Conclave Issue             July 2000

The Prez Sez | About Long Casts | Wayne And Catherine Moore Youth Fund | "Conservation" And I quote! | FFF National Conclave Set for July 31- Aug. 5 | Commercial Space Available | Southern Council Scholarship | Women's Fly Fishing | Conclave Schedule | Club Tables At Conclave | Conclave 2000 Countdown | Flint Hills Club Honored - NAMED FFF CLUB OF THE YEAR! | The Albright Knot | The Fly Corner | FFF Southern Council Changes Web Address | National FFF offers chance -To Win Hyde Drift Boat | From the Editor... | FFF Membership Application | Conclave Pre-registration

For those of you who have known me a while, you understand that I don’t hear very well. It’s not that I don’t pay attention. I work really hard to do that. My hearing difficulties are due to a particularly nasty virus that hit me a few years ago and pretty much left me deaf in my right ear. So, if you say something and I don’t acknowledge you, I’m not being rude. I simply didn’t hear you.

Unfortunately, this is exactly the sort of thing that can lead to severe misunderstandings. For instance, I was headed to the store one day and my loving wife Cherrie, asked me to get her a new pot holder. I thought she said shot loader. While it did seem like an unusual request at the time, dove season was only a couple of weeks off so I was only too happy to oblige her!

On another occasion, a birthday as I recall, she asked me for a new coat. I thought she said new boat. While the idea of a sleek new boat thrilled me no end, the one we have is in pretty good shape plus I, really like it. So instead of going through all of the hassles and paperwork involved in buying and selling boats, I just bought her a new fly rod. For those interested, the welts from a graphite five weight are about the size of a half-dollar.

To this very day, she still doesn’t understand how a request for a new coat could end up as a fishing pole. But you, as fishermen, can understand, right? We have a similar problem right here in the FFF. Most of you understand the FFF. Unfortunately, there are many, many exceptionally fine people that, for some reason, don’t hear our message. It’s not that they aren’t paying attention. I think it’s simply a situation where they misunderstand the FFF. And I think it’s our own fault.

We in the FFF have done a poor job in publicizing the countless education and conservation programs that we have sponsored, or helped sponsor, over the years. As a result, there are a lot of misunderstandings concerning our primary role. We are much more than just a bunch of fun-loving folks that throw one heck of a party in Mountain Home, Arkansas once a year, Our true ro1e is really quite simple. To improve fisheries, and therefore the fishing, through fly fishing related activities.

We have done a fair job of reporting and publicizing our projects at the National and Council levels. However, as a true grass roots organization, the great majority of the FFF’s projects are performed by dedicated, individual members at the club level. And this is where we need your help.

Just about every club I have ever heard of has sponsored some sort of education or conservation event and we need to let everyone know about these great unselfish projects. How else are people going to understand the good we are doing in communities everywhere? So please, take just a few minutes and write up a report summarizing your clubs activities covering the last 5 years or so. The report can be brief; as in an outline, or as detailed as you like. E-mail your report to the Council's VP of Conservation, Paul “Sodie” Sodaman at <PAULS@manhattan.kl2.ks.us> and he’ll report these activities in the next Long Casts.

Your report will serve several important purposes. It will spotlight your club as an active, vibrant organization that should be very good for your club’s membership recruitment. It will help us all learn more about your club that will make us a stronger organization on the whole. Plus, our Council Awards will be coming up soon and we need a Club of the Year! Most importantly though, all of the non-FFF folks that read this newsletter will gain a much broader understanding on how your activities directly benefit them and, hopefully, they will want to become a part of that. It’s a win-win deal. So please, don’t put this off or wait for someone else in your club to do it. Write something yourself and get it to Sodie today so we can proudly highlight your great club and its accomplishments in the next edition.

