The Newsreel
July 2019 Volume 36, Issue 7
Michelle Overall and a 13 lb. Tigerfish on the Zambezi River, Zambia
Meeting Time: July 25 @ 6:30 PM General Meeting location is Wesley United Methodist Church, 1385 Oakway Rd. Eugene. 4th Thursday of Each month. Meeting starts @ 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Fly tying demonstration from 6:00 pm. Board meetings are open to all members on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:00 PM at Wesley United Methodist Church.
Prez Sez and July Presentation 2 Dick Sagara Bio & Olde Fly Guy 3
Auction News 4 Fly Fishing Fair 5
To Catch a Tiger 6 & 7 East Lake Outing Report 8 & 9
Erma Bell Outing Report 10 Cascade Lakes Outing Announcement 11
Outings and Volunteer Schedule 12 Contributed Pic’s 12 & 13
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Hope everyone had a good fourth of July. The end of June and the beginning of July continued to fish well in all our local waters. I had a great time with the evening floats purchased at last year’s auction, along with the President’s box float trips. I was able to spend quality time with some Cascade Family members. It is always a blessing to share time on the river with friends.
Last month’s Fly Fishing Fair was well received. We had a great turnout, with several tables for members to learn a multitude of fly fishing topics. It was really nice to be able to visit with the members and share our experiences. I would like to thank all the volunteers who contributed to make this night such a success. I look forward to a bigger and better Fair next year.
There is one more volunteer opportunity available this year. Glenn Miller is looking for a few more volunteers for Pleasant Hill’s Outdoor School for 6th Graders. If you are interested in helping share your knowledge, and helping our youth appreciate our wonderful resources, please let Glenn know.
Our annual club picnic will be held in place of the regular meeting, on August 22nd. You will receive an evite with the date and time, and a category of food to bring to the potluck. Look for this message in your email. Steve Overall will once again be showing off his cooking skills at the barbeque. Remember to bring a chair.
Thanks for outing hosts Glenn Miller for Erma Bell and Kat and Frank Paiva for hosting East Lake. Fishing was variable at both outings, but everyone had a great time.
The July speaker will be Dick Sagara, speaking on Streamer Fishing. I am really looking forward to this presentation. This is one of my favorite ways to catch big fish.
Hope to see you all at our next meeting, on Thursday, July 25th at 6:30 PM.
“BIG FISH eat little fish, don’t they? Some thoughts & techniques & tackle to hunt for Apex Predators on flowing waters”. “Some of the largest fish in streams exhibit the same traits as humans: they want to maximize the amount of food they ingest with a minimal amount of effort”. “We’ll examine the preferred habitat for large fish in moving waters, and the flies, tackle & techniques that will enhance your chances of hooking some of the largest inhabitants of our flowing waters”. I have fished with Dick Sagara a couple times. This man has a knack for finding nice fish!.
Dick Sagara returns! Come on down to Neman’s Grotto 485 Coburg Road Eugene, OR 97401---5pm. We’ll hang out with Dick while enjoying one of the Grotto’s specialty fish dishes---then head over to the meeting!
Michael T Williams, CFF program chair
The Prez Sez
Randy Beard
July Presentation Dick Sagara
Streamer Fishing
Randy’s Streamer
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Dick Sagara is the owner/operator of Sagara Outdoor Products, an independent sales representative business, focusing primarily on fly fishing related products.
Dick has a varied and perplexing background. In addition to running Sagara Outdoor Products Dick has served time as a:
Factory worker mixing water soluble printing ink
High School Teacher working with young adults who did not like going to school and were a lot smarter than he.
Fly Fishing Guide
Commercial Insurance lackey- Insurance adjuster, supervisor, executive, consultant -- in declining order of importance
Mischief –Maker/Troublemaker Par Excellence
Dick has lived in 7 different places in the U.S. long enough to disqualify him as a transient. He is an avid craft beer consumer which conforms to his philosophy of life:
“I enjoy as many varieties of life experiences unless they are highly illegal and physically painful. Other than that, I make no excuses for my preferences.”
