~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SATURDAY MARCH 3^RD

TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHERIES CENTER

ATHENS, TEXAS

9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

FLY FISH 2001

Bring your family

Bring your friends

Bring your neighbors

Car pool with another club member

Introduce someone to the fun of fly fishing

Improve your on fly fishing

Just don't miss it !!!

See article in this newsletter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

####################################

Remember March 8^th & 9^th

The first of at least two float trips down the Angelina River

It will be discussed at the meeting.

There will be a number of boats, and we will make sure everyone has a place in a boat.

SEE YOU AT THE MEETING

####################################

SCATTERSHOTS

From The Prez

Our February meeting began with a very interesting program given by Walter McLendon on the history of fly tying and fly fishing. He covered a lot of materials used in the beginning of fly fishing and also covered the advancement of hooks and other tying materials from the early days up to now. See the report of the meeting for more details.

Royce Feaster won the drawing for the door prize. Bill Heugel and George Reed won the flies.

We discussed the Open House on April 21^st . We are expecting to have a good day and I urge all of our members to attend. I know our guest Bill Gambil will present a good program and we always have a good time during the casting contest. We will once again have a hamburger cookout for lunch and then look forward to having a good covered dish meal , a program by Bill Gambil and then our auction that night.

Once again I am urging you to bring some flies for our raffle during the day, and I look forward to the nice items our members bring for the auction. If anyone not able to come that day has an item or two for our auction, I would appreciate it if you would get the items to me. We will also have the raffle for our club rod, built by Jay Renken. I know you will want to buy a raffle ticket for this rod. Tickets are $5.00 each.

Several PWFF members will be participating in the Fly Fishing 2001 in Athens on March 3^rd . We will have a detailed report at the March meeting.

I have not heard anything lately on the condition of Michael Verduin. He was still in the Houston hospital the last I heard. We pray he is doing better and will soon be back on his feet.

We signed up three new members at our last meeting. They are Buddy Price, Sonny Mahan and Brian McClain. We also had a former member rejoin us. Welcome back Tom Rees. Wee are glad to have all of them.

I hope some of you have been able to get in some fishing. I know a couple of members were going to Beavers Bend. We will want a full report at the meeting. I know the lakes and rivers are full of water and the wind has been really blowing hard. Maybe the weather will come together soon.

Bill Heugel and I are planning a fly tying class soon. We are thinking of trying to have an all day Saturday class, including lunch.. This class will be especially useful for beginners. We would be interested in what y'all think about this. Come help us discuss it in the meeting.

I think we are going to have some good outings this year. I urge you to take part whenever you can.

I hope you are at the Athens Fly Fishing 2001. If not, I will see you at the march 6^th meeting, and as always......"Remember A Bad Day Fishing Is Better Than A Good Day Working".

FLYLINES

From the V-Prez

I have been under the weather this past week, and unable to do a lot of things. So I pulled

out a book from my "library" and started reading it again. It is titled "Lucas on Bass" by Jason Lucas. It was first published in 1947. Some of his concepts on fly fishing for bass is very interesting. Six out of thirty three chapters are about fly fishing for bass and for sunfish. I am not sure when fiberglass and later graphite was used for rod building, but Lucas talks of nothing but bamboo rods with a mention of steel as a poor second material for rods. He does make the point that a beginner should not purchase a cheap rod to learn with because the beginner will never learn right with it. So the beginner should go on and spend the $35 or $40 for a good rod to begin with. Wow, what prices.

He also tells the beginner to stop the rod at the 12 o'clock position on the back cast and to try to throw the fly line UP on the back cast. He says that this will stop the beginner from dropping the line too far back and thus to the ground ruining the chance of learning how to cast properly.

One thing I don't agree with him on is the sport of fly fishing instead of plug casting for bass. Lucas states that he feels that fly rodding for bass does not give the bass as much chance and there is not as much thrill in using the fly rod. He states that the fly rod does all the fighting, and the fisherman does not get the real "feel" of the fighting fish. He claims the casting rod gives much more "feel" of the fight of the fish. He says that he does fly fish for bass, but he does think the casting rod is much more sporting.

