Streamside on Line

In this issue:

  Articles, news and fly tying tips are gratefully accepted. Please e-mail them to Roy Cubbler. Thank you.

The League’s Board of Directors met on Monday, March 20 at the GVA barn. The following members were present: President, Bob Molzahn, Lance Morien, Bob Moser, Joe King, Roy Cubbler, Ted Nawalinski, Joe Vasile, Dick Allebach, Troy Dunn, and Rick Stevens. Absent were Larry Heimes, Ed Nugent, Jeff Nissle and Shel Toombs. 

Several issues were discussed: 
Membership Chairman Troy Dunn advised that our club has a total of 126 members who have paid their dues. 29 members are in arrears. Troy will contact those members whose dues have not been paid to ascertain their intentions concerning renewal. 

Treasurer Joe Vasile advised us that as of March 20, 2006, we had a total of $7,934 in the treasury. 

President Molzahn advised us that he is willing to serve for two more years, and then would like to step down from those responsibilities involved with the office in 2008. This completes a 12-year term for Bob. The election for officers will be at our April 2006 meeting. Discussion was extensive on just which duties DJL’s president should perform. It was agreed that handling refreshments for monthly meetings, keeping track of the club’s extensive library holdings, and obtaining speakers for programs are tasks which should be delegated to others. It is hoped that three members who attend meetings on a regular basis will volunteer to take on those tasks. 

The annual spring raffle is scheduled to go off at the April 24th meeting. Members who have tickets should get the money to Joe King as soon as possible. Those members who need tickets should also contact Joe. The prizes are several original works of art provided by DJL founding member Dick Allebach.

Although Larry was not in attendance to discuss the stream improvement project, it is an important one. High flows in the Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only segment of French Creek upstream from Sheeder Mill Bridge has caused extensive erosion of the bank in a particular area. This erosion has widened the stream in that location to the point where the water depth is far lower than it used to be. As a result, a very nice fishing location has been negatively affected. The solution is to move many tons of stone into the area of the bank to reduce the erosive effect. Such a project, as important as it is, is probably beyond our members’ ability to accomplish either financially or physically. Board members discussed the possibility of obtaining a grant which will allow us to accomplish the work through a contractor, using equipment and man-power not presently available to the club. Larry is leading this effort and will provide follow-up communication to our members as things develop.

The topic of the Hungry Trout trip was raised. New restrictions on the number of fishers who may be on the Dream Mile at any one time seem to present obstacles to the trip being as enjoyable as it once was, and more expensive. The trip is still scheduled, but members should be aware of this issue if they plan to sign-up. Information on the trip may be obtained by visiting the DJL website. 

An extensive discussion of liability insurance took place. We have always had insurance, but the question is, how well are we protected, and what can we do to improve that level of protection. The problem especially involves liability protection for such activities as the Learn to Fly Fish course, stream improvement projects, fishing trips, and regularly scheduled meetings. A waiver form for all members and non-members participating in events other than regular meetings may be required. It was also decided that we should only have non-alcoholic beverages and bagged snacks available at monthly meetings. 

The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be scheduled for June 2006.

 Ernest (Ernie) Schwiebert was an angler’s angler. He excelled at all phases of the sport. He was a prolific author, he fished often and in many places, he espoused conservation where ever he went, he was an accomplished artist, and, in short, excelled at whatever he put his mind to. Ernie passed away on December 10, 2005. He will be missed, not only by those who called him “friend,” but by everyone who enjoys our sport. Ernie delivered the keynote address at FFF’s 2005 fly show and conclave. His closing words are particularly moving and are presented here to show that even though he stood apart because of his God-given talents in so many areas, we can say without fear of contradiction that Ernie Schwiebert was, truly, one of us:

“People often ask why I fish, and after 70 years, I am beginning to understand. I fish because of beauty.

