Kelly Creek Flycasters

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

***IMPORTANT NOTICE***

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE    

Zach Funkhouser - Kelly Creek Flycasters President

You’ve got to love the Pacific Northwest.  I truly believe, as I’m sure many of you do, that there’s no better place for a trout fisherman to be.  My season thus far has been great and it’s only just beginning.  I’ve hit the Caddis, BWOs, PMDs, Brown Drakes and Salmon flies on the Owyhee River, Billingsly Creek, Silver Creek and Rock Creek and I’ll be fishing the Henry’s Fork, SF of the Snake, Missouri, Lochsa and Rock Creek (again) all before the end of June.  The Brown Drakes on Silver Creek and the Salmon flies on Rock Creek were exceptional, both of those hatches are something to experience, huge dry flies and explosive takes, it doesn’t get any better than that.

While you are planning your fishing schedule this season I hope you take the time to attend our Lochsa fish-out.  It will be held the weekend of July 14^th and 15^th at the Wendover Campground on U.S. 12 at milepost 158.  We usually have very good attendance; several times we’ve had over 30 people, despite my attempts at Dutch oven cooking.  Fishing will be very good that time of year and weather is always pleasant. We’ll also perform our highway clean-up that weekend so remember to bring a pair of work gloves.  Join us for the fish-out, it’s sure to be a great time. 

Our 2007 Spring Banquet was a moderate success.  We didn’t get the attendance we were hoping for, but we did raise several thousand dollars for the club coffers.  Everyone appeared to have a good time and it was a nice evening.  Next year we’ve decided to form a banquet committee comprised of general club members.  We’re also considering holding the event in March in combination with our Lie-N-Tie, but there will more to follow on that idea.  One thing is for certain, every year it gets a little more difficult to execute a good fundraiser and it’s never too soon to begin thinking about next year.  If I approach you in the fall about serving on our committee, I hope you’ll consider participating.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly is the location of our June meeting.  As we continue to try and find a good home for our monthly meetings we’ve found another location we’d like to try.  The June meeting will be held and the Hell’s Gate Marina Restaurant, which is located down near the water near the docks.  It looks like a good location and it has a decent variety of menu items.  There is no fee for entering the park to the restaurant.  We think it will be fun to meet near the river and the facilities look like they are worth a try.  As always, dinner will be begin at 6:00pm and the meeting will begin about 7:15pm.  Please remember to be patient with the folks there and let the board know what you think of the place. 

Have great summer and see you on the water.

Zach 

Kelly Creek Flycasters JUNE Program

Thursday,June 14^th at 7:00PM

Hells Gate Marina, Lewiston ID

Program:  The South Fork of The Boise River  by  Glen Woodhouse.

The South Fork of the Boise River is an outstanding tail water wild Rainbow fishery in Southern Idaho. This presentation will be a pictorial discussion of the river, it’s seasons and hatches, BIG Bows, whitewater, camping, access and surrounding environment.

KELLY CREEK FLYCASTERS TREASURER’S REPORT

Account Balances through MAY, 2007

                                 Checking Account Balance:                                     $5,565.65

                                 Savings CD:                                                            $9,912.31

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

                                 Total Funds:                                                          $15,477.96

Kelly Creek Flycasters

2007  EVENT  SCHEDULE

Kelly Creek Flycasters Board of Directors

TYING CORNER - Ice Cream Cones-A Trout’s Delight

Article by Eric Schubert - North Idaho Fly Casters Club

Illustrations by Rann Haight - North Idaho Fly Casters Club

It's a fact-trout love Ice Cream Cones!

This month's fly pattern is appropriately named the Ice Cream Cone; due to its unique shape,

resembling a real ice cream cone. The pattern has taken Pacific Northwest fly fishers by storm in the past few years, due to its extreme effectiveness, especially in early-spring-lake conditions.

As with many fly patterns, it is often difficult to find the fly's originator. Most fly patterns undergo a metamorphosis; each fly tier adding or changing materials and colors to suit local conditions, or tying variations based on available materials. The Ice Cream Cone, this month's fly pattern, is most likely a product of several modifications from the original. Still I rate it as one of the most effective stillwater fly patterns in my fly box.

The Ice Cream Cone is representative of insects known as chironomids which particularly love lake environments. It also represents the emerging stage of this insect, commonly referred to as a pupa. These emergences from lake beds occur between 10AM and 4PM during the day. Chironomids take clever advantage of the warming water temperatures in order to promote their transformation as they rise to the top of the water. Early in the hatch the pupa hover near the bottom of a lake, gathering air and gasses to assist in their ascent. This ingestion of gasses and

available food sources causes the pupa to develop a specific coloration. Most chironomids also attain a high degree of shine as they get closer to the lake's surface.

The effectiveness of the Ice Cream Cone is based on its long-body size, its coloration as well as its shine. Luckily for fly tiers, this pattern is extremely easy to tie, with only a small amount of materials. Considering the price of commercially tied flies as well as prices of fly tying materials, this pattern is cheap and easy to tie. A Tiemco hook, style 200R # 14 gives this fly its needed proportions.

The head of the fly is made by sliding a small white glass bead onto the hook shank and securing it behind the hook eye. Glass beads can be found in abundance at local craft or sewing stores. The body is constructed merely of black or maroon tying thread, and covered by a ribbing of Krystal Flash or fine silver or copper wire. When constructing the body, make sure that you have an ice cream cone profile; larger at the head than at the tail. The tying thread should also cover the bottom portion of the glass bead. The final step is to give this fly several coats of Sally Hansen's Hard-As-Nails. This protective covering gives the fly its needed sheen and durability.

Using a floating line is the backbone presentation tool for the chironomid fly fisher and is ideal for depths of twenty feet or less. The challenge facing the angler with this method is the longer than average leaders necessary for success. Leaders of fifteen feet and longer are common

with this approach. Trout tend to feed near the bottom, so water depth is the barometer for determining leader length. Wait for the Ice Cream Cone fly to sink to the appropriate depth, and then begin a very slow hand-twist retrieve.

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.