SCATTERSHOTS

From The Prez

We had a very good time this month with our annual visit with Bill and Conni Heugel at their home on Toledo Bend Lake. This has become one of the club's favorite outings. We have a lot of fun and fellowship as we fish together and then have good food on visiting on their porch. If you have not been able to attend this outing, I urge you to make every effort to go next year. I think we had twelve in attendance this year and we all reported catching some fish and enjoyed eating the Heugel's beans & rice and a very good berry cobbler. Thanks again for inviting us Bill & Conni. .

We also had a very good Open House this weekend, April 21^st. We had a very good guest tyer. Brian Gambill, who is a guide on Lake Fork spent the day tying various flies that he uses on Lake Fork. Also, he tied many saltwater flies.

Brian ties many flies out of synthetic materials. They are very durable and effective and are really simple to tie, at least for Brian. It was especially interesting to watch him slicing with a razor blade. I kept expecting him to slice a finger instead of the foam and other material.

He donated all the flies he tied during the day to our Saturday night auction. Several of our members bought his flies during the auction. I would like for any who were lucky enough to obtain these flies to bring them to the May meeting to show to you that did not attend the Open House.

We had a real good hamburger lunch under the direction of Royce Feaster and Jimmy Lee. The hamburger meat and also the brisket for the night meal was provided by Jimmy and Pam Lee and we all thank them very much.

We asked Jay Renken to once again be in charge of our casting contest and he presented a very challenged casting course. Most of us were humbled in trying to cast our fly into hoops at various distances and then having to do the same thing with the other hand. We had a lot of fun with Paul Steinbach emerging as the casting champion.

Our night activities started with a covered dish meal with as usual, a lot of the best food ever. Thanks to all who brought food, especially you ladies.

We had a very good slide presentation provided by Brian Gambill, showing ways to find fish in any lake, not just Lake Fork. Thanks for a good program Brian.

We had a very spirited auction of flies tied by members of our club plus donations by Jim Green of Backcountry in Tyler, Sherry Steele from Byhalia, MS, a tyer Walter & Bill met at Sowbug Roundup and of course Slim Mitchell, who is a PWFF member who lives in Dallas and the flies donated by Brian.

We also had many items donated by several club members for our raffle. Thanks guys for all your efforts. I hope there will be a lot more details given in other articles. Our day ended with the drawing for the beautiful Orvis 3-weight rod that was made by Jay Renken. As in all else he does, Jay did a wonderful job and this rod was coveted by all. Our winner was Buddy Price, who is one of our newest members.

We tried to put together some activities for Open House that would offer something to all our club members. I know that there was a lot of conflicts but I was disappointed in our attendance. Several of us have already began to think of things we can do to appeal to more of you and would be interested in hearing from you. Let us know.

Our next club function will be an all day tying school to be held at St. Cyprians Church on May 19^th from 9 AM till about 4 PM. It will be under the direction of Bill Heugel and will feature flies tied by several members. I hope you will plan to attend.

Also be planning now for our Tag Team Tournament on Kurth Lake on June 2^nd.

As always, remember - "A bad day fishing beats a good day working."

Open Letter to Brian Gambill

by Ken Baker

Thanks to you and Nicole Witt for your participation in the 2001 Open House for our club. All in attendance appreciated your attitude and the fellowship we enjoyed with you. Your skill in fly fishing was enjoyed by all of us as was your slide presentation. Also, thank you for the contribution of flies for our auction. Feel free to visit us anytime.

G & W Guide Service

1100 N. Shore

Little Elm, Texas 75068

(972) 294-3202

May Meeting Program by Bill Heugel

Our program this month will be on constructing fly plates. Materials, tools and techniques and sources will be covered. A fly plate is a great way to display your flies or those of some of the masters you get when attending conclaves and festivals. Get them out of the boxes and drawers and onto the wall. And by all means make them easy to care for.

Bring whatever tools you have. We will be sharing some of our tools if you have none. Bring a lunch if you plan to stay all day.

We plan to give you an introduction to tools and materials and tie the following flies:

Woolybugger Ken Baker

Cap Spider Royce Feaster

Mickey Finn Royce Feaster

Clouser Minnow Bill Heugel

Foam Spider Hugh Bell

Gold Ribbed Hares Ear Walter Mclendon

Gudalupe Green Jay Renken

Cyperts Mylar Minnow Bill Heugel

Madam X Walter Mclendon

These flies are all fish catchers and demonstrate many key techniques required for more advanced flies. Also using these techniques with slight changes in materials can provide a wide range of flies.