Everything about our sport is beautiful. Its more than five centuries of books and manuscripts and folios are beautiful. Its pristine rivers are beautiful, and the riverscapes that surround them are beautiful. Fly fishing is an old and honorable sport. Its roots are literally found in the medieval codes of chivalry. Our methods of fishing are beautiful. Its artifacts of rods and beautifully machined reels are beautiful. Its wading staffs and landing nets and split willow creels are beautiful. The best of sporting art is beautiful. The delicate artifice of dressing flies is beautiful. Such confections of fur, feathers and steel are beautiful, and our worktables are littered with exotic scraps of tragopan and golden pheasant and blue chatterer and Coq de Leon. Our sport is awash in such things, with bright rivers tumbling swiftly toward the salt, the deft choreography of swifts and swallows working to a dancing swarm of flies, and the quicksilver poetry of the fish themselves.

And, in times of partisan hubris, selfishness and outright mendacity, beauty itself may prove the most endangered thing of all.”

The March 27th meeting of the Dame Juliana League of Fly Fishers featured two very interesting speakers. President Bob Mohlzahn first introduced WCO Bob Bonney who asked our club to support a concept which is being proposed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The commission is trying to increase the number of young people who are interested and involved in fishing. It is obvious, according to WCO Bonney, that young people are not coming to our sport in the same numbers as they have in the past. The commission is proposing a $5.00 Junior License, the proceeds from which would be used to fund programs designed to educate youngsters in fishing as a life-long hobby. It is hoped that this venture, if approved in Harrisburg, would have a potential of netting over two million dollars, all of which would be used to expand youth education programs. Methods of reaching out to young people which may be eligible for funding by the program include grants to clubs which initiate youth education programs, training workshops, the purchase of equipment for angling programs involving youngsters, etc. League members seemed interested in supporting such a venture.

Next, President Bob called on Lance Morien to introduce his friend and fishing guide, Captain Norm Bartlett, a fishing guru who came to us from the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. Capt. Bartlett presented three slide programs involving fishing the Chesapeake Bay, streams in Colorado, and fishing in Florida. Bartlett explained some of his fly fishing methods for netting bass, trout, monster stripers and other fish native to the areas mentioned. He also provided information on lures and flies that he utilizes, including a lure made by cleverly folding a dollar bill around a hook. Norm has done considerable research on the topic of parasites which affect fish native to the Chesapeake. Some of his slides were pictures of fish which have been attacked by those parasites. Capt. Bartlett, who was born in Chester, PA, had a number of stories to relate, including the fisherman who, while on a fishing trip with the captain, hooked Bartlett in the lip and his own wife in the posterior. All and all, it was a most educational and interesting DJL meeting.

The annual Learn to Fly Fish Course is scheduled for Saturday, April 29 at the Phoenixville YMCA, rain or shine. Dame Juliana has provided this enjoyable day of learning for twelve years now, and hundreds of fishers have taken to the waterways as a result. If you, a relative, or a friend of yours has ever wanted to experience the joy of fly fishing, this is the best opportunity to get started. Expert fishers will demonstrate, discuss, and mentor. You will be supplied with all the equipment you need. A delicious lunch, soft drinks and bottled water will be provided. Instruction includes all phases of fly fishing, including equipment, knots, trout food, casting, and more. A portion of the instruction will be on the stream. All you need are sunglasses, a lawn chair, a hat, and the desire to have a new door opened for you. Cost for the day is $35. Interested individuals may register by visiting the DJL web sight at http://www.djlflyfishers.org/ or by calling Troy Dunn at 610-917-9625. 

This is a busy time of year for me not only from a business standpoint but from enjoying my piscatorial pursuits. This spring’s fishing is going to be a little more difficult as I have had some arthritis problems in one hip and it has been slowing me down. Needless to say, I haven’t been a real happy camper this winter as the problem has been slow to resolve itself, but it seems to be getting better. Despite my disability, and with a lot of good help from our members and team leader Joe King, we were able to float stock French Creek on March 4 and put in a lot of nice fish. Weather and water conditions cooperated and we received about 800 +/- trout with a few bruisers thrown in for good margin.

Thanks to everyone who participated. We need young folks like you to step up and help us old guys out who have been doing this for dozens of years. As always, PFBC WCO Bob Bonney did a great job in organizing the trucks and accommodating the schedules of our float stockers. We are really lucky to have Bob and his deputies serving in northern Chester County as they are truly dedicated officers. 

