New Club Officers Nominated

This evening the Walla² Fly Fishers held our November meeting to discuss some hardcore club business and directions. Prior to the business of the evening there were 8 members that came together for dinner and social hour at Jacobi's Cafe.

We had 16 members and guest in attendance for this meeting. Because the clock on the wall kept reading 6:55 we did not start the meeting until about 7:20 p.m. Club Treasurer Barry, headed the business directions discussion for the evening in the absence of President Scott, who had a prior banquet commitment to attend.

Prior to the meeting President Scott and Treasurer Barry had submitted their resignations for their officers' positions. So this evening we had before us the task of nominating individuals to fill those post. Secretary Dale said he would be glad to continue to serve the club in his position.

This evening those nominated to fill the officers' positions becoming vacant were:

Bob Long - President
Tyson Kopfer - Vice President
Dr. Doug Coe - Treasurer
Dale McKain - Secretary

The floor still remains open for the nominations of any others that might wish to be considered for helping in a club leadership role. We do have a slight hangup in the above nominees. Bob Long may be moving from the area in the near future, but he is more than willing to provide his expertise in FFF directions between now and the time that he may make a move. A valuable asset for our club.

Bob brought forth the idea, that it is the club's President's job to lead the organization and not to create projects and ventures, and try to accomplish the task on his own. Therefore we will be looking for across-the-board membership help to set up some committees to help get the fun work done.

Projects discussed:

• Boy Scout Fly Fishing merit badge helpers
• Walla² YMCA fly fishing seminar
• 2011 Fly Fishing Fair at Waterbrook
• Winter 2011 fly fishing workshops
• Membership fly fishing outings
• A 2011 Club Banquet
• Stream side/pond side fishing habitat improvements working with WDFW
• etc.

With that said, it was discussed the current annual projects the club has been working on and the need of Project Chairpersons to help direct the responsibility of making things happen. At this point Kris said he would like to be involved with the Boy Scouts project of helping scouts earn their fly fishing merit badge, it was suggested that we ask Scott to continue to help co-ordinate the Fly Fishing Fair at Waterbrook Winery, and we will look into creating a committee to co-ordinate a fly fishing class with the Walla Walla YMCA, and re-establishing some winter 2011 fly tying classes with Pat and Lee Ainley at their College Place facility.

It was also asked to pass around the FFF Charter Clubs / Walla² Fly Fishers' By-Laws so that everyone would have a better understanding of the job description of club officers.

FFF Charter Club By-Laws in MS Word - for all to see review.

Bob Long also pointed out the idea that most folks tend to want to join a fly fishing club to become associated with fly fishers, to learn to fly fish, to learn more about fishing opportunities.
All of these things our club should consider in mapping our club activities for the future, in order to draw new club members from our community. With this point of reference, it was brought up that the club members would like to see more weekend fishing trips planned that they might attend. Our last two planned trips to the John Day River were mid-week holidays.

With that proposal... the idea of trying to form a steelhead fishing trip to the Grande Ronde River the Friday 11/26 or the Saturday 11/27 following Thanksgiving was suggested. This should be a very prime time for fishing the GR for steelies before the river's ice flow begins.
Who wants to go steelhead fishing on the Grande Ronde River???

A motion was made---> NOT to have a December club meeting (due to all other activities taking place between Thanksgivings and the New Year), that motion was seconded and carried. We will NOT have a meeting in December and will resume regular monthly meetings on 12 January 2011 to hold our club officers' election and start the New Year talking about fly fishing.
All those in favor... indicate by saying "AYE".
Those opposed, please email all by posting "NAY".

HEADS UP, look for possibly a fly tying meeting announcement coming forthwith for fly tying the evening of Wednesday 29 December.

The meeting was adjourned shortly thereafter, with individuals socializing one-on-one.

Tight lines and good fishing.

Walla² Fly Fishers

Contact Us

Scott Peters - President
Skip Pritchard - Co-President
Barry Gould - Treasurer
Dale McKain - Secretary /Blog Master

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walla2-Fly-Fishers/356939534505

Fishing the John Day River

It was about 5:40 a.m. yesterday when we rolled out of the parking lot at Grove Elem. School in Milton-Freewater heading for the John Day River. Before leaving home Dale checked the real-time water flow at McDonald Ferry, the river was flowing at 464 cfs which is a very good fly swinging flow. When we got to the turnaround above the Boy Scouts’ Camp at Rock Creek and parked, with only one other vehicle with a pontoon boat trailer attached. Tom and Mike with great haste suited up and headed for the river. Having crossed the river above the first riffle they moved up and took their position in the lower end of the first pool. Tyson and Dale were in hot pursuit and went just above Mike and Tom and started their casting practice for the day.
After about a ½ hour of working the head of the first pool Dale move up to the second steelie hole.

This stretch of water had in the past offered many steelhead, and once Dale had two buddies land two steelies at once while fishing here. It wasn't too many cast into this pool when Dale got the slightest peck, peck, peck at his fly. On the next cast he got a hookup, which very quickly did not resemble the jerk or run of a steelhead.

He had caught a red-eyed small mouth bass, of which the John Day River is also famous for as a warm weather/water fishery. It wasn't too much later after this catch that Mike came walking across the hill and Dale motioned for him to come join him in fishing this #2 pool. Shortly thereafter Dale moved up to the #3 pool. Having fished this pool for awhile with no success and no one from below showing up, Dale moved upriver into the Power Line Hole.


While fishing the Power Line Hole, a fly fishing stranger walked up on Dale. His name was Grant and in their conversation, it was said that Grant is from Milton-Freewater, and has been hoping to get involved with the Walla² Fly Fishers.

Dale invited him to join the club at our next meeting of Wednesday 10 November. Also learned that Grant's favorite past-time is fishing and hiking and bloging his experiences in our Walla² Fly Fishers back country. You can find Grant's back country adventures posted at fishingandhiking.com which this writer found very interesting to read through.

None of the other Walla² Fly Fishers made it up to the Power Line Hole to fish it this day. Going back down river Dale caught up with Tyson in the second pool coming from the parking lot and for an instance it appeared that Tyson had a fish-on.

Maybe the hookup/jerk that Tyson had was another smallmouth bass, as he did catch one earlier in the day.
This day with the river flow at 464 cfs wading the river was very easy. In most places the water was rarely more that navel deep and gin clear so that standing in deep water you could see your feet much like standing in a bathtub full of water.

Real Time river flow at McDonald Ferry--> http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv/?site_no=14048000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
Best fly fishing/ wading flow is >450 and <1000 .="" id="hotword" span="" style="color: black;">

While on the river this day we had a pontoon boat of fishers go by us that had put in at Cottonwood Bridge, and they told us that with their full day of fishing and floating that they had only spotted 5-6 steelhead on the river and hooked none.

Where are the steelies???

To finish off this great day of fishing, as Dale and Grant were coming across the riffle before getting back to the parking area they found a nice about 24" steelhead resting above the run above the Boy Scout camp, first steelhead sighting of the day for this Walla² Fly Fishers' outing. Grant did say that he hooked a couple of steelies quite a ways upriver from where the rest of us got to.

So all-in-all it was another great day of fishing and exploring the John Day River. It was not a great day of catching steelies on JD River.

Tight lines and good fishing.

Walla² Fly Fishers

Contact Us

Scott Peters - President
Skip Pritchard - Co-President
Barry Gould - Treasurer
Dale McKain - Secretary /Blog Master

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walla2-Fly-Fishers/356939534505