ALAMO FLY FISHERS Page 1 of 8 October, 2013 San Antonio, Texas

What’s Inside Presidents Message-”Too

Busy”………………………...….1

Speaker(s)– …..……………...….2

Fly of the Month…………..…...3

Scouting Report…………………4

Just one more Cast-”Make Book On It”.….………………..5

AFF MEETING

Tuesday October, 15th

Alamo Heights Presbyterian Church

President's Message

“Too Busy”

by Tim Constanzo

Well another month has slipped by and I am still looking for an opportunity to spend

some quality time on the water. Work and responsibilities on the home front have been a

little oppressive lately and I am looking forward to the merry-go-round of life slowing

down enough that I can get off and enjoy some fishing. I have luckily cleared my calendar

to attend Oktoberfisch and very much looking forward to the event.

So, what do you do when you can’t find the time to get out on the water? Well, there are

a couple of things that I do to tide me over until my schedule frees up enough to wet a line

and it keeps me in tune and ready when opportunity knocks.

The first thing is that I keep a rod lined with a piece of yarn on the tippet in the garage.

Whenever I am at home and going abut my chores, I can take a 5 or ten minute break in the

front yard. The rod is already rigged and ready for a quick 5 or ten minute session of cast-

ing.

I was inspired by our casting games, so much so that I made a free standing hop and

stuck it in one end of my front yard. I have just enough room to practice tight loops with a

touch of control. So far, this has kept me busy but there were a couple more exercises that

I want to add to my practice course; a Velcro target and a series of hoops at varying dis-

tances will help round out the essential skills to be successful. One thing that has become

evident in conversations about what casting skills are needed is that you need to be quick

and accurate at distances from 20 to 35-ft, which is about the limit of when you can see the

fish and you have to be quick because the fish can see you too. This works well for all

those that don’t have a yard that resembles a city park.

There is something about making the line float in the air and fall to the water, or ground.

It’s a brief escape but I can see some improvements in my casting stroke. I also think that

it takes a lot of time and practice to learn to feel the line loading the rod and to train the

muscle memory to perform the cast in an automatic and natural way where you don’t have

to think so much about what you are doing and focus on where you want the fly to go and

the finer points of presentation. Its good therapy and helps relieve stress without taking a

whole day when you know “things” are waiting for you when you return. So, if you have a

place to do a little casting that is convenient, set up a rod and keep handy for those quick

escapes and tune that cast.

The second thing I do is to break out the fly tying vice and materials and tie a few flies.

Fly tying is one of those things that I do more out of necessity than therapy, but there is an

element of satisfaction when you fish the flies you tie. There is also the creative aspect of

tying. Its not often when art is so functional and although most people would necessarily

consider flies as works of beauty, the real judges are the fish. My favorite patterns are al-

ways simple and easy to tie. This is in part due my limited tying skills and time to dedicate (Continued on page 2)

After a day of fishing the Llano River,

fly fishers beach their kayaks at Mor-

gan Shady Park at Oktoberfisch.

Page 2 October, 2013

Speaker Alamo Fly Fishers Officers

Regular Activities Meetings are held the third Tuesday of every

month, 7 p.m. at Alamo Heights Presbyterian

Church, 6201 Broadway.

Fly tying sessions are held every Tuesday at

7 p.m., with the exception of meeting night.

Bring your vise and tying gear or just come and

share in the discussion.

Alamo Fly Fishers

PO Box 6224

San Antonio, TX 78209 Www.alamoflyfishers.org

info@alamoflyfishers.org

President Tim Constanzo (210) 416-6191

Vice President/

Secretary

Walter Ross (210) 324-1359

Treasurer Jeffrey Michels (210) 428-1814

Outings Director Walter Ross

(interim)

(210) 722-0430

Education

Coordinator

Bill Slough (210) 826-6697

Conservation

Officer

David Reichert (210) 885-8613

Web Master Kevin Archer (210)-792-9371

Newsletter Tim Constanzo (210) 416-6191

to the craft. I am always amazed when read an article about a

fly that is a twists on some of the older patterns and oddly

enough, are typically simple but amazingly effective. I espe-

cially enjoy reading about the history of many of the flies show

cased in magazines, websites, and newsletters, like our own.

These are great sources for the latest evolution of flies and can

save you lots of time and money on store bought flies that look

good, but the fish don’t appreciate so much. When I find a pat-

tern that I want to tie, I will follow the recipe a couple of times

and if a I can simplify some aspect, I do, and later, I can test

whether the extra effort is really needed. When you tie your

own, you can vary the colors and sizes to cover the mood of the

day.

Anyhow, you get the picture, tying and casting are facets of

the sport that you can do at home when you can’t get out there

on the water and it keeps your skills tuned and flies ready for

those opportunities when they come up.

