RCFF Board President Mike Grinwis Vice President Bob Bawden Secretary Steven Arnoczky Treasurer Mark Noel Newsletter Editor Terry Greiner Inside this issue:

President’sMessage-January2018

Happy New Years Red Cedars, I hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas, and you're get-

ting familiar with that new gear Santa carefully placed under the

tree! Hope those new insulated waders are nice and warm!

With this weather, we're going to need them!!!

Our January meeting is coming up quickly, and Andrew Carlson, our past

year's Graduate Fellowship award winner is going to speak to us on the results of

his past summer's fieldwork and research findings on anthropogenic stressors

(e.g. climate change or land use alteration). Considering all we've learned about

invasive species and dam removals, etc., Andrew's findings will definitely be inter-

esting to learn!

And even though it's "the dead of winter", don't forget that the Red Cedars

still have activities coming up, including;

• The Western Michigan Fly Show, January 13 & 14, East Kentwood

High School. We still need volunteers to man our booth! See Steven

Arnoczky for the sign up sheet!

• We need donations to sell at our booth at the "Fishing Garage Sale"

at Birch Run in March. Get your no longer needed gear to Mark

Johnson for us to sell!

1981 McKenzie Cup Winners

The Red Cedar Fly Fishers is a Charter Club of the International Federation of Fly Fishers.

It’s purpose is to promote fly-fishing through Education, Restoration and Conservation

Tippets, Tapers & Tales

President’s message and vote on change

in club bylaws

1,2

December meeting

pics 3

A gentleman 4

Additional wader

care

5

Rod holder…..Plus 6

OMG, not another

quiz 7

Manistee steelhead

& “Shoes?” 8

License purchase &

what it does 9

What a catch!

10

Drew Rosema on

steelhead fishing Whoops & a new

product for all. Bumper stickers

11& 12 13 14

Field notes & Fridge

reminders

15

PAGE 2

• We will be resuming our fly tying nights at Piazzano's this month. Dig out

your tying gear and materials and join us for some great camaraderie and maybe learn a new pattern or helpful trick or two on the vice. Don't tie, but want to learn? Join us and find out about how it's done - January 14th

and 28th, 6:00 to 8:00.

Tight lines (and WARM toes)!

Mike G

Important: The updated club bylaws are attached to the newsletter. We need to have everyone vote for or against the changes either in person at the up-coming meeting, or by email proxy to any of the board members. Thank you for

your help with this project.

A few pics from our December meeting at the Blue Gill Grill

The program was great as was seeing all of the guests again.

Page 3

PAGE 4

a gentleman of the highest order A few days back, a member of our fishing club booked to fish a fairly remote river beat on his own. The river he chose is one that does not receive as much press as better known streams.

I do not know this man.

I do know that he heads up a large corporate concern that is a household name. I can imagine that he could afford to fish anywhere he liked. He is probably well connected and could fish some private water that I would not have access to.

I do not know this man.

I do know that he once made a sizeable donation to a stream restoration project, but only on condition that his donation remain anonymous. The stream he booked to fish, is the one on which his donation was spent. We used a play on words to name a pool after him, and included it on a recently produced map of the restored stream. I don’t think he knows this. I wonder if he fished this pool……..

I saw his catch return come in. Despite high and coloured water, he persisted and caught a fair sized trout. In his catch return comment, he commended the work done on the riv-er.

I know who this man is………he is a gentleman of the highest order. ………..from truttablog.com

Page 5

Taking Care of Your Waders – 8 Tips …...from Deneki.com

1. Get the best fit. Right from the start, one of the best things you can do to

make sure your waders will last as long as possible is buy waders that fit. Ill fitting waders allow fabrics to fold excessively over time causing them to break down along stress points. Sort of like bending a paper clip back and forth untl it breaks. Don’t settle for a pair that ‘pretty much’ fits, buy the right body AND stocking foot size.

