PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
JOURNAL
Sept / Oct 2011
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Vol. 08
Number 05, 2010
Sept / Oct 2011, Edition
Penticton Flyfishers
Contents
Box 354, 113-437 Martin St., Penticton, B.C., V2A 5L1 Editor Bruce Turnbull Home Ph:250-493-7386 Work Ph:250-487-2000 Fax 250-487-2049 Email: bturnbul@telus.net (or) bruce.turnbull@raymondjames.ca
President Phil Rogers 250-403-8832 pjrogers@shaw.ca Vice President Ryan Winstanley 488-8757 doja40oz@hotmail.com
Page 3— Presidents Report Page 4 & 5—Equipment Review— InvisaSwivel Page 6 & 7— My Feather Hair Extensions Page 8 & 9— Cutthroat Trout Page 10 & 11— Fishing the Kettle River Page 12— The Mayor is Stepping Down Page 13—BTRA
Treasurer Ken Baker 493-2926 kbbaker@telus.net
Page 14— Fishout Dates and Places
Secretary Peter Kruse 494-0071 p_skruse@shaw.ca
Page 16— Classifeids and Calendar
Page 15— Photo Gallery
Page 17— Tying and Fishing Techniques
Membership Director Tom Knight twknight@telus.net
The Penticton Flyfishers are members of
Red Side—© by Bruce Turnbull
BC Federation of Fly Fishers (BCFFF) BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) Federation of Fly Fishers (International FFF) Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance (OSCA)
Penticton Flyfishers New Website is www.pentictonflyfishers.ca
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Presidents
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Report by Phil Rogers
We finally got some good fishing weather in August. Since the spring and early summer weather was so bad most of our normal fishing expectations were pushed back two or three weeks. This meant that the expected caddis hatch on Idleback Lake did not occur in time for our June fishout and higher than normal water levels pushed our Kettle River float back into August. It also meant that the summer doldrums did not hit until late August. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) tagging project on the Kettle River was also affected by the higher than normal water flows. This project was cut from 6 days down to 2 days. We were able to complete the West Kettle River portion of the project but the main Kettle River portion was cancelled until next year. My apologies to those who signed up but were cancelled. I have been assured that you will have first choice next year. A big thank you goes out to all the members who contributed to the Weekly Fishing Report. We had 20 members who contributed at least one report this year. A special thanks goes out to Tyler Aoki and Tim Baxter for contributing the most weekly reports. I hope this report continues next year with an even bigger contribution by our members. It appears that most members that did get out this summer have caught fish, although, not in their usual numbers. Thank you to Jim Duncan for forwarding the reports on to our members. Larry Martin and I attended the Ministry of Transport meeting in Keremeos regarding the closure of two of the three access points along Yellow Lake. On Aug 21 MOT advised that they would only close one of the access points and would expand the
parking capacity of one of the access points. I have also been advised that MOT is looking at redesigning the north-bound approach to the Keremeos side rest area. While the change of access points does not affect most of our club members, I felt that it was important to show support to the CawstonKeremeos Sportsmen Association. By the time this report goes out, the club will have looked after preparing Penticton Creek for the fall Kokanee spawning run. The FLNRO has advised that we do not need to add gravel to the spawning beds this year and a light raking of the beds are needed. They also advise that the concrete barriers need to be reset to assist the kokanee reaching the beds. I would like to address the club’s future stewardship of Penticton Creek at the September meeting. Do we carry on as in the past? What will be the costs? How do we obtain the financing?
