In June of this year, club members Jerry Phelan and Marty King attended a fly fishing program in The Adirondacks in upstate New York sponsored by Elderhostel, a not for profit senior citizens organization. Every year, Elderhostel sponsors over 8,000 programs of which 40 to 50 are fly-fishing programs.

Jerry and Marty have a very interesting and informative slide presentation chronicling their week of fly-fishing at Camp Sagamore a summer retreat of the Vanderbilt family. I think after seeing their slides and hearing what they have to say, many of us will wish we were 55 so we could participate in the Elderhostel adventures.

The second annual OFF fly swap will also take place on December 16th. To participate in the fly swap, please bring 6 flies wrapped in a container. Everyone bringing flies will be given a raffle ticket. The tickets will then be drawn, the holder of the first ticket drawn will get to pick whichever box of flies he/she wants and so on until everyone participating has picked a box of flies. Bring six flies and go home with six flies brought by another member.

The December meeting will be a lot of fun, with the program, the fly swap and as many fondly recall, the bar is always open at the American legion Post.

Rob Fordyce Returns
Captain Rob Fordyce, a real expert from the Florida Keys, is making an encore appearance at our Club for an all day program on March 1, 2003 at the Museum of the Dog in Queeny Park. Captain Rob won his first saltwater fly fishing tournament at the age of 15 and has been winning tournaments ever since as either a guide or participant. This all day meeting with Rob will include slide presentations on the Florida Keys, casting instructions and classroom sessions. Whether you prefer warm or cold water, you will leave this program with a great deal of new knowledge.

The program description said "Fly-fish an Adirondack Great Camp. This outdoor program, taught by Orvis endorsed guides will cover the essential skills of fly fishing, including casting, reading water, etc. After mastering the basic skills, we'll head out to the trout rich streams and lakes of the central Adirondack mountains. Evening activities will include fly-tying workshops and other presentations on the history and traditions of fly fishing." The Adirondacks is the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. It's as big as the State of Vermont.

The program was held at Great Camp Sagamore, which according to the description was the summer retreat of the Alfred Vanderbilt family for ore than 50 years. Built in 1897, Sagmore welcomed the top people of the Gilded Age society. Today's guests stay in the same authentic lodges in rooms with shared stand-ard baths for two or three rooms. We had the prize, Alfred's old bedroom. Meals are served buffet style, and in our opinion they were excellent.

The main lodge is located on Lake Sagamore. The lake measures about a mile and length and a half-mile wide. There is a boat house on the lake that is well equipped with canoes for those attending the program. We used a restored "Old Town" canoe which made an excellent casting platform. It was canvas covered and the wood frame gleamed with varnish, more like a museum piece than an every day canoe. We landed a very nice small-mouth bass on a #12 GR Hare?s Ear, tied wet. Good fun.

The cost of the program was $547 each which included all instructions, room and meals. if you include air transportation via Northwest Air, a car rental and a 5 day NY license, the cost is just about one thousand dollars. Fly fishing in an historic location on a small budget!!

Two of the men that took the course with us, Jim Foley and Jerry Leboyer of the Long Island Fly Rodders ( an FFF afffiliate) took us up to fish the West Branch of the Au Sable River, a very storied river. Two nice guys. Their club fishes the Au Sable for their spring outing. They took us to their favorite spot, the Iron Bridge reach, which is just down stream of Lake Placid where two Winter Olympics were held. The was a sporadic caddis hatch coming the water. Using one of Fran Betters patterns, an AuSable Caddis, and after many strikes, we landed a nice German Brown.

There were some down-sides to the program. First, we hit the tail end of the black fly season. They're aggressive and they bite, often. It seems they were especially bad just around Lake Sagamore because the camp does nothing to control the flies. They are committed to not using pesticides. A second point: We did a bit too much practice casting. A minimum of an hour a day. And third, we would have liked more time to fish. In their defense, this waste he first time Camp Sagamore sponsored this five day course. We're sure it will get better with time. Would we go back? Yes! Sagamore is planning a course in the Fall, 2003 and we are thinking about going.

We are going to give a slide show on our Adirondak trip during the December meeting. We also hope to show some slides of a second Elderhostel trip in 2001. We will visit the Ring Lake Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming and fish the Wind River.

