Spokane Fly Fishers www.spokaneflyfishers.com September, 2017

SEPTEMBER 13TH MEETING

7:00 P.M.

CHIP O’BRIEN,RENOWNED AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR, NOW A MEMBER

OF SPOKANE FLY FISHERS

With over 50+ years of fly fishing devotion throughout Northern California and Central Oregon, Mr. Chip O’Brien has relocated to Spokane where he promptly (August, 2016) joined the SFF Club . Chip worked as a guide for 14+ years in the golden triangle surrounding Redding, California, on the famed rivers there, before relocating to the Salem, Oregon area. He’s taught fly fishing as a professor at the Community College level and published articles on fly fishing in California Fly Fisher and Northwest Fly Fishing (where you may have already enjoyed his work). Chip will publish his third book on fly fishing this coming October. With his easy writing style and practiced presentation abilities, Chip has been well-received wherever he’s been invited. We’re so very happy to have such an experienced individual as a member of our club and as our September presenter. Chip’s topic for September will be “Reading the Water” where he’ll share his knowledge of moving as well as still water tactics and techniques that should be helpful to all who attend this presentation. Though Chip is practiced in reading the waters of still water too, he reluctantly admits that his preference is for moving waters, likely as a result of his guiding years predominantly on rivers. In speaking with Chip during scheduling, he shared the fact that he enjoys writing about fly fishing nearly as much as he enjoys fly fishing itself. A curious mix of emotions regarding our sport it would seem. So , come early and meet one of our new fly club members and share some stories of our area and the waters surrounding the Spokane Region. Bring some questions, as Chip is approachable and knowledgeable. Bring some notepaper as there is sure to be much to be remembered and put to the test on the moving waters you fish!

OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS

President Doug Keene Vice President Al Odenthal Treasurer Rick Diffley Secretary Connie Tedrow Board Position 1 Wayne Jordan Board Position 2 Board Position 3 Devon Greyerbiehl Past President Claude Kistler Sgt. At Arms Rick Newman

Contact us at: P. O. Box 4141

Spokane, WA 99220 Or

sffishers@comcast.net

COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

Programs: Al Odenthal Barbless Flyer Editor: Linda Howe Conservation: Miguel Ferrera Outings: John Hudson Education: Kurt Tempel Membership: Mark Gardner Fly Fishing School: Claude Kistler Rick Newman Librarian: Larry Ray PHW Contact: George Foster FFF Liaison: Rick Newman Beg. Fly Tying: Mary Kovatch Int. Fly Tying: Rick Newman Casting for Recovery: Mary Kovatch A/V Coordinator: David Marshall

AROUND THE BEND

Aug. 26-27: Kootenai River Outing

Sept. 9-10: Chopaka Lake Outing

Sept. 13: SFF Meeting 7:00 PM

Sept. 20: SFF Board Meeting 6:30 PM Sept. 22-24: Missouri River Outing

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PREZ SEZ By: Doug Keene

Here we are in September already, and I don't know about you, but I'm excited to get back in the routine of hearing from the experts about ways to improve my fishing skills and learning about new places to do that fishing. Our Staff has been working hard to line up some top-notch speakers for this year and I'm sure you will be pleased with their choices. Our September speaker, Chip O'Brien, is a great example of the quality of the speakers lined up for this year. The outings this past summer have provided plenty of opportunities for the members to experience some of the best fishing in the Northwest, whether that is at local lakes or mountain rivers. Feedback on the two educational outings for graduates of the fly school during the summer has been very positive, and our goal in the coming year is to try to expand that type of outing to all members, when possible. Our Board of Directors is committed to listening to the members as we work to get more members participating in the various programs and outings as well as build the size of our membership. The club's By-Laws require that our three At Large Board Members have a prime responsibility to be the main interface with our members, representing member interests, concerns and acting as their voice to the Board as a whole. Devon Greyerbiehl and Wayne Jordan are your current representatives, and we are working on filling an empty third position right now. We hope that you look Devon and Wayne up at meetings and share your thoughts, concerns and wishes with them. They are anxious to hear from you. Now is a good time to start tying those flies for the Fly Auction in November,. There is nothing more fun than knowing that a fly you tied helped another member catch his biggest fish of the year. Lastly, I want to announce that John Hudson has accepted the position of Outings Committee Chairman and Dave Marshall has taken on the new position of Audio/Visual Coordinator, both very talented people who are going to be great contributors to the club. There will be sign-up sheets for committees and volunteer opportunities at the meetings. I'm looking forward to a great year, and I hope all of you feel the same.

NOTICE: FOOD SERVICE DISCONTINUED We want to let you know that the Spokane Fly Fishers will no longer be offering hot food at our meetings, effective this September. We will be providing some snack food and, of course, hot coffee, gratis, as usual. For those who have been buyers, we apologize for this action, but these services must support themselves, and this one just didn't do that. We will still be serving food at the Christmas party.

