Posted on May 1st, 2023
The Art of Fly Fishing
July 2023 Table of Contents
General Meeting……………………
No monthly meeting in July – August BBQ
Summer Raffle Schedule……………………
President’s Line……………………
Fly Tying……………………
July Class: Copper John
Fly of the Month: Renegade Fly
Conservation Concerns……………
Tulare Lake is Back—For Now
Membership Notes…………………
Club Activities – July
Fly Casting Meetup July 22 at Jade St. Park
2023 Rosters available August BBQ
Fishout Schedule…………………
Cartoon ……………………
Posted on June 28th, 2023
No July Meeting – August BBQ -2023
| Info | Date | Excerpt |
|---|---|---|
Join us in August for a BBQ at the Aptos Grange. Hamburger, hot dogs, salad and sodas. BYOB. |
Aug 02 | Club BBQ |
Posted on June 14th, 2023
Summer Raffle Schedule
The Fly Club raffle is taking a short break for the summer. There will be no meeting or raffle in July, in lieu of the August meeting we will be holding our annual summer BBQ. No raffle but we will have some great door prizes. Don’t miss out.
September will see our regular meeting with both online and in-person raffle ticket sales.
Many thanks to all who participate in our raffles, your support is greatly appreciated.
Posted on June 26th, 2023
The Accidental Tyer
When I joined the Santa Cruz Fly Fishing club, I assumed that I was going to learn how to cast, where to go, how to read water, and land a fish. One day, I asked Sam Bishop where I could buy surf perch flies and he looked at me with incredulity. “You don’t buy them, you make ’em and if it takes longer than 3 minutes, than you did it wrong.” So a bit chastened, I went to to a fly tying class which featured a surf perch fly. On the left is a picture from the Feb. 2020 newsletter and on the right is the fly that I tied in the class. Let’s just say that I wasn’t a natural.
With that experience and COVID shutting down all in-person activities, it should have been the end of my fly tying. However by September, Tom Hogye (past-president) convinced Elaine to teach fly tying online using Zoom and I volunteered to help Elaine run the Zoom class which means I participated in the class. Over the months, I started to look forward to spending an evening a month in the Zoom class with other club members. Now I watch YouTube videos on tying, go to club swap meets, and buy material on-line. Oh and I still go to the monthly tying classes to learn from others in the club. I even think my tying has improved.
Over the summer months, we will have guest club instructors including Tom Eckert, Greg Foy, Jerry McKeon, and Michael Sherwood. You should give it a try, you might accidentally become a tyer.
Have a wonderful 4th of July,
Scott Kitayama, President
P.S. The fly that Sam was referring to is the “orange stick”. Very effective, fast to tie, and only uses two materials. I am not sure you can buy it. You might just have to make ’em.
Posted on June 14th, 2023
July Fly-tying Class
Jul 12 6:30 PM @ Aptos Grange
John Barr’s “Copper John” is our fly for this month’s class . This attractor fly has a stonefly nymph’s biot tail with a red wire body and a mayfly like thorax. The bead head and wire body help the fly sink to the bottom of the water column and hopefully grab the attention of some chunky opportunistic trout. Bring black 6/0 or 8/0 thread, other materials will be supplied. The club has tools to lend for beginners. I hope to see you there! My phone number is below, please text message or call to sign up.
Greg Foy – ph/txt: (831) 239-8780
Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to Fly Name to see more information.
| Date | Fly | Excerpt | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Aug 09 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Chubby Chernobyl | Guest Instructor: Jerry McKeon |
 | Sep 13 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Barry Smelt | Guest instructor: Michael Sherwood |
 | Oct 11 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | October Caddis - Fly Tying Class | All club members are welcome! |
Posted on June 16th, 2023
Renegade fly
This dry fly pattern has been around for decades. It is an effective attractor, easy to tie, easy to see.
1. HOOK: TMC 100 (or any standard dry fly hook). Size 10-18
Crimp barb.
