DUES ARE DUE!
 It is that time of year again, when your annual dues become payable to keep your membership in Delta Fly Fishers current. Dues are payable in August and become delinquent in October. If not paid by November 31st, we must drop you from our membership roster.
It is our sincere hope that you continue your membership in our club. We have an exciting list of upcoming activities and outings for 2008- 2009 which we are sure you would like to participate in.
Dues are $35 per year for the entire family. Regular membership is $30 per year; Seniors (62 & over) pay $25 per year. You can download the membership form here. Check renewal box and mail in with your check. Please make your check payable to: Delta Fly Fishers.
If you have any questions, contact our membership chairman, Bob Souza, at 209-478-8344 or e-mail at suzasbs@clearwire.net
You did it! AB 1806 Voted Forward
On June 24th, AB 1806 was voted forward by the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.
Your letters made the difference! Following testimony by John Beuttler, Conservation Director for CSPA,Dick Pool, coordinator of Water for Fish, John Ryzanych, from the Allied Fishing Groups, Gary Adams, president of the California Striped Bass Association, Jim Martin, West Coast Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisheries Assocation (PCFFA), and Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, campaign coordinator of Restore the Delta, the bill passed by a 5-2 vote.
Opposing the bill were some of the most powerful water agencies in California. Their lobbyists, influence and money could not stop the passage of this bill in committee because YOU made it known that this bill is important to you through your letters.
The CSPA board will plan the next move at a strategy meeting tonight. The campaign will most likely involve more letter writing and possibly an additional call for bodies at future hearings.
Please be ready to participate in the next step in this bill's progress. It will mean millions of dollars for delta restoration and a step towards a healthy delta for us and our grandchildren.
Read more about the bill's passage, John Beuttler's statement before the committee and other fisheries news at; http://www.calsport.org
Thank YOU!
The CSPA Board
CONSERVATION
July 2008
One of the things in conservation that is frustrating is the need to go to meetings put on by the State of California,
the Federal Government and the large number of state and national groups they have started to “protect”
the environment. The latest frustration was June 25th meeting in Stockton for the Delta Vision Task Force. As you know the Delta Vision Task Force started as a “Blue Ribbon” group appointed by Schwarzenegger.
Its task was to “develop a durable vision for sustainable
management of the Delta with the goal of managing the Delta over the long term to restore and maintain identified functions and values to restore and maintain identified functions and values that are important
to the environmental quality of the Delta and the economic and social well-being of the people of the state.” Those are good goals. However...
Read the full article...
Fly Fishing Weblogs & Bulletin Boards
Angler Wannabe — A Utah-based fly fishing blog.
Bish on Fish — New Zealand guide Tony Bishop's fishing blog.
DanBlanton.com — Includes a very popular bulletin board.
Dragfree — A blog devoted to fly fishing for native species.
FishingJones — One of the most actively updated Weblogs, covers all kinds of fishing.
FishSpawn — Usually with some good photos and sometimes video produced by Angling Exploration Group.
FlyFishRadio.com — The first "Podcast" site for fly fishers.
TheFlyFishingRabbi —Musings about trout, God and all things Jewish.
Fly Times "Old Timey" Fishing Blog —A not-so-behind-the-times blog with a variety of interesting commentary.
Gillraker — Weblog of excellent fishing writing started by author Andrew Steketee.
Long Rodding in Garden City, Singapore — The title says it all.
Mike's Euro Fly Fishing and Travel Blog — A U.S. expatriot's photoblog and journal about fly fishing in several European countries.
Moldy Chum — A sometimes irreverent and always entertaining Weblog by an industry insider.
The Outdoor Weblog — J. R. Absher's hunting, fishing and general outdoors blog.
Ozarks Fly Anglers — Weblog by Ken Morrow, who writes about fly fishing in Missouri, Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma.
The Southern Fly Fisher — Mark Rumph's blog about fly fishing in the southern U.S.
Tales from the Far Bank — Journalist Karl Moffatt's blog about fly fishing in New Mexico and the U.S. west.
TroutUnderground — Tom Chandler's blog about all things trout, written from his home base on California's upper Sacramento.
Urban Fly Fisher — By long-time blogger Alistair Stewart, mostly about his experiences fishing Scotland's River Kelvin.