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CONSERVATION CORNER By: Miguel Ferrera. Conservation Chairman

NEW TOOL AT BROWNS LAKE

Our SFFC conservation committee agreed to build and install a creel survey box for anglers to use at Browns Lake (USFS fish biologist will collect data). Doug Keene (wood worker extraordinaire) built a durable 98% waterproof creel survey box that impressed us all. Claude Kistler and I made the trip and met up with USFS fish biologist J.D. Jones. We installed the creel survey box on the notice/information board close to the boat launch at the trail head, and placed a laminated sheet with instructions and SFFC and USFS logos above it. We also replaced some rotted boards on the interpretive signage deck, checked and found some rotted posts on signage, and figured out how best to disassemble interlocking mortised frames for cleaning the inside. From my experience and in talking with others, the fishing at Browns is quite a bit slower and the fish smaller than last year in the Spring. Please let me know what your experience has been. We can always use volunteers in conservation riparian work, fin clipping, and Spokane River clean-up! Contact me at mfkf@comcast.net, or call (509) 263-2534.

SPOKANE RIVER CLEAN-UP SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Our 14th annual Spokane River Clean-up is coming up on Saturday, September 16th. Join several hundred volunteers for two hours picking up trash and recyclable materials along the banks of the Spokane River. People of all ages and gender get together yearly to restore the river banks. It is a beautiful sight!

There will be sign-up sheets at the September meeting. I will provide more information as event day gets closer. Let me know if you want to participate. Please contact me, Miguel, at (509) 263-2534 or mfkf@comcast.net

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CHOPAKA LAKE OUTING - SEPTEMBER 9TH - 10TH Host: Paul Olson

It you want to come to fly fishing heaven then come to Chopaka near Loomis, Washington. A Chopaka trip is always special. The scenery is spectacular. The fishing can be pretty great too. There is a great North 40 Fly Shop right on the outskirts of Omak at 1227 Koala, Omak, WA. This is on the West side of Omak on the way to Chopaka. I suggest you check their website for up to the minute fishing and fly reports. North40flyshop.com. The distance up to Chopaka is 190 miles from Spokane. I urge you to use Google maps for directions to Chopaka. The best way to get there is to take Highway 2 and come through Omak. Right after going through Loomis, WA, you will come to a “T” in the road after you cross the river. One of the roads goes to the right (Chopaka Lake Road). This turn will take you up to Chopaka on a narrow slow road. This road is fine for vehicles not towing trailers. For those who are towing trailers I would urge you to turn left and take Chopaka Mountain road. This alternate route is slightly longer. It is a loop that ultimately joins the other road. Chopaka Lake Road could be very dicey if you had two trailers meeting on this very narrow road. If my directions are not satisfactory, I would suggest that you stop at the North 40 Fly Shop and get some from them. Signage is very poor in this area, so I will have some signs posted to aid you in finding your way to Chopaka. This is a lake to bring a floatation device such as float tube or pontoon boat. In my opinion, this is not a lake to wade fish. There is not a huge number of camping spots for trailers or tents there so, if you want to get a spot, it might be best to come early to secure a camping spot. For tent campers there are some spots that are hillside spots. Since there are limited number spots, it makes sense to offer to share your camping spot with another Spokane Fly Fisher member. There is some overflow camping on the North side of Palmer Lake nearby. At Palmer, you will need a Discover Pass. There are a couple of cement restrooms at Chopaka but no showers are available. There is a water tap there, too. The flies that are most important for Chopaka are Mayflies. Almost every afternoon there is a predictable Mayfly hatch. There is even a fly pattern (the Chopaka Mayfly). It is named after the daily hatch. Adams flies and other Mayfy patterns can be the ticket. Other flies that are good to bring along are the Balance Leach in black, olive and brown and Thin Mint Buggers and Pumpkin Head Leaches, Bring some of the same colors for the Woolly Buggers too. I understand a yellow Chrystal Chenille Bugger can be a good fly too. Bring Scuds in gray and green too, Hopper patterns, and Damsel patterns. Also, I urge you to check the fishing report on the North 40 website for the most up to date information. I will have a potluck dinner on Saturday night at 5:00 PM. The club will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, condiments, and soft drinks. Please bring your side dish, salad or dessert. I will have the Spokane Fly Fisher sign on my trailer. If you have questions, please call me at (509) 991-5140.

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KID’S FISHING DAY - MAY 5, 2018 By: Craig Adams

SAVE THE DATE! Kids fishing day will be with us again. This is one of the most fun days of the year. Clear Lake is stocked with approximately 7000 trout (in net pens). These fish are just waiting to be caught by up to 900 kids between the ages of 5 to 14. It is a fun experience where you will be helping to bait hooks, cast, and land fish. Each child can catch up to three fish and they are guaranteed to catch at least one fish. The kids fish in shifts so you are not inundated by 900 at one time. The day starts at 7:30 AM and usually ends around 3:00 PM. You do not have to be there all day but if you can be there for a few hours in the morning or sometime in the afternoon feel free to come. The afternoon shift usually helps to take down the net pens (this is a great help to the Wildlife staff). Keep May 5, 2018 in your calendars as this is one of the most fun days you will have all year. Further information will follow as we get closer to the actual date, but if you want more information, please call me. Craig Adams (509) 999-5660.

