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PRESIDENT'S HOOK
by Bill Huber
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Get those hands ready to raise your bid cards, because the AFF Annual Fundraising Auction is just around the corner. On April 11th, I hope to see you, your friends, and their friends at the Millennium Hotel. An evening of exaggerated fly fishing stories, eyeball cash and carry items, and compete for prized goodies in the silent auction but for me it will be an answer to this fisherman's prayers to win a guided fly fishing adventure when Keith returns to cry the live auction items. For a copy of the rules, please click here.
Exciting news from the Great Alaska Sportsman Show; twenty-eight new members signed up at our booth! This is a great outcome towards increasing our membership as well as a great indicator of the interest in perpetuating our mission. Thank you to those members who volunteered at the AFF both. We had some of the best fly tiers in Alaska demonstrating tying techniques, and a great deal of dedicated members speaking to the benefits of membership. We also had tremendous support for the Ghillie Raffle, Kids' Raffle (we had a hard time getting those tickets to go until we explained the raffle wasn't to win a kid, but for a kid to win a prize!), and the Spring Seminar.
If you did not get a chance to see our fly tiers at the Great Alaska Sportsman's Show, you will have another opportunity at the new Cabela's store grand opening events on April 12-13, from 11 am to 5 pm, or if you are interested in tying for the events, please contact Chad Gage or Art Peck.
Be sure to scroll through this entire newsletter, as you will find in the fly tying clinic section a link to an Anchorage Daily News article about our tying clinics at the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery. Chad Gage has done an exceptional job taking the tying clinics to the next level. Can they expand the program any more?!
Lastly, the May 5th meeting at the Millennium Hotel will feature a discussion on membership benefits.
Bill Huber
AFF President
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APRIL GENERAL MEETING
Millenium Alaskan Hotel
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There is no general meeting in April.
Please join us for the annual fundraising Auction, Friday, April 11 at the
Millennium Alaskan Hotel
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FLY TYING CONTEST NEWS
from Chad Gage
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Many thanks to Rich Johnson for photographing all the flies in the tying contest and providing the following photos of all the winning entries.
In case you missed the special edition with the winning entries, a "smaller" version is shown below.
Congratulations to all the winners!
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SPRING SEMINAR
from Rich Johnson
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Fly Fishing Seminar
Last call for Volunteers!
Starting this month!
Monday, April 7th 7:45 to 8:30PM
KNOTS - The last half of the first session is a hands-on clinic covering the knots used in a fly fishing system. The handbook shows a few of the most basic, from the backing to the fly. The club provides string, monofilament, and hooks; you simply demonstrate and teach the knots you use fishing. Location: BP Energy Center, Birch Room.
Monday, April 14th 6:30 - 8:30PM
FLY TYING & Knots II - Demonstration and hands-on instruction of fish-catching patterns. The seminar handbook shows and discusses 26 general fly patterns but we would like you to tie what you fish. Fly tyers of all skill levels are requested. This is one of the most popular sessions. We'll also be following up with knots from the previous Monday. Location: BP Energy Center, Birch Room.
Monday, April 21st 6:30 - 8:30PM
Join in on a lively open discussion with a panel of selected club members, shop owners, and ADF&G biologists. Bring questions, the topics will be driven by questions from the attendees. We encourage where, when, how, and why. Location: BP Energy Center, Birch Room.
Monday, May 12th 6:30 - 8:30PM
FLY CASTING - Again, this session can use all levels of proficiency. The people attending the seminar need to know fly casting is an ongoing learning process, and you can be successful fishing without being a master caster. You will need to bring a balanced outfit including an old leader. The club will provide yarn to represent the fly.
Casting will be done outside, so plan to dress warmly.
Location: BP Bldg, Conference Room C.
The fly fishing seminar is a success due to individual club members giving of their time and energy. Seminar attendees tell us every year it is the interaction with our regular members they enjoy the most. Please plan on helping educate a new, budding fly fisher, and contribute back to your club.
If you plan to being there to help, please contact Rich Johnson at 243-1093 wk/ 243-1043 evenings/ 440-1830 cell, or by Email purnellphoto@gci.net. Thank you!
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Fish Talk by Bill Hauser
Homeward Bound How do mature salmon find their way from mid ocean to their home river?
