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ANNUAL CHRISTMAS ISSUE
Page 2 OFFICERS Melody Weinhandl, President Vacant, President-elect Andrew Sauter, Vice President Casey Leary, Secretary Matt Stanton, Treasurer BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terms expire in 2011 Bob Fischer Scott Novotny Alex Rose Bill Wichers Terms expire in 2012 Spencer Amend Neil Ruebush Brent “Smokey” Weinhandl, DDS Vacant Terms expire in 2013 Greg Groves Joe Meyer Will Waterbury Herb Waterman The Backcast is the monthly newsletter of the Wyoming Fly Casters, an affiliate club of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy and the Federation of Fly Fishers. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the views of the officers, board or members of the Wyoming Fly Casters. Annual dues are $20 for an individual, $30 for a family, or $250 for a lifetime individual membership or $450 for a lifetime family membership. Visit the club website at www.wyflycasters.org. The deadline for submission of information for each issue is the last week of the month. Make contributions to the next issue by e-mailing material to the Backcast editor at ChevPU57@aol.com, or call (307) 436-8774. The Backcast is available either in electronic format or through USPS snail mail. To receive each newsletter through a monthly e-mail, you must be able to open .pdf (Adobe Acrobat, a software program available free of charge) documents. Usually, each issue is roughly 1 MB in size, some are larger. Your e-mail provider may have limits on the size of attachments. In order to be added to the e-mail list, send a request to ChevPU57@aol.com. In addition to receiving each issue of the newsletter earlier than your hard copy peers, e-mail subscribers are able to print each copy in vibrant color -- an added plus if the issue is rich in color photographs. By subscribing electronically, you also save the club roughly $17.40 a year in printing and postage costs.
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
Drag-free Drifts by Melody Weinhandl, President, WFC brooktrout6671@gmail.com Lying in a manger Many years ago Was the babe called Jesus Whom God had sent below Shepherds gathered at the site Where Jesus had been born And angels with their heavenly light His birthplace did adorn The wise men many gifts did bring Their happiness to display Their joy made them want to sing On the very first Christmas day! - Melody Weinhandl (written at age 10)
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n my opinion, Christmas is the most magical time of the year. I love the chill in the air as Casper becomes a winter wonderland. There’s an air of goodwill as people greet each other with a sparkle in their eyes and “Merry Christmas” on their lips. And the music. The beautiful music that year after year lends hope and nostalgia all at the same time. “O, Holy Night,” “Joy to World,” “Away in the Manger” are wonderful carols that sing of the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ. I like to think that if Jesus had been physically living in Casper today, He’d be a member of the Wyoming Fly Casters. After all, four of His disciples—Peter, James, Andrew and John—were all commercial fishermen and Jesus spent time with them out on the Sea of Galilee. Fish and fishing are a vital part of scripture and is well substantiated. A fish is the oldest Christian symbol. Ichthus, the Greek word for fish, is an acrostic for the words that translate to “Jesus Christ Son of God Savior.” The fish symbol is pervasive in Christian art and literature and was used by persecuted Christians as a code name for Christ in order to avoid arrest and execution by Roman authorities. In Genesis 1:2, fish are the first creatures to appear. They are the only species not taken into the ark (for obvious reasons). In Habakkuk 1:15 methods of fish-
ing are described (a hook, net and seine). Job facetiously asks if a leviathan can be caught with a hook (Job 40:25). In 1 Kings, fish are associated with the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 5:13). When Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, Nehemiah 3:3 indicates that a Fish Gate was built into its wall. Jeremiah mentions fishermen when speaking of bringing back the Israelites from Babylon. “Look! I will send many fishermen, says the Lord, to catch them.” (Jeremiah 16:16). And it is often told that a whale swallowed Jonah although scripture does not say that exactly. “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17) In the New Testament, Jesus preached in terms of fishing when He says to Peter and the other fishermen: “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for men. So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5: 10-11). Two miraculous catches of fish are related in Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:1-8. All of the Gospel writers attest that Jesus fed thousands with fish and bread. He compares the kingdom of heaven to a dragnet (Matthew 13:47-48). Jesus paid taxes with a coin found in the mouth of a fish (Matthew 17:27). He is depicted as preaching from fishing boats and sailing in fishing boats. The crowds that followed Him carried bread and fish (Mark 6:35-40). The hungry asked for fish (Luke 11:1). Jesus was given fish to eat after his resurrection in Jerusalem (Luke 24:42), and He cooked fish for his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (John 21:9). He traveled to and from places in the company of fishermen. And, most importantly, Jesus chose fishermen for the important job of spreading His word and building His church. The Sea of Galilee has 18 different species of fish that are indigenous to the lake. They are locally classified into three main groups: sardines, biny and musht. Sardines are prevalent. At the height of (continued on page 9)
Cover shot: Kathy Knapp with a rainbow from Alcova Reservoir in late October.