MEMBERSHIP By: Mark Gardner, Chairman

Hello SFF Club Members,

Welcome to the Spokane Fly Fishers 2017/2018 season. Our roster is set and the new directory is being processed with new, and renewed, club memberships.

As of this writing, we have 195 current club memberships. I believe this will be another great year with our new president, Doug Keene, taking the lead.

Hopefully this summer has brought you many fish on tight lines after perfect fly presentations.

I will see you all at our first club meeting on Wednesday, September 13th.

Mark Gardner membership@spokaneflyfishers.com

MARK YOUR CALENDAR OCTOBER 11TH PRESENTATION

Presenter: Mary Anne Dozer

Topic: Fishing Central Oregon along with a casting clinic earlier in the day on the 11

th to be determined

Credentials: FFF Master Casting Instructor, professional fly fishing guide Central Oregon,

Mary Anne Dozer will discuss fishing Central Oregon including the Metolius, Deschutes, Crooked and Fall Rivers. Her presentation will also cover locations, timing and equipment to increase fishing success.

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ONE FLY CONTEST REPORT - JUNE 3, 2017 Hosted by: Mark Gardner

The One Fly Contest this year was held at Williams Lake. We had eight contestants as follows: Rick Diffley, Fred Howe, Doug Keene, Bill Lundin, David Marshall, Gordon McCammond, Gary Nicolai and Dan Wight.

The outing started out with the host providing orange juice, coffee and muffins. The weather was a bit overcast and warm in the morning with the clouds clearing closer to noon and the temperature rising to the low eighties.

The contest went from about 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM with several getting out a little late, as there was just too much to talk about!

The top three finishers received gift cards from Silver Bow.

1st

Place: Rick Diffley caught six with one at 17” using an Un-Weighted Red Leech.

2nd

Place: David Marshall also netted six. His largest was 16.” David used his homegrown Screaming Mimi.

3rd

Place: El-Jefe himself, Doug Keene, using a Maroon Balanced Leech.

The fish were caught well below the surface as we had two fishers that used Water Boatman and came up empty.

To finish off the event, the host made some pretty darned good chicken quesadillas with tortilla chips, guacamole and salsa. Sodas and water were also provided. It turned out to be a great afternoon for all.

ANNUAL FLY AUCTION - NOVEMBER 8TH

The Fly Auction, with the donation of your flies (personally tied or purchased) and your generous winning bids, supports the club’s activities for the year.

START TYING NOW AND GET YOUR DONATION READY!!

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UPCOMING 2017 OUTINGS SCHEDULE

Note: This is the 1st

draft for the club outings and is subject to change. Contact John Hudson (Outings Chair - johnh@adhidaho.com to be a host and/or co-host an event. Outings will be cancelled when there is no host and/or unsuitable fishing conditions. Check newsletters and the club‘s website for updated outings information and changes. Date Location Host Rating Aug 26th-27th Kootenai River Dan Wight 2 – Float, rapids Sept 9th-10th Chopaka Lake Paul Olsen 2 - Float Sept 22nd-24th Missouri River Carolyn Sells 2 - Float, Bridge Jerry Searfoss abutments, obstacles Oct 7th Rock Lake Judy Kaufman 2 - Float Oct 14th Spokane River Need Host 3 - Wade, slick Oct 21st-22nd Grande Ronde River Need Host 4 - Wade. Slick rocks, Visibility 4 - Float. Low fast water, obstacles

SFF MEMBERS SELLING PORTA-BOTE By: Pam Weigand

Porta-Bote folds to 12.5' long X 2.5' wide X 4.5" thick. Perfect for lake fishing (and kids) as it is unsinkable. It has three seats, accepts up to 60-pound motor, includes oars and removable wheels, 75 pounds, used only three times, 4-minute assembly. Go to Porta-Bote or YouTube for assembly videos. $1300. Contact Bob Weigand at (509) 991-7936.

THE BARBLESS FLYER Spokane Fly Fishers P. O. Box 4141 Spokane, WA 99220

NEXT MEETING

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

CHIP O’BRIEN “READING THE WATER”

7:00 PM

ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL 1104 W. HEROY

“THE MISSION OF THE SPOKANE FLY FISHERS IS TO PROVIDE A FAMILY FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION FOR PROMOTING THE SPORT OF FLY FISHING THROUGH

EDUCATION, APPLICATION, AND CONSERVATION.”

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR NAME TAGS TO THE MEETING

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED —