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FLY PAPER
September 2014 Vol. 37 # 163
Looking Upstream
Brian O’Keefe On Sept. 18th our featured presenter, Brian O’Keefe will start his program about fishing the Northwest. He’s been serious about fly fishing for the past 30 years and during the past 20, cameras have played a significant part in his outdoor lifestyle. At age eight, his interest in fly fishing was born while spending summers in Montana, taught the art of fly casting and fishing by his grandfather. He spent the majority of his free time fishing and his interest in photography began as a means to back up with pictures, what his family thought might be just “tall tales”. Brian started fishing the world in the fall of 1973. He began with a solo trip through New Zealand and Australia, and a brief trek into the Himalayan Mountains to fish for brown trout. After returning from this two-year adventure, Brian spent his summers guiding in the Northwest and Alaska for trout, salmon and steelhead. During those years he accumulated quite a large collection of slides, occasionally selling one to a fly fishing publication. At age 30, he began his career as a fly fishing tackle rep. Brian is also an accomplished fly caster, earning the title of Master Certified Fly Casting Instructor from the Fly Fishing Federation (FFF). He has also placed in, and won many fly casting competitions. Brian has traveled to some of the wildest and most remote angling destinations in the world, including: Bikini Atoll, the Seychelles, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tonga, Cuba and Kashmir. He has also traveled to more accessible locations, such as: the Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Chile, New Zealand, Christmas Island and more. In many of these locations he again chooses to venture off the beaten path, hiking, floating, sea-kayaking or taking a Zodiac into the backcountry. At our next meeting Brian will share some of his excellent photographs and his wisdom with those of us lucky enough to attend. See you there. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Important September Member Matters
Rob Winters WVFF President
It seems unfair to have lost so much of our summer to extreme heat and wildfires but we are facing matters important
to our club’s future.
First, your help is needed to staff our fly-tying instruction program for Salmonfest in Leavenworth. Scheduled for
Sept. 20th, the festival has allowed WVFF members to show people of all ages that fly tying is something they too
can do. Pat Herdt, our team leader for the tying programs here and in Ellensburg, does not expect to attend this
year’s festival so the rest of us need to pick up the slack to continue the program. Without a crew of volunteers, the
tying project dies so please let me know by e mail or phone if you can help with this upcoming event. A couple
hours’ time will help others get an introduction to our sport. Please contact me at [email protected] or
509/470-4586 if you can assist with this effort.
Second, I hope everyone will step up the search for conservation projects we can support. The fires will have long
standing impacts on our region, especially on our rivers and their spawning habitat. A lot of our favorite places may
be vulnerable. Please keep looking for projects we can support to help WDFW and other agencies or clubs make
repairs, do research or complete other work that might be needed. No project is too big or too small to consider and
we should be willing to work with other clubs like CCA, TU and the Sportsman’s Association where we can. If you
see or hear of an opportunity, by all means pass it along to me or to another member of our board.
Thanks to Jack Squires, we might even be able to help direct some useful labor into projects. After he spearheaded
a merit badge program with other club members in June, Jack was approached by the Boy Scouts seeking our input
on other projects. As many of you know, Scouts must do public service projects. The Scouts are looking for ideas
and I suspect we can help them pin down some good ones. If you know of things like tree planting or other riparian
rehabilitation young people might help complete, Jack would like to know too.
Outings October
November
. December
.
One of the scouts getting into his back cast Now that’s a WIND KNOT
Four of Wenatchee Valley Fly-fishers worked with the local Boy Scout District to be a part of a Merit Badge weekend
at Camp Scout A Vista on June 14th. Rob Winters, Bruce Merighi, John Richmond, and I acted as instructors. Bruce
gave a fly-fishing 101 about bugs and gear while Rob handled knots, John and Jack covered safety and outdoor
ethics. While Jack and John conducted an outdoor fly casting session, Rob and Bruce had the boy tie their first flies.
The obligatory wooly bugger as well as a canoe fly.
During a six-hour session, thirteen scouts between 12 & 16 worked on their fly-fishing and fishing merit badges. With
the exception of one lucky scout who completed all components, the group accomplished 9 of the 10 badge
requirements, except one – TO CATCH A FISH USING THE “FLY-FISHING METHOD”. We spent an hour or so at
the camp’s Lake Opaque after the session, but the “lake” hadn’t been stocking in some time so we were all surprised
when Braydon from Troop 1 in Cashmere caught his trout using the wooly bugger that he had just made minutes
before. All other scouts had opportunities to complete the final requirement this year at summer camp and at other
outings. So, this fall at the district’s Courts of Honor, 26 merit badges should be awarded.
In this way, WVFF is working to introduce young men to the sport of fly-fishing. Some of them will surely become
future members of our club.
