December 2018

We are in the midst of the holiday season and for many of us our thoughts are not about fishing. Not so for me, December is one of my favorite months of the year to fish. During this time of year there will still be some mild days to enjoy on the water (as I write this it is nearly 60 degrees outside!). Chances are you will find plenty of solitude on the river as most folks are busying themselves with shopping and other preparations for the upcoming holidays. Unfortunately it has been difficult to get out on the river this fall. We have been blessed with ample rainfall this year, and as a result, our area rivers have been running in a perpetual state of high water. These high flows are good for the river and the fish swimming in them but it makes it a little tough for us fisherman. Non the less I will make every attempt to get out a few times this month before old man winter comes calling. I hope you will too.

Show season is right around the corner and we are in desperate need of volunteer help. Central Jersey Trout Unlimited needs the help of our members to help spread the word about great work trout Unlimited is doing in New Jersey. CJTU needs your help to help staff our booth at the upcoming NJ Outdoor Sports Show and Fly Fishing Show in Edison NJ. These two shows are great events, at which we always manage to sign up a few new members. For the NJ Outdoor Show (January 10-13, 2019) we are looking for volunteers to tie flies at our booth, talk with show attendees about some of the recent projects we are involved with, help promote our 2019 fundraising efforts or help teach fly tying to children. Donate a few hours of your time and we will even cover your admission into the show! For the Fly Fishing Show (January 25-27) we have a smaller booth and will only be talking to folks about TU and selling tickets for our annual raffle. If you are interested in helping out at either show please send an email to volunteer@cjtu.org.

Our December meeting is our annual Fly Tying Night Out. If your a fly tier, bring your vice to the meeting and join us for a night of socializing and fly tying. As always there will be refreshments and a few holiday surprises. The festivities will start at 7:30pm.

Not a fly tier, do you want to learn? If so, your in luck! CJTU will be starting our annual fly tying classes in early 2019. You will find all the info on these classes in this newsletter. Taking a class with a live instructor is the best way to learn how to tie flies. Books and the internet are great resources but nothing beats an actual instructor who can guide you through the learning process and answer your questions along the way. For beginners all tools and materials are provided.

Things are quiet right now with our conservation projects. The clean up on Anderson Brook will not be taking place this month and will be rescheduled for early 2019. We are always on the look out for new projects and we will keep everyone in the loop as new potential work is identified.

That wraps things up for this month. I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Tight Lines
Bart Lombardo

You can contact Bart at

November 2018

This year seems to be flying by, as time goes by the years seem to get shorter and shorter. It looks like yesterday I was enjoying warm spring days on the river casting to rising fish. Now, the holidays are right on our doorsteps, and the cold winds of winter will be close behind. Until old man winter covers the banks of our trout streams with ice there is still plenty of quality fishing to be had, so make sure you make an effort to spend a little time on the water this fall.

Late fall is a great time to be on the water. As I write this, falling leaves can make fly fishing a bit frustrating. However, the leaves will fall off the trees soon enough, and the streams will be clear once again. We are enjoying plenty of water in our rivers and streams this year, maybe a little too much. With all this water the fishing has been exceptional. The skinny, clear water and spooky trout were not something we had to deal with this fall.

All of our major trout streams received a final stocking of fish last month, and some of these fish were quite large. Although I prefer solitude when fishing it is good to see the large numbers of anglers on the water this fall. The more people that enjoy our rivers and streams for recreation the better the chance we have to protect them.

Do you have a fishing friend that is not a member of Trout Unlimited? Why not encourage them to join? Invite them to a meeting to check us out. Our meetings are and always have been open to the general public, no membership is required.

October and November have been busy months for Central Jersey Trout Unlimited. On Saturday, October 20th we had our annual banquet which was quite a success. I would like to thank all of the folks on our banquet committee that put this event together. They did a phenomenal job and the evening was enjoyed by everyone in attendance. There were great food, great prizes, and great company!

Early November has been busy as well. On Friday, October 26th a group of Trout Unlimited and Raritan Headwaters volunteers headed out to the Lamington River to continue the invasive plant species removal efforts that have been ongoing at the Burnt Mills Preserve. This important work is just a small part of the restoration work being done at this site.

On Saturday, November 3rd the annual One Fly Tournament and State Council Dinner took place. The high water I mentioned earlier came into play this year. When the sun rose on the day of the tournament we were greeted by the South Branch of the Raritan River overflowing its banks. This made fishing the river impossible. The tournament organizers quickly switched gears and moved the event to a local golf course where the quarry changed from trout to panfish and bass. I was a guide/judge during the competition and had the privilege to be assigned to East Jersey Trout Unlimited’s Fred Madura. Fred went on to win the event with back to back largemouth bass that measured 20’’ and 16” respectively. Do you want to know the killer fly that took those two respectable largemouth bass? A size 16 red copper john!

On Sunday, November 4th, we assisted other local TU chapters in planting trees along the recently restored A-frame tract on the Musconetcong River. Our thanks go out to all the volunteers that came out to help work on this vital project!

Later this month Central Jersey Trout Unlimited will have a booth at the International Fly Tying Symposium On November 17th & 18th. Due to a few members being involved in this event as featured tiers, we are in desperate need of help for this show. If you would like to help staff our table for a few hours, we will cover the cost of the $15.00 ticket to get you in the show! This is a great way to meet new folks and help spread the word about all the great work CJTU is doing in New Jersey. If you are interested in helping out, please contact me at president@cjtu.org, and I will explain what is needed (trust me it is easy!) and make arrangements to purchase your tickets to the show. Without help from our general membership, we will not be able to attend this show!

Moving forward we will be scheduling a clean up on Anderson Brook sometime in December. Anderson Brook is a tributary of the Musconetcong river that has been identified as containing wild brook trout. The clean up will be the first of many projects on this watershed to protect these fish. We will send out a request for volunteers when we nail down a date.

That about wraps it up. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming meeting on Tuesday, November 13th. The meeting starts at 8:00pm, but folks start showing up around 7:30 for a little pre-meeting socializing.

Tight Lines
Bart Lombardo

You can contact Bart at

October 2018

Autumn is usually a time of extremes when it comes to trout fishing. In a typical year, anglers are faced with low, clear water and extremely spooky trout. Conditions in a normal year usually favor the fish over they angler. This year things are a little different. The amount of water in our rivers as I write this is higher than it was this past spring. Higher water may mean more difficult wading, but the fish will be more approachable and less likely to spook.

I just received word that the fall stocking of the Point Mountain section of the Musconetcong River will occur only once this fall. Our team of WCC volunteers will be out on the river in early October to stock this wonderful section of the river. The WCC is always looking for volunteers to assist with these types of programs. If you have any interest in helping in the future and getting the inside scoop on the stocking program drop me an email at president@cjtu.org or get a hold of me at a meeting and I will give you all the details.

Autumn is my favorite time to be outdoors. I love being outside when the leaves are changing, and the air sheds its summertime heat. It is also my favorite time to be on the water. Fishing in solitude is a real possibility in autumn as many anglers turn their attention to hunting, reducing the number of people sharing our rivers. It is also the best time of year to target trophy fish whether they are the broodstock put in by the state each fall or our large resident fish that begin to move about in preparation for spawning. So get out and wet a line this fall.

I have been looking forward to October’s general meeting for months now. Our presenter this month is Ozzie Ozefovich. His presentation is an updated version of The Underwater World of Trout. It will be a video presentation of many streams and rivers you are probably familiar with including the Connetquot River in Long Island, NY, Boiling Springs and Big Spring in PA, and the South Branch of the Raritan here in New Jersey.

Ozzie has spent considerable time volunteering with the Central Jersey Trout Unlimited chapter where he served on the Board of Directors for decades as the coordinator for the Trout in the Classroom program. He also worked with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife by being involved in K-12 education programs, stream restoration projects, and stream surveys. Ozzie has combined his love of trout with a lifelong interest in movie making. He has produced a series of underwater videos exploring how trout feed, spawn and behave in streams and rivers. He presents his many video programs at the Fly Fishing Shows, Trout Unlimited Chapters, and other venues throughout the states. His presentation at our meeting this month is one you will not want to miss.

