penticton fly fisher journal march april 2011

PENTICTON FLYFISHERS

JOURNAL

Jan / Feb 2011

— Presidents Report Page 4 & 5—Equipment Review— Fly Boxes Page 6 & 7— BC OffRoad Vehicle Management Frame work Page 8 & 9— Wind Farms Page 10— A New Idea Page 11— 2011 AGM and Election Notice Page 12— 2011 Fish Out Schedule Ideas Page 13—Notice of Fly casting day. Page 14— Photo Gallery Page 15— Classifieds and Calendar of Events Page 16— Tying and Fishing Techniques

PAGE 2 PENTICTON FLYFISHERS

Vol. 08 Number 01, 2010

Jan / Feb 2010, Edition

Penticton Flyfishers

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: [email protected] (or)

[email protected]

President Phil Rogers

250-403-8832 [email protected]

Vice President

Peter Kruse [email protected]

Treasurer Ken Baker

[email protected]

Secretary Denis Currie

[email protected] 496-5499

Membership Director

Tom Knight [email protected]

The Penticton Flyfishers are members of

BC Federation of Fly Fishers (BCFFF)

BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF)

Federation of Fly Fishers

(International FFF)

Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance (OSCA)

Contents

Eagle River Sockeye—© by Bruce Turnbull

Penticton Flyfishers New Website is

www.pentictonflyfishers.ca

PENTICTON FLYFISHERS Presidents Report by Phil Rogers

Happy Holidays. I hope everyone has been able to take some time to be with family and loved ones over the holidays. I understand that some of our luckier members have been able to get in some winter fishing in warmer climates and others are plan-ning on doing so shortly. I hope Santa is able to bring me such a trip but I hear from the elves that I am not on his “Good Boy” list as I have already used up my quota of fishing time for the year. For those of us not so fortunate in being able to get away, I have ar-ranged for some fly-casting practice. We are booked into the Penticton Sportsplex at King’s Park on Sunday 16 January 2010 from 09:00 am to 10:00 am. This session will give us a chance to try out this new facility and see if it is conducive to casting. If it worthwhile we have options of book-ing other date and times. The cost for an hour’s session is $50.00. Come out and give it a try, lets see if this is of interest to our members. We have Amanda Warman from the Okanagan Native Alliance Fisheries Dept coming to give us a talk about their Sockeye Resto-ration Project at our January meeting. This should be a very informative session and will give us a chance to find out how the project is progressing and what kind of fishing opportunities there will be in the next few

years. It is time to start thinking about the where and when for next year’s Fish Outs. I have heard that many members want to return to Salmon Lake for our September fish out. It has been suggested that we look at the third weekend in September. I would like to confirm this location and time so we can book it early in the new year. We have been going to Link Lake in May for one of our early season trips. This should be confirmed at the January meeting so we can get booked asap. We need suggestions for other Fishouts. Where and when, please bring your ideas to meeting so we have a chance to accommodate your favor-ite location.

The Annual Dinner and Auction has been arranged for 30 April at the Elks Club. We need help in obtaining items for the auc-

tion. George will look after obtain-ing donations from our usual three or four sponsors but we need new sources. If you have any contacts in the business community please make an effort in seeing if they can con-tribute an item for the auction. Don’t forget to look into your own storage room. Are there any good quality items that you don’t need or use any more? Please don’t bring any junk. Do not think of this as an opportunity to avoid a trip to the city landfill. Remember that the funds we make at the auction are our club’s main source of income and dictate what kind of programs and events we are able to conduct.

It is also time to start think-

ing about next year’s executive. We need volunteers to step up and help run YOUR CLUB. Please consider how you can contribute to make this club an active and vibrant club we can all be proud of.

Please have a safe and enjoy-

able holiday season. I look for-ward to seeing everyone in the New Year.

