Date:  7/01/2020

Time:  Anytime you Want

Place:  YouTube!

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REI Presents: A Steelhead Quest

by Jerry and Terry Meyers

I know it’s not steelhead season, but this is horses, fly-fishing and a 12 month steelhead quest – can’t get any more USA than that can you?! 😉

Enjoy this one when you’re sittin in front of the “tube”.  YouTube on yer TV!

Date:  July 8, 2020

Time:  6:30 PM

Place:  ZOOM meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85401375692

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Green Flash Clouser

by Elaine Cook, Fly tying Instructor

This is our first Zoom fly tying class. We’ll hope for the best, for this technology is very foreign to me and I thank Tom Hoyge immensely  for his help. Tap on the link listed above.

Our fly tonight is a Striper fly which is large and fairly easy to tie. The Forbay is now open for day use and fishing has been good. So be sure to have a few of these in you box.

The usual method for teaching the class will be altered as follows:

1. You must have your own vise and tools or borrow them. The club equipment will not be available.

2. Sign ups are mandatory in order to get materials and tying directions. Call me to sign up or email Coookin@gmail.com. If I’m not home, leave a message that includes your name, phone #, your need for thread (see below), and skill level. NOTE: I’ll be out of town from June 20th to July 3rd. Gone fishing!

3. You will find packets of materials and directions at my front door with your name on them starting Sunday July 5th. The club can loan you thread if needed. It must be returned promptly. The  thread needs to be very strong and white. Such as: flat waxed nylon, monocord, Danville 2/0, Gudbrod Gx2, or Ultra Thread 140 denier.

4. Read directions ahead of time so you will have all you need.  Also arrange your computer or iPad, vise, tools, glue and directions.

5. The 1st 1/2 hour will be for everyone to figure out Zoom, get situated so I can see your fly as you tie, and discussion about how and where to use this fly.

6. At 7:00 I will demonstrate how to tie the fly. Following that I will tie again but one step at a time, waiting for everyone to complete before moving to the next. If you are an experienced tier, you may not need the 2nd demo.

7. If you don’t know how to use Zoom, I am NOT the person who can help. Going through the steps ahead of time is highly recommended. The young, business people, or computer geeks are your best source. Or try club member, Scott Kitayama. (650) 279-5871

8. Directions:  Please check the email newsletter for directions or email me Coookin@gmail.com

Hope you will give this a try with me. Elaine

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In the Midst of Change

by Tom Hogye

I had the fortunate opportunity to fish for surf perch and Striper in our local waters from New Brighton to Manresa.  Caught my first Striper on a Clouser at New Brighton.  My first Barred Surf Perch with the legendary Jim Lazzarotti, in Rio Del Mar when he first taught me to fish with my fly-rod this way.

I admit I really enjoy New Brighton and Rio Del Mar the most.   I’ve spent the last 38 years here and “grew up” in the Rio Del Mar, Seacliff area.

I moved to California when I was 20.   I was deeply entrenched in horse sports.   The short part of the longer story is that I had a dream to ride Dressage in the Olympics one day, but discovered vaulting- gymnastics on horses, and in California, and that was it.   Yes – I was, and still am, in many ways, a horse person.

When I moved to California, for three years, I lived in the apartment right behind Café Rio.   It’s still there and still the same blue/grey color it was in the 80’s.   I paid ninety bucks a month to split a room with one of my teammates.   I ran every inch of those beaches and the stairs around them.   Swam more than a few times in those waters out near the cement ship.

But didn’t fish those waters until I became a fly fisherman, and then it took a few years to get me off trout and bass waters and into the salt.   Shooting head?  Sink Tip?  Running Line?  What was all that?

As with most of your fly-fishing terms, technology and lingo – you figure this out very quickly.  Two or three times fishing in the surf and you’ll get it.  DO NOT give up!   Relax, enjoy those hours.  They are undoubtedly early, so what else would you be doing?  Sleeping?  Working?!   Get it?  Enjoy.