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
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Christmas Party! Wednesday, Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m., IWL Clubhouse Tickets for the annual Christmas party are available at the Ugly Bug Fly Shop. Cost is $10.00 per person. Also Greg Groves, the chairman, has tickets available (call 247-1599, or by dropping him a line at legatcn@gmail.com). The deadline for picking up tickets is Nov. 30 to give the club time to let caterer know how many members and guests are anticipated and how much food to prepare. Those of you who receive the newsletter electronically will still have time to meet the deadline; for those hard copy recipients, by the time you receive this issue from the postman it will be too late. The meal is being catered by The Herbadashery. The menu includes BBQ brisket & BBQ chicken, salads, baked beans, dessert, tea and lemonade. Desserts from club members are welcome.
• Fly Walk Tie up a half dozen flies and wrap them in a holiday package. Remember which ones are yours. All those participating will walk around a couple of tables where the small packages are haphazardly arranged. When the holiday music stops, participants are to grab one of the packages. The walk resumes until the music stops again, and again until all flies are removed from the tables. No kicking, gouging, cutting in line or bribery will be tolerated. • Why join the WFC? • Prize drawing for guests • Christmas fly results/awards
• President’s greeting
• Slide Show This is a PowerPoint presentation on the many activities, functions and outings the club has held over the past year (primarily). This year’s program is approximately 20 minutes long and is set to the music of the Moody Blues and without narration. More humor at the expense of some club members has been injected into the 2010 edition -- the eighth annual. After the first two minutes of the program, if your ribs are not hurting from laughter, you need an appointment with Doc Weinhandl for a root canal without anesthetic, because you obviously are already deeply sedated.
• Christmas fly contest explained Tie the gaudiest, most imaginative fly on a holiday theme in Christmas colors and assorted materials. It can be as diminutive as size 32, or as jumbo as a 2/0. All creations should have an appropriate name. The only requirement for an entry is that it be tied to a hook or hooks. Gift certificates are to be awarded to the first three places. An impartial jury (the membership) is to select the winners. These are NOT the official rules, just some observations of the Backcast editor.
• Drawings for gift certificates Two winning tickets are to be drawn, with both featuring gift certificates to the two fly shops. The first is the membership (remember dropping a ticket into the bucket for attending each meeting?). The second is from the bait box containing non-winning tickets from the raffles conducted during the last eleven months. The amounts of the gift certificates are usually quite generous; the size had not yet been determined by Backcast deadline.
• Christmas fly balloting begins • Asking the Lord’s blessing • Buffet dinner by The Herbadashery
• Closing remarks Note: Due to time limitations, there will be no white elephant exchange during this year’s Christmas party.
Here is the agenda and some snapshots of proposed activities following the dinner:
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Wheatland No. 3 boasts large growth in trout
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
Tailing Loops by Randy Stalker, Backcast editor chevPU57@aol.com
Reservoir also boasts Jenny Craig-size carp
I never said most of the things I said. -- Yogi Berra
Recent sampling of trout in Wheatland Reservoir No. 3 has revealed the fish have had tremendous growth since they were stocked a little over a year ago. A variety of species were put in the reservoir last fall including Snake River and Bear River cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout. The best growth has been seen with Snake River cutthroat. Two- to five-inch fish stocked last July and September are now 18 in. with some over 19 in.. Rainbow trout are 16-18 in.s and brown trout are 12-16 in. Laramie G&F fisheries biologist Steve Gale said 171,000 fish were stocked last fall and another 170,000 will be stocked this fall as well. The fish range from sub-catchables (4-6") to fry. Gale credited WGFD hatchery personnel for finding the fish to allow the reservoir to be stocked. "Stocking schedules are planned several years in advance," Gale said. "At that time we were in the midst of a drought with extremely low reservoir conditions. We had no way of knowing the reservoir would fill up and allow us to bring the fishery back this soon. Our hatchery people provided the fish and Wyoming anglers will be the big beneficiaries." Gale said the drought conditions of previous years are responsible for the rapid growth of the fish once the reservoir filled. "It's the new reservoir effect all over again," said Gale. "When dry areas are flooded, it creates a water that is rich in nutrients. This creates an outstanding forage base of zooplankton and scuds and other aquatic bugs favored by the fish." For anglers, this should be an outstanding fishery the next few years. Fishing right now should be good for both boat and shore anglers. "The water is up to the ramps and there are a lot of fish close to shore," Gale said. "Our sampling nets were set close to shore and the fish should be easily accessible for bank anglers."
f Bill Gates, the billionaire software architect, ever comes to town and wants to learn to cast a fly line, he won’t be offered a seat in my drift boat. My ancient (in terms of technology) computer was showing the symptoms of a terminal illness. So, rather than risk crashing the system and losing, forever, my thousands of digital images, I bit the bullet and bought a new Dell. The hardware is terrific. The problem came when I started to install a number of graphic design programs onto the new Windows 7 operating system. In one word: incompatibility. After a fruitless effort at gleaning a ray of hope from various software designers, I learned the only choice was that ugly word we hate to hear: “Upgrade.” That is interpreted to mean “big bucks for planned obsolecence.” I learned software has gone through many, many revisions since I first purchased registered programs over 10 years ago. But, being a penuriuous Scot, I was entirely satisfied with the old version. To upgrade would cost the equivalent of a top-line Sage or Winston rod. It was mid-November and I was nearly vapor-locking in a near panic. I was forced to use the old computer (which takes a half hour to boot and routinely locks up without warning) in order to get this issue of the newsletter out in time for the WFC membership to learn the details of the annual Christmas party. I guess I’ll have to deal with the dilemma during December. If you receive a newsletter electronically on New Years Eve, you’ll realize the problem has been satisfactorily addressed. If not, it means I wasted financial resources on Christmas presents instead of software upgrades. • Speaking of Christmas . . . “So, do you have any ideas on what you want for Christmas?” my better half
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asked while were working on the daily crossword puzzle in the Red Star one morning. I then realized that we were already a few days into November, and the Christmas holiday is rapidly approaching. I hadn’t thought about the gift giving season. “No,” I admitted. “I can’t think of a thing I need.” (I lied, of course. I didn’t want to mention the computer software crisis.) I looked at the kitchen table, where a number of women’s gift catalogs were conspicuously stacked. I noticed that many pages were dogeared. Opening one I discovered not only was an item circled, but color and size were highlighted. Subtle. But effective. “I suppose you want more fishing stuff,” Sarah huffed, her voice dropping mawkish clumps as she said the “f” word. “Naw, not this year,” I lied. “I’m happy with my gear.” Plenty of rods, reels and fly fishing gadgets already litter the “man cave.” Although fly rod designers offer “new and improved” models each year and naive fly tossers eagerly rise to the bait, I am not one of them. The first rod I reach for when heading to the river or stillwater is my Sage RPL 5 weight, originally bought as a blank from Rod Robinder’s shop when it was on Midwest, east of Center. It wears a colorful Abel reel. When my bride questions why anyone would want or need multiple fishing rods, I just shrug and offer something like, “How many pairs of shoes do you have, Imelda?” Sarah changed the subject. “Well, how about some new BluRay titles?” she continued. “Are there any movies you’d want to add to your collection?” “With the exception of Dances with Wolves, Unforgiven and Braveheart, there hasn’t been a decent movie made since Steve McQueen and the Duke died,” I replied. She made some critical comments about “silly” spaghetti westerns and how I should join the 21st century. (continued on page 9)
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
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WFC MeMber ProFile by Greg B. Groves legatcn@gmail.com
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uring October, I spent an hour with Melody Weinhandl, who joined the WFC during 2007, and currently serves as the president of the club. Melody grew up on her German grandfather’s land about 65 miles northwest of Corpus Christi in George West, Texas. Her grandfather was a blacksmith and her south Texas roots were evident when she talked about red cabbage, sausage and other German dishes. After graduating from high school, Melody attended Howard Payne University where she graduated in 1990, with a degree in journalism. She worked near New Braunfels, Texas in the telecommunications industry for several years. Her sales position took her all over the country but in her spare time she loved to float the nearby Guadalupe River. As the story of her adult life unfolded, it was clear that most of the big decisions Melody has made were driven by her faith in God. Using her words to simply describe herself, “I’m a Christian.” During 1995, Melody moved to southeast Colorado near Limon to work as a missionary. She lived for a year with a pastor and his wife until she moved to Denver where she worked as the secretary at the University Hills Baptist Church. While she worked at the church, a man from Alberta, Canada contacted the office one day to inquire about anyone who might want a roommate or have a room to rent. The man was a dental student who was moving to Denver to complete an elective residency term at the Denver General Hospital. Upon his arrival in Denver, the man plugged in to a singles group at the church and that’s where Melody met him. The dentist, Brent “Smokey” Weinhandl, not only pulled teeth but he also pulled at Melody’s heartstrings. They
new dental practice. They named the new office, “Brook Trout Dental” because the first trout they caught in Wyoming was a brookie in LaPrele Creek near Douglas. Melody commented that colorful brook trout have been at the center of her best fishing experiences. Melody joined the WFC during 2007, after attending a presentation on Boxelder Creek by club member Randy Stalker. After hearing Randy and seeing his slides, she wanted to get involved with the club. Discarded cans, plastics and chemical pollutants that end up in our waterways are the main conservation issues she thinks about. After becoming an officer in the club, she was surprised to learn how much effort had been made by so many club members to promote fly fishing and conservation. In addition to fly fishing, her other hobbies include reading, writing and cooking. Her favorite restaurant in Casper is the Platte River Restaurant. Her best fishing buddy is her husband. She hopes they can one day fly fish together in Alaska. When they make that trip, she will probably fish with her eight foot, five weight Sage rod and an Orvis reel. When you have a little time, I encourage all Club members to have a chat with Melody. She is a talented person who has lived in many places and done lots of different things. Since becoming President of the WFC, she has unselfishly given almost all her free time to the club. Her term of office expires in March of 2011.
Melody Weinhandl were married on July 5, 1997, thus significantly upgrading his initial request for a roommate. Soon thereafter, Melody and her new husband moved to Alberta where they built a dental practice south of Edmonton. After five years, they decided they preferred to live and work in the United States. By that time, Melody had acquired Canadian citizenship. To be a licensed dentist in the U.S. Smokey had to study for and pass two national board dental examinations. Since they were fully committed to their relocation plan, they moved a fifth wheel to Uvalde, Texas and lived in it for a year and a half while Smokey studied for the board exams. After he passed the tests and became licensed to practice in the U.S., Melody and Smokey decided Wyoming was the place to live. After considering a move to Cheyenne or Cody in 2004, they settled on Casper as the best place to establish a
Author Greg Groves intends to alternate WFC monthly profiles between veteran members and newcomers. -- Ed.
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Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
BE INFORMED sters.org www.wyflyca
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Cheyenne angler catches new record tiger trout Tiger trout are continuing to grow in High Savery Reservoir as demonstated by a new record caught in November by Cheyenne angler Mel Huff. Huff's fish weighed 5.12 lbs., breaking the old record by more than a pound. The old record was 4 lbs. 1 oz. and was set this past June. Huff was fishing Nov. 3, trolling a Rapala when the fish hit. After a 15minute fight, he had the new state record in the boat. The only other fish he caught that day was a 12-inch brook trout. Huff is not a newcomer to High Savery and has fished the reservoir a half dozen times over the past few years. After measuring the fish at nearly 24 inches, with a girth of 12.25 inches, Huff suspected he might have a new record.
The previous record was 22.5 inches long with a girth of 11.5 inches. The fish was verified by Laramie fisheries biologist Lee McDonald. For the past few years, new tiger trout records are almost an annual occurrence from High Savery as the reservoir is the only public water in the state that has been stocked with tiger trout. High Savery is a relatively new impoundment located 30 miles south of Rawlins and was first stocked with tiger trout in 2005. It has been stocked every year since that time. Tiger trout are a sterile cross between a brown and a brook trout. Rules for submitting a fish for state record consideration are on the Game and Fish website http://gf.state.wy.us. A listing of state record fish is also on the site.
Annual burbot netting yields big fish Receive each issue of the Backcast in a timely manner, without relying on the Post Awful to deliver it. Sign up for electronic delivery! Not only do you receive each issue near the end of each month, but it will feature color photographs and graphics. And you can save the club precious money and resources because printing and postage costs and the chore of stapling, stamping and stickering the monochrome hard copy are eliminated. Just drop the editor a line, requesting electronic delivery at chevPU57@aol.com.
Biologists with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) recently completed their annual fall burbot (a.k.a. ling) netting on Flaming Gorge and Fontenelle reservoirs. One word could be used to describe the fish--huge! Burbot ranging from 12-39 inches were netted. The annual fall burbot netting was instituted by regional fisheries managers in 2006 in response to the growing population of illegally introduced non-native burbot into the Green River Drainage. The discovery of this eel-like, predatory fish, likely introduced to the watershed in the late 1990s, dealt a serious blow to efforts by the WGFD to maintain quality regional fisheries for all anglers. Since that discovery, area fisheries managers have been working aggressively to manage against illegally introduced fish populations through a series of liberal fishing regulations and increased information to ice anglers, in order to help them be more successful in harvesting burbot through the ice; a time when the fish are most active. Green River fisheries biologist Craig Amadio says burbot were first found in the Big Sandy River during 2001. As burbot began spreading downstream they
were later found in the Green River (2003), Fontenelle Reservoir (2005) and Flaming Gorge (2006). "The discovery in Fontenelle was another big blow to the system," Amadio said. "This marked the first time burbot were found upstream of Fontenelle Dam and likely resulted from a second illegal introduction. Since that time, burbot have become widespread and abundant in the Green River downstream of the dam and continue to expand in the upper Green River." "These illegal introductions will have long-term consequences for the watershed's fisheries. And make no mistake, burbot are the result of an illegal introduction." Amadio said. "I have heard rumors that the WGFD accidently stocked burbot with a load of channel catfish. This is completely false. The G&F does not raise catfish or burbot in our hatcheries and we do not stock burbot anywhere in the state." Amadio said the G&F gets its catfish from other states that do not raise burbot which would make an accidental stocking of the fish impossible. In addition, the accidental stocking theory could not apply to Fontenelle since that water has never been stocked with catfish.
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
Brag Board
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Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
yet even More Brag Board, whew!
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
President’s message (continued from page 2) fishing season tens of tons of sardines are caught every night. Biny fish consist of three species of the carp family. Because they are “well fleshed” they are very popular at feasts and for Sabbath. Musht are large fish, some of which are 16 inches long and weigh 2 pounds. The musht fish is involved in two familiar stories from the Bible. The musht is a tropical fish. When winter comes they congregate in shoals in the northern part of the lake where they are attracted to the warm water of the springs rising at the foot of the Eremos hill that flow into the lake. It is a fatal attraction for it offers fishermen an opportunity to make abundant catches. It was probably here that Jesus, having seen a shoal of musht, told Peter to let down his net. After having little to no luck, Peter made a successful haul. (Luke 4:5-6) In the spring, the musht couple off and lay their eggs on the bottom of the lake. After fertilization, the parents take the eggs into their mouths for three weeks until they hatch. They then watch over them for a few days. To prevent their offspring entering the mouth again, the parent fish take in pebbles so that “home” will no longer be so comfortable. They may also swallow coins with the pebbles and many coins have been found in the mouths of musht. This may have been what happened when Jesus asked Peter to find a coin in the mouth of a fish to pay taxes. (Matthew 17:24-27). Several methods of fishing have been used for centuries on the Sea of Galilee. The most popular is by net using one of three methods. The dragnet is the oldest type. The netting was shaped like a long wall 300 feet long and 12 feet high. The bottom of the net had weights with sinkers and the top rope had cork floats. The net was folded. A team of up to 16 men held the strong rope attached to the dragnet. Then the boat sailed out with another team until the net was fully stretched and then circled around and back to shore. The second team then alighted and held the ropes. Both teams then dragged the net and its contents to shore. This method enabled one to catch the fish that were hiding at the bottom of the lake. The fish were then sorted and the operation performed again, as many as eight times in one day. The cast net is circular, about 20 feet
Streamside
Chef
baked stuffed trout by Joann Meyer Ingredients 1 trout, 3 to 5 lbs. 1 small onion, minced 3 small celery stalks ,minced 1 can shrimp, drained-chopped 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 egg,beaten Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup cream Salt and pepper to taste Cracker crumbs Preparation Saute onion and celery in butter, mix with other ingrediantsusind cracker crumbs to bind together. Put fish on aluminum foil on cookie sheet. Stuff fish. Put some bacon on fish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. You can cover fish with foil for 20 or 30 minutes, then uncover to brown and cook bacon. in diameter, with weights of lead attached to the border. One man flings the net in a round circle usually from the shore but sometimes from a boat. The weights come together as the net sinks and encircle the fish. Peter and Andrew were occupied with this type of fishing when Jesus’ summoned them. The third method is the trammel net, which was actually composed of three nets; two large mesh walls about five feet high with a finer net in between. This type of fishing was usually done at night. The boat went out into deep waters where there are no rocks so that the nets would not be torn. One end of the net was let down into the sea, then the boat made a circle creating a sort of tub in the water. The net gathered in every kind of fish as they were unable to escape through the three layers of netting. When the fish were brought to shore, they had to be extricated from the nets and this took time and skill. The nets were spread out on the rocks to dry
Page 9 and be mended. Only in emergency situations were they mended on the boats themselves. Yet James and John mended their net in a boat in Matthew’s Gospel (4:21). And they abandoned this activity to follow Jesus—emergency or not—and left their father with the hired men. The last method, still used today, is the familiar hook and line. Peter and Andrew were said to be fishing with a line and hook when they caught the fish with the coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:27). Rules for fishing were stringent. When the haul was brought ashore, the fish first had to be sorted into clean and unclean fish. According to Leviticus 11:9-12, fish with scales and fins were regarded as clean, but those without them, such as catfish and eel, were unclean. Then they were counted. Counting was necessary for tax purposes. It also ensured that each party received his due. The fish had to be sold while the water still remained on them. Much of the catch was taken to Magdala, the center of this industry. Salting of fish for preservation had been in vogue since the time of the Ptolemies and the fish caught in Jesus’ time was often dried and exported to various parts of the Roman Empire. In fact, Magdala is Tarichaea in Greek, which actually means “dried fish.” In Magdala, the fish would be packed in baskets for export and the fishermen would take it on wagons to shops in Jerusalem or to a seaport where they would be taken to Rome. The Roman aristocracy considered dried fish from Galilee a delicacy. Galilean fish were also popular in Damascus. Fishing was a thriving industry in Galilee. In Jesus’ time the population of Palestine was about 500,000 people and fish was a staple as the main source of protein. The ordinary masses depended on fish along with bread as a basic part of their diet. Satisfying the appetites of the upper classes at home and abroad with dried fish was also a profitable business. At Bethsaida (which means “house of the fishermen”) the government of Philip Herod sold fishing rights to wealthy individuals with the means of underwriting a large business and they sublet the rights to fishermen. The fishermen paid a hefty tax to the investors and little love was lost between them. Matthew, the tax collector, may have been one of these. Five of the apostles— Peter, Andrew, James, John and Philip— came from Bethsaida. (continued on next page)
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Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
President’s message
Christian community lived here is evidenced from the Book of Acts (21:3-7). It is most likely that Jesus went there with his friends to export their fish. James and John, according to the gospels, traveled frequently to Jerusalem where fish was required for the pilgrim feasts. It has been suggested that they supplied fish for the high priestly family. Scripture mentions that John was known to the High Priest, Caiaphas. In John’s Gospel Jesus was in Jerusalem for many of the feasts, which would have been the times when fishermen went with their fish to market. Jesus entrusted fishermen from Bethsaida with the spreading of his message. They were the ones he commissioned to be fishers of men and to teach all nations. He may have done this for practical reasons. These were savvy businessmen. Although their native tongue was Aramaic, they were multilingual including Hebrew and some Latin. Knowledge of Greek would have been essential for men like Peter. The Gospels suggest that the disciples were able to carry on conversations with Greek speakers like the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:26), people in the Decapolis where the curing of the deaf man took place (Mark 7:31), and the incident of Philip and Andrew conversing with the Greeks in John 12:20-23. Peter converses with the Roman centurion, Cornelius, in Acts 10:25.
(continued from page 9) The fishermen oversaw all aspects of the business. They furnished the boats and equipment for the actual fishing. They paid their help and paid the quota to the tax collector. They attended to the business of sale, were accountable for the preserving of the fish and shipment, and did their own bargaining. The fishermen hired sailors and day laborers to do the work, care for the boats, mend the nets, sift and count the fish. These fishermen operated in legal partnership with others. They belonged to guilds which are similar to trade unions. Zebedee, the father of James and John, owned his boats and hired day laborers. This leads to the presumption that he and his sons had a sizeable business, which would have required travel. Peter and Andrew were partners with them. The places Jesus traveled to were towns where fishermen took their fish. In Mark’s Gospel we find Jesus making a journey to Tyre for no particular reason. The fishing business would have taken the fishermen there. The city of Tyre had been built by the Egyptian Ptolemies and was an important Greek-speaking port on the Phoenician coast. Fluency in Greek would have been required of those doing business there. That the early
Editor’s message (continued from page 4) “You still listen to music on vinyl discs spun on a turntable, a lot of your button shirts are thirty years old, and your mustache demonstrates you have a 1970s hangover,” Sarah chided. “I’m surprised you embraced the digital revolution and type on a computer keyboard instead of that old manual Royal typewriter, and abandoned Kodachrome and Tri-X film for digital images.” “Digital may be handy and immediate, but you still miss me filling all those photo albums with prints enlarged from film negatives, don’t you?” I shot back. Relucantly, she agreed. “Still, that’s not the point. You need something new,” Sarah continued to dig for Christmas hints. “I did get a new HD television.” “Yeah, but the only things you watch are sports and FOX News.” Why buy new? I occasionally drive a 1957 Chevy pickup, shoot rifles and pistols in old and established calibers instead of these new “short action magnum” cartridges, and prefer standard fly reels instead of the new, and expensive, large arbor versions. And on fly rods, I love the medium action of my old RPL, and loathe the new “fast action” rods which are dominating the market. For fishing Boxelder, I grab a cheap Chinese bamboo, bal-
Fishermen had to be skilled at their trade, knowing the ins and outs of fishing but they also had to be patient, not easily discouraged, dedicated, strong, hard working and community-oriented. As businessmen they had to be savvy about the market, conscientious about their civic and religious responsibility and be able to judge character. They had to have respect for the law and learn to operate within its limitations. All of this was required in their role of disciples as well. And in bringing the skills of their trade to Jesus, these fishermen changed the world. Such a message is not just for Biblical times. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) Merry Christmas and happy angling…
Melody Sources: http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ http://www.baptiststandard.com/index.p hp?option=com_content&task=view&id =10661&Itemid=42 http://www.americancatholic.org/newslet ters/sfs/an0704.asp
anced with a Hardy featherweight reel spooled with Cortland peach double taper 4 weight floating line. “I’m just a traditionalist,” I said. “Traditionalist is not the word I would use. How about cheap, stubborn, resistant to change? There are several adjectives I could use you to describe you. I ought to call you the family curmudgeon,” Sarah huffed. I thought I could change the subject by asking for something outrageous. “Well, I suppose I really would like to fish in Patagonia, Scotland or New Zealand or hunt in Alaska or Africa,” I offered. “When I go, I’ll be sure to send you a postcard.” Suddenly it was quiet. For quite a while. Finally Sarah blurted, with flames in her eyes: “The only way I’ll ever receive a postcard from you from New Zealand if it’s delivered to OUR hotel room.” I knew she was serious. Well, dear, I could always use hooks and bullets in my Christmas stocking. Or maybe a new fuel tank for my 40-year old Coleman stove. Or repairing the small leak in my Simms waders (No, they are not quite old enough yet to vote.). Tight lines,
Scoop
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Tie flies with Joe If you want to learn how to tie flies,show up for lying and tying. Call Joe Meyer at 235-1316 if you need him to bring a vice and tools for you. Materials will be furnished.
Polar bear outing on New Year’s Day Nine Fly Casters participated at the Lyin' and Tyin' session on Nov. 13.
Lyin’ and Tyin’
A great way to spend a winter’s morning by Alex Rose Three years ago, soon after I had moved to Wyoming, I decided it was time to knuckle down and learn how to tie flies. Joe Meyer told me about the Wyoming Fly Casters and Lyin' and Tyin', the club's annual winter, fly-tying sessions, when club members gather around long tables, tie flies and shoot the bull. Learning how to tie flies was a significant incentive for me to join the club, and the sessions provided me with the basic knowledge of fly tying. For the record, I don't think it's necessary to tie flies to enjoy the sport of fly fishing. Prior to joining the club, I had fished extensively for nine years without touching a vice, and I don't think that I missed out on anything. But after three years of tying, I have discovered that it certainly enhances fly fishing for the three following reasons. First, since I fish about every chance I get, I save a lot of money by tying my own flies. Now that I know how simple it is to tie an egg pattern or rock worm, I can't fathom buying either of these flies at a fly shop. Second, I've learned how to create flies that you can't buy at fly shops: Egg patterns and worms tied to my favorite hooks, streamers that I invented, and nymphs with strange names like, "Rainbow Warrior." The inherent creativity of fly tying is both appealing and practical: If
trout grow accustomed to seeing and refusing the same flies, bought at the same fly shops, why not throw something different? And third, tying flies is relaxing and a great activity for our long, cold winter nights. I enjoy building a large fire in my fire place, conveniently located next to my fly tying desk, pouring a glass of wine, putting on some good music, and mindlessly winding thread around a hook until drool begins to dribble down to my chin. After two hours at the vice, lethargy sets in. The mellow nature of fly tying provides an interesting contrast to the excitement and thrill of stalking large trout. The following are the dates for the remainder of this winter's Lyin' and Tyin' sessions: Dec. 11, Jan. 15, Feb. 12 and March 12. An easy way to remember the dates is that the sessions occur on the first Saturday following the general meeting. The sessions are held at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, at 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Usually, there is a good mix of beginner, intermediate and expert tiers. Participants normally provide their own equipment and materials. However, if you would like to borrow one of the club's vices and tools at the sessions, see Joe Meyer, and he'll ensure that you get the equipment you need. Lyin' and Tyin' is a great way to pass the time on a cold, winter's morning. Hope to see you there.
New Year’s Day is more than a tradition of sleeping in and watching football all day. It is also a fishing tradition. The WFC fishes Grey Reef, Cardwell or Alcova reservoir in the morning and afternoons. At noon, the club routinely meets at the Sunset Grill for chili or hamburgers and brews. John Dolan is again the streamkeeper for the outing.
Digital reminders available for WFC functions Do you have trouble remembering when there are WFC functions? Have you ever forgotten a function and then remembered about it when it was over? Scott Novotny is undertaking a reminder program for club activities, etc. He requests that members send him an email so that he can have your e-mail address and then he will send out a timely reminder by e-mail of any activities. He promised that your e-mail address would only be used for the purpose of sending the reminder. Send your e-mail to Scott Novotny at gscottn@gmail.com. Bring your camera along on your next fishing trip, and use it to document your catch and release fish. Then send the digital image to the WFC newsletter editor for consideration of inclusion in the next issue. Contributions are always welcome. Who knows ... maybe your photo will be the next month’s cover.
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Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter WFC TREASURER'S REPORT (ending September 30, 2010
Date Income 08/23/10
Vendor/Item
Amount
Interest Total
Expenses 09/03/10 09/03/10 09/15/10 09/15/10 09/16/10
$14.13 $14.13
#4062 Sam’s Club #4063 Office Max (Paper for Expo) #4064 TWLA (September rent) #4065 Andrew Sauter (picnic food) #4066 Wyo Council of TU (drift boat raffle) Total
$37.12 $21.61 $75.00 $146.80 $100.00 $380.53
WFC TREASURER’S REPORT (ending October 31, 2010) Income 10/19/10
Expenses 10/03/10 10/13/10 10/13/10 10/13/10 10/19/10 10/20/10
Deposit, dues Deposit, October raffle Total
$80.00 $120.00 $200.00
#4067 FedEx office (Aug/Sept Backcast) #4068 IWLA (October rent) #4069 Void #4070 Ugly Bug (October raffle) #4071 Void (duplicate FedEx statement) #4072 Joe Meyer (outing/teaching supplies) Total
$110.25 $75.00 0 $100.00 0 $40.00 $325.25
DECEMBER Club Calendar MONDAY
SUNDAY
TUESDAY
5
6
7
12
13
14
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
2
3
4
8
9
10
11
15
16
17
18
23
24
25
Regular meeting, Christmas party, 6:30 p.m.
