News and Updates

Fly Tying Class with Jac Ford

Date: January 17th, 2015
Location: The Elkhart County Conservation Club
Cost: $50.00 (includes lunch, drinks, and materials)
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00pm

Summary:
Jac Ford is the owner of County Anglers (countryanglers.com) a guide service based out of Saginaw, Mi. Jac has been tying flies for more than 50 years and guides in both Michigan and Montana. Jac will instruct us on tying dry flies and streamer patterns that he has developed over his distinguished career. This class is open to anyone who would like to participate but please note that this is not a ” learn how to tie class” and all participants will already need to have a general knowledge of fly tying.

What to bring:
Each participant will need to bring a vise, tools, thread (various colors), and lamp ( if necessary). The cost for this class will include lunch, needed materials, and beverages (water, pop, coffee)

There are a limited number of seats available in both of these classes. Please contact me at 574-202-0255 of [email protected] if you have any question or would like to reserve a spot.

Thanks,
Todd Ezzell

Jeff “Bear” Andrews

bear_tying_2011Michigan native Jeff “Bear” Andrews has been fly fishing and tying flies for 48 years. In 1998 he was the recipient of the “Buz” Buszek Memorial Fly Tying Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a fly tyer by the Federation of Fly Fishers. At the time he was the youngest to have ever received the award and only the third from the Midwest.

Annually Bear travels throughout the United States and Europe sharing his tying skills through demonstrations and classes. He has taught thousands of people to tie flies. Bear’s extensive fly tying background has led to the development of deadliest carp patterns on the planet. From 1977 until 1984 he ran Bear’s Fly Shop in Grand Ledge, Michigan He has tied flies commercially for 34 years, producing as many as 24,000 flies a year.

Bear created the “Tie-a-Thon” for the Federation Of Fly Fishers, and for ten years held a 24 hour tying marathon to raise money the FFF’s conservation projects, raising over $140,000.00 Bear’s flies are sought after by both collectors as well as fly fishers. His flies have appeared in numerous books, and magazines; as well as limited edition artwork.

Bear has set 3 IGFA World Records for Brook trout during his 27 years of fishing Labrador. He is currently the Fly Fishing Editor for Michigan Out-Of Doors magazine and has been for over 20 years. In 1999 he released his first in a series of fly tying instructional videos, currently available in DVD format are “Best Of The Bear Steelhead” “Best Of The Bear Steelhead II “ and “Best Of The Bear Tying Traditions”. Since 2000, Bear’s flies have been available in fly shops through the Umpqua Feather Merchants Fly Tyers Royalty Program. Currently Bear works as a Fly Fishing guide for Fuller’s North Branch Outing Club in Lovells, Michigan guiding for trout, salmon, steelhead, and carp on the fly.

Annually he hosts trips to Labrador and Ontario in pursuit of his favorite trophy brookies, as well as Alaska.

Web site link

2014 Salmon / Steelhead Outing

Eric Wroblewski

This years Salmon/Steelhead outing will again be held at the Thornapple Access on the Muskegon River in Newaygo MI. The date for the outing is Saturday October 18th, 2014. The plan is to meet at 6:00 am at two locations, the Middlebury exit on the Indiana Toll Road and at Meijers store on Portage Road in South Bend, IN, and carpool to the Muskegon River for the day.  As with all outings, Lunch and drinks will be provided. If you would like, meeting us there is always an option. If you are interested in carpooling, please call me at 574-202-0255 or email me at [email protected] and let me know which location works best and I will get it arranged. It would be helpful if you are planning to attend to let me know so that I can have an idea on how much food and drink to bring along. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

This outing is open to anyone who would like to attend. Lunch and drinks will be provided. Plan on lunch being ready at 1:00 P.M.  It would be a great help to me if you are planning to attend to drop me a line – 574-522-0255 or (Email) and let me know how many so that I can plan accordingly for lunch and drinks.

If you have never fished for Salmon/Steelhead before, this could be a great opportunity as there will be plenty of help available to get you started in the right direction. A heavier rod (7wt – 10wt) and a reel with a good drag system and plenty of backing is a must.

Directions to the Thornapple Ave. Boat Launch are fairly simple. (Map)

From the Elkhart Area, take 131 north past Grand Rapids to M82. head east on M82 to Thornapple Ave. then north to the Thornapple Ave Boat Launch.

From the South Bend Area take 31 north to 96, 96 north to 196. 196 NE  to 131 (Grand Rapids). 131 north to M82. M82 east to Thornapple Ave. Thornapple Ave north to the Thornapple Ave Boat Launch.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Todd Ezzell.
574-522-0255 or (Email)

October 2014 Loop Newsletter

Here is your October Loop. Enjoy.
Please remember that we need a good head count for dinner planning. They charge us if we tell them too many so get your name in or you might go hungry! RSVP by emailing Terry at [email protected] or call and leave a message at 269-424-5138. Please respond by 9:00 pmon the Friday.
 