2. Dry ’em out. The inside that is. Most of us hang our waders up to dry after

a day on the water, but the inside of the waders are often neglected. Re-member, while you’re waders might be ‘breathable,’ they don’t ‘breathe’ while they’re submersed in water. Moisture builds up quickly on the inside of your waders which leads to mildew. Sure, mildew stinks, but it can also break down the breathable membrane of your waders, and that’s what we’re most concerned about. Turn your waders inside out to allow the in-side dry out completely as well.

3. Roll, don’t fold. When traveling with waders, make sure to roll them up

from the feet up as opposed to folding them. Folding waders causes stress along the same crease-points that can break down over time.

4. Store flat or hanging. If at all possible, storing waders by hanging upright

or lying flat on the ground (such as under a bed) is the best way to store waders when not in use.

5. Keep out of sunlight. No, we don’t mean while you’re fishing, but when

you’re hanging your waders to dry for example, keep them out of direct sunlight. UV rays break down DWR and other waterproof finishes and can greatly reduce the life of your waders.

6. Wash by hand. Regular washing can greatly extend the life of your wad-

ers. However, waders should be washed by hand and allowed to air dry, with a mild detergent such as powdered detergent of even hand soap. We really like Nikwax Tech Wash. Conventional detergents can break down waterproof materials.

7. Rinse off saltwater. Saltwater is extremely corrosive on just about any

thing. If you use your waders in salty or brackish environments, make sure to rinse your waders off with fresh water after use, particular areas contain-ing zippers.

8. Cut your toe nails. In his previous life, your humble editor use to work at a number of fly shops that sold waders. What did he see? A reoccurring complaint that waders were wearing out in the toes from the inside. The cause? Untrimmed toe nails and ill fitting waders. So, trim ’em up, you’re waders and your significant other will thank you.

Page 6

Want to try your hand at surf fishing the Great Lakes? Plan-ning a winter trip somewhere

down south on the ocean? Here’s an idea to keep your fly and you lubricated while you’re

waiting for the bite! Visit your local big box store for all the parts needed to produce

this setup.

There was no mention of alcohol being involved in this “mishap” but if I were a betting editor…..or just had to

take a guess!

Page 7

Quiz Time to Start the Year Off Right 1. Which is probably the most important observation you can make when you spot a steadily rising fish? a. Whether it is in shallow or deep water. b. The species of trout it is. c. The color of the insect it’s eating. d. The current lanes between your position and the fish. 2. What is the best advice when a fish rises to a fly but you don’t connect? a. Get the same fly back over the fish immediately. b. Switch to a much larger fly. c. Switch to a slightly smaller fly. d. Slap your rod tip down on the water and say bad words. 3. Which is the type of fly flotant you should use after a dry fly is drowned and has difficulty staying on top? a. Frog’s Fanny. b. Hy-Flote gel. c. Super Float Liquid. d. Strike Putty. 4. Which is a great book of fishing essays by a noted American writer? a. Far Tortuga. b. The Longest Silence. c. True North. d. In the Fall 5. Which is the best cast to practice before fishing over difficult risers? a. The puddle cast. b. The snake roll. c. The roll cast. d. The double haul. 6. When you spot a trout rising but don’t see any insects on the water, what is the most common

scenario? a. The trout is rising to midge adults flying just above the surface and its snout is actually poking well

above the water, capturing the insects. b. The trout is not really rising, it’s just teasing you. c. The trout is eating emerging insects just below the surface or in the surface film. d. The trout is eating tiny ants or beetles that have fallen into the water but float so low you can’t see

them. 7. What is the first thing you should do when you spot a steadily rising fish? a. Yell to everyone in earshot: “Hey, I got a riser over here!” b. Throw whatever fly you have on the leader over the rise immediately. c. Watch the fish’s rise rhythm for a few minutes. d. Wade out into the current so you can see what the fish is taking. Answers on page 15 …….Taken from Orvis FF Learning Center

PAGE 8

Joe with a very nice Manistee steelhead on a cool fall day

this past year.