2. THREAD: Black 6/0, or 8/0 depending on size of hook.
Attach thread, 3/4 back on shank.
3. TAG: small or find flat gold tinsel.
Tie in back to above barb with silver side facing you. Hand wrap tinsel around 1/3 of curve of hook and back to starting point.
NOTE: that will expose gold side of tinsel. Tie off cut access.
4. REAR HACKLE: brown or grizzly Barbs equal to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 times hook gap. Remove any fuzz at base of stem. Cut 4 to 5 barbs short on each side of stem (crew cut). Tie crew cut in with feather tip to the rear and light side of feather facing you. Advance thread 1/4 back on shank. Wrap feather forward to thread with close wraps and tie off. Cut excess.
5. BODY: peacock herl.
Using 2 to 4 strands, break off fragile tips. Tie in tips. Reinforce hurl with thread loop and dubbing tool. Advance thread to 1/4 back on shank. Twist thread loop forming a chenille. Wrap chenille forward forming a generous body. Tie off cut access.
6. FORWARD HACKLE: white or cream grizzly Barbs equal two 1 1/2 to 2 times hook gap.
Prepare feather the same as above. Move thread to one by length behind eye. Wrap feather forward with close wraps. Tie off, cut excess. Wrap small thread head. Tie off, cut thread. Apply superglue, if using a large hook.
Posted on April 21st, 2023
Tulare Lake is Back—For Now
Some of the expected outcomes of the onslaught of storms this year are the near record snowpack, reservoirs full to the brim and swollen rivers. With climate change, we can expect more drastic swings between flooding and drought in a feast-or-famine cycle. One event during heavy rain and snowpack years is the re-emergence of the “ghost lake”—Tulare Lake. Part of the complex history of man controlling water in California, Tulare has an interesting legacy. Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River, although its size varied between dry and wet periods. It was fed by the Kings, Tule, Kaweah and smaller rivers. During a typical year, the lake covered 650-700 square miles!
It provided habitat to a vast number of wildlife including thicktail chub (now extinct), hitch, blackfish, Sacramento perch, pikeminnow, sucker, Tule Elk, blackbirds, singing marsh wrens, geese, ducks white pelicans, black cormorants, herons, egrets, frogs, turtles, otters and beaver. Living off the abundance of wildlife were the indigenous Yokuts bands.
The demise of the Yokuts and Tulare lake can be traced to the appearance of European settlers. In the case of the Yokuts, malaria, smallpox, enslavement, genocide and the loss of their ancestral land were certainly devastating.
For Tulare Lake, after California became a State, the newly annexed “swamp and overflow” land in the area was subject to sale by the federal government for pennies. The conditions for sale were that the lake can be crossed in a boat and that the prospective buyer was willing to drain the lake for the purpose of farming. With this incentive, farmers engaged in constructing levees and other water containment measures to make the lake bed farmable. The final blow to the lake came in the first half of the 20th century with the influx of mega farming. These farmers had a hand in convincing the Army Corps of Engineers to spend millions of dollars building Pine Flat Dam on the Kings River as a flood control structure. Following shortly afterwards, dams on the Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers were built. So, except during years when the snowmelt overwhelms the flood control infrastructure (1969, 1983, and 1997 and 2023) Tulare Lake does not exist. From a wildlife resurgence perspective, this year can be considered a wonderful event. Not to mention recharging much-depleted aquifers that have been over-drawn over the years. The downside is how all the water has disrupted and displaced residents in the region. Many of the residents are on the low end of the income scale, will loose farming jobs. Water managers in the area think that it may take a year or two to reclaim much of the lake for farming, costing the economy over a billion dollars.
While we will never return Tulare Lake to its historic glory, I can’t help from thinking if a scaled back version of the lake would be a compromise for the best interests for all stakeholders in California.