November meeting’s speaker – The Jeff “Bear” Andrews.
 
Dustin New
Newsletter Editor

SJRVFF Welcomes Jeff Currier

October’s Guest Speaker Jeff Currier

Jeff has been fly fishing the world for over forty years. Jeff’s adventures to more than fifty countries on six continents and more than 300 fly caught species and counting; make him one of the foremost authorities in fly fishing. Wherever he goes, Jeff brings a sense of humor, enthusiasm, approachability and plenty of experience.

Jeff has been in the fly fishing industry for over twenty-five years. He began behind the counter at a fly shop in Jackson, Wyoming then went on to manage the shop for twenty years. He has taught the basics of fly fishing and guided anglers all over the Yellowstone area and throughout the world in both fresh and saltwater. He is presently on the Professional Advisory Staff for R.L Winston Rod Co., Simms Fishing Products, Scientific Anglers, Ross Reels, Abel Reels, and Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures. Jeff has met thousands of anglers from novice to advanced. His greatest joy is to help folks catch fish by supplying simple advice.

Find more about Jeff on his website http://www.jeffcurrier.com/

Doors open at 6:30 Wednesday, October 15 at Juday Creek Golf Course Clubhouse (map).

Cobus Creek Project

cobus work proj 2014 (2)

I have had a lot of people say they would be excited about and would be ready to help with a big conservation project this fall if there was one.  Well your wish has come true.  Please mark your calenders and pull those old waders and gloves out of the garage and Join the SJRVFF for a conservation project work day on Saturday, September 20 2014 at Cobus Creek County Park in Elkhart County.  The project starts at 9:00 am and should rap up in the early afternoon with a cook out provided by the club.

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The plan is to enhance existing and create new fish habitat in Cobus Creek as it goes through the park.  We have 40 tons of field stone to place, logs and trees to move around and a couple of in-stream structures to build.  The hope is to break into several work groups and have each group work on a project. I’m really looking forward to this field day because we will be joined by Rivertenders, the Valparaiso University Ecology/Biology club and the Save Cobus Creek Group – the same group that have been so active in fighting the Garver Lake waste water treatment plant proposed to be built just upstream from the park.  This is a great opportunity to get people that may not have been exposed to this kind of work before exited about creating stream habitat and exposing them to all the great things our club does.

There will be a cookout sponsored by the club after the project so come hungry and ready to work.  Bring your old wader and gloves or we will have these on site for you to borrow if needed.  The creek isn’t real deep so wet wadding would be an option as well.  The local Collage football team is off this weekend so missing a tailgate party is no excuse for not attending.

If you have ever fished this park you know what a great treasure it is and if you have never been there before I think you are in for a surprise and a new favorite secret fishing spot.  The park is located just east of the Elkhart/St. Joseph County Line (Ash Road) on the south side of CR 8.
From the south – take Ash Road north of McKinnley Hwy through the Edison/California Road stop sigh to CR 8 then right or east to the park on your right.

From Michigan take Redfield Road to State line Road (It is actually Count line Road but called State Line for some reason) then south through the Cleveland Road round-a-bout (don’t let that scare you – it is a nice one) to just south of Cobus Green trailer park then left or east on CR 8.  Park will be on right.

(Map)

cobus work proj 2014 (6)

Thanks in advance and I hope to see you there.  Since there are other groups invited  the favor of an RSVP for an idea of how much food to have is requested if attending.  If you have questions or to RSVP Just drop me a quick e-mail at jtlaw9@ hotmail.com.
Thanks again and see you on the 20th.

Peace and fish,

John T. Law 
Conservation Chair
SJRVFF
jtlaw9@ hotmail.com
575-261-7534 

cobus work proj 2014 (3) cobus work proj 2014 (4)cobus work proj 2014

SJRVFF Welcomes Jay Wesley

Jay has been with the Michigan DNR for 18 years. He was a fisheries biologist for six of those years and the Southwest Michigan Regional manager for the last twelve years.

Jay will discuss the Westrate Property on the Dowagiac Creek to see if there is interest in a partnership if the State of Michigan purchases the property. This is a property and creek the SJRVFF knows well and has done extensive habitat work throughout.

Jay will also give an update on the St. Joseph River Fish Ladders, trout stocking, and then open the floor for questions and discussion.

Doors open at 6:30 Wednesday, September 17 at Juday Creek Golf Course Clubhouse (map).

Wednesday Night Fishing-September 10, 2014

Wednesday Night Fishing- September 10, 2014

Hey All,

I  am sorry but I looks as though the weather is going to put a damper on the last Wednesday Night Fishing of the summer. It has been a fun summer and I have thoroughly enjoyed fishing with everyone. I look forward to next May when Wednesday Night Fishing starts up again.

Thanks,

Todd Ezzell