Streamside on Line

In this issue:

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

This year's Learn to Fly Fish course was held on April 29 and was well attended, even after a slow start for registrations. The weather was perfect for the event. The class was eager and attentive, and, as usual, a great deal of information was provided to a most appreciative group of new anglers. Phoenixville's YMCA provides an outstanding venue for the program, with the creek available for on-stream demonstrations, lots of practice space for casting practice, and a pavilion available for lunch and fly tying. Lunch, as usual, was gobbled up in record time. Sheldon Toombs set up his annual delectable spread of hoagies, chips, sodas, and coffee. Instructions in trout food, knots, casting, fly selection, ethics, equipment, and more were presented in the professional manner that we have come to expect. Except for the rare incident involving Bob Moser getting his nymph caught in a tree, everything went off like clockwork. Even President Bob Molzahn hit the creek for his demonstration, ignoring the pain of a sore hip.

Of special note is Rick Stevens' lecture on trout food. His extensive knowledge, understanding, and experience in dealing with the various insects which make up the major portion of a trout's diet make for a very professional demonstration. Rick always brings a large collection of insects displayed in mason jars. The jars contain many varieties of insects which are in various stages of development. Handed around, these examples provide a real "up close and personal" experience for the novice fishers.

Students could also watch fly tiers in action as several DJL members brought their gear and set up for action under the pavilion.

The booklet prepared annually for the occasion presents a detailed overview of every aspect of fly fishing, and is a valuable "take home" for those who attend. This booklet is a keeper and will be of value for years to come by those who take to the stream in search of the elusive trout.

DJL would like to thank all club members who participated in this important event, especially those who are willing to share their expertise with others. On an annual basis, you provide an outlet for new fly fishers which will provide years of enjoyment.  

 Reports have been coming in from a number of our members on some terrific trout fishing this spring. The latest report came from Troy Dunn who fished Hay Creek near Birdsboro and caught numerous wild trout. This is one of our area's overlooked streams and has abundant wild trout that will readily take flies. Check it out.

That being said, I don't think a day goes by without a Daily Local article concerning some threat to our local watersheds. The latest article concerns a large single-home development proposed in the headwaters of Birchrun and Beaver Creeks, tributaries to French Creek. Doubts have been expressed by GVA about an inadequate storm water management plan. On the Pickering, West Pikeland Township has proposed a salt shed to be constructed in "downtown" Yellow Springs. Many residents, including myself, are not really keen about the location and the outcome remains to be seen. So it goes...

On a more positive note, I am pleased to report on the "Healing Waters Fly Fishing Project (PHW)," a tremendous program developed by the Mid-Atlantic Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers and the National Capitol Chapter Trout Unlimited. Retired U.S. Navy Captain Ed Nicholson started it as a fly casting and fishing project for wounded, rehabilitating veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. John Colburn, MAC-FFF's newsletter editor and also a veteran, hitchhiked on and added a fly tying segment as a therapy project and has helped with the casting/fishing component of the project when needed. Many of the people working with PHW are active or retired military (and fly fishers) and work with the Occupational Therapy Service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. According to John, PHW is a pilot program and will soon be made available to FFF and TU to be used in military and VA hospitals around the country. For more information on the project visit their web site at www.projecthealingwaters.org. Financial contributions to support the project and the rehabilitation of our gallant servicemen and women are welcome. 

The Kimberton Fair is just around the corner and once again, we will be looking for volunteers for a few hours in the evening to help with taking parking donations. Our support of this project not only helps the Fire Company raise needed funds for their operation but our sweat equity allows us to use the meeting room at no charge. We need four volunteers for the evenings of July 24, 25, and 26 between the hours of 6 to 9 p.m. I hope you will be able to help out this year. Food, drinks, and great camaraderie are provided. Please contact me at 610-917-0090 or email at wra@wradrb.org to sign up.

Lastly, I have been working with WCO Bob Bonney and Glade Squires, the new President of West Chester Fish and Game, to set up a meeting of regional fishing and related sportsmen's organizations to share and discuss issues and challenges of common concern. Although we were hoping to hold the meeting in June, it now looks like it will be in September. If any of our members are also members of other fishing related organizations, I would encourage you to have your leaders attend the meeting that is now scheduled for September 16 at GVA. Whether you fly fish, spin fish, grow trout for stocking, use bait, practice or not practice catch-and-release, or are focused on wild trout or smallmouth bass, there is a place at the table for everyone. We have a long list of items to cover, and I truly believe there is a lot we can learn from each other to enhance both the resource and sport all of us love.

Until next time, it's all about terrestrials, white flies and Isonychias. Tight lines...