If you would like to check out fishing trips through Elderhostel, try the web site, www.elderhostel.org. On their home page use their search engine and type in "fly fishing". When you get the results, click on the state you would like to visit and it will give the program description. Good luck, we hope to see you at the December meeting.

Last year's attendance set an all time high and it is expected this coming banquet will be even larger. The banquet will again be held at Joe Hanon's Restaurant located at the intersection of Hwy 270 and Dorsett Road.

Good news! We were able to get the entire banquet facility! (last year we shared with the Coast Guard). That means much more room to stroll down the displays for Silent Auction as well as table hopping while visiting with old and new friends. There will be two bars servings us that should expedite drink orders. Auction items will be displayed in an easy to see manner. In short, just a much nicer arrangement.

Food, as usual will be great. Chicken or steak with all the usual trim-mings. Plus - that delicious Raspberry Torte and the All American Apple Pie.

Price will be a little higher this year but still within the budget of all. Singles fare will be $30 and couples $55. There is a reservation form following that you need to complete and send in ASAP. In the event of plan's change, we need notice at least 3 days prior the banquet time (by January 22nd). to change or cancel with refund your reservation.

New Members:

• Skip Smith
• Gary and Tina Rueschhoff
• John Zalewski
• K Deschryver
• Hyland Harris
• Scott C. Whitman
• Mr. Robert J. Kinder
• Jerry W. McCullough
• Mary Raymond

The first one I was aware of was a group that flew into Cleveland Ohio and rented a car, heading east. For me, having a destination of Cleveland just didn't seem right. After all, didn't Cleveland have a river which famously caught on fire? Aren't the Cleveland Indians from there? I mean what's the point? Other than the Cleveland engine, built by Ford, Bob Feller and Jimmy Brown, I wanted nothing to do with northern Ohio. So I kind of ignored the reports of many steelhead caught, reasonable guiding fees, and so on, to my detriment.

In a weak moment I agreed to accompany fellow Ozark member Bill Friedman this fall, last month in fact, to try a few of these fish on. He suggested flying direct to Erie through Pittsburgh, so I liked it more already. We hooked up with one of Bill's long time friends, Hugh Biller, who many of you have met. A good, serious angling group. A bit long in the tooth, perhaps, but game for what-ever the fish gods would present.

The fish gods presented us with snow, wind, rain, high water and, thank goodness, a guide who knew what to do in adverse circumstances. That's when I met Karl. As past president of the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association, Karl knew where the steelhead were, what to do in high water, and how to find fish when there were a lot of other anglers on the stream. Karl starts his day at 6:00 AM.

Of course, if you fish with Bill, you know that by 6:00, he is shaved, showered and on his second bowl of granola. He may even have his waders on. So meeting Karl at 6:00 was not a problem.

One thing that amazed me in fishing the Erie area was the number of other anglers that are out and about at 6:00. I mean its dark. And cold. "Doesn't anyone work anymore?" I asked to no one in particular. I guess I was surprised Karl didn't start at 5. I don't think I caught any fish before about 8:30, but went along with the gag. Heck, it's fun to be stumbling around in the cold, damp darkness, looking for your gloves.

Going from access to access, from river to creek and back to river, Karl would hop out of his Jimmy which had a broken driver's door lock, sniff the air, look at the water and announce, "No Fish" and off we would go to the next one. "Too many people!" and off we'd go until we found what our guide was looking for.

Karl was one of the best fish spotters I have ever seen. I consider myself reasonably good at this aspect but Karl could see fish where I could see only green depths. Zen, I suspected.

Karl's fly selection didn't leave much to the imagination, small egg flies and small bead head stoneflies, usually fished tandem. They worked, so why get experimental? But the flies were much smaller than the ones I carry when I am in Wisconsin or Michigan. The eggs, or less elegantly sucker spawn as they are known locally, were the hot fly. #14's.