Fly tying is not a means to save money!!! However I have received tremendous satisfaction when I caught fish on my flies. Also I have saved many a trip by tying flies on site.

Hope to see you there.

The Travels of Walter and Willie

or How Wet Can You Get

by Willie Heugel

Walter and I took off for the Sowbug show in Mountain Home Arkansas last month. The plan for these trips is to stop along the way to fish. This year we went directly to the Little Missouri River specifically the Narrows Dam which is just outside of Murfreesboro Arkansas (diamond capital of the US). Its about a 4 + hour drive from Lufkin.

As we were driving in we had our first disappointment. They were generating. We set up camp in the Corps of Engineers camp in one of our favorite spots (the one where the light shines into the tent all night.) One of the other problems with this campground is that they have no potable water. Another thing we forgot (jugs to haul water).

The next morning they were not generating and we fished the catch and release area for trout. We had plenty of hookups. The temperature was low (not freezing but close) and the water was cold. Our plan was to fish again the next morning and then head for Mountain Home. The weather had other plans for us. It rained through the night and then really came down about the time for us to get up. We decided to leave for Mountain Home without fishing. We broke camp in the rain and headed for MH wet and with wet tents in the back of the truck.

The weather never changed It stayed wet in Mountain Home and it was so cool the water condensed in the back of the truck and we never had a chance to dry things out.

The Sowbug was as good as it had always been. It was held at the Ramada Inn. A perfect place for it. We stayed there since our tents and everything else was wet. We tied flies in the mornings and visited with friends and learned tricks from the other tiers. They had over 90 fly tiers at the session. Of course there were plenty of vendors so we could find materials reels and rods to purchase.

Fishing at Mountain Home was not great so after the meeting we headed back to Murfreesboro. The weather finally cooperated and we were able to dry our tents and set up. This time we moved to another camp site where the light didn't get to us. We also had a jug!!!

We spent a day fishing with Jeff Guerin exploring other fishing sites on the river. It proved to be an interesting and informative day and we caught plenty of fish. That evening we went back to the catch and release area and had a blast. The fishing was incredible. At one point we would get a hit, hook a fish, or land one on every cast. It continued that way every time we fished the area The fish in the catch and release area had been there for some time feeding on the local insects and they developed vivid colors. They were as close to naturals as I have ever seen. The fish were hitting emerger patterns but Walter did manage to find a few others they would hit. There is a special excitement for me when I see rise, cast a fly to it and having the fish take it.

During those last three days there we had some of the best fishing I have experienced. I have never worn out flies on any of my fishing trips but I was beginning to wonder if I had enough to finish the trip. On the last day I had to pull Walter from the stream to get headed home. He had been catching fish constantly on his submerged dry and was not ready to go ( he never did give me one to use).

The Narrows is a great place to fish and easy to wade. We were never over knee deep. It would make a terrific outing for the club.

Fishing and Outings by Jimmy Lee

April has been a busy month for the PWFF. We had a very good outing at the "Heugal Haus" Saturday April 7, 2001. As always Bill and Connie were gracious host for our annual outing to Toledo Bend. The noon meal was, as always the high point of the day. This year the lake was above pool level and the fish a little harder to catch, but a fun day was had by all. The wind did blow just a little, but the sun was bright and some very nice fish were landed. Eleven people were present and everyone fished the morning and evening, except Hugh and Randy who had to leave us after lunch. We missed them, but did not let that interfere with our fishing fun.
Walter and I made a day trip to Village Creek to see the facilities and check out the fishing. The fishing was very slow, as a matter of fact we caught no fish. It must have been the weather? The creek is beautiful, floating down the creek is a wonderful way to spent a day. Access is the biggest problem, very limited except at major highways and at the State Park. For our club to use this area for an outing it would have to be an overnight trip. We will discuss this more in our meeting.
What Personal Watercraft is Right for you? The Brazos Valley Flyfishers will sponsor a one day outing on Lake Byran for the purpose of showing, explaining and trying out various small boats and other small fishing craft. There will be two local shops with their kayaks and canoes and at least one sailboat to try out. Our club has been invited to attend this event and try out the different types of water craft for use in our area. This is a family event and lunch will be furnished by BVFF. After checking out the equipment you may want to try out the fishing. If you would like to attend let Walter or I know. We will try to have maps for getting to the lake. This should be a really fun day, at least two vendors will be there showing off their equipment. This will be held on Saturday May 12, 2001 come as early as you can and stay as late as you want.