2010 Executive

Pres: Phil Rogers Vice Pres: Peter Kruse

Secretary: Denis Currie Treasurer: Ken Baker

Membership: Tom Knight Past Pres: Angus Cameron

Phil


Equipment Review-

suit your needs - or even not use them at all! Considerations to Fly Organization When organizing your flies, the angler needs to think about both how to or-ganize the flies for off-stream and on-stream use. Unless you have less than 100 flies, there is absolutely no reason to bring along every fly you own to the river with you.

Instead, the general plan of attack is to have a main fly storage system/boxes/whatever that holds your flies when home and is portable enough to take with you in the car or in an airplane. Then, when you reach the water, you take whatever flies you need out of this fly storage system you have and put them in the fly boxes you'll carry in your fishing vest when you are actually fishing. This way, you avoid overloading your fishing vest with innumerable fly boxes, keep your vest slim and not bulky, and in general have a far easier time of or-ganization.

At Home & In the Car Fly Organiza-tion So, this leads to the question, what to use for at-home/in-the-car fly organization. Well, there are several ways to go about it. You can buy a multitude of different fly boxes - storing your flies in them and then hoping you don't forget to bring one with you. Or, get some large, relatively inexpensive fly boxes that can be neatly stored in a bag or piece of luggage that has been specifically designed to do just that. The second way, of course, is to just have 4-5 medium-large fly boxes you normally take out on the water with you. One box holds dries, another holds wets, a third holds streamers, etc...Just be dou-bly sure to grab them all when you head to the water - more than a few anglers have hit the Bighorn River only to find their nymphs back in New York on the shelf where they were left. On the Stream Fly Organization For on the water-storage of flies, there are several routes to choose from. The one I prefer is one medium box and two

There are three things that are inevitable for the fly fisherman. Death. Taxes. And accumulating too many flies. It's just a simple fact of life that any angler will, in time, accumulate all sorts of flies. And thus arises the problem of what to do with them all. Flies are light and don't take up much space. But thats a problem unto itself, since stuffing flies into a box with other dissimilar flies creates a or-ganizational problems nightmares are made of. For this reason, anglers, whether new or experienced, always need to keep one step of the organizational nightmare of their flies. This is accomplished through the judicious use of fly boxes, fly wallets and "on the road" fly storage systems. Each have their place - and which one is right for a particular angler depends on the anglers own personality, number of flies owned and other personal consid-erations. In short, there is no "one way to store flies." Just be sure to find a way to store flies that works well for you. On the rest of this page, will go over some ideas on how to store and organize your flies. Feel free to modify them to

Fly Boxes


smaller ones. The medium box consists of compartments on the bottom and foam on the top. The two smaller boxes are a mix of one foam box and one com-partment box. The medium box goes in the right pocket and the two smaller boxes go in the left pocket. This system has the benefit of being inexpensive, keeps organization a breeze and allows you to take enough flies so as to not have to worry about trudging back to the car to get more. It also has the advantage of allowing you to "load up" on your favorite fly for the day. Other systems exist, of course, for on-the-water fly organization. Some anglers prefer to get one large box that holds all the flies they need for on-the-water use. This keeps all the flies you need in one place and also frees up one of the the larger side pockets on your vest for other uses. Yet other anglers do what I call the "fly box by name" system. The angler gets a bunch of small compartment or foam boxes - very small, actually. Each box will hold only one type of fly, in differ-ing sizes. While this seems like it may be limiting, in fact, its got advantages. If you know that the trout are hitting on the Parachute Adams, there isn't much of a reason to go out with a bunch of hoppers or streamers. Instead, you're better off going armed with differing sizes of Para-chute Adams and flies that look very similar to it. And those tiny little "fly by name" boxes are a fine way to keep par-ticular flies organized by size - while making sure you have enough flies of the right type in the right size for the type of fishing you expect. Anglers that use this sytem invariably label each fly box with a waterproof marker - so as to specify what each fly box holds and to avoid accidental inser-tion of the wrong fly. Of course, the downsize to this is that you can potentially end up with lots of small fly boxes in your vest - leading to some organizational problems. But there are ways to partially counter this, espe-cially once you've used this system for a while. This system isn't for me - but it might be for you. Source: Internet


