoint
such
meetings of the whole Board. Actions of
the Executive Board are subject to the other officers as it deems desirable, such
approval of the Council Board as a officers to have the authority, and to
whole. This allows for manageable perform the duties prescribed, from time
to time by the Council Board. As a
matter of course, throughout the year, we
have included the newsletter editor in all
discussions/issues.
ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES
Section 3.
Nominating
Committee. The Nominating Committee
shall consist of at least three Council
members in good standing selected by
the Council Board. The members of the
Nominating Committee shall select a
chairperson and shall, sixth (60) days
prior to the Council Annual Membership
Meeting, nominate persons for Directors
to the Council Board to be elected by the
members of the Council.
The
Nominating Committee shall also present
a list of nominees for officers as desired
by the Council Board to be elected at the
Annual Council Board Meeting by the
newly seated Board of Directors. No
member serving on the Nominating
Committee shall be ineligible for
nomination to office. Every member
selected by the Committee shall be so
informed, and shall consent prior to
announcement of their names in
nomination. Any member has the right
to refuse nomination, and may withdraw
from nomination at any time.
As previously stated above, the entire
GCC By Laws can be viewed at: http://
www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?
page=conclave-2010
This is YOUR council and Your EXPO.
The Officers and BOD strongly
encourage your participation in the
business of this council. So, please send
in those nominations and come to the
Annual Meeting.
I hope to see you at the EXPO and at the
GCC Annual Meeting.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 7
Cancun—Pesca Maya Fishing
With temperatures chilling out this
week you might be thinking about the
comfort of warmth in a tropical
climate, which means one thing to me
- heading south to Mexico, to one of
the most popular destinations for
adventure seeking Texans - Cancun.
What makes Cancun such and
attractive destination is because it’s a
quick hit destination for all sorts of
excellent fishing for both inshore and
o f f s h o r e
a n g l e r s .
This has been a favorite destination of
mine for many years. That’s for two
reasons. One is the excellent offshore
action. The other is the world class
f l y
f i s h i n g .
f l a t s
Double dipping in Cancun for both
offshore and inshore fishing is easy.
The offshore trips originate right there
in town. But the inshore trips on the
flats usually require travel time of one
to three hours south along the Yucatan
P e n i n s u l a .
If you’re looking for adventure away
from the crowded beaches and city of
Cancun, you should check out one of
the outfitters located south of Cancun
on the Yucatan Peninsula. That’s
where you can totally escape the world
while fishing Ascension Bay,
Bocapaila Flats and Espiritu Santo
B
a
y
.
There are outfitters that offer day trips
out of Cancun for flats fishing on
some of the most remote and fish rich
bays on earth. The catch is the price.
It’s about $400 per boat, for two
anglers a day, out of Pesca Maya
Lodge. That’s cheap. They will pick
you up at your hotel and bring you
back after a day of fishing. I’ve done
both the day trips and multi-day trips
to Ascension Bay, out of Cancun. The
day trips are cheap, but they require
lots of energy. It’s a full day of travel
and fishing - from before dawn till
after sunset. The best option is to
either do a sleep over, or stay for a few
days at one of the jungle lodges.
Another great option on the Yucatan
Peninsula is take an eco-tour of the
Sian Ka’an biosphere. It’s about 90
minutes south of Cancun. It covers 1.5
million acres. It’s home to more than
345 species of birds, along with
jaguars, howler monkeys, crocodiles,
and excellent flats fishing.
The flats fishing for bonefish is some
of the best in the world on Ascension
Bay. It’s one of the few places in the
world where you can catch bonefish,
snook, tarpon and permit in one day- if
you‘re lucky. It can be done with both
spinning and fly fishing tackle. If
you’ve ever wanted to experience
word-class flats fishing in a paradiselike environment th is is it.
If you really want to settle into the
tropical scene do a five to seven day
stay at one of the lodges off of
Ascension Bay. It’ll be a vacation you
won’t ever forget. It’ll cost a little
more than your basic vacation to see
the in-laws. But on the other hand it’s
well within the bounds of many travel
budgets. It’s a quick hit adventure
destination offering tropical escape
from the late winter blues. Just don’t
forget the sunscreen, sunglasses,
snorkel, sandals and fishing gear.
Capt. Robert Sloan runs guided fly
fishing trips out of Port O'Connor
for reds and trout. Check him out at
www.hightailangler.com.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 8
Cross Water Flies by Bruce Sublett
Fly anglers tend to stereotype flies into rigid categories:
trout flies, bass flies, salt water
flies, and so on. A little creative
thinking, though, reveals that many
flies are capable of catching fish in
several different environments,
with only minor modifications—
call them “cross water flies.”
The best cross water flies are those
that can pass for several different
prey species, like the Clouser Minnow and the Woolly Bugger. I’ve
tied Clousers as small as size 12
for a customer who fishes them in
Yellowstone for cutthroats, to as
large as size 6/0 for a Brit who
uses them for European sea bass. Depending on how it’s tied, the Woolly Bugger imitates anything from a damselfly
nymph to a salt water baitfish. My own
take on a salt water Woolly Bugger is the
Magnum Glitter Critter.
One cross water fly category that takes
some creative thinking is made up of
tropical flats flies for crappie and white
bass. Typically, a good crappie or white
bass fly imitates a small minnow, sinks
quickly, and has some component that
moves when the fly is stopped. Now consider the classic Gotcha: the size, as usally tied, is in the one inch range typical of
crappie flies. It has a lot of pearl flash,
which gives it a minnow look. It has either bead chain or dumbbell eyes that let it
sink quickly, and finally, it has a rabbit fur
wing that undulates even when the fly is
stopped. Sure enough, a Gotcha tied on a
size 4 or size 6 hook makes a great crappie
fly. Another salt water favorite that
makes a great crappie fly is Billy Trimble’s Bucktail Shrimp—obviously crappie
don’t see it as a shrimp but as a minnow.
Flies for schooling fish are the most obvious cross water flies. Whether the schooling fish are black bass, white bass, stripers, speckled trout, or bluefish; the prey is
generally small silvery baitfish on or near
the surface. A white foam popper on a
size two hook works for any of these species, fresh or salt. Likewise, any fresh
water shad imitation doubles as a salt wa-
ter menhaden, pilchard, or sardine. In
fact, up on the Redneck Riviera where I
fish, all these salt water baitfish get
lumped together as “shad.” My Education Shad, a weighted fly made with pearl
Mylar tubing on a jig hook, works equally
well on white bass, schooling black bass,
or speckled trout. It’s called the Education Shad because it teaches schoolies a
lesson! Another fresh water fly, Ward
Bean’s Red Faced Wobbler, designed for
smallmouth bass, is one of my favorite
beachfront speckled trout flies. I’ll cover
these flies and more in my presentation on
fly fishing for school bass at the GCC
expo.
Another crossover category is flies that
are designed for shallow water bass fishing that also work on marsh redfish. In
fact, some brackish water marshes along
the Texas coast can produce both bass and
redfish in the same area. My favorite double duty flies in this category are the floating deer hair divers, especially when they
get waterlogged enough to just barely
float in the surface film. The Never-Sink
Diver and the Mud Minnow are two
nearly identical flies, both distant cousins
of the old Muddler Minnow through the
Dahlberg Diver, that will catch both bass
and redfish.
In general, about the only modification
necessary to take a fresh water fly into salt
water is a change of hook, and many new
hook finishes are making that change un-
necessary as well. The standard
bronze hook for fresh water flies just
won’t last in salt water, nor will gold
or nickel plated hooks. I do use some
gold-plated steelhead hooks for
spoonflies, but only with the caution
that they have to be thoroughly rinsed
and dried after each use in the salt.
Although I’ve tied both salt and fresh
water flies for years on the Mustad
34007 stainless steel hook, I’ve
started moving away from stainless
for a couple of reasons: it persists in
the environment too long, and it isn’t
the sharpest hook in the box. Instead
of stainless, I’m now using mainly
cadmium or black nickel plated
hooks. Mustad’s Dura-Tin, Eagle
Claw’s Sea Guard, and Gamakatsu’s
Black Nickel finishes are all pretty durable in salt environments, provided you
rinse the flies in fresh water after use. To
be truthful, I rarely use a salt water fly
more than once if I’m catching fish; by the
time it’s caught several toothy salt water
fish, the fly is usually too battered to save.
One final consideration is color. Many
materials that are color-fast in fresh water
bleed or bleach out quickly in salt water.
Stick a wet red and white Sea-Ducer in a
fly box, and you’ll end up with a box of
pink flies. Red hackle bleeds worse than
any other material, but orange is much
more color stable. Likewise, fluorescent
colors like chartreuse fade quickly in a salt
water environment. The answer? Tie
more flies!
About the author: Bruce Sublett is retired college English teacher who sells salt
water and bass flies on line at Gulf and
Ozark Flies (www.goflies.com). He will
present a program on schooling black bass
and will teach a tying class on using EP
fiber at the GCC expo in New Braunfels.
