Kelly Creek Flycasters

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE    

Saker Medevarapu - Kelly Creek Flycasters President

Greeting fellow club members!  Although this year seems to be whipping by, winter does not appear to be giving up without a struggle!  I usually have fished some of the Eastern Washington lakes by now but you need to take an auger if you want to find some open water!  I went on my first fishing trip last weekend to the Bitterroot, as my luck would have it, I timed it just right for a winter storm warning.  Right up until Friday last week, the Skwalas had been popping pretty good down by Florence, but the cold snap really shut things down.  There was 3 inches of snow when I went out Saturday morning, and the fish had some serious lock jaw.  I belly snagged a few browns during the morning nymphing, but it was not until about 1pm that the fish started to become active.  I managed to pound a few up with Skwalas and got into a pretty good BWO hatch (which the fish totally ignored).  Eventually I decided to just walk the river and only stop if I saw heads.  Most of these fish were midging fish and they were pretty hot but VERY selective.

I used to think that the Clearwater during steelhead season gets pounded on, but the Bitterroot is just CRAWLING with fisherman!  If you go, my advice for you is to find out where the best fishing is going on and then stay as far away from that area as you possibly can!  Believe me, you will thank me!  I know several club members have been fishing these past few weeks, so I look forward to hearing some fresh fish stories at the next meeting.

I will be calling for a volunteer for a program chair at the next board meeting.  Ginny Foote has had to extend her stay in California to attend her ailing mother and, understandably, does not have time for that commitment.  We have a long history of getting some pretty good shows and I hope someone steps forward to continue that tradition.

Saker Medavarapu

Kelly Creek Flycasters APRIL Program

Thursday, April 10^th at 7:00PM

China Inn, Lewiston ID

Program:  Potlatch River Steelhead  by Brett Bowersox and Danielle Schiff, IDF&G

When thinking of steelhead rivers, you might picture rivers such as the Clearwater, the Snake, and the Salmon. The Potlatch River probably doesn’t come to mind but perhaps it should. It is home to a resilient run of wild A-run steelheads that are surviving in spite of the hostile environment they find themselves. The Potlatch is prone to flash floods; parts of it go dry in the summer; and the upper basins where the steelhead return are low on spawning habitat. Even though the watershed is in a deteriorated state, it continues to send its surviving smolt to the sea. We can’t help but wonder how many more could be sent if the watershed were restored toward a more habitable state.

A large joint project has been organized and is currently underway on the Potlatch River watershed to make the watershed more hospitable for fish. Come hear more about this exciting project from Brett Bowersox & Dannielle Schiff.

Brett Bowersox is a fisheries biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. He leads a steelhead monitoring program on Potlatch Creek to determine whether riparian restoration efforts, primarily in the upper reaches of the watershed, are having a favorable influence on the steelhead populations.

Danielle Schiff is a habitat biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. She plans, organizes, and leads habitat restoration efforts within the Potlatch watershed project

IT

I saw my first fly rod around age 12.  It was yellow, had an automatic reel and didn’t interest me a bit.  It wasn’t until the end of my college years that I picked-up a rod and really wondered what it was all about.  I attempted to use it a few times, but for the most part I enjoyed the scenery more then the fishing.  I liked to go fishing and once in a while I actually caught a fish, but I never really felt it.  I never lost my self in a pool or a riffle, crouched over, mesmerized by the fly on the water, just waiting for that moment when the fly disappears and the line draws tight.  Explaining what it is, is impossible...it’s fishing. 

When I saw the ad in the Tribune for the Women’s Fly Fishing Class, I thought “what the heck, I might learn something.”  So I signed up, paid the class fee and went to the first evening class.  To my surprise I had very little knowledge about what I was doing.  This was not pointed out to me, it was my own quiet little revelation as I sat in class learning about different types of flies, how to use them and where to use them.  But the real learning started when we took out rods out to the lawn.  This is where the affectionately called and ever knowledgeable “Old Guys” began to share their wealth of information with class.  It was both fun and frustrating, but no matter what there was an “Old Guy” there telling you how you were doing.  At first there was a lot of, “You’re breaking your wrist,” “You’re dropping the rod tip,” “Keep your loop tight.”  But by the end of the class and a weekend of fishing, we were a group of women that were catching fish…and didn’t look half bad doing it.

