News and Updates
Opening Day Outing 2013
The SJRVFF Opening Day Outing will take place on Saturday, April 27th at Bobbie Labar’s farm on the Dowagiac Creek. This is an all day event-there will be coffee and donuts for the early birds at 8:00 am and lunch will be served at noon. Lunch will be provided by the club along with water and soda. The club will not be providing beer or wine…you’ll have to bring your own.
The Opening Day Raffle for the Winston Binney 7′ 3″ 3wt will be drawn following lunch (1:00 -1:30). See Craig Meyers at the Club Auction or at the Opening Day Outing prior to drawing to purchase tickets.
This year we are very lucky to be able to offer for this year’s Opening Day Rod Raffle a 7 ft. 3 in, 2 piece/2 tip, 3 weight, bamboo fly rod crafted by club member Winston Binney. As many of you already know Winston builds a beautiful cane rod, and several club members are the proud owners of cane rods built by him. Eric Wroblewski was lucky enough to get Winston to make a rod in 2008, and it is his prized fly rod. This rod is a Para 3 taper, which is a taper Winston came up with. He described it as being his take on a Paul Young – Driggs taper which he lightened to a 3 weight. He said the action is parabolic. The rod is beautifully flamed, and has a mahogany reel seat.
The drawing will be held at 1:00 pm at the Opening Day Outing, Saturday, April 27.
Ticket prices:
One for $5.00
Three for $10.00
Seven for $20.00
If you have thought about a fine bamboo fly rod to fish Dowagiac Creek, then buy some tickets for this rod. It is the perfect small stream rod!
The Dowagiac Creek runs through Bobbie’s property so there will be fishing on-site, however, there are also several other possibilities within a few minutes drive of Bobbie’s farm. If you are not sure where to go, stop by Bobbie’s first and someone will available to help with any questions.
To get to the Labar farm from South Bend, take either m-60 or m-62 to Cassopolis, MI. Then take O’Keefe Rd north out of town to Engle St. (approx. 3.5 miles). Turn left on Engle St. Labar’s farm is about a 1/2 mile west of O’Keefe Rd. The address is 23683 Engle St. Cassopoplis, MI for those with GPS. (map)
SJRVFF AUCTION 2013
St. Joseph River Valley Fly Fishers is having our Annual Fundraiser on April 17th. Doors open at 5:30 PM at the Waterford Estates Lodge, 52890 State Road 933, South Bend, IN. (map) The Waterford is just north of the intersection of Cleveland Road and 933. The event includes a grab bag raffle, silent auctions, a chance to win a new Scott G2 8’8” 6 weight fly rod/Galvan reel combo and a general auction run by auctioneer Dave Goodrich.
The Waterford will serve dinner at 6:30 PM.
Admission: Includes dinner, a bid card and a special gift is $25 per person.
Details
6th Annual St. Joseph River Watershed Council Meeting sponsored by Friends of the St. Joseph River
Here is a great organization with a mission that mirrors ours pretty closely (if you would exclude the fishing).
If anyone is looking for a worthwhile and interesting program that may be just a little different check out the annual annual meeting announcement below.
The program is entitled : “Living Water: Teachings of the Water Walkers” and will be presented by the Pottawatomie Grandmothers.
Monday, March 18th. 5-9pm. In Sturgis Michigan. Check out the link below for more information and to register.
http://www.fotsjr.org/upcoming_events?eventId=629891&EventViewMode=EventDetails
The Loop – February 2013
Here is the February 2013 issue of The Loop. Hope to see you Wednesday.
JOSH LANTZ
Josh Lantz has made his living in the outdoors for nearly 20 years. A professional outdoor communicator, fishing guide and consultant to the outdoors industry, Josh doesn’t like to do the same thing two days in a row. Josh grew up on Kosciusko County’s Lake Wawasee, where he developed his passion for fishing, hunting and the outdoors.
Josh has served as a professional outdoor communicator since 1994. He has credits in numerous North American outdoor publications and has written and edited over 200 episodes of national outdoors television.

Josh has been a professional fishing guide since 1999. World Class Fly Fishing with
Josh Lantz provides fly fishing and light tackle angling adventures in Northern
Indiana and Southwest Michigan for steelhead, smallmouth bass, largemouth
bass and muskie.
Josh has served as Editor-inChief, Indiana Outdoor News on a contract basis since
2002. He is the owner of Sand Creek Media since 2008 and Executive Director of the
Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) since 2010.