His Genuine Imitation Plastic fly was featured in the Winter 2009 issue of Fly Tyer.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 9
Cross Water Flies by Bruce Sublett (cont)
Magnum Glitter
Critter
Education
Shad
Hook: Mustad 34011, size 2
Hook: Eagle Claw 635, size 4 to 1/0
Thread: .005 monofilament
Thread: .005 monofilament, 6/0 Unithread for head, fire orange.
Tail: White marabou
Weight: Large nickel cone head
Flash: 2 strands Flashabou Mirage on each side
Eyes: 3/16 adhesive foil, on cone (optional)
Underbody: Pearl Krystal Flash Chenille
Body: Pearl Krystal Flash chenille
Collar: Extra-large Cactus Hackle, wrapped
Overbody/Tail: Pearl Flashabou Minnow Body, large
Tying Notes: cone on hook first, then wrap KF chenille and tie off.
Tying notes: Flatten barb to allow cone to slide onto hook; sub- Slide Minnow body over from the rear, tie off in front of cone and trim.
stitute chartreuse or hot pink tail.
Tie off at the hook bend and tease out tail fibers. Color top line with
permanent marker—olive, black or blue. Coat heavily with Hard as
Nails and flatten side to side as it dries.
Gotcha
Mud Minnow
Hook: Mustad 7766 or 3407, 8 to 4.
Thread: Unithread 6/0 pink
Hook: Mustad 34007 or Gamakatsu B10S, size 4 to 1/0
Eyes: black bead chain
Thread: .005 monofilament or Gel-Spun. Finish head w/ 6/0
Unithread.
Tail: 12-16 strands Pearl Krystal Flash
Body: Pearl Diamond Braid
Wing: rabbit or craft fur
Flash: 4 strands Pearl Krystal Flash
Head: tying thread, coat with Hard as Nails
Eye: Plastic bead chain
Tail: magnum rabbit strip, twice hook length
Flash: 4 to 6 strands holographic Flashabou on each side
Head: Deer hair, spun and trimmed. Use dyed belly hair except
for natural color
Tying Notes: Figure-8 diamond braid around eyes, tie off on Weedguard: 80 lb. mono
bottom. Small bead chain for size 8 and 6, medium for size 4.
Tying Notes: first batch of deer hair flared but not spun on top
Colors: tan, white, pink, chartreuse Only the wing color for a collar, add a small bunch of orange on the bottom. Add
changes; all else is the same.
weedguard after final trim.
Colors: natural rabbit, crawfish orange, olive, chartreuse, black.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 10
Texas Reds on Top by Capt. Scott Sparrow
that we did everything right from the first
moment, but in our haste to be on the
water after weeks of hosting other fly
fishers, we had not taken the time to
replace old leaders and knotted tippets.
Not surprisingly, we managed to hook
three reds apiece -- only to lose every one
of them within the first few seconds! To
be fair, the fish made it more difficult
than usual by dragging our leaders
through algae that clung to the bottom,
but regardless, we weren’t feeling very
good about our angling skills up to that
point.
Something finally broke the spell.
Perhaps it was the 16-pound tippet that
we tied on to combat the algae. Or maybe
it was the baby alligator that sent Kathy
scurrying back to the boat, with visions of
its larger relatives lurking nearby. But
soon afterward, my leader held up under
the thrashing fight of a 29-inch red that
took the popper on the first strike, and
then proceeded to drag around several
of
algae
before
I managed to grab the fish by the tail.
pounds
An article that was published in Saltwater Fly Fishing
Freeing the red from the green mass, I lifted the fish out of the
On a windless morning in late October, Kathy and I left our dock water for Kathy to see, and then yelled, “Your turn.”
and headed for a remote lagoon on the Lower Laguna Madre. The
lagoon is usually too shallow to hold fish, but during the high tides We went on to catch and release several reds that morning in
of spring and autumn, it attracts impressive schools of redfish conditions that would have defeated us if we’d been using
feeding on shrimp. Depending on the tidal flow, the schools may subsurface patterns of any description. But even if the water had
break up into singles and roaming pods, or they may congregate in been clear of vegetation, Kathy and I would have used our
schools that sweep slowly around like folk dancers with arms topwaters, anyway. For, after years of stalking redfish in shallow,
clear water, we have found that a properly designed topwater fly
entwined.
can double your strikes, and greatly enhance your angling
When we entered the lagoon, the mirror-like surface telegraphed enjoyment.
the movement of every fish in the vicinity. Deep retreating wakes
told us that the area was full of reds, and that to go any further
would risk terminally offending our hosts. So I cut the motor, and The Context
poled the Curlew toward the middle of the small bay, while Kathy
opened her fly box and contemplated her choices.
The Lower Laguna Madre is the largest continuous shallow water
estuary in North America, and the only true subtropical saltwater
“What are you going to use?” I asked.
fishery outside of Florida in the continental U.S. Reaching almost
“Topwaters, don’t you think?” she replied. I wasn’t surprised to to the Mexican border of deep south Texas, it is over sixty miles
see her reach for a VIP popper that I’d tied for her the night long and five miles wide. Averaging about a foot deep of water at
low tide, it features a wide variety of venues, ranging from small,
before.
intimate lagoons, to a vast Carribean-like flat known as the the
I staked the boat, and tied on a VIP, too. The tiny popper was “white sand.” Full of redfish and speckled trout that spend most of
more refined than the deerhair popper that I used to take my first their time feeding in the shallowest waters, the LLM offers visiting
Laguna Madre red on a fly 24 years earlier. But I’m not sure the fly fishers sight casting opportunities all year round.
fish could tell the difference.
Feeding redfish become visible on calm mornings whenever they
The action was intense. Casting to swirls, wakes and tails, we tail, or throw up a V-wake by cruising in less than a foot of water.
drew explosive strikes from fish that often missed the first time, After the sun rises, their bronze backs and azure tails show up
but came back again and again until hooked. I wish I could say easily in the clear water to anglers wearing polarized
sunglasses. Thus, on an ideal day, sight casting can begin at first
The Gulf Streamer
Page 11
The Modern Bass Fly Rod by Bob Pool
Nineteen seventy three was the year of a big change in fly rod
construction. Fenwick came out with the HMG rods. HMG, High Modulus
Graphite, was touted as having a much higher sensitivity than fiberglass,
not only to feeling every tiny thing that a lure was doing but even to
feeling a bite on a slack line. The rumors were true, it really would. But,
how about casting?
Casting? No one even mentioned casting in the promos. Oh, but as
everyone knows, it helps casting quite well, at least in some respects.
Distance is the real prize with graphite. Through the years graphite rods
have become faster and faster in their actions. Really good casters can cast
a long, long way. If you’re not a really good caster then you might not get
that much out of a really fast rod. Your presentation will probably suffer
and you might not even be able to get close to the distance it’s capable of.
You can read on just about any forum on fly fishing where people are
recommending using lines one to four sizes larger for the really fast rods.
They are just slowing the ultra fast action down to a fast or medium fast
action. It really does fit most people’s casting style better. They get better
presentation and good distance. I know I can cast best with either of the
two original Fenwick HMG rods I bought in 1973, or at least for most
casting situations and they would be classified as medium action
by today’s standards. So, why buy an ultra fast action rod?
The problem most people have with the ultra fast action rods is
getting it to load. I’ve heard the complaint many times of people
not feeling that tug as the rod loads on the back cast. And, it
seems, people really need that. So, what do they do? Go up in line
weight until they do feel the tug. So why would we regular skilled
casters want an ultra fast action rod? The answer is fishing for big
bass.
These ultra fast action rods actually fix a problem in fly fishing for
big bass. To catch big bass on a regular basis you need to use big
flies and heavy flies. Big bass are not like regular size bass. They
are the consummate nutritionist. Energy expended for nutrition
gained is their mantra. They don’t roam around expending energy
while looking for food. They set up and wait for the food to come
to them, and it needs to be something worth expending energy for.
Size really does matter.
Look at the lures pro bass fishermen use. Not one uses lures as
small as most fly fishers use for bass and they are fishing for
numbers, not size. Of course everyone knows of someone who has
caught a big bass on a little bitty fly. It happens, but not with any
regularity. To catch big bass, use big flies, it’s a fact.
Now to cast these big and heavy flies is where the ultra fast action
rod shines the brightest for me. When you’re casting a popper the
size of a small bird with a medium fast rod, the resistance to
moving it through the air will overload the rod and performance
will suffer. As well, casting a seven inch long rabbit strip fly with
a huge cone head and a rattler tied in will kill the rods casting
ability and be an absolute chore. However these large and heavy
flies will actually help to load an ultra fast rod and make it perform like a
medium fast action rod and normal size flies. If you hook into an old
grandma of a bass you will appreciate having that extra stiffness in that
really fast rod as well. She won’t be far from cover when you hook her
and you will need to keep her out of it.
