Newsletter 2014-02

February 2014
Volume 19 Issue 2
Wichita, Kansas
www.flatlandflyfishers.org
Pat Dorsey Guest Speaker
Winter Program March 15, 2014
Great Plains Nature Center
will never lose sight of how fortunate I am
to really love my job.”
In 2009 Pat authored Fly Fishing
Tailwaters, a comprehensive book on how
to fish tailwater fisheries. In 2010 a companion book to Fly Fishing Tailwaters hit
the shelves, Tying and Fishing Tailwater
Flies, which is jam-packed with how to tie
Pat’s favorite “guide flies”. This book includes 500 step-by-step tutorials, as well as,
helpful tips and illustrations on how to rig
and fish them.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Women’s Clinic
Page 2
___________________
Rocky Mountain High
Membership
Page 3
___________________
Leaders and Tippets
(part 2)
Page 4 & 5
___________________
Federation Members
Slough Clean up
Page 5
Biography
___________________
How It All Started
Film Tour
For professional guide Pat Dorsey, fly
fishing is a way of life. Pat’s enthusiasm for
fly fishing is unmatched and his ability to
share his knowledge with others is part of
what makes Pat so unique. From the complexities of fooling large trout on tiny
nymphs to dry fly fishing under the most
challenging conditions, Pat loves to instruct
and introduce anglers to the heart of the
sport.
Page 6
___________________
From the President
Gold Medal Water
Page 7
___________________
Club Information
Page 8
Visit our website
www. flatlandflyfishers.org/
Pat is also an accomplished fly tier and
has originated a number of very effective
patterns such as the Mercury series, UV
scud, Limeade, Cherry-Limeade, Paper
Tiger, Top Secret Midge, Medallion Midge
and the famed Black Beauty. Pat is a fly
designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Pat’s signature flies are available at the Blue
Quill Angler.
Another one of Pat’s interests is photography. He produces many digital slide
presentations used in his speaking engagements at fishing clubs throughout the United States.
Pat is the proud father of three wonderful
boys, Forrest, Zach, and Hunter. He also has
two step children, Nicole and Michael Richardson. They, like their dad, enjoy fly fishing. Pat’s wife, Kim, is an avid angler and
often appears with Pat at trade shows and
A native of Colorado, Pat has been guid- other speaking engagements. Kim and Pat,
ing for over 20 years. He spends around two also, host a yearly trip to Alaska Sportman’s
hundred days a year on the water, enjoying Lodge each September.
a unique quality of life both personally and
professionally. “I am blessed to be able to
make a living as a fly fishing guide and I
Next Meeting February 6, 7:00 P.M.
Flatland Fly Fishers
2
2014 Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic
Flatland Fly Fishers
2014 Flatland Fly Fishers Women's Clinic will be held at Sedgwick County Park Horseshoe shelter on March 29th
The participants will be given fly tying and casting instructions and paired with a guide and taken to Slough
Creek inside Sedgwick County Park. The participants are encouraged to bring your own equipment. The
club will provide all necessary equipment if needed.
Registration fee is $25.00 which covers instruction and annual membership. A valid temporary or annual Kansas fishing license including trout permit is required. License can be purchased online at Kansas
Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism website or authorized retail outlets.
March 29th (Saturday) 8:00 AM - Noon
Schedule
Sedgwick County Park Horseshoe shelter
Fly Tying Instruction
Registration Fee $25.00 (includes annual membership)
Fly Casting Instruction
Valid Kansas fishing license and trout permit required
Fishing at Slough Creek
Open tying with instructions will
begin around 1 pm.
To register, please fill out following information and mail it to address below along with $25.00 check payable to
Flatland Fly Fishers. All mail-in registration should be post marked by March 22.