WFC Board Meeting, 7 p.m.
19
20
21
22
Deadline for Backcast info
Full moon Winter Solstice
26
27
28
29
30
31 New Year’s Eve
Christmas Day
Wyoming Fly Casters Monthly Newsletter
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WYOMING FLY CASTERS BOARD MEETING MINUTES November 17, 2010 Excused – Smokey Weinhandl Guests – John Dolan and Rob Thompson Call to order 7:03 p.m. Last month’s secretary’s report corrected, to read Bill Wichers was excused. Corrected minutes approved. John Dolan, Rob Thompson and Andrew Sauter, the three members of WFC Foundation, presented to the board the history of the foundation. The foundation was formed as a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization to raise funds for the Fremont Canyon project on Sept. 1, 1998. The foundation members reported the Bill Ryan drift boat was donated to the foundation by Laura Ryan. The wooden boat was appraised at $5000-$5500, including the trailer. A new boat is $7500. The foundation has no time frame on the sale of the boat and the foundation recommended the sale of the boat not go below the appraised price. The donor requested a plaque be erected in Bill Ryan’s name. The sale of the boat would not come directly to the WFC general treasury as this would violate the tax laws. The WFC can ask for funds via verbal or preferably written request. In the past the foundation has donated funds for various projects the WFC has supported, such as the Yesness Pond Pier and Spea’s Access. Money from the foundation then goes directly to the project or government entity, not the WFC. All of the money from outside sources, except for the original seed money, came from outside sources, not the WFC. The foundation is always open to suggestions. Matt Stanton presented the treasurer’s report and the board had no questions. Matt presented the conservation report. He said the Trout Unlimited Embrace a Stream Grant application is due 12/13/10 and will complete the application up to $5000 for the Bolton Creek Project. He reported no WFC member reported for the project in
September however no man hours were needed. Will Waterbury reported the Wyoming Highway Department approved the club to Adopt a Highway, mile markers 86-88, near the Sunset Grill above Alcova. We need two clean-ups a year. Will is attempting to schedule a clean-up if the weather is appropriate. He will pick up all required materials, vests, gloves and bags, etc., from the Wyoming Highway Department. Once we complete two clean ups, a sign will be erected with WFC credited. The Speas Memorial discussion was tabled until January. Greg Groves reported he has 60 tickets to the Christmas Party, with 39 sold to date. He estimated 55-60 people are expected to be present, with a deadline to purchase tickets of Nov. 30. All attendees will be given a name tag. We will have a drawing for guests only and Will is in charge of manning an information table for possible members. Greg estimates the party will last 2-2.5 hours. The white elephant program was eliminated. Will volunteered to manage the fly walk and Christmas Fly contest. Randy Stalker will present his annual program. Alex Rose will manage the Cabin Fever Clinic next year. He reported the Casper Recreation Center has been reserved, however, he will double check. The board approved for WFC to spend up to $600 for the Cabin Fever Clinic in 2011. Alex reported 9 members were present for the first Lyin’ ‘n Tyin’. Alex reported Jamie needs $30 in $5 bills for raffle change. Matt Stanton will ensure Jamie has adequate change for the raffles. Matt commented the planning commission has a meeting on Nov. 23, 2010 at 6 p.m. that regards river front lots that might impact easements. Matt will discuss this matter with Al Condor of the WGFD. Meeting adjourned at 8:08 p.m.
CLASSIFIEDS
GOOD STUFF FOR SALE (CHEAP!) Patagonia SST jacket, XL, Brand new. $175 (list $315). Scott Novotny 266-3072 • Sage Z-Axis 906-4, brand new, unused, with warranty card. Original price $695. Now $375. Orvis TLS Power Matrix 905-2, brand new, unused with factory warranty card. Original price $395. Now $175. Art Van Rensselaer 265-9287 or 262-7655 • Fleece fingerless fishing gloves. Coleman two-burner stove, like new. Don Jelinek 267-7477
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Inspect - Clean - Dry Our members are very special to us and we want to remember them in times of adversity. If you know of a member or their spouse who is ill or is recently deceased, please contact Donna Diesburg at (307) 234-4278 or e-mail her at faith10@bresnan.net.
Take the Clean Angling Pledge www.cleanangling.org