Our 13th Annual Learn to Fly Fish Course is slated for April 29 at the Phoenixville YMCA on Pothouse Road. Registrations have been slow so far so there probably will be plenty of room if you have a friend or relative that would like to take the course. Registration forms and more information are available on our website or at French Creek Outfitters. The cost is only $35 per person (lunch included) and a great value.

Larry Heimes will probably report this in another article but we are in the process of seeking a large grant from Exelon’s Schuylkill River Watershed Restoration Program. We hope to obtain the funds necessary for a streambank restoration project on the south side of French Creek above Sheeder Mill Bridge in the Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only Area. The bank is eroding considerably from high flows, the channel is widening and becoming shallower, and fish habitat is being lost. The project is large and can’t be accomplished with only volunteers. Therefore, we are trying to obtain funds to contract the work out to stabilize the eroding bank. Costs for the project could be as much as $40,000 and it may not happen in 2006. More to come on this aggressive project.

Elections are scheduled for our last monthly meeting on April 24, and I have agreed to stay on for another two years if elected. That will give me 12 years as President of the League. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed it, I will be done as President in 2008 and for the organization to continue it will need to be under new leadership. That doesn’t mean I am just going to drop out. It means someone else will need to organize and lead the monthly meetings and obtain speakers for those meetings. We have a good group of people on the Board; they will all continue and would welcome more participation by other members. Over the next two years, we will be soliciting some of you to become Board members and to help out. Many hands make light work; and if we can recruit a meeting program coordinator, the job of the President will be lightened considerably. I will look forward to hearing from you.

Have a great fishing season and tight lines!!!

MACFFF is inviting parents and youngsters (age 10 – 16) to participate in their annual Youth Fly Fishing Camp on Saturday, June 24, 2006 at Hartford Glen. Cost for the program is $30 for the first child and $25 for each additional child in the family. Space is limited to 24 students. Reservation forms and addi-tional information are available on the club’s web site at www.macfff.org 

“Redfish 101- Another business trip combined with the opportunity to do some fly fishing.”

Knowing I was going to the Tampa Bay area in February for business, I began searching to find a guide to do some saltwater fly fishing while I was there. The internet led me to the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club’s website, a FFF affiliate. The site provided a list of local fly fishing guides. I sent an e-mail to the club asking for one or two recom-mendations, but no reply. So, I started at the top of the list and called Captain Bryon Chamberlin of “Barbed Steel Charters”. And as it turned out, it was a good choice. I spoke with Capt. Chamberlin a couple of times before the trip to ask the typical questions of what’s biting, what equipment will I need, what time will we meet and where? He said our quarry would be redfish and maybe snook. Water temperatures were still low (60’s) and the snook were not on the flats but with some warm days, we may see some snook. I was psyched, a chance to fly fish for some new species.

I arrived in the Tampa area on Sunday, 19 February. For the next 2 days, I would sit through meetings and find myself gazing out the window at the warm, sunny and smooth-as-glass Tampa Bay. Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough.

Tuesday night, I stayed with a cousin who lives in the area, then got up early Wednesday morning to make the 1.5-hour trip south from Tampa to Ruskin so that I arrived at the marina at 7am. I don’t like to be late, especially for fishing. I arrived at the Shell Point Marina at 6:58am where I found Capt. Bryon and his boat, “Seein Red” ready to go. Ruskin is on the eastern shore of Tampa Bay. Although he supplies rods, reels and flies, I decided to bring my 7 and 9 wt rods for the trip. Weather conditions for the day were to be great, partly cloudy, light winds and temperature approaching 80. However, the tide was not in our favor, it was going to be a slow incoming tide. We loaded our minimal gear into the 16’ flats boat with a 40 HP Merc and off we went to the first fishing spot. We anchored in 8-10 feet of water near an island made from dredging of shipping lanes in the bay. The Capt. decided to start out fishing for sea trout (spotted trout). This was done with my 7 wt, sink tip line, and a chartreuse and white size 6 barbless Clouser. His advice was to toss the fly up current, let it sink, strip irregularly back to the boat and use a strip strike when a fish hits. It wasn’t too long before I caught my first sea trout of about 14-15 inches. Bryon used a release to let all the trout go without having to handle them. They were schooled up so I’d catch a few in a row, then we’d move to find another school. While we were anchored, the Capt. spotted a manatee coming towards us. A mother and youngster swam right under our boat, neat! Signs in the area alert boaters to be aware of the manatees in the shallow waters. In the next hour or so I must have caught 12-14 trout in that size range. As a species bonus I caught 2 small ‘puffers.” Several other boats now had joined us near the island. Most were fishing with lures or bait for sea trout to take home. It was time to leave that area and search the flats for redfish and snook. 

