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April 2009 |
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General Meeting - Tuesday, April 14, 2009This months program is on "Trout in the Classroom" by Wendell 'ozzie' OzefovichUnderwaterOz is back after being UnderWeatherOz last December. The Life Cycle of the Brook Trout, a presentation as given to the Trout in the Classroom students. The Life Cycle of the Brook Trout was developed for students who are engaged in the Trout in the Classroom program. It is a narrated video presentation of 22 minutes duration, and interaction with the students during the presentation extends the time to approximately 30 minutes. It shows the class where the trout eggs came from, and then what happens to the trout after their release. The presentation explains the life cycle of both hatchery-bred and wild trout that reproduce naturally in our streams and rivers, the food they eat, their predators, and other perils that trout face throughout their life cycle. It also includes the spawning sequence of wild trout from the physical changes that take place in the fall, to the final spawn. May 12- Aaron JasperMethods of European Nymphing
Note: The June meeting will be held on the third Tuesday which is June 16thJune 16- Kelcey BurguessBlack Bears on the Fly: Avoiding Conflicts, Managing Encounters
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News & EventsThe 2009 Trip Schedule is now availableThis year we have a trip to the Big Horn River planned for July 18-26, 2009. Here is a short description of what to expect fishing this river from Dave Hart. The Big Horn is one of the most productive trout Rivers. It was opened in 1981 as a world class trout stream. Water flow averages 2000 cubic feet per second with a summer temperature in the 50 degree range that this has an extremely rich food base with excellent trout reproductive and growth rates, and a heavy fishing pressure. The upper stretch has more rainbows and fisher- men and the lower has more brown trout. The Crow Indians limit access so most of the time floating or wading fishing bars must be spent below the high water mark. On a previous trip we used a drift boat for transportation between fishing spots and to locate fishing pods. Dry Fly fishing can be excellent with 9-10 feet leaders usually with double flies a foot apart in Sizes #16-18. We used pale morning Duns, Para-chute Adams, and various Caddis To #18-20 and Trico Duns or Spinners and then with nymphs. Nymphs also included #16-18 Sow Bugs, and Gold-ribbed Hare's Ears. We used Midge Larva and Pupa patterns, etc. Orange scuds were a great success as were strike indicators about nine foot above two nymphs with lead shot (or two) about 15 " above the first and heavier nymphs and a second shot 14" down. The Big Horn River will provide an exciting and heart-warming week of fishing. Clean-Up On The Wild And Scenic MusconetcongApril 18, 2009by Stuart ShafranOur 2009 Annual Musconetcong River Clean-up date has been set for April 18th. We will be assembling once again, at the Hampton Boro Park, located at the intersection of the Musconetcong River and Route 31. Sign-in is at 8 am, at which time clean-up locations will be assigned, trash bags, gloves, water, and snacks will be distributed, and group photos will be taken. Clean-up hours are from 9 am -12 noon. The Musconcetcong Watershed Association will provide lunch beginning at noon, for all participants of the clean-up, at the newly renovated River Resource Center in Asbury. We recommend that you wear long pants and shirts. It may be too early in the year for ticks, but not too early for poison ivy. We also recommend that you wear waterproof boots, a hat, dress in layers, and carry a walking stick. Chest waders are optional. Depending on the flow of the river we may only be working close to the water's edge. For first time volunteers, travel Route 78 West to exit 17 North. This puts you onto Route 31 North, where you will travel for 7.5 miles to the intersection of River Road/Musconetcong River. Turn left at that traffic signal. At the first stop sign, turn right, and make an immediate right into the park. We will be meeting under the pavilion. We encourage you to bring your children, grandchildren, wives, husbands and significant others. You may choose, instead, to fish a spot just discovered that day. The river is in great shape and will be fully stocked. Every year this event has proven not only to be rewarding, but lots of fun as well. Here's your opportunity to not only help the environment, but more importantly, set good examples for others. To register or for more information please call Stuart Shafran, 732-500-5239, or e-mail me at s2rtflyfisher@verizon.net. Don't forget a camera! Point Mountain Stocking ProgramWe initiated our Musconetcong stocking program on March 23. Dan Rodriguez, Brian Cowden, Kevin Martin and I stocked 870 brook trout and brood stock into the Point Mountain stretch. We distributed the fish up river as far as the ATV could effectively travel along the walking trail. Several buckets were even carried up beyond this point and placed above the low rock defection dam near the old foundations. Those that I've talked to who fished the river all winter commented that the quality and number of hold over rainbows were excellent. Anyone who is interested in volunteering for this worth while project should contact me a richapost@comcast.net. The remaining stocking days are all on Fridays and are as follows: April 17, 24 and May 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. As for some additional information, we meet at the Point Mountain Road Bridge at approx. 