During my Sophomore year in high school, 1960, in the town of Springfield, OR, as part of a curriculum influenced attempt in stimulating 15 & 16 year olds to consider career choices, we were asked to rank our top three choices. I had difficulty naming three careers, let alone knowing three favorites! I have forgotten two of my choosings---59 years ago. Somewhere on my list was, Author.
As of July 23, 2019, I am officially retiring from guiding.
Retire. Retirement. Retiring. Retired.
For the past ten years I have heard the question, “So, are you retired”? Since I have never really had a traditional career, my usual response is, “Retire from what”? Or, “I’m collecting my social security, I can’t even spell retire”.
All of a sudden, I feel as though I really am retiring, but only from guiding. Retiring from guiding will leave more opportunity for my writing, photography, speaking, teaching, custom fly tying, backpacking, rod building & personal fishing.
Hopefully, I will feel the pull to write more, and to edit the troves of journals (nearly 50 years worth) into compelling stories & essays.
My first fishing journal entry was May 30, 1960. Somewhere around my house is the actual spiral notebook. From memory, I fished with my father, Tom & brother Dave, on Quartz Creek, tributary of the McKenzie.
On this sunny day on a mountain river, one day after my 16th birthday, I learned how effective the classic wet fly, Leadwing Coachman, size 12, can be. Fish this classic wet fly in the upper reaches of riffles. Hold on!
Michael T Williams, the Olde Fly Guy
www.mtwilliamsflyfish.com
Mountain trout with a percolator.
Olde Fly Guy 2019
Dick Sagara Bio
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CFF Annual Fundraising
Auction
Tuesday, October 22nd
Elks Lodge, Springfield, OR
Donations, donations, donations! We need donations!
If you have clutter filling up your closet, base-ment, garage, storage shed, or back seat – do-nate it to the CFF Auction! Lighten up, recycle, purge – and help raise funds to support our club for the upcoming year!
Get rid of your gently used camping, fishing, or home items. We’d love to have your contribution, large or small. Bigger items can be auctioned off by themselves, while smaller items can be grouped in baskets or with other like items. Eve-ry little bit helps!
Bring your Auction donation items to the CFF meeting on Thursday, June 27
th, and Dennis
Munroe will be collecting them for us there. If you have larger items and need them picked up, or if you want to drop items by, please contact Frank or Katherine at 541-515-6369 and we’ll make arrangements.
Let’s make this year’s fundraiser a big success! Donated items help raise funds that keep our dues low and provide great fly fishing related speakers, materials and hooks for our fly tying classes, youth programs, club education clinics, and community outreach programs. Not to men-tion our summer picnic and annual Christmas party!
Ask yourself: Do I really love this? Have I used it in the past year? Will I ever really use it again? Whatever the item, if you don’t love it, want to re-gift it, or haven’t used it lately, donate it to the CFF Auction today!
Thank you.
Frank and Katherine Paiva
CFF Auction Chairs
Recently Donated Items
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Fly Fishing Fair
Photos by Katherine Paiva, Phil Hornung
Lots of advice, a chance to try rods, learning about
fly tying and selection were highlights of the annual
Fly Fishing Fair.
