January 2015 - BFFA

THE BACKCOUNTRY FLY FISHING ASSOCIATION OF BREVARD
An Active Member Club of the International Federation of Fly Fishers™
www.bffa-brevard.org
Volume XXVI Number IV
Monthly Dinner Meeting
Thursday, January 8th 6:30 PM
Note Special date!
Memaw's Bar B-Q
Eau Gallie Blvd.
Indian Harbour Beach
Our speaker will be Dr. Jon Shenker of the Sporfish
Research Institute at FIT.
The Sportfish Research Institute (SRI) is dedicated
to studies of the sport fishery species that are tremendously important to Florida. Research focuses on tarpon, American shad, grouper, snapper and other fish
species. Dr. Shenker and the SRI are spearheading
efforts by the university to help establish the statewide Florida Marine Fisheries Enhancement Initiative
(www.supportfloridasportfish.com). This major undertaking will build a network of fishery centers
around the state that will utilize habitat restoration and
aquaculture production and release of juveniles of
fishery species to rebuild fishery populations.
In addition to field and laboratory research, SRI
personnel present talks and provide information to
local and regional sport fishing organizations and
publications. Funded in part by state and local grants,
SRI also seeks funding and participation from corporations associated with the fishing industry and from
private individuals.
Dr Shenker’s educational background:
B.S. Cornell University 1975
M.S. University of South Carolina 1977
Ph.D. Oregon State University 1986
January, 2015
His Professional Experience:
Dr. Shenker has worked on the biology and ecology of fishes from many parts of the world, ranging
from Florida and the Caribbean to the North Pacific
Ocean and West Africa. He also studies a wide range
of habitats, including freshwater, estuarine, and deep
ocean systems, artificial and natural reefs, marshes
and sea grasses, and anywhere else fish might live. His
fisheries biology and aquaculture research has determined how oceanographic and meteorological conditions can control the annual variability of
economically important fish populations, and how
habitats can be managed to enhance their suitability
for fishes. He has published 40+ papers, and had
graduated 40 M.S. students and 6 Ph.D. students during his 22 years at Florida Tech. A large number of
undergraduate students work as research assistants in
his laboratory, and many conduct their own research
projects
Dr Shenker will be speaking on some of his recent
research results.
Page-1
EDITOR’S MUSINGS
BFFA Officers and Directors
The editing of a fishing newsletter gives free license to the editor to muse on any aspect of angling
that strikes his mind. This month fly fishing history
became the topic.
Chairman of the Board: Don Davis
[email protected]
President: Bryan Hatfield
(Home) 779-8458
[email protected]
According to Wikpedia, the first documented reference to fly fishing was in a book published in 1496 by
Dame Juliana Berners in England. The book contains,
along with instructions on rod, line and hook making,
dressings for different flies to use at different times of
the year. By the 15th century, rods of approximately
fourteen feet length with a twisted line attached at its
tips were probably used in England.
Vice President/Programs: Dominc Agostini
(home) 557-7124
Secretary/Treasurer: Ron Winn
(Home) 777-3341
[email protected]
The earliest English poetical treatise on Angling by
John Dennys, said to have been a fishing companion
of Shakespeare, was published in 1613, The Secrets of
Angling. Footnotes of the work, written by Dennys'
editor, William Lawson, make the first mention of the
phrase to 'cast a fly':
Conservation Director: Bill DeLuccia
(Home) 729-8188
[email protected]
Education Director/Fly Tying: Jeff Ward
242-2815
[email protected]
The book Compleat Angler was written by Izaak
Walton in 1653 (although Walton continued to add to
it for a quarter of a century). It was a celebration of the
art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse. A second
part to the book was added by Walton's friend Charles
Cotton.
Outings Director: Mike Reynolds
(Home) 409-5669
[email protected]
Auction Chairman: Frank Catino
777-5706
[email protected]
Walton did not profess to be an expert with a
fishing fly; the fly fishing in his first edition was
contributed by Thomas Barker, a retired cook and
humorist, who produced a treatise of his own in 1659.
Cotton's additions completed the instruction in fly
fishing and advised on the making of artificial flies
where he listed sixty five varieties.
Newsletter Editor: Frank Perkins
676-0863
[email protected]
Dave Hackett
255-4750
Charles Kirby designed an improved fishing hook
in 1655 that remains relatively unchanged to this day.
He went on to invent the Kirby bend, a distinctive
hook with an offset point, still commonly used today.