2014 Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic
Name: ________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________ E-mail: _____________________________
$25.00 check payable to Flatland Fly Fishers
Attn. Women’s Clinic
Flatland Fly Fishers
5709 Sullivan Rd.
Wichita, KS 67204
For more information contact Thomas Burgin tburgin1@cox.net or Dwan Welty (316) 264-2927
Flatland Fly Fishers
3
Rocky Mountain High—Not the New Legal Drug
Fly fishers dream. They dream of mountain meadow
streams and rivers. They dream of beautiful alpine lakes surrounded by majestic peaks and colorful landscapes. They
dream of brookies, browns, rainbows and cutts. They dream
of the perfect fly selection, cast and hook set that’ll begin the
fight and hopefully the netting of that selected trout.
Living in the Wichita area, fly fishers can make those
dreams come true within a day’s drive. Even with the deep
snow present in the Rockies this time of the year, it is not too
soon to begin preparing for one of those dreams to come true.
Throughout my youth I spent a good deal of time in the
Sangre de Cristo mountain range, along the Arkansas River
and over into the Gunnison area, along with trips into New
Mexico, Wyoming and Montana. Now it is a matter of getting
back out there on a regular basis. Over the years I have made
trips out to the Rockies with Kansas natives and have come to
understand the need to prepare those friends for a change. The
drier air, the altitude adjustment, the temperature variants and
the hiking pace are all things to take into consideration.
Now that I am retired, staying physically fit is essential to
being able to enjoy the same adventures as I did in my youth.
During the winter, weightlifting on a maintenance schedule
added to either stationary biking (40-60 minutes) or walking (3
– 3 1/2 miles, whenever the weather cooperates) keeps me
toned for the summer challenges. In addition, fishing the area
streams here and in southwest Missouri keeps my fishing skills
adequate, while planning the trips for the summer in detail
helps to avoid any last minute problems.
A key to fishing the Rockies is being able to acclimatize
oneself. It is essential to plan to fish an area that will require
little exertion for the first few days of the trip. This gives the
body time to adjust to the thinner air. After the first day, take
a short walk and gradually increase the distance over the next
few days.
Temperatures and weather conditions will vary in the
mountains so come prepared with layered clothing and quality
equipment. I have been on Monarch Pass in July in a snowstorm (something that is rare, but does occasionally occur).
Possible effects of the drier air for some individuals may include dried out skin and nasal passages, and some dehydration.
Be sure to hydrate on a regular basis, use lip balm and suntan
lotions as the thinner air of the higher altitude intensifies the
sun’s rays and you can burn quickly if you do not take precautions.
Finally, practice setting a pace that is comfortable that does
not overwork the body. The last thing you want is to be exhausted at the end of a hike and spend the next two days trying
Jim Keller
to recover. Over the years my partners referred to me as the
“mountain goat” as I easily handled some tough terrain. This
proved to be a determent of my partners early on. When I took
my first few friends out for a trip, I didn’t realize how challenging the hike would be for them and ended up with partners
who struggled with altitude sickness or exhaustion. It wasn’t
long before I learned to let them lead. I encouraged them to
maintain a consistent pace and even though it may have been
slower I found that we still made it to our destination and really enjoyed the trip much more. The one great thing about hiking the mountains is that the easy trip down the mountain is
the one that remains the freshest in one’s mind and is retained
for future reference.
As for your fly box assortment, a box made up of renegades, soft hackle hare’s ears, prince nymphs, caddis, adams,
mosquito patterns, and a streamer pattern or two will produce
fish in the net.
One note: high mountain lakes will at times appear dead
with no activity. On these occasions move down onto the
small stream outlets and enjoy quite a different experience.
Best wishes and keep on dreaming.
Membership Renewals
The 2014 membership dues are $25 for individual, $35 for family and $10 for 15 years and younger.
Newsletter will only be sent via e-mail
to 2014 members
Renewals can be done at club meetings, club activities or download membership form from website
and mail form and dues to:
Flatland Fly Fishers
5709 N. Sullivan
Wichita, KS 67204
or
Dwan Welty
1111 N. Washington
Wichita, KS 67214
Flatland Fly Fishers
4
Tech Corner:
Tippets and Leaders
Why do we use a tippet and a graduated leader? A leader is
used to transfer energy between a strong weighted line and the
fly, so a pivot point is not created in the line. A pivot point
will decrease the ability of the line to turn the fly over and
keep itself straight. Let’s take a look at some of the factors to
consider when selecting the correct leader and tippet materials.