Outing Scheduled:
At past meetings we discussed a float trip on the Angelina River below Sam Rayburn Dam. After some discussion with other club members, it appears this is not a good time to do this. So this outing has been moved to Houston County Lake. The dates will be May 4, 5, and 6. This will give everyone a chance to come and not limit the time. Pam and I will be spending the night on Friday May 4 and Saturday May 5. We hope to have a cabin, (no kitchen ) for both nights. Club members and guest can come any time they want, stay over night or a few hours. I hope several members can stay at least one night. You can get a cabin, RV, get a camp site or sleep in your vehicle, "laid back" will be the order of the day. We will have an evening meal, but everyone will be on their own for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant is open and they have very good food. The fishing should be good and the weather, well I better not go there, but any way we expect to have a fun time.
See you at the meeting!!!

Heugel Haus Outing

by Walter McLendon

I have been asked to write this article but feel uneasy about it since I am the only one I know who actually caught fish on this trip. Just minutes after I put in my kayak, Royce and Ken putted by in their boat checking out other members trying to launch. Royce asked if I had caught anything. I had to reply a bluegill, a bass and two redear so far.

Jimmy Lee claimed to have caught a new record redear but after back paddling across the lake he could not even find his stringer, much less the fish! While eating the lunch so graciously served by our hosts Bill and Conni, I heard stories of fish caught but my kayak was the only vessel on shore with water splashing from a stringer full of fish. Randy McBride was the only person willing to admit who the real fisherman of the day was! At least Linda and I had a big nice supper of my crappie that Bill had the nerve to call small.

If it were not for the fun I have, I would not even return next year!

Open House Facts by Walter McLendon

Royce gave me a list of all the raffle and auction items won but rather than fill up a page of the newsletter, I thought it might suffice to say that 10 assortment of flies, books and a fishing trip by Royce were awarded to 7 lucky winners. In the auction, 23 sets of flies were awarded to 13 loyal bidders. In all, PWFF is $787 the better for Open House and a great group of club members who consistently support our annual events. This equates to $60 per member taking part.

I want to propose that the club spend some of this money to reward our supporting membership. First, it might be nice to purchase a guided trip for two on Lake Fork by Brian Gambill. Now how do we choose those two lucky members?

While I am on the subject of Open House, as you might know, I have been in favor of making this event a club day where we all just do things to have fun. We spend a lot of time and effort inviting the public to no avail. Ken discussed having several club members do the morning tying next year, as well as invite someone in for featured tying if we want. We can ask our buddy Slim Mitchell to be our guest host and Marc Pinsel, who was our guest host a couple of years ago. Marc has offered to do it again because he enjoyed it so much. Since he is already close friends with us through Rendezvous, he would be easy to get back. We could also add a second day of fishing Kurth Lake to this annual event.

We also need to consider something for our spouses. Open House used to include a parallel women's activity for the day. I believe that we might have wives who do not feel so welcome to our fly fishing events. I for one, want to invite them to join us and/or coordinate something of interest for themselves. One Louisiana club has more than 8 female members who ask their club president to accompany them on outings where their husbands are not invited. They always have a lot of fun.

I know there are wives who do not fish but there are wives that do but not with a fly rod. I volunteer to help teach any and all wives to cast at your convenience. Just email [email protected] or call me 875-3726 to discuss this. I have three club rods ready at all times. This way you can get involved and beat your hubby to a state record like Linda stole from me.

I added to our calendar, a seminar that the new Texas Women's Fly Fishers club will be holding at Houston County Lake on August 10-12. This unique club of 50 plus members only meets every other month somewhere in Texas so that women from that region can attend the meeting. It is always a fishing event or something more than just sitting and talking. Linda's and my good friend Constance Whiston is club president. [email protected] (work) or

[email protected] (home).