I almost always work my fly with the rod instead of stripping line,
whether top water or under water. You can give the fly so much more
action by using the rod tip. However, when the fish bites, your rod might
be way up in the air instead of pointing straight at the fish like in most fly
fishing. So how do you set the hook? You simply drop the rod a couple of
feet and snap it back. People constantly tell me that it will not work. It’s
just because they have a mind set about the strip set. They don’t
understand that you are not pulling it into the fish like with the strip set but
jerking it into the fish at high speed. The stiffer, super fast action rods
make this work even better.
If you are thinking about fly fishing for big bass then you are going to
have to upsize your flies. If you do, then consider one of the new ultra fast
action rods. It is almost as if they were designed just for big bass fly
fishing.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 12
Texas Reds on Top by Capt. Scott Sparrow (cont)
light and continue unabated until mid-afternoon.
Learning the Ropes
Stalking tailing and cruising reds
in the Lower Laguna is a high-vis,
heart-stopping action that’s hard to
beat. Add to that the sights and
sounds of redfish exploding on
small poppers, and it becomes the
stuff which dreams are made of.
The choice of the fly definitely
matters in becoming successful
with this approach, but there’s
much more to catching redfish on
top than simply tying on the right
fly. Several problems have to be
understood -- and solutions
adopted -- before placing the
remaining burden on the fly’s
design.
The redfish’s mouth and style of attack.
The redfish has a small, “inferior” mouth
on the underside of its head. When
feeding on the bottom, its mouth is welldesigned to root out and to seize the
prey. But redfish are aggressive
gamefish that drive baitfish and shrimp
to the surface, too. In these conditions,
when the reds finally strike, their heads
often come completely out of the water
as they lunge forward with their inferior
mouths. This movement often causes
them to lose sight of the target, and to
miss the mark. But they make up for
their inaccuracy by striking repeatedly
until the prize is won.
The Impact of the Angler’s Profile. By following Zamba’s
advice, and reacting only to the feel of the fish on the line, an
angler will effectively convert strikes to hook-ups. However, if a
redfish comes within 30 feet or so of the fly fisher before taking
the fly, he is likely to catch sight
of the angler’s profile just as he
rises for the take. Fly fishers often
mistake a redfish’s abrupt
departure for a rejection of the fly,
but a true rejection is characterized
more by a redfish’s disinterest
than by its hasty flight. These
close-in blowups are, more
properly
speaking,
“angler
rejections,” and place the burden
of responsibility squarely where it
belongs. Indeed, we would do well
to remember Edward R. Hewitt’s
immortal words, “Your fly is not
the problem, it’s what’s on the
other end of your line.”
To minimize your profile, it’s important to crouch as low as
possible -- even to the point of kneeling in the water -- as soon as
the wake appears behind the fly. There’s really no need to watch
what happens next, because as we’ve already established, the sight
of the redfish striking is more of a
distraction than an aid.
For obvious reasons, casting topwaters
from a poled or drifting skiff can result in
a lot of spooked fish, especially in close
quarters. The last thing you want a
redfish to do is to look up and see the
boat, so this is one context in which it’s
best to leave your topwaters in the fly
box. Guides who prefer to pole their
clients rarely use topwaters; but this is a
decision based on the impact of the
boat’s intrusive profile, not the
limitations of the fly. In contrast, for
those of us who prefer to stalk fish on
foot, topwaters can be more effective
than subsurface patterns, especially in
calm conditions where the fish aren’t
showing on the surface, or when they’re
tailing with their heads in the grass.
Indeed, I’ve seen a noisy topwater attract
redfish’s attention from as far away as 15
feet.
The stripping method. Because the
redfish must lift his head to seize a
topwater, the strike is preceded by
a bulging wake behind the fly. Eager to
close the deal, most fly fishers lift the
rod reflexively as soon as the fish lunges
for the fly. Since redfish often miss the
fly on the first strike, the angler’s
reaction almost always brings the encounter to a premature end.
An Advantage Over Subsurface Flies
Given this scenario, it’s always best to keep the rod low to the
water, and to continue stripping until you can feel the fish on the
end of your line. Capt. Gene Zamba of Tarpon Springs, Florida,
tells his clients, “Feel the fish, don’t read the fish.”
Just the other day, the advantages of using topwaters for tailing
reds were clearly demonstrated. I was guiding two seasoned fly
fishers -- Don and Cal Massey. When we came upon several
tailing pods of redfish, Cal tied on my favorite shrimp pattern -- a
The Gulf Streamer
Page 13
Texas Reds on Top by Capt. Scott Sparrow (cont)
Mother’s Day Fly -- and began wading toward the first pod. and keep stripping. He may miss the fly the first or second time.
Meanwhile Don, who was using a VIP popper, spotted a second Raise your rod only after feeling the fish on the line.” Having
finished my lecture, I smiled wryly, knowing that they would learn
pod and set off in hot pursuit.
a lot from the encounter, if nothing else.
When Cal came within casting distance of his first pod, he placed
his fly just a bit short of the tails, and the reds showed no reaction. I waded beside Joannie for a while, and coached her on casting to
As Cal kept trying to get the reds’ attention, Don hooked his first a few incoming wakes that passed by just out of her range. Since
the tails were sparse, the opportunities were few. Then I saw
red on the popper.
something that explained the paucity of tailing reds. A black seam
“Their heads are down, and I don’t think they’ve seen the fly yet,” on the calm surface appeared about 100 yards away, with dark,
I said to Cal. “Try putting the fly right in the middle of them.”
waving spikes dotting the length of the seam.
After a few more casts, a redfish finally spotted the shrimp
pattern, and promptly seized it. But by the time Cal landed his first
fish, Don was already battling his second red on the popper. Cal
requested a change of flies and, within minutes, handily hooked a
redfish on his first cast to a nearby tailing pod.
Using topwaters for redfish is a method that works well for
novices, as well. As Lower Laguna Madre guide, Capt. Skipper
Ray, points out, “The best thing about topwaters is the fact that
you don't have to be extremely precise with the presentation. The
noise will attract the fish to the fly. And you don’t have to cast as
far, since the redfish will often hear the popper, and head in your
direction.”
“A tailing school! That’s where most of the fish are,” I yelled for
Richard’s benefit, who was wading 50 yards away. “They may
come our way, so let’s get a little closer and see what they do.”
Over the course of the next few minutes, the school stayed well out
of range, so I headed back to the Curlew to pole it down to our
new position.
Half way back, I turned around and was surprised to see that the
school was approaching Joannie. From where I stood, I could see
the line of waving tails getting closer and closer. She remained as
stationary as a statue. “Why doesn’t she cast?” I wondered,
knowing that any moment one of the reds would spot her. Unable
to advise her from afar, I just watched and waited. Finally, she
false casted a few times and dropped her VIP in front of the crowd.
For instance, on a recent calm morning, I left the dock with two Crouching low, she began to strip.
guests from southern California. Experienced in various coldwater
venues, Richard and Joannie Fanning had never fished the flats of I could see wakes shoot ahead of the black seam, and then heard
the Lower Laguna Madre. Having observed the couple casting to the first of several explosions as redfish came out of the water
speckled trout under our lights the previous night, I knew that fighting for the fly. Joannie stayed low until one of the fish
Joannie had a beautiful casting style, but that she might find it hard prevailed. As she raised her rod, the whole school turned away,
to reach the fish with her cast. As we reached the mouth of the leaving a half acre of water shaking like jello.
Arroyo Colorado and turned northeast onto the foot-deep flats, I
pondered our options. If the reds were tailing as they had been, I Later, after photographing and releasing the red, I said to Joannie,
“Hardly anyone does it right the first time. How did you do it?!”
mused, then topwaters would be the method of choice.
I brought the Curlew off plane on a flat covered with sparse turtle She replied, “I listened.”
grass. We sat momentarily transfixed as an apricot-colored sun
appeared above the horizon beneath a bank of fair-weather Apparently, it’s as simple as that.
cumulus clouds. The orb looked to be in front of the clouds,
Topwaters can serve as a beacon to cruising and tailing reds that
cradled by the distant sand dunes of Padre Island.
might not otherwise see your fly. Using them effectively proceeds
I wasn’t surprised to see a few redfish tails begin breaking the from an understanding of how the fish’s mouth affects his style of
glassy surface only minutes after I’d staked the boat. Tying small attack, and limits his accuracy. It requires a disciplined approach
VIP poppers onto their 12-lb. tippets, I gave the Fannings my well- to stripping the fly and setting the hook while keeping a low
profile. And it takes a fly that casts easily, and speaks loudly when
rehearsed talk on using topwaters for tailing reds.
it needs to.
“Try not to cast until you can put the fly within five feet of the
tail,” I began. “If the tails go down before you get close enough, So the next time you target redfish, consider making a little
stop and wait for them to come to you,” I said, realizing that it noise. Whether you prefer to learn by listening, or by letting the
takes almost inhuman patience to do this. Continuing, I said, “Strip fish teach you what you need to know, it’s well worth the effort.
hard a couple of times to get their attention, and then settle into a For there’s nothing more exciting than catching redfish on top.
slow, steady strip.