2011 Executive Pres: Phil Rogers
Vice Pres: Ryan Winstanley Secretary: Peter Kruse Treasurer: Ken Baker Membership: Tom Knight Past Pres: Angus Cameron
The next Club Fishout will be at Harmon Lake in early September. We will confirm numbers of members attending and location at the September meeting. Our season windup fishout will be at Salmon Lake on September 23 to 25. Tom Dellamater will be preparing his famous ribs for this event. We need to know how many members, family and friends will be attending so Tom can prepare the correct amount. I hate to see someone go hungry (it won’t be me). Please contact Tom before or during the September meeting if you plan on attending. We also need you to advise George Graw what you can bring for the dinner. He can advise you on what dishes are needed or if we have too much of a certain dish. Please check your reservations before heading up to Salmon Lake as some of our members heading up early have found that their reservation dates were wrong. It looks like this is going to be a well attended function but there is always room for more. I hope all of you have had a great summer and are prepared to do some serious fall fishing. I have just received a preliminary email today on a new fishing project for us by FLNRO for September. I will have the details available for the September meeting.
Phil
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Equipment ReviewBy
Mike Holliday
Aquateko InvisaSwivel
Given the invisibility,
with either wire or class
strength and hardness
tippet material. Any time
traits of fluorocarbon
you're joining hard wire to
lines, it's not surprising
a leader, the link is bound
that someone came
to be suspect, but the
out with a swivel made
InvisaSwivel would be the
entirely of fluorocar-
perfect solution for those
bon. To me, it seems
who like to use standard
like a natural attrition
fishing wire when target-
that the most visible
ing toothy species on fly.
link to your fishing suc-
We had snook to 18
cess (or lack thereof)
pounds, and seatrout to
become a targeted
11 pounds-all great
improvement for fish-
catches on this light
ing tackle manufacturers.
keep the spoon from twisting the line, and
tackle. Obviously, the swivel had no detri-
That's where the Aquateko InvisaSwivel
the Aquateko InvisaSwivel worked out-
mental effects to the rig. Interestingly
comes into play. Built entirely of fluorocarbon,
standing, keeping the line from kinking up
enough, we were using a white braided line
the Aquateko InvisaSwivel is strong, yet also
or tangling. We had no wind or reel knots
which tends to go invisible in the water as
flexible, able to bend 180 degrees. Most im-
over a two week period.
well, and when you reeled the spoon to the
portantly, because it's made entirely of fluoro-
But the real test is in the strength of the
boat, you often saw nothing but the spoon,
carbon, it's clear, and just about invisible in
swivel. I used the Aquateko InvisaSwivel
so there was a tendency for a few of my an-
the water, thus eliminating a detectible link to
over two weeks with my charter customers,
glers to reel the swivel into the rod tip until
your tackle. Available in eight sizes from 12-
and we had no failures, and outstanding
they got used to the distance from swivel to
to 200-pound strength, these swivels are
catch rates, which are typical of late April
lure.
similar sized to the normal steel or titanium
and early May in my region. The only prob-
One of the big detractors to standard steel
swivels common in inshore and offshore fish-
lem I had with the swivel is that the holes to
swivels is seen in fishing for Spanish mack-
ing.
run the line through are small, and because
erel in my area. The mackerel are feeding on
We started out throwing gold spoons, a great
the swivel is clear, old guys like me have a
minnows, and will often strike the swivel
lure for both species, and one that is known
hard time seeing the hole to run the line
(thinking it's a minnow) when you're trolling,
for creating a lot of spin in the line because of
through, so it takes several tries.
working a lure or reeling in a fish. Because
the wobbling/spinning action of the spoon.
We also see some great application options
the Aquateko InvisaSwivel is not visible like
We rig it with a swivel for just this reason-to
for fly fishermen to use the InvisaSwivels
the steel products, it has some preferred ap-
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
plications in this fishery.