Most of us would like to

have this problem!

PAGE 9

from…..TakeMeFishing.org

Five things your fishing license purchase does for conservation:

• Improving fishing and boating access Funds from license sales go toward fishing and boating access projects. One example is the Ramps & Pier Program in Mississippi, which helps pay for repairs to existing access points and the construction of four to six new boat ramps each year. The state of Ore gon also has an excellent model of involving state and federal agencies in adding and

upgrading new boating facilities. • Enhancing water quality Boat registration funds help implement clean water projects that benefit fish habitat

and improve the experience of anglers and boaters. • Maintaining fish habitat The excise taxes on your fishing gear go toward fisheries maintenance projects that help manage our state sport fisheries. For example, in New York State, biologists col lect data through creel surveys and work to restore fish habitat for native brookies, American shad, river herring, and striped bass. In Massachusetts, these funds are used

to map fish habitat with GPS technology, sonar, and underwater vehicles. • Teaching and recruiting new anglers Fishing license funds also go to work for educational and recruitment programs that introduce new anglers to the sport. As more people take up fishing, there is a greater need for education on topics like species identification, conservation, regulations, and proper catch-and-release techniques. The state of Texas offers free workshops for first

-timers or anyone who wants a refresher on the basics. • Planning for long-term conservation With an eye toward investing in our marine and freshwaters resources, as well as the next generation of anglers, fishing license fees support long-term conservation plans for our rivers and streams. This robust funding, which has nothing to do with the federal balance sheet, is critical to ensuring an adequate quantity and quality of water to main tain the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems. Texas has used this money to fund its River Studies Programthat addresses long-term water development, water planning,

and water quality issues. Whether state agencies are studying rainbow trout populations or repairing boat ramps,

your license fees are put to excellent use.

And if you think we’re the only ones in the club getting snow in December, here’s a shot from a drone of the Magee beach park in Port Aransas. What a winter get-a-way for the Barnes, Lyons, and Schramm’s! Of course, the next day it was gone and almost back

to normal. It is Texas.

So here’s club member Marty

Crimp fishing for trout in the Hinema-

iaia river which is a tributary of Lake

Taupo, New Zealand. This was in mid

May over there which is mid Novem-

ber here. Beau&ful scenery, clear

rivers, nice &me of the year to be

there…...when……

…...he hooked this guy on one of his back

casts and the guide landed it halfway up a

3000 * “hill.” This is a Himalayan Tahr

which is not na&ve to the country. Said it

gave him a good fight on his 5 weight and a

small bead head nymph. Editor...can you see the

fly tying material here?

So then it was back to more fly fishing

and catching and releasing more large

trout. And then on another back

cast…….can you believe it…..what are the

odds…...

…….he hooks a red stag this &me and

also brought it in. Took him into the

backing 4 &mes but he finally got it to

the net. Not sure if it was on the same

fly or not but check with Marty for the

“rest of the story.”

PAGE 10

Drew Rosema on casting & Fishing the Muskegon River with a spey rod

Please suggest a beginning Spey rod? “My favorite rod for the Muskegon would be a 13' 8wt. I think a lot of people are in&mi-

dated by longer rods when they get started so some &mes the go with shorter switch rods.

Those are great rods but actually a longer rod makes it easier to cast.” You talked about how a Scandi line has no place in your type of fishing on the MUSKEGON and that a Skagit line was the only one you need for the river. So many of us are confused about the lines used in