May 12^th, the Brazos Valley Fly Fishers will host a kayak/canoe "Personal Floatation Day" on Lake Bryan in Bryan/College Station.Visit their web site for details. http://www.mmrgenetics.com/bvff

TPW Releases Findings of Bass Virus Study

April 1, 2001

AUSTIN, Texas - A virus responsible for killing largemouth bass on four popular Texas reservoirs and linked to nearly 20 die-offs nationwide is present in two-thirds of the state's watersheds, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife study. Initial findings from the investigation were made public during a briefing of the TPW Commission here Thursday, April 5.

State fisheries biologists, with the help of bass anglers who collected nearly half the fish specimens needed for the study, investigated 49 lakes during 2000 to determine the presence of Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV). Scientists at the A. E. Wood State Fish Hatchery in San Marcos confirmed the virus in samples from 14 of the lakes. The infected bass populations reside in nine of 14 major river basins tested statewide.

Only a small segment of the overall fish population in those water bodies - 5 percent on average -- tested positive for the illness and none of the affected fish appeared to be stressed or dying.

"What we now know is that this virus is not always a problem, not always lethal," said Dave Terre, TPW regional fisheries director in Tyler and Texas' representative on a multi-state, multi-agency team of researchers investigating the virus. "It's just out there in the environment and when conditions get right, we may have some fish die. It may be so minor that it's not noticeable, but when it impacts a fishery like Lake Fork or Sam Rayburn, it gets noticed."

The infected lakes in East Texas fall within the following river drainages: Red River (Lake Texoma), Cypress (Lake Cypress Springs), Sabine (Lake Tawakoni, Lake Fork, Toledo Bend Reservoir), Neches (Lake Athens, Lake Palestine, Lake Tyler, Lake Nacogdoches, Sam Rayburn Reservoir) and Trinity (Lake Bridgeport, Lake Livingston).

The virus also occurs in Central Texas and affects the following river systems: Brazos (Hubbard Creek Reservoir, Lake Possum Kingdom, Lake Whitney, Lake Belton), Colorado (Lake Buchanan), Guadalupe (Canyon Lake) and San Jacinto (Lake Conroe). Major river basins that tested negative for LMBV include the Arkansas (Canadian), San Antonio, Nueces, Rio Grande and the Sulphur.

The TPW study findings illustrate the distribution and density levels of the virus in Texas, but researchers admit little else is known about LMBV. "We've completed the lab analyses of fish collected and wanted to make sure the angling community is aware of where we are at this point," said Terre. "This is not the end, just a chapter. There are a lot of variables we collected along with the fish that will take some time to synthesize."

According to Auburn University scientist John Grizzle, LMBV is one of more than 100 naturally occurring viruses that affect fish but not warm-blooded animals. Its origin is unknown, but it is related to a virus found in frogs and other amphibians and nearly identical to a virus isolated in fish imported to the U.S. for the aquarium trade. Although the virus apparently can be carried by other fish species, to date, it has produced disease (death) only in largemouth bass. Researchers have discovered that LMBV can remain viable in water for at least three to four hours. "Tentatively, that means you could transport the virus in a livewell, bait bucket or in bilges," Terre said. "We also now know that bass can contract the virus from contact with other fish, but we still do not know how the virus is activated into a fatal disease, if there is a cure or a preventative."

LMBV first gained attention in 1995, when it was implicated in a fish kill on Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina. Since then, the virus has been found in impoundments throughout the South and, during 2000, was confirmed as the source of a kill in Lake George on the Indiana-Michigan border.

Often, the virus has been detected in bass that show no signs of illness, which suggests that some fish might be infected but not ever become sick. Biologists are uncertain about how long the virus has been present in Texas waters, but the pattern of occurrence suggests that unusually hot summer temperatures were a catalyst in the die-offs. According to lab analysis conducted in the summer of 1999, bass samples from Lakes Conroe and Toledo Bend tested positive for the LMBV in addition to those from Lake Fork and Sam Rayburn. "The year the virus impacted Lake Fork, over half the bass sampled tested positive," said Terre. "That didn't mean 50 percent were dying, just that they carried LMBV. When we came back and tested again last year, only three percent of the Lake Fork bass we tested carried the illness. We don't understand the mechanics by which it becomes prevalent but it seems to happen just once in varying levels and outbreaks do not repeat."