Capt. Scott Sparrow is a fly fishing guide who, with his wife Kathy,
Confident that Joannie and Richard would probably fail the first founded Kingfisher Inn, a fly fishing lodge on the Lower Laguna
few times, I nonetheless went on. “When the red approaches the Madre. He will be doing a presentation and leading a fly tying
popper, he’ll appear as a bulging wake behind it. Keep workshop at the FFF conclave, and will focus on tying the VIP
stripping! When the fish strikes, keep your rod low to the water, popper.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 14
Got Bamboo by Doug Blair
Got Bamboo? Rods, that is. And there were plenty
around for the 10th Annual Southern Rodmakers gathering,
October 25-27, in Cotter, Arkansas on the shores of the
White.
This year’s Gathering included the usual
beginners, veterans and curious but in record numbers
there to celebrate the important anniversary.
The Bamboo Broker, Andy Royer of “Trout Grass” fame,
attended as did Eileen Demarest, widow of long-time
Tonkin Cane supplier Harold Demarest. Maker of
“Gnomish Rods” and accomplished bamboo history
author, Jeff Hatton, provided a special treat with his
historical collection of over 80 rods dating back to the
early 1800’s ( Rod Crafting: A Colorful Pictorial History
form 1843 – 1960).
This display is a fascinating exhibit for anyone interested
in the history of our sport. It pre-dates graphite and other
materials and documents the earliest dependence of
makers on Calcutta cane and other materials in the
manufacture of the wonderful fly rod.
Jeff also joined others who filled the community rod rack
with more recent makings by their own hands for the
casting pleasure of all assembled. Some rods reflected
classic tapers like Payne and Dickerson. Others have been
“tweaked” in the making to reflect the unique mood of the
maker.
The White usually cooperates during the gathering and, as
club member Bill Bishop says, is truly a beautiful river.
But this year’s event was preceded with two generators
running full time. It was close to no-wade conditions but
awarded persistent and shore-locked roll-casters (Bob
Tabbert would be proud).
Back at the gathering…of special interest and fortune to
the novice and experienced maker alike was the
opportunity to engage the advice and wisdom of other
makers. Harry Boyd (www.canerods.com), Bob Nunley
(www.rlnunley.com), Al Medved, Dennis Hingham, and
Jeff Fultz (www.fultzrods.com) were among the notables
in attendance. These folks long ago switched from
modern materials to make, cast, fish and otherwise enjoy
the lovely reed.
A highlight of the weekend was the awards ceremony.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lowell
Davis, rodmaker from Colorado and Chair of the SRG
since its beginnings. To his delight and everlasting
appreciation, a commemorative rod was made for him by
several makers in attendance. Some contributed by
making the ferrules and seat hardware, some turned the
handle, some wrapped the guides. All for a wonderful guy
who has tirelessly served the gathering.
You’ve probably guessed by now that you don’t have to
be a bamboo nut to enjoy such a Gathering…it helps, but
it’s not necessary. The common thread is really fly
fishing…which is so much more enjoyable with a bamboo
rod!
POST SCRIPT: While enjoying the porch one evening I
was drawn to splashing sounds from the river. A
gentleman and his grown son had been side-stepping
chest-deep with rubber boot-footed neoprene waders when
their feet slipped out from under them and they were
carried out into the fast current. By the time I reached
them, they were safely ashore but their eyes were the size
of half-dollars (some of us remember how big that is). I
waited for the older gentleman to give me his animated
account, then calmly shared with him the “Vidrine Saga.”
He really didn’t need convincing; another believer was
born that day.
(Editor’s Note: Dennis Vidrine, founding member of the
Acadiana Fly Rodders,
The Gulf Streamer
Page 15
Got Bamboo by Doug Blair (cont)
Casting for Recovery Adds Second Retreat in Texas
This year, the Texas program of
Casting for Recovery (CFR)
celebrates its fifth year serving
breast cancer survivors in the Lone
Star State and the addition of a new
North Texas retreat.
For those unfamiliar with the
organization, Casting for Recovery
is a national non-profit support and
educational program for breast
cancer survivors. The CFR program
is unique in that the curriculum
incorporates instruction in flyfishing, combined with counseling
and medical information, to promote
physical and mental healing. It is an
opportunity to experience a true
respite from familiar surroundings
and everyday routines. Fly-fishing
provides stress-relief and promotes a
sense of calm. The casting motion
provides a gentle exercise for joint
and soft tissue stretching, similar to
the exercises that surgeons prescribe
after surgery or radiation. The social
interactions offer women a chance to
share, laugh, vent and rejuvenate.
In one participant’s words, “This
was one of the most incredible
weekends of my life and my face will
light up thinking about everyone. I
feel so incredibly blessed to have
experienced something that is just
beyond words” - Debbie, 2008
participant in Boerne
CFR was established in 1996 by a
reconstructive surgeon and a
professional fly fisher. The 2 1/2 day
retreat programs -- provided at no
cost to the participants -- are
conducted in 27 states.
In addition to the April retreat held
in Boerne (outside San Antonio)
each year, the Texas program will
hold it’s first North Texas retreat in
Glen Rose (south of Fort Worth) this
November.
According to Susan Gaetz,
coordinator for CFR's Texas
program, "the demand is high in the
breast cancer community for our
unique type of program, which is
locally funded and volunteer-driven.
The fly-fishing community remains
our primary source of funding and
volunteers. We are grateful for their
ongoing support, enabling us to
share our program with as many
women who wish to participate. We
are very excited to expand our
program and be able to serve
survivors in the North Texas area.”
For more information, visit:
www.castingforrecovery.org. For
questions about the Texas program
or how to apply for a retreat. Please
call or email Susan Gaetz (Austin) at
susan@susangaetz.com or
512/940-0246.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 16
Springtime Bounty for Shallow Water Anglers by Capt. Sally Moffett
Looking back on it now, it’s a little
easier to understand and appreciate
the real benefits of a cold winter
with lots of rain. A long, cold winter
with extended periods of cold water
puts
fish
into
temperatures
somewhat of a “hibernation” mode not much feeding, not much moving,
just steadily losing the weight that
they gained during the fall. When
the water temperatures really do
begin to creep up and then steadily
remain near the magic temperature
of around 70 degrees, these sleepy,
hungry fish will indeed feed up and
there will be no question that a
spring pattern will emerge. What a
change from the past few years with
mild winters and very little rain. Be
prepared for a very dynamic spring,
although the early portions of it may
still be cooler and wetter than
normal.
All of the rain that has entered the
bay system will energize the flats,
marshes and estuaries. Crabs and
other bait fish will spawn and grow,
grass will emerge and be plentiful
and shrimp migrations will be
bountiful.
Mother Nature really
knows what she’s doing. If you
think about it, a long, cold winter
means really hungry fish. Rain
means more food for fish to eat.
Hence, a springtime like we haven’t
seen in a while. This is a great
prognosis!
Springtime Equinox-induced rises in
water levels will usher these hungry
fish, bait and the shrimp migration
into the shallowest of waters. As an
“emerging estuary”, these shallowest
places will host a large selection of
food for predators, beginning with
tiny glass minnows and tiny shrimp.
These morsels will be hiding in any
grass or green goo they can find on
the bottom to stay out of the mouths
of the predators. Not only will the
redfish and trout be feeding in and
around this grass and goo, so will
wading birds and terns as they hover
silently to pick up anything that
explodes out of it.
settles out.
Small glass minnows, small crabs
and small shrimp are the main food
source now. It is crucial to “match
the hatch” so to speak, when you are
presenting your flies. Did I mention
For the best success,
“small”?
downsize your flies as much as
possible, going with a #6 or #4 hook.
Capt. Sally
Even in the early spring, anglers
must be savvy to fishing the warmest
water possible. Continue to avoid
cold, incoming tides onto a calm,
sun-warmed flat or marsh. Fish will
sometimes evacuate shallow water if
water temperatures drop quickly,
even in March or April. Fishing
farther from tidal flows can
sometimes prevent this from
happening. Really evaluate shallow
places for water temperatures,
incoming tides, cool winds and other
factors that might make fish
uncomfortable there until at least the
end of April or until the weather
Early spring fishing sometimes
demands thinking about winter and
spring patterns. So, remember, if it
gets cool for an extended period of
time, step back into a winter pattern.
If the weather warms up and stays
there for a while, step forward into a
spring pattern.
Flexibility in thinking at this
changeable time of the year will
make you a successful angler!
See you on the water,
Website: www.CaptainSally.com
Email: Sally@CaptainSally.com
Blog:
www.CaptainSallysBlog.blogspot.co
m
Twitter: CaptainSally
Find me on Facebook, Sally Ann
Moffett
The Gulf Streamer
Page 17
Michael Verduin’s Plastic Pig by Bill Heugel
Michael was very
special to us in the
PWFF. He lived in the
Dallas area and still
belonged to our club.