Q: What is the ORV Management Frame-work? The ORV management framework in-cludes: Registration and Licensing: • Mandatory vehicle registration of all ORVs at sale and resale. • A more visible licence plate or de-cal which will assist compliance and enforcement efforts in identifying irre-sponsible ORV riders and help track sto-len ORVs. An expanded definition of ORVs will include all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes; this will allow local government to enact bylaws for all ORVs. Public Road Crossings: All ORV riders will be able to legally cross public roads and highways or por-tions of the right-of-way at designated locations with an optional annual vehicle licence and basic insurance. These cross-ings will connect our rural communities and support a world-class trail network. Safety: • All ORV riders will be required to wear a helmet and use lights for low-visibility conditions. Seatbelts will be required to be worn, where installed by the manufacturer. Additional measures to better protect youth under 16 years of age will include adult supervision, appropriately-sized machines for age and weight of drivers, and reduced speed limits. Environment: • Improved muffler standards for ORVs will reduce noise disturbance to wildlife and recreationists; spark arres-tors will reduce the risk of forest fires.

• British Columbia supports the Federal Government’s proposed emis-sion standards for ORVs under the Ma-rine Spark-Ignition Engine and Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Emission Regulations; once approved, these standards will apply in British Colum-bia. The Forest and Range Practices Act has already been amended to add pen-alties for mud bogging, which damages sensitive habitat. Compliance and Enforcement: A provincial ORV compliance and en-forcement strategy will be developed and will include an education compo-nent to help achieve voluntary compli-ance. Implementation: A committee of legislators who will oversee implementation has been formed, including Ministers Kevin Krueger, Pat Bell, Bill Bennett, Shirley Bond, Rich Coleman, Blair Lekstrom and Barry Penner. Registration and licensing costs will be based on a user-pay approach, compa-rable to other small vehicles. The ORV regulations apply across BC; private lands are excluded. Q: What has led to this decision to implement a new ORV Management Framework?

Milestones which led to this announce-ment include: • In 2005, the Coalition for Licensing and Registration of Off-Road Vehicles in BC (referred to as the “ORV Coali-tion”), comprised of ten key stakeholder associations, produced a report with 47 recommendations to address longstand-ing ORV management issues in BC. • In 2006, the Coroners Service of British Columbia, Child Death Review Unit, recommended an improved ORV regulatory framework to help address ORV accidents resulting in injuries to youth and deaths. • In early 2009, during the review of the proposed Provincial Trails Strategy, there was strong overall public support for improving ORV management. • Over the years, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities has passed nu-merous resolutions requesting an im-proved ORV management regime. In September 2009, the British Colum-bia Chamber of Commerce recom-mended that government immediately institute the registration of ORVs. Q: How does the ORV Management Framework fit with the proposed Pro-vincial Trails Strategy? Government is continuing to explore a Provincial Trails Strategy. In early 2009, during the review of the trails strategy,

BC OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

2010 AND COUNTING


there was strong overall public and stakeholder support for the strategy and improving ORV management. The strat-egy is an essential component of the ORV Management Framework as it in-cludes the approach to trail development for the broad range of outdoor recreation activities. Q: Who was consulted before deciding on this ORV management frame-work? The proposed framework is the result of extensive consultations over a number of years with a wide variety of interests, including the stakeholder-led ORV Coa-lition. Q: The ORV Coalition Report recom-mendations came to government in 2006. Why has it taken so long for

government respond? Through extensive dialogue with stake-holders, agencies and ministries over the years, we have learned that ORV issues are complex and achieving consensus among the range of parties was challeng-ing. As time progressed, we also found that there were many aspects of shared interest and a common ground. The re-sult of this hard work is the new ORV Management Framework. Q: Why will it take two years to im-plement the framework? We anticipate that it will take up to two years to allow the service provider (ICBC) to upgrade their systems and to

ensure smooth busi-ness transi-tion for front-line service providers. Matters such as safety for youth will likely be im-plemented sooner. We will continue to work with our key stakeholder asso-ciations on the implementation of the ORV framework. Q: Will the proposed ORV Manage-ment Framework result in an in-creased number of regulations? As we draft the regulations, we’ll be

