DJL Reminders - Please recap your 2002 and 2003 fly fishing adventures and submit them for inclusion in our DJL Website's (www.FrenchCreek@djlflyfishers.org) "Trout Fishers Journal". Text and digital pictures may be submitted using the Website's "Feedback" option. Hard copies of text and pictures may be submitted to Bob Molzahn. Bring them with you to our next meeting. 

Membership Dues - Notice our 2003 membership dues are now due. Individual membership is $15.00 and family membership is $20.00. New members, please add an additional $5.00 respectively.

Streamside Newsletter Solicitation - Please feel free to submit articles or short stories (fact and/or fiction), poems, humor, quotes, fly patterns with instructions, and/or letters to the Editor. Please respect copyright laws when submitting work done by others. We are interested in hearing from you and we need your help, thank you.

DJL January 27th Meeting - Pete Cooper did an excellent job in presenting "Fly fishing in Belize". If you are interested in fly fishing trips in North, South and Central America, contact Pete at www.fishNtrip.com. 

DJL February 24th Meeting - Fly Tying roundup. Bring your fly tying equipment and join in. These are always fun meetings and you can pickup a lot of good ideas.

DJL March 31st Meeting - Theaux Le Gardeur, owner of the Backwater Angler on the Gunpowder River, Maryland, will be our guest speaker. The subject will be the "Four Seasons of the Gunpowder".

PFBC Trivia - The PA Fish and Boat Commission has announced that they intend to stock 4 million trout this year in the Commonwealth. This is an increase of 200,000 over the 2002 stocking. Individual 2003 stream stocking schedules are not available at this time. 

PFBC Pre-Season Stockings - Bob Bonney, our Northern Chester County District Officer, has just notified us that the FFO section of French Creek will be stocked on March the 1st. If you are interested in assisting the float stocking of this section, please contact Bob Molzhan as soon as possible for times and locations.

2003 Trout Opening Day - Saturday, April 12 at 8:00am EST.

"Be careful out there and stay upright" 
Chuck Hodgson, Streamside Editor 

As fly fishers we all love to remember our best days on a river. For some this might be the day you caught a particularly big fish or maybe a lot of fish or . . . well, let me tell you about a day I remember on a river that was almost my best.

The day before "the best" was a mix of good and bad. My fishing partner, Charlie, and I had seen two eagles in the morning and three otters in the evening. But, the fishing on the Madison had been poor with high water and few rises. I had lost my second pair of hemostats and thought I had left my fly tying vise in our recently vacated motel room in Rexburg (it turned out I hadn't). But this day had required a change of plans due to construction on the road from Madison Junction to Norris in Yellowstone Park. Anyway, I wasn't in a very good mood as we headed to the Gallatin River for an evening of fishing. I hadn't been able to tie any caddis and I knew I would need more of them than I had.

We split up on the river and a few minutes later after arriving at a favorite spot, the infamous Montana wind began to blow. As I stepped into a pool to fish, the wind seemed to double in speed and blow directly downstream into my face. But it was only as I situated myself in the water at the tail of the pool that I noticed fish rising everywhere. "Wow!!", I thought. "What luck this is. Look at all these risers and no fishermen in sight."

I tied on a #16 Elk Hair Caddis and began to false cast. Immediate frustration set in as my first wind-blown cast landed nowhere near the fish I was attempting to catch.

This same situation was repeated again and again for over three hours as I fished in this pool. The more the wind blew, the more the fish rose and the more frustrated I became. I hooked my hat, my waders, my reel and occasionally a trout. I missed strike after strike, broke off flies in fish, in the air and on my rod.

The darker it became, the bigger the rising fish became. It seemed almost impossible to cast my fly where I wanted. Often a cast would result in my not being able to locate my fly until it was too late, as it was spit out by a fish.

Once I did hook an exceptionally large fish and while playing it, allowed myself to relax and believe my luck had changed. "NO DICE!!" The fish, a beautiful wild rainbow ran downstream and broke off on a rock.

Well, by now you get the picture. If I had hooked and landed all the fish that took my fly, it could have been my best day on the Gallatin, but . . . 

"For those of you who need to know, the fish score for the evening was, as I recall, 4 or 5 wild rainbows, 10 to 14 inches, landed."

Richard (Dick) Allebach, DJL Charter Member 

Editor comment - "Thanks Dick for sharing with us your "Almost a best day." But at the least, it certainly sounded like it may be a candidate for a most memorable day. Including the fact that you were also fly fishing in one of the most beautiful parts of this country." 

Some things to ponder prior to purchasing a new to you (NU2U) fly rod. Foremost, on what fish and water will the rod be used? Consider your strength and coordination. What is your fishing experience? Correct choice of line weight, rod length and action depend on this evaluation.

You want a good casting and fish-fighting tool. You want value for your money. So, what makes a quality rod? Generally speaking, the more expensive the rod, the better the quality of material used in the guides, reel seat and grip.

For guides, a rule of thumb is one guide, not including the rod tip, for each foot of rod length. Fewer guides [than this] permit the line to sag and slap on the rod, creating more friction when casting. There is a right size for guides, too.

Very small guides will create more friction and very large guides will permit more sag and slapping. The number of stripping guides varies. Lighter weight rods need only one stripping guide, while heavier weight rods should be equipped with two. 