8:30 AM. The hatchery truck arrives around 9:00. It generally takes two of us about two plus hours to stock the fish up stream. The Musky is closed for fishing on these stocking dates. I recommend that if you volunteer for stocking or any other stream restoration project that you become registered with the state as a Wildlife Conservation Corps Volunteer. In the event that you are injured performing volunteer work you are then covered by state insurance. Registration can be accomplished through the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife website or by stopping at the Peaquest hatchery Rich Post - Point Mountain Volunteer Stocking Coordinator |
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Members of Central Jersey TU helped out other Wildlife Conservation Corps volunteers at last weekend's Annual Open House at the Pequest Hatchery and Education Center. We were especially busy assisting youngsters as they fished on the education pond. Saturday, while very blustery for humans, was a phenomenally active day for the trophy trout in the pond. Dick Turse reports that he's never seen the fishing "on" like this, as the kids were catching trout on every cast. Sunday's weather was fabulous, and record crowds were to be found at all locations around the hatchery. The fishing was solid, not as great as the day before, but Bill Van Zandt says the crowds kept all the volunteers working like crazy from morning through the entire afternoon. We had fly tyers in the Resource Center, and sold some last-chance tickets for our Annual Conservation Raffle. The lucky winner of the Art Port constructed bamboo rod and the entire artisan prize package was drawn at 4 pm on Sunday. Congratulations to Lesli Rodgers (a TU member) of Glen Rock! More photos from this event can be found here. |
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President’s LetterApril 2009Well its finally here...Trout Season! Yesterday was the season opener and though the weather was a little wet, by the looks of it plenty of folks were out on the water. For me the ritual of opening day has more to do with tradition than actual fishing. I don't believe I have missed an opening day since I started fishing at the age of 5. In the beginning opening day meant sitting on the banks of Diamond Mill Pond in Essex County with my father and his fishing buddies. I recall a particularly cold opening day when I spent most of the day huddled in front of a small bank side fire just trying to stay warm. By the time I was ten or eleven I started fishing with a fellow chapter member Lou Digena. I can count the number times on one hand that we haven't fished together on opening day. The first few trips were still with my father who carted us all over the state, every year fishing somewhere different. My first stream swimming trout was caught on one of these trips. I don't know the exact river, in fact Lou and I have searched for years trying to locate the exact stretch of water but have never been able to find it. It remains a mystery to this day. Opening days with my father stopped the year I obtained my drivers license. With the ability to travel, opening day could find me on a half a dozen streams in a single day. After sampling the majority of trout water in North Jersey we finally settled into a routine. For the next 20 years or so opening day usually found us on the Flat Brook. First with spinning tackle, fishing waters that would be closed to all except the fly fisherman a few weeks after opening day. In fact the whole concept of closing certain waters to fly-fishing only is what got me started in fly-fishing. The desire to continue fishing that beautiful water is what drove me to take up fly-fishing. It was a tentative start at first; I only picked up the fly rod after I had caught my fill of fish with spinning gear. I seldom slept much the night before opening day. The evening was usually spent gathering and arranging gear, collecting bait and lying in bed tossing and turning waiting for the 3:00 am alarm to go off. There were a few years where there was no sleep at all. It was tough staying awake driving to the stream in the middle of the night without any sleep, but I woke right up when I stepped into that icy stream in a leaky pair of canvas waders! Then there was the year that I decided to hang up the spinning