(part 2)
Thomas L. Burgin
on the tippet end for easier attachment. Examples of companies that produce this type of line are Airflo, Scientific Anglers, Orvis and Feather-Craft.
Use the table below to make your leaders. All measurements are in inches.
Lines
Hard Type monofilament and fluorocarbon lines will give
hard abrasion resistance, stiff memory, and low stretch. These
are excellent for when you need to set a hook in a fish with a
hard mouth. Fluorocarbon line is dense and will sink,
where monofilament line will float. Floatant can be added to
the leader and tippet to make them float higher. Examples
include Maxima Clear, Maxima Chameleon, and Frog Hair FC
Fluorocarbon.
Medium Type monofilament and fluorocarbon lines have a
medium memory and a low amount of elasticity. These are
most commonly used in fresh water for tippets, and for graduated leaders. Examples include Umpqua Power Taper,
RioMax Plus, Rio Fluoroflex Plus, Climax Fluorocarbon, and
Maxima Green.
Soft Type monofilament lines have a low memory, high
shock absorption, and higher flexibility. This material is easy
to knot. Examples include Frog Hair tippet, Climax tippet and
Rio PowerFlex.
Nylon makes an excellent “no knot” leader system. Scientific Anglers produces two leaders: one for Bonefish, Permit,
Redfish, and one for Atlantic Salmon or Steelhead.
Trout flies leader
by Steve Rajeff.
45 “
0.024”
18”
0.021”
12”
0.018”
9”
0.014”
6”
0.011”
20-22”
0.008”
Maxima
Dry fly leader
By Steve Rajeff
24
0.024
18
0.021
15
0.018
12
0.014
6
0.011
15-18
0.009
Maxima
Bass Bug
By Steve Rajeff
43
0.030
13
0.028
9
0.022
7
0.019
3
0.017
12
0.014
Maxima
Single Handed
Distance
By Chris Korich
36
0.025
18
0.022
6
0.018
24
0.017
Two handed
distance
By Chris Korich
30
0.033
48
0.028
36
0.25
12
0.022
Skish
By Steve Rajeff
30
0.025
18
0.022
12
0.018
18
0.016
Maxima
Tippet
Golden
stern
36
0.018
Maxima
Tippet
Golden
stern
8 to 10
weight
lines
Poly leaders are constructed the same as fly lines, but made
with a PVC coated mono-core.
When choosing a leader, decide if a braided line would suit
your needs more than a line with a bite guard. Leaders are
divided into uses: abrasion resistance and big game. Also consider the fly that you are using. Will you need a sinking or
floating tippet? Leaders have a range of two to twenty pound
test weights. To choose the correct leader, you need to consider the size and type of your catch. A tapered leader transfers
energy from the line to the fly better than a leader with a consistent diameter. In general terms, leaders are sixty percent
butt, twenty percent mid-section, and twenty percent tippet.
A braided leader has a surface that resembles a pull chain.
This leader is advertised as the “ultimate in stealth.” Its landing is soft, and can straighten very long tippets. Its bumpy
construction allows the leader to break the surface tension of
the water easier. These lines generally have a small metal ring
Tippets
The line placed between the leader and the fly is called the
tippet. This line is added to the leader so that only the tippet
will need to be replaced after adding or removing flies. The
tippet is normally about the same size in diameter as the end of
the leader, and is about two feet long. The type of tippet is a
matter of personal choice. Some want the smallest tippet diameter that will go through the hook eye, and some want the
largest diameter. If you are fishing for tuna or bluegill, the
tippet must allow the fly to have a normal movement in the
water column. Some flies require a loop knot to allow the fly
to swim in a proper manner.
(continued on page 5)
Flatland Fly Fishers
5
(continued from page 4)
The material that tippets are made of is important to determine where the fly is supposed to sit in the water. Generally a
tippet is considered to be floating, or sinking.