We still do not have a date for our stream clean up on Anderson Brook this fall. As soon as we firm up a date, I will get the information out to everyone. I am happy to announce that we are continuing our invasive species removal on the Burnt Mills section of the Lamington River on October 26. We will be meeting on the river around 9:00. If you would like to assist us in this critical work, send me an email at president@cjtu.org or grab me at this month’s meeting and I will get you all the details.

I would like to wrap up this month by making a final push to encourage to join us at our annual banquet on October 20th at the Grillestone Restaurant in Scotch Plains. The festivities will begin at 6:00pm. The dinner will include a delicious four-course meal with a cash bar. It will be an excellent opportunity for members to get reacquainted, for family and friends to meet our members and for all to share an evening of fun, good food and raffle prizes. Among the raffle prizes will be fishing trips including one trip for two to the private waters of the Henryville Flyfishers, rod outfits such as a 9’ 9wt, a 7’6” 4wt and a Tenkara outfit. Also among the prizes are a spa basket, women’s jewelry, a women’s leather handbag and all sorts of other goodies so bring your spouse or significant other!

The cost is forty-five dollars per person. We will be accepting payments for the dinner at our October general meeting or purchase tickets online. Please respond on or before October 9, 2018, as that is the cutoff for purchasing tickets. There will be no tickets available at the door. Space is limited, so reserve early.

To purchase your tickets online click the link below.

https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=a6eeb3

If you have any questions or would like to help in any way, please feel free to contact Marsha Benovengo, Banquet Committee Chairperson at casabeno@msn.com or at (732) 780-7185.

Tight Lines
Bart Lombardo

You can contact Bart at

September 2018

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, my name is Bart Lombardo, and I am Central Jersey Trout Unlimited’s “new” president. The word new is in quotations because this will actually be my 4th term as CJTU’s President. So, I am not exactly new to many of you that have been involved with this chapter for a few years. Our past president, George Hryvniak had to resign suddenly due to a move to the Jersey Shore to be closer to his family. George will still be active in the chapter but felt he could no longer serve as president. We wish him all the best!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer. For those of you that have children, by the time you read this, the kids will be back in school, and things will slowly return to normal. Although we had our share of hot weather, we also had our share of rain, which means it has been a good summer for New Jersey trout. Our rivers are in great shape, with high water levels going into autumn. As the weather cools, you should find that plenty of trout survived the summer heat. During a recent outing, I observed water temps that remained in the sixties all day long on the South Branch in the area of Ken Lockwood Gorge. That is an excellent sign for this time of year; we should enjoy some stellar fall fishing!

CJTU’s Banquet is right around the corner. Our dinner committee has been working hard to put together a great evening out for CJTU members and their families and friends. Do you have a friend that you have trying to convince to join the chapter? Why not invite them to our banquet. It will be an evening of good food, good company and the opportunity to go home with some great prizes. The dinner will take place at The Grillestone Restaurant in Scotch Plains on Saturday, October 20th. Tickets will be available for purchase at our September general meeting. We will also be sending out an invitation via email in the days to come. Space is limited so be sure to reserve your spot ASAP, so you don’t miss out on this great event.

Our speaker this month will be Jeff Skelding. His presentation entitled Keeping the Delaware River Cold, Wet and Wild will focus on the protection and restoration of this incredible wild trout fishery. As usual, we will meet at 7:30 pm for some refreshments (pizza and soft drinks), and the business portion of the meeting will start at 8:00 pm.

Our Anderson Brook restoration is underway. The stream was electroshocked over the summer and the stretch of river surveyed produced acceptable numbers of wild trout. The next step in the process is a stream clean-up. We will be scheduling the clean up once the foliage dies down along the stream. That means we are looking at the November/December timeframe. We will be looking for volunteers once we lock down a date. If you are interested in helping out drop me a line at president@cjtu.org and I’ll add you to the contact list for this important project.

