Riffles, Runs & Lies January 2005

President’s Message………………….

 With the end of another year, I look back at all the good fishing I had this season. Though having a small child (and eventually two) and Diane’s pregnancy limited my fishing trips, I was able to head up the Lochsa a few times, including the spring Kelly Creek Flycaster’s Fishout and highway cleanup. The water was a bit high, but the fish were abundant and more than willing to take the fly. Add in some great dining care of Bob Clark and Zach Funkhouser - what more could you want after a hard day fishing.

The Club’s Christmas party was great - special thanks to Fred and Judy Smith and Dave and Gloria Clark for organizing it. Fred and Judy made the centerpieces and other decorations again this year - I stopped by their house the next week and it was covered with little white reindeer from the party. A few of us tied flies in the mall later in December, and handed out quite a few "freebies" to onlookers. Many were invited to the next club meeting, so hopefully we’ll be seeing some new faces in January.

A few corrections to the December newsletter - our new board members are Fred Trevey and Zach Funkhouser. Thanks to both of you for your commitment to making the Club run. Also, the membership renewal incentive gift will be drawn for at the March club meeting, so be sure to pay your membership dues by then! Club dues help support our monthly meeting presentations, allowing us to bring in some great speakers.

The coming year should have plenty of fun activities for the club. In addition to the spring and fall fish-outs/highway cleanups on the Lochsa, we’re planning to have the Lie & Tie, a lake fish-out, an outing to Kelly Creek, and a steelhead outing. Terry Nab has offered the use of Progressive Engineering for our monthly fly tying, which is held on the fourth Tuesday of the month, starting at 6:30 pm so be sure to show up for those, even if it is just to socialize.

At the January meeting we’ll be taking nominations for the Bill Alsbach Award, which is our Fly-fisher of the Year award given to any KCF member. The winner will be immortalized on our traveling trophy, so think hard about who should join the illustrious alumni of the past and bring that nomination to the next meeting. Everyone will be asked to nominate an individual at the beginning of the meeting; then we will take the top four nominations and the club membership will make its selection. All ballots will be confidential and the final selection will not be revealed until the Spring Banquet when the award is given. Please give this some thought, bring your nomination to the January meeting and lets have some fun with this.

Bill Lillibridge - President

The Tie N Lie will be on Feb 12, 2005 and will run from about 9 or 9:30 a.m. until around 3 or 4 p.m.
There will be a spaghetti feed once again with just a minor change. It will still be a serve yourself buffet with spaghetti, garlic bread, and tossed salad just as last year. We will begin serving around 1 p.m. hoping not ALL will eat at the same time we hope to have continued tying while some are eating. This year we have access to the upstairs for any activity OTHER THAN EATING. All food and beverages must be consumed downstairs.
    Those of you planning to tie or demo other activities probably should try and be there to set up and reserve your space early in the morning. I will be there between 8:30 and 9 am. If we plan to show videos we need our own TV and equipment. This may be something we could set up upstairs. 
    This is a club activity but we welcome the general public and perhaps we can recruit some new members. If you have any questions please call me at 751-1266. Also, Gloria will need some help with the meal and we need volunteers to take the garbage cans to the dump.
We will need our own garbage cans. If anyone has special ideas or thoughts, please let me know at the January or February meeting.

Dave Clark

Dick O’Dell, and a guest will take us to the Smith River where we’ll get up close and personal with one of Montana’s most scenic free flowing trout rivers.  The Smith River is one of the most well known streams in the U.S., in large part because of the unique experience it offers. For visitors lucky enough to draw float permits, the Smith River Canyon, with access to a 60-mile stretch of river only at its upper and lower ends, holds a pristine adventure. This incredible river draws floaters and fishermen from all over the country, come see why!

Kelly Creek Flycaster’s Board of Directors

Please post this calendar where it will remind you of club activities. When and if changes occur you will be notified in the newsletter. Mark your personal calendar so you can attend our club functions. Having a good time is what this is all about. If you have an addition or change you would like made, please notify a director or your president, and we will certainly consider it.

Riffles, Runs & Lies is edited by Zach Funkhouser on behalf of the Kelly Creek Flycasters. All club members are welcome to submit articles for inclusion into the club newsletter by contacting Zach at Zach-Bach84@cableone.net or by phone at (208) 743-0435.

Flat water glides like oil, pausing to slip

beneath my arm, extending like a bare

streamside willow, my eyes a focused stare

at my hopeful hoax. I watch the slow sip,

dainty, like tweezers; my heart takes a skip

and a mayfly spinner dies unaware

that the spurned fraud ahead was my despair.

Refused again! That’s it for this trip.

Devious cunning with feathers and thread

creates a counterfeit worthy of myth…

then back to my Waterloo, the streambed

again. Like a heron, I unfurl with

Baryshnikov flair, confidence galore,

and gape in dismay as I’m scorned once more.

• J.J Cebula

"As to Salmon, Walton scarcely speaks a true word about their habits, except by accident".

Rock Creek Montana, September 2004