The one issue I had was when retying
While the Aquateko InvisaSwivel did excep-
leader or line to the swivels and removing
tionally well in the light tackle test, it the was
the old leader or line. Because the top of
the close quarters slug out that I was most
the swivels are designed much like a goal
interested in. In this case, I used the 55-
post in football which allows the line to
pound Aquateko InvisaSwivel with heavy 7
tighten or lock into place at the top of the
foot spinning rods, 6000 size reels and 50
swivel, it can be difficult to cut the line free
pound braided line and 60-pound fluorocar-
and clear the swivel of your old line without
bon leader.
snippers, nail cutters or a good pair of scis-
I spend a lot of time fishing around docks and
sors. But that's pretty minor stuff.
bridge pilings for trophy snook-fish over 25 pounds, and the only way to catch these fish on a regular basis is to present baits around the structure they frequent and then pull the fish from the structure once they eat. We're essentially fighting over 10 feet of line. If the fish get you into the dock or bridge pilings, the barnacles will cut you off. I don't do this type of fishing with all my customers. You really need to be a strong and aggressive fishermen and be willing to lean hard of heavy tackle. I fished this style three times over the two week period, and caught snook to 22 pounds (no real trophies), and the swivels performed flawlessly. Snook are known for their short, powerful bursts of speed, and many of the fish we caught were bruisers that wouldn't be landed on 30-pound tackle, so we got a good feel for the strength and durability of the InvisaSwivels.
Conclusion Overall, the Aquateko InvisaSwivels did what they were advertised to do, prevent line twist and create a strong, less visible link from line to leader. They really held up to the strength and fishability tests, and I'll keep using them to see how they stand test of long-term durability. These are outstanding swivels and a great product that modernize a long-standing tackle hardware tradition. Price tag for these is about $5.00 per pack of five swivels and they come in a number of different sizes Source: Aquatekjo.com and Larry Martin
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
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Flip through any fashion magazine these days, and it’s apparent that feather hair extensions, those colourful, clip-on plumes worn by celebrities from Steven Tyler to Selena Gomez, have become the latest, hot hairstyle trend. But the popularity of feather extensions has taken off so dramatically and unexpectedly that salons and rooster farmers are struggling to keep up with demand. At Earth salon in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood, stylists can’t keep them in store, as customers eagerly snap them up, says colour technician Stephanie Murphy. “It’s crazy,” she says, explaining that just last fall, staff members could easily order feather extensions from suppliers. Then, a few months ago, as the trend became mainstream, they suddenly found their suppliers’ phone lines constantly busy. “By the time we finally got to speak to someone, they just said that there’s not enough to go around and the supply was really limited,” Ms. Murphy says. That’s because until feathers began appearing in celebrity hairstyles last year, the market for them was mostly limited to the world of fly-fishing, where they’re used as lures. Now, the demands of the fashion industry are driving up prices in what was once a niche trade. While fly-fishers previously paid pocket change for feathers, salons like Earth charge around $45 for the application of multiple strands of feathers, and $20 for single strands. While stylists may use a variety of feathers, such as peacock or hen, it’s rooster saddle feathers, or the plumes that grow on the birds’ backs, that are most coveted because of their versatile, thin, silky strands. “You can curl them or you can straighten them,” Ms. Murphy says. “They can be as subtle or as freaky as you want them to be.” The global supply of quality rooster feathers, however, is dominated by a single farm.
Whiting Farms in Delta, Colo., claims to have an estimated 75 to 80 per cent share of the world market, and harvests feathers from 65,000 birds a year, all of which have specifically been bred for the fly-fishing market. About a year and a half ago, fly fishing shop operators began reporting a strange up-tick in sales, the farm’s president, founder and poultry geneticist Tom Whiting, says. “They told my sales guys, ‘Yeah, the craziest thing happened. These ladies came in and bought all these saddles,’” he says. By the fall of 2010, the trend exploded. Salons across North America began calling his farm directly to request feathers, while fly shops started offering to buy saddle feathers back from customers at double the price to resell them to the fashion world. “It’s truly nuts,” Dr. Whiting says, noting he was selling rooster pelts at about $36 U.S. wholesale a year ago. Today, the same pelts go for about $300 to $400 each. Roosters only grow one set of quality saddle feathers in their lifetime, and to minimize any pain or discomfort, Dr. Whiting says he euthanizes the birds before harvesting the feathers. While he describes his birds as “the most pampered commercial chickens in the world,” animal rights activists have criticized the feather hair extension trend. “Would you support the slaughter of thousands of animals each week just so that you could jump on board with the latest fashion trend?” asks an article posted on the website of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “That’s exactly what girls are doing when they purchase feather hair extensions for their locks.” Dr. Whiting, however, says since his roosters are specially bred, they wouldn’t exist if people didn’t want them for their feath-
ers. (Because there is no market for their unpalatable meat, he turns their carcasses into compost.) “Some people have an issue with that, and I say that’s fine,” Dr. Whiting says. “I’ll respect your views if you respect mine.” His more immediate concern is how to cope with the frenzied demand. It takes about 14 months between the time he starts breeding new roosters till their feathers can be harvested, and Dr. Whiting recognizes the boom may not last. “The very nature of fads ... is they change. Something new comes to supplant it, then it’s gone,” he says.
