Kelly Creek Flycasters

  www.kellycreekflycasters.com                      P.O. Box 2131 Lewiston, Idaho 83501

***IMPORTANT NOTICE***

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE    

Zach Funkhouser - Kelly Creek Flycasters President

   Well, April is finally here and it’s time to head to the Bitterroot, the Skwalas are out and the reports are good.  Our members have been running low on fish stories lately so I’d say it’s time to start recharging those reserves be hitting the river.  I plan to be there for 3 days this weekend and it would be fun to bump in to some familiar faces on the river.

   Our annual spring banquet is just around the corner.  I hope everyone has marked their calendars for Friday May 11^th.  We’ve begun to receive raffle items and booked the Stern Wheeler room at the Quality Inn, just as we did last year.  At the March meeting, I circulated a donation list and I’ll be doing that again next week.  If you have not signed up to donate something to the banquet, I hope you will consider doing that.  These events require all of our support and they are always so much fun.

   The board has decided to update the club Bylaws, a project which was considered a couple years ago but put on hold due to mid-term changes in board membership.  In order to accomplish this task, the board will be making recommendations to the club and seeking club input on those changes at our regular June meeting.  Our currently Bylaws are dated 1991 so this task is well overdue and hopefully, will be fairly painless.  Our goal is to have this complete by the time we break for the summer session.  If any club members are interested in seeing the current Bylaws they can e-mail me and I will be happy to send out an electronic copy. 

   I’d like to remind the club of a couple items.  We are still looking for a fish-out leader for the fall Lochsa trip, so if you are interested please volunteer for that at the next meeting.  Also, over the last couple of years I’ve overseen the women’s fly fishing class that we’ve sponsored with the Wild Turkey Federation.  The class has always been a tremendous success and generally several students join our club afterward.  This year’s class will be held on either September 15 and 16 or Sept 22 and 23.  This is a very labor intensive effort and we generally need about 10 fly fishers to help instruct and fish with students.  Please consider assisting us this year.  It’s a fun weekend on Kelly Creek which always has wide reaching benefits to our club. 

   It’s time to go fishing, take care and I look forward to seeing you at the meeting next week.

Catch you on the fly………

Zach 

Kelly Creek Flycasters April Program

Thursday, April 12^th at 7:00PM

China Inn, Lewiston ID

Program:  Fishing the Missouri by Neale Streeks

Neale Streeks says, I have always held a soft spot for spring creek fishing.  The clear water, heavy hatches, and technical fishing take a second place to the opportunity to visually lock on to your quarry and watch its response to my fly.  It is a very visually satisfying experience.  Most spring creeks are small waters, but there are big rivers that seem very “springy” in nature; like the Yellowstone (in the Park) and the Missouri River. 

Neale Streeks is a professional trout guide in Montana, and has authored 5 books on fly-fishing.  Neale will be offering a focused look at the hatches, fishing conditions on the Missouri River throughout the seasons, fish behavior as it relates to us fly-fishers, and fly patterns.  His show is more oriented to the self guided, do-it-yourselfer, but I’m sure he will not be opposed to booking you for a trip…..

 Northwest Fly Tiers and Fly Fishing Expo

Last month I attended the 19^th Northwest Fly Tiers and Fly Fishing Expo held in Albany, Oregon. This is an annual event sponsored by the Oregon Chapter of the Federation of Fly Fishers. The previous Expos were a one day affair held in Eugene but this was the first two day event. The facilities were larger and more modern which made it less crowded for those attending.

The event was held the 9^th and 10^th of March. Some of the events were:

·        107 fly tiers the first day and 191 the second day. There were many Salmon flies demonstrated as well as salt water flies, steelhead flies, and a vast assortment of trout flies. There was definitely something for every interest and you couldn’t come away without learning something new.

·        There were 22 paid classes the first day and 24 the second. Fly casting, entomology, fly tying, and related topics.

·        There were 10 free presentations and 12 the second day that covered various aspects of interest to fly fishermen.

·        25 exhibitors were present where you could buy rods, tying materials, books or boats.

·         There were 12 silent auction tables the first day and 13 the second. Many “good deals” were had if you stayed around when the tables closed.

·        There were 10 tables set up, each with a different fly that beginners could tie at no cost. Each was manned with an instructor to guide the beginner.