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Fishing the Zambezi River in Zambia is like fishing every other river in the world – except for the crocodiles that lie in wait on the sandbars and reedy shores. And the hippos that bubble up like river farts when you least expect them – loud, garbling, and grumpy – in pods of two-to-five. And the elephants grazing close to the bank. They swim the Zambezi, a border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, passport free, stopping on sandy islands for a mid-river munch. And the legendary tigerfish. These fierce predators with large interlock-ing, razor-sharp teeth, lie just below the surface on the Zambezi. They are extremely aggressive, hunt in groups, have been known to eat their young, and attack birds in flight. Forget tippet — we used piano wire. When Michelle, her sister Debbie, and I signed up with Brian Hesse, their long-time friend and owner of Cowabunga Safaris for our Zambia adventure, he sent us eight pages – that’s eight – of information regard-ing fishing the Luangwa and Zambezi Rivers. This data was tempered with the following statement – “Always – even in camp – one must be aware of animals: hippos and crocs in the water, for exam-ple, and ambling elephants and Cape buffalo on the shore.” Yay for the fishing opportunity and yikes! Michelle, Brian, and I set out with George (the only guide who fly fished) one morning about 6:30. The Zambezi is so large and wide, I had to keep reminding myself that I was on a river, and not a lake with hippos. George outfitted Michelle and I with 9 wt. rods and flies that weighed in just under a pound. I’ve cast a 9 wt. rod exactly none times. No matter how we tried and flailed, our casts usually ended up about 10 feet from the boat. Luckily, tigerfish don’t care, and we all caught a few smaller ones. In the afternoon we “changed it up” when George pulled a frozen vundu (catfish) from the water cooler and filleted it for bait. We zoomed to a side shoal where George cut the motor and told us to cast out and wait. “The way to catch a big tigerfish is to cast, then tell a story. The tigerfish will nibble, nibble, then boom! It will take the hook. When it hits, you set like this … hard!” He yanked on the rod sideways like you might do if your snow chain was stuck under your tire. “Do it twice,” he said. We cast out and sat. The stories soon lapsed and the only noises were hippos snorting and water lapping. Then suddenly, Michelle was up, and there was splashing on her side of the boat. “Fish!” said George. The take was violent. “Angle right,” George commanded. “Set the hook – set it(!) – good job – that’s a big fish.” Big fish?! Holy cow! It was happening!
To catch a tiger … By Katherine Paiva
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Brian and I quickly reeled in. He got out his phone and was videotaping, and I got my camera to take action shots – which is very hard to do when your fingers are crossed and you’re praying that she’ll land the fish. George was giving loud direction and Michelle’s five-foot rod was nearly bent in half. In short – all hell broke loose. The fish jumped, a long silver flash, and everyone’s pulse cranked up a notch. “Angle right, good. Angle left (to keep him from jumping any more and throwing the hook). Good, keep reeling, keep reeling, now bring him to the boat.” Previous experience had taught us not to bring tigerfish to the net because they will bite their way out of it. As proof, our net sported several large holes. Michelle landed the fish on the boat and he flopped there gleaming and angry, teeth gnashing, and tail flipping. He was awesome! We high-fived and laughed loud enough to make the hippos glance our way. We were nervous, ex-cited, and giggly all at the same time. George used special weight-scale pliers to grip the fish by its lower jaw and avoid its piranha-like teeth – it was over 12 pounds! Michelle, a little shaky now, from adrenaline and fish wrangling, posed on the front bow with her prize. With faces still beaming, we released the fish, let him catch his breath, and watched as he sped into the watery depths of the Zambezi. Wow. We would catch other fish in the river during our visit. Debbie caught an elusive reluctant vundu – a large bottom dwelling catfish – that weighed in at six pounds(!), and some of us caught smaller tiger-fish. In the future though, when I reflect on fishing the Zambezi, my mind will quickly sift through hippos, crocs, and the elephants. My heart will flutter, as it does now, recalling the splash, the chatter, the clamor — and the excitement of Michelle’s big catch. I can still see the fierce toothy sneer of the tigerfish and the elated grin on her face.
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East Lake By Katherine and Frank Paiva
We’ve fished East Lake enough times over the years that when we arrive, its feels familiar and comfortable, like home. We’re pretty familiar with the water too - the Hot Springs, off East Lake Camp Ground - maybe the white slide will have some action. Only the fish are unpredictable. There was a new comer at the lake this year – the Eagle Lake Rainbow. Eagle Lake trout are a but-tery-yellow-brown and easy to identify because of their intact adipose. If we caught one, we were advised to release it. ODFW introduced them to the lake hoping they will help squelch the growing population of tui chub. Tui chub are not native to the lake, reproduce quickly, and compete with rainbow trout and kokanee for food.