For an interesting read, see the following website: https://californiawaterblog.com/2023/04/16/lake-tulare-and-its-fishes-shall-rise-again/
Posted on June 21st, 2023
Club Activities – July
| Date | Activity Link | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
| Aug 26 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
Posted on June 28th, 2023
2023 Rosters available August BBQ
Additional 2023 Rosters are available at the August BBQ @ the Aptos Grange. Please email me if you cannot make the BBQ and want a Roster at Robert6367@aol.com.
Posted on June 24th, 2023
Fishout Schedule – July
The newsletter provides brief fishout info. For full detail, go to the website menu and select EVENTS -> Fishout Schedule
| EVENT NAME | EVENT DATE | SPECIES | FISH MASTER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Almanor/Hex Hatch – Jun 25 – Jul 1 2023 – New Info | Jun 24 - Jul 01 | ||
| Palm Beach Surf Fishout | Jul 01 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Loreto Fly Fishing Trip July 2023 | Jul 16 - Jul 20 | Salty Sharp Toothed Fishy Critters | Rich Hughett |
| Kennedy Meadows / Sonora Pass – Fish-Out 2023 | Jul 23 - Jul 27 | Trout | Tom Hogye |
| Rio Del Mar State Beach Surf Fishout | Aug 05 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | Sam Bishop |
| Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout | Sep 02 | Surf Perch / Striped Bass | To Be Determined |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) | Sep 08 - Sep 10 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Mammoth Fishout – UPDATED – | Sep 23 - Oct 07 | Trouts | John Cook |
| October surf fishout – Beer Can | Oct 07 | perch, stripers | Sam Bishop - Fishing; Mike Lovejoy - Breakfast |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) – CONFIRMED Oct 14 | Oct 14 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
| O’Neill Forebay ‘Stosh’ Memorial Fishout | Oct 19 - Oct 22 | Striped Bass | Kevin Murdock |
| 2023 Fishout Round-Up | Dec 01 - Dec 02 | FISH | Club Members |
| Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) Date Postponed High Water | Mar 15 - Mar 17 | Trout | Alex Ferber |
| Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 1 – April 7, 2024 – New Info | Apr 01 - Apr 07 | Lahontan Cutthroat Trout | Mike White - (831) 706-5556 |
| Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) | Apr 20 | Bass, crappie, bluegill | Scott Kitayama |
Jun 24 : Lake Almanor/Hex Hatch – Jun 25 – Jul 1 2023 – New Info
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/lake-almanor-hex-hatch-2023/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster:
The Lake Almanor fishout is scheduled for the last week of June, 6/24 thru 7/1, 2023. This time period is, hopefully, the peak of the annual Hexagenia hatch that begins generally mid-June and runs through mid-July. The most productive fishing takes place early evenings on into past dark between Lake Almanor West to Canyon Dam… Read More
Jul 01 : Palm Beach Surf Fishout
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/santa-cruz-county-surf-fishout-2/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Sam Bishop
Location: Palm Beach State Park Species: Surf Perch, Striped Bass Min./Max Participants: NO Limit Cali Surf Style Gear: 6-8wt. Rods with full sinking lines or shooting heads to match the rod. Polarized glasses (safety), Mandatory Accessories: Wader Belt & Stripping Basket (If a basket is needed, some maybe available to borrow or purchase. Please contact the… Read More
Jul 16 : Loreto Fly Fishing Trip July 2023
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/loreto-fly-fishing-trip-july-2023/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Rich Hughett
Sign Up Now! Experience a new HIGH! Fish for Dorado, and many other salt-water fish, including Bonito, Roosters, Yellowtail and Sailfish on a fly! Join the group going to Loreto in Baja Sunday, July 16th through Thursday, July 20th. This trip includes: Four nights at the beautiful Hotel La Mission, on the water-front next to… Read More
Jul 23 : Kennedy Meadows / Sonora Pass – Fish-Out 2023
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/kennedy-meadows-sonora-pass-fish-out-2023/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Tom Hogye