It concluded on Saturday with a banquet and live auction. I didn’t attend the banquet but our own Will Godfrey was the auctioneer and he informed me they took in approximately $25,000.

One thing I noted was the number of young school kids the first day. At first I thought it might be spring break, but later found out they had been bussed in from local schools. They were given free casting and fly tying lessons. It was good to see their enthusiasm and know for many this wouldn’t be their last experience at fly fishing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show this year and talking with the people from the OR Chapter, know the two day show will become an annual event. I’m now looking forward to the Rocky Mountain Chapter show to be held in Idaho Falls the 20^th and 21^st of this month. I never came away from one of these events disappointed or not having learned something.

Bruce Young

Board Member

KELLY CREEK FLYCASTERS TREASURER’S REPORT

Account Balances through March, 2007

                          Checking Account Balance:                    $2,720.20

                          Savings CD:                                          $9,882.25

                                                                                   ----------------

                          Total Funds:                                        $12,602.45

Kelly Creek Flycasters

2007  EVENT  SCHEDULE

Kelly Creek Flycasters Board of Directors

TYING CORNER – Mickey Finn

Article by Eric Schubert - North Idaho Fly Casters Club

Illustrations by Adrian Jund - North Idaho Fly Casters Club

On February 10, 2007, I had the privilege of attending the "Fly, Tie and Lie" Fly Fishing Clinic in Lewiston,

Idaho. This annual event, sponsored by the Kelly Creek Fly Casters Club provides an opportunity for the public to view the many aspects of the fly fishing sport, including fly casting, fly tying, entomology and other related topics. Club President Zach Funkhouser as well as many support members of this club conduct numerous hours of planning, resulting in an event that is both well coordinated and presented.

While attending this Clinic, and others around the Northwest I always give my undivided attention to new fly tying techniques as well as new tiers who willingly demonstrate the art of fly tying.

One of the fly tiers that I had not seen for a number of years was Will Godfrey. Mr. Godfrey was a one-time Commissioner with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and has been fly fishing and tying flies for almost 60 years. As an outfitter for over twenty five years, Will honed his fly tying skills during the winter months, when guiding services traditionally get a work reprieve. One of Will's more famous friends and clients was the late Joe Brooks, with whom Will spent considerable time each summer as a guide. As a "dyed-in-the-wool" fly tier, it is a real treat to watch his fly tying skills as well as his interest in handing down the techniques of fly tying to a younger generation of tiers.

During the Lewiston Clinic, Will took the time to instruct an old reliable fly fishing pattern to Adam Scrimcher, a talented 11 year old fly tier from the local area. Adam attends Asotin Elementary School and has been actively tying flies for over a year; he is developing outstanding tying skills.

Adam tied an often used Mickey Finn fly during the Clinic, which we are featuring as the Fly of the Month. The Mickey Finn is a traditional streamer pattern named after the infamous drink that was meant to render its drinker unconscious. The fly was used primarily in the eastern part of the United States, but found its real popularity at southern Idaho's Henry's Lake, where it is still the fly of choice for many anglers.

The Mickey Finn is tied using a long-shanked hook such as the Mustad 3665A, in size 6 being the most popular. The body consists of wide silver tinsel covered with a round silver braid for its segmentation. The wing of the fly is comprised of yellow, black and yellow layers of dyed bucktail. When tying the layered bucktail sections onto the hook shank, be sure to cut the "butt" ends at an angle. This will allow for the formation of a large thread-head which is needed for this fly. The last step is to coat the head portion with several coats of lacquer before adding glue-on-eyes or painted eyes. When the eyes are completed, cover them with another several coats of lacquer or head cement.

Use a full sink line to present the Mickey Finn in a lake environment; just above the weedline. Spring is an excellent time to use this fly; especially before damselflies become available to the fish. Retrieve the fly with a darting type retrieve or any retrieve that will give the fly lots of action.

Tie this pattern with a variety of bucktail colors, paying close attention to the colors of the baitfish that are present in your area.

Riffles, Runs & Lies is edited by Diane Lillibridge on behalf of the Kelly Creek Flycasters.

All club members are welcome to submit articles for inclusion into the club newsletter by contacting

Diane at KCFNewsletter@cableone.net or by phone at (208) 743-8970.