Our Musconetcong River restoration project at the A-Frame track was completed this past June. Unfortunately, several hundred feet of the project was not completed due to an issue with one of the landowners. However, the majority of the property involved was worked on, and the habitat on that stretch of river was significantly improved. I look forward to fishing it this fall to experience the change first hand!

To wrap things up, I want to mention we will be demonstrating fly tying at the Freehold LL Bean several times this fall as well as assisting them with a fly casting class. Our next fly tying demo is scheduled for Saturday, September 15 from 11 to 3. Please stop by and say hello.

That is about it for this month. Check out the rest of the newsletter for additional details on the items I discussed as well as the Fly of the Month and other things going on with the chapter. I hope to see everyone at our next meeting.

Tight Lines
Bart Lombardo

You can contact Bart at

June 2018

Two weeks ago I was invited up to my buddy Art Port's house in Carmel, New York for a few days of just a plain friendly visit and fishing on the East and West Branches of the Croton River. I managed to get in two evenings of fishing on the East Branch. We hit the usual spot that we fish for the late May evening hatchs.

In the Musky and South Branch I only nymph but now I would try to take them on the surface. I was really rusty fishing dries the first night and while Art had his normal success, I went home skunked.

Before the second night, I recalled how I fished dries years ago. I intended to use a 7 1/2' leader extended to 9' with a 36" 6X tippet. I also remembered my friend repeatedly having luck using a size #20 Griffith's Gnat at that stretch over the last couple of years. Well, the second night I went to work with my revised setup. After hooking and landing several browns in the first hour I stopped yelling "Art" each time I hooked up. He was getting frustrated by lack of hookups that second evening.

At about 8:15 he asked if he could see my fly. He saw that I had a thicker peacock herl body than his Griffith's Gnat. During the last twenty minutes that evening using one of my flies, he hooked two and landed one. He was pleased that he avoided getting skunked but that's how close friends help one another. Now while I sit here in the apartment above UpCountry Fly Shop on the third day of our trip. I wish I could have some fun like he's been having the last two nights on the Farmington River. Oh well, like I wrote once before, I'm an average fly fisherman at best!

Well, our last meeting for the Spring is the CJTU annual picnic in the grove behind the American Legion Hall, our normal meeting spot. There will be plenty of good food and camaraderie. Come and regale everyone with your personal Spring fishing adventures. I hope you can make it to the picnic next Tuesday. Just send an e-mail to Sal Lauro < slauro10@gmail.com > and let him know you're coming. You can give him the $10 cost of attending Tuesday evening. There is more about the picnic in this issue of Mainstream.

Until next month, "Tight lines!"
George

You can contact George at

May 2018

Spring has arrived in all it's glory. I finally managed to get get back into a stream yesterday after my injury in February and a couple months of rehab. It certainly was a good feeling. The inability to wade a stream was a difficult thing to deal with especially considering the time of the year. I caught two and lost four. A little more practice and I'll regain my normal fishing ability. Despite being 69 years old, I couldn't sleep well the night before simply by knowing I was going fishing the next day. I think I'm 69 going on 10. Fishing means that much to me and to most of you I'm sure.

On May 12 from 10:00 until 1:00 we will be offering casting instruction through L.L.Bean at Lake Topanemus in Freehold. It was a fun event last yet year and I'm sure it will be again this year. Lauren Palatini of L.L.Bean Freehold who manages all their outdoor activities is running the event and she is also a CJTU member.

Another big event coming up is the Pequest Open House on June 2 & 3 at the Pequest Hatchery and Education Center. This event is a major fund raiser for CJTU. We really need some of you to volunteer to help out on either Saturday (6/2) or Sunday (6/3) or both days manning our booth there. Please consider attending to help us out. Help is really needed!

On Jun 12, CJTU is having our annual picnic at the grove behind the American Legion Hall, our regular monthly meeting place in Dunellen. We'll have hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage and peppers and soda. For those of you who would like a beer, you can purchase one at the bar in the Hall. Admission is ten dollars and Sal Lauro will be collecting the money. Please see Sal at our May 8 meeting to pay your ten dollars so we can have a handle on the number of people attending. We want to make sure we have enough food available. The picnic will start at 5:00 and end at 8:00.