Tight Loops,

Tim Constanzo

AFF President

(Continued from page 1)

We have Jerry Hammond and Russell Husted coming in from

the Dallas/Fort Worth area. As you know Russell is the presi-

dent of the Texas Council and Jerry is one of the TC officers (I

think). Jerry also introduced me to the Kayak Instruction STAR

Fishing Team. The KI STAR Fishing Team is made up of indi-

viduals who have a strong desire to grow the sport of kayak fish-

ing through education, tournaments, social events, and social

media thus becoming ambassadors for the sport of kayak fishing.

Anyway, Jerry will speak on urban fishing and Russell will talk

about The Texas Council, Charter membership, and the upcom-

ing Expo in June which will be in New Braunfels.

Jerry’s presentation is to make folks aware of the awesome fly

fishing opportunities that exist right in their own neighborhoods.

Ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers can be hidden treasure for the

Texas fly fisherman. Tips and tactics for Urban Combat Fly

Fishing in Texas.

Come join us, 7:00p at the church, Alamo Heights Presbyterian,

6201 Broadway. Hope to see you there!

Walter Ross

AFF Vice President

Page 3 October, 2013

Fly of the Month – “Smartt’s Glass Minnow”

By Rob Burlingame

In stepping out of the

house this morning, I

finally got a real sign of

the seasons shifting.

With a brisk 50 some odd

degree morning, it is

starting to feel like fall.

Even better news are the

highs that have floated

around the low 80s. If

only I could freeze time at work to slip down to the coast for what is

sure to be great fall action. Large pods of fish can often be seen on

the flats as the sun warms the water each day, and they are almost

always in search of food. For those who are up for an adventure,

this time of year offers a wonderful phenomenon that is often filled

with non-stop action. If you have ever wanted to try your hand at

fishing the surf on PINS, this is certainly the time of year to do it.

As the annual bait migration shifts into full swing, you will see

hoards of sardines, glass minnows and other baitfish running the

edge of the surf in huge strings. Of course, with the little fish

stacked up like cord wood, the bigger fish come calling, like trout,

redfish, whiting, big ladyfish and many other mid-size predators.

When those species show up, the even larger predators like Jack

Crevalle, Tarpon and bull reds can often be found in close pursuit.

You will have a chance to witness impressive displays of aerial fish

attacks and brutal underwater battles as the food chain erupts liter-

ally at your feet. Equip a 6-10 weight fly rod (depending on spe-

cies) with a good intermediate line and run the beach looking for

action. You won’t be sorry that you did!

It is not often that I feature a fly from the same tyer two months

in a row, but I had to make an exception and share another of Casey

Smartt’s flies that is ideal for this time of year. When deciding

what fly to share each month, I focus on two main aspects of the fly.

First, I try to match the fly to the time of year and prevalent target

species that correlate. Second, I look for flies that have a lot of

crossover, being productive for multiple species and sometimes

multiple seasons. This month’s fly fits both nicely and could be

classified as an all-purpose solution for many situations, even more

species and nearly every season. Welcome Smartt’s Glass Minnow.

Before I move along, I do have to give credit to Casey Smartt for

this pattern and would encourage you to visit his website for in-

structional tying videos (among many other helpful resources) on

his web site: www.caseysmartt.com. When Casey shared this fly

with our club, I could tell right away that several would someday

wind up in my box…it just screams success!

Smartt’s Glass Minnow would be an excellent option for the trip

to the surf I mentioned at the opening of this article. It is also a

very effective fly for stripers and white bass to fill your late winter

and spring box. I could see the fly working well as a streamer pat-

tern for trout fishing in the winter as well. As the weather heats up,

I would expect the fly would work well on our Hill Country rivers

and on lakes for bass, catfish, crappie and other predators. Cer-

tainly, if you find yourself under the lights at the coast, this would

be well worth your time to throw. Pretty much anything that eats

small baitfish would consider this fly a fine offering! Casey ties

this fly primarily in a pearl color with a grey back, but use your

creativity and create some other color schemes that work well for

you. After some practice and a few trial runs, I would not be sur-

prised if you filled a good portion of your fly box with this pattern!

Materials:

Hook: Mustad 34007 or similar, size 2-8

Thread: Clear Nylon Mono

Eyes: 3D Stick on eyes

Flash: Krystal Flash, pearl

Tail: Synthetic Fiber, white (Supreme Hair, Super Hair, etc.)

Body: Ice Dub, pearl (from Hairline Dubbin)

Other: Aleene’s Fabric Fusion, Prismacolor marker (60% grey), Velcro (hook end)

Tying Steps:

1) Start by laying a good base of thread along the hook shank, ending your wraps toward the bend of the hook.