rod. I was jumping into fly-fishing with both feet. I had made the decision to fish the entire season with nothing but a fly rod. If I recall correctly it was the first and only opening day that I blanked. But the failure was short lived; I started to figure out what I was doing and catch rates went up. Then I started catching more fish than I ever had using spinning gear. I was hooked! The spinning rod has never come down off the wall and I have never looked back. In more recent years my opening day begins on the night before when I meet with friends on a small section of the South Branch of the Raritan. We eat like kings, cooking steaks and potatoes over the fire, and spend the evening swapping lies before retiring to our vehicles for the evening. Many of us have made alterations to our vehicles to ensure a good nights rest, removing seats, installing cots and beds, in short turning the family car into a RV! This year I did not get as much sleep as I normally do, but not for the usual reasons. As I retired to my vehicle around midnight I learned that I had locked my self out of my truck. I have no objection to spending a night outdoors, but in addition to spending a rainy night outside all my gear was locked in the vehicle. Missing an opening day was not an option. So I woke a friend out of bed who lived a few miles away, borrowed his truck and spent the next 2 hours driving home and back to get a spare set of keys. At 6:00am I rolled out of my sleeping bag a little groggy but no worse for the wear. After a filling streamside breakfast I returned my friend's truck and was on the water by for the official start of the season at 8:00am. Just about the time it started to rain...
Tight Lines, |
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Ed Kordyla and John Wester did a fly tying demo at Efinger's last month |
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The CJTU Fly Tying School wrapped it up last month and it was another successful year. We would like to thank all who paticipated in this years event, especially the following instructors: Beginners: Ed Kordyla and Bob Kean Our fly tying school is held during the months of January, February and March. If you are interested in attending the 2010 school, watch for the announcment in the fall. A few more photos are here. |
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ArticlesThis months article is from Jim Holland of Shannon's fly shop and is titled "A New Season on the River" In our region, no season is more anticipated than Spring. Although many of us have been on the water since the short days of January, many more have been at the fly tying bench dreaming of warmer days. Certainly it dominated most of the discussions as my partners, George Cassa and Eric Hildebrant led our free Sunday morning fly classes. Winter angling, though productive, is more a somber and fleeting experience; that time we can spend in pursuing our quarry is limited by wind, snow and ice. The storms of March and early April often raise stream levels and the increased flows through the riffles create the impression that the river is almost laughing, imploring us to shake off the effects of Winter's reticence. There is much to celebrate this year. Two organizations are celebrating key anniversaries. Trout Unlimited is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. Founded in 1959, this organization has a long and impressive record of conservation in New Jersey's Highlands. You can find more information at www.tu.org. If you are not already a member of this great organization, get involved! Continue readind this article. |
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Pequest Programs 2009We have been informed that Pequest will once again be shutting its doors on weekends with the upcoming voluntary furlough days that Governor Corzine is imposing. Sorry for any inconvenience but all weekend programs are being cancelled.Fly Casting Clinic for Beginners - CancelledSaturday, July 11th 11am - 3pm
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Aaron Jasper is going to give a presentation on the different European nymphing techniques. He has been fortunate enough to have been taught by some of the best anglers out there. He will peak your curiosity with his show an hopefully many of you will like it enough to get started "Euro Nymphing" on your own! 
Kelcey Burguess is the Black Bear Project Leader for the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDFW). His presentation, "Black Bears on the Fly: Avoiding Conflicts, Managing Encounters", will discuss the history and population expansion of black bears in New Jersey, how bears become habituated and the NJDFW bear research and management program.In addition, he will outline what people should do if they encounter a black bear, how to "bear proof" their residence, and other tips to minimize conflicts between bears and people that will be geared towards anglers. "Cyngen," one of NJDFW's "Bear Dogs" will also be in attendance.