working to minimize the regulatory burden placed on citizens, as well as the monitored count. Q: How much will the new ORV framework cost? Costs are based on a user-pay approach for ORV riders and will be comparable to other small motor vehicles. • Mandatory vehi-cle registration and licensing - all ORV riders will require one-time vehicle reg-

istration (sale/resale) and a more visi-ble licence plate or decal. • Optional annual vehicle licence – only applies to ORV riders who choose to cross designated public road cross-ings. ORV riders on Crown land only require registration. • Insurance - Basic insurance only applies to ORV riders who choose to cross designated public road/highway crossings or the right of way; basic insurance rates are set by the BC Utili-ties Commission and provided by ICBC. On Forest Service Roads liabil-ity insurance is still required; on

Crown land, insurance is voluntary. • Safety for all – mandatory helmets will be required for all ORV riders; most ORVs have lights already installed by the vehicle manufacturer. Seatbelts will be required to be worn where installed by the vehicle manufacturer. • Safety for youth under 16 years – there may be additional costs associated with youth if the vehicle is not appropri-ate for their size and weight. • Noise standards and spark arrestors for vehicles – Many manufacturers of ORVs already meet the maximum noise standard of 96 decibels and have spark arrestors. These include companies with the Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Dis-tributers Council. There may be some costs associated with vehicles that have been modified by the owner after pur-chase. Exceptions to these standards may apply to some vehicles such as those used for competitive sports. Compliance and enforcement – a pro-vincial C&E strategy for ORVs will be developed and will be based on a user-pay approach. Government will continue to work with key stakeholder associations as more detailed regulations and policy is devel-oped over the next two years.

Editors Note:British Columbia intended to implement a management framework encompassing all off-road vehicles (ORVs); the regulations were expected to be in place by November 2011. But as yet nothing has happened. 3 years in the making and still not complete but only took 2 weeks to decide on the HST.


Stephana Johnston is 80 years old and sleeping on her son's couch because she can't go home. Everytime she goes home she gets a "stuffiness" in her ears and a "buzzing" in her brain. Her home is on the north shore of Lake Erie and surrounded by 18 wind turbines. She's convinced they're the source of her troubles. "I've been trying to sell for over a year but no one wants to buy it. I can see every one of the turbines," she said. Johnston was one of about 300 people at a meeting last night put on by West and East Perth Against Turbines (WEPAT) at the Arden Park Hotel. The group formed less than a month ago but is one of several like it in other rural counties. Dr. Robert McMurtry, former dean of medicine at the University of Western Ontario, said he thought wind turbines were a good idea and considered them

for his Prince Edward County property until he began researching. "There's no doubt in my mind people are suffering adverse health effects," he said. Symptoms presented at the meeting ranged from inner ear problems and sleep deprivation to heart problems including hypertension. One of the recurring concerns is the low frequency noise. Another issue is the "shadow flicker" caused by the re-volving blades. "It's very difficult to escape from even if you close your eyes," said Carmen Krogh, former director with Health Canada. Krogh did a "windvoice survey" to study the effects of the inaudible and audible noise on the body. "We've moved from strong suspicions to there's no doubt people are adversely effected," she said.

She had "victim impact statements" from people around the world including Ger-many and Japan. In a phone interview before the meeting, local MPP and Environment Minister John Wilkinson said he would live near a wind turbine as long as it met the mini-mum requirements set out by the prov-ince. A single wind turbine must be at least a distance of 550 metres away from where people live, sleep, pray, work or go to school. If there's more than one turbine the distance is greater than 550 metres. McMurtry suggested the 550 metre dis-tance is arbitrary. "We have searched far and wide and deep. It's a false claim. They can't say 550 metres is sound science. That claim can't be substantiated," he said. Regulations also require wind turbines cannot have a noise level above 40 deci-bels which is considered "background