Warm Fly — Web site and forums for fly fishers interested in bass, bluegill, crappie and other warmwater fish.
WayUpStream — Personal Weblog of Steve Stracqualursi, fly fishing product line director for Patagonia.
Wayward Fly Fishing — Toney Sisk's interesting blog and fly fishing article collection.
WickedOutdoorsy — Blog of the Pale Morning Media outdoors PR firm.
Fly Casting Can Get You Arrested
By Marshall Bissett – Taken from the Sierra Pacific Flyfishers Newsletter
Not so long ago if you were seen in public gesticulating wildly and yelling out the details of your private life to an invisible companion, your family would be contacted and you would wind up in a mental institution. Now all you have to do is insert a blue metallic cockroach size thing in you left ear for this behavior to become acceptable. This geek bling, as I like to call it, can be attached to another flashing unit at belt level so the user seems to be shouting instructions to his navel. Now it is unnecessary to buy a book or magazine in an airport. The streams of disconnected yet intense chatter provide more insight into the lives of strangers than literature ever could.
Now SPFF has created another embarrassing public spectacle called casting practice between
lessons. The family are just as worried as they catch glimpses of their hitherto normal spouse at the dinner table with fork in hand, elbow raised, finger pointing upward, muttering
“stop...two..three..forward...” It doesn’t stop there. At work, instead of wasting time on the Internet, they have the pencil in a death grip and are quickly raising and lowering the right elbow, lost in the mire of self diagnosis. When you see this, don’t call your supervisor or HR, just wait till it stops. Interrupting the rhythm of an entranced student can inflict permanent damage. SPFF is to blame for all this and has even issued short lengths of white PVC pipe in case a fork or pencil is not at hand. Practicing in freeway traffic, pipe in hand, can be misinterpreted in certain neighborhoods and might invoke a sobriety test. When a group of two or three students form a huddle, only seconds pass before they start raising their elbows, wrists locked and fingers pointing to Heaven like demented evangelists. Sociologists
could mistake this for the vestigial traces of an ancient mating ritual. If restless leg can have its own syndrome with a Latin name then the involuntary raising and lowering of the right elbow should be extended some courtesy. There is of course a precedent for all this seen on the basketball court. After a good play, it is not uncommon to create a right angle at the elbow, raise both fists in the air and yell “Yeah” as you bring your elbows straight down in the perfect fly fishing motion. You might want to try this with a fly rod in each hand as the first step toambidexterity. The shouting is not encouraged unless you are in a Pro Bass Tournament on TV.
Our students, like the ancient Romans, have created new Gods in new temples. They are Lefty, Mel and Joan. Their words ring in your deaf ear as you learn to hate them for the lazy ease with which they pull off the double haul, the pile cast, the reach mend and the steeple cast. You flail away like a person trying to whip a donkey with a springy stick while they cast majestic loops into the sunset.
Visualization is the key to a good casting stroke and, I’m told, a good golf swing. If you can create a mental picture of your rod stopping sharply at ear level, and the line unfolding back in a perfect arrow head pattern directly behind you, then you are part of the way to doing it with a real fly rod. If you can think your rod into a straight path on the forward stroke, then just maybe it will happen.
So if you can bear the ridicule of friends and family and use that PVC pipe to create a fluid casting stroke that will make young ladies on the water say “Wow — check out that narly backcast!” then perhaps in a year or twenty you too will be able to wear the dorky red hat and cast words of wisdom into the green waters of the Reseda pond. [Another literary masterpiece!]
Fly Fishing at its Best
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DFF’s 2nd Annual Garage Sale
 It’s time to clean out your garage, get rid of those unwanted items and help the Delta Fly Fishers to raise some money for their Conservation Programs. On Saturday July 12, DFF will be having its 2nd Annual Garage Sale at Jake Loyko’s House, 1151 West Vine Ave, Stockton. If you have small items to donate, place them in a box and leave them on the porch. For larger items, place them towards the rear of the house. For large items, couches etc., call Jake, (209) 981-4676, and he will pick them up for you on Friday the 11th between 7:00am and 11:00am.
We also need as many volunteers as possible to help with the garage sale. Heck this might be a good way to get your picture in the Newsletter while helping DFF raise money.