Fly shop manager Jim Bernstein was warned that hair stylists would come banging on his door, but he didn't listen. Sure enough, less than 24 hours later, a woman walked into the Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop in Maine and made a beeline toward a display of hackles — the long, skinny rooster feathers fishermen use to make lure. "She brought a bunch up to the counter and asked if I could get them in pink," he said. "That's when I knew." Fly fishing shops nationwide, he learned, are at the center of the latest hair trend: Feather extensions. Supplies at stores from the coasts of Maine to landlocked Idaho are running out, and some feathers sold online are fetching hundreds of dollars more than the usual prices. "I'm looking around the shop thinking 'Hmmm, what else can they put in their hair?' " Bernstein said. Fly fishermen are not happy, bemoaning the trend in online message boards and sneering at so-called "feather ladies." Some also blame "American Idol" judge and rocker Steven Tyler, who began wearing the feathers in his long hair.
PAGE 7 "It takes years and years and years to develop these chickens to grow these feathers. And now, instead of ending up on a fly, it's going into women's hair," said Matt Brower, a guide and assistant manager at Idaho Angler in Boise. "I think that's the reason a lot of people are a little peeved about it," he said. The feathers are not easy to come by in the first place. They come from roosters that are genetically bred and raised for their plumage. In most cases, the birds do not survive the plucking. At Whiting Farms, Inc., in western Colorado, one of the world's largest producers of fly tying feathers, the roosters live about a year while their saddle feathers — the ones on the bird's backside and the most popular for hair extensions — grow as long as possible. Then the animal is euthanized. As hair extensions, the feathers can be brushed, blow dried, straightened and curled once they are snapped into place. Most salons sell the feather strands for $5 to $10 a piece. The trend has become so popular a company online even sells feather extensions for dogs.
The craze has also left hairstylists scrambling to find rooster saddle feathers, as fly shops hold onto a select few for their regular customers. The businesses will now ask if the feathers are for hairdressing, said Shelley Ambroz, who owns MiraBella Salon and Spa in Boise. "If you go in and you're a woman, they won't sell to you," said Ambroz, who started to eye her husband's fly fishing gear after stores ran out. "He told me to stay out of his feathers," she said. Whiting Farms is harvesting about 1,500 birds a week for their feathers and still can't keep up with its current orders, said owner and founder Tom Whiting, a poultry geneticist. The company has stopped taking on new accounts.