He would come to give
a program and even
after he was very sick
he came to our
workshop to help out
and give instruction.
Michael Verduin’s Plastic Pig
Michael had conceived
many effective flies in
his fly fishing career.
He was a major influence on my fly tying at different
events and at the Rendezvous. It was thorough his
initiative that I became involved with demonstration tying
at the conclaves.
I recently searched the web for this pattern and to my
disappointment found there were no pattern descriptions.
The story goes that Michael showed up at the guides place
and when the guide indicated the fly they would be using
Michael refused and said he would be using the Plastic Pig.
For those of you that have fished with guides you know the
kind of reaction this created. They started out and it wasn’t
long before Michael was fast to a striper. By the end of the
day he had boated stripers to 25 inches as well as
smallmouth and largemouth bass. At this point the guide
wanted the pattern description. That’s where I got it from
some time ago. I guess the guide is no longer in business
and the website has changed. No Plastic Pig.
Because of the value of this fly and my memories of
Michael I decided to prepare this tying instruction set. I
recently caught some yellow bass and black bass with the
fly. I am sure it would do wonders for whites as well.
The Plastic Pig was developed by Michael to fish for The instructions and the way I build the fly are a bit
stripers on Lake Texoma. He won a guided trip and as different than what Michael did. However, the information
always thought about what baits were available. Michael on the original is provided.
demonstrated the Plastic Pig at several conclaves and
Rendezvous. He showed me how to do it at one of the
Rendezvous.
The hook Michael used was a Mustad 34007 size 3/0. That was bigger that I wanted to
use for my bass so I used a Mustad 34011 size 6. Michael used Plastic Accent for the
tail. I have used yellow Polar Flash.
Lead wraps are next in line. Michael used .025Lead for this part. I have made some of
these without any lead because I was using them with a sinking line.
The lead is now covered with aluminum foil and over wrapped with mono. The mono
provides a level of protection for the foil. Michael use a snelling procedure for putting
the mono on. In some of the flies I have made I have used a metallic braid which provided the bright center section and did not require an over wrap of mono.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 18
Michael Verduin’s Plastic Pig by Bill Heugel
The under wing is now attached. Michael used Clear Crystal Hair. I have used Natural
Flash ‘n Slinky.
The center section of the wing is made up of pearl Crystal Flash. Michael then added a
layer of grey Crystal Hair and another of olive Crystal Hair. I just used the olive Flash
‘n Slinky for both layers.
Solid plastic eyes are added next. Michael and I both used E 6000 to affix the eyes.
Finally Michael formed a head using the E6000. I used the UV Knot Sense to make the
head. Epoxy would also be a choice except it takes longer and tends to discolor with
time. UV Knot Sense is cured with UV light or sunlight. It takes only seconds to cure.
Material List
Michael
Bill
Hook:
Mustad 34007 3/0
Mustad 34011
Thread:
White 6/0 or mono
Mono
Tail:
Plastic Accent
Polar Flash
Underbody:
Foil over .025 lead
Metalic braid
Over body:
Clear 20 lb mono
None
Clear Crystal Hair
Natural Flash ‘n Slinky
Pearl Crystal Flash
Pearl Crystal Flash
Grey Crystal Hair
Olive Flash ‘n Slinky
Olive Crystal Hair
Olive Flash’n Slinky
Eyes:
Solid Plastic
Solid Plastic
Head:
E6000
UV Knot Sense
6
Over wing bottom to top:
It’s a simple fly to build and yet its very effective. Give it a try and think of Michael when you hook those big ones.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 19
Bragging Board
Dr. Tom with an early spring redfish
on the fly
Walter Pyle with a March redfish on the fly
Bob Tabbert with a 10 pound, 30
inch red caught in Grand Isle, La on
a green and white clouser.
The Gulf Streamer
Page 20
GCC Board: Officers and Executive Directors
Board of Directors
President: Kyle Moppert: 225-343-0867 h / 225-342-7551 w / 225-610-5847 c - Bowfin47@gmail.com
V. President: Bob Boese: 337-856-7890 h - bobboese@bellsouth.net
Treasurer: Leon Cuccia: 504-885-0500 w / 985-640-5143 c - lcuccia@n-yassociates.com
Secretary: Anita Arguelles: 228-365-1586 c / 228-392-2259 h - anita.arguelles@yahoo.com
VP Education: Guy Harrison: 830-895-8696 h - gunyon003@aol.com
VP Communication: Robert Peet: 601-540-8717 - speckled.trout@comcast.net
VP Membership: Mike Racca: 318-644-5830 - rrocket35@prodigy.net
VP Conservation: Mike Sharpe: 228-388-5120 h / 228-324-0472 c - antispam@cableone.net
VP Club Development: Marc Pinsel: 985-543-0527 h / 985-320-0716 c – marcpinsel@gmail.com
VP Outreach: Frances Hamm: 512-327-7711 h / 512-750-2761 c - fhamm@austin.rr.com
Co VP Events: Brooks Bouldin: 512-864-9680 - brooks@bbouldin.com
Co VP Events: Randy Johnson: 512-868-2545 w / 512-695-5158 c - johnsonsgff@verizon.net
Immediate Past President: Glen Cormier: 225-751-6848 h / 225-938-2057 c - catch@laflyfish.com
Directors At Large:
Large
Buzzy Burns - 228-860-2132 c / 228-832-7154 h - burns.louis@gmail.com
Glen Davis - 601-925-6276 w / 601-573-5163 c / 601-925-6276 h -gdavis@datasysmgt.com w/ gdavis@dsmhospital.com w/ gadcmd@netdoor.com h
Steve Flanagan - 210-945-0053 / 210-342-8484 - flytyingag@satx.rr.com
Bill Heugel – 409-579-3525 h / 936-635-2618 c - txfritz@windstream.net
Walter McLendon - 936-875-3726 h - waltermcl@suddenlink.net
Larry Offner – 225-665-3396 h /225-978-1945 c - bloffner@cox.net
Mary Rohrer - 830-997-6352 - mary_l_rohrer@yahoo.com / info@twff.org /
Sydney “Syd” Smith - 228-868-5493 w / 228-896-4247 h / 228-326-6050 c - sydzach@bellsouth.net
Danny Williams - 337-477-2827 h - dwilliams@lwcpafirm.com
Newsletter Editor: Chad Abell: 337-839-8412 h - chad@acaarchitects.com (Not a Board position)
Gulf Coast Council of the Federation of
Fly Fishers
Gulf Coast Council, Inc., of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Inc.
2170 Terrace Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Phone: 225-3423-0867 home or 225-342-7551 wk
For submission of material for the newsletter:
E-mail: chad@acaArchitects.com
Visit us on the Web
http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/
...conserving, restoring, educating - through fly
fishing"...
The Gulf Coast Council is a regional entity of the Federation of Fly
Fishers, an international non-profit organization whose motto is
"conserving, restoring, educating - through fly fishing". The GCC
represents roughly 500 individual members and 20 FFF charter
and affiliated clubs in coastal Alabama, western Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and central and southern Texas.". It is the aim of
the GCC to be an effective outreach organization in continuing the
valued traditions of our sport. Any individual, family or non-profit
organization can join the Gulf Coast Council by joining the Federation of Fly Fishers. For more on the FFF, check out their website.
(http://www.fedflyfishers.org/)
Your odds are good to win a 5 night 4 day guided
fishing trip to the fabulous High Lonesome Ranch
in Colorado. Only 500 tickets or less will be sold.
Even if you can’t make it to the Expo, you can buy
your tickets on the GCC website. Buy yours
now.
Gulf Coast Council Expo
Friday April 9, 2010
Time
9 to 10
Room
5
Description
Larry Offner Rio Grande Perch
Urban fly fishing at its best. Rios (cichlids)
were introduced into the New Orleans area
nearly 20 years ago. They are now prolific in
some of the waters in New Orleans and City
Park. This presentation will provide a brief
history, where to fish, flies and tackle. Limit
9 to 10
10 to
11
9 to 10
2
Tying
Area
1
30, no fee.
Ken Morrow Adaptive Fly Fishing
The field of therapeutic adaptive fly fishing is one
of the fastest growing aspects of the sport. Now
breaking into the mainstream of healthcare and
physical education, adaptive fly fishing and fly
tying are helping thousands of people with
illnesses, injuries, and disabilities to speed up
rehabilitation and have a better quality of life. In this seminar Ken
Morrow, President of the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute, provides an
overview of the entire field: what is happening, where it’s going on,
who is doing it, and how you can get involved. Some adaptive
casting techniques will be demonstrated alongside an entertaining
and informative Powerpoint . Ken will take some questions at the
end.
Fly Tying 101,
You don’t need any experience or any tools or
materials just interest in developing the skill. The
workshop will cover tools, materials and fly
patterns. Flies built during this class are effective
fish catching patterns. Limit 10 No fee.