We fished for three days with Karl and he saved the best for last. He had access to some private water, and though it took about 45 minutes to get back into it, and a walk down a hill that would make Cardiac Hill look like a molehill, we ended up in a gorge with 300' high shale bluffs at every bend. Deep, dark green pools and riffles with fish shooting up between the leaves of shale were our reward. One of the pretiest places I have ever been, and I get around. And we had it to ourselves! As usual, he who uses the most lead wins, and this area was no exception. Bobber watchin' ain't excatly my cup of tea, but it was deadly as Bill and Hugh landed fish after fish. Karl said he had some better water over in New York but it was running muddy. Mercy, I guess I better go back and check it out! By the way, the walk out of that gorge was a killer, and I was glad to have been accompanied by two physicians who would have done a tracheotomy with a dull fillet knife given the slightest provocation.

We had first class fishing accommodations, economical and huge at a local Best Western, good food on the Erie waterfront where the walleye was the best I have ever eaten. By the way, the Best Western has a free breakfast but doesn't open until 6.......

As always, the highlight of the trip was the companionship, for which Ozark Fly Fishers is substantially responsible. I mean, how else do you meet these people???

Karl Weixlmann may be contacted at 814-836-8013. His web site is www.fisherie.com/flyfisherie

I will be seeing Karl again.

Table 2

INTRODUCTION: This is the third annual Ozark Fly Fishers Survey for the Bennett Springs Catch and Release Outing on Saturday November 9, 2002. The purpose of this study was to establish a baseline for future reference and analysis.

METHODS AND RESULTS: 44 fishermen were surveyed on Saturday evening November 9, 2002 during the social hour. This year's results were similar to the last two years. The most popular fly was the crackleback followed by the pheasant tail and the San Juan worm. On average the line used was 6x test line (3.5 lbs). Fishing was best in the morning, in Zones 1 and 2.

The results were similar to the last two years except the size of the fish was larger this year by approximately one inch. See Table 1. Of interest there was again one person who caught 122 fish, the largest being 23 inches using a yellow crackleback near the outlet of the hatchery. When asked how he catches so many fish he states he "goes where the highest concentration of fish are and he is there to catch fish."

CONCLUSION: The attempt has been made to develop a baseline for statistical analysis over the last three years. Though a paradigm has been created by the author to increase trout fishing activity the author cannot come to any scientific conclusion or formula when and why fish bite. See the revised Table 2.

Shakespeare said "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet, Act 1, and Albert Einstein also said, "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."

Therefore this will be the final survey by the author and like everyone else "you could not step twice into the same river; for other waters are ever flowing on to you" Heraclitus 500 BC. So just enjoy it each time you go fishing.

Personally, I have been more inclined to the Scientific Wild-Ass Guessing method and it has served me well. Particularly the principle that EVERYTHING WORKS BACKWARDS., when applied to most everyday problems is usually the correct way of understanding how the universe works. Thus "dark fly, dark day" is reversed to "light fly, dark day." and "always fish behind you first," are prime examples.

I was heartened to read that astronomers discovered that cosmic expansion is not slowing down, as the velocity of the Big Bang peters out; rather, the galaxies are racing outward at ever-increasing speed. Explained by something called "dark energy," which repels matter rather than attracts it. Wow. Now it's looking like "dark energy" may be the opposite of gravity in every way. Not only repelling rather than attracting; gravity increases as distance declines, whereas "dark energy" seems to increase as distance increases. This may be why cosmic expansion is speeding up -- the galaxies keep receding farther apart, and the farther apart the they get, the stronger "dark energy" becomes. The mind boggles. But to those of the philosophy that EVERYTHING WORKS BACKWARDS, there was no doubt some metaphysical energy floating around that cause light flies to work on dark days and the fish are always behind you.

"Don't force it, get a bigger hammer" is another great example of this line of thinking. Applying the theory to fly fishing is easy. 1) Find someone who is catching lots of fish. 2) Use what he is using. OR 3) Try a crackleback.

I would observe that the technique of fishing in the hatchery outlet is what I call the John Dillenger Theory, or fishing where the money is. This technique is far too logical for my approach to life which holds the fish are always behind you. Wait a minute! At the Bennett Spring hatchery outlet, there are zillions of fish behind you! TA DA!!!

Dr. Bohigian reminds me, however, "Remember you CAN step in BS twice and it will still be BS." Amen.

More next month.