Northern California Council, Federation of Fly Fishers
New Features are planned for this great fly fishing event in 2008. Come and share some of the new programs with emphasis, this year, of fly fishing the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
More hands on activities for the young and experienced.
Join us October 10 & 11, 2008 in Lodi for a great time.
There will be off site workshops on Sunday the 12th.
Download the flyer here.
NEW PROCEDURES FOR NOMINATING LIFETIME MEMBER
An ad hoc committee was recently formed consisting of Al Smatsky, Leo Guterres, Bruce Rollans, Bob Souza and Ron Petitt. The committee met and decided it best the Board should review any nominees for the Lifetime Membership award as this is the most prestigious award given by the club. In the past it has been up to the president to randomly select a person for the award, but the Board felt it was best if they elected a nominee. The ad hoc committee has set out six criteria for nomination as a Lifetime member as follows:
- The nominee must have a minimum of 15 years of continuous membership with DFF.
- The nominee should have served no less than two full terms in two different offices such as president, vice president, secretary or treasurer. This service need not be consecutive and cannot be concurrent.
- The nominee should also have served no less than four full terms as a Board member, which cannot be served concurrent to any other office.
- The nominee should also have served no less than three full terms as a committee chairperson, one of which must have included Outings, Raffle, Programs, Fish Derby, Membership or Newsletter editor.
- Beyond the above noted, the nominee must have organized and directed no less than one activity which furthers the mission of DFF; e.g., a conservation project.
- Finally, the nominee must have demonstrated through leadership and/or participation a commitment to the art of fly-fishing and resource conservation.
Nomination for DFF Life Membership must be made by a DFF member. A DFF member may not nominate himself or herself.
- There is no limit to the number of times a DFF member can be nominated for Life membership as long as the nominating member acts in good faith under the belief all criteria have been satisfied.
- Nominations for lifetime membership will be considered and acted upon to either accept or reject the nomination by the DFF Board of Directors once any one or more nominations have been presented to that body.
- The DFF Board of Directors will act upon no nominee for Life membership if that selection will result in Life Members, as a body, exceeds 10% of the total membership. Where more than one member has been nominated for DFF Life Membership at the same time and selection of all nominees would exceed the 10% rule, the Board of Directors must judge one nominee against another based upon the criteria listed herein in order to make selections without violating the 10% rule.
- To be selected a DFF Life Member, the nominee(s) must receive a favorable vote of a simple majority of the total number of existing Directors. This is not to be construed to mean a simple majority of Directors present for the vote.
MONTANA WATER TYPES AND TECHNIQUES
by Brant Oswald
THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOWS of the fly shop, I could see the motor home turn off the highway, crunch across the gravel of the parking lot, and roll to a stop. After a minute or two, two tourists, a man in his seventies and a boy of about ten, emerged, walked hesitantly throught the open door, and made their way to the front counter. The old man stuck his chin out slightly and looked across the counter at me.
"We're not from around here, and we don't know much about fly fishing, " he said, "but the boy here is set on catching a trout. I'd like you to sell us one or two flies and tell us how to fish them. They tell us there's good trout fishing here."
Click here to read Brant's full article.
Attention all members:
We are in the process of composing a video to display at various events featuring our club and its activities to interest the public to join our club. We are in need of any and all photographs you may have taken in the past and stored away in your shoe box. We are particularly interested in pictures taken in the '80's, '90's or the new century. We are able to scan those photographs into a computer so we have a folder from which to chose those that will be used in our promo video.
Please bring any old photographs of any size either in color or black and white depicting various club members in whatever activity they were taken. Any photos you have of a fisherman holding or catching a fish in them, they should be of club members. Be sure to put your name on the back of the photos so they can be returned to you. If you can dig out some photos give them to Herman Spalinger so we can build our inventory.
Herman
FFF NEWS and ITEMS OF INTEREST
The FFF Conclave (Whitefish, MT) on-line pre-registration is now open. By now FFF members should have received
their Spring Issue of the Flyfisher Magazine which includes the insert for registration and Conclave events. Questions in regards to Conclave can be directed to Jessica at conclave@fedflyfishers.org
See below for the two added seminars at Conclave for Clubs / Councils.
