March is here, and thus marks

the end of Steelhead season, not that

we had much of a "season" here on

the Central Coast. Those who trav-

eled north got some fish, but overall

the weather and water has made it

tough on the noble Steelhead. But

hey, at least were getting some rain,

right?

Coming this month to our

general meeting is Ed Lawrence, all

the way from Montana. Ed will be

sharing his knowledge of the Madi-

son, Yellowstone, and Missouri Riv-

ers. This should be a good one. Mon-

tana is a fabulous place. Plus, there is

rumors of a Mystery side raffle. A

dollar a ticket will get you the chance

to walk out with a new….?

We have an outing planned to

Pyramid Lake on the weekend of

21st.-23rd of March. Talk to Rod

Sanchez, the unofficial fishmaster,

about the particulars. If you’ve never

been to Pyramid, you should really

“Resident’s Message” Tracy Decoy da Silva

2013 Board

Members

Tracy da Silva 229-9568

President

Rod Sanchez 809-7499

Vice President

Richard Wilson 758-5313

Treasure

Scott Naylor 214-3870

Secretary

Roger Caton 633-4659

Board Member

Mike Gilroy-(425)418-8164

Board Member

Chuck Humphreys

951-3454

Board Member & Poet

———————————————

Rick McCombs 385-4778

Newsletter Editor

Jay Jefferson– 809-0290

Mascot

FFLYLY TTIMESIMES

SALINAS VALLEY FLY FISHERS March 2014

President’s message 1

Fly of the Month 2

Monthly Program 3

Sponsors 3

Outing Schedule 3

Articles 4

Maps 5

Events 6

Inside this issue:

think about going. It's a western favor-

ite that could give you the fish of a life-

time if luck is on your side. We are also

still trying to put together a surf perch

trip in the coming weeks, Scott Naylor

is trying to devise a plan to get out on

the beach for some pre-outing fishing to

test the waters. Recent reports have been

telling of pretty good perch fishing.

Also in outing news, we've decided to

look at Merced River for an April trip,

on the weekend of the 11th-13th. It's

likely that the Merced will be too low

for our usual fall trip. We’ll be keeping

our eye’s on the flows to get the timing

right. If you need any suggestions on

gear or accommodations talk to me or

one of our Merced regulars and we’ll try

to line you up with some ideas. Thanks

to the DFG regulations which keep this

river open all year now, we can fish it

before the trout opener!

Hope to see you at the meeting, and on

the outings.

Tracy

Ed Lawrence featured in March Montana guide, Ed Lawrence, will be the featured presenter at this month’s general meeting at the Landing Zone. Ed is out of Bozeman Montana and his outfit guides on several of the waters of the Big Sky Country. In addition to Ed’s presentation, we’ll have the usual fishing re-ports, sign-ups for Pyramid and other upcoming outing and a generous raffle. Scott has also arranged a buck a ticket mystery raffle. You may want to bring a couple extra bucks from the cookie jar for that one. Rod will be on hand to provide more information on the upcoming Pyramid outing. So with all that happening, we hope you’ll find time to join us.

Page 2 Fly Times

What’s going on in the world of fly fishing and tying?

Fly of the Month Maholo Midge

Maholo Nymph

Hook:TMC 2457 Size 8-12

Thread: Black 6/0

Head: Gold Bead

Tail/wing case/legs: Pheasant tail

Body: Red tinsel

Rib: Copper wire

Thorax: Olive or Peacock Ice Dub

Chuckie’s Poetry Corner

Fishing’s for Sissies

I ain’t going fishing, cuz I’m panning for gold

Fishing’s for sissies, least that’s what I’m told

So I grab my old sluice box a pit and a pan

And head for the desert, cuz that there’s my plan

No bath for two week and I’m start’n to smell

I been look’n for water, but there’s none in the well

The buzzards are a circling they call my name

Saying he’ll be bones in the desert, and Chuckie’s to blame

Fly Tying this month will focus on solutions to tying problems - How to do those things that you’re

having problems doing. Most all the techniques the fly tyers use are relatively simple, but as one of my

favorite saying goes: It’s simple; it just ain’t easy”. Old Doc Pshide will be on hand to analyze what ails

you, and of coarse the will be a gaggle of opinions to confuse you as well.. Just remember to listen to the

Fly Doctor and you’ll be okay in the morning.

For those interested in going to Pyramid Lake, the Maholo Nymph is the featured fly this month,

but it’s not going to be the focus at the monthly fly tying session, but it’s been included just in case you

might want to tie a couple before taking off for the outing. I’ve has been sitting at the tying vise up here in

Sutter Creek working on flies for Pyramid and if I make it down the hill for the general meeting, I’ll bring

some flies to share with the guys who’ll be going to Pyramid.

Recommended flies for Pyramid

Historically the “go to fly” at Pyramid was the black red tailed Woolly Worm. Now days in addition to

Woolly Bugger you’ve got the Tadpole, Midnight Cowboy, Albino Wino, and all the Beetles. Go figure!

Page 3

Salinas Valley Flyfishers**2014 Outing Schedule and Programs

Special thanks to Geoff Malloway for his ongoing support of the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers and for his many efforts on behalf of stream habitat and the preservation of the fish that we all seek to catch. Next time you’re out his way, stop by and say hi .It does seems that Geoff has mellowed a bit over

the years. It might even safe to take you wife in the store ..Though it’s not recommended

Geoff Malloway

Central Coast Fly Fishing

7172 Carmel Valley Rd.

Carmel, CA (626-6586)

March 12th. General meeting Landing Zone

@ the sirport

Featuring

Ed Lawrence

Tracy daSilva 229-9568

March 19th. Fly Tying Airport Board

room

Featuring

“Tying Tips”

Bill Pshide 424-3063

March 21st-

23rd.

Outing Pyramid Lake Lahonton Cut-

throat Trout

Rod Sanchez 809-7499

April 17th-18th Outing Merced River Rainbow Trout Tracy daSilva 229-9568

April Outing Monterey Bay

Sunset Beach

Surf Perch Scott Naylor 214-3870

May Outing

possibilities

Kirman Lake

Carson River

Brook Trout

Rainbow

June Outing

possibilities

Davis lake

Indian Creek

Trout

For all the latest info. in what’s happening in the wide world of fishing, go to:

salinasvalleyflyfishers.org

Upcoming Events

Check out the website

Dave Gambetta has jumped in to work on the website. So check it out, give him some feed-

back and for sure send him any fishing pictures you take. With the new administration in place

and Dave at the helm of the website, you can expect some new ideas on the horizon. While

you’re at it, send those picture to me too (rickmcfly@sbcglobal.net). I’m working on a photo page

for the newsletter. It’s still a month or two away, but your photos are needed.

Page 4 Fly Times

The Pyramid Lahonton Cutthoat Story

Pyramid Lake, at one time, boasted the biggest trout in the world or close to it. The official lake record is re-

ported to be 41 pound , but the local Puite Indians clamed to have caught fish as big as 60 lbs.. These catches all oc-

curred prior to 1943 when the Pyramid Cutthroats were determined to be extinct. The huge fishes’ demise was the prod-

uct of massive diversion of water from the Truckee River, mostly for agriculture and the subsequent loss of the fishes

only spawning grounds. In the mid-1970s, the Paiute Indian Tribe opened a fish hatchery at Sutcliffe and began stocking

Pyramid Lake with Lahontan Cutthroat Trout from Summit and Heenan Lakes. The water in Pyramid Lake is saltier

than Lake Tahoe, and that kept out the Rainbow and Lake Trout. The original Lahonton population in Lake Tahoe had

been extinct since about 1930, largely because of competition and hybridization with other trout species that had been

introduced into the lake, The Piute Indian tribe re-established a Lahontan cutthroat sport fishery and in addition saved

Pyramid Lake’s endangered Cui-ui sucker from extinction. Anglers subsequently bought tribal licenses, hauled milk

crates and ladders out into the lake to battle the high winds and cold water and considered any catch that weighed 10

pounds or more a trophy. Unfortunately, the Summit / Heenan Lake strain does not live as long or grow as large as the

original strain of Pyramid fish. However, in the 1970s, fish believed to have been stocked almost a century ago from the

Pyramid Lake strain were discovered in a small stream along Pilot Peak area of western Utah border, This Pilot Peak

strain was reintroduced into Pyramid lake starting in 2006 as part of the reintroduction and planting programs main-

tained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.[8Today these fish can be recognized by their missing adipose fin (small fin

located behind the dorsal fin) which is clipped when they leave the hatcheries] In the last 2-3 years therehas been ad-

ramatic increase in the number of exceptionally large fish caught and now the 10-12 pound trophy fish of five or ten

years ago are being replaced with bruts as heavy as 25 pounds and getting bigger.

Going fishing?

Rods A variety of fly fishing rods can be used to fish Pyramid Lake depending on which technique you are

using. The most popular fly fishing technique at Pyramid is making long casts with a very fast sinking line or shooting

head For this method, a stout 9 to 9 ½ foot 7-8 weight rod is the most common. Anglers come to the lake every year

expecting to use their 5 or 6 weight rod and find out that they can be over-powered by the weight of the fly line and the

winds that can be very strong from time to time. Anglers make the assumption that they are good at fighting fish and a 5

weight is fine. It is the situation that calls for a heavier rod, not the size of the fish so much.

Nymphing has become very popular at the lake as well, especially in the spring. Shorter casts and lighter lines

can be used and a lighter rod will do the trick. Anglers use anything from a 4 weight to an 8 weight for this technique.

Wind is still a factor and a 6 weight or 7 weight is probably the way to go for best results. A little bigger rod helps with

mending line and roll-casting when it really gets windy. Switch rods have also become popular to help with casting in

windy conditions.

Shooting Heads – Long casts and covering lots of water is a great way to catch fish at Pyramid Lake. The idea

behind a shooting head is to have more weight in the front end of the line for longer casts. Most shooting heads have a

20 to 35 ft “head” and some sort of a thinner diameter running line to help with distance. The most common shooting

head for Pyramid Lake is one with a very fast sinking head to get the flies to the bottom as fast as possible. Running

lines come in many varieties. The most common are either floating or ones with intermediate sink rates. Because most

of the time you will be standing in the lake, a floating running line is easier to use. If your running line sinks you will

most likely need to incorporate a stripping basket. Full sinking lines can be used but they are much harder to cast and do

not keep flies on the bottom as well as a shooting head. You will most likely not do as well at Pyramid if you settle for a

full sink line. Integrated lines such as the Teeney 300 or the Rio Outbound fast sinking lines can be a good choices.

Floating Lines – are used mainly for nymphing. Most anglers use a floating line and an indicator with a couple

of bead head nymphs for this application. Any floating line will do. A line with an indicator tip can help you see when to

mend and if your leader is straight. There are some neat floating shooting heads that can really add some distance to

your casts as well. Hope to see you there..ed.

Pyramid Lake

Salinas Valley Fly Fishers

March 12th. General meeting

Dinner @ 6:00 Meeting @ 7:00

P.O Box 1793

Salinas, CA 93912

Editor: Rick McCombs

Email: rickmcfly@sbcglobal.net

"All You Need to Know"

Mailing Address Line 1 Mailing Address Line 2

Mailing Address Line 3

Mailing Address Line 4 Mailing Address Line 5

Pyramid Lake Outing

March 21st.-23rd

Contact:

Rod Sanchez

Board of Directors Meeting@ the

Airport Board Room March 26th. 6:00pm

Fly Tying

Wedn. March 19th.

A/P board room 6:00 p.m.