Al Crise- Getting ready for CCI Testing
This class is designed to help students prepare for the FFF Basic
Casting Instructor
Certification test. Prior to registering to take the test, there’s a lot you
need to know and prepare for, or else it could be a waste of your
time and money. The instructor, an FFF
Master-certified CCI, will detail the process, offer numerous tips and
advice, and evaluate your educational needs. Limit 6, $30.
9 to 11
9:00 to
11:00
3
4
Terry has developed a number of original patterns that
are extremely effective on warmwater fish. This workshop
will teach you how to construct and fish these outstanding
flies. Bring your tying tools. Limit 10, $10.
Scott Sparrow Guide flies
Scott will work with you to tie the three most effective flies
that he uses for redfish and trophy trout. These flies are
designed to be effective fish attractors and yet simple in
construction and easy to tie. Scott's VIP popper pattern is
on the cover of Guide Flies by David Klausmeyer. Limit 6,
$15. Material fee
9:00 to Casting
11:00
Area 3
10:00
to
11:30
Terry Wilson Original Flies
David Lemke Double Haul Clinic: One of the essential tools needed
by most flycasters is the double haul. Its power
increases line speed and distance.
.
This short clinic is designed to give the
intermediate casting student the ability to use
hauling techniques in their everyday casting
and to start casting greater distances. You will
learn
• Pantomime techniques used to develop the proper
coordination and muscle memory to perform the double haul.
• The practice drills and techniques required to develop a good
double haul
• To shoot line properly in conjunction with the haul to get a well
directed, tight loop at a greater distance than could be
achieved without the haul.
Because this technique requires casting skill and coordination, the
student should be a strong intermediate caster, able to cast
reasonably good loops in forward and backcast at 40’. Class size
limited to 6, $15.
Casting Al Crise Stroke, the Key to Flycasting
Area 2
Improve your fundamentals in this class
focused on the getting the basic stroke
down with a focus on efficiency. Hands
on casting. Limit 10 Fee $15
10:00
to
12:00
10:30
to
11:30
Casting Bob Tabbert Roll Casting and Clinic
Area 1
There are many reasons to roll cast including rolling a
sinking line to the surface, rolling out a stuck fly,
making a forward cast with no room for backcast
and many more. The workshop will help you learn to
make wide loop casts and narrow loop casts.
Common problems such as pileups, cross over
tangles, failed casts and problems with sinking line.
You will also receive instruction on how to make a
homemade grass leader to help you practice
without water. Accuracy and distance casting will
also be covered. Rollcasts to 90 ft have been accomplished by
some folks that Bob Talbert studied under. Limit 6 Fee $15.
5
Chico Fernandez Tackle Talk
10:30
to
12:30
2
Chico has fished for all over the world for various
species of fish. This program is designed to help
you select the right gear based on the type of
fish and fishing locations you will encounter. One
of the major benefits from this program will be
the confidence you get in selecting the most
cost effective gear for the application. Limit 30, no fee.
Dirk Burton Flies for Specs and Reds
10:30
to
11:30
1
This workshop will focus on the proven flies for
catching the inshore saltwater fish. Clouser
Minnows, Charlies, and Seaducers are all
effective fish catching patterns. Materials
selection, hooks and material application will all
be included. When you finish this one you can
get out there and catch some fish. Please bring
your vise and tools, basic tying skills are assumed
for this class. Limit 10, $10. Material fee
Roxanne Wilson Women’s Fly Fishing Class
This program by Roxanne is to inform the ladies about fly fishing. She
will discuss the equipment, flies, and approach to fly fishing. A great
opportunity to learn and discuss fly fishing. Limit 30 no fee
12:30
4
to 1:30
1:00 to 5
2:00
1:00 to 3
2:00
1:30 to 1
2:30
Captain Sally Moffett
Kayak Fishing
Sally has published a book about kayak fishing
and shallow water sight casting entitled, "Kayak
Fishing the Texas Way, a Beginner's Handbook.
She has gained wide recognition as one of only a
handful of female fishing guides in the country, the
first female fly fishing guide on the Texas Coast
and the first professional fishing guide to specialize
in Kayak Fishing in Texas. She has been featured
on ESPN and the Inshore Angler TV Show. Her
program on Kayak fishing will help you select the
proper kayak as well as the associated equipment
and include check lists and tips on how to read the water, as well as
gear requirements, how to deal with emergencies, and much more.
This program is for the beginner as well as the experienced Kayaker
wishing to hone their skills and knowledge. Limit 30, no fee.
Terry and Roxanne Wilson More and Larger Bluegills
They will be using illustrations and beautiful
photography to demonstrate specific jumbo
bluegill locations, which flies to use, and
effective presentation techniques that
consistently take bluegills over 8 inches. They
will reveal their criteria for selecting the right
water capable of producing big fish. The program will also cover
their favorite flies for surface, mid-depth, and bottom fishing as well
as how to take advantage of the vertical drop. Selecting fly color
under varying sets of conditions is another key bit of information they
will reveal. This is truly an opportunity to learn from the masters. Limit
30, no fee.
Chris Johnson Fishing the Guadalupe
Chris grew up fishing in the streams of the hill country.
He has been a guide in the hill country for several years
and is the owner and manager of the Living Waters Fly
Shop in Round Rock Texas. Chris’s program will cover
the excellent fishing to be found in the Guadalupe
River. It will include the flies, techniques and locations
for excellent fishing. Limit 30 no fee.
Robert Sloan Fishing Port O’Connor
Located on the Middle Texas Coast Port O’Connor is a great place to
sight cast to tailing reds on clear water flats or cast to big jacks or an
occasional tarpon. Robert has been fishing Port O’Connor for over
30 years. This is his favorite area of Texas. There are miles upon miles
of clear water flats, isolated islands, and backwater lakes. Limit 35 no
fee.
1:30 to Casting Chico Fernandez Casting Instruction
2:30
2
Chico Fernandez, world-renowned fly casting
expert and world record holder, will provide
individual instruction to help improve your
casting stroke. This is a hands- on class from
one of fly fishing’s most engaging personalities.
His video, The Art of Fly Casting, set a new
standard for casting videos. Now, bring your
rod and be ready for some true hands- on
instruction with one of the experts. Limit 6, fee $30
1:30 to 2
3:30
2:00 to 4
4:00
2:30 to 5
3:30
Dirk Burton Panfish Flies –
The tussle bug ,cap spider, and muddler
minnow are all effective flies for catching pan
fish. Dirk will lead you through the material and
hook selection along with the method of
constructing these flies. Weaving instruction is including for his
famous tussle bug. Bring vise and tools to this workshop. Basic tying
skills are required. Limit 10, $15. Material Fee
Steve Flanagan Tying with Tuffleye
Steve has been tying with this new epoxy
substitute for several years, working closely with
its creator, Ned Lunt, as well as other tiers such
as Bob Popovics. He ties many types of flies
with the material. One of his specials is a spoon
fly made using Silly Putty® and specialized
plastic molds. This workshop will teach you to
use the material to tie a variety of flies. This is a hands-on class. Bring
tying tools. Limit 10, $15 fee. Material Fee___
Bruce Sublett -Bass Like It Hot: A Guide to Flies, Tackle, and
Techniques for Catching Schooling Black Bass
in the Summer
This one-hour presentation will introduce fly
anglers to summer’s best freshwater sport fish,
schooling black bass. It will cover the
techniques for finding and catching school
bass on Texas reservoirs, including weather
conditions, times, fish-finding tactics, and ways
to get close enough to fly cast to schooling
bass. In addition, participants will learn what
kind of fly tackle is suitable for school bass fishing, and get a look at
some of the most effective flies, such as the Schoolmaster, the
Education Shad, the Spooky Shad, and the Salt-and-Pepper. Limit 30
No fee
2:30 to 3
3:30
Bob Pool- How to Catch Big Bass
Most bass waters contain some really big bass. Did you
ever notice how some people have the knack of
catching them? Bob Pool decided early that fly
fishing for big bass was for him and he has caught a lot
more of them than most of us. Learn his strategies for
finding and catching the lunkers, as well as fly patterns
that will induce a strike. Limit 30, no fee.
2:30 to Casting Al Crise Beginners Fly Casting
3:30
1
Get your fly casting off to the right start with a beginners class from a
Master Casting Instructor. The workshop will cover the grip, stance,
and basic pickup and lay down cast, no fee
2:30 to Casting David Lemke Distance Casting
Most fly fishers become interested in
4:30
3
improving their casting distance to reach
fish that are beyond their distance
abilities. For many, casting to a 40’
target is an elusive goal and casting an
entire fly line is an impossible dream.
This class will provide you with tips
intended as a learning guide to help you
cast farther. The class will include the impact of line speed, tight loops,
haul speed, timing, drift, and paying attention to your back cast. This is
a hands on class. Bring your fly rod. Limit 10 Fee $15.