Should you have an up or down locking reel seat? Most fisher people prefer up locking. If you wish to hold your rod near the reel, a down locking seat subjects your hand to agitation at the juncture of the cork and the reel seat. On heavier weight rods it is nice to have a double locking screw system.

Cork is preferred for the handle, as theoretically it feels warmer in cold weather and cooler in warm weather. Cork doesn't get overly slick when wet and it has great cushioning properties. Check the cork for quality. Are there any soft or loose spots? The less filler, the better.

Shape and size of the handle are a matter or personal preference. Is the grip sized right and comfortably shaped for your hand for casting and fish fighting?

Next consider the workmanship and overall aesthetics of the rod. Most manufacturers polish their rods upon removal from the furnaces to eliminate any rough spots and the thread used to hold the graphite on the mandrels.
Well-epoxyed, short, thread wraps extending just off the foot of the guides is the order of the day. The more thread and epoxy, the more weight, which dampens the rod's action.

Speaking of which, I recommend that one check the action of the rod. Most people pick up a rod and shake it several times and that is that. Here's the way to really learn something about the rod. Hold the rod firmly, parallel to the floor, and whip the rod with some vigor, and watch where the rod flexes the most. If the rod bends down in the butt section and you can feel the handle bend in your hand, you know the action of the rod is considered low.

When you have a likely candidate, give it the real test. Take the rod, equipped with reel and line, to a pond for some casting and check for these qualities. Fishing is not a good way to make these evaluations.

Start with balance. Is the fully equipped rod tip heavy or butt heavy? Cast the rod for feel. Does the action suit your casting stroke? The rod should perform a number of tasks well. Test it thoroughly. Roll cast, pick up thirty-five feet of line from the water and lay it out in a different direction. See that it mends and controls line on the water easily and accurately. 

Turn over a leader with a large fly and present it with some delicacy at long distances.

Will the rod deliver a fly accurately seventy feet and beyond? Does it shoot line easily?

Will the rod load sufficiently with thirty to thirty-five feet of line off the rod tip for quick pick up and shoot?

Try to form tight loops to get line speed and distance. Does the rod generate high speed for quick, powerful delivery into the wind?

Is there enough strength in the butt section to pressure a running fish? Could you cast repeatedly for long periods without fatigue?

If in your opinion the rod fulfills all of above criteria, then just possibly you have found the rod that is for you.

Wayne Taylor, Peninsula Fly Fishers of Belmont, California

Editor's comments - Thanks go out to the FFF December 2002 ClubWire Email Newswire for Wayne Taylor's article.

The evaluation criteria that are mentioned in this article along with some of the terms used may be difficult for a new fly fisher to grasp. I would recommend that when you are considering a new rod purchase or that first time rod purchase, that you visit our advertisers. They look forward to helping you determine what rod is best suited for you based upon your usage expectations and pocket book. Also, pay attention to the manufacturer's warranty and damage replacement policies. Most fly shops and outfitters will allow you to cast the rods, generally on a grass surface. This permits you to feel the different rod actions to determine what you want. 

Also, take advantage of our senior DJL members. They are also willing to help you get started with the right equipment and they also can give you valuable tips. If you haven't already attended, sign up for our Fly Fishing Course to be taught in April at the Phoenixville YMCA. This is a great way to learn and ask questions. I also believe that the instructors, at the end of the day, leave this course with a little more knowledge than when they arrived. 

First I would like to thank everyone that came out over the past year and volunteered for our stream improvement workdays. As usual we had a great turn out and were able to accomplish our goals for the summer.

However, in planning for the summer of 2003 and beyond, we are facing a major issue that will have an impact on the future direction of our stream improvement program. Simply put, the section of French Creek that comprises the fly stretch is made up of 14 landowners. To date, we have contacted or attempted to contact a number of these landowners. Primarily those with substantial amounts of stream front property to determine if they would be willing to cooperate with our organization on making habitat improvements to the stream. While we have had some success with several landowners, unfortunately and for various reasons, many are not willing to work with us on these types of projects. Therefore, we are fast running out of areas where we can work within the fly stretch.

This summer we will most likely be working on several permits that were approved on the upper fly stretch. However, after these projects are completed we will not have access for stream improvement work to any areas below Sheeder Mill Road.

In light of the above issue there are several options for the future of our program. First we could partner with other local clubs on their stream improvement projects. We could also work more closely with the Green Valleys Association on their ongoing riparian buffer and other conservation projects. Lastly we could identify a section of French Creek, outside of the fly stretch, where we could focus our efforts.

I am currently investigating each of the above options and would welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have. You can talk to me at any of the monthly meetings or contact me via email at www. waltmich@erols.com.

Larry Heimes, DJL Vice President

Editor's Comment - Once again we are indebted to Larry and his Stream Improvement team members. They continue to do a great job. If you would like to participate with this team please contact Larry at the above web address.

Welcome to our new 2003 Dame Juliana League Members!

Mary Gibney of Berwin
Jane and Mike Gridley of Gilbertsville
Tony Iannarelli of Cheltenham
Paul Matz of Chester Springs
Robert Rieck of Newton Square
Jeff Zinser of Blue Bell