Friday, June 29, we will be giving casting lessons at the Pequest Hatchery and Education Center from 10:00 until 1:00. After the lessons, the students will fish the education pound to test their newly learned skill. There are numerous large rainbows swimming in that pond and they will eagerly take your fly. You can see in the attached picture the size of the fish caught and released back into the pond. We may be able to teach the students how to cast a fly but then those fish in the pound will HOOK the students in the pleasure and excitement of fly fishing.

A Pequest Pond Rainbow

Lastly, let me tell you something about our program for May. Most of us get bored during July and August because our streams and rivers warm up in the Northeast. They warm up to the extent that it is dangerous to fish for trout because catching a trout then may cost a trout it's life. Brook trout perish when water warms beyond 68 degrees and browns can survive up to water temps of 73 degrees. Bart Lambardo has found a way to keep fishing during the Summer months. His target then are warmwater fish like panfish, crappies, bass, and pickerel and Bart has created fly patterns to target these fish. Many times if he chooses not to make the drive to our Northwestern counties to fish for trout, he'll take his kayak to a local pond or lake near his house for warmwater species. I'm sure you'll enjoy his presentation. To get an idea what Bart does to catch warmwater fish, check out the Facebook page "Panfish of the Fly".

Until next month, "Tight lines!"
George

You can contact George at

April 2018

I'm not sure that this is the April's President's Letter. It seems more like early March. I just checked the weather forecast for the area around The Gorge and Point Mountain, and the area is now experiencing heavy rain and then snow for opening day this Saturday. It is certainly not pleasant weather to fish. Besides, the stream flow in the Musky was at 512 CFS this morning. Oh well, we'll just have to endure the weather and high water if we want to fish opening day! All this, and just when I'm ready to wade a stream again after a knee injury I had in early February. My Buddy, Bart Lombardo, has advised any CJTU members he speaks with not to ask me for any suggestions as to how to wade a stream. My mishap happened while wading The Gorge with Bart. On a serious note, if it weren't for Bart, I might still be trying to get up after my fall. He is a good friend!

If you're interested in finding new places to fish for trout in New Jersey, DO NOT MISS THIS MEETING! Our speaker this month is Agust Gunmundsson who will be presenting the second half of his presentation from last April. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to trout fishing in New Jersey. I remember Agust thirty some years ago when he first joined CJTU. From that time, he has made quite a name for himself. Despite that, he is very approachable and easy to talk to. I was delighted when he told me he will try to attend every other CJTU monthly meeting. It's like old times to see him so often.

This is a very busy time of the year for CJTU and for all of us trying to find the time to fish. The following are the various activities in which we are involved in the next few months. Please mark your calendars with these events.

On Saturday, April 14, we'll be meeting at 9:00 a.m. at the parking area on Point Mountain Road near the river. We will begin the day with our annual cleanup of the TCA stretch. The cleanup should take no longer than an hour and a half. After that, we're going to don our waders and hit the river for a stream walk and some fishing. This is an opportunity for those of you who aren't familiar with the TCA stretch to learn the ropes. Those of us who fish it often will share our knowledge in the hope of you experiencing "tight lines" that day. Hopefully, we won't have any snow that day, but who knows with our crazy weather this year.

The next Saturday, April 21, we'll be teaching fly casting at Molder's Fish Preserve's trout pond in Jamesburg. There is a $12 fee to fish and a chance to catch some trout. We're going to cast flies with barbless hooks. This will protect the fish and allow us to release them. There is a opportunity to hook into some larger trout like the rainbow you see here. If you want to take fish home for dinner, there is $6 cost per pound of fish. Not a bad deal to learn to cast and have some fun at the same time.

Please consider donating your no-longer-used fishing items to CJTU to be sold at the Pequest Open House June 2 & 3. We did very well selling items last June and raised additional funds for our conservation efforts.

On May 5 we will be participating in the second annual Califon Trout Fest. Further details about the Trout Fest will appear on our website, Facebook, and Instagram during the next few weeks.

In closing, stay warm this Saturday, "Opening Day", and catch a few trout.