Webmaster: M.E.DePalma
(Work) 954-563-2148
[email protected]
Modern reel design had begun in England during
the latter part of the 18th century, and the predominant
model in use was known as the 'Nottingham reel'.
The material used for the rod itself changed from
the heavy woods native to England, to lighter and
more elastic varieties imported from abroad, especially from South America and the West Indies. Split
Bamboo rods became the generally favoured option
from the mid-19th century, and were superior to anything that preceded them.
THE BACKCAST is published monthly by the
Backcountry Fly Fishing Association of Brevard
P.O. Box 524
Melbourne, FL 32902-0524
Page-2
To be continued in a later issue.
FLY TYING
IFFA NEWS
Jeff Ward gets a month off because the library is
closed for Martin Luther King’s birthday on our
meeting date.
This Sand Crab fly, tied by Layne Smith appeared
in the recent issue of the Suncoast Fly Fishers newsletter.
The 2015 Fly Fishing Expo will be at the
International Game Fish Association (IGFA) and the
Marriott Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Airport and
Cruise Port October 2 – 3 in Dania Beach near Fort
Lauderdale. Tom Logan and David Olson are planning some great programs.
Has anyone fished in the surf with a similar fly?
Any luck?
The Bighorn River Youth Adventure organized
by Frank Johnson in Ft. Smith, Montana will not be
held in 2015. Notice of the cancellation was received
on December 12.
The International Fly Fishing Fair will occur
August 11-15 in Bend, Oregon. The IFFF is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. It will be a great meeting.
Details are on the
IFFF web site at
http://fedflyfishers.org/FlyFishingFair.aspx
We are planning our Florida Council annual
meeting in March. Details regarding a date and location will be forthcoming.
We encourage casting clinics with IFFF Certified
Casting Instructors.
Materials:
Hook: Mustad 3407 Z-8 (2 8: 4 Most Popular Size]
Thread: Danville Flat Wax Nylon - Olive
Shell Back: Natural Deer hair (Needs to be at least 2" long)
Egg Sack: l-lot Orange Chenille, medium
Legs: Sili-legs Marked Grizzly
Body: Gray chenille, medium
Beard: Root Beer Brown Sparkle Krystal Flash
Shellback Coat: UV Resin
Tying Sequence:
Step 1: Stack deer hair in stacker (tips flrst) and then trim
butt ends even.
Step 2: Tie in deer hair by the butt ends (tips should be extending to the rear].
Step 3: Tie in orange chenille and cover tied in portion of
deer hair with three wraps of chenille.Cut off excess.
Step 4: Tie in a pair of legs with figure­eight wraps so they
extend to either side. Trim off in
proportion to hook size (should extend past hook bend about
1/5 to 1% of an inch). Over-wrap legs
to make them extend backwards past hook bend.
Step 5: Tie in grey chenille and wrap to just behind hook eye
(leave sufflcient gap to tie a neat
head). Cut off excess chenille.
Step 6: Tie in Krystal Flash in beard position and trim to
half body length.
Step 7: Fold deer hair over body to create a tightly formed
shellback. Tie off firmly and trim.
Step 8: Form a neat head with thread wraps. Trim thread and
overcoat head and shellback with
UV resin. Harden with UV light or set out in sunlight for 20
or 30 minutes till hardened.
The IFFF Fly Tying Group has established a Fly
Tying Skills Awards Program and details for how to
participate are provided on the IFFF web site at
http://www.fedflyfishers.org/Tying/FlyTyingSkillsA
wardsProgram.aspx
Florida Council activities are posted on our web
site and activities can be followed on Facebook.
We are interested in your activities so send us
what’s new with you and your club. You can submit
them to me at [email protected]
Page-3
THE Other Side if Fly Fishing
side pressure and they disappear around the next bend
to look for hoss gators.
by
Show's over. As things calm down and wakes
diminish I steer the bluegill out of the weeds and to the
boat. As I unhook him I almost want to thank him and
let him go. Naw, he'll look pretty good in my cooler
with the other five caught earlier. Sitting back, I think
to myself that a fisherman doesn't even have to open
his mouth or utter a single word to fib about the size of
a fish he catches. I managed to dupe a fish with a fly
and also dupe about a dozen tourists with that fish. The
airboat captain has probably seen this before. I'm not
sure what I would have done if he had stopped his boat
to see me land my fish. Maybe a breakoff right at the
boat. Is this deception wrong ...not for a fisherman or
should I say an angler. Angling is all about the art of
the deceiving fish and maybe a few people.
Jeff Ward
I've always considered myself to be on the other
side of fly fishing. I'm not a technical poler who sight
fishes the flats for a trophy. I fish for "eatin fish",
usually for fresh water panfish. My casts are to holes
in the lily pads and reeds that look " bassy or `gilly".
Heck, I sometimes do this sitting on the front seat of
my boat instead of standing. Why pole when I've got
a trolling motor. My goal is to put as much leisure into
the leisure sport of fly fishing.
The fog has finally lifted down south on the
upper St Johns River. Up north is downstream and
down south is upstream. God built this river backwards for some unknown reason. There aren't that
many fly fishermen on this stretch of the river, most of
them fish north of the Lake Washington weir. American shad are their trophy targets. As for me, I like
copperhead bluegills and bass. A copperhead is a big
hand size bluegill that gets a purplish coppery band on
its forehead to show other 'gills that they're the big
momma or king daddy.
It's a calm warm day on the river. The air smells
sweet with the willows flowering and the distinctive
song of the redwing blackbird has finally returned to
the marsh. The copperheads are cooperating nicely. I
cast my green froglet over a submerged hydrilla bed
and it doesn't take long for that distinctive "plop" of a
bluegill sucking it under. As I start to bring him to the
boat, I hear a far away rumbling coming from upriver.
The rumbling builds louder and louder until it's just
around the next bend in the river and then just the
other side of the willows. It's show time. Giving the
bluegill slack, it digs deep into the tangles of hydrilla
weed. And now it's time to strike the pose of a true fly
fisherman, bent knees, bowed back, rod butt and reel
tight to the chest with the 9 foot 5 wt rod almost
doubled over. Then it appears... around the bend
comes the "Big Gator Tours" airboat with about a
dozen tourists wanting to get a glimpse of wild Florida
on board. I quickly wave to them like I don't really
want to take my hand off of the strained rod. I give
them the illusion of concentrating on my battle all the
while using my peripheral vision to see if their eyes
are on me. A few reel downs and pump ups, switch to
Page-4
Oh well ...time to go home, clean the boat and
clean my catch for a fish and fixins lunch. As I sit back
in my recliner getting ready for a Sunday afternoon of
football, I feel pretty good about my morning fishing
trip. I made a tour boat captain happy showcasing the
great fishing in his river, I let a dozen tourists watch
me catch what must have been a 10 1b bass and I
satisfied my appetite with a belly full of hush puppies,
slaw and beer battered bluegills.
Photo by Jeff Ward; subject is a copperhead bluegill a.k a. lunch
OCCUPATIONS
OUTING
Did you ever realize how many occupations are
represented in the club?
We have again been invited by the Orlando BackCountry club to participate in their weekend of shad
fishing on the St Johns River near Mullet Lake Park,
on January 16-18. Details are available at
http://bfaorlando.com/outings They offer camping
space with rest rooms and firewood at 932 Indian
Hammock Drive in Osteen, FL on Friday and Saturday nights. RSVP to Phil Traino (407) 948-4953,
[email protected]. He can provide you with
directions for reaching the camping site.
Editor’s quick list:
Fishing guide
Politician
Insurance agent
Insurance adjustor
School principal
Judge
Lawyer
Engineer
Newspaper columnist
Marine engineer
Tour boat operator
Accountant
Manager
NEW MEMBERS
Executive
What can you add?
No new members last month.
FISHING REPORTS
On Saturday, December 13, the club held a fishing
outing at Lake Washington. About 12 members
attended, catching an undisclosed number of fish.
Lunch was served and greatly appreciated.
Page-5
BFFA January 2015 Events
Monthly Dinner Meeting
Special Day!
Board Meeting
Thursday, January 15th 6:30 P.M.
Note special date
Thursday, January 8th, 6:30 P.M.
Memaw's Bar B-Q
Eau Gallie Blvd.
Indian Harbour Beach
(Meet at 5:00 PM for dinner )
Ron Winn’s office
Melbourne
Outing
Fly Tying
We have been invited to the Orlando
BackCountry shad fishing campout on
Jan. 16-18
No Fly Tying this
month–library closed
for holiday
See page 5 for details
THE BACKCAST
Backcountry Fly Fishing Association of Brevard
P.O. Box 524
Melbourne, FL. 32902-0524
Limit your kill, don’t kill your limit !
Please practice Catch and Release.