How a fish sees or thinks about the tippet is not truly
known. Can a fish see the tippet if it is on top of the water or
below? Good arguments about this are made in Goddard and
Clarke’s book, The Trout and the Fly. Peter Hayes’s book,
Fly Fishing Outside the Box, states that a floating leader is
harder to see than a sinking leader. When fishing in very
clear water with a floating line, the shadow of the line on the
bottom can be seen, and appears to be larger than the tippet.
A floating line can sometimes cause rings to appear on the
surface. Anything that the fish can see or hear may prevent it
from going for the line.
The sound of the leader and tippet on the water may be another problem. If the leader and tippet are on the surface, it
will create less noise when lifted than a sinking leader and
tippet will. Sound patterns spread out differently through the
water between the floating and sinking leader and tippet.
Both of these books can be purchased through
www.anglebooks.com.
1. Goddard, John, and Brian Clarke. The Trout and the Fly.
1st Ed. The Lyons Press, 1980. Print.
2. Hayes, Peter. Fly Fishing Outside of the Box. Coch-yBonddu Books, 2013. Print.
Federation Fly Club Members
Flatland Fly Fishers Club is an affiliated member of the
International Federation of Fly Fishers. Being an affiliated
member, the IFFF, requires the club to pay a $3.00 fee for
each active member. However, if a club member is already a
member this fee is waived for that person.
Listed are the members who are members of the IFFF. If
you are a member and your name is not listed please let one
of the board members know.
Steve Webb, Dwan Welty, Roger Gilger, Richard
McGuire, Bill Ethridge, Richard Couch, Rick Brown, Gary
Lewis, Joe Reidl, Eric Bird, Jim Strader, Neal Hall, Bruce
Garren.
CONSERVATION:
Many of you have been using the newly restored Slough
Creek in Sedgwick County Park as your go to trout fishing
spot this winter. It has been flowing since early fall and has
some nice holding holes below each dam as well as some
good fishing places in the runs between the dams. I am sure
that as you have fished you have noticed the extra bottles,
drinking cups and plastic sacks that have been deposited
along the banks of the stream. Most of that stuff has been
washed into the stream from the street drainage which fills
the stream with water. We have to take the bad with the good.
However, just because we didn’t put the trash into the stream
doesn’t mean we don’t have to do something about removing
it. I try to encourage everyone who goes fishing to pick up a
piece of plastic or aluminum and carry it out to one of the
trash cans along the trail when they leave. In a few weeks
there would be considerable less trash visible.
In order to hurry the process along I believe the club members should band together and do a clean-up of the Slough
Creek. I have designated February 8th as the day. Please plan
to join with us at 9:30 am that Saturday morning. We will
meet at the parking lot by the old concession stand where I
will have heavy duty trash sacks available. We will form
groups and spread out along the mile section and pick up as
much as possible. It would be a good idea to put on your
waders or hip boots to protect you from some of the poison
ivy branches that are present along the banks of the creek.
Neal Hall, Conservation Director
Flatland Fly Fishers
6
How It All Started
Lost to time was when the first cast was made and the
first fish landed. By my best estimation this would have happened during the year 1 AB. You know (AB) after beer. There
was not a lot going on back before beer (BB), just a bunch of
hunters running around with sharp sticks. Some of the boys
had put grain in some type of jar and then forgot about it, and
then when they remembered the jar, they had found that it had
rained and filled the jar with water. When the boys looked into
the jar they found that the grain had fermented and gave off a
new smell. Boys being boys they got the old cave guy to try it
first and the rest is history. And that is how beer not only
saved the world, but how beer would lead to fly fishing.
Rick Brown
where they did was because they ran out of beer. The head
pilgrim guy told the Captain “Look we are out of beer so pull
in at the first place you can and maybe the locals will sell us a
keg or two.” Not only were the tourists out of beer, but they
had discovered during their hurry to get out of town that the
group had not brought their fly rods, let alone the tying materials needed for their new home waters. Where was Walton
when you needed him?