Before I go, I really want to thank all of the clubs and individual members that have been participating in the membership incentive plan. We’ve added quite a few new members but there’s always room for more! So if you haven’t joined the FFF yet, see your club officers for details on how you can win a new Sage or Thomas & Thomas, fly rod, Ross fly reel and other great prizes simply by joining the greatest fishing organization in the world. Also, thanks to all of you that renewal your membership this year. I’ve said it before but I really mean it when I call you the true backbone of our organization. I wish there was a way that I could award you all for your dedication and support. And special thanks go to all of you that have bought tickets in the Hyde Driftboat Sweepstakes. As you know, 100% of the proceeds from this event go to the fantastic All Fish, All Waters Foundation and I hear that ticket sales have been brisk within the Council. I sincerely hope that one of you wins this great boat and if you do, can I have a ride down the White River this O c t o b e r ?

Just a minute, Cherrie is calling me. What’s that, dear? Dinner is almost ready but you need me to go to the store and get what? Geez, I wonder how she would think of needing new waders. while she is cooking. I guess I’ll never understand a woman’s train of thought. I hope she didn’t say taters. Oh well, I hear they have some of those new breathable models in at The Backwoods and I just know she’ll love ‘em. Now that I think about it, I might could use a pair myself After all, a man can’t have too many waders!

I guess I’d better be off to the fly shop now before she changes her mind. Until next time, be sure and talk loudly when you’re around me and...

Good Fly Fishing!
Brian Camp

About Long Casts

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Long Casts is published four times per year by the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers

The President of the Southern Council is Brian Camp, 3 13 Paint Pony Trail N., Ft. Worth, TX 76108

Please send all editorial comment and material to editor Steve Fritz, 2100 S. Grant Ave., Springfield, MO 65807

Changes of address should be mailed to the SouthernCouncil Managing Director, Pat Smith, 2603 Buford Spur Rd., Mountain Home, AR 72653

Advertising inquiries and correspondence should be directed to the Southern Council Treasurer, ShawnTaylor, HC1, Box 1775, Tecumseh, MO 65760

Long Casts is printed and mailed by Ed Reed, Reed Printing and Supply Co., Inc., PO Box 605, 619 S. Brindlee Mtn. Parkway, Arab AL 35016

To view Long Casts on the Internet, go to the SouthernCouncil Web Page, at <www.SouthernCouncilFFF.org> To reach National FFF go to <www.fedflyfishers.org>

To advertise in Long Casts, Contact Southern Council Managing Director, Pat Smith, 2603 Buford Spur Rd., Mountain Home, AR 76253; e-mail <cpsmh@centuryinter.net> 870-425-1755. Ad sizes and rates are available upon request.

Wayne And Catherine Moore Youth Fund

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APPLICATION FOR SUPPORT

REQUIREMENTS: The stipulated purpose of the Southern Council’s Wayne and Catherine Moore Youth Fund is to provide limited funding in support of youth fly fishing and/or fly tying activities. Specifically, the fund provides money for the purchase of food items (such as hot dogs, hamburgers, soda pop, etc.) when such items are consumed in conjunction with a sponsored youth activity conducted by a recognized club of the Southern Council, Federation of Fly Fishers. The fund is not to be used for travel expenses or purchase of equipment and/or materials. It is expected that clubs requesting funding will be frugal with their request.

As a requirement of successful funding, the sponsoring club is to formally designate their activity a “Wayne and Catherine Moore Youth Activity” and to spend a moment telling the youth about the Moores. Essentially, the Moores were dedicated supporters of the Federation of Fly Fishers and the Southern Council. Originally from Wisconsin, they retired to Mountain Home in the 1970s where they became very active in fly tying and fly fishing. Wayne Moore passed away suddenly in 1984 and it was Catherine’s bequest that established the youth fund. Catherine had always maintained a very strong interest in youth activities. Catherine ultimately moved to Washington State where she passed away in 1995.

Upon completion of the activity, the sponsoring club is to send a brief summary of the event including number of participants and what activities were held.

Name of sponsoring organization (must be in good standing with the Southern Council):____________________________

Date of the proposed activity (please allow at least 30 days for processing):
____________________________________________________

Brief statement on the nature of the proposed activity or event:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Number and age group of youth expected to participate: _________
Total amount requested: $ _______

Return the completed application to: Steve Jensen 4514 West Coach Drive Battlefield, MO 65619-9711
Approved:   _____S.Jensen  _____C. Smith
Check mailed (Date)_______________

"Conservation" And I quote!

by Paul "Sodie" Sodamann VP-Conservation

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In my opening article several issues ago, I mentioned that my views of conservation are probably different from that of a true conservationist. I believe that part of my role as conservation officer is to conserve that which makes FFF and Southern Council what it is: it’s members! True, we can work long and hard to conserve fisheries and environmentally related biotic and abiotic factors. However, if we do not have our members, we might as well stop wasting our money time and energy and just go fish.