The good news, he noted, is that there has never been a fishery lost due to LMBV. "The only significant thing we've been able to determine is that when the virus occurs, angler catch rates, particularly for large fish, decline for a short period of time and then recover." Because the virus appears to strike a fishery and move on, researchers say finding answers to its mysteries may take years and even if uncovered may be a mute point. "Who's to say this will even be a problem in 10 years or even if it'll be around?" asked Terre. "We need to be taking a look at fisheries in areas where the virus hasn't hit, like California and Canada, to determine if and where it already exists. This is a national problem that's getting more interest as more states are impacted."

TPW has taken a leadership role in looking for answers, with it's A.E. Wood facility now geared up to accommodate lab analysis specific to LMBV, but Texas is not alone. "We obtained the equipment and expertise to test for LMBV," said Terre. "Also, we continued our investigation into hatcheries and into the kills on Fork and Rayburn. In addition to TPW, leaders in LMBV research include the federal Warm Springs, Georgia Fish Health Center, Mississippi State University, Louisiana State University and Auburn University. Sport fishermen have also taken a proactive role, with the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society playing host to two LMBV summits, where researchers from various states impacted by the virus gathered to share information.

"Bass are number one in Texas and other states look to us for leadership in bass management," Terre said. "They also look to us for leadership in studying the virus and we're doing it."

Media Contact:

Steve D. Lightfoot

Texas Parks & Wildlife

4200 Smith School Rd.

Austin, TX 78744

512.389.4701

512.389.4450 fax

[email protected]

The Bud Priddy Memorial One Fly Contest

The 2001 Bud Priddy One Fly Contest will be held in Camp Wood on Saturday, June 16. This will be a day of fishing and fellowship followed by dinner and awards. Sign up will be from 7:30 to 9:00 am at the Camp Wood city park. Maps of the river with access points will be available.

This is to make known the Bud Priddy One Fly Memorial Contest in the beautiful Nueces Canyon area of Texas. This low key, easy going contest takes place on the Nueces River and attracts fly fishers from all over the

state.

Thanks,

Buddy Robichaux

[email protected]

ESPN buys BASS

ESPN, Inc. has acquired the business and assets of B.A.S.S., Inc., the largest fishing organization in the world with more than 600,000 members and a diversified array of businesses highlighted by BASSMASTER Magazine, the BASSMASTER Tournament Trail and BASS Masters Classic, which are airing on ESPN2. The announcement was made jointly by ESPN President George Bodenheimer and Helen Sevier, B.A.S.S. President and Chief Executive

Officer.

Like ESPN, B.A.S.S. is a leader in a variety of businesses and media, including magazine publishing, event management, merchandising, television distribution and the Internet. Among B.A.S.S.'s many initiatives are CastingKids, which encourages youth participation in fishing by offering prizes and scholarships. B.A.S.S. also encourages environmental and conservation efforts. Based in Montgomery, Ala., B.A.S.S. was established in 1967 and the company is currently affiliated with more than 2,800 chapters in 47 states and five foreign countries.

FISHING INDUSTRY FACTS

More than 60 million Americans fish each year (approximately 25% of all Americans - more than golf and tennis combined), and more than 30 million are bass anglers.

Approximately 91% fish with their spouse or children and 93% practice "catch and release."

The average B.A.S.S. member fishes more than 60 days per year.

The fishing industry generates $28 billion annually, according to the American Sport Fishing Association.

Editors Note: I have posted the newsletter on our web site with all the articles submitted this month. There was not ample room for them on the mailout version.

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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.

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Calender

Outings and Events

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May 1^st PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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May 5 - 6^th Houston County Lake Outing

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May 12^th BVFF Demo Day for kayaks/canoes Lake Bryan

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May 19^th Fly Tying Classes St Cyprian's Parish 9AM to 4 PM

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June 2^nd Neches River Rendezvous

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June 2^nd Tag Team Tournament at Kurth Lake 7:00 AM to Noon

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June 5^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the

Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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

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

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August 10-12 Texas Women's FF Seminar Houston County Lake (more later)

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

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

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

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

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

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December 8^th ???? Christmas Meeting

Chamber of Commerce Building 6:00 PM.

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More Club Calendar to follow as dates confirmed

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

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Outings: Jimmy Lee

Library: Jay Renken

Conservation: Gene Sullivan

Programs: Linda McLendon

Membership: Walter McLendon

Editor: Royce Feaster

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Art work used by permission of Dave and Emily Whitlock