Our club has arguably some of the very best surf casters and surf fly-fishers in the Bay Area.   If you read California Fly Fisher Magazine, and you should, Robert Ketley is almost always writing up some practical article about fishing New Brighton.   If the bowl isn’t full of salad – you’ll find Ketley there pretty much any time you’re there.   Others like Robert Eberle, Kirk Mathew, Sam Bishop, Elaine Cook, Mark Traugott, have mastered their skills here.   If you ever get to fish with any of them – watch them closely.  Do what they do!   Seriously!   While I’m only 5’6” and Robert Eberle 6’ something, he has that bit of an advantage over the height of the breakers he can take over me, but his casting, retrieve, where and how he moves the fly in the surf rewards him with more than humbly.   So, even with the height disadvantage, if I can get everything else, right – it works.   And it does.  You might even catch a halibut, or as in Elaine’s case once – a Leopard shark.

It’s not expensive!  And, you don’t need 6X tippler and magnifying goggles to see the flies.  ‘fact, you can fish 10 pound mono and rig a two or three fly leader easy.  And you don’t want expensive anyhow, cause you want to make sure when you forget just once or twice to completely rinse out your gear, you’re not ruining something priceless.

Anyhow- we’ve had a lot of good discussion, fish-outs and speakers regarding this means of fly-fishing.  Sure, it’s not your High Sierra, Montana, Wind River Cuttbow fishing experience, but it has its own beautiful charm right here.  You have to be careful, just like you do anywhere else.   Never turn your back on the ocean and know how to read what a “rip” or a hole looks like.  Waves are very unpredictable and some sets will be small, but then boom – you’re caught off guard by a rogue wave, or the larger set.  Rivers and lakes have their trials too.   Just keep your eyes open and your wits about you.  Those form fitting PFD’s – Personal Floatation Devices are a good idea.   So is what you’re wading in.  In the summer, the water isn’t really that cold.  You could wet wade!  Or just make sure you got your wading belts on snug and stay reasonable.

I never fished when I lived in Rio Del Mar or Seacliff.  As a 20 year old kid, I ran, swam, sat on the beach – if I went to the beach at all.  But I loved the peace there – especially in the morning and evening.  For nine years I lived there and all I did besides work and school was ride horses.   Now I live where I have horses, but all I think about is fishing!   Or the garden!

I’m not sure what the next few months have in store for us.  Your board and I are trying to figure out what’s best for our membership, how to be responsible, compliant and still have fun.  We have some new members who’d love to get out and learn from some of us – even some of our newest high-school scholarship recipients.    I miss just being able to pick up the phone, plan to meet some place and have fun casting, fishing,…   Of course, we are still doing all of this, but it’s just taking a little more planning and care.

Since my own mom and dad would surely have a very difficult time surviving this pandemic if they were to get sick, I’m super grateful for everyone who cares.   I also feel the burden, anxiety, unrest and other emotions that come with the hardships, even if I don’t have them, entirely, myself.   I know a lot of people who have lost their jobs, lost loved ones and have lost their businesses at a time when they were doing really well.   They didn’t get sick, they didn’t hurt anyone, didn’t do anything wrong, but overnight, we had to change and it was very hard on them and still is.  If you’re in that group, I appreciate you.

So, let’s remember the good, focus on good, appreciate that which has been good amidst all of which can seem really bad.  Look out for each other, no matter the differences.  Be Kind. Be good, and maybe take someone fishing, or go fishing with someone.

We are doing our best and you are helping us be our best.   Thank you.   See you soon.   Have a good 4th of July.  We’re still planning our August BBQ at the Grange – all things considered.

I miss you all.   Tom

 

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While we were distracted, the word “Conservation” itself was broken into a thousand pieces.

by 'Conservation Slim'

When I came across this startling list of Federal agencies either left unfunded or so seriously broken it cannot serve the people who set these laws and regulations in place to protect the land, sea and air. Sacred places like the headwaters of Bristol Bay salmon runs where the Pebble Mine Co. nears the long awaited access to dig the largest open pit gold and copper mine in the world. Agencies like the EPA, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act are all quietly going away, no big news shows on TV announcing this outrage and we wonder why that some of the best conservation efforts are at best treading water and not making any headway against such heavy odds this current administration is creating daily.