The Dame Juliana League Fly Fishers is blessed with 150 very generous members and volunteers. Through proceeds from our Learn to Fly Fish Course, various raffles, donations, and even bequests, we have not only supported our own stream improvement activities on French Creek, but have contributed financially to the Federation of Fly Fishers (both National and the Mid-Atlantic Council), Trout Unlimited, Green Valleys Association, French and Pickering Creek Conservation Trust, and the Chester County Conservation Camp. These organizations provide a valuable function on a local, regional and/or national basis and we are pleased that a small club like ours can contribute to their successes.

As Bob mentioned in the spring newsletter, we have taken a new approach to completing the stream bank restoration project on the upper section of the fly stretch. Due to the amount of effort and materials required to complete the project, we have decided that it would be best to hire an experienced environmental contractor with the resources and equipment necessary to complete the project in a timely manner. That being said, our focus will now have to shift from managing a volunteer effort over a number of workdays, to obtaining the funding to sub-contract the work. At this point the initial estimates have come in between $15,000 to complete the project as originally planned, up to $54,000 to extend the project another 100 feet and install live branch layering as opposed to rip-rap.

Unfortunately, our efforts in identifying and applying for grants came a little late in the cycle and we missed several good opportunities this spring. We did apply for one grant under the Exelon Schuylkill River Watershed Restoration Program and submitted a letter of intent and project description in late April. Our confidence level that we would be invited to submit a full application was high, as our project seemed to be a good fit for the grant program, however upon review we were not selected to submit a full grant application. Going forward, we will continue to research and apply for other grants and plan on completing this project in 2007.

On another subject, many of you will recall that we delivered several loads of Christmas trees to the upper fly stretch in February. These trees will be used to repair and extend the existing brush deflectors in that section this summer. As of this time, we have not settled on a specific work day, but please keep an eye out for an e-mail or postcard notification for a work day in July or August to install these trees.

This issue's spotlight is on Bob Moser, a past DJL President and current board member. Bob and his wife, Joanne, live in Kimberton, and are the parents of Katie Moser, a familiar presence at many of our club's fly fishing courses. (Club members will be pleased to know that Katie will be entering her junior year at American University, Washington, D.C.) A member since 1989, Bob enjoys all types of fishing, and was recently introduced to fly fishing for stripers in the Chesapeake by fellow DJL member, Lance Morien. Bob reports that his heart belongs to French Creek, but he also enjoys his time on Pocono area streams, the Tulpie, and the Little Lehigh. He has participated in a number of DJL fly fishing trips. Bob is one of the club's major presenters at the Learn to Fly Fish course. He ties his own flies on occasion, and is working to hone his skills in that area. His "specialties" are the green weenie, a beetle, and the San Juan worm.

Bob is Vice President of National Accounts with Brenntag North America, the world's largest chemical distributor. He has a BS in Science from UConn, and an MBA from The University of Pittsburgh. His work keeps him busy, but he finds time for other activities including fishing (of course), traveling, golfing, hiking, and sailing. 

When asked to muse about what positives he has derived from his association with DJL, Bob replied, "I've made a lot of friends through DJL over the years. I have really enjoyed some of the fishing trips with Bob Molzahn, Ed Nugent, Joe King, Shel Toombs, Lance Morien, and others."

It is truly written that if you want something done, ask a busy man. Bob certainly fits this definition, and we are most fortunate to have him as a hard-working member of DJL.(

The Art of Fly Tying is not a book for those who are veterans at taking a hook, wrapping fur and feathers on it, and producing a beautiful insect pattern. It is a work designed for those who are just starting out and need to learn the basics. Of course, even the best tiers may find something in it to make the read worthwhile. The work is the result of the know-how of several veteran tiers, but the bulk of the material comes from the brain of John Van Vliet, an accomplished tier, fly fishing instructor, and author. The Art of Fly Tying is part of a series put out by the publisher, Creative Publishing International, Minnetonka, MN.

As a newcomer to the art, I found this publication to contain invaluable information. The author discusses the history of tying, of course, and there is a short section on aquatic insects and other foods that nurture our favorite fish. As a newcomer to tying, I have watched experts ply their skills. They work fast, and often the observer misses some vital step. This book allows the reader to work one step at a time, at his/her own pace. The true value of the instructions for the novice is the detailed coverage of fly tying materials. Not only, for example, does it present "hackle feathers," but the author provides beautiful photographs of each type of hackle feather along with specific applications for each. The author then instructs on techniques for each phase of the art by presenting several methods of tying of tails, to ribbing, bodies, wings, hackle, and finishing knots. Finally each of the previous elements of instruction is brought into play to create a finished fly. Not just a fly, but over 200 classic and new patterns are shown in step by step process.

By far, the most impressive features of the book are the beautiful step by step color photographs. There are hundreds of photos, and each is clear and precise in showing a particular step in the tying process.

I recommend the book especially to those who have just bought their first tying kit and are ready to get started. Fishers with some experience will also benefit from the clear instructions. Veteran tiers should see the work just to enjoy the art work. I picked up my copy at Borders for $19.99.