Not only did the new guys dress funny they had no idea
about how to fish in the new world. That’s when (Larry) the
chief of the tribe stepped up and said come on over to the gift
shop and we will see if we have enough rods in stock to get
Now I know what you’re thinking, how does the invention you guys on the water. On the way to the fly shop the tourists
of beer lead us to fly fishing? As it turned out beer is the moth- noticed the locals were carrying leather bags, and when asked
er of all inventions, without beer there would not be any writ- what was in the bags they were told beer. So after a game of
ten languages or math. You don’t think that Louie Pastor was shirts vs. skins for pigskins full of beer had been played, shirts
really trying to pasteurize milk do you, No he was trying to
lost by the way 55-3 in overtime.
keep his beer from going south on him. You would get a gallon of beer each time you showed up for church. The first air
The chief felt bad for the Pilgrims; after all they had to
conditioning was to brew beer not keep food from going bad. buy the beer for losing the game and buy new rods all in the
Do I need to say more, I don’t think so?
same day that he invited them over for supper. And the rest is
history as they say. So that is why me and the boys drag our
So back to the time of BB and AB. The first good old boys, butts down to the river for a true Thanksgiving weekend. To
and I do mean old because we are talking the year 1 AB which fish, drink beer and watch the skins play. There are more true
was about 7895 years ago give or take six months or so. Old
stories to be told but I am out of beer and low on Buggers, so
Cave Guy and the boys were sitting around the old camp fire talk to you later.
having a few beers when they noticed the fish in the river.
That’s when the concept of the fish fry came into being. But
before you can have fried fish in beer batter and beer you need
to catch fish. And sense all the GOB’s already had sticks it
only took a few more beers to invent the hook and line.
Now it goes without saying that it took some time for the
GOB’s to observe all of the bugs that the fish were eating. So
Old Cave Guy studied on this matter and realized that the best
bug was the now extinct Whooly Bug. The reason that the
Whooly Bug went extinct was that the GOB’s used them for
bait and after the last of the Whooly Bugs were gone came the
invention of fly tying around the camp fire while having a few
beers. Of course the first fly was the Whooly Bugger in olive.
So now you know how fly fishing became the first and true
form of fishing. It was all because of beer.
There is a lot of confusion and misinterpretation when it
comes to the first Thanksgiving scarf down. Let us now get the
story right, the true history of the first Thanksgiving meal. It
was not turkey that the Pilgrims had that day it was fish. Yeah!
I know what you are thinking; there is no dark meat on a fish.
Have you ever tried to make gravy out of a fish? All this Turkey stuff came later. The tourists as they were known by the
natives had not even landed where they had intended to land.
Being the good tourists that they were the reason they landed
Fly Fishing Film Tour
The Flatland Fly Fishers Club and
Great Plains Nature Center
Present
The Costa Fly Fishing Tour
Sponsored by
Backwoods and Ark River Anglers
Day and Date:
Saturday May 3rd, 2014
Time:
7 pm
Place:
Great Plains Nature Center
6232 E. 29th Street North
Wichita, KS
Tickets:
$10.00 (currently not on sale)
Flatland Fly Fishers
From The President
The January 1st single fly tournament was
windy, cold, and a great time. Neal Hall prepared us an excellent breakfast, and Sabra Cazel
made us a delicious salad. Darrel Atteberry won
the tournament with his Slough Special; his
stringer came in at 63 in and he also won shortest fish at 8.5in. Adam Urban took second
with a stringer length of 53 in, and Chris Hussehman landed the largest fish of the day
coming in at 16 in.
Our January meeting saw people tying and participating in
a trivia game. The trivia provided a bit of fun and education.
Perhaps there will be another trivia night in the future.
At next month's meeting, Ken McCloskey, Austin Hanna
and I will be demonstrating how to tie articulated streamers.
Our goal is to show a few of the different connections that may
be used.
At the February meeting we will have sign-up sheets, and
we will be asking for volunteers for future club events. When
considering whether to volunteer, please keep in mind that our
club mission is education and conservation. Another thing to
keep in mind is that volunteer efforts will be rewarded. After
each event, volunteers from that event will be placed in a prize
drawing at the following monthly meeting and will also be
placed in a drawing at the banquet at the end of the year. We
need volunteers for the women's clinic, kid clinic, Walk with
Wildlife, Slough clean up, and various other events. This February 8th we will have a Slough cleanup at Sedgwick County
Park. This will be the first opportunity of the year to get out and volunteer.