Kennedy Meadows Resort & Pack Station / Baker & Deadman campground. http://www.kennedymeadows.com. If you want to stay in a cabin, you should try to get a reservation now. The cabins generally roll over annually with returning guests from the previous year. The Hogye's will be in Cabin 11. Rates range from $115 - 260 per… Read More
Aug 05 : Rio Del Mar State Beach Surf Fishout
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/rio-del-mar-state-beach-surf-fishout/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Sam Bishop
First Surf Fishout of 2023! Saturday May 6th 2023 5:55AM Location: Rio Del Mar State Beach Read More
Sep 02 : Manresa State Beach Surf Fishout
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/manresa-state-beach-surf-fishout/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: To Be Determined
Location: Manresa State Beach Species: Surf Perch, Striped Bass Min./Max Participants: NO Limit Cali Surf Style Gear: 6-8wt. Rods with full sinking lines or shooting heads to match the rod. Polarized glasses (safety), Mandatory Accessories: Wader Belt & Stripping Basket (If a basket is needed, some maybe available to borrow or purchase. Please contact the Fishmaster ahead of… Read More
Sep 08 : Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir)
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/upper-sacramento-river-fishout-dunsmuir/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Alex Ferber
Fishmaster: Alex Ferber Location: Upper Sacramento River with Potential McCloud River Side Trip Species: Trout Duration: 3 Days Cost: No Cost https://goo.gl/maps/qC5QbdWhMStgX27X9 Equipment: Typical Trout Set Up 9', 4-6wt Rods w/ Floating Lines Ideal Euro Nymphing, and Trout Spey conditions available Nymphs: Pheasant Tail, Hairs Ear, Prince Nymph, Wooly Buggers, Perdigon, Copper Johns, Zebra Midge,… Read More
Sep 23 : Mammoth Fishout – UPDATED –
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/mammoth-fishout-2/
Mammoth Lakes (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: John Cook
UPDATE Both weeks of this Fishout has been filled. I am maintaining a waiting list. There are three people on the list currently. If I get enough I will think about getting another condo. Please email or contact me directly for inquires. John & Elain Cook - Fishmaster (831) 234-6515 coookin@gmail.com Dates: This Fishout will… Read More
Oct 07 : October surf fishout – Beer Can
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/october-surf-fishout/
Beer Can Beach (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Sam Bishop - Fishing; Mike Lovejoy - Breakfast
Surf fish-out Saturday October 7, followed by breakfast at Mike Lovejoy's. Important location information and breakfast information Read More
Oct 14 : Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie) – CONFIRMED Oct 14
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/kelly-lake-watsonville-bass-crappie/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Scott Kitayama
Fishmaster: Scott Kitayama Location: Kelly Lake in Watsonville (Private lake limited to 10 people) Species: bass, crappie, bluegill Duration: 1 day Registration and Cost: No Cost, but you must contact Scott as the number of people fishing is limited. Contact at scottkitayama@gmail.com. I am waiting on confirmation on this date, however I wanted to gauge… Read More
Oct 19 : O’Neill Forebay ‘Stosh’ Memorial Fishout
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/o-neill-forebay-stosh-memorial-fish-out/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Kevin Murdock
Event: O'Neill Forebay 'Stosh' Memorial Fishout Date: Thursday October 19 to Sunday October 22 (I chose this weekend for it's 'skinny' moon, less night feeding for the fish) Target Gamefish: Striped Bass Location: Medeiros Campground located on the Southern Shoreline of the O'Neill Forebay, access off of Santa Nella Blvd. (Highway 33) Hosts: Kevin Murdock … Read More
Dec 01 : 2023 Fishout Round-Up
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/2023-fishout-round-up/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Club Members
Greetings Club Members (Existing, new, soon to be), This though not a Fishout, but rather a year in review of 2023's great events held by our members. 19 trips planned in 2023 not all the trips planned were executed due to the high waters and weather early in the season but for some of those… Read More