Rod Roth was kind enough to tie us up a batch of the ever popular Fred’s Callibaetis. Hot again this year, it was best fished with a little Black Bot dropper tied by our buddy Mike McCoy. Basically, it’s size 16 or 18 hook, with a black thread body, a Tungsten bead head, two black biot wings, and a feather duster collar. The fish couldn’t get enough of them – at least some of the fish. Fishing side by side, some of us were luckier than others. Roz Metcalf and her husband Bob caught a fish every time we looked at them. So, I quit looking. Joe Moody and Curtis Erickson did well, and Dennis Munroe managed a Quad Grand, catching a rainbow, Eagle Lake rainbow, Brown trout, and a Kokanee. Food was tasty and dessert plentiful at Friday night’s potluck and we were able to add a couple of campfire chats to this year’s event. You find out a lot about people around the flicker of a campfire – it’s how friendships deepen, and memories are made. Thanks for coming out everyone! Next year’s dates are July 9-11
th, hope to see you there!
Photos by Roz Metcalf
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Thelma’s Famous Blueberry Pie.
East Lake Pics form Roz Metcalfe
Kat’s Big Fish
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Erma Bell Lakes Trip Report Glenn Miller
Our annual two-mile trek into the Erma Bell Lakes the third weekend of June was again a success.
Seven CFF members enjoyed good weather, fishing and time together over meals and campfires.
The mosquitoes were a bit worse than normal but didn't bother us a bit when fishing on the lake or
sitting around the campfire. This year we fished both Lower and Middle Erma Bell and many wild
Rainbows up to 17" were caught both days above and below the surface. We fished the lakes both
Friday and Saturday but fishing was much better on Saturday. Both lakes were productive but the
middle lake had bigger fish. We saw deer, bald eagles and river otters and everyone caught fish.
Another fun year on the Erma Bells!
Paul, Larry, Stacey Ray, Ron, Barbara, Glenn, and Curtis Stacey Ray
Stacey Ray and Barbara ready for
the hike in.
Beautiful rainbow caught by Paul
Barbara with a fat
trout.
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Cascade Mountain Lakes Outing August 9-10, 2019
HOSTS: Joe Moody 541-510-2616 [email protected] Dennis Munroe. 541-729-9670 [email protected] Our Cascade Mountain Lakes outing this year will be based at Lava Lake Campground. We will survey fishing success, weather conditions, and water quality and choose from one of the four fol-lowing lakes. If you are coming to the Lava Lake Outing, you should get your reservations right away. The Lava Lake Resort RV Park has only 4 sites remaining. Their number is 541-382-9443.
Those staying in the Forest Service Campground can make reservations at recereation.gov. Some sites are reservable and others are available first come first served.
