www.wyflycasters.org
Vol 40 No 10
The Monthly Newsletter of the Wyoming Fly Casters
October 2013
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October 2013
What’s inside Kelly Kukes, President Lee Tschetter, Vice President Cheryl Alexander, Secretary Matt Stanton, Treasurer BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terms expire in 2014: Spencer Amend, Bob Fischer, Jim Johnson, Chris McAtee Terms expire in 2015: George Axlund, Brian Bayer, Derrick Dietz, Joe Meyer Terms expire in 2016: Cheryl Alexander Lee Wilson 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 life- time family membership. Visit the club website at www. wyflycasters.org. To pay dues or contact the club, write to P.O. Box 2881, Casper, WY 82602. The deadline for submission of information for each issue is a week before the end of the month. Make contributions to the next issue by e-mailing material to the Backcast editor at cheryl_ea06@ hotmail.com or call (307) 267-1903. 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 cheryl_ea06@hotmail.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 sub- scribing electronically, you also save the club roughly $17.40 a year in printing and postage expenses.
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FISHING HIGHLIGHTS
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THE MOST INTERESTING
FLYFISHERMAN IN THE
WORLD
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THE TONGUE RIVER
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PLATTE RIVER REVIVAL
11 CLASSIFIEDS
12 CALENDAR
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Front Cover Image: Photo by Kelly Kukes, 2013
Mission Statement: The mission of the Wyoming Fly Casters is to promote and enhance the sport of fly fishing and the conservation of fish and their habitat.
Description:
The Wyoming Fly Casters club was formed in 1974. The membership currently consists of approximately 160 members. The WFC was organized by a group of dedicated fly fishermen and since the club’s inception the Wyoming Fly Casters have strived to further the sport of fly fishing through conservation and education. Conservation of our water resources is one of our primary goals and in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department we have and will continue to carry out worthwhile projects for the benefit of Wyoming fisheries. In addition to conserving Wyoming’s water resources we encourage conserving the fish themselves. A fish safely released today will live to give sport to others.
For easy access to digital version of newsletter go to: www.wyomingflycasters.org
Wyoming Fly Casters
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President’s letter
Dear Wyoming Flycasters!
Travis Neebling, from the Game and Fish, will be our presenter this month. We will be starting a Christmas Dinner Committee to get us set for the holiday season. Please look into helping us have great Christmas Dinner. The dinner will include a flywalk, and a best fly contest judged by the attendees.
This month has been a busy month of school and volleyball for me, but I did have the opportunity to volunteer for the Platte River Revival clean-up. It was another successful clean up with a great turn out, including many of our Flycasters. I want to personally thank you for donating your time in an effort to help We are also getting ready to start up Lying and Tying conserve our rivers. the Saturday after the General meeting starting in November. Blake has said he will try to attend and teach Wyoming Flycasters was put together by a great us some new flies and tricks. It is a great social event bunch of fly fishing enthusiasts, to have a social outlet and fabulous way to get into fly tying. The club has vices for us to share our fishing experiences and help with and materials for beginners. If you have your own please conservation of our rivers. Through this conservation bring them and maybe you can help teach a new tyer. we have been able to help with the Spea’s Hatchery The will be held 9:00-12:00 at the Oil Building by Three access area, and Cardwell access. Spencer Amend is Crowns. Ask any member and we will get you there. trying to put together a committee for a new project by the new byway. Please consider becoming a member, Last, but not least, we are in need of willing volunteer or leader in the new venture. Spencer is willing to be a who would be willing to take over the Treasurer. Matt starting point but would like someone to take over as Stanton has given three (?) years and he is ready to pass head. the torch. Please consider putting a year of commitment to this. He is getting everything in place and the board Upcoming social events next month are the Miracle Mile approved the purchase of a club laptop to accommodate fly fishing day. Casey Leary is the Stream Keeper. Please the accounting. call him with any questions. The club will be providing BBQ brats and burgers. Please bring a side to share. Tight Lines and Happy Fishing!
Kelly
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October 2013
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.
There are several outings every month as If you would like more information about Project Healing Waters and the Wyoming Fly Casters Healing Waters, contact Derrick Dietz or go to team up to provide an excellent service to our http://www.projecthealingwaters.org/ community. Healing Waters also partners with other veteran-based groups, including Hunting With Heroes. The float trip on September 14th, 2013 was a great success.
Wyoming Fly Casters
September Fishing Highlights
Even though Joe doesn't really like fishing out of a drift boat he is smiling because he caught this 20+" rainbow on a dry fly
Check out Linda Drury’s first fish caught on a dry fly!
Miracle Mile Outi ng We will have an outing at the Miracle Mile October 12, 2013, the Saturday after the general meeting. This outing has a history of windy days and inclement weather, so be prepared. San Juan worms, rusty scuds, pheasant tails and bead headed nymphs work well. Streamers such as a Platte River Special and woolly buggers are effective also. We will be having hamburgers and sausage around 11:30 AM. We will try to have the cookout at the grove of cottonwood trees about ½ mile upstream of the bridge on the west side of the river, dependent upon space availability. Casey Leary is the stream-keeper. Any questions call Casey at 473-2441
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October 2013
By Randy Stalker
Wyoming Fly Casters
Fishing the Tongue River
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As summer comes to an end I just wanted to share with you a couple of pictures and some observations from fishing on the North Tongue.
There are several members of the club that I have learned many things from while out fishing. Fly-fishing itself being the catch all (no pun intended). I continue to learn more every time I’m on the water. This time I would like to thank Randy Stalker for the lessons on the importance of 5X tippet and size 20 flies, not to mention more lessons in reading water and mending line for a good drift.
I also made some observations that I’d like to share: 1. If a bull elk bugles in the timber behind your tent at 5:30 in the morning it has the capability of squirting a full grown man out of a sleeping bag just like stepping on a tube of tooth paste. 2. That same elk must have had a snooze button that nobody could find because once I decided to crawl back into my sleeping bag; he continued to “go off” every 7-10 minutes for the next hour until I finally gave up. 3. When stomping through the mud and willows of a beaver marsh there is a very real possibility of seeing moose. 4. If a female moose is by herself she will more than likely take off in the opposite direction and everything will be fine. 5. If her calf stands up next to her, she will not. I could almost hear the calf saying, “Mom, what’s that funny looking thing?” and her answering, “I don’t know dear but I’m going to stomp it into the mud if it doesn’t leave NOW”. I did and she didn’t follow.
I am considering being the stream keeper and bringing back the outing to the Tongue River for next September. I hope that some of you will be able to make it. The fish are a little shy from the pressure but that just makes you pay more attention to technique. Thanks again Randy for the lessons and great company in camp.
Lee
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I would like to thank everyone who participated in the Platte River Revival! The following is a summary of the day from Jolene Martinez: With nine members volunteering, Wyoming Flycasters were a big part of this year’s Platte River Revival Volunteer Day on Saturday, September 21. The Volunteer Day attracted 354 volunteers who wrapped hundreds of trees in the riparian area with wire fencing to protect them from beaver kill; removed 92 felled and cut Russian olives; removed hundreds of pounds of litter and debris from the river and along the banks (including Garden Creek); photographed the activity; registered everyone; and put on a first class barbecue. With heavy and difficult debris still left to retrieve and weigh, the total weight of the debris collected is 62,310 pounds. The Russian olive cuttings weighed 50,860 pounds, metal collected in the river between the White Water Park and Crossroads Park totaled 380 pounds and metal and debris collected in the river between Morad Park and the Tate Pumphouse totaled 800 pounds. Participating Flycasters include: Kelly Kukes, Colin Tierney, Lee Wilson, Cheryl Alexander, Bob Homer, Annie Vercimak, Lee Tschetter, Nancy Granum, Scott Novotny, Anne Williamson, and Will Waterbury. If you were not mentioned above, I apologize, as this was the list as provided by Jolene from her registration records. If you participated and are not mentioned above, THANK YOU!
October 2013
Wyoming Fly Casters
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Fishin’ with Joe
In August, Joe and his many volunteers took the Cub Scout Pack 167 out to a pond to learn to fly fish. We all had a great time even the scouts siblings and leaders. I'm sorry that I didn't catch all the kids before they left. Many thanks to Joe and the others who helps our young and beautiful boys learn about the great out doors and the sport of fishing.
By the way, the boys are selling popcorn for their one and only fund raiser. If any one in the club would like to buy some they can contact me at CaroleaRadke@aol.com and I and a scout will personally deliver them. Carolea Radke CaroleaRadke@aol.com or 315-7761
If you would like to volunteer or just tag along on outings such as this one, contact Joe Meyer for more information
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Letter from the Editor Flycasters, Well, another summer has passed, proven by the snow we woke up to early Friday morning. Every year, this serves as a reminder that time is precious. Fall is an amazing time to go fishing. If you are interested in getting out, but don’t know where to go or what to use, or if you just want a few lessons, call Joe Meyer and he’ll get you started. One request made this month- if you have a boat, and are willing to take out one or two people, let me know and I can get it into the Backcast. Lyin’ and Tyin’ will be starting soon too, so remember to check that out!
October 2013
There are a few things to keep in mind during the next few months: The Miracle Mile Outing this month with Casey is always a good time. I hope to see people take the opportunity to get out and cast a few lines. The Christmas party is coming up December 11. Remember to tie flies for the Christmas Party Fly Walk. Tie 6 flies and put them in a bag (a small gift bag works great. Each person who ties flies will be able to participate. The bags are placed on a table, and participants walk around the table to music. When the music stops, grab a bag. You might get some really cool flies- I know I did last year! Remember to send me your fishing pictures, and anything else you would like to be featured in next month’s edition of the Backcast!
CH ERYL Secretary’s Report September 18, 2013 Members in attendance: Kelly Kukes, Derrick Dietz, Joe Meyer, Matt Stanton, Lee Wilson, Cheryl Alexander, George Axlund Call to order: 7:00 There was no significant spending this month, so there was not a formal Treasurer’s report. Derrick has the two new TFO rods that he ordered through Healing Waters. These rods will be available for club members and Healing Waters members alike. Casey will be taking a group out to the Miracle mile the Saturday after the general meeting in October. The Christmas Party was discussed. Matt will start looking into a caterer for the evening. Tickets will be available at the November general meeting. Lyin’ & Tyin’ will be starting back up again starting in November. Old business: Derrick made a motion to allow Matt to purchase a laptop for club use. The laptop will be a basic laptop that the Treasurer will use for accounting and bookkeeping purposes, and will also be available for other club functions. We also discussed purchasing a small scanner/printer. George seconded the motion. All in favor. Matt will set up the new laptop with software for the accounting, and when the new Treasurer takes over early next year, it will all be set up and ready to go. Meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m. CH ERYL
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GENERAL MEETING 7:00 P.M.
October 2013
MIRACLE MILE OUTING (details page 5)
BOARD MEETING 7:00 P.M.
A look ahead: Lyin’ and Tyin’ starts November 16th, and will be held on the Saturday after the general meeting at 9:00 a.m. Christmas Party will be December 16th at 6:30 p.m.
Wyoming Fly Casters P.O. Box 2881 Casper, WY 82602
OCTOBER 2013