Thursday July 24, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Fundraising at the Council/Club level, by Josset Gauley, Development Director
All of our local FFF efforts could benefit from a few extra dollars. This seminar will discuss all aspects of local-level fundraising for education and conservation activities. The presentation will address proposal writing, identifying private and public sources of funding, budget development, and reporting the project impact to funders. This is the place to learn where to find the money for local projects and how to put it to good use.
Thursday July 24, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Council Building by R.P. Van Gytenbeek, President, FFF & Kay Jackson, FFF Public Relations & Advertising Consultant How to grow the Federation in your area, new club formation - where and how, Public relations and advertising, Please bring a note pad and paper or laptop.
 DO YOU PODCAST?
A podcast is like a radio show with each show consisting of a series of individual episodes. You can listen to each episode when you want - on your PC, your iPod or MP3 player, or with a web browser.
Podcasts can be found for most any topic - food, politics, comedy, sports, movies, speeches, books, etc. You name the topic and you'll probably find it. Podcasts are usually found in the MP3 audio format and are available for download from the Apple iTunes Store and from many websites.
The following podcasts are available free from the itunes store (iTunes program and account required). Just click the link and then you can download an episode or subscribe to the podcast.
The Itinerant Angler Podcast iTunes link
Shooting Aspirin and Pulling Stumps with Lefty Kreh iTunes link
Shooting Aspirin and Pulling Stumps with Lefty Kreh Web link
Fly Fish Radio iTunes link
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WEDNESDAY EVENING FLY CASTING LESSONS
The Delta Fly Fishers are giving FREE fly casting lessons every Wednesday (except the 2nd Wed of the month) at Oak Grove Park.
No equipment needed, the club furnishes the fly rods if you don't have your own. Lessons are given free by master fly casters from 6:30 pm until dark.
Join us at the Nature Center at Oak Grove Park in Stockton every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. until dark. We skip the second Wednesday of each month, which is the DFF general meeting night at 6:30 pm at John R. Williams school.
For more info call Jim Rich 209-477-6404
Please join us at our general meeting too. It's also free!
MAP to Nature Center at Oak Grove Park
MAP to John R. Williams School
EASTERN SIERRA FOCUS
Read CJ's latest annual Eastern Sierra Fishing Report along with some of her tips for successful fishing. Click here to read her report.
KNOT SO EASY
Need help tieing a fishing knot? Check out this website of "Animated Knots by Grog™".
ROCK SNOT
The Federation of Fly Fishers is disseminating information about a
new threat to our waterways called “Rock Snot.” It looks just like
what comes out of your nose. The FFF is leading an international effort
to reduce the spread of this disease called Didymosphenia geminata.
This alga is native to many cold water streams in the northern
latitudes where it usually presents no problem. However, biologists
in recent years have discovered the alga has become an aggressive
invader. It is spreading around the world and is forming impenetrable
mats that can be up to two feet thick and covers the entire bottom of
the stream and makes it impossible to fish. It is already having biological
impacts and the science community has yet to discover all of the
damage that it causes. At this time it has and is spreading to Arkansas,
West Virginia, North & South Carolina, Texas, Missouri and almost
every western mountain state. It is a national bio-hazard and threat in
New Zealand and has also spread to the UK and much of Europe.
FFF is one of the leaders in educating the public regarding these issues
and implementing programs that will serve to protect and restore our
aquatic resources. It is recommended at this time that we take the following
steps to prevent spreading this invasive alga. They are:
1 - Make sure to wash your gear before you leave a stream.
2 - Inspect your gear to make sure you are not transporting mud, vegetation
or any other visible material.
3 - Dry your equipment thoroughly before you use it on another water.
4 - Never transport live fish or other organisms from one water to
another.
More information can be obtained about invasives at http://fedflyfishers.org/conInvasiveSpecies.php
Murphy’s Creek Conservation Project
Saturday morning on the 16th of February, eight members of Delta Fly Fishers met at Van Assen Park on the Mokelumne River for a conservation project... It was our job to gather and plant the native cottonwood cuttings so that they will grow into trees protecting the stream bank and help re-establish natives.
Read the full story...
FISHING BUDDY PROGRAM
by Ron Petitt
A program to unite club members who possess certain fly fishing skills with other club members who desire to receive information has been approved by the Board of Directors AND NOW started.