noise" by the World Health Organiza-tion, Wilkinson said. Because the province regulates wind turbines, if they're noisier than 40 deci-bels the province can shut them down, Wilkinson added. The province gets advice from Dr. Ar-lene King, Ontario's chief medical offi-cer of health. "As long as (turbines) are a sufficient distance away and not exceeding the noise (limits), there's no evidence there's an effect on human health," Wilkinson said. "Having said that, we are open to any new science." McMurtry and Krogh both insist there's plenty of science to show there are nega-tive consequences on the health of peo-ple around the turbines. McMurtry also insists the onus of re-

sponsibility for proof is on the province to follow the precautionary principle. If there's the potential for harm, it's up to the government to show there is none, he said. McMurtry was also critical of King's report. He said it was just a review of the literature that was previously published and it ignored any literature that raised alarms. The final speaker of the night, Dave Collings had wind turbines on his farm property until last December when the lease expired. "These things destroy your neighbour-hood and your neighbours," he said. Four houses around his property are

empty now. He also noted, there are no earth worms near wind turbines because of the sonic vibration and the ground cur-rents generated by the turbines. "Dirty energy" or stray voltage from the lines

substations is another factor making people sick, he said. He tests properties around the Ripley area. He advised any farmers con-sidering signing a lease to show it to a corporate lawyer because the leases favour the wind power companies, he said. Wilkinson was invited to attend the meeting but could-n't go because he's taken an oath that forbids him from attending public meetings, either for or against, projects he may later make a decision about, he said. "A referee doesn't lace up his

skates with any member of a hockey team before a game," he said. "We have to make decisions based on (a project's) merits or lack thereof." His attendance at a public event could be interpreted as an en-dorsement of a certain side, he suggested. While the debate con-tinues, Johnston has offered her house up as a research centre for renewable energy and health. lcudworth@ bowes-net.com

PENTICTON FLYFISHERS PAGE 10 PENTICTON FLYFISHERS

A NEW IDEA

Protect the river environment with EcoTrax stud-ded rubber soles–and protect boats, planes and interior floors from stud damage with these slip–on boots. This fly-fishing wading gear is easy to slip on and off without using your hands or bending down. Extremely lightweight, just over 13 ounces per pair in the L size. A great travel companion as they will protect the inside of your luggage from aggressive screw-in studs. A must have accessory for anyone with studded wading boots. Fly fishing wading gear in charcoal. Imported. $29.95 U.S.

Line Cleaning Tool The only fly fishing line cleaning tool that closes around your rod and line, so you can clean your fly line as fast as you can strip or reel the line in. Cleans dirt and saltwater scum from your line quickly and easily while you fish. This fly fishing ac-cessory comes with cleaning liquid.

Turn On Strike Indicator. Secure fly fishing strike indicator system floats high in the water. Indicators attach quickly with-out having to snip your fly off and reposition easily. Available in yellow/multi, pink/multi, orange. Six fishing strike indica-tors per pack. Strike indicator sizes: small, large


Penticton Flyfishers Annual General Meeting

and Elections

February 3rd 2011

Membership is $40.00 per year and is now being accepted by our Club Membership Chair Tom Knight. For members please keep your email address and phone

number up to date with Tom. Its important that you receive all of the newsletters and notices as part of your

membership.

2011 FISHOUTS

? Kettle River July every weekend

PAGE 12 PENTICTON FLYFISHERS

Link Lake ?

Darke Lake ?

Idelback Lake ?

Columbia River in August

?

Leighton Lake and

Tunkwa Lake ??

?