Crane Prairie Reservoir: This large complex reservoir is covered by standing snags and fallen log jams that provide great fish habitat. We will fish Rock Creek or Quinn Arm. August can be great fishing as the Cranebows seek the cooler water in the channels. This lake is intensely fertile and fish grow very fast here. This could be your chance to catch the fish of a lifetime. Unfortunately the lake is quite shallow and sometimes gets too warm to fish without harm to trout. The enormous food supply includes mayflies, chironomids, leeches, scuds, and minnows. North Twin Lake: This Lake is 160 acres and up to 45 feet deep so usually holds up well all sum-mer. It is normally heavily stocked with legal and trophy sized rainbows. The club has an outing here every spring and in years past club members have caught some very large rainbows here. It is very popular and heavily fished. Same food supply as Crane Prairie. Hosmer Lake: One of the most fertile lakes in the Deschutes National Forest, this is a no motor, fly fishing only lake with barbless hooks and catch/release regulations. Hosmer consists of two large pools connected by a nearly mile long channel. We generally concentrate our efforts in the lower pool. We may get in on the tail end of the prolific callibaetis and damsel hatches that come on strong in June and July, this should fish well in early August with chironomids and bugger/leech patterns. The last few years here we have caught rainbows and cutthroats over 20 inches, some up to six pounds. It has become one of our favorite lakes. Heavy kayak & paddle board use can be a problem but not usually in the lower lake, however, this is also a shallow lake and we will have to watch water temperature closely. Lava Lake: This lake has a rich organic food base that grows big fish quickly. This deep, spring-fed lake was formed by a lava dam and has no inlet or outlet. When we are there in August, streamers and buggers should be our best bet. This is a large lake, half mile long, so it is best to have a rowa-ble craft on this lake. For all these lakes a 9-foot, 5-7 weight rod should be adequate. An intermediate line will work in most cases, but you may also want a type three line and a dry line to indicator fish. 3-4x tippet is good here. Chironomids, callibaetis, and black, brown, olive, or rust buggers or pine squirrel leech-es are effective. DIRECTIONS: Go south on Interstate 5. Take exit 188 to access Hwy. 58. Go through Oakridge and stay on Hwy. 58 till you are three miles south of Crescent Lake. Turn left on the Cascade Lakes Highway No. 61. Go three more miles and turn left again onto Hwy. 46. Stay on 46 past Da-vis Lake and past the Hwy 42 junction. From the Highway 42 junction go 13 more miles on High-
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Small Streams July 19-20 Randy Beard Cascade Mountain Lakes August 9-10 Joe Moody/Dennis Munroe Gold Lake Derby September 7-8 Joe Moody/Dennis Munroe Metolius River September 13-14 Mike Marlatt Diamond Lake October 4-6 Marv Clemons
Remaining Outings for 2019
Volunteer Schedule Glenn Miller
Event Date Coordinator
Pleasant Hill Outdoor School (6th graders) Wed, Oct. 2 Glenn Miller
This is a new event. CFF volunteers will teach fly fishing and casting skills to 5 groups (16-17 stu-dents per group). The sessions are about an hour in length. This event will be very similar to the Thurston 6th grade outdoor school.
Salmon Watch Sept./November Glenn Miller
In a field based setting, volunteers teach middle and high school students about fish biology, water quality, macroinvertebrates and riparian habitat. Training is provided for volunteers during sessions held in August.
way 46 to the Lava Lake turnoff. There is a nice RV Park with hookups here as well as Forest Ser-vice camping. We will be there early to establish a Home Base campsite so look for us. Be prepared to dress for all kinds of weather, bring a lunch, sunscreen, and a PFD.
Left: Bob
Wolfe with a
Tiger Trout at
Deer Creek
Reservoir,
Idaho
Right: Pete
Szekely with a
nice trout at
Kootenai Riv-
er below Libby
dam.
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Contributed Pic’s
Above: Steve Overall with Grandson Below left: Randy on a Auction Float
Below right: Dennis with a big fish in Montana
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Cascade Family
Flyfishers
2018
Club Leadership
Executive Board
President
Randy Beard
541-510-0323
Vice President
Mike Marlatt
541-206-9003
Treasurer & Communications
Michelle Overall
Secretary
Jen Acosta
541-741-8276
Past President
Glenn Miller
541-359-9522
Board Members
Steve Overall
Larry Stark
Betty Capt
Kat Paiva
Eric Inskip
Bob Wolfe
Committee Chairpersons:
Outings
Dennis Munroe/Joe Moody
Newsletter
Phil Hornung
Website
Carolyn Beardshear
Membership
Trese Slocum
FFI Reps
Mike Marlatt & Brandy Williford
Library
Betty Capt
Programs
Michael T. Williams
Fly Tying Classes
Rod Roth
Raffle
Jim Breedlove
Auction
Frank & Kat Paiva
Conservation
Glen Neal & Ginnie Griley
Volunteer Coordinator
Glenn Miller
Cascade Family flyfishers Club has an incredible opportunity to purchase
Columbia sportswear and Accessories at greatly reduced prices. Our club
was approved to participate in their Pro Purchase Program enabling us to
purchase anything in their on-line catalog at 40% to 60% off the listed prices.