Known as the "Fishing Buddy Program" its objectives are to encourage others to participate in fly fishing, increase the members proficiency to make fishing more pleasurable and productive, and generate enthusiasm and interaction among club members. The program, available to any member in good standing with Delta Fly Fishers, is strictly voluntary for both the mentor and the student and one's duration. This can be for a single contact or over a period of time.
Fishing Buddies will be club members who can offer their expertise in one or more areas of fly fishing, which includes the art of fly fishing, fly tying, rod building, float tubing, pontoon boating, stream and lake fishing and attending outings. Buddies will also be available to teach about fishing for the many species of trout, bass, steelhead and salt water fly fishing. Club experts who are frequent travelers to exotic destinations will be available with lots of information on where to go and how to get there.
Club members are being encouraged to apply for a Fishing Buddy at general membership meetings. Applications will be available at the meetings, in our newsletter and are available here for buddy and here for mentor.
A Fishing Buddy Committee has been appointed by the President and they will recruit members to serve as a "Fishing Buddy" to match up requests from members who desire to receive instruction. Once a request is submitted it will be reviewed by the Fishing Buddy Committee and a Fishing Buddy will be selected to meet with the member.
For further information, contact Ron Petitt, Committee Chairman at 209-931-2997 or Grady Lee at 209-951-3623.
OUR MISSION
Delta Fly Fishers is a community organization whose members are dedicated to the furtherance of the art of fly fishing. To accomplish this, we actively participate in educational programs to teach anglers the techniques of fly fishing, fly tying, fishing ethics and the practice of "catch and release".
We place great emphasis on conservation issues as they relate to streams and lakes with a focus on protection, preservation and restoration. We have assumed the responsibility to monitor local waters and bring to the attention of the public and governmental agencies issues which threaten conservation. We encourage families and anglers of all ages to participate in the club's activities.
OFFICIAL DFF MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
Help support our club and show your DFF pride at the same time by purchasing official DFF merchandise.
Polo Shirt w/club logo $26.00
Ball Cap $11.50
Club Patch $5.00
Lapel Pin $7.00
License Plate Frames $3.00
Official coffee mug $5.00
Also the club has a video library
Videotape Rentals $2.00 Per Video
See or call Bob Bradley for info on merchandise 209-369-4048.
Check out..
..these Fly Fishing sites!
Underwater Trout Photography: Pat Clayton
Pat Clayton's underwater photos of native and non-native trout do a terrific job of capturing color, so much so that many of them look like paintings. If you've ever wondered what a sea-run cutthroat in California's Smith River or a Greenback from the glacier-fed streams of Colorado looks like, this is the place to go.
CATCH AND RELEASE
I'm certain some of you have had your wives ask why do we go through all this trouble to buy all this expensive fly fishing gear and license, drive to faraway places or whatever to catch that fish of a lifetime only to put it back in the water? Well, I read in fly fishing magazines their answer is for the preservation of our fisheries. Our grandkids would like to have a fishery like we are enjoying now, and this is one way to ensure they have that opportunity. Even my wife complains we don't eat as much trout as we used to, and there's two reasons for that:
Read the full article here...
ASSEMBLING A FLY ROD
By C.W. “Don” Coleman – Taken from the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club Newsletter
The best way to assemble a fly rod is to first connect the tip of the rod to the next section and the butt section last. You should twist each one quarter turn while pushing the sections together. Of course to disassemble the sections twist in the opposite direction. As wear occurs, tiny groves will form like a screw thread and keep the sections from separating in use. Assembling the sections by pushing them together forms straight groves and often results in loose connections during use. If a connection does become loose, wiping the male end of the connection with candle wax—not canning wax—will provide a temporary solution.
I have watched fly casters go through ridiculous—and often dangerous—motions trying to assemble a multi -piece fly rod while seated in a canoe or small boat. The best way is to lay all the loose sections in front of you and first put the reel on the reel seat. Then pull off about 20’ of loose line and lay it on the floor. Thread the line through the guides on the butt section and through the guides on the next section in succession and assemble the two and continuing until all the sections are connected. You do bend over the tip of the line into a loop first so that if the canoe rocks and you drop the line it does not slip out of all the guides, don’t you? |