Fish Out’s for 2011

We need ideas


Indoor Fly Casting

January 18, 9 to 10 am Sportsplex Centre

King’s Park

This is a Bring Your Own Gear Event


Picture Gallery Auction 2010


CLASSIFIEDS CALENDAR of EVENTS

For Sale—15 ft Sage graphite Spey rod, line weight 10, 8 3/4 oz, 4 piece, used only ten times. Call Ken Cochrane 250-860-9128 or email at [email protected] For Sale—Sharps "SCOTTIE", a 4" Perfect style Salmon reel. Has almost all of original lead finish, Bronze line guard, slightly filed foot $400.00 3 1/2" Hardy Perfect, no line guard, long alloy foot, Ivorine han-dle, with a Hardy drawstring bag. An early model which, unfor-tunately, has been refinished. 2 small cracks, one on a pillar the other close by on the frame. They should not affect the reel for fishing. $550.00 Hardy Marquis Salmon #1 Saltwater with twin handles, slight paint loss around rim only, Hardy case $400.00 Hardy Salmon #1 spare spool (Not a saltwater spool) $100.00 Hardy St. John Some paint loss around rim. $250.00 Hardy Marquis 8/9 spare spool all grey model $65.00 Hardy "Wathne Collection" #8 Numbered edition #248 & spare spool Basically same reel as a Golden Prince except for finish, Grey frame, Silver spool. Cases for both. Reel and spool are in as new" condition. I do not think they have ever been fished. $330.00 Hardy Perfect 3 7/8" leaded finish straight line writing no line guard. $330.00 Call Ken Baker 250-493-2926 or email to [email protected] FOR SALE -10’ fiberglass boat, with trailer and electric 28 lb thrust motor for $600.00 obo. If interested please call Tom at (250) 493-8183.

Jan 06—First General Meeting for 2011. Please attend so the club can get your ideas on fish outs for the year as well as to see how the club is progressing towards the election of a new executive for 2011. Time 7 pm. Jan 13—Fly tying night. Time 7 pm. Jan 19—Executive meeting at Phil Rogers home. This is the last Executive meeting before the elections in feb. Feb 03—This is our Annual General Meeting and then the elections for the new 2011 Executive. Please come out and vote and remember you need to have paid your annual membership in order to vote.

www.bcwf.bc.ca

www.bcfff.bc.ca

www.pentictonflyfishers.ca

www.troutwaters.ca

Tying and Fishing Techniques

The Penticton Flyfishers meet the first Thursday of every month except July and August when we meet at nearby fish-outs. 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. Wild-life 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).

Bruce Turnbull Bruce Turnbull

The best type of tackle when fly fishing for walleye is a fly rod that is between 8-1/2 and 9-1/2 feet long rated for weight lines between 5 and 7. You can use an 8 weight line if your location gets windy. Always choose the fly based on the type of water you’re fishing in.

It’s also a good way to save time if you should happen to have to switch to tradi-tional gear. A nine to ten foot leader is recommended for floating lines, and a six foot leader for sinkers. Tippets should be between four and twelve pound test depending on the clarity of the water and the intensity of the sun, and all flies should be tied with non-slip mono loop knot if you want the most action from it.

Minnow, crayfish, and leeches are a walleyes favorite diet, so small flies are not practical in this type of fishing. One of the most popular commercially made flies is an inverted, size 4 Zonker made by Byford. These are attached to the

line upside down and have a weighted belly. This allows the hook to point up and keeps it from being caught on any-thing that may be on the bottom. For daylight fishing, use one of the Zonkers in white, chartreuse or yel-low. Black, olive or purple works best for fishing in the evening.

Deeper water requires slightly different flies. Minnows by Clouser in char-treuse, black, natural and white are rec-ommended as are Wooly Buggers in the same or similar shades. Wooly Buggers can be tied with a twister tail for more visibility to the walleye. An-other great and highly recommended commercial fly is the Wiggle Bug. These are made with a foam back and diving lip, and act the same as a crank bait when in the water, swimming in an eel-like motion. They are also snag resistant and perfect for drawing that monster walleye out of the shadows in deep water that is rocky or filled with sticks and other debris.

Fly fishing for walleye is a unique ex-perience and well worth the effort to try and catch one, using a fly instead of the traditional methods. When you go to purchase your fly rod and line, keep these tips in mind and you’ll be reeling walleye after walleye. The nearest wall-eye fishery for us is the Columbia River near Trail.

Walleye Fly Fishing

penticton fly fisher journal march april 2011

Documents

new idea page

fishing techniques page

presidents report page

election notice page

schedule ideas page

wind farms page

calendar of events page

photo gallery page