Columbia sportswear is a quality product and I would encourage everyone to
take a look at www.columbia.com. If you see something that you are
interested in just email the item name, style#, color and size to me at
[email protected] and I will get back to you with the purchase price for our
club. Then if you wish to order it, just let me know and I can do that for you.
The shipping charge is $6 for each order that I make, (whether it is one item
or 20 items.) if you would like our Cascade Family Flyfishers logo
embroidered on it the additional cost is $5. Of course, if you already have
something that you would like to have embroidered with our logo, just get it
to me and I will get it done for $5 also. This is a great opportunity, so take a
look.
Michelle Overall, Treasurer and Communications Chair
New! Members may share things like weddings, illness, and family
news.
Thanks as always to the contributors and proofreaders who make this
job easier. If you’d like, send a picture identifying fish, people,
location, and any comments. If you like proofreading, I’m happy to add
you to the list.
168 West 6th Ave. Eugene, OR
Eugene OR 97401
444 West 3rd Avenue—
Eugene, OR
10% discount to
CFF Members
Bulletin Board
From the Editor
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Membership Application
CASCADE FAMILY FLYFISHERS APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP/MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Mail To: Cascade Family Fly Fishers, P.O. Box 70303, Springfield, OR 97475
Please print legibly:
Member #1 Nickname DOB (optional) Member #2
Nickname DOB (optional) Address
City State Zip Home Phone
Work Phone
Email: Cell Phone Occupation
and or employer
The following information is requested in order to maintain a data base of our member’s knowledge and experience which may be of help in club
activities. Please be as complete as possible
As a fly caster are you: Novice Average Proficient Expert
Club members are asked to consider serving on at least one committee of their choice to assist the committee chairperson when required.
Number your choices from 1–3 of the following committees:
Newsletter Program Membership Raffle Conservation
Education Auction Outings Library Webmaster Fly Tying Volunteering ______
Would you be interested in serving as an officer or Director? Yes No
If yes, what position would you prefer? _______________________________________
Complete dues as follows:
_____ $25.00 Individual or Family Membership, if paying by check or cash
_____ $26. Individual or Family Membership (includes 1 name tag and 1 pin) if paying online
_____ Student $15.00 “
_____ Associate (resident outside Lane County) $10.00 “ “
Additional name tags $7.00 each Additional club pins $3.00 each
Total amount due $_____________
Signature Date: _________
I do do not authorize the printing of my contact information in the club directory.
ABOUT CASCADE FAMILY FLY FISHERS
Cascade Family Fly Fishers (CFF) is an independent, not for profit, fly fishing organization open to the public
and is an affiliate of the National Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF). Annual dues are $25.00 for an individual or
family membership, $15.00 for a student, and $10.00 for those who live outside Lane County. Membership
includes a subscription to the newsletter and the privilege of participating in any and all club activities. CFF
Board meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month and the general membership meetings on the
fourth Thursday of each month.
Articles found in the CFF newsletter may be reprinted in other non-profit publications without the express
permission of the CFF so long as full acknowledgement is given to CFF and the author or authors.
Trademarks and/or logos may appear in the “Trading Post” section of the newsletter, (which is the club mem-
ber’s free of charge classified section), but this does not give any proprietary rights to the company. Should a
for-profit company wish to place an ad in the newsletter for a product or service, it can purchase a 1/8th
page
for $20.00 or a 1/2 page for $50.00. All rates are per issue and inserts will be considered. Ad and article
deadlines are midnight, the second Sunday of the month.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
CASCADE FAMILY FLY FISHERS
P.O.BOX 70303
Springfield, OR 97475
www.cascadefamilyflyfishers.com
President: Randy Beard
PO Box 70303
Springfield, OR 97475