There always have been and always will be members and clubs who ask “what is in it for me, why should I/we be FFF members?” To some of those people there will never be a good answer that totally justifies membership. But I feel that all those people who constantly question the mason for FFF need to stop and take a long hard look in the eyes of their sons and daughters. Can you honestly tell them: “Don’t get involved in anything, just go fish? I am reminded of a quote I hold dear to my heart which came from Eldridge Cleaver in 1968: “Either you are part of the solution, or you are part of the problem.” True, your club may be a long way from national headquarters or Mountain Home, however, you still play a major role in FFF. Everything you do as a fly fisher is also something you do as a member of and for FFF. That may sound trite, but it is a very important reality of how FFF functions. We are a grassroots organition which functions best from the bottom up, not from the top down.

As FFF members, we all need to do our individual parts no matter how small or large in order for the organization as a whole to be successful. Take a kid fIy fishing, put on a program for a local scout troop, start a water monitoring program, work with a local school teacher on stream ecology. The list goes on and on. The point is, when you are asking what is in it for you, you are asking the wrong question. It is a worn out paraphrase, however, don’t ask what FFF can do for you, but rather what you can do for FFF. For some, active participation in FFF may only be a simple as current membership. And if that is all you are capable of providing, that is a big help. Your dues dollars help provide the physical environmental impacts I mentioned in the first paragraph along with many educational programs. For others even the slightest involvement in fly fishing education or conservation at a local level speaks volumes for what FFF can and does do. Again we are a grassroots organization that depends on its members casting the fly, and not being spectators on the side lines.

I, for one, have pushed hard for our local club to become a 100% FFF membership club: and we are l00%! I did this, not because I felt strong about sending more money to headquarters even though I support the programs developed out of headquarters; I did this because I feel strongly about what we represent at the local level, right here in Manhattan, Kansas. That’s right! A 100% FFF club of fifty members right in the middle of Kansas! I am damn proud to say “Eich bein ein Federator!" I know, I know, a little over kill on the quote thing, but I hope my point is getting across. It is up to you to accomplish the FFF goals, not some nebulous thing called headquarters to do it for you. e-mail<pauls@manhattan.kl2.ks.us>

Funding Conservation Projects By Paul “Sodie” Sodamann VP-Conservation

In the last issue of Long Casts, I mentioned the Strawberry River in Arkansas as a beautiful and unique river. Since then, the Southern Council has provided $2000 toward conservation and education projects designed to preserve this wonderful fishery. What I hope to be the beginning of a great working partnership has also developed, because the agency making the request was The Nature Conservancy. This is the first time I am aware that the two organizations have teamed up to ‘work towards preserving a body of water and I hope it is not the last.” I woukl hope that some of the FFF clubs in the Strawberry River area could check in-as to what they could do as far as -providing “people power” to help with these projects.

The Guadalupe River in Texas is under attack. It appears the water is being sold off at a rate faster than it is coming into Canyon Lake. Not that trout are native to Texas, however the trout fishery below the lake may not get enough cold water over the summer to keep the fish alive, if something is not done. A series of hydrology studies are being conducted to determine just how much water is available with eventual hopes of maintaining a minimum flow rate. The water which f lows down the Guadalupe is vital to the salt water fishery of Texas as well. If not enough fresh water flows into the bay, the water gets too salty and the fishing there goes belly up! If saving the Red fish requires saving the trout, I am all for it! (I am a salt water nut--living in Kansas-go figure!) The Southern Council donated $2000 to go toward partial payment of these hydrology studies.