In his one chapter concerning fly fishing for sunfish, Lucas points out that a beginner should fish for the sunfish before going out after bass. His reasoning is that the sunfish rod would be lighter, causing the beginner less chance of developing bad casting habits. The flies would be smaller than bass bugs and would cast easier. Plus the reward of actually catching fish, since bass are not as ready to bite as a sunfish.

He told the story of finding three of his buddies fishing with bait for the sunfish. They kidded him about using a "fly rod" for the sunfish and they challenged him to a contest. He agreed and anchored close by so they would all be fishing the same water. The score was 59 large sunfish for the fly rod and 3 small sunfish for the bait fishermen. Good story.

Do you have older books on fishing? Take the time to read a few of them and see if you think attitudes and ideas have changed much since they were written. It is interesting to see what has changed and what is still as true today as back then.

February Meeting Report

by Bill Heugel

As usual Walter McLendon presented a great program. This one was on the History of Fly Fishing. Walter has taken a serious interest in the history and has researched the tying techniques and the materials. He can even tie flies by hand the way they did it in the old days. Ask him to show you some time. He brought some fly plates he has put together of the flies used in different time periods. Many of these are the predecessors to the flies we use today. He also has a plate showing some of the old hooks.

According to Walter the hook was invented 30,000 years ago. Most of those old hooks were made from animal and human parts. About 4000 BC they made hooks with barbs on them. Those old hooks also had holes to tie the line on. About 1400 they used sewing needles and snelled the line to the hook. The history indicates that professional hook makers existed in the 1600s.

Dame Juliana Berners wrote the first book on fly fishing in the 1400s. One of the descriptions in her book was how to make a rod. It was made from stout limbs and was telescoping. Pretty tough stuff. The process was complex involving carving as well as smoking the rod materials. The fishing line in those days was made from braided horse hairs.

In 1676 Charles Cotton introduced spinning fur on thread for applying to the flies. In 1667 the first palmered hackle and dubbing was used. In the same year 65 new fly patterns were introduced using such strange materials as the hair from aborted calves. In 1800 the first color illustrations of flies was produced and the first floating fly was introduced.

Finally in 1865 they came out with the first deer hair fly. (No wonder its so hard, it's a really new technique!!!!)

In 1892 Kerosene was used as a floatant. Walter plans to try this out this summer. (I guess you could also light your flies if your flashlight goes out).

The first reel was developed in 1651 and held 26 yards of line. (With those stiff rods and tough line I guess more line was not required). Vises were introduced in 1806. The collet vise which is like the ones we use today was introduced in 1897.

If you missed the meeting get with Walter and he will show you his wares and talk with you about the history. He has demonstrated and discussed the history at many of the fly fishing events such as the Southern Conclave and the Houston Fly tying Festival.

Bill Heugel and George Reed won the flies. Royce Feaster won the door prize.

Texas Fly Fish 2001

For information contact TFFC at 903-676-2277 The feathers and fur will be flying March 3rd, as the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens will host Fly-Fish 2001- a fly fishing festival. From 9 a.m.-4 p.m., fly fishing enthusiasts from beginner to expert will gather at this Texas Parks and Wildlife facility to share skills and stories about this fast growing outdoor sport in Texas. The idea is to get more people involved in fly-fishing and a host of activities will be available to do just that.

Interactive seminars and demonstrations will be led by noted authorities including: Chico Fernandez, a fly fishing legend with 50 years of experience and holder of various world records taken on a fly including a 42 lb. 5 oz. red fish. Constance Whitson is president of the Texas Outdoor Women's Network and an expert fly fishing instructor. Bill Gammel is a fisheries biologist, co-author of "The Essentials of Fly Casting," and operator of a fly fishing school in Highlands, Texas. Charlie Cypert is one of the best known Texas fly fishing guides and a fly designer credited with developing streamer patterns used around the world by both salt and freshwater anglers. Paul Canada is known for his work as an outdoor writer, photographer and author of "Fly Fishing Strategies for Impounded Bass."