It may only be a matter of time when local funding for NOAA and marine sanctuaries are a thing of the past. I think we can all agree that due to the overwhelming news on every station directs us where they wish, Every news show reads from the same script, we all have to inform ourselves and look to other sources thanks to the WWW which is still relatively free unless you are distracted by fly line ads and a better float tube fin bootie. Slim suggests writing a letter or an email to one of the congressmen or women working for us, or volunteer to do something you have a passion to learn or to teach others.

I’m getting packed to hit the O’Neill ForeBay tomorrow and then off to the Hex hatch at Lake Almanor on the 20th, my fathers day present to myself.  Also a proud grandfather who saw his grandson graduate online from Stanford University on June 14th in a live feed.

Please drive safely this summer and don’t do anything stupid, see you all at the BBQ at the hall in August.

Peace, Slim

 

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July 11 Surf Fishout at Palm State Beach

by Mark Traugott

NOTE THAT BOTH THE DATE AND THE VENUE FOR THE JULY FISHOUT HAVE CHANGED!!!!

The July Surf Fishout will take place at Palm State Beach in Watsonville, on Saturday, July 11th. The sun will rise at 6:00 a.m., and the only low tide of the day will occur at 9:59 A.M. We will meet at 6:00 A.M. sharp near the entrance to the State Park at 2660 Beach Road. (See the detailed directions below.) For information regarding equipment and technique, see the excellent instructions on surf fishing that Sam Bishop has published on our club website. The basic equipment is a five- to 7-weight rod with an intermediate to full-sinking line or sinking tip. Any type of Clouser pattern or anchovy fly will work for stripers, and small bonefish patterns (for example, Gotchas) will catch perch, especially if they have red or orange highlights. The only surf-specific piece of essential equipment is a stripping basket (which Sam makes and sells for $20 to benefit the club.) Face masks are optional while actually fishing, but, as of this writing, we expect that social distancing measures will still be in force, so all participants should plan to stay 6’ apart while gearing up and for the walk in over the dunes.

Directions: From Santa Cruz, head south on Highway 1 past the first Watsonville exits and take the Riverside Drive (Highway 129) exit. Turn right at the end of the exit ramp, then right again onto Lee Road. At the traffic light, turn left onto West Beach Road. Drive 3 miles to where West Beach Road ends just past the entrance to the State Beach and just across from the entrance to Pajaro Dunes. Park on the right along the row of eucalyptus trees.

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Get ready for an online raffle!

by By prize guy, Jeff Goyert

It’s been a while since we could have one of our good old fashion buy a raffle ticket, win a new fly rod events at on of  our monthly meeting. This isn’t for a lack of goodies to raffle off. My back storage room is loaded great fly fishing gear, quite the opposite of the toilet paper aisle at Safeway.

So, what I am going to try to do is do an online/meeting raffle. Figure for the September Meeting I will lay out the loot with instructions as to how to purchase tickets. Somehow online with a credit card though our newsletter/website? I don’t know but we will try to figure it out.

In the mean time, enjoy your 4th of July,  see you at the August BBQ.

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We Hit the Beach!

by Fishmaster for the Day - Sam

GONE FISHING

While the rest of the world slept (or sheltered in place), nine members of the Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen hit the beach (Manresa Beach, to be exact) at 05:30 am on Saturday, June 6, to chase the elusive sea creatures. We were so spread out, I couldn’t check with everyone before I left, but at least 15 perch had briefly come to hand before they were released. What a beautiful day it was too. So y’all come on out with us in July! (See Gearing Up for details.)

Pictured left to right, the early arrivals: Joe Clark, Peter Putt, Tom Hogye, Mark Traugott, Scott Kitayama, Judy Johnson.

Not pictured, Ralph Berman, Robert Eberle, Sam Bishop

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O’Neill Forebay

by Elaine Cook

Early June: the Forbay is open for day use and two trips to the Madeiros entrance and under the power lines afforded us fishermen some great fishing. For some, too many fish to count. And it’s noteworthy, John Cook caught his first fish ever striping and on top of it, a Stripper! Will there be 2 moons in the sky. To finish one of the days, John and I finished with a couple nice large mouths by the tules using poppers.