A general program for tying would probably follow this guideline but would be up to those interested to flush out the details

Total class time 80 minutes – Monday thru Friday during day includes about 20-24 kids per class

Approximate Fly Tying time 65 minutes utilizing the video projector teaching system.

200 Kids tying 1 fly – Wooly Bugger

200 kids include about 24-26 instructor kids to be taught to assist PFF instructors

Teach the Instructor kids in two nightly 2 hr classes

Regular instruction 2 classes per instructor which should end up being 2 days of teaching  with 5 instructors or could be spread out over 4 or 5 days of teaching

Time frame late October early November

Need 4 – 5 instructors for the two evening classes

Need 1 instructor per class for the teaching days this could be 3- 5 volunteers.

This program would be run by a committee and we are looking for those willing to participate in the committee and maybe someone to chair the committee.  Please contact the president or any board member if interested.  You can also contact us through the club information site info@penobscotflyfishers.com.

Based on success of this endeavor we will consider a Fly Casting class.

Let’s start with one of the DVD’s. The DVD is called Tips From the Traveling Fly Fisherman. This one features Jack Dennis, Mike Lawson and Gary LaFontaine. A lot of this takes place on the Henry Forks andWesternRivers and includes tips on casting including practice casting techniques and techniques relating to how to strike and when to strike when a fish takes the fly.  There are tips on how to prevent wind knots and equipment recommendations, windy day fishing and nymphing. This DVD gives you tips on what the best time to fish and some of the most amazing underwater shots for that time and some nice fish. The kicker is that the entire video is quite long and it is an older video with quite a bit of talk time.  Additionally there is a sad note to this video in that it addressesGary’s contracting ALS and it includes a memorial.

The video itself has one large attribute which is it is broken down into 11 different sections and you can choose to watch those that you want and exclude others.  Overall I would say it’s a pretty good video but if you are going to watch all of it you are going to have to set aside a goodly amount of time as some of it deals with the camaraderie between these 3 men.

The next item I perused was a CD called the Realistic Fly Tyer pattern. Obviously these are patterns created and tied to realistic represent the bug or item in question.  Now before you get yourself in a panic and say I would never go there, it’s not that bad.  Yes there are patterns that I wouldn’t personally try on my best and most delusional day.  There are however some patterns that I would reasonably attempt and a couple that I could see making some changes to and then tying.  There are even a couple of whimsical patterns there just to make you smile.  What’s most important is that each pattern has a basic set of directions and pictures and a second file that takes up the whole computer screen and is very much like a power point presentation.  The graphics and instructions are most effective. So if you have every wanted to give some realistic a try this would be the tape for you.  I would note that I had trouble opening two patterns.  One of them was the folder with Jan Muisers and the other Johan Put.  It may have been by computer so you may or may not want to check those out.

They say you save the best for last.  Well I don’t know if it is the best but it is a classic.  The last one is the Lee Wulff Master Collection.  These are classic shows from the 60’s and up through the 80’s.  It includes, Lee, Joan and Curt Gowdy.  It includes Tuna Fishing, Tarpon fishing, Salmon Fishing and of course trout fishing to mention a few.  The title says it is 14 of his best films.  I don’t know if it’s his best but I can tell you that I enjoyed them. I was amazed at the quality of the sound and the video given when these were done.  Of course some are in the narrative mode since it was so long ago. But I still picked up a few tips on fishing.  Watching Lee and Joan catch trout and salmon on featherweight outfits is enough reason to watch these. Seeing Lee make one cast with a three fly rig and catch 3 trout weighing in at a total 17 lbs on a 6’ 1 3/4ounce rod is amazing. Follow that up with Joan catching a 10lb salmon on a 6’ rod or better still Lee catching one on a 3’ tippet rod. In between all of that it is interesting to see Lee tie up flies with no vise while shooting the breeze with Curt Gowdy.  Again the shows run about a ½ an hour each so you will need some time but they are most enjoyable. And as with the other one you can pick and choose what you watch.

Tight lines

Professor Ernie

This month I thought I should review Lefty’s Tips, Tactics and Techniques for Fly Fishing Volume 2 by Lefty Kreh to complete the set. The tape is 60 minutes long like the first one.  Again the tape was filled with lots of information in short segments.  What was most interesting about this tape was that he spent a good amount of time on fly selection forStillwater, Trout, Bass, and Saltwater Flies.  This was one of those if I only had a few flies what would they be kind of thing.  What made it good was it talked about why he chose the flies he did which gave you some insight into choosing other flies.  If you have been fishing at all you will recognize a number of these flies and they are probably in your selection of flies as well.