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
"I've tried to withhold some for the fly fishing world because when the fashion trend goes away, which it will, I've still got to make a living," he said. The company was the one that told Bernstein in Maine several months ago
that rooster saddle feathers had somehow become the latest coveted hair accessory. Bernstein said he scoffed at the notion that it could reach his shop along the coast of southern Maine. "This is Maine, it's not California. We're a little behind the trends here,"
he said. "I screwed up. I should have said: 'Send me everything you've got.' " Sold out Bernstein's inventory of rooster saddle
feathers has long been depleted. About three weeks ago, he dusted off a rooster neck with feathers that had been set aside for fly tying classes at the shop. The neck would have normally cost $29.95, but the shop sold it for $360. It's not uncommon to find a package of rooster saddle feathers that would have cost around $60 at a fly shop now priced from $200 to $400. A package of the most popular fly tying hackle for hair extensions, a black and white striped feather called grizzly saddle, would normally retail anywhere from $40 to $60. It sold for $480 on eBay last month after 31 bids. At the Boise salon, Ambroz has stowed away enough feathers to last about six months. On a recent Tuesday evening, Emilee Rivers, 16, sifted through a pile of rooster saddle feathers looking for the perfect strands to frame her face. She picked out four and handed them to the stylist, who bonded them together with hot glue before clipping them into Rivers' blond hair. Brandi Wheeler, 16, was next. There's only one other girl at Borah High School in Boise who has the feather extensions, the teenagers said. Now, they were joining the select few. "I've wanted to get them for quite a while," Rivers said. She went to the salon with her mom, Kristi, who totally gets it. "My dad on the other hand, he's so confused," Rivers said. "I told him what I was doing and he said: 'Why would you get feathers in your hair?' " Source for this article is the Internet. Pictures from Images MSN.
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Cutthroat Trout
Species Recovery Plan in Motion for Alberta’s Cutthroat Trout
Simple pleasures once came with fishing for westslope cutthroat trout. The brightly coloured fish, dotted with black speckles and so-named for the redorange streak that runs under its mouth, swims and spawns in the cold freshwater rivers in some of the prettiest and most rugged places in Alberta. Cutthroats were once so plentiful that they could be carted away by the wagonload. “They are pretty eager to hit a fly – dry fly or wet – they are easy to catch,” said Dale Meier, a long-time fly-fishing guide in the Rocky Mountains around Canmore, Alta. “We fished for them all the time back in the ’80s – the good old days,” he added. But the truly good old days went back even farther than that. When the railway came in 1885, so did over-fishing by irrationally exuberant anglers who employed everything from nets to dynamite. Industry soon saw the
Globe and Mail Published Friday, Aug. 05, 2011
potential to harness the region’s waterways, and hydroelectric dams were built throughout the trout’s native range in southern Alberta, including the Rockies. But that flooded trout habitat and wiped out spring spawning grounds. Meanwhile, misguided attempts to restock the province’s water bodies with exotic species such as rainbow and brook trout have muscled out and cross -bred with the native cutthroat populations. “It’s extremely, extremely dire for them,” said David Mayhood, an aquatic ecologist Freshwater Research Ltd., who has reported on the cutthroat’s plight to both the federal and provincial governments. Currently under way is a federalprovincial species recovery plan, which is expected to be completed this fall. But saving the cutthroat from
oblivion won’t be easy, when man-made hazards lurk everywhere. A faulty hydroelectric generator, for instance, has left one cutthroat population in peril. According to Mr. Mayhood’s research, thousands of kilometres of rivers and streams were once teeming with hundreds of populations of cutthroat. There are now perhaps a dozen – each with 30 to 200 adult fish – of genetically pure specimens passing through maybe 100 kilometres of Alberta’s waterways, he said. (The provincial government estimates up to 40 native cutthroat populations left in Alberta, but notes those fish may not be 100-per-cent genetically pure.) “The really sad thing is that these fish were extremely abundant,” Mr. Mayhood said. “… Now, it’s really ridiculously small and it’s extremely sad.” That makes every population important for the overall survival of the species. A
