FLY FISHERS OF THE BITTERROOT
NEWSLETTER FOR January, 2008
THE MEETING
Our January meeting will be held Tuesday, January 8, 2008, upstairs at the Exchange Club on Main Street in Hamilton. Cocktails and general fish tales start at 6:00 pm and the program starts at 7:00 pm. As a rule, the Club meets the first Tuesday of every month except for the months of July and August, when there will not be any meetings. Please remember to sign up with FFF if you haven’t already done so. Membership applications are available at all meetings. See Doreen Romans, our Membership Chair. This can also be accomplished on line with FFF, http://www.fedflyfishers.org . Guests are always welcome but you must be a member of FFF to attend regularly our monthly meetings and programs.
Don't forget to make reservations (Dorreen Romans, 363-0744)
only if you are coming for dinner . If we have enough folks coming, The Exchange will hire extra help. Otherwise, the service will be slow, so please make reservations. Thanks for your help in this. There is no charge for attending the meetings or any requirement to have dinner.
THE SPEAKER
Our January program will be presented by Chris Clancy, a fisheries biologist for FWP whose area of coverage includes our Bitterroot River. Chris will speak about stream setback requirements, whirling disease update, Bitterroot fish populations, "electrofishing" and bull trout recovery. This should be a must for all you Bitterroot River fishing folks.
THOSE WHO SPAKE
Joe Cummings brought his imposing size (former pro footballer) and considerable fishing knowledge to our Club in December to speak about tarpon, permit and bone fishing in Belize. Joe was candid and very informative. He used to lead guided trips to the land of pina coladas. Now, he concentrates on being an outfitter and guide on the Bitterroot, Clark Fork and Blackfoot. He can be contacted through his outfit, A Classic Journey, at 406-327-7818 or 877-327-7878. Thanks Joe!
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
From The President’s "Raft":
It’s time to "ring in the New Year" and with it a new set of Board members and officers. Our former President, Phil and his most able helper Dorreen are stepping down, but not out. Dorreen and Phil have agreed to stay on the Board and help this novice. Our local chapter would not exist today if it were not for the dedication and diligent work of these two people. We all stand, and in a loud voice say A JOB WELL DONE. Thank you.
At our January 8 th meeting you will receive an Interest Sheet so you can indicate what direction you would like to see the club move and what type of programs you want. Please take the time to fill it out. With your help the Board of Directors can better decide how to make your club interesting for all members.
We already have some interesting programs and outings planned for the new year, but please feel free to make suggestions. Board meetings are always open to any member who wishes to attend. It’s your club and we want your input to make it grow.
Cliff
THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Hi folks,
First of all it has been a pleasure making the acquaintance of our club members as president over the last two years. (Not that I'm going anywhere.) I do feel that I have passed the job into good hands. I know Cliff Gibbons is the person for the job, and I am confidant that he'll put the club's best interest first.
We are still in our developmental stages, and I hope that the coming year will see the organization grow and pique the interest of lots more fly fishers here in the valley. It's up to all of us in the Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot to help us get the word out, and find and keep new members so we can develop new programs, bring up new ideas, but most of all, make new friends. It's been my pleasure to fish with a fair number of you, and I hope to see you all on the river in the coming year (Not at the same time though). Dorreen and I will still be doing the River Cleanup on September 6th this year, and I hope to see some of you out there.
Tight lines,
Phil Romans
THE SANTA'S MESSAGE
The Club wishes you and all of yours a most excellent Holiday Season! We trust the jolly old gent was good to you and that you share our sugar plum dreams of hatches, swirling fish and time on the river with friends, new and old.
NEW OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS!
At our December 4 members meeting, the Club elected by proclamation a new slate of directors: Cliff Gibbons, Pierre Satkowiak, Mike Wesche, Ed Couchman, Phil and Dorreen Romans, Phil Pennell, Bob Curry, Greg Chester, Rick Hancock, Leon Powell and Rich Morrisey. These directors convened a meeting on December 17 and elected new officers for the coming year: President: Cliff Gibbons; Vice President: Greg Chester; Treasurer: Leon Powell; and Secretary: Rich Morrisey. We wish all these folks good luck in their assignments this coming year.
FEBRUARY MEETING
This is a heads up on our February meeting. The Club will have individual tables set up with a "guide" and a selected topic at each table. One will be gearing up for the season; another will be a hands on knot tying refesher GED diploma program; another will be hands on reel cleaning (bring your reels in and sit down and clean them; you know you won't get around to it otherwise); another will be on fly tying (bring your questions and learn new techniques at the table); another will be on rod repairing; another will be on what you really need in your fly vest ("Go Divest, young man. Go divest the vest!).