In addition to the flies he spent some time on waders, wading staffs, and some little techniques for casting that you may not have thought of. There was a little bit on taking pictures and for those of you who are interested, a little insight in how lefty got started in the business of being one of the premier Fly Fishermen of the world.  Overall a good tape and as I have said before you always learn a little from Lefty.

The second tape I reviewed was Fishing The Dry Fly by Gary Borger which is also 60 minutes long.  This has a lot of general info on fishing Streams as to lies and the type of water that you encounter. It includes the methods and techniques to fish in streams and rivers effectively.  There was also a fair amount of information as to stream insects and feed.  Included were a few casting and wading techniques which most all of us can use.

The last one viewed was a DVD called Essential Skills, Streamer Fishing on Rivers with Oliver Edwards.  This is fishing in theUK.  The DVD spends quite a bit of time fishing for and catching fish on the River.  Oliver’s Fly box is made up of only a few flies which he swears by and from his success they are effective.  However a second part is the main reason, in my mind to watch this DVD. In it he shows you how to tie the patterns he finds successful.  Those two patterns are something called a snappy poodle and the other a Sculpin pattern. The Poodle is a kind of bugger pattern and the Sculpin is one of the most realistic I have seen.

Enjoy your time watching all of these and then put what you learn to good use on the water.

Tight lines

Ernie

budfarwell@gmail.com

April 29 Sun

Green Lake Ellsworth

267 Scotts Neck Way

Trolling All Day

Bud Farwell

In our library we have a number of books, DVD’s and VCR tapes. I took a couple of VCR tapes out last month and thought I would give you a brief review of what I thought of those VCR tapes

The First one was Lefty’s Tips, Tactics & Techniques for Fly Fishing Volume 1 by Lefty Kreh. Let me say to start that I find almost anything that Lefty does usually will provide some information and I find value and interest. This video is kind of a hodgepodge of little techniques and ideas mostly related to equipment. It includes his recommendations as to the size of the rods, handles and info on what you need to get started and some of the little things that he has found that makes fly fishing more enjoyable and easy. It includes his idea as to leader formulas, ways to carry your rod in the wood and similar techniques. Overall I found it quite informative even for someone who has been fishing for a while. And it would also be useful to those who are just getting started.

The second tape was Fly fishing Basics A Beginner’s Guide and it is truly a basic fly tyer introduction with a little bit on rods, lines, leaders and knots. It does have some introduction to basic casting techniques and some on the water techniques. It does have casting techniques which includes some slow motion that could be helpful to beginners to understand the movement behind casting. At the beginning and at the end of the tape it does have some promotional information and some scenes that simply show people fishing which is not informational but is fun to watch. And it also includes some historical information on fly fishing spattered throughout. This is probably a more interesting tape for beginners than for those who have fished for a while.

Both tapes are 60 minutes long. Enjoy
Ernie MacDonald

I was fortunate enough to work with the local warden Jim Fahey to help stock the Kenduskeag Stream with this year’s batch of brookies on April 11th. Some 320 brookies were stocked in the magic mile of Kenduskeag stream to give some lucky fisherman a chance to catch a brook trout on a really nice piece of water. Heading up the stocking were Warden Jim Fahey at left and Henry Hartley from the Cobb Fish Hatchery in Enfield who delivered the trout his brother Dale (not pictured) came along also. The remaining volunteers were

John Shaw and Dan Townsend, who are Beals College conservation law enforcement students and are on either side of Tom Hennessey who assisted, as well. It was a perfect day for stocking trout; the weather was great and the company as well. Although the water levels have dropped dramatically and bass are moving in some of the trout are still being caught. Hopefully a few will hang around for the Kenduskeag stream outing planned for May 9th. More information on that outing will follow. Hope to see you all on the water.
Tight lines all Ernie

An all day open house fly tying session to tie flies to be donated to the cancer recovery programs Casting for Recovery and Reel Recovery was held on March 17th from 9-3 at the PCCA club house.  Five tyers spent the day tying donation flies.  Several sets of flies were dropped off by members were unable to stay and tie.  Members are encouraged to bring additional donation flies to the April meeting.  Contact Ed Dailide, 469-3105/edailide@wildblue.net, for additional information.