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recent mishap at TransAlta Corp.’s Spray Lakes hydroelectric plant located near Canmore, on the edge of Banff National Park, has led to widespread flooding, stirring up debris and turning cutthroat habitat winding through provincial and federal lands into a big, fast-moving mucky soup. The situation is friendly neither to fish nor anglers. “We’ve been kicked in the guts here,” said Nick Schlachter, owner of Wapiti Sports & Outfitters in Canmore. The short-lived tourist season for the rod and reel set is almost a writeoff, he said. But his concerns don’t end there. “We’re just worried about the fishery and their spawning grounds down the road,” he added. The area where TransAlta operates was once a world-famous draw for anglers, with picturesque waterways flowing into Banff, but construction of the Canyon Dam outside national park boundaries more than 60 years ago nearly wiped out the indigenous cutthroat population. In May, TransAlta shut down one of two units at that hydroelectric plant for maintenance, but not long after, the second unit failed. To complicate matters, heavy winter snowfall followed by relentless rains created an unusually large spring melt. As a result, water levels rose, began spilling over the dam and gushing at up to 50 times its normal rate when flows peaked last week into a pair of tributaries that run through Banff and feed into the Bow River. The Bow flows east to Calgary, and it is where fishing guides take tourists. TransAlta spokesman Robert Klager said the company hopes one unit will be back online in September and it is working around the clock to fix the malfunctioning unit. Meanwhile, TransAlta is report-
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
ing to government officials to monitor the impact on the ecosystem. “We take any situation of this nature seriously,” said Mr. Klager. Parks Canada, meanwhile, is trying to make the best of a bad situation. This week officials started dropping logs by helicopter into the swollen river in a bid to create new pools where the cutthroat could thrive. “If we’re lucky this will help mitigate some of the impacts of this environmental event,” said Bill Hunt, Banff’s resource conservation manager. In 2006, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada recommended that the cutthroat in Alberta be listed as “threatened,” but to date the species has received no status un-
der Ottawa’s Species at Risk legislation. Under Alberta’s Wildlife Act, the cutthroat was listed as “threatened” in 2009, which triggered work on a recovery plan. Mr. Mahood suggested the “threatened” listing doesn’t go far enough. What’s more, saving the species from
extinction is complicated by jurisdictional issues. Of course, cutthroat don’t abide by boundaries of national parks, provincial parks, Crown land and private property. Both the provincial and federal governments are already taking steps, such as attempting to remove non-native fish from traditional cutthroat habitat. Parks Canada is contemplating using gill netting and electrofishing – essentially shocking the fish to swim towards nets – to remove brook trout from strategically selected sites where pure cutthroats have the best chance at survival. An attempt to remove all exotic fish from every water body in the park, Mr. Hunt pointed out, would be like “trying to scoop salt out of the sea.” The new recovery plan will also look at land-use rules for forestry and oil and gas companies, and whether anything different can be done to prevent damaging silt from being pumped into the water, noted Jennifer Earle, co-chair of the recovery plan committee and fisheries biologist with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. Controversial concepts, such as cutthroat fishing bans, are being talked about, she said. And then there are also “socially unacceptable” ideas, such as removing all the dams along the Bow River, which, she said, will never fly. “We all wish we’d done something a lot earlier,” Ms. Earle said. Still, she remains “cautiously optimistic” for the future of the westslope cutthroat. “We’re never going to recover the species to its original range. It’s too late. Too much is gone,” she said. “We can concentrate on what we have left.” Globe and Mail Published Friday, Aug. 05, 2011
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Fishing the Kettle River 2011 Week One Phil Rogers, Dave Carlton (Summerland Club President) and I, Tom Dellamater, went to the Kettle River at the end of July and the water was running high so if you did not make a great cast into the holding hole you did not get a second chance. Many of the smaller fish in the bottom of the hole were very active too and it did not take long to learn how to shake off the small ones so you were ready to cast again. We stopped at Baker’s hole with Phil catching a fish just ahead of Dave as is the code of the Kettle.
All Dave could do was watch and learn.
In trying to get these pictures for you, Dave hooked me in the head as I tried to walk behind with a fly I tied and had given to him. Dave drifted is his u-boat which was a little harder than our pontoons but he did very well and with my flies had very good success. He was only able to fish the one day and having heard our stories of the trouble with the take out he brought along his work truck to make it safer loading pontoons. To show what a good sport he is he loaded Phil’s boat first,
Thanks, Dave, Phil appreciated the help. Phil and I stayed for a second day of fishing but the evening was filled with friends and all of them wanted our blood. I brought along my mosquito refuge and we both enjoyed sitting inside with a beer.