2013 Fly Fishing Film Tour
Jeff, “Bear” Andrews along with Bear Handed Fly Designs/Guide Service will hosting the 2013 Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Lansing Capital City Regional Airport on Thursday March 7th at 7:15pm. For ticket information contact Bear at Jbearfly@aol.com. Or by phone at 517-290-7789 or you can go to the Fly Fishing Film tour Website www.thef3t.com. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 on the website or$20 at the door.
Beachy’s Better Caddis (BBC)
Beachy’s Better Caddis (BBC)
Hydropsyche; Non-Cased Caddis Larvae
By Mike Beachy
B B Caddis
Hook 200R TMC size 16
Thread Black 8/0
Tail Black Z-Lon
Ribbing Super Hair Olive or thin mono
Dubbing Spectrablend Dark Olive
Back 1/8” Scud Back Olive
Legs Black Plastic Bristle from work bench dust brush
Coloring Black and Green Sharpie Markers
Step 1) Start the thread base 1/4 shank length back from hook eye leaving the front part of the shank bare. Tie in black Z-lon tail fibers and a single strand of super hair ribbing material and let hang off the back. Trim scud back material into a long taper and tie in toward the back over the bend of the hook. You want to tie the fly down and around the curve of the hook to give the finished fly a curved look. The tail section will be smaller diameter then the front so you only want the scud back to wrap about half way around the body when you are done with no scud back covering the belly portion.
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Step 2) Dub the body of the bug building a taper towards the 1/4 point where you started your thread. Try and keep the tail tip portion as skinny as possible.
Step 3) Tie in two sets of legs using two plastic bristles cut from a work bench dust brush. I purchased a dust brush from Menards for a couple bucks with enough bristles to last me 10 lifetimes. Chances are good that you have something similar in your garage that will work. The plastic fibers work well since they can be bent and they maintain the shape with very little memory spring back. Tie the first at the 1/4 point then the second, half way between the first and the hook eye. Leave the legs long and straight for ease in tying the rest of the fly. The legs should look like two airplane wings sticking out from the hook shank, perpendicular to the shank and parallel to each other.
Step 4) Dub the remaining shank in a descending cone toward the hook eye around and between the legs using the same dubbing as prior.
Step 5) Pull stretch scud back material forward over the back of the bug and tie it off behind the hook eye. Take the super hair fiber (or small mono line) and spiral wrap 8 to 10 segments over the scud back. Pull firmly downward across the scud back to make indentations without rotating the scud back off the back of the fly. Segment the entire length forward between the legs and tie off behind the hook eye.
Step 6) Tie a small black head with thread. Finish, trim thread and glue head of fly.
Step 7) Bend the plastic legs straight down on each side of the body towards the belly. Using a forceps or tweezers bend the legs forwards to create an elbow. The legs should end up pointing towards the hook eye and slightly outwards. Cut excess leg material off.
Step 8) Trim the Z-lon tail into a short little brush. Use a black permanent marker to blacken the first two or three back segments of scud back material behind the head. Do not go beyond the legs. You can darken the remaining scud back with a little green or brown marker if you so desire. Pick out the dubbing material in the belly of the abdomen to represent the gills. Leave gills short by trimming longer dubbing hairs.
Finished fly looks very lifelike. In the photo you can see the fly next to a real free swimming caddis. These caddis spin a web to catch floating food and many times get dislodged from their perch and dangle in the current by their web much the same as this fly dangling from your tippet.
TERRESTRIAL FLY TYING CLASS WITH GLENN WEISNER
FEBRUARY 16, 2013– ELKHART CONSERVATION CLUB (MAIN BUILDING)
9:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m.
$50.00 PER PERSON – LUNCH AND SOFT DRINKS INCLUDED
Glenn hails from Toledo, Ohio and is the owner of Glenn River Fly Co. He was the speaker at our March 2012 meeting and his program was on Terrestrial insects for the fly fisher. We will be tying 5 – 7 terrestrial patterns that you will be able to use in our area for trout, bass, and panfish.
Class participants are expected to have basic tying skills as this will be an intermediate skill level class. You will need to bring heavy and light tying threads in several colors, vise, tying tools and a light. The tying materials will be provided.
The class size will be limited to 20 fly tyers. If you are interested in taking the class please email Eric Wroblewski or call 574-850-5441.
If you would like more info about Glenn please visit his website.