Stream Teams in Missouri have a problem. They clean up the streams and monitor the water quality for all those who fish and enjoy the use of these beautiful places. However, after they remove the debris such as tires, they run into bureaucratic red tape in coming up with the necessary funds to dispose of the tires. These teams (usually schools) do not have the up front funding to dispose of the tires and the paper chase to get the money takes time. The Southern Council has donated $500 towards a seed fund for these teams. This way the teams can have the funds when needed to dispose of the tires and reimburse the fund with the money they eventually receive through Department of Natural Resources red tape.

If you enjoy fishing clean water and maintaining a wide variety of fish, you should be proud of what Southern Council and FFF are doing for you in the area of conservation.

If you have projects which need funding or fisheries with which you are concerned, please contact me at the e-mail address below. We will be happy to look into your request an do what we can to help. e-mail <pauls@manhattan.kl2.ks.us>

FFF National Conclave Set for July 31- Aug. 5

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The Federation of Fly Fishers, hosting their 35th Annual National Fly Fishing Conclave in Livingston MT, this summer, will feature a lineup of more than 60 workshops, conducted by those who know the craft, and wonderful fishing opportunities

Previous National Conclaves held in Livingston have been praised by attendees as well worth attending. To find out more about the Conclave in Livingston, or to register, go to <www.fedflyfishers.org>

Commercial Space Available

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Due to the move of the Southern Council Conclave to the Baxter County Fair Grounds in Mountain Home, we have more room than ever before. For the 2000 Conclave we have space available for additional commercial exhibitors. If you are interested in joining the ranks of exhibitors in the largest regional Federation Conclave, please call Chet Smith, Conclave Commercial Co-Chairman , at 877-664-4401, or e-mail him at cpsmh@cemturytel.net. These prime spaces will go fast, so don’t delay.

Southern Council Scholarship

By Chuck Easterling, VP-Education

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The Southern Council annually awards a scholarship of $1,000 to a deserving student who is in his or her second or later year of college study. The recipient of this scholarship is announced each year, at the Southern Council Conclave. The application deadline is each August 3lst., for that year‘s conclave.

The requirements for the scholarship are: The applicant must reside within the geographical boundaries of the Southern Council; be in his or her second or later year of college study; be pursuing a degree in a field consistent with the goals of the Federation of Fly Fishers; and either be a member or be sponsored by a member of the Federation.

If you know of a potential applicant, please contact me at the address below, for an application.

Charles R. Easterling
VP-Education, SCFFF
P.O. Box 1502
Jonesboro,AR 72403
870-932-4355 or 870-578-5334

Women's Fly Fishing

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On the beautiful Llano River.........
in the heart of the Hill Country Join us as we fly fish for Guadalupe Bass and various other species this fall. Bring your fly rod; flies & fishing tales and stay with us on a scenic private ranch with 3 miles of river frontage.

If you would like an opportunity to fly fish with other women, stay in quaint cabins, dine in a rustic lodge and see a “Women & Fly Fishing’ slide show, join us! The focus is on the women in Federation of Fly Fishers and uniting and fly fish g in women in Texas. No guides, no instructors, no structure just lots of camaraderie. There is room for 20 women to stay in the cabins and unlimited space for camping.

Date: September 16 & 17 Fee: $50.00 per person per night for the cabins; $15.00 per person per night for camping Where On the Llano River outside Mason Mail Check To: Constance Whiston 7310 South Congress #106 Austin, Tezas 78745 For details cwhiston@io.com

Conclave Schedule

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Club Tables At Conclave

By Chet Smith Conclave Commercial Co-Chairman

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Based on requests from several clubs, space will be set aside on a first come first served basis for club tables at the Southern Council Conclave.

Space is limited so reserve your space early. There are three (3) basic rules:

1. Clubs must furnish their own table and chairs.

2 . No competing with commercial vendors through sales of items. If you sell you will have to paid for your space the same as other commercial vendors. This means no sales of flies, equipment, etc. You may sell club T-shirts, caps, and club publications.

3 . No raffles or auctions to compete with Conclave raffles and auctions. This means no raffles or auctions running concurrent with the Conclave. If you have a long term raffle with the drawing to be held after Conclave week, you may sell those raffle tickets. Anyone violating the above rules will be asked to stop. If they don’t their table will be removed. If your club desires to have a club table please contact me as soon as possible to get on the list. You may call toll free to 877.664.4401. See you at Conclave!