Mar 15 : Upper Sacramento River Fishout (Dunsmuir) Date Postponed High Water
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/upper-sacramento-river-fishout-dunsmuir-2/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Alex Ferber
Fishmaster: Alex Ferber Location: Upper Sacramento River with Potential McCloud River Side Trip Species: Trout Date / Duration: POSTPONED DUE TO HIGH WATER Tentatively March 15th - 17th, 3 Days … Read More
Apr 01 : Pyramid Lake Fish-out April 1 – April 7, 2024 – New Info
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/pyramid-lake-fish-out-april-1-april-7-2024-new-info/
Pyramid Lake (Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Mike White - (831) 706-5556
The Pyramid Lake trip is one of the best-attended fishouts the club has, and for a good reason. Lahontan Cutthroat Trout cruise parallel to the shore in easy casting distance from shore. Read More
Apr 20 : Kelly Lake – Watsonville (bass, crappie)
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/events/kelly-lake-watsonville-bass-crappie-date-tbd/
(Click for address and map)
Fishmaster: Scott Kitayama
Updated March 25th, fish out if full. Fishmaster: Scott Kitayama Location: Kelly Lake in Watsonville (Private lake limited to 6 people) Species: bass, crappie, bluegill Duration: 1 day Registration and Cost: No Cost, but you must contact Scott as the number of people fishing is limited. Contact at scottkitayama@gmail.com. On this Fishout, priority will be… Read More
Posted on June 16th, 2023
Napkin Doodle
Posted on June 15th, 2023
June 2023 Table of Contents
General Meeting……………………
Lee Haskins (In Person)
June Raffle……………………
President’s Line……………………
Fly Tying……………………
June Class: Damselfy Nymph
Fly of the Month: Vernille Caddis
Conservation Concerns……………
Klamath River Dam Removal – A Deep Dive
Membership Notes…………………
Club Activities – June
Fly Casting Meetup June 24 at Jade St. Park
Membership is at a New High of 212
Fishout Schedule…………………
Gearing Up…………………
Alpine County
SAFETY: A recycled article from 2012
Gone Fishing…………………
Lake Nacimiento Fishout
Fishing the Cantankerous Surf
Cartoon ……………………
Posted on May 31st, 2023
(In Person) Lee Haskins
Jun 07 6:30 PM at the Aptos Grange
New Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89352294939
Lee Haskin began his fishing career in the late fifties, at about 10 years old. He learned to tie flies from his father, and an old Herter’s fly tying manual, and soon was flyfishing, side-by-side with his fly-fishing father, on trout waters throughout the California Sierras. However, in 1967 Lee caught his first striped bass at the mouth of the Pajaro River, just prior to moving to Long Beach to attend college. After settling in to college, Lee discovered the many species of fish that would readily come to the fly. His primary target was the Bonita, found in the San Gabriel River, near the college.
After reading about Bob Edgley blue shark fly fishing in Monterey Bay, in the late 1960’s, Lee was focused on catching yet another species on the fly. Many trips out of Capitola, CA yielded numerous blue sharks, as well as rockfish in the kelp beds.
In the early 1970’s Lee began to fish San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay, with a primary interest in catching stripers with top water bugs. About that same time Lee and old friend and mentor, Del Brown, (talk about good company!) began fishing the South San Francisco Bay for stripers. Del and Lee fished from Coyote Point to Candlestick Park throughout the 1970’s. However, in the early 1980’s, the San Francisco Bay’s incredible striper fishing dropped off, and Del began his world record run for permit. At this time, Lee concentrated his efforts once again on the San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay, targeting the flats and islands along Highway 152 on the O’Neill Forebay, and also, depending on the season, along the dam and many accessible coves, fishing from a float tube. Lee has fished these areas successfully since the 70’s.
Although Lee enjoys catching stripers throughout the year on his own flies, specifically Lee’s San Luis Smelt, he is particularly fond of throwing his favorite gurgler patterns along the weed beds of the O’Neill Forebay.