I look forward to seeing everyone
at the next meeting.
Cheers, Sean Corns
7
Gold Medal Waters
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission is pleased
to announce the upper Arkansas River as the newest addition
to the statewide list of Gold Medal Trout Waters.
The Gold Medal reach is 102 miles long from the confluence with the Lake Fork of the Arkansas River, near Leadville, downstream to Parkdale at the Highway 50 bridge
crossing above the Royal Gorge.
The designation has been 20 years in the making, and although anglers have enjoyed the improved conditions for
years, it is an official acknowledgement of the myriad efforts
undertaken by state and federal agencies to turn an impaired
river into one of the most popular fishing destinations in Colorado.
The upper Arkansas River fishery is the best it has been in
over a century thanks to the efforts and hard work of many
agencies and individuals that have recognized its great potential, said Greg Policky, CPW Aquatic Biologist. I am very
pleased that this outstanding river has received the Gold
Medal designation and is now ranked among the elite trout
fisheries in Colorado.
In order to receive a Gold Medal listing, a body of water
must consistently support a minimum trout standing stock of
60 pounds per acre, as well as consistently support a minimum average of 12 quality trout, trout larger than 14 inches
per acre.
In the last 20 years, the upper Arkansas River has undergone a habitat transformation. Fish populations in the area
were impacted by heavy metal pollution from mining in the
Leadville area. Because of the pollution, trout could not live
in the area, and they did not live beyond three years old further downstream.
Today, trout are living up to ten years old due to habitat
restoration, improved water quality and creative fishery management. The present-day fish population has benefited from
these habitat efforts and has met the Gold Medal designation
since 1999 for both the quality of trout per acre and the
standing crop.
The Arkansas River ranked as the favorite fishing destination for residents of Colorado, according to a 2012 angler
survey. Angler use reached a significant milestone in 2012
when an estimated 100,000 anglers fished the river throughout the year between Leadville and Parkdale. More than 65
percent of the river stretch is open to the angling public via
federal and state-owned land and numerous state-controlled
fishing leases and easements.
With the addition of the Arkansas River, total Gold Medal
stream miles in Colorado increases by 50% to 322 total
miles. It will also be the longest reach of Gold Medal water
in the State.
For more information go to www.cpw.state.co.us
Flatland Fly Fishers
5709 N. Sullivan
Wichita, KS
67204
Flatland Flyfishers meet monthly at the
Great Plains Nature Center, located at
6232 E. 29th St. N, Wichita, KS
Questions and Answer
If you have questions regarding any aspect
of Fly Fishing please submit them to:
dwan@mpmllc.net or tburgin1@cox.net
Come tie with us from 7-9 pm on the third Tuesday each month
See us for your fly tying/fly fishing needs
Wide selection of material and tools from Peak
~ Colorado Angler ~ Hareline ~ Wapsi and others
If we don’t have it, we will special order for you
Cortland ~ St. Croix ~ Redington ~ Rio ~ White River
Fly Reels ~ Fly Rods ~ Fly Line ~ Fly Fishing Accessories
Follow us on Facebook.com/Zeiners & zeiners.com
Zeiner’s Angler Supply Fly Shop
737 S. Washington #6 ~ Wichita ~ 316-265-5551
Flatland Fly Fishing Club Upcoming Activities
March 15
March 29
May 3
June 2014
June 14
October
Winter Program
Women’s Clinic
Film Festival Tour
Blue Gill fest
Walk With Wildlife
Banquet/Picnic
Activities planned with pending dates:
Casting Day, Fly Tying, Youth Clinic
Ark River Anglers Fly Tying Class
Fly Tying Wednesday, Feb. 12 & 19, 6 pm
Fly Tying Wednesday, March 12 & 19, 6 pm
Free Fly Tying Seminars Saturday’s at 10 am
Please Call 316-682-8006 for additional dates and information