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March 2016 |
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News & EventsGeneral Meeting - Tuesday, March 8, 2016Dave Hess
Dave will be bringing samples of new equipment and materials and give a brief description of them for the audience. Dave Hess is a retired law enforcement officer from PA who has fly fished for the past 30 years. He has travelled and fished extensively throughout the western US and Canada. His passions are fishing dry flies to wild trout as well as swinging flies for steelhead. Currently he is employed at Tight Lines Fly Fishing in Parsippany, NJ. Become a Wildlife Conservation Corps Volunteer !Central Jersey TU members regularly assist the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife in helping stock trout streams (we devote many man hours each year to stock Point Mountain for example), help in running various fishing events at the Pequest Hatchery Pond during Open House and special weekend activities, plus volunteer in stream restoration and other “hands on ” projects. For a lot of large state projects, or while working at a state hatchery for example, NJF&W requires volunteers to be signed up for the WCC for participation, as this also covers all volunteers for injury while engaged in sanctioned activities. Well, we at CJTU will make the hardest part of signing up: providing a photo for the WCC ID card, that much easier for you by having CJTU board member Nick Romanenko (who happens to be the Rutgers University photographer by day) photograph portraits at the March 8th meeting, starting at 7:30 pm. These photos are provided free of charge to you as we hope to encourage a healthy participation from CJTU membership in volunteer activities that benefit the environment and help improve fishing in our great state. Plus our members usually end up having the best looking ID cards too! Information on WCC can be found at: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/wcchome.htm An application can be downloaded from: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/wcc_appl.pdf For those not so computer savvy or with limited access, we will also have some printed forms available at the meeting. Basic Fly CastingGeorge HryvniakIn an attempt to help our members and new members, we will be offering basic fly casting instruction. There may be some of you who don't fly fish but would like to start. You may have a friend who needs instruction but is not a member. Please let that person know they are welcome to attend these classes as well. The rate of survival is much higher when a fish is caught on a fly and then released. That is one of the reasons so many of us fly fish. It is another way to protect our coldwater fisheries. The instruction will begin at 6:30 until 7:45 before the March, April, and May meetings. We have a way of teaching fly casting indoors during inclement weather or until the weather warms. We promise it will be a lot of fun. Many of us take our fly rods out in our backyard or to a local park to just cast. Casting by itself is very enjoyable and relaxing. We hope to see you at our first session on March 8. American Legion Hall
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Fourth Annual March Fly Tying MadnessSunday, March 20, 2016
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Sparse Grey Matter Fly Tying Event – Wrap-upBy Lou DiGenaOn Sunday February 28, 2016 CJTU tiers Bart Lombardo, Rich Dooley, his daughter Maggie and I tied at the 6th Sparse Grey Matter Fly Tying event at the Califon Fire Department Ballroom. Dette Flies of Roscoe, NY and Shannon's Fly Shop of Califon, NJ, two of the oldest independently owned fly shops in the northeast sponsored the event along with Regal Vise and Scott Rods. I believe most if not all the New Jersey Trout Unlimited chapters were represented. Having tied at the last 5 events I can say this years event had the most tiers than any of the passed events. The crowd was good for most of the day, but we noticed the ballroom started to thin out earlier than prior events (60 degree weather on an February day no surprise). The crowds obviously left early to fish on the banks of south branch of Raritan River both up and down stream of Califon. On my way home after the event, every parking spot along the river had a car or two and an angler in plain sight. I don’t know if the stoneflies were out but it sure was a pleasant day for all off and on the water. Here is a short photo essay of the event by Nick Romanenko. 
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Central Jersey GossipGeorge HryvniakThis is a new column written monthly for CJTU members. The column seeks out members from our National TU membership list. When they're phoned, they're asked what their most memorable day was fishing during the past year or what did they do the last time they 'wet a line'. It is a great way to introduce members to the general membership. Its hope is to promote a better sense of camaraderie among us. Bob Vornlocker and his close friend Mike Yasinowsky, both members of Central Jersey, usually fish the Musky or Pequest. A few years ago, a younger fellow introduced Bob to Czech nymphing. Since that time, Bob has mastered this nymphing method. Last winter he bought himself an 11'- 2 weight rod which he used regularly last season. Bob and Mike were fishing the Pequest this past June at the spillway below the hatchery. With 5X tippet and a size #14 olive Wolly Bugger Bob hooked into a large rainbow. After a five minute fight he landed the fish. When he netted the fish the hook fell out (Lucky Guy!). The fish was over twenty inches and weighed between 4 and 5 pounds. That's a fish Bob won't soon forget! During the heat of summer, Bob and Mike pursue warm water species. They enjoy fly fishing Colonial Park lake in Somerset County. It's not uncommon for them to catch fourteen to seventeen bass there during the summer. Bob said dragon fly imitations are deadly for the bass. Hopefully Bob and Mike will enjoy another successful season this year. Good luck guys! Sometimes we forget that not all TU members fish. Their support for TU is because of their concern for conservation. Michael J. White is one of our non-fishing members. When he was a boy, he did say he had the 'fishing fever' each spring. Michael told me that he supports several conservation organizations. He told me TU is one of them so that our children and grandchildren can trout fish our streams and rivers as adults. I then told him of our various activities and he was pleased. It seemed as though he felt his contributions were well spent after hearing about our activities. Thanks so much Michael! Some of us get rid of cabin fever by braving the cold and fish despite the weather. For Paul Veneziano, braving the cold to fish paid off in a BIG way. Paul was fishing Ken Lockwood Gorge on February 1. He was using his 8' 6" rod for 4 weight line. While drifting a size #20 Olive Scud he hooked into a large fish. When he landed the fish he saw it was a rainbow that measured 22". Nice catch Paul! 
Kim Ott is on the board of directors of our Chapter. Because of several health issues during the last few years, his fishing outings have been limited. Despite his own problems, he still makes it his business to help stock the Point Mountain section of the Musky with the Chapter stocking group. He said that just a day out on the stream is enough to bring him satisfaction. He does recall one special day this past season when he managed to land a trout as well. Just a day out and a trout brought to the net is all we hope for when we head to the stream!
Tight lines, |
Fly of the Month“K L Special”
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