Lee found that his Gurgler Series could fill a niche with top-water loving fly fisherman around the world, and enjoys introducing people to this versatile pattern. A number of Lee’s fly patterns incorporate foam in the design, including the Neutralizer Series, which has become very popular for tarpon, redfish and snook. His commercial fly tying business keeps him busy filling fly orders for folks all over the world. Fortunately, he still has time for travel, from Alaska to Honduras, to the Bahamas. Lee particularly enjoys fishing inshore saltwater locations, for tarpon, permit, snook, bonefish, and redfish. Working with guides and outfitters, in the Yucatan, Belize, and the Bahamas, Lee has developed several successful and popular patterns for each fishery he visits. He also hosts trips to the Yucatan, primarily for baby tarpon
Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.
| Monthly Speaker | Date | Excerpt |
|---|---|---|
 | Aug 02 | Club BBQ |
| Sep 06 | Fly Fishing Film Tour 2023 |
Posted on May 16th, 2023
June Raffle
Ok folks, it is now June and time to really get serious about some fine fly fishing.
We have some great raffle prizes help get the party started.
ROD AND REEL PACKAGE
How about a winners pick for either a 5wt, 6wt, or 7wt V-Access 9 ft four piece rod in a cordura hard case along with a matching machine cut HCH reel. Winners choice from mountain trout streams to open water stripers and everything in between. One rod/reel prize will be awarded, winners choice.
HEXAGENIA FLIES
For some of us, June means one thing-HEX HATCH! And that means Lake Almanor, Butt Valley Reservoir, Lake Davis, Fall River, and a few other guarded secret spots that produce the mid-summer Hexagenia Fly. Lance Gray, famed Lake Almanor guide, has put together a box of a dozen of his favorite Hex flies ranging from his Swimming AP, Hex Wiggletail, Hex Dunn, to a Loop Wing Paranymph plus a few in between. A great selection of some great flies.
Note: Henderson Springs has quite a prolific hex hatch in mid-May.
STILLWATER GUIDE BOOK
The good news is that we had a very wet winter however the downside is that some of our favorite streams and rivers will be running high well into summer. Might be time to give some thought to Stillwater options. To that end we have a great book raffle prize “Fly Fishing California Stillwater” by Bill Sunderland.
This beauty is loaded with extensive stillwater techniques, detailed maps, gorgeous photographs, fly selection tips, and local connections to help you achieve success in our mountain and valley waters. A true treasure trove of stillwater information.
THE FINE PRINT
Raffle tickets cost a dollar each, $20 bucks gets you 25. Click on the following link to purchase your lucky raffle tickets:
https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/product-category/raffle-prizes/
The online raffle ticket sales office will close at noon on Wednesday the day of the monthly meeting (6/7/23). Club membership not required to participate, need not be present to win. The prize drawing will take place at the regular monthly meeting.
Posted on June 1st, 2023
To Promote, Educate and Enjoy the sport of fly fishing.
Happy June Everyone, I thought I would use the club’s mission statement to provide a unifying theme around some disparate events that happened in May. Usually, I like to discuss future events, but sometimes you just have to look back and appreciate what has been accomplished.
Promote: Did you hear about the Swap Meet that happened on May 20th? If you weren’t one of the 150 or so who attended, it was a ‘shoulda been there’ event. I saw beautiful rods and reels that were sold for 10% of the original retail price going to happy fishermen from SF, East Bay, and other distant places. Carly Blanchard created the Swap Meet poster and Jeff Goyert made sure that the event was well-promoted online and in print. Due to generous product donations from club member estates, the Swap Meet raised quite a bit of money for the club and helps to ensure that next year we will be able to match and/or exceed our 2023 donations for conservation and education.