Until next month,
George

You can contact George at

March 2018

As I sit here writing this letter, we're dealing with our second Nor'easter in five days. We had a few good days to fish in January and February, but this March stinks so for. The streams are so high that even if it warmed up and stopped raining, we're at least a week or two away from a fishable height. The reason being the ground is so saturated that it cannot absorb any more water.

I always try to fill you in on my fishing exploits over the last month. Molder's Fish Preserve is only twenty minutes from my home in Marlboro. A few of us have been testing it since we're having our fly casting course there on April 21. Molder's allows us to fish catch and release with barbless hooks for $12.00 a day. If you go there to fish, make sure you tell them you're from CJTU. You can always keep some fish for a fee. He stocks the large trout pond with rainbows and tigers. It was last stocked in November, so there are less trout there now, and those there tend to be spooky.

Embedded in this letter is a picture of a thirteen-inch tiger I caught and released about three weeks ago. They are basically silver since I think they feed on minnows exclusively. I couldn't capture the vermiculation in the picture. I did see it though on the fish's back in the sunlight. BTW, the last time I was there I saw a large tiger about seventeen inches near the bank waiting to ambush some baitfish. I tossed my wollybugger in his view but he spooked.

Molder's is waiting for the path to the trout pond to dry up so the stocking truck can get to the pond to stock. They told me hopefully that will happen in the next couple of weeks. You can phone them at 732-446-2850 in a couple of weeks to ask if it has been stocked.

Don't forget our Musky cleanup and stream walk afterwards on April 14. We will meet at 9:00 at the small parking area on Point Mountain Road. If you want to learn which flies to fish and the pools to fish on the TCA Point Mountain Stretch, this is your chance. Please sign up for the cleanup and stream walk at the meeting on March 13.

On March 24 and 25 we will be at the Pequest Open House. We're asking for any old fishing equipment that you no longer use, so we can sell it there. Last year we did very well raising funds by selling flies and the donated used equipment. Please consider looking through your basement and garage to see what you can donate and bring your donation to our meeting on March 13.

In April we're going to be at Rutger's Day on Saturday April 28. That is always a super event to get our TU conservation message out to thousands of people.

Again, this month we have another interesting speaker, Matt Grobert speaking on New Jersey hatches and their imitations. And as usually, pizza soda and a lot of good prizes. Come out and join us!

Tight Lines,
George

You can contact George at

February 2018

It's the morning of February 5 as I write this letter. It's another cold and windy day outside, not conducive to enjoying a day on a stream. Nevertheless, checking the long-term forecast, Valentine's Day is supposed to reach 49 degrees. If that holds true, I plan to be on a stream. January 22 was a warm, cloudy day with only a brief sprinkle of rain which allowed me to fish the "Gorge". I found the Gorge to have a good number of fish in it, and managed to land five, including one about eighteen inches. Maybe, just maybe, I'll get the same thrill on Valentine’s Day. At least I can hope!

It looks as though we have a good number of people registered for our beginner’s and intermediate fly tying classes. The beginner’s program will be new, with web-based tying incorporated in the course. That program was developed by our instructors this past fall. They are indeed a gifted and creative group! I'm sure those attending the beginner’s classes will learn the art of tying and have a new hobby to fill their winter evenings.

The Garden State Outdoor Sportsman’s Show and the Fly Fishing Show were well attended, and we had the pleasure of talking to a good number of people interested in our chapter’s conservation and fishing activities. If half the people I invited to our February 13 meeting show up, we will have a very large crowd. If you and I spoke, please don't forget my invitation, and join us on Feb.13.

I am pleased to announce that one of our long-term members, Neil DeRiggi, has volunteered to be CJTU's Veterans Coordinator. Neil joined our chapter back in the late 70's and has been heavily involved with "Project Healing Waters" for the last several years. I mention this in case any of you are veterans and would like to reach out to Neil. You can talk with him at one of our meetings or reach out to him on e-mail < fishn50@aol.com >. Thank you, Neil.