3 to 4
1
Chat with Chico
This is an opportunity to ask Chico any questions you may have. He
will be available in the room to answer any and all of your questions
from equipment to fish to trips. Come spend some time with this fly
fishing icon. No fee.
Saturday April 10, 2010
Time
9:00 to
10:00
9:00 to
10:00
9:00 to
11:00
9:00 to
11:00
Room
5
Description
Craig Phillips and Paul Sodamann Backyard Flats Training-Using
Carp To Sharpen Saltwater Fly Fishing Skills"
2
This program provides you with an
introduction to the techniques you
can practice right in your (freshwater)
backyard to be successful on your first
saltwater trip, or to brush up if you're
just out of practice. It focuses on real
world practice through shallow water
fly fishing for carp. Carp will help you learn or enhance your flats
fishing skills before you head south for bonefish, permit, redfish or
tarpon. limit 30, no fee.
Terry & Roxanne Wilson Small Mouth Bass a Practical Guide
3
This program features the
beautiful world of the wild
rivers and lakes where
smallmouths live, as well as
the covering the
characteristics of the fish
themselves. Illustrations and
photos will be used to show exactly where to place the fly during
all seasons of the year. Still water, moving water, shallow water
and deep water tactics will be presented. Heads of pools,
eddies, pocket water, inlet creeks, and tailouts fish differently in
moving water while rock structure diversity on main and
secondary points, humps, and riprap areas highlight lake
smallmouth structure. Limit 30, no fee.
CCI Written test
4
Bill Sagreant Introduction to Tying with Deer Hair
If you've ever sat down at the tying bench to
tie up a few deer hair bass bugs only to be
frustrated by the medium, or sat across from
a deer hair tyer and wondered "How did
they do THAT?" then this is the class for you.
Bring your vice and tools and get hands-on experience working
with deer hair. Bill will share tips on material and hook selection,
adding weed guards, suggested tools, making the joints for
jointed flies, trimming bugs using scissors and razor blades, and
general materials handling techniques. He will cover several
methods for spinning, stacking and flaring hair, including how to
make those colorful rings and spots. You will come away
covered with deer hair clippings and with a few more tricks in
your bag. Bring tying tools. Limit 10, $10. Material fee
9:00 to
10:00
1
9:00 to
11:00
Casting
1
9 to 11
Casting
3
Scott Sparrow Fishing lower Laguna Madre
The lower Laguna Madre is a vast hypersaline
estuary on the lower coast of Texas. It the largest
shallow water flat in North America and the only
subtropical fishery in the US outside of Florida. It has
been hailed as the least pressured, most available
saltwater fly fishery, and is famous for its clear water
and its sight casting potential for redfish and world-record
speckled trout. Limit 30 no fee
Marc Pinsel
Double Handed Rods
The double handed rod is a growing
phenomenon here in the south. There are
many great applications for this tool. Marc
will cover the Double Handed Rod
Overhead Cast and Spey Casting. Learn the
basics of casting with the double handed
rod and how to select a rod for your
application. Hands-on casting for participants. These
techniques are highly effective in saltwater as well as
fresh water. Limit 10, $15.
Practical Test for CCI
10:00 to
11:00
Tying
area
10:00 to
12:00
Casting
2
Fly Tying 101,
You don’t need any experience or any
tools or materials just interest in developing
the skill. The workshop will cover tools,
materials and fly patterns. Flies built during
this class are effective fish catching
patterns. Limit 10 No fee.
Bob Tabbert Emergency Room Casting Clinic
The experts will be standing by to help diagnose your casting
problems and work with you to correct them. No sign up is
necessary just bring your rod and casting problem and come on out for
help. No limit, no fee.
10:00 to
12:00
Loading
Dock
Al Wilkie Dutch oven Cooking
Al & Ouida Wilkie will demonstrate the ins and
outs of dutch oven cooking. They are
members of the Lone Star Dutch Oven
Society. This method of preparing food has
been around for many years. When the Lewis
and Clark Expedition got back to St. Louis,
they had only two items left with them from
the trip. They had their guns and their Dutch Ovens. These pots
were prized by the frontiersmen who settled our country. tips
and techniques offered to assist the camper in preparing Dutch
Oven meals. Come and taste Limit 15 Fee $15
10:30 to
11:30
5
Craig Phillips and Paul Sodamann Three Season Wipers
Wipers are also known as Hybrid Striped Bass, Whiterock Bass
(which is what the International
Game Fish Association calls them)
and Palmetto Bass (the common
name in South Carolina, where they
were first produced). They exhibit
what biologists call hybrid vigor. They school, they hit baits with
great gusto, and they fight hard for their size. A wiper is hardly
noteworthy until it reaches seven or eight pounds. Ten pounders
are not uncommon, and a 15 pound fish is considered a real
trophy in anyone’s book. Learn the techniques to catch them
in spring, summer and fall Limit 30, no fee.
10:30 to
11:30
2
10:30 to
11:30
1
Cats, Carp, Gar, and More
Have you ever been surprised by catching a
channel catfish that gave you the season’s best
fight? How about deliberately fly fishing for them?
Here’s the scoop on how, when, and where to do
just that. Did you know that shortnose gar can be
stalked in the same manner as bonefish? We discuss
flies, locations, and tactics for “nontraditional”
gamefish. Limit 30, no fee.
Chico Fernandez Fishing Locations and Tips on Travel to Them
Chico’s travels and fishing
adventures has presented him with
special knowledge on how to travel
to those locations for less. It’s not
necessary to go to the high priced places to catch trophy fish.
He has a handle on where to go for some of the greatest fun at
reasonable costs. He will reveal his secret stash of locations
based on the kind of fish you might be interested in. Limit 30, no
fee.
11:30 to
12:30
5
Craig Phillips and Paul Sodamann Build your own Furled Leaders
Furled leaders are becoming more popular all the
time. But they can be costly if you buy them.
Building them yourself has required jigs or other
tools. This workshop will demonstrate a method of
constructing your own twisted (furled) leaders from
ordinary monofilament fishing line with only your
hands. You can make hundreds of leaders from a
single spool of mono. Limit 10 no fee
12:30 to
1:30
3
Terry and Roxanne Wilson Fly Fishing Ponds
Think fishing a pond is easy? Not all
ponds are created equal, and flyfishing success on ponds is
dependent upon understanding
what makes a good fishing pond
and how to best take advantage
of the circumstances, whatever
they may be. Illustrations and
photos enrich the viewer’s
knowledge of where, when, and how to target bass, bluegill,
and other species in public or private ponds and lakes. Fly
selections and presentations for bass and bluegill are discussed.
Limit 30, no fee.
12:30 to
2:30
4
1:00 to
2:00
5
1:00 to
2:00
2
Bruce Sublett-Tying Saltwater and Bass Flies with EP Fiber
This two-hour workshop will
introduce participants to four
methods of building flies with EP
fiber or other polypropylene fiber.
Participants will learn to tie the
classic EP baitfish, an EP crab, a
spun-and-trimmed body baitfish
called the Genuine Imitation Plastic, and a baitfish with a
dubbing brush collar. Participants should bring their own vises,
tools, and thread. EP fiber, hooks, flash, and other fly-specific
materials will be furnished. Limit 10, $15.
Chuck Naiser-New Insights into Finding and Catching More
Redfish
Chuck has been poling the
saltwater flats of the
Coastal Bend out of
Rockport for nearly 25
years. He has guided
former President George
H.W. Bush and anglers from
all walks of life. Learn how
Chuck finds fish, how you
can increase your hookups
and the important part tides play in the movement of fish. Chuck
puts coastal fly fishing in a fresh perspective that will give you a
clear understanding of how and when to plan your trips to the
flats and what to look for when you go. Limit 30, $15.
Lefty Ray Chapa Photography and Fishing (Don’t let your fish
photos turn out like this one)
Now that you have caught that trophy
fish, how do you take a great picture of it?
Tired of getting your head cut off when a
friend takes a picture of you? Learn how
to improve your outdoor photography
skills, better yet bring your fishing buddies
so they know what to do. Ideas, tips and
techniques abound in this program. This show will make you a
better photographer. Lefty Ray Chapa is a San Antonio based,
award winning, professional photographer and writer. Lefty Ray's
work has appeared in magazines like Newsweek, Texas
Highways, Southwest Fly Fishing, Paddler, Shallow Water Angler,
Fly Fishing in Saltwaters, Gulf Coast Fisherman, Texas Parks &
Wildlife and many others. Limit 30, no fee.
1:00 to
4:00
1:00 to
3:30
1:00 to
2:00
1:00 to
2:30
Pavillion
Cypress
Bend
Park
Pavilion
Cypress
Bend
Park
Casting 1
Cypress
Bend
Park
Guy Harrison- Youth Program. This program is for boys and girls
from 10 to 18 years old.
Guy will conduct a special program for the
youth participants. It will include instruction
and participation in fly tying, fly casting and
the basics of fly fishing.
