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 Boy Scouts put out a request for assistance, and Dame Juliana answered the call. Mr. Dennis Runyon, representing BSA, District 1, asked whether Dame Juliana members would be interested in presenting a fly fishing exhibit at the annual Camporee held at French Creek State Park on October 6, 2007. DJL President, Bob Molzahn asked for volunteers, and our membership responded in fine fashion. The event lasted from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The presentation consisted of a display of fly fishing tackle and gear, fly tying, casting, and the DJL trifold display providing information on our club. The display attracted a number of scouts and a greater number of adult leaders. Of special interest were the fly tying demonstrations. We would like to thank the Sidewater family (Beth, Elliot, and Eric), Joe King, Joe Raybold, and Roy Cubbler for setting up and assisting in this endeavor. Those who are aware of the drop off in interest (especially by young people) in most outdoor sports will realize the value of such outreach programs. Thanks again to those who gave of their time for this event.

We are very pleased to announce that through the courtesy of Jack Mickowicz, you will be able to obtain the fishing gear and tying materials you need, and at the same time you will be benefiting our club’s treasury. Jack has made it known that he is able to obtain nearly anything you can name which is related to fly fishing. He will obtain what you need and charge you only a tiny bit above his cost. In addition, he will donate a portion of the price to the treasury of our club. Here is the way it works. Make a list of your needs, include brand names if they are important, and specific information concerning the material. Email that list to me at cubblers@aol.com. I will forward the list to Jack, and he will obtain the material and or equipment for you, and, depending on what is included, get it to you via first class mail, or deliver it to you at a DJL meeting. Such a deal. Here’s a chance for you to improve your tackle and gear and help our club at the same time.

Every once in a while, we run into an individual who just seems to have the inside track in some area of expertise. When it comes to fly fishing, that individual is Jack Mickowicz. Jack has learned the intricacies of fly fishing, applies them without problem, and is willing to teach them to others who express an interest. Jack lives in Douglassville with his wife, Carol Lynn. They have a son Scott and two grandchildren, Erin, 8 years old, and Adam, who is 3. Jack operated a fly shop until his retirement, and now works part-time for French Creek Outfitters, and that is a good thing for those of us who go there just to ask him a question about our sport.

He has been a member of Dame Juliana League Fly Fishers for as long as the club has existed, and is especially pleased by the fact that as a founding member, he has free lifetime membership. As a long time member, he has participated in practically every DJL event and activity at one time or another. He is practically a fixture at the annual fly fishing course and that is one of the places where one can observe how much he enjoys sharing his knowledge with others.

Jack enjoys many types of fishing, and when asked to name his favorite streams, he reels them off with ease: Rock Creek, The Bitterroot, Big Hole, Cross Forks, Beaver Meadows, West Branch of the Perkiomen, and the West Fork. His hobbies involve fly tying, rod making and, rock cracking. Now, if you are like this reporter, the question arises, “What in God’s name is rock cracking?” Before I had a chance to ask, Jack filled me in: Rock cracking is making stone tools the way the Native Americans used to. He demonstrates this skill at the Native American Museum of Indian Culture at the Little Lehigh. 

This man of many talents has written articles for Flytyer Magazine and, as the article on Page 1 of Streamside points out, he still has sufficient connections to obtain fly tying and fishing supplies and is more than willing to help us purchase such material. Because of his expertise, and his contribution to Dame Juliana League, this issue’s spotlight is on Jack Mickowicz.
. 

Hi All,

 It's been a while. Rain has returned to the valley and the peaks are snowcapped again, summer fires all extinguished. Fishing season is winding down, but going out with a bang. I fished the MO River below Hauser Dam this past weekend. TP was going to meet me there but he got bogged down in mats of decaying vegetation and multitudes of rising fish on the Bighorn. He has his own tale to tell, featuring a sinking driftboat, a broken rod, a scarcity of beer, and lots of catching going on. 

Anyway, my understanding was that browns run up to Hauser Dam from Holter Lake each fall to spawn, including some very large ones. Many fishless hours of freezing cold, high winds, and snow squalls were to be expected; but if you stuck it out long enough, you might catch a brown as long as your leg. The drive up was spectacular, a couple inches of snow overnight made every hillside sparkle in the morning sun. The river below Hauser flows through a rocky canyon; pretty scenic....

The first thing I saw when I got to the water was some bright red fish with green heads, finning next to shore. It turned out they were kokanee salmon (landlocked sockeyes), up from Holter to spawn. No matter where they are, pacific salmon seem to attract knuckleheads and sure enough, 3 or 4 guys were busy butthooking them right below the dam. "That one definitely ate it,” as they dragged another struggling carcass ashore tail-first. Seeing that made me feel right at home.