Then he brought it back to the camp site.
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
The second day the river was down a little bit but at times you could get a second cast at a holding hole to pick up some fine fish. Phil had a 15 “ trout as I caught up to him as I was landing this one. The river was late this year but it was very nice it waited until after I returned from Fort Steele to start fishing. By Tom Dellamater
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
The Mayor is Stepping Down By Tom Dellamater
Did you ever notice how as you travel through your outdoor life the many different people one runs into if on just stop to talk and have a beer with them? My first fishing partner was Trapper John who my wife introduced me too. He needed a bath, did not work all the time, could cast a broken fly rod repaired with duck tape a country mile and would go fishing at the drop of the hat. Some how we became friends, he always caught fish, always his limit and one or two extra for when he was short the day before. Trapper died and I lost a fishing partner. I moved to Penticton and would you know it The Mayor of Peterhope Lake lived on my block. George Taylor and his dog Howdy lived just up the block and the tales of Peterhope Lake he had. George and his brother owned Taylor’s Sport Shop and upon his retirement he spent summers with Howdy in his motor home at Peterhope Lake. His garage was filled with items of all kinds from the store, his travels, car collections and his toys. We spent much time listening to his stories and pulling out the items he was talking about. He said I will never meet and another person like him for his was born in the house he lived in and he was going to die in that house. George did just what he said would. Paul, “The Mayor of Idleback Lake” is going to step down from his position after 9 years of camping he is calling it quits. Between Forestry making him move on every two weeks, the rude campers, late parties, dirt bikes and atvs it is time to move on. He planning to set up in an apartment in Penticton hunting and fishing when the moods strikes. He spent a lot time cleaning up the lake, checking abandoned camp fires, attempting to control the motorized toys and reporting violators to the Forestry. An era will come to end and for those of us who enjoyed sitting as his fire with a beer, he will sorely missed. We want to say thank you Paul for all of your hard work and friendship.
www.pentictonflyfishers.ca
www.bcwf.bc.ca
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
B. T. R. A . By Tom Dellamater
The BTRA (Bruce Turnbull River Association) was formed to answer the worldly questions that are present around a campfire late into the evening after a day of fishing the river and an Old Milwaukee or two. To be a member of the BTRA one must display the principles of ethics of its founder Bruce Turnbull.
Bruce has mentored many of us with his love of river fishing (especially on the Kettle River), information on the stars, space stations, satellites and general all around knowledge of the great outdoors. He passes on many family stories of how he and his brothers survived, “The Early Days�. The BTRA recognizes members who stand out during the fishing season with the BTRA Man of the Year Award. George Graw was the first recipient for his ability to get to the best fishing hole first even though he has to cut off a fellow fisherman who is working the run. Membership in the BTRA is a selective process and once a prospective member has paid his 24 pack of Old Milwaukee to the membership committee his selection will be reviewed. If a prospect has paid his 24 pack and has not been invited to join the first year he can pay another 24 pack and have his application reviewed. Individual 6 packs paid to the membership committee members will be allowed to assist in the review. Once you become a member, you are a member for life.
The BTRA has a charity fund which members contribute to annually or monthly to send Bruce and Tom on dream fishing trip of their choice. The fund had reached $10.00, but $7.00 was taken out for doughnuts for the last meeting. Visa and Master Card are accepted but cash is best. Expulsion from the Association is automatic if a member; Out fishes Bruce Owes a 24 pack of Old Milwaukee and does not bring it to the meeting Gives out the names or phone numbers of any of the Old Milwaukee Girls The BTRA has helped many of our members become interested in river fishing, taught them how to read the river, look out for one another and good river etiquette. If you are interested in river fishing please contact Bruce with your 24 pack for an interview.
