Hook: 2x long fine wire dry fly hook, #16-18 for local waters, #12-14 Western waters Thread: Olive Body: Mixture of Antron and natural fibers in grey, tan, or olive. Chopped caribou added for #12-14 Wing: Canadian goose feather treated with Flexament on both sides Hackle: Dun colored saddle hackle Optional: White or orange color calf-tail post for added visibility
This is the most prominant fly in my arsenal. I only fish dry fliesand on occassion may fish a streamer. In the absence of any hatch activity, this is my go-to fly.
I prefer to fish this fly up-stream and will cast to rises if they occur; otherwise I go prospecting and try to entice a hungry trout into taking what they think is a tasty morsel.
After hooking multiple fish, the tent shape wing becomes battered and frayed, making the fly ride even lower in the water and thus giving it the added bonus of appearing as an emerging caddis with no decline in the fly’s effectiveness.
The Kiap TU Wish fiscal year runs from April 1st to March 31st. Each year Randy totals up the volunteer hours which have been spent working on our area streams for a report which goes to TU National.
Randy organized 22 brushing workdays this past year amassing just over 1,300 volunteer hours. There were also four days where volunteers assisted the DNR with their annual shocking surveys. There were three workdays centered around treating buckthorn with herbicide, one seeding mulching workday, and one lunker building workday adding another 170 hours to the total. We worked with the 3rd grade class at Greenwood Elementary to hold a brush burning day bringing total hours to over 1,600. Aside from the Greenwood service-learning day, there were 63 different individuals who volunteered their time at workdays. Thirty-four of those individuals attended two or more events.
Several individuals deserve special recognition and thanks for the number of workdays which they participated in. Leading the list is John Skelton with 21, Jim Tatzel with 20, Dave Gregg with 15, Tom Anderson with 14, Trish Hannah and Steve Cox both with 10, Dave Kozlovsky with 9, and Paul Mahler, Pat Sexton and Loren Haas with 6. Bill Farquhar, Matt Janquart, Scott Wagner, William Mahler, Ben Toppel and Jon Rock each attended 5 workdays. Pete Kilibarda, John Kaplan, Jeff Himes, Keith Stein, Jim Sackrison, and Greg Olson each attended 4 workdays. Randy also has Mark Peerenboom, Colleen Grant, Michele Bevis Rainbow Barry, and Al Hopeman listed as having attended three workdays.
Thank you all for your hard work and dedication in answering the calls that bring you out in all sorts of weather to improve habitat for trout. The next workday will start with a reset to zero. If you are one of the more than 200 on our email list who didn’t participate in a workday this past year, We hope to see you in this coming season.
Kinni Workday This Saturday March 26thThe snow might all be gone but, the rain we are receiving this week will keep things wet enough to keep cutting and burning buckthorn and box elder slash. The worksite is at the DNR parking lot on Hwy 65 between Quarry and Liberty Roads. Randy will be there starting at 7:30 on Saturday morning and plans to work till noon or shortly after. Come for an hour or two or spend the entire shift there. We need chainsaw operators who have completed the safety training and a bunch of regulars to drag, stack and burn the slash. Randy will have some portable pumps on hand to control any fires that threaten to get out of control. Hot dogs and cookies will be served up at the end of the shift. Please email Randy at randyca999@gmail.com if you plan to attend the workday. Randy reports there was a hatch of stoneflies and BWO’s starting towards the end of the shift last Saturday. Bring your fishing gear along and wet a line afterwards if you choose. This could prove to be the final ‘brushing’ workday of the season but, don’t bet on it.
Final Workday at the Current Kinni Site, Saturday February 26th
Saturday’s weather is forecast to be a little more tolerable than this past week. We want to wrap things up at the current worksite on River Drive with a workday starting at 8:00 and running till noon or shortly after. Last Saturday brought us to within about 15 yards of this project’s target goal. With any sort of turnout on Saturday, we will go beyond that mark and call it quits over some hot dogs and cookies at whatever point we end up stopping. We can say will be moving to a different site the following weekend in case any of you are getting bored with the current site.
As usual, we need chainsaw operators who have completed safety training and have the appropriate safety gear. Others are needed with good work gloves to drag the slash to the nearby fire piles. Be sure to wear clothing which will not be ruined when the occasional hot ash falls on you. Bring along some liquid refreshment to stay properly hydrated. We are getting some accumulation of snow this week. Be sure when sawing or lopping any living box elder or buckthorn that you brush the snow aside, cut the plant close to the ground, and immediately treat the stump with herbicide. There were a number of stumps left sticking 8-10″ in the air this past Saturday which needed to be revisited and cut closer to the ground and then re-treated.
Please email Randy Arnold at randyca999@gmail.com if you plan to attend the workday. The site is located at the second DNR parking lot east of the Earthworks Nursery on River Drive. There is a ferry boat set up to get volunteers across the river. We are working at least 200 yards upstream so be sure to holler and get someone’s attention if you need assistance with the ferry to get across.
Thirteen volunteers showed up on a cold Saturday and worked hard before wrapping up at noon for some hot dogs and cookies around the fire. Volunteers today were Steve Cox, Paul Mahler, Dave Kozlovsky, Tom Anderson, Jim Sackrison, William Mahler, John Skelton, Pat Sexton, Jim Tatzel, Tom Schnadt, Matt Janquart, Ben Toppel, and John Rock.
Randy believes that we will have one or two more workdays at this site before moving on to another location. Watch for an email midweek with details about the next workday. Don’t miss the opportunity to make a workday before we wrap up the brushing season in late March or early April. If you have questions about workdays contact Randy Arnold at randyca999@gmail.com