THE EVENTS
Club Outings:
As you know, you avid readers of this newsletter, the Club is planning an outing to Georgetown Lake on May 17, the traditional opening day. Pierre Satkowiak, our beloved cruise director will have more on this later. We also are working on a Smith River outing in May or June which will likely be a four night/five day float of that restricted and beautiful river. Other destinations are under active review. Contact Pierre if you have any thoughts or even if you don't.
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Fly Tying:
Fly tying, Wednesday evenings at the Brewery in Hamilton, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Be there or be square. Bring your favorite pattern or just come to observe. Greg Chester, Phil Romans, Dick Galli and a number of great Bitterroot tyers are usually there. And there's always the permitted 48 ounces of your favorite flavor. We hope to see some of you. Any fly you are afraid to throw into heavy cover is good only for an ornament, so you know you need to tie more.
Board of Directors Meeting:
Our next Board meeting will be Monday, January 21st at Phil and Dorreen Romans home at 7:30 pm. All are welcome. Call Phil or Dorreen for directions: 363-0744.
FFF & FFF Council events:
FFF 43rd Int'l Show & Conclave 2008
THE ERRATA
Temperature of Members' Interests to be taken:
Our new President, Cliff Gibbons, will circulate at the January meeting a questionnaire to better determine the interests of the members and how the Club can better address them. What program ideas do you have? What topics would you like to see us do or do more of?
Bitterroot Trout Unlimited Skalkaho Restoration Project:
The following story by Perry Backus from a recent Missoulian tells about the final step in the Skalkaho restoration project that the Bitterroot TU chapter has been working on for a number of years. The TU arm of this effort was led by Don Mabry who was fervent in his belief that landowners, irrigation companies and sportsmen would be willing to work together for a good cause. The story should be an inspiration to all of us who treasure our native trout. I can’t think of a better present for the cutthroat and bull trout who use Skalkaho. Congrats are in order to Chris Clancy, Don Mabry and to everyone else who put in the countless hours making this a reality.
missoulian.com/articles/2007/12/26/news/mtregional/news06.txtRaffle:
Greg Chester's beautiful hand made net was won in the December raffle by the San Juan Worm ( as well as several other items) and he appreciates it. There will be a goodly assortment of items at our January meeting. To refresh your memory, the Club's sole source of income is the raffle proceeds. And, no, I do not bend, fold or mutilate my raffle tickets. But I do offer canned karma for sale to selected friends.
News from the Bitterroot Trout Unlimited Club:
Last Minute Gift Idea: Still looking for the perfect gift for someone? The fine art print by Monte Dolack that BRTU commissioned may be just the ticket. Entitled "Bittterroot River – Lost Horse Bend", the print depicts a golden hued summer evening on the upper Bitterroot looking up Lost Horse Canyon. Monte says that the original has already been sold! The standard signed/numbered numbered prints are $175, a limited number of signed/numbered Publishers Proofs are for $375, and the exclusive print numbers 2/5 are available for $500. All proceeds go to support BRTU programs in education and conservation. They are available by contacting Bill Bean at Fishaus Tackle (363-6158,
fishaus@montana.com )January 17 BRTU program: The January 17, 2008 program will be offered by Bruce Farling and several others. Montana TU has been intimately involved in hammering out a model for compromise on the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest. Sportsmen, conservationists, wood product companies and local governments all worked together on a partnership plan that they all could agree on. This is a model for areas like the Bitterroot and other places in the west. Bruce is bringing down some of the players to talk about how they all realized they had more in common than not. More information will be coming out next month, but you don’t want to miss this program. You can read more about the agreement and the federal legislation that it has spawned in the attached Op-Ed piece from the November 25, Missoulian.
Thoughts to Ponder:
> 1. The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow.
> 2. Money will buy a fine dog but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
> 3. If you don't have a sense of humor, you probably don't have any sense at all.
> 4. Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.
> 5. A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.
> 6. How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?
> 7. Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.
> 8. Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?
> 9. Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job.
> 10. No one has more driving ambition than the boy who wants to buy a car.
> 11. There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity.
> 12. There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4 AM. Like this: It could be a right number.
> 13. No one ever says "It's only a game" when their team is winning.
> 14. I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.
> 15. Be careful reading the fine print. There's no way you're going to like it.
> 16. Do you realize that in about 40 years, we'll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos? (And rap music will be the Golden Oldies!)
> 17. Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a luxury SUV than in a Yugo.
> 18. After 50 if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.
I know! I know! It's the same old stuff, slightly tweaked. But nobody else volunteered. So, you are stuck with me again for a year. You can reach me at 206-362-1199 with comments or slanderous threats (yes, it's a Seattle area code but if you use the ubiquitious cell phone, there's no extra charge.) or rich@rkymtn.net. I encourage newsletter ideas. Also, I know this newsletter is not getting through the ether to all members. If you are not getting this collector's item of info, call me or see me at a meeting to ensure the correctness of your e-mail address in our files. Rich Morrisey
When someone tries to surprise you, let them think they got away with it...
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