Educate: I am so proud to be part of a great organization that gives back to the community. Below are the eight students that we gave scholarships in 2023. The Scholarship program is headed up by David South and he has done a tremendous job this year; getting the club to double the scholarship amount per student, coordinating with the schools to select the students, and lining up club members to present the scholarships. David South, Kathy Powers, Tom Hogye and I attended senior award nights and gave these students a chance to be recognized by their peers and parents for their past and future accomplishments.
| High School | Recipient | Major | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aptos HS | Vivienne Chankai | Environmental Sci. | UC Santa Barbara |
| Harbor HS | Maya Manildi | Environmental Sci. | UC Berkeley |
| Pajaro Valley HS | Alexa Falcon-Vizcarra | Food Science | UC Davis |
| Santa Cruz HS | Jace Gularte | Fire Science | Cal Poly Humboldt |
| San Lorenzo Valley HS | Mia Hamilton | Green Engineering | UC Davis |
| Scotts Valley HS | Payton Dufour | Environmental Sci. | UC Davis |
| Soquel HS | Jakob Sporleder | Ag Bus. / Engineering. | Cal Poly SLO |
| Watsonville HS | Aaron Escalante | Environmental Sci. | Cabrillo College |
Enjoy Fly Fishing: This spring, I have enjoyed the heck out of fly fishing. In late April, I caught my first ever sea trout, snook, and tarpon in Florida fishing with club member, Jeff Sloboden. Caught black bass locally and spent a fun day with some club members and local fishers in search of spawning white bass in the Nacimiento River (alas, too late). But for me, the biggest thrill was achieving my goal of the past five years by catching my first striper off the beach with a fly rod. What made it even better was that I was with two other club members, Bob Garbarino and Lance Boling. Bob was able to jump into the hole after me and land a striper, Lance had to wait a few extra days before he caught his. In all of these fishing adventures, what made them special? What’s that word again? Oh yeah “Fellowship“.
Posted on May 31st, 2023
– June Fly-tying Class
Jun 14 6:30 PM @ Aptos Grange
Damselflies will be featured this month and next for our fly tying classes. Adult in June and nymph in June. Trout, largemouth bass and bluegill will go for this particular insect. As usual, all the materials will be provided for the class, except for the thread, and no charge to participate. The thread this month olive 8/0 and bobbin. Some will be available to borrow. If you have a light colored thread, such as white, tan or yellow, you can bring it and we’ll color it with a sharpie pen. Tools and vices and thread are available for beginners, who are always welcome. It never hurts to bring a lamp and magnification. Sign up by contacting Tom Eckert best number 831-818-3801, email c_eckert1@comcast.net or at the June club meeting..
Future tying classes. Dates and subject may change, please go to Fly Name to see more information.
| Date | Fly | Excerpt | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Jun 14 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Damselfly Nymph | Guest Instructor: Tom Eckert |
 | Jul 12 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Red Copper John | John Barr’s “Copper John” is this our fly for this month’s class . |
| Aug 09 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Chubby Chernobyl | Guest Instructor: Jerry McKeon |
| Sep 13 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Barry Smelt | Guest instructor: Michael Sherwood |
Posted on May 31st, 2023
Vernille Caddis
This is one of my “go to flies”. A caddis hatch does not need to be occurring for trout to gobble it up. The larger size works well in the Rocky Mountains, smaller in the Sierras. Fish with a floating line, and drag free drift in moving water.
HOOK: TMC 2487, sizes 14–16.
Crip barb.
THREAD: olive or dun olive. size 8/0 for 14 hooks, 10 or 12/0 for size 16
Attach 2 eye lengths behind eye.
Touching wraps to above barb.
BODY: Olive: vernille, ultra chenille, or velvet chenille in size small or fine. Super glue or the like.
Using a candle, carefully melt end of strand by placing it near the base of flam to round the end. It takes very little exposure to the
heat.
Apply super glue using bodkin to thread wraps.
Place on top of shank, melted end above rear of hook.
One wrap to secure.
Spiral wraps to mid shank.
Cut excess.
Tie down stub.
UNDER-WING: dun spooled Antron
Position thread in front of body.
Cut to even fibers.
Lay on top of body with tip slightly beyond end of body.
Tie in place.
Cut excess.
Tie down butt ends up to eye.