Fly tying: The participants will learn from
qualified tying instructors how to tie fishing
flies that will catch bass and bluegills. And everyone gets to
keep the flies they tie.
Knots: Participants will learn the basic knots needed for fly
fishing.
An aquatic Habitat session will be presented by Ms. Ann Miller
the TPWD The program will cover Aquatic Organisms their
importance and identification which includes photos as well
live specimens for the youth to see and identify. All
participants that complete the course will receive a laminated
full color fish ID card as wellas a certificate of achievement and
a beautiful fly lapel or cap pin. Limit 35, no fee.
Guy Harrison Youth Casting This activity will be conducted in
conjunction with the whole youth program. For this activity,
certified casting instructors will teach the participants the do’s
and don’ts of fly-casting. Sign up for the youth program
Chico Fernandez Casting Instruction
Chico Fernandez, world-renowned fly
casting expert and world record holder,
will provide individual instruction to help
improve your casting stroke. This is a
hands- on class from one of fly fishing’s
most engaging personalities. His video,
The Art of Fly Casting, set a new standard
for casting videos. Now, bring your rod
and be ready for some true hands- on instruction with one of
the experts. Limit 6, fee $30
Rex and Taylor Walker Beginner Casting
2:00 to
4:00
2:00 to
3:00
3
Casting 2
2:30 to3:30 5
2:30 to
3:30
2
Kyle Hand-Mounting Your Flies
Kyle is a specialist in Salmon flies and
mountings. He will identify the
appropriate materials techniques and
artistic direction to ensure that your fly
presentation is top notch. We all have
those flies we have collected or would
like to develop as a gift for friends and
family. Using Kyle’s techniques you can mount your flies in a
professional manner and present them with museum quality.
Limit 10, fee$10. Material fee $
David Lemke Coping with Wind
This clinic is will provide the
intermediate fly caster with a
tool kit to deal with
environmental challenges that
can turn a bad day into a good
day. A perfectly good fishing
day can be ruined if you don’t
know how to manage casting in windy conditions. Developing
good casting skills and applying a few techniques can make
the day’s fishing enjoyable rather than frustrating. Limit 10 Fee
$15
Doug Blair-Making Bamboo Fly Rods, Bench to Stream
This program starts with a bit of cane rod history
from Masters old and new. He then takes us
from the “Bench to the Stream” to show what
goes into the making and, for many, the lifelong appreciation of the classic cane fly rod.
There is nothing that casts a trout fly line like a
quality-made bamboo fly rod. Purists mount an
antique reel on a cane rod and use braided silk
lines with dressing, like in the past. It connects us
all to fly fishing as it was once done. Limit 30, no fee.
Lefty Ray Chapa Fly Fishing the 12 Months of Texas
Enjoy fly fishing year in Texas round. The
slide presentation showcases the best
Texas has to offer from Hill Country rivers
to the coastal waters and plenty in
between tactics, equipment and
locations are discussed The fabled
winter trout of the Guadalupe will be
discussed as well. Lefty Ray is a fly
fishing guide, lecturer, as well as an
outdoor photographer & writer of Texas
3:00 to
4:30
3:00 to
4:00
Cypress
Bend
Park
4
fly fishing opportunities since 1991. Limit 30, no fee
Rex and Taylor Walker Mastery of Stroke and Rotation
Chat with Chico
This is an opportunity to ask Chico any questions you may have.
He will be available in the room to answer any and all of your
questions from equipment to fish to trips. Come spend some
time with this fly fishing icon. No fee.
Expo 2010 programs and workshops
The 2010 GCC Expo is not that far off now. April 8,9,&10 in New Braunfels Texas. We
have a great line up of programs and workshops. There are 48 programs and
workshops presented by 20 presenters during the 9th and 10th between 9AM and 4PM.
The programs will provide you the attendees with a great opportunity to learn about
fishing for various species and locations from the experts. Other programs will include a
wide range of activities associated with fly fishing. Hands on workshops will be
available to help you with fly tying, use of some new materials and construction of fly
plates. Casting workshops and clinics will help you in attacking different situations. A
program on the use of two handed rods is also available. This technique is the latest to
come to our area. As an added special a Dutch Oven cooking class will be
conducted and attendees will be able to partake of the product. Of course beginner
classes will be available for fly tying as well as fly casting. How much better can it be?
Recognized local, national, and international individuals will present the programs and
workshops and be available for interaction during the event.
Our list of presenters and their programs or workshops:
Chico Fernandez
•
Tackle Talk Friday Room 5 10:30 to 11:30
•
Casting Instruction Friday Casting area 2 1:30 to 2:30 Saturday Casting Area 1 1:00 to 2:00
• Chat with Chico Friday Room 1 3:00 to 4:00 Saturday Room 4 3:00 to 4:00
• Fishing Locations and Tips on Travel to Them Saturday Room 1 10:30 to 11:30
Terry and Roxanne Wilson
•
Terry’s Original Flies Friday Room 3 9:00 to 11:00
•
Roxanne Women’s Fly Fishing Class Friday Room 1 10:30 to 11:30
•
Terry and Roxanne Wilson More and Larger Bluegills Friday Room 5 1:00 to 2:00
• Terry & Roxanne Wilson Small Mouth Bass a Practical Guide Saturday Room 2 9:00 to
10:00
•
•
Cats, Carp, Gar, and More Saturday Room 2 10:30 to 11:30
Terry and Roxanne Wilson Fly Fishing Ponds Saturday Room 3 12:30 to 1:30
Larry Offner
• Rio Grande Perch Friday Room 5 9:00 to 10:00
Captain Unk Smith
• Panhandle Poon Fishing Florida for Tarpon Friday Room 2 9:00 to 10:00
Al Crise
• Getting ready for CCI Testing Friday Room 1 9:00 to 10:00
•
Stroke, the Key to Flycasting Friday Casting Area 2 10:30 to 12:30
•
Beginners Fly Casting Friday Casting area 1 2:30 to 3:30
•
CCI Practical Testing. Saturday Casting Area 3 9:00 to 12:00
Captain Scott Sparrow
•
Guide flies Friday Room 4 9:00 to 11:00
•
Fishing lower Laguna Madre Saturday Room 1 9:00 to 10:00
David Lemke
•
Double Haul Clinic: Friday Casting Area 3 9:00 to 11:00
•
Distance Casting Friday Casting Area 3 2:30 to 3:30
•
Coping with Wind Saturday Casting Area 2 2:00 to 3:00
Bob Tabbert
•
Roll Casting and Clinic Friday Casting Area 10:00 to 12:00
•
Emergency Room Casting Clinic Saturday Casting Area 2 10:00 to 12:00
Dirk Burton
•
Flies for Specs and Reds Friday Room 2 10:30 to 12:30
Panfish Flies –Friday Room 2 1:30 to 3:30
•
Captain Sally Moffett
•
Kayak Fishing Friday Room 4 12:30 to 1:30
Chris Johnson
•
Fishing the Guadalupe Friday Room 3 1:00 to 2:00
Captain Robert Sloan
• Fishing Port O’Connor Friday Room 1 1:30 to 2:30
Steve Flanagan
•
Tying with Tuffleye Saturday Room 3 2:00 to 4:00
Bruce Sublett
• Bass Like It Hot: A Guide to Flies, Tackle, and Techniques for Catching Schooling
Black Bass in the Summer Friday Room 5 2:30 to 3:30
• Tying Saltwater and Bass Flies with EP Fiber Saturday Room 4 12:30 to 2:30
Bob Pool
• How to Catch Big Bass Friday Room 3 2:30 to 3:30
Craig Phillips and Captain Paul Sodamann
•
Backyard Flats Training-Using Carp To Sharpen Saltwater Fly Fishing Skills" Saturday
Room 5 9:00 to 10:00
•
•
Three Season Wipers Saturday Room 5 10:30 to 11:30
Build your own Furled Leaders Saturday Room 5 11:30 to 12:30
Fred Hannie
•
Realistic Terrestrials Saturday Room 3 9:00 to 11:00
Bill Sargeant
•
Introduction to Tying with Deer Hair
Saturday Room 4 9:00 to 11:00
Marc Pinsel
•
Double Handed Rods Saturday Casting Area 1 9:00 to 11:00
Al Wilkie
•
Dutch Oven Cooking Saturday Courtyard by Marriot 10:00 to 12:00
Captain Chuck Naiser
•
New Insights into Finding and Catching More Redfish Saturday Room 5 1:00 to 2:00
Lefty Ray Chapa
• Photography and Fishing Saturday Room 2 1:00 to 2:00
•
Fly Fishing the 12 Months of Texas Saturday Room 2 2:30 to 3:30
Kyle Hand
• Mounting Your Fly Friday Room 4 2:00 to 4:00
Doug Blair
• Making Bamboo Fly Rods, Bench to Stream Saturday Room 5 2:30 to 3:30

Winter 2009 Gulf Streamer

Transcription

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