Streamside on Line

In this issue:

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It had to come one day, and that time has come. Bob Molzahn, who has served as President of Dame Juliana League Fly Fishers for the past twelve years, is stepping down. We cannot let him go without singing his praises a little, and thanking him for his most effective leadership. In a recent interview, Bob points to “All the good people I have met and gone fishing with,” as the most personally satisfying aspect of his tenure. When asked to mention a disappointment or two that he may have experienced, Bob replied, “None really. I have made so many good friends and met so many good people.” One true measure of his leadership is found in the fact that when Bob took office, our club’s membership stood at fewer than fifteen. Twelve years later we boast a membership of nearly 140 souls. 

No one can argue about the impressive qualifications Molzahn brought to the presidency. He has a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Science degree from Cornell University. He was (and is) involved with many organizations, committees, and commissions which are concerned with the environment, with streams, and with the health and quality of our fish. He is a past president and current board member of FFFMAC. An avid fisherman, Bob has cast his line in such varied locales as Belize, Cayman Islands, Mexico, Wyoming, New York, Montana, Pennsylvania, just to name a few. Of course, as an adjunct to his love of fishing, he has been known to sit down at the tying bench every now and then. 

As for the future, Bob sees DJL as continuing to progress on all levels, but he feels that we should not try to do too much. His caution is, “Don’t go over-board.” He has full confidence in the club’s nominated next President. Troy Dunn would assume the gavel at the April 28th meeting. Bob admires Troy’s enthusiasm and his people skills as well as his understanding of technology.

Bob has certainly earned the right to say, “It is time.” We wish him well, and we know that his wife, Denise, and step children Matt and Suzanne, will quickly note that he is not quite as obsessed with such things as locating speakers, counting video tapes, and finding people to collect at the Kimberton Fair. We do, however, make claim on him to remain active, to continue to coordinate the fly fishing course, and to allow us to rely on his vast experience and expertise. 

It is time for the members to say thank you for 12 years of outstanding leadership. Bob, we wish you God speed, good health, and “Tight Lines.” 

The Cherokees named the land “Katuah,” “The principal place,” what for us today includes the high mountains of north Georgia, western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Within this mountainous region – the highest single range of the entire Appalachian chain – lies “The Land of the Smokes,” the Great Smoky Mountains, home to wild trout – the native brook or “speckled” trout, the streambred rainbow and brown trout. Within easy reach of Asheville, Atlanta and Chattanooga, its numerous streams and rivers offer pure, clear, wild water, its forests are pristine, and its trails unlittered by tourist hordes. It is where no other fisherman fishes the same pool; no other angler breaks the boundaries of silence and place, solitude and reverie.

I fish there whenever I can: in early March when the water temperature in the lower reaches of the streams barely breaks 40o; in mid-summer when the creeks hold fast to the degree of chill wild trout demand; in the fall when the colors of the forest match the brilliant coating that graces “Salvelinus fontinalis” itself. The fish are, for the most part, small – eight to twelve inches for the native brook, larger for the brown and rainbow – but they are all wild. It is an eco-system wherein the fish reflect the rugged mountains of their origin, the endless rivers and streams are rich with insect life, and the forest affords the angler the peace and harmony we search for in fly fishing.

A man can backpack into these mountains, set up camp and not see another human being for his entire stay. For the less energetic angler who still seeks the thrill of sleeping under the stars or in a tent, there are isolated campgrounds. Nearby, in towns like Bryson City or Cherokee in North Carolina, a happy but weary angler can discover hotels, motels, restaurants and outfitters ready and eager to serve him.

For a short article of this nature it would be nigh impossible to name all the fine streams and rivers that grace these mountains. Certainly, however, Deep Creek, the Cataloochee, Noland Creek and the legendary Hazel Creek are “as good as it gets,” offering the serious angler that delightful mix of challenge and success that makes fly-fishing the artful sport that it is. For information on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park one can contact the Park Superintendent at 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, or by phone at (423) 436-1200. For the names, locations and description of individual streams and how to fish them, I recommend THE FLY FISHERMAN’S GUIDE TO THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK by H. Lea Lawrence, Cumberland House, Nashville, TN. But for those of us who look to the mystique and tradition of fly-fishing, I suggest reading ON THE SPINE OF TIME by Harry Middleton, a writer/angler who is to the Smoky Mountains what Theodore Gordon was to the Catskills or Charles Fox to the limestone streams of south-central Pennsylvania. As to local guides and fly shops, my vote goes to Little River Outfitters in Townsend, TN which can be reached at the Toll Free Number (877) 448-3474 or at their Website, www.LittleRiverOutfitters.com. Bryan and Paula Begley, co-owners, have frequently fished here in Pennsylvania with the likes of Lefty Kreh and Bob Clouser and look forward to introducing brother anglers to the glorious experience that is fly-fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains.