Oh, one final note, it seems that our President’s dog “Flo”, loves Power Bait. She ate a heaping helping at the
camp’s pond. She gobbled it up like she knew what it was. Just say’n. Rob?
SALMONFEST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We need fly tying instructors for this year's Salmonfest Sept. 20th at the Leavenworth hatchery. Unfortunately Pat
Herdt will not be able to help with the project this year so volunteers are very much needed. This is a good
opportunity to show kids and adults that tying is something they too can do and the WVFF tying program has always
been a popular part of the festival. Please let me know if you can help with the project. Rob Winters WVFF President
NEXT WVFF Meeting
September 18, 2014
WVFF General Meeting Wenatchee Eagles Lodge
BRING A GUEST AND
YOUR NAME TAG !
Wet Fly Hour 5:45 pm Dinner 6:30 pm Brian O’Keefe Program 8:00 pm
Craig Garver Photo - Blue Lake
Board Meeting Minutes June 5, 2014
Present: Rob Winters, JoAnn Lane, Al Smith, Tom Whiteside Absent: Gary Anderson, Steve Harvey, Danny Horan, Bruce Merighi, Eric Rainbolt, Tom Rowe President Rob Winters called the meeting to order at 5:41 p.m. Minutes of the May Board and General meetings were approved as submitted. President, Conservation & Education Report: Rob Winters
Reported he and Jack Squires have completed their plans for the WVFF-Boy Scout workshop scheduled for Saturday, June 14 at Scout-a-Vista near Beehive Reservoir. Additional help is welcome.
Reported he spoke with Pat Herdt concerning the Pateros fly tying event on July 19 and a possible Conconully event on July 14 & 15.
Submitted a request from Travis Maitland for an Upper Wheeler replacement sign. Cost per sign is $112. The Board approved the purchase of two signs.
Treasurer Report:
Al Smith reported a balance of $19,900 with one outstanding item to be paid. Outings Report:
Tom Whiteside reported that the Big Twin outing “went very well.” There are no upcoming outings scheduled. Activities will resume in the fall.
Old Business:
ALEA Grant: Rob Winters reported his conversation about the grant with Fred Kunzmann. The first ALEA Grant has been completed. It is his understanding that the second phase was not approved. Fred is working on a method to deliver grant information to interested parties.
Eagle’s dinner arrangements were again discussed. Rob reported that the club did not meet the guaranteed 25 purchased dinners in May. He paid for those remaining and will submit a bill. He will request a 15 dinner guarantee for June as several members have already indicated that they will not be attending.
Stemilt purchase: Rob Winters reported he is awaiting Mike Kaputa’s instructions for delivering the WVFF’s donation toward the purchase.
Rob has delivered the previously-approved letter supporting Cascade Columbia Fisheries Advancement Group’s nutrient program.
The Board approved Rob’s request to provide a letter of support for Travis Maitland’s request to increase the Entiat Brookie limit from 10-20. He will send the letter “when appropriate.”
New Business:
The Board discussed asking WVFF members for their cell phone numbers as well as their landline information. The Board agreed to make that request on an opt-in basis.
Meeting adjourned at 6:06 p.m. JoAnn A. Lane WVFF Secretary June 8, 2014
General Meeting Minutes June 19, 2014
President Rob Winters called the meeting to order at 6:50 pm. Guests: John Tullius was introduced to members.
General Reports:
President: Rob Winters reported that several members had operated a merit badge program for local Boy Scouts including training in fly fishing.
Vice President: Steve Harvey said he is working to improve signage at Upper Wheeler.
Publications: Bruce Merighi reported on progress made to improve the club’s web site. He also suggested members consider taking the newsletter electronic to reduce the large cost of the printed version.
Program: Gary Anderson introduced Sean Visintainer of the Silver Bow Fly Shop in Spokane. Visintainer briefed attendees on trout and smallmouth bass fishing on the Spokane River, including information on flies, technique, hatches and river access.
President Rob Winters adjourned the meeting at 8:50 pm.
2014 WVFF BOARD
President & Conservation Rob Winters
663.7435 [email protected]
Vice President Steve Harvey 884.1844 [email protected]
Secretary JoAnn Lane
884.1888 [email protected]
Treasurer Al Smith [email protected]
884.8610 Ghille Danny Horan
885.5970 [email protected]
Programs Gary Anderson 670.6370 [email protected]
Outings Tom Whiteside 663.8364 [email protected]
Membership Eric Rainbolt’
662.2314 [email protected]
Publications Bruce Merighi
763.3581 [email protected]
Past President Tom Rowe 662.8242 [email protected]
P.O. Box 3687
Wenatchee WA
98807-3687
A Federation of Fly Fishers Affiliated Club
The FLY PAPER is published monthly Sept – June, by the Wenatchee Valley Fly Fishers P. O. Box 3687, Wenatchee, WA 98807-3687
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