THE MESILLA VALLEY FLYFISHERS

A Federation of Fly Fishers Club

Tale Waters

Club Fly : Lady Todson

February 2003


Table of Contents

Scheduled Activities
Committee Chairs
President’s Page
Banquet and Raffle
Minutes of the MVFF Board Meeting 1/15/03
Presenting the Fly to Fish in Shallow Water


Scheduled Activities

1 Feb MVFF Banquet and Raffle 6:00 PM University United Methodist Church 2000 S. Locust, Las Cruces Mike Hatch "Native Salmonids of Mexico and Fishes of the Rio Grande in New Mexico with Emphasis on the Silvery Minnow"

10 Feb Club Meeting "Fly-Tying Presentation"7:30 PM NMG&F Conf. Room

17 Feb Board Meeting 7:00 PM NMG&F

 

Is it time for you to renew your MVFF Membership?

Check your address label for your renewal date, and don’t miss out on any fly fishing activities.

Committee Chairs

MEMBERSHIP Bob Pridgen (505) 526-9132

NOMINATING

BY-LAWS Ron Smorynski (505) 526-8086

PROGRAMS

HABITAT Ron Smorynski (505) 526-8086

AWARDS/BANQUET Paul Turner (505) 523-6880

CLUB WATERS Bob Silver (505) 522-6325

FFF LIAISON

FUND-RAISING Bob Silver (505) 522-6325

CASTING CLINIC Norm Mabie (505) 522-3810

NEWSLETTER Jeff Arterburn (505) 524-0773

ADVISORY Norm Mabie (505) 522-3810

 

President’s Page

Just a short note to thank you for your help with the Club the past year. In 2003, the Club will be in Jim Hulsey’s capable hands. The new Board has already their first meeting and I think you can expect to see some new ideas and new activities designed to help members learn the art of fishing.

Please remember the Banquet on February 1, 2003. Please bring a side dish salad or desert. The Club will be providing barbecue beef brisket, chicken, and sausage. We also have some very nice prizes. Tickets are still available and you don’t have to be present to win.

Even though the Banquet is on the February 1st, there will be a meeting on February 10, 2003 at NM Game and Fish at 7 PM. We will have another fly tying event for anyone that is interested in learning how to get started in tying flies and how to imitate insects found at the lease.

See you at the banquet and meeting.

Bob Silver

 

Banquet and Raffle

When: Saturday, February 1, 2003

Where: University United Methodist Church, 2003 Locust St., Las Cruces, NM (same location as last year)

Time: Doors Open at 6PM

Bring: A side dish, a desert, rolls or a salad

Speaker: Mike Hatch, Fisheries Biologist for the Bureau of Reclamation and formerly with the NMG&F Research Division. His talk will be on "Native Salmonids of Mexico, and Fishes of the Rio Grande of New Mexico with Emphasis on the Silvery Minnow."

This ought to be a great event so please mark your calendars. Mike Hatch will show slides about little known native trout in the mountains of Mexico and the native fish of the Rio Grande.

Here is the list of prizes:

Many thanks to those that already have sent your ticket stubs and money back to the Club. Please remember that this is the Club’s main fund raiser and you don’t have to be present to win.

Tickets will be sold at the Raffle or contact Norm Mabie at 522-3810 or contact any of the Officers and Board Members shown in the newsletter.

Minutes of the MVFF Board Meeting 1/15/03

  1. The minutes of the 12/16/02 meeting were approved as published in the newsletter.
  2. Al Trompler presented the treasures report.
  3. Bob Pridgen presented the membership report.
  4. The arrangements for the Club Banquet 2/1/03 were discussed. A current prize list will be published in the February newsletter. Assignments for food, beverages, and utensils were made. Attendees are asked to bring a side dish or dessert.
  5. The topic for the February meeting will be a fly-tying demo and discussion of methods for presentation.
  6. The board discussed the selection of goals and activities for the club in 2003. Additional input from the membership is encouraged, and the discussion of goals and planned activities will continue at the next board meeting. Additional demographics on the membership and indications of preferred activities are needed, and will be surveyed via email or using the web site. The initial goals that were identified include: 1) maintaining the membership level; 2) raising participation; 3) providing opportunities to increase skills (fly-tying, casting, knots, stream-craft, etc.; 4) increasing lease usage; 5) promoting more interest in fishing; 6) habitat enhancement. Proposed activities for 2003 include I) Spring trip; II) Kids Fishing Day; III) Casting Clinic; IV) Instructional Programs. The board will discuss possibilities for the Spring trip at the Feb. mtg.
  7. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM.

 

Presenting the Fly to Fish in Shallow Water

by Leigh West,Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club, FFF ClubWire Email Newswire

You're wading the Tampa Bay flats on a cool overcast morning in late December.  The wind finally dies down, the water becomes glass calm, and redfish tails start waving in the air like flags a short distance ahead. Will you be prepared to make the delicate presentations necessary to avoid spooking them? The following suggestions might help you in your quest for the perfect presentation.

On the forward cast, throw the line with a trajectory parallel to the water's surface Allow the entire fly line to fall gently to the water, rather than aiming the fly directly at the fish.  Once the line stops traveling forward, the entire fly line and fly should fall at the same rate and parallel with the water surface.

Try throwing the forward cast slightly upward from a low position. As the fly approaches the target, drop the tip of the rod to the water, so that the line closest to you touches first.  The line should roll out across the water surface.  The fly will enter the water last.

Try varying the size of the loop on the forward cast.  A larger loop may not be good for long casts, but one can avoid a few tangles as well as reduce line speed, improving presentation.

If you are on fish and need to re-cast, begin the backcast slowly so that the fly line is moving before it clears the water and before beginning the backcast in earnest.  This allows one to clear the line and fly from the water silently.  Reposition the fly as above.

Shoot the fly to the fish rather than carrying line above the fish. Try to keep the fly line close to the water so the fish doesn't see it. Keep your arms and hands in close to your body and the rod low when casting to fish that are close. It's not uncommon to hook redfish with barely any of the fly line out of the rod tip (as close as 15-20 feet from one's feet)!

In addition to casting techniques, the fly line (weight, taper and other physical properties), leader (weight, taper, length) as well as the fly (shape, size and materials) can all affect presentation. Calm conditions and shallow water might mean dropping down to a lighter rod and line weight as well as using a longer leader and smaller, lighter fly.

When fishing a flat, practice these presentation techniques on various targets while waiting for fish to appear. This will allow you to get your range and presentation under control under the actual fishing conditions encountered.

Good fishing!