The “A-Frame project", which is a major stream restoration and improvement project, will officially begin on June 18. We will need some people to help clear a path for the heavy equipment entering the stream. All of the final permits were granted, and we have received the signed documents. This is another exciting time for our chapter as it was when the Point Mountain project commenced in June of 2015. I feel after our work on the A-Frame property, that stretch will rival Point Mountain as a destination to fish. Most of the work on this project was done by our Conservation Chair, Fred Simonson. From his work with the Point Mountain project and now the A-Frame project, Fred has been our resident expert, as well as being the Chapter Treasurer. Kudos to Fred!

Dates to remember: April 14 is the annual Musconetcong River cleanup, followed by a stream walk of Point Mountain. If you want to learn where to fish and what flies to use to be successful there, please join us. We had a blast on our last stream walk there this past November 4. On May 5 we will be teaching fly casting at Molder's Fish Preserve in Englishtown. Their trout pond is heavily stocked, so hopefully students may experience their first tight line. On June 29 we will be teaching fly casting at the Pequest Hatchery Education Center. Students will have another chance to catch and release some large rainbows at the education pond.

Keep an eye out for a warm day and wet a line this month!

You can contact George at

January 2018

Well first of all, I would like to mention for those of you who didn't attend, that the December meeting was a great time and everyone had fun. Santa's arrival was quite a scene that evening. Santa was kind enough to hand out a fly box to everyone. At first Santa gave me a bag of coal, but afterwards he mended my broken heart and gave me a fly box. The big winner of the night was Trevor Martin, one of our younger members, who won the 9'0" 4 wt. Orvis Clearwater rod which Santa brought in as the big door prize. Here you see Trevor with Santa and his new rod. Congratulations Trevor! Santa will return next December, and who knows what he will have next year in his goodie bag!

OK! It's far too cold for anyone of us to wade a stream now and for the foreseeable future. How long is it to mid-March? This is the time of year for us trout bums when many of us contract a severe case of "cabin fever". There is no better antibiotic for cabin fever than attendance to one of two shows later this month. The Garden State Outdoor Sportsman Show (Jan. 11, 12, 13, & 14) and the Fly Fishing Show (Jan. 26, 27, & 28). Both shows will be at Exhibition Center located in the Raritan Center in Edison. We will have a booth at both shows. Please don't be shy and stop by and introduce yourself at either show. I always enjoy meeting new people who haven't attended one of our General Meetings.

For those of you who have yet to learn fly tying or want to enhance your tying ability, we're offering both beginner's and intermediate fly tying instruction. A lot of effort has been put into these classes. A five-man committee has been working the last few months on preparing these two offerings. We do know that most fly tying today is learned independently by sitting in front of your computer and watching YouTube videos. Well our instructors have integrated these classes with web instruction. From listening to our fly tying instructors, I'm convinced we have modernized fly tying classes to meet with 2018 demands. We have fused the old with the new to offer a better learning environment. You can find see additional details of the classes in this issue of Mainstream.

This month Lou DiGena will give us a presentation of fly fishing the Japanese way, "Tenkara". Lou truly knows this manner of fly fishing. I've seen John Wester "knock'em dead" with a Tenkara rod in his hand this past June. It should be a very interesting program for those of you with little knowledge of Tenkara. Please consider joining us on January 9. Get there early at 7:30 and enjoy some pizza and soda. Next month we're having Andrew from "Trout Haven" in Central PA. I saw this program a few months ago at the Ernest Schwiebert Chapter of TU in Princeton. Trout Haven is an appropriate name for this lodge and private stretch of stream. When you see some of the pictures of the fish caught you will see that it is in fact haven!

Things to watch for this Spring from the Chapter: Musky Stream Cleanup and stream walk of the Point Mountain Stretch. Casting on May 2 at Mulder's Fish Farm in Englishtown. Casting Instruction at the Pequest Trout Hatchery on June 29. Beginning of stream restoration/improvement of the A-Frame Stretch on the Musky shortly after June 15. Participation at the Pequest Open House.

One final thing! Don't forget to buy a chance on our yearly conservation raffle at a meeting or one of the shows. The tickets are five dollars and the prize is the outfit pictured here.

Stay warm,
George

You can contact George at