Conclave 2000 Countdown

By Chuck Easterling and Brooks Handly Conclave 2000 Co-Chairmen

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We have had several Conclave Meetings since the last Conclave Countdown and we are really getting excited. As I said in the last Conclave Countdown, I have enjoyed every conclave that I have been to, but Brooks and I think this Conclave may be just a little bit extra special.

As you will recall in the Last Countdown, we advised that Chico Fernandez will be our featured speaker. Chico is simply a fantastic person to have on the program but as we said, he “...is not the only speaker.”

We asked if you would like to sit in a tie flies with one of the “Best” tyers in the eountry. Well, you will have the chance to do just that, A.K. Best will be one of our featured presenters and will conduct three tying clinics. This is a unique opportunity to sit in tie with a master craftsman. If you have read AK’s book or watched his video you will want to sign up and learn how to tie his quill bodies, parachutes and my favorite, clumsey duns.

In the last Countdown, I mentioned that at times we all find tailwaters to be curiously frustrating. Well, the master of tailwaters that we promised you is the man who literally wrote the book, Ed Engle. As you know, Ed is an author, guide and prolific fishing writer,’ who, along with AK., is frequently mentioned in John Gierach stories. Ed will give two programs on Fishing Tailwaters and be one of our featured evening speakers. This is a great opportunity to learn how to solve some of the more perplexing problems in fishing tailwaters.

Are you interested in more? Did you ever wonder about origins of the Southern Council, or how flyfishing really go started in this part of the country. The man who truly knows the answers to these questions, Dave Whitlock, wiIl be giving a very special evening program "Fly Fishing over the Course of Time” as well as giving a day program. If you ever have had the opportunity to listen to Dave or read one of his books you just can’t help being excited about the opportunity to attend one of his talks or classes.

Conclave 2000, with Chico, AK., Ed, and Dave, will be a very special event. But you know what, we have much more! There are more speakers and programs that are sure to please. For instance we have, well I think I’ll just wait to the next Countdown to tell you more.

Flint Hills Club Honored - NAMED FFF CLUB OF THE YEAR!

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The Flint Hills Fly Fishing Club has been awarded the McKenzie Cup for 2000! That is the award given to the most outstanding club in all of FFF for the past year.

It is about the biggest award given at the National Conclave in Livingston, Montana in August.  All Council members should be proud of the efforts put forth by the Flint Hills Club!

The next issue of Long Casts will feature an article detailing the many activities and achievements of the Club over the past year.

Congratulations, Flint Hills! Way to go!!

The Albright Knot

By Larry Notley, Dallas Fly Fishers

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All’s bright and good when you tie the Albright Knot for attaching backing to fly line and fly line to leader. The Albright Knot should be in everyone’s arsenal. It is the most reliable connection for lines of unequal diameters or of different materials, such as mono to braided line or single-strand wire. The Albright may be slightly bulkier when compared to the Nail Knot or Huffnagle, but if you don’t have a nail knot tool, the Albright is the best thing to use. Owner of Pockit Sports Co., a manufacturer of fly tying equipment, Larry Notley is the author of Fl y Leaders & Knots, Guide to Fly Fishing Knots, and Knots Just a Reminder.

The Fly Corner

By Terry Tanner, Southwest Missouri FIy fishers

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The Pine-A-Bou Sculpin

I worked The Pine-A-Bou Scullpin up the other day, just to use up some spare materials lying on top of my bench. I really have not had time to fish the fly as yet, but it ought to be good on smalhnouth and trout.

Royce Dam showed me a neat method of attaching a single clump of hair, so that no trimming is needed afterwards. The secret is to cut the hair so as to just fill the gap between the body and the eye of the hook, by trimming the hair off-the hide the length you want the head to be, plus a little to tie it in with.

Cut the hair, leaving the tips, and attach the thread about l/3 of an inch up from where the hair was cut off the hide. Grip the hair well, and lay it onto the hook shank at the tie in point. Then make two loose turns over the hair, tighten your thread and pull straight down, slowly releasing your grip on the hair, and it will spin around the hook shank, -making a nice neat head. Add one or two more wraps behind the head, then pull the thread up behind the eye from underneath and whip finish.