I figured the presence of a zillion salmon eggs in the water wouldn't hurt the fishing, and so rigged up with a globug and bullwinkle. A couple casts into it I had one of those "never saw 'em" experiences; a take, a long, fast, continuous run into backing, and the inevitable broken tippet. Interesting. A little while later I hooked into the first of what would be quite a few rainbows. The lake fish ran from 14-24" and were all fired up; running, jumping, twisting. And they were all rainbows, except for a few egg-stuffed whities that looked like they'd been blown up with air.

The experience was like a cross between steelhead and trout fishing. The catching was far better in low light, under clouds or after 3:00 pm when the sun dipped below the canyon walls. Under sunlit skies, you could cast for hours and catch almost nothing, or nap on the bank and catch exactly nothing.

Saturday night I went to the local bar and grill for a burger and beer, before camping out for the night. Picture the Altmar Hotel in a drier place with a rougher crowd. Walking in, I saw guy who could have been named Lurch, talking loudly at two women who had been unlucky enough to fall under his leering gaze. I heard him say, "They usually kick me out of bars before I have a chance to get really drunk.” I chatted with the barkeeper, had a surprisingly good burger and a couple of Fat Tire ales, and avoided eye contact with Lurch. I also noted that the bartender kept a bottle of bear spray among the liquor bottles, right next to the CR, actually. 

I camped out at Lake Hauser Saturday night and woke to frigid conditions, frost on this and every other pumpkin... 

After a slow start to the morning I got on the water at the crack of 9:30 and caught very few fish on very many casts, until the witching hour of 3:00 p.m. rolled around, when things picked up again. Eventually, I pinged a kokanee square in the nose with a bullwinkle and it stuck… And not too much after that, I caught the only brown I saw all weekend... 

A lady who'd been fishing above me came trotting down to see what all the commotion was and when she saw the fish, got more excited that I was. "Holy cow look at that how much do ya think it weighs? Look at the colors. Oh my, is that the biggest one you ever caught? Goodness sakes, my husband would..." Seemed like a good end to the trip, so I packed it up and headed home, early, no less.

Lessons Learned:

1. Know when to cast versus when to nap.
2. If you see a bottle of bear spray behind the bar, be nice to the bartender.
3. Salmon and butthookers are completely symbiotic. 

Tight lines. 

Zig

Board members of The Dame Juliana League Fly Fishers met at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 22, 2007 in the meeting hall of the Kimberton Fire Comapany. In Attendance were President Bob Molzahn, Troy Dunn, Bob Moser, Ted Nawalinski, Joe King, Joe Vasile, Roy Cubbler, Larry Heimes, Rick Stevens, and Sheldon Toombs.

Treasurer, Joe Vasile, provided his report which featured an interesting comparison of expenses and income for 2006 and 2007. Our assets as of 10/20/07 are $7,198.21, and our expenditures for that term totaled $3,314.38. Interestingly, the fly fishing course brought in $1,680. The raffles held at each meeting brought in $440. 

Board members discussed proposed donations to MAC FFF, GVA, CC Conservation Camp, and the French Creek and Pickering Creek Trust, and agreed to continue our financial help to those organizations. 

Membership chair, Troy Dunn reported that membership numbers continues to drop. In many cases, people wish to stay in the club, but simply forget to pay dues. Another factor may be a general trend by the public which seems to indicate an overall lack of interest in outdoor sports and activities. Fishing license applications have dropped considerably in recent years. 

Stream improvement activity continues to be stalled due to equipment, grant issues, and manpower needs required for the ambitious plan to place tons of stone at a strategic location in the French Creek. The amount of work required is probably beyond the ken of our group. 

A major area of concern has to do with the cost and coverage of our insurance policy, and the question of liability waivers suggested by the insurance carrier. The question is, should each member of DJL be asked to sign a general liability waiver which would cover all meetings and club-sponsored events. This question was tabled until Bob has a chance to discuss the issue with an attorney. Needless to say, people who are not members of DJL but who attend events (Fly Fishing Course) or meetings are also a concern insofar as waivers are concerned

As you know, Bob Molzahn has indicated his desire to step away from the presidency of DJL. All agree that Bob has served long and well and it is with regret that we see him leave that office. He promises to stay active. The board then nominated Troy Dunn as president, and Lance Morian to replace Troy as Membership Chairperson, Sheldon Toombs announced that he would also like to be relieved of his duties as board member, and Bob will check with the membership to find a possible replacement for Shel. Club members may also nominate people for offices from the floor.

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.