Spey casting, we would love to hear how you would simplify the difference between the two? “Scandi Lines can have their uses on the Muskegon. They are designed to cast flies with

a li5le more finesse than a Skagit line. They can be very effec&ve in low and clear water because

of the more delicate presenta&on. They can also be used any &me you would use a Skagit line

and be effec&ve. The downside to Scandi lines is that it is a bit harder to turn over a heavy fly

and heavy sink &p. Typically we will fish some fairly heavy flies throughout the day, and depend-

ing on the water level, (this season the water has be consistently high) we need to use pre5y

heavy sink &ps to get down to the fish. That being said I would suggest s&cking with a Skagit Line

when fishing the Muskegon. Skagit Lines are designed to turn of heavy flies and heavy sink &ps

with ease. You sacrifice the so* presenta&on with a Skagit but will save yourself from wearing

out as quickly. For fishing the Muskegon I use one line 99% of the &me. The line I use is the Sci-

en&fic Angler Freightliner Skagit. This lines comes in both Floa&ng and Intermediate and at an

average river level I would use both throughout the day. The Intermediate version would be the

primary line as it is great for ge>ng the fly a li5le deeper. The floa&ng version is great for fishing

over shallower structure such as logs and boulders.”

We fished an intermediate line all day today please explain what that is and why we used it today? “Typically I use an Intermediate Skagit in the majority of spots. The Intermediate is a

great way to get your line under the surface current. This allows your sink &ps to bring your fly

down deep and slows the swing speed down substan&ally. This will give you the opportunity to

fish many areas where the surface current is quite fast but the lower water column is much

slower.”

At times you changed the fly and not because of color but other reasons, please explain why. “Usually I am less worried about changing flies because of color than I am about chang-

ing them for weight. I will find a few color combina&on that are working well and then I &e flies

in those colors with varying weight. This always me to quickly change flies that will fish shallower

or deeper. A good idea would be to versions of a fly unweighted, lightly weighted with bead

chain eyes, and heavily weighted with lead eyes. Another good idea would be to &e a few with

big bulky heads on them using either wool, Australian possum, or a large clump of Ice Dub. Flies

with big head are great because they have a li5le buoyancy which allows you to fish them

around shallow structure and areas where large boulders s&ck up off the bo5om. By tying flies

with varying weights you can avoid changing sink &ps every &me you want to fish a different

depth.”

Please explain the use of the running line and what you like to use? Also you mentioned a inexpensive

substitute that people could try what is it? “There are many types of running line available and they all serve different purposes. I

like to use a mono running line such as Rio Slickshooter. The main reason I like to use mono is

that it is extremely easy to shoot. Another great advantage of the mono is that it doesn't carry

as much water so it won't freeze your rod guides as quickly. The one downside to mono shoo&ng

line is that it is a li5le harder to hang on to when it is cold out.”

Cont’d on page 12

Page 11

Page 12 Cont’d from page 11

“Mono running line is very cheap in comparison to other running lines but you can save even

more by buying Berkley Big Game 40lb Ultra Green. The downside to using Berkley is that it does

have quite a bit of memory.”

Please describe the knot you use for your streamers and why you like it? “There are many great knots to a5ach a fly but the main thing you are looking for when

swinging is a knot with a lot of strength. Steelhead can take a swung fly very aggressively and you

need a knot that will hold up to substan&al force. I use a Non-Slip Mono Loop to &e my flies to the

leader. This is a very quick and easy knot to &e and is very strong for withstanding the shock of a

strike.”

The way a steelhead approached its prey vs. a trout is different. Why is the bend in the line underwater im-

portant in one instance vs. the other and how a fish might attack your fly. “Usually a steelhead will approach a fly and take it from behind (tail first). It is a good idea to

&e flies with s&nger hooks or with the hook toward the rear of the fly to avoid missing strikes. Be-

cause of the way the fish approach the fly you want to avoid having a big belly in the the line as it

swings. If you cast perpendicular to the current and allow a belly in your line then the fly will be com-

ing downstream at the fish. It is much be5er to cast at a downstream angle and allows the fish to

come up from behind the fly.”