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
2011 FISHOUTS
Link Lake May 27 to 29
Salmon Lake Sept 23,24, & 25
Idelback Lake June 24 to 26
Harmon Lake Sept 9 to 11
Planned Fish Out’s for 2011
Kettle River July every weekend
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Picture Gallery
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Sawmill Lake Full Pool
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PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
CLASSIFIEDS
CALENDAR of EVENTS September 1—First General meeting of the fall semester. Come out and see what is planned for the fall and coming winter months. Sept14—Executive meeting at Phil Rogers home or perhaps somewhere else. We will leasrn more at the General meeting. Sept 9, 10 &11—Harmon Lake Fishout
SPACE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR CLASSIFIED AD. NO CHARGE. CONTACT THE EDITOR WITH YOUR AD.
Sept 23, 24 & 25—Salmon Lake Fish out. Oct 6—General meeting. Nothing as yet has been planned and I’m sure there will be something of interest. Time 7 pm. Oct 13—First fly tying session of the fall/winter season. Come out and tie a few flies, learn to tie a new pattern or perhaps re-learn an old pattern. Time 7 pm. Oct 19—Executive meeting Time 7 pm at Phil Rogers house.
www.bcfff.bc.ca
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Will Carnell Ph 250-492-4963 2012 Main St., Penticton, BC, V2A 5H4
Tying and Fishing Techniques
T
he Salmon Lake Fish Out is soon upon us and I thought that I would share a few fly patterns that I and many others have found to be successful on Salmon Lake. You can see from the above pictures that the flies are all wet flies as that is what works for late September fishing on this lake. Leeches are a good choice and with the algae laden water a green bead head leech pattern is productive. You must get the fly down below the algae layer and that alone can be tricky. You need to get it through the algae without getting the pattern all scummed up. Next up is a simple Black Spratley. Use the same strategy as above but when the algae layer is not so thick or deep. You should also have available Maroon and Red bodied Spratley’s. Another favourite is a Pink Carey or the newer version a Pink K-Mart Special. This pattern is affective on the sunny days in relatively algae depleted water. The last pattern is a chronomid pattern called the Bloodworm. This is a very productive pattern and its fished at the shallow ends
of the lake in water in the 8 to 12 foot depth using the standard chronomid technique of sitting and watching your bobber. Fly lines for these patterns are full sink type III, sink tip, and floating line. One has to constantly check his fly for gobs of algae. You may also want to clean your lines before each days outing with the standard fly line cleaner one can get at most fly shops.
ahead of the usual fish-on time. That can last till early afternoon. Of course fish can be caught at just about any time of the day but the mid day action tends to be the better time. Salmon Lake can be a bit moody so its never a sure thing. If it is sunny with cool nights and warm days it is usually very productive. The best part of the fish-out though is the food and the companionship we all get from this great and last of the season outing. Have fun.
Areas on the lake that tend to be successful vary but it’s safe to say the lake end’s are better producers when one wants to still fish from an anchored spot. The leech patterns are better suited for trolling and down the far side along the drop off can generate nice fish. Timing is important as well. In past years towards the end of September one does not need to be the first one out there as the sun comes up, but setting up on your spot by 9/9:30 gets you
Bruce Turnbull Bruce Turnbull
The Penticton Flyfishers meet the first Thursday of every month except July and August when we meet at nearby fishouts. Club meetings begin at 7 pm at the “OLD CPR” Train Station on Hastings St., and everyone is welcome. Membership costs $40 per year (Junior membership is free) and includes membership in the B.C. Federation of Fly Fishers, the B.C. Wildlife Federation, The Federation of Fly Fishers (International), and the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance (OSCA). The club is registered as a society and its function is to promote the sport of fly fishing, to educate, and to conserve and protect the environment. The club is actively involved in conservation projects throughout the Okanagan and surrounding areas. If you would like more information about the club, its membership, projects and programs, please call any member of the Executive (see inside front cover).