2) Tie in a thin clump of the tail material of your choice. Re-member that less is more here. You do not want a lot of bulk on the tail, just enough fiber to extend the body of the fly a little.

3) Tie in two strands of Krystal Flash on top of the tail and trim the length to match the tail.

4) Spin a thin clump of dubbing onto your thread, working the material so that it covers about 6 inches of the thread. The trick here is to only spin the material one direction when applying it to the thread. Try to keep the dub-bing a uniform thickness so that it will wrap easier.

5) Starting at the tail, wrap the dubbed thread evenly to-ward the eye of the hook. Try to create a tapered body with a thicker head section and gradually getting thinner toward the tail. Stop wrap-ping just behind the hook

(Continued on page 8)

Page 4 October, 2013

SCOUTING REPORT

By Clay Gill

Howdy and welcome to the Alamo Fly Fishers! All are welcome

and you are invited to come join us for a meeting or outing to get

started on your life long journey fly fishing. Everyone is welcome

and please contact us if you have any special needs. There are ongo-

ing classes in all aspects of fly fishing and skills related areas all

year long. We have club officers who specialize in those areas and

are glad to help you. We all started the same way and have no fear

of complicated lingo and rigging. We will have you on the water

catching fish before you know it!

Our spy on the coast (old club officer and now Rockport resi-

dent), tells me everyone has been catching the oversize Reds for

some time now and he got his share of them in the last few days. He

has joined the guys down there and that club meets often and tells

all to trusted friends on the recent hot spots. Jon tells me it has been

hot but great fishing all along the coast. My contact at Port O’ Con-

nor indicated the fall fishing was consistent and there were plenty of

fish ganged up on tide flows. For those that can read the birds this

has been a very effective way to locate moving fish and feed fren-

zies. The back lakes are top secret lately and legendary at times.

The bait is moving now and the surf on Padre should be prime

right now. Run and gun that 25-35 mile-markers and enjoy soon!

Jacks Mackerel and Ladyfish mixed with smaller Sharks and Tar-

pon, can be on the outside of those “bait balls”, which appear to be a

dark cloud of seaweed in the near shore surf. Have wire if you ven-

ture as you may get slashed off with mono tippet by the toothy guys,

and they do not fool around! Have plenty of backing any time you

fish the surf.

Good news is -the new plans for Cedar Bayou, which is getting

close on the money needed. Grants next year might do the trick. If

you have never fished it back when it was open it is an unbelievable

place! The near shore reefs the TPWD is planning to place off Texas

beaches is a worthy project for coastal fishermen. There is a lot of

information regarding all this activity on the web, and the projected

dates and implementation will be coming soon as the plans evolve,

and money comes in..

For those with sturdy sport boats worthy of the open ocean artifi-

cial reefs can be some easily accessible fishing that will be big-

game style fishing activity. Venture out for this, but be prepared.

Open ocean can turn deadly choppy quickly, and not at all a place

for novice’s. Many will find outstanding fishing close to shore out

from the planned port access. The goal is a reef for all passes along

the coast.

Freshwater flows are slow to nothing, and the days of drift trips

on the area rivers is like a dream now. Some rivers still flow but it

does not look good for lake filling rains that might allow our White

Bass fans some spawners in the spring. Last spring we went up the

Guad above Canyon and the usual places to catch fish were high

and dry. We had about one month of hurricane season left and it

looks bleak for the torrential downpours that would turn things

around. We will know soon.

Be sure to get any donations for the big Christmas party coming

soon to the club officers and watch for details on the outstanding

event this Christmas. As always there is great food and fun for the

whole family and the auction items and raffle will give everyone a

chance to go home with some great prizes.

Again thanks to our great club officers who work tirelessly to

make it all go together. They have done an excellent job this year

with many great outings and the summer picnic and casting compe-

tition at Guadalupe State Park. That was one of the best and most

fun projects I have ever seen the club provide. And thanks again to

Walter Ross for the generous donation of all the Alaskan Salmon

for the dinner.

Remember to be safe out there and have all safety items. Use the

buddy system and float plans for missing man notifications. Have a

marine radio and charged cell phone. Avoid lightening and always

check for the frequent cold fronts that will increase soon as winter

approaches. Have a space blanket and extra food and water as

needed, and never tempt Mother Nature! ---See you on the water!

Page 5 October, 2013

“MAKE BOOK ON IT”

I ran into a fly fishing neighbor in the book store looking for a

book on knots. He was looking for a way to join pieces of line

to make tippets and the formula for leader construction. I asked

him what he was tying leaders for, (species), and he said it was

more like learning why and how, right now. There were books

on knots available but he had been trying to use the blood knot

and having fits with the dexterity issues and need for more

hands. Many people have that problem and eye sight issues.

