Aug2013 - Austin Fly Fishers

Outings Update by Dave BushSan Marcos River, August 24The San Marcos River is a popular CentralTexas waterway due to the cool spring-fedflow, making it an ideal trip for hot weather.If you’d like to help out by hosting this trip,please let me know, and we’ll make it happen.Padre Island National Seashore, September11-15Our annual trek to PINS is somewhatearlier than recent years, so it’s not tooearly to start making plans to attend oneof our most popular outings of the year.Nils Pearson, our host, will be looking forvolunteers to assist with preparations andto help during the outing, so watch for opportunitiesgive Nils a hand. If you plan toattend, please e-mailNPearson@austin.rr.comLady Bird Lake, September 28If you’re planning to attend this outing toLady Bird Lake, please consider hosting.Just let me know if you’re interested, andI’ll get you engaged.South Padre Island, October 6-13We are planning a South Padre Islandouting. More details will be coming.Chris Johnson orients AFF members to the Lower Mountain Fork RiverPhoto by Jeff Hoelter

SKIFF Program by Bob MaindelleDear AFF and Friends of SKIFF,This morning I fished with 10 year oldLuis Garcia on Stillhouse Hollow. Thiswas a “SKIFF” (Soldiers’ Kids Involvedin Fishing Fun) trip -- the 10th one of2013 -- each sponsored by the AustinFly Fishers who donate time and moneyand raise funds to offer these trips free ofcharge to our military families.Luis got a lunker!! This largemouthweighed 5.5 pounds on my certifiedscale. Looking at the eyes and conditionof the fish, it was well past its prime andprobably weighed a few pounds more atits peak. Regardless, Luis’ eyes were bigas saucers when she broke water on herfirst of two jumps.Luis is the son of Jacky Garcia and stepsonof Staff Sergeant Jesus Garcia. SSGGarcia is currently deployed to Afghanistanfor a 9 month tour. He has been deployedtwice before, for 15 months and13 months. SSG Garcia is and artillerymanwith the 3-83 Field Artillery unit.Downrigging was the key to success today.With the very hot, bright, still conditions,the fish go deep and suspend. Thehorizontal motion of the downriggers is atrigger for these fish when vertical presentationspale by comparison. Althoughwe did catch a few fish on topwater earlyand via a “smoking” retrieve with slabs,the downriggers just blew everythingelse away.We fished just two areas today: Area058/250/251 and Area 1237/1233/459.At both areas we set our downriggers for23-27 feet over a 35+ foot bottom andthat put our lures (Pet Spoons fished ona tandem rig to present 2 lures at once)right on the fishes’ noses.Luis had never caught a fish before in hislife, and his first fish was actually two!!At our first spot, we had two 12.5 inchwhite bass strike the tandem rig on theport side downrigger and Luis broughttwo fish in at the same time. This wouldhappen on at least a half-dozen more occasionsover the rest of the trip.When I asked Luis about his step-dad,he was very proud to tell me about himbeing in the artillery. He told me somestories about being able to take a tourof his dad’s unit’s vehicles and weaponssystems at the annual family day held atFt. Hood.Luis was really enthusiastic about gettingto fish and earning a TPWD “First FishAward” on this trip. I appreciate each ofyou who give your time and money andenergy and encouragement to make thisprogram possible.TALLY = 57 FISH, all caught and releasedI would like to support the program by sponsoring SKIFF kids. Enclosed is mycheck payable to Austin Fly Fishers. It costs $65 to sponsor one child for a fishingtrip.NameAddressCity, State and ZipEmailContact Phone NumberMail to:Austin Fly Fishers, SKIFF Program, P.O. Box 10504 ,Austin, TX 78766Questions? dhill113@austin.rr.com mtexas@aol.com

Fly Tyer’s Corner ContinuedStep 2: Prepare a small bunch of the tan craft fur. Cut it off thebacking and pull any short hairs out of the bunch. The tail shouldextend about two hook lengths behind the fly. You can trim thebundle before or after tying it onto the hook. Tie in the bundle rightbehind the dumbbell eyes.the deer hair bunch. Pull straight down and hard so that the deerhair flares out. Make a couple of more wraps directly over theprevious wraps. Wiggle your thread through the hair, pull the buttends of the deer hair back, and make several wraps between thedeer hair and the dumbbell eyes.Picture 2Picture 5Step 3: Trim the excess craft fur off just behind the dumbbell eyesif you haven’t already, Take a black or dark brown marker and addseveral vertical bands to the tail.Step 6: Return your hook to the normal position. Prepare anothersmall bunch of the deer hair and clean out and=y short hairs andloose fluff. This time, cut off the tips of the deer hair. Hold the deerhair between the dumbbell eyes and the hook eye and take twoloose wraps around the center of the bundle.Picture 3Step 4: Tie in a red hack feather, by the tip, over the tie-in point ofthe tail. Wrap the feather forward n very close wraps to just behindthe dumbbell eyes. Tie it off with a few thread wraps and cut offany excess.Picture 6Step 7: Pull down tightly on the thread. This time, let the deerhair spin around the hook. AT first, do this slowly, your speed willimprove as you get more experience. As the hair begins to spinand flare, make a couple more tight wraps directly over the previousones. Wiggle your thread through the deer hair to in front ofthe bundle and make a couple more tight wraps around the hookshank in front of the hair. Push the hair back with your fingers ora deer hair packer. Make several more wraps to build up a head,then whip finish and cut off your thread.Picture 4Step 5: Invert the hook in the vise. Clip and prepare a small bunchof light brown deer hair. Clean any loose fluff or broken hairs fromthe bunch. Even the tips in a hair stacker if you choose, but it is notnecessary. Hold the deer hair bunch so that the tips extend backover the hook point. Keep hold of the deer hair so the it does nothave a chance to spin, and take a couple of loose wraps around Picture 7

Austin Fly Fishers Calendar 2013Date AFF Event Subject/Destination Speaker/Event Host Status8/15 Meeting An Evening of Fly Fishing Turorials Confirmed8/24 Outing San Marcos River TBD Tentative9/11-9/15 Outing Padre Island National Seashore Nils Pearson Confirmed9/19 Meeting Blue Water Fly Fishing, South Florida Scott Hamilton Confirmed9/28 Outing Lady Bird Lake TBD Tentative10/6-10/13 Outing South Padre Island TBD Tentative10/17 Meeting TBD Confirmed10/19-10/20 Special Oktoberfisch Jack Lehman Confirmed11/2 Outing Colorado River Brian Ozimek Tentative11/21 Meeting TBD Confirmed12/14 Outing Lower Guadalupe River TBD Tentative12/19 Meeting Holiday Party ConfirmedPhoto by Jack Lehman

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