 

For a number of years, members of DJL have dedicated themselves to the concept of catch and release. Releasing a hooked fish back into the stream is not just the right thing to do; it is the right sporting thing to do. The 2008 edition of the “Pennsylvania Fishing Summary” provides some very reasonable suggestions on the proper way to handle a fish that you intend to release. First and foremost, use barbless hooks. Do not play the fish for so long a time that it becomes exhausted. Use your landing net, and once the fish is netted, keep it in the water. Before touching the fish, wet your hands in the stream. While removing the hook, hold the fish upside down. This will often calm the fish. Remove the hook quickly, and if it is not possible to remove the hook, cut the line. Do not touch the gills. Finally, hold the fish underwater and allow it to swim away under its own power. Studies show that fish which have been treated gently have a very good chance of survival.

Every once in a very rare while, I glance at the astrological chart in the newspaper. You know, that thing that tells your fortune according to your birthday. I happened to notice that the “Stargazers” who write those things never say anything about fishing. This gave me an idea. I consulted several hun-dred star charts and studied the alignment of the major stars, such as Antares, Denebula, and the star that you had named after your mother-in-law, and I developed an astrological chart for fishers. Refer to your birth sign, and remember, it is good for the rest of the 21st century.

Aquarius: You enjoy the company of other fishers. You will be very active in a club which brings fly fishers together. Did you remember to pay your dues?

Pisces: The sign for this period is a fish. That is a great omen. You tend to be cold blooded and you swim well. You relate to fish and often think like them. You will be a very fine fisher. You enjoy the taste of an occasional mayfly. 

Aries: You are very lucky. You are born during the period when stocking usually occurs. Your favorite lure will be made of deer hair trimmed to look like hatchery food pellets.

Taurus: You will meet another fisher on the stream. If you are catching fish, he will ask you what you are using. You will tell him that you don’t know, you found it hooked on a branch. What a bunch of bull.

Gemini: Your twin will catch more fish than you do. You should borrow her rod and use it, pretending to be her. It will work. Trout do not recognize one person from another.

Cancer: There is a good chance that you will become a wet fly fisher at one time or another. This has nothing to do with your choice of flies. You will fall in the stream. Be more careful!

Leo: If you are born under this sign, you tend to be grouchy if you are away from the stream for long periods. No one likes a grouch! Your family wants you to fish often.

Virgo: You are at your best in cloudy weather. When it is cloudy, go fishing. When it is sunny, go fishing anyway. Who knows? It may cloud up later on.

Libra: You are a natural fisher. You do not need much of an excuse to go fishing. Your spouse sees so little of you she tends to refer to you as, “Who?”

Scorpio: You tend to suffer from restless leg syndrome. An ancient remedy involves walking in a fast moving trout stream while wearing waders. Why not cast a few flies while you’re at it?

Sagittarius: You were born at the start of the holiday season. You enjoy perusing fishing catalogs and you often embarrass yourself by asking fat men in red suits to bring you a new rod this year. 

Capricorn: People born under this sign have a tendency to be very good fishers. In order to reach your full potential, you should fish a lot. Quit wasting your time reading horoscopes. Go fish!

According to the 2008 “Pennsylvania Fishing Summary,” a current trout/salmon permit is needed when an angler is fishing for trout or salmon. That makes sense. But how can a Fish and Boat officer tell when one is fishing for trout or salmon? Well, here are the rules: You are fishing for trout/salmon if you take, kill, or posses a trout or salmon, if you are fishing in waters covered by special trout/salmon regulations, if you are fishing in Class A Wild Trout Waters or Wilderness Trout Streams or their tributaries, or if you are fishing in approved trout waters from March 1 to May 31. These are rules that you should know, and should pass on to those who are, perhaps unknowingly, violating the trout/salmon permit rules.²