They need cheater glasses to see the tiny tippets and loose ends

that go somewhere. All I could think of to tell him was practice,

practice, practice! It works.

The club officers are an excellent source for ongoing training

and knot construction classes. Many want to get good enough to

just show up before they attend the first time. They do not want

to look clumsy or like a novice. That is not necessary to be

ready. All of us were beginners once, and club instructors are

very patient! The training class that Bill Slough puts on is just

the best. You come in with some notion of what to do, and walk

out making your own connections, loops, and terminal ends.

The confidence comes as you tie your first loop knot, and really

kicks in when you join wire to you lines! It takes time a repeti-

tious practice and effort.

The knots class is that good. You can learn how to tie mono

to mono, wire to mono, or even braid to anything else you might

be trying. If you are going to learn, there is no pressure or ridi-

cule. The instructors will patiently carry you to the point you

can do this stream side in dim light. The Alamo Fly Fishers

Club has always heeded the needs of the members and created

classes on a need basis. New members come in all the time and

our great instructors will always step up and help as you might

need them. All you need to do is ask and a class will be formed.

The printed and illustrated instruction books are fine. But the

actual motions and some handy tricks in dexterity are hard to

illustrate in a one dimensional text. The photos look good and

sometimes make sense. But the magic of personal instruction

really gets you to speed fast. You may even need to hold your

mouth a certain way to get it going or bite your lip. We all do

that and amazingly this beautiful tiny unbreakable knot appears

and the loop is just right for your leader butt on the end of your

fly line. Books fall short of personal instruction.

The first time I ever saw this guy, (my neighbor) he was fling-

ing a large hair bug around on a six weight and had a real long

wispy store bought leader. It was sort of comical and I had to

stop and introduce myself and help this guy. He had a fairly

good idea of how to sling tight loops and was doing ok. The

problem was the extra three feet of leader. I whipped out the old

trusty lock blade and a six foot leader worked miracles. He said

wow--that is cool. Such a simple fix for the problem.

Long ago we had to scrounge up beach trash to make some

save the day leaders due to toothy critters slashing in the surf.

Some really rough fifty, thirty and a little fifteen or twenty and

the usual Uni to Uni joinery was salvation for an otherwise total

loss and long drive in loose sand to Little shell. Once you ac-

quire the skills and competence to make all the connections,

even beach trash can be turned into a useful leader. Luckily we

had some Malin wire and a four inch wire trace put the Mackerel

in jeopardy again. A pack with the basics and tools can be com-

pact.

I don’t always tie my leaders any more. I can,--and still prac-

tice to make up emergency fill in leaders. The new materials for

store bought leaders make them so nice to cast and utilize. Many

are fluorocarbon and invisible to the wary fish. Just buy the

types of short and longer basic leaders and stock up for the day

when for whatever reason you need them and it will save the day

for you.

If you think about it, why pay hundreds for a good rig and use

cheap leaders. Life is just too short for cheap whiskey or leaders.

If you are ready for anything a great day on the water lies in

store when the fish are ready and so are you! Many of the little

tricks you learn hanging around with people who have made all

the mistakes will bring you to speed fast.

If you are thinking about learning fly fishing you will never

meet a stranger and the mentor program we employ will put you

way ahead. Along with safety in numbers if you bring your fam-

ily along, new members find themselves surrounded with new

friends and places to go fishing. Join us soon because the big

Christmas party is coming soon and the raffle and auction can-

not be beat. You won’t meet a stranger--we promise.

Page 6 October, 2013

Support the local shops and guides that support Alamo Fly Fishers

Page 7 October, 2013

Support the local shops and guides that support Alamo Fly Fishers

ALAMO FLY FISHERS PO BOX 6224 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209

eye. IF you need more material, spin more onto the thread in small sections.

6) Once you have wrapped to just behind the hook eye, you can tie off the material and whip finish the fly.

7) Using a small strip of Velcro

(you will need the “hook”

side), rub gently back and

forth on the fly to tease the

dubbed material out from the

fly. As you loosen the fibers,

brush them back toward the tail, which will create

a nicely tapered minnow body look.

(Continued from page 3) 8) Using a marker, you can now add

some shading to the top portion of

your fly. Prismatic markers work

well and come in a wide variety of

colors.

9) Using the Aleene’s Fabric Fusion,

glue the eyes onto your fly. The Fabric Fusion will

seep into the fibers of the fly and create a very strong

bond to hold your eyes on.

10) Now that your fly is complete,

head to the nearest body of water

and give it a shot. I am sure you

will be impressed with this pat-

tern’s success! Good Luck!