So, I’m not sure of the exact moment that I first felt it.  It took some learning and some good teachers to find it. I’m not the most knowledgeable, talented or graceful, but I do love it, all of it.  I can go a whole day and not catch a fish but I’m still fishing, lost in the moment, just me and a fly…and that’s it.

Laura Hildebrandt

Board Member

KELLY CREEK FLYCASTERS TREASURER’S REPORT

Account Balances through FEBRUARY, 2008

Kelly Creek Flycasters

2008  EVENT  SCHEDULE

Kelly Creek Flycasters Board of Directors

TYING CORNER – Bionic Worm

Article by Bob Bates, FFF Clubwire

Stephen Jackson tied some of his favorite flies at the 2008 Northwest Fly Tiers Expo in Albany, Oregon. One was this Bionic Worm which is a modification of a Bionic Worm he saw in Flies of the Northwest by the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club, published by Frank Amato Publications, Inc. He added things he wanted and changed things he didn’t want. It might be called a marriage of the Bionic Worm and bloodworm patterns. The result is a fly that catches fish better in his waters. Fly patterns are not set in concrete; if you have an idea for improving a pattern tie it and test it on the waters you fish. If you want to see another version of the Bionic Worm it is in the FFF Fly of the Month for September, 2005.

Usually the Bionic Worm is fished using a floating line and a strike indicator. In talking about another fly he said that he starts with the fly 6 inches above the bottom, and if nothing happens he raises the fly another 6 inches. Eventually he finds the fish. Fish are not always on the bottom. I have found fish 2 feet under the surface in 5 feet of water or 4 feet under the surface in 10 feet of water. Stephen fishes it early in the year.

The hook he uses makes hooking a little easier. Its patented point shape is so “sticky” that frequently the fish hook themselves. (Laboratory tests show it penetrates 7 times easier than other hooks.) Even if he is not paying attention when the strike indicator moves, the fish might be hooked anyway.

This pattern imitates the Chironomid larvae that are found in most still waters and some slow moving streams. The larvae live in the bottom mud or silt. They compensate for the oxygen deficient environment by having extra hemoglobin, which gives them their red color. Sizes of the natural might be from about 1-1/2 inches to about 1/4-inch.

Materials & Equipment:

Hook: Daiichi Xpoint 120, sizes 10, 12 and 14
Bead: Tungsten 7/64- to 1/8-inch, black or silver
Thread: Uni, red 8/0
Tail: Marabou, red
Rib: Silver wire, fine or small
Overbody: Scud Back, Red

Step 1: Put on bead. Smash the barb before tying the fly if you want to go barbless.

Step 2:  Start thread behind bead, and tie on marabou. Moisten fingers a little and rub marabou to control it and get a better idea of length desired. 

Step 3: Wind thread over marabou toward rear of hook. Hold the marabou on top of the hook as you wind. Cut Scud Back on a sharp angle and tie it in at back of hook. Barely trap the point of the scud back so there is no bump.

Step 4:  Tie on silver wire rib at back of body and wind thread forward.
 

Step 5:   Spiral wire forward and build up a little at the bead.
 

Step 6:  Wind Scud Back forward, overlap it just a little.  This overwrap increases the fly’s durability. Pull on the Scud Back as it is wrapped so the wire shows through. Be sure to pull on thread before you cut the excess Scud Back.  If you don’t it might unwrap on you.  Whip finish and put on a little head cement on the thread.

Closing Comments: This is a simple pattern that has fooled a lot of fish.  Sometimes the simplest patterns are the best. I am going to tie some of these Bionic Worms as soon as I get the hooks. Your fly shop might have to order the hooks for you.

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.