Splay fibers.
HACKLE: medium dun
Select feather with barbs equal to hook gap.
Prep butt end: cut off fuzz, stroke barbs against grain, cut 5 to 6 barbs short on each side of stem “crewcut”.
Position:
Tip to rear.
Dark side facing you
Butt end behind eye.
Tie in place back to body.
WING: light deer hair with fine fibers
Cut fibers from hide so that bundle is width of a matchstick or slightly less.
Clean out underfur stack tips.
Position on top of shank, tips extend into ends of underwing.
Tie in place, first thread wrap around hair only, then several snugly around fibers and shank., to splay fibers.
Touching wraps up to eye.
Stroke butt hairs into bundle over eye at 45° angle upward.
Make two wraps around base of bundle.
HACKLE (cont.).
Make 3 to 5 Hackle wraps forward.
Tie off, cut access.
Half-hitch behind eye and under hair fibers.
Cut thread.
Cut head on an angle. “See photo”.
Apply glue to final thread wraps, using bodkin.
Cut short, any stray fibers.
Posted on March 19th, 2023
Klamath River Dam Removal—A Deep Dive
We’ve all been hearing about the decade-long effort to to get approval and funding to remove four dams on the Klamath River. The nation’s largest dam removal project is underway. The project cost estimate comes in at $500 million and is expected to have the river at a free-flowing state by the end of 2024.
So, what what is involved in a project like this?
Here are some numbers to give a sense of the scale. Remove 100,000 cubic yards of concrete, 1.3 million cubic yards of soil and 2,000 tons of steel. Fifteen million cubic yards of sediment that has accumulated behind the dams will be released.
What needs to happen prior to removal of the dams?
Seventeen million native plant seeds and 300,000 tree and shrub starts are being collected and prepared for planting the 2,000 acres that will be exposed after the reservoirs are drained. Invasive species are being removed. Water monitoring, wildlife surveys and barriers to protect fish in construction areas are being implemented. Endangered Lost River and short-nosed suckers will need to be relocated because they can’t survive in a flowing river. A new water line will need to be installed that is part of the delivery system to the town of Yreka. Some access roads will need to be widened and fortified to accommodate the heavy machinery required to demolish and remove the dam. Bridges will need to be reinforced. Nearby construction crew temporary housing needs to be provided. All this pre-demolition work need to take place before the dams can be removed.
The first dam to be demolished is Copco 2, the smallest of the four. This dam will have holes drilled and filled with dynamite. Hydraulic picks and other machinery will be used to break down the rubble into manageable chunks to be hauled away. While Copco 2 is being removed, the other three dams will be prepared for draw down and demolition.
This summary just touches the surface of all the details of this huge project. When all is said and done, the hope and expectation is that a healthy, free-flowing Klamath river will provide a much improved ecosystem. And with that, an extended reach of clean, cold habitat for re-establishing decimated Coho and Chinook salmon populations.
For more details and a deeper dive, see the excellent article found at: https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/undamming-and-restoring-the-klamath/Content?oid=26439802
The non-profit organization in charge of managing the project is Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Their website is: https://klamathrenewal.org/
Posted on May 31st, 2023
Club Activities – June
| Date | Activity Link | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 24 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
| Jul 22 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Fly Casting Meetup | Bring your lawn chair, lunch, and fly rod to practice casting with other SCFF club members. | Jade Street Park baseball field |
Posted on May 31st, 2023
Membership is at new high of 212
Our newest member Lannie Spencer comes from Piedmont, Calif, however spends 3 days a month in Aptos and recently met a member @ Companion Bakery in Aptos. Lannie is our 212th member and we welcome him to our flyfishing group.
Regarding Membership, we hope to have our 2023 Roster printed and ready for our monthly June meeting June 7th and if you would like to receive a printed copy, please email @robert6367@aol.com. Also if you are receiving to many googlegroup emails, please email me and I will unsubscribe you from the mailing list.
Posted on May 31st, 2023