There is no easy answer but first, here is a quick overview of a generalized salmon life cycle beginning with the egg.
Eggs are deposited during summer and incubated until mid-winter when the fish hatch and in spring, become free swimming fry. After some development and growth, they become juveniles called parr or fry until they become smolts that migrate to the ocean. In the ocean, they grow and mature until they migrate back to freshwater to spawn. This sounds easy enough but the details are often more murky. To read the rest of Bill's article, click here.
Do you have a question for FISH TALK? Bill recently published Fishes of the Last Frontier, Life Histories, Biology, Ecology, and Management of Alaska Fishes and previously, Letters from Alaska, the Inside to the Outside. |
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AFF HOSTS
APRIL VOKEY
from Ben Rowell
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AFF Hosts April Vokey
- Register Now!
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April Vokey
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After discovering a passion for fly fishing in her teens, April Vokey soon dedicated her life to the pursuit, eventually culminating in her founding Fly Gal Ventures in 2007 at age 24. She has established herself as a respected authority in the sport and has traveled the globe in pursuit of gamefish on a fly rod.
Her writing has appeared in numerous industry leading publications including Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, and Fly Fusion magazines. In July 2012, April became the first female fly angler to be featured in Outside magazine for their "XX-Factor" segment.
Also a popular TV personality, April has been featured on the Outdoor Channel's Buccaneers and Bones series and as a host on Fly Nation TV.
She is an FFF certified casting instructor, a fly-tying instructor, an active conservationist and a traveling speaker.
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FLY TYING OUTREACH
from Chad Gage
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Thank you to AFF for the use of the tying vises and tools which went to the Winter BOW (Becoming an Outdoor Woman) retreat, March 7-9. Twelve women signed up to learn to tie flies, and were able to tie Wooly Buggers, Elk Hair Caddis, and Ken's Crazy Ants. The ladies had a great time and don't be surprised to see some of them at future tying clinics!
Don't forget, AFF has 10 vises and tool kits available to our members for use to instruct youth.
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FLY TYING CLINIC NEWS
from Chad Gage
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This month, the tying clinic received media attention from Jackie Bartz and Marc Lester of the Anchorage Daily News. If you missed it, today is your lucky day! We know where it is! Please click here to see the article about the art and science of fly tying.
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PROJECT HEALING WATERS NEWS
from Jan Schnorr
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Float tube paddling practice
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Casting and Float Tubing Practice
Special physical therapy continues for the PHW participants through March. This program teaches casting and the use of float tubes under the supervision of a physical therapist and PHW volunteers. All activities take place Tuesday afternoons at the Bartlett Pool.
Casting improves shoulder strength and mobility while paddling in float tubes improves leg strength and mobility for individuals who have leg and back issues. We want to thank the staff from the Bartlett Pool for donating the pool time. Visit us on Facebook to see additional photos of these and other activities.
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Rod building instruction
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Guide alignment
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Rod Building
The national organization, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, has teamed with the Hook & Hackle to sponsor rod building for participants. All rod building kits are provided free of cost to participants. The Wednesday classes are coordinated by Damond Blankenship with assistance from Dean Williams and Mike Morelli.
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Focused on tying flies
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Fly Tying
Wednesday tying sessions continue with Dave Rooker at the Fisher House for disable veterans receiving treatment through JBER or the VA.
Thursday tying clinics take place at the Soldier Family Assistance Center (SFAC) on JBER. Active injured military service members as well as disable veterans receiving treatment at the VA Clinic are welcome to participate in the tying clinics.
Recognition of PHW Sponsors
PHW would not be possible without the support of the Alaska Fly Fishers!
Thank you for your continued support.
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MEMBERS' CORNER
our members do amazing things!
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Alaskan Mini Jet Boat Build & Test
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One of our young members is currently working on a "mini jet boat" with thoughts of running farther up rivers than possible with bigger jet boats. Check out the video above.
Members!
Make a Difference
Get Connected
Volunteer!
If you are interested in helping on any committee, please let any AFF board member know. Currently we are in need of volunteers for the Annual Fundraising Auction, the Spring Seminar, the Annual Picnic, the Kenai River Cleanup, and more!
Let us know about any cool things our members do!
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Don't tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish.
-Mark Twain
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