Featured activities will include a fly tier's round table, fly action/fish pursuit demonstrations, youth activities, casting lessons, paddling sports with kayaks available for test drives and rainbow trout fishing. Exhibitors from product companies, lodges, resorts, fishing camps, guides, clubs and other related organizations all catering to the fly fishing world will be on hand.

Fly Fish 2001 will be a fantastic and very affordable opportunity for anyone interested in fly-fishing to get the facts and expert instruction necessary to participate in this rewarding outdoor activity. Bring your own equipment and learn how to use it better or loaner set-ups will be available for first timers.

Admission rates to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and $3.50 for children 4-12 years old. All Fly Fish 2001 activities are free thanks to the support of our sponsors' Bass Pro Shops Grapevine, Sabine River Authority, Sage, G Loomis, Westbank Angler Dallas, Southwest Paddle Sports, Cortland, Jones Creek Orvis, Great Texas Bass Club, and Orvis Corporate.

Call 903-676-2277 for more information.

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is an innovative aquatic nature center and hatchery complex operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department located 4 miles east of Athens, Texas on FM2495. The Center is open to the public Tues.-Sat. from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m. Information on special events and programs is available at 903-676-2277.

Beavers Bend Trip

by Bill Heugel

We had a really fast trip to Beavers Bend. Hugh, Buddy, and I left on Thursday afternoon. Got to the motel about 10 or so. Then we went to Wal-Mart for our license. Forgot that Texas residents over 64 were free. Oh well. We finally got on the water about 8:00 or so. Hugh immediately started catching fish. I could not beg a bite. Finally had to give up on the Guadalupe Green. Went to a

Daves in size 16 or 14 bead head. Then it started. I did well until one of the fish took the fly. I tried a larger size but no interest. Then went to a Hares ear and was on again. Mean while Hugh is hauling them in. Finally decided to try the GG again. This time I stripped it really fast and the action started. About the third fish turned out to be a monster. I managed to land all 18 inches of it. Quite a thrill. We quit about 1, had lunch and headed home. Quick trip.

The park is still a mess. Lots of trees down. Sid claimed they would be getting it in shape by mid March. He said the people to come in and cut up the trees had just signed a contract. We went down to our favorite camping spot by the community hole and it all looked OK. The water worked and the sites were clean. Some of the roads were blocked. Still could not use the south exit.

March Meeting Program

by Linda McLendon

Our guest speaker at the march 6^th meeting will be Richard Donavan. He will present a slide show and description of his kayak trip down the Neches River. This should be really good. See you at the meeting.

###################################

Remember!

Mark your calender for our club meetings, Every First Tuesday of each Month,

7:00 P M in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall.

####################################

Calender

Outings and Events

*********

March 3^rd Fly Fish 2001 Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

*********

March 6^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

March 8 - 9^th Angelina River Float trip

*********

March 24 - 25^th Houston County Lake Outing sponsored by Brazos Valley Fly Fishers at the Family Marina.

*********

April 3^rd PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

April 7^th Heugel Haus Outing. Toledo Bend at Bill Heugel's home.

*********

April 21^th PWFF Open House at the Chamber of Commerce Building 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

*********

May 1^st PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in

the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

May 5 - 6^th Float Fishing trip on the Angelina River

*********

June 2^nd Tag Team Tournament at Kurth Lake

7:00 AM to Noon

*********

June 5^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

July 3^rd PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

August 7^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

August 11-12 Tentative date for the Expo Garage Sale (More later)

*********

September 4^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

October 2^nd PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

October 5-6 Southern Council Conclave in Mt. Home , Arkansas

*********

November 6^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

*********

December 8^th ???? Christmas Meeting

Chamber of Commerce Building 6:00 PM.

*********

More Club Calendar to follow as dates confirmed

(Check your calender, There have been several dates that have been changed)

*************************

Outings: Jimmy Lee

Library: Jay Renken

Conservation: Gene Sullivan

Programs: Linda McLendon

Membership: Walter McLendon

Editor: Royce Feaster

************************

Art work used by permission of Dave and Emily Whitlock