Also please feel free to bring a friend (always welcome).  The 50-50 raffle will have some new prizes. So remember to bring dollars or flies!

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Film Tour Project
The Chapter fund raising film tour project is now very important to the Chapter as a fund raising event.  Brian Pitre has been working very hard with his committee to insure a successful event.  More details are on our web pages, but the direct link from here is available just by clicking here. More information will be available at the Chapter meeting on Monday.  Please attend.

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 West Branch of the Delaware Trip 2009

June 10^th – June 14^th (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)

 RSVP and information via Craig Dennison, 264 Woodland Road, Pittsford, NY 14534 (craigdennison1@yahoo.com) 585-507-9655

The entire White House at the West Branch Anglers Resort (www.westbranchresort.com) is reserved.  The spruced up White House boasts 6 bedrooms (14 total beds), 4 bathrooms, 1 large equipped kitchen and an ample living room.  Towels, bedding, and breakfast coupon are provided.  Rising WBD trout may be observed within 100’ feet of our lodging and there is a stocked bass/brim/trout pond a mere 200’ walk away.

WHAT TO TYPICALLY EXPECT:

• Fabled mayfly and caddis hatches for strong, wild bows and browns.
• Wadable water levels (300 – 400 cfs) that offer technical sight fishing.

• Challenging, selective, hefty fish that test the skill of any angler. 
• Availability to fish over 3 miles of private WBD water.
• Opportunities to fish alone, w/ a friend or w/ an experienced angler.
• Enjoyable camaraderie, laughter, humor and angling stories.
• Ample food and drink possibilities for the discriminating angler.
• A private pond to fish when the WBD gets tough (good morale boost!).
• Exposure to diverse angling techniques, strategies and proven fly patterns.
• Plenty of water styles to fish, from streamer to nymph to dries.
• Anglers carpool from ROC and fish either two night or four nights.
• The West Branch Resort is a comfortable 3 hours and 30 mins from Rochester. 

RESERVATIONS  & PAYMENT:

*Anglers may choose either 2 nights or four nights (Wed/Thurs, Fri/Sat, or all 4 nights).

*Cost is $140. for either two night option or $280 for all 4 nights.  This price is based upon a minimum occupancy of 10 for the White House and includes a 14% tax and gratuity. 

*Please RSVP by April 1^st  and mail a $70 non-refundable check to Craig Dennison.  Remainder of balance should be paid during the trip.  Specify your nights (first two nights, second two nights or all four).  Send me your email also, as angling updates and helpful info will be emailed as our trip approaches.  Feel free to contact Craig if you have questions and let’s fish the West Branch!

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Hendrickson Hatch Set for Spring
The Hendrickson flies usually make their appearance on the streams between May 8-10. The water temperatures can sometimes get the hatch off earlier, or colder temperatures can delay the hatch for a few days.

This is a good hatch lasting for about two weeks -- often until the end of May. When it first appears, it is usually during midday on the lower sections of the river, and then it gradually moves up the streams over a few days' period. Chances are there are already the early stages of nymphs in the water waiting for the right temperature to hatch and make their way to the surface.

Fishing the Emerger stage of the fly as they begin to come off the water is a good way to anticipate the hatch of duns.

The two most important patterns to fish during this great hatch are Hendrickson Emergers and the Dun Haystack to imitate the adult. The male spinner is a little larger than the female and also a darker, reddish-brown. The male Hendrickson is called a Red Quill and is also imitated by a Haystack pattern with the body a darker, reddish-brown in color. These patterns are the only ones you will need when the Hendrickson hatch is on.

The recipes for the two patterns are as follows:  Emerger -- Size 12 or 14 model 9671 Mustad hook, body from bend of hook back is gray muskrat fur during, slight strands of gray deer hair of hackle tied over the top for legs and a few wraps of peacock herl wrapped to form a small ball at the eye of hook. Tie off with hot orange thread and cement.   Haystack -- Tied on the same style of hook. The tail is a few strands of dyed, dun deer hair, body the same as on the Emerger and wings a larger clump of dyed, dun deer hair. Then, wind a little more gray dubbing in front of the wing to hold it in position before finishing off the head with the thread.
~~ Fran Betters

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Nymph Fly Fishing Technique: Beginner Method
This method of fishing nymphs is probably the easiest for any beginner to use, and is certainly a good way to get introduced to nymphing in general. This nymph fly fishing technique, which involves casting the nymph directly across the river and then letting is float all the way down to a point on the river directly below the angler, removes many of the problems of nymph fly fishing for the new anglers.

The beginner method of fly fishing with nymphs is quite simple. First, just cast your nymph directly across the stream from where you stand. Then, let the fly float down the river, keeping the line tight as it floats away as well as following the fly with your fly rod. Eventually, the nymph will be at a point directly downstream from you.

This is the point you want, as here, due to the current, the nymph will begin to “rise” out of the depths due to the current of the river. The current will also wiggle the little nymph all around. Thus, when the nymph is directly downstream from you, hold the nymph there for a couple of seconds, and then gradually raise the tip of your fly rod, which will bring the nymph a bit further up from the depths of the river. This is the most likely point of a strike using this method.

This is a nice method for beginners, as it is all done by feel, not by sight. You do not need to use a strike indicator for this nymph fly fishing method. Instead, since the fly line will be tense at all times, you will a trout strike immediately. Moreover, setting the hook is a snap, too, since the trout will hook itself when it takes your fly due to the tight tension in the fly line.

So, what’s wrong with this beginner method? Well, a number of things, actually. First, the only point this method is likely to draw any strikes is right at the point where your nymph begins to lift off from the depths of the river. This greatly narrows the scope of the effectiveness of this fly fishing method; since the vast majority of the float of the nymph is “wasted” (trout are unlikely to take a nymph that is careening at weird angles across a river).

Secondly, since the point of the strike will occur directly below you, you need to make sure that you are able to be directly upstream of this point. If, for some reason (and there are lots of potential ones) you can’t get directly upstream of this point, you’re unlikely to get your fly there.

And, lastly, this method won’t work from a boat too well. This beginner method is mainly designed for the angler who is fly fishing with nymphs from the shore.

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Cohocton River
The Cohocton River flows through the Finger Lakes Region of western New York. Fly anglers can enjoy fly fishing for trout upstream of the Village of Cohocton. In the section of the river that flows from the Village of Cohocton to Bath fly fishing is best. It has excellent trout habitat. Below Bath the river is primarily a warm water fishery and fly anglers can find a great smallmouth bass fishery. Browns, brookies, rainbows, and smallmouth can be caught by fly anglers along the course of the Cohocton.
Would you like a full color map of fishing access to the Cohocton River?  Visit this web page:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/cohoctonup.pdf

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For Sale:

Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month,
and are held at the Wegmans Market Café, Eastern Boulevard,
Canandaigua, beginning at 730pm.

Please mark your calendar now. Meetings are open to the public.
Hope to see you there.