Remind us why it is important to let the fly sit there at the end of the swing? “As your fly is swinging across the current it is poten&ally a5rac&ng fish to and they begin to

follow it. In warmer water temps most of the fish will take your fly mid-swing. During cold water pe-

riods the fish might follow the fly a li5le slower and as the fly stops swinging (straight downstream)

they will catch up to the fly. I usually will make sure my fly has stopped swinging before I strip in and

cast again. This may take a li5le longer than it seems as you can't actually see all of your line. During

the colder months a high percentage of the fish will take the fly at this point. Typically I don't worry

about the fly si>ng straight behind the boat for more than a few seconds but what I like to do is

drop the boat down a couple feet as the fly se5les in straight downstream. This allows a fish that

may have followed but did not bite to have the fly dropped into its face. You can do the same thing

when wading by taking a step downstream a*er your fly has stopped swinging.”

Drew Rosema works for the Feenstra’s Guide Service and this is from Kevin’s website: Drew has been fishing West Michigan Rivers and stream since early childhood. He is passionate about pursuing anything that will take a fly. In his teenage years Drew fell in love with the Muskegon River system and it’s great diversity. He has been guiding on the Muskegon River for ten years and has developed great understanding of the river and the fish and wildlife that call it home. Drew has also spent time guiding in Alaska and Wyoming and he uses the knowledge gained in those states to his advantage on the Muskegon. If Drew is not guiding, you will usually find him out on the water exploring new areas and techniques to im-

prove himself as a guide.

Page 13

Been There, Done That!

Kaddy Kap | Reusable Flip Top Bottle Cap | Beer, Soda, Water So head back to page 6 and revisit the “special” beverage holder for the beach on your favorite lake. The concern is you open the bottle of your choice and if it doesn’t come with a screw on lid, how do you keep the ants, rain, flies, beetles, sand fleas, etc. out of the sacred liquid. And, if you have several of these set up with the same brand of bottle how do you make sure you’re drinking out of the one

you opened? Well fear not as on Kickstarter there’s a new product that will make a go of it

if it hits its goal. It comes in 6 colors so everyone can feel safe out there.

PAGE 14

A few bumper stickers that could be hot items for the flyfisher. Bob Kren

Flytyers do it in I FlyFishing

Bright Light! and I Vote!

“Catch and Release” works ONLY! if you “Catch.”

I flyfished the

MADISON RIVER and fell down just three, make that thirteen, times. In

one day.

Flyfishers Need Love, too.

And beer.

And don’t forget lots of

expensive stuff.

How’s My Backcast?

Text Me!

I get a -on for Flyfishing

I

I Brake for

Hexagenia

Limbata!

Knock Rocks! Wood is Good! Bubble Lines are Best!

Field Notes:

• “If I’m not going to catch anything, then I’d rather not catch anything on flies”……..Bob Lawless

• The Brook trout is the state fish of: Michigan, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire

• If any club member wins the Power Ball lottery, you can treat the RCFF to this trip of a lifetime!

http://www.speypages.com/speyclave/104-fishing-video/339577- atlantic-salmon-reserve-asr.html

• Want to perfect your cast, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDCfbCirZ7c

• Here’s a tip from Steven Arnoczky on a substitute for dubbing wax: You can find these at places like Office Max and other office products stores.

January 9th - Red Cedar meeting, Giltner Hall MSU, 6:30 hospitality, 7:00 meetin -Scholarship winner Andrew Carlson will will provide an update on his grad-

uate studies 14th - Club tying night at Piazzano’s

from 6:00 - 8:00 10th - Houseplant Appreciation Day

13th-14th - West Michigan Fly Show, East Kentwood HS, visit fffglc.org for

more details on times & speakers 28th - Club tying night at Piazzano’s

from 6:00 - 8:00

Refrigerator Reminders

www.redcedarflyfishers.org

Page 15

February 3rd - Feed the Bird’s day 13th - Red Cedar meeting, Giltner Hall MSU, 6:30 hospitality, 7:00 meeting - Todd Gignilliat will present a program on his new Dry Fly Pontoon Boat com-

pany

Quiz answers: 1 - d; 2 - c; 3 - a; 4 - b; 5 - a; 6 - c; 7 - c