The water was crystal clear. Bryon mentioned that it does get cloudy with the growth of algae in the warmer months. Last year the bay was devastated with red tide. It came in June and stayed till the storms began in that area. A fair number of other fisherman were out in the area, so some of the spots the Capt. wanted to fish were taken or had been fished over already. . I switched to my 9wt with a floating line. We motored close to the areas we would fish, then the Capt. would take out his graphite push pole, jump on the rear platform and begin to pole within casting distance of spots likely to hold fish. Nothing but schools of sheepshead in the first spots-on to another location. Finally, he spotted some redfish cruising back and forth just outside the mangroves. My instructions were to find a fish cruising within my casting distance and place the dark brown with gold flashaboo streamer (his redfish “go to” pattern) far enough in front of the fish not to spook it. And it had to be in a sandy bottom spot, not grassy. When the fish approached I was to give the fly a lift to catch the redfish’s attention. This was no easy task for me. You have to load the rod quick and cast accurately with minimal false casts. The redfish were not interested and I know I could have done a better job in presenting the fly. “Oh well!” Capt. said the redfish were in the 24-28” range and would have been a nice addition to the catch for the day.

Next was some blind fishing in the shadows of the mangroves for a snook or redfish. I switched to a smaller fly tied on a bent back hook. The bent back hook does not get hung up in the mangroves as easy. We saw one small snook dash out of the shadows, then, as we were ready to move, a small school of snook scooted under the boat on to some safe place away from us. Off to another spot.

We tried some deeper water where a major river comes in--nothing. Off to another spot. On the way, we spotted several masses of rays in the shallow sandy-bottom water. We idled through a long stretch of flats and then turned the motor off to look for fish. After drifting a bit we spotted a school of small 2-3 foot sharks. They were all over the place cruising back and forth in all directions, and not that spooked by our presence. Capt. said try for them. Similar instruction as before, I was to pick out a cruising fish, drop the fly far enough in front of him so the fly could be sitting on the bottom when the shark came close by. Then lift the fly to tease the shark into striking. I was hoping it would be like throwing fish food into a fish tank, but no such luck. After several casts, I lifted and a fish was on, I could see the fly on the side of its mouth and thought I snagged the fish, but the Capt. said that’s not unusual based on the back and forth motion of the shark’s head when going for prey. And off the shark went zipping line off my Ross. After a strong fight, the bonnet shark was brought to the boat and the Capt. released him. I tried to hook another but no takes. We also saw a couple of cobia move through the area. Time was running short so we decided to try one more spot before calling it a day. Since we were going against the wind on the return trip both of us got a soaking on our right sides from the spray; good thing it was a warm day. No fish at the final spot so we retuned to the marina at around 3pm. It was a great day out on the water. Capt. Bryon did a nice job of getting me to the fish and was very instructive during the day to increase my odds of catching the fish. We each unloaded our gear, packed up the vehicles and were on our way.Wednesday night I arrived at the Philly airport via USAIR around 10pm and experienced a traveling flyfisher’s worst nightmare- the checked bag with my 2 rods and rain jacket did not show. My suitcase containing my reels, flies and clothes did make it. Not good. However, on a better note, the bag was located and delivered to my house the next day.

A week after my trip, I received a package in the mail from Capt. Chamberlin. It contained his company brochure, 2-high quality 5”x8” photos he took during our trip, and a CD with the remaining photos taken by his digital SLR. And to top it off, the CD label was a picture of me holding a sea trout. What a nice touch to complete the trip!