Materials List
Thread - 8/0 brown Unithread plus any good hair spinning thread
Ribbing - Medium gold wire.
Body - Possum - brown & and gray blend, &:light brown antron
Matuka style tail - l/8 inch wide strip of natural pine squirrel
Hook - #6 200 R TMC hook
Head - Caribou body hair
Cement - Use Dave’s Flex-a-ment -or Flex-seal

Figure #l - Tie in medium gold wire or small gold tinsel, and dub in brown and gray mixed "Awesome Possum”, with a little brown antron. Dub this mix about 2/3rds of the way up toward the eye of the hook .

Figure #2 - Tie in natural pine squirrel strip and wind the segmenting wire or tinsel up the hook shank, toward the eye of the hook. It may be easier to wet the squirrel strip first, since each time the wire comes over the strip, the hair on the strip, must be separated, so that it is not bound down under the wire.

Figure #3 - Whip finish and cut off the 8/0 thread. Tie in some stronger thread, like flat waxed nylon, Wapsi’s new hair thread, or Flymaster +, and attach a bunch of caribou body hair, using Royce Dam’s method of spinning, so no trimming is needed. Whip finish and add cement. Done! .

FFF Southern Council Changes Web Address

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The web page address of the Southern Council has changed to : <www.SouthernCouncilFFF.org> The old address will stay active for a while, but please bookmark the new one when convenient.

National FFF offers chance -To Win Hyde Drift Boat

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From the FFF Headquarters and the makers of Hyde Drift Boats comes an offer that is hard refuse. For a $10 donation, you receive a chance to win a $9,000 Hyde Drift Boat.

Money raised will be used to further the cause of fly fishing. To receive your chance to win, send your donation to :

The Federation of Fly Fishers
P.O. Box 1595
Bozeman, MT 59771,406-585-7592,
e-mail<fffoffice@fedflyfishers.org>

From the Editor...

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Well, it is time for another Conclave Issue. This will be my 6th Conclave issue as the editor of Long Casts, and, as I reflect back, I remember that the first one did not get to some of the members of the Council until after the Conclave was over (problems getting the issue paid for and mailed). Shortly after that, we began putting the Conclave Issue out during the summer, rather than having it be the Sept. Issue. To the officers in the Council, this makes sense, what with families having to plan in advance and all.

Every Conclave that I’ve attended has been wonderful, and I’ve watched each year, along with many of you, as the event continualIy improved, noting additions of educational programs, and an increase in programming directed at conservation and preservation of our resources. I am so proud of our Council, and the fantastic Conclave we put on each year.

When I read the information about the activities planned this year, I was amazed that there will be so many marvelous opportunities to learn and get help, and so many chances to have fun! Please note some the following FREE activities to be offered at Conclave 2000:

To begin with, early on Friday morning, Oct. 6th, you may work with either a casting coach, or a tying coach. You must sign up for this, but it will be offered all day, both Friday and Saturday. Isn’t that cool! Then, there’s the great variety of programs throughout the day, on Friday: Dutch oven cooking; fly fishing the Little Red River; fly fishing the Texas Coast; Alaska on a budget, yours, not theirs; Chico’s knot tying; fly fishing tailwaters; fly fishing Belize; warm water strategies; and many more.

Then, on Saturday, many of Friday’s activities will be offered again, plus: Women’s Outreach casting clinic; a day of youth activities; fly fishing etiquette; quilt making, warmwater fly fishing; Chico’s fly presentation; shallow water redfish; and many more. All are free!

With the move to the fairgrounds, there is a lot more room for commercial booths, and fly tyers. This conclave will be the best yet, by far! You don’t want to miss this one!

So, if you haven’t ever been to a Conclave, or, if you only go to one every once in a while, this is the year to get to Mountain Home, on the first full weekend in October, and have the most fun a fly fisher can have, without being on the stream. By the way, the fishing in October is absolutely marvelous! Please come!

FFF Membership Application

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Conclave Pre-registration

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