Boise Valley Fly Fishers BVFF Public Events Blog

Member Survey Results Being Implemented

Brian Martin — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:42:19 GMT

The BOD and officers have reviewed the responses from our member survey. Your feedback and suggestions are appreciated. Currently we are working to implement the following suggestions:

New Member Meeting Format – Reduce the length of the Member Business Meeting to allow attendees to get home earlier. This was implemented at our February meeting
Monthly Member Update Email – BOD suggestion to provide timely communication to all of our members, partners, and friends. This issue begins that publication
Fishing Meetup Platform – Provide a way for members to connect and get together for a day of fishing on local waters. The BOD is testing an App called “Spond” to determine if it will work for our needs. Click on the App name to take a look
Fly Casting Events and Workshops – Provide more events and communicate them better. We began our fly casting program last year and it was well received. It will continue this year with additional workshops to help you develop specific skills that are part of the program. As to communicate it better, we’re not sure what more we can do. Your suggestions are welcome
Fly Tying Meetups – Provide beginning fly tying classes. We have received comment from local fly tying instructors and businesses that this would take away from their for-profit business. As a non-profit, we don’t want to do that. Instead, what we will do is a monthly fly tying meetup that connects with an upcoming Fishing Outing. Bod Harder will head this up, and attendees will share and tie fly patterns that will they use on the waters where the Outing is being held
Beginner Fly Fishing Education – Provide workshops pertaining to learning how to fly fish. At the Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo, we provide a beginner track of four (4) classes – equipment, knots, bugs, and how to put it all together on the water. We will look into to providing these classes this Spring
Social Gatherings – Have more BBQ’s and social events. The monthly member meetings currently provide a social hour to begin. In March of this year, we are planning to have a Pizza Party Social gathering celebrating the volunteers who made the 2026 Expo a tremendous success

BVFF Member Survey Results

Brian Martin — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 02:09:05 GMT

The results are in! Thank you to all who took a moment to complete the survey. Of the 321 surveys sent, 149 of you responded. Your answers and written responses to questions provided the BOD and officers with valuable information regarding how we are doing along with suggestions on how to improve.

Your responses generated a generous amount of data to process and synthesize into meaningful action items. In this post, you will find links to three documents that were generated by me to convey to the BOD and other officers what your thoughts are about the current state of BVFF.

For those of you who made a written comment or suggestion to a question, the BOD and officers provided a written comment or response. You provided some excellent suggestions that will improve the benefits of membership. Some suggestions are easily integrated into what we are already doing. Others will need someone to take the lead to make them happen.

The following are the documents with an explanation of what their source is and what they attempt to provide you with:

BVFF Member Survey Response Analysis As Of 30NOV2025.xlsx – this MS Excel document is generated by Survey Monkey and was downloaded directly from the database created on the Survey Monkey website. It shows each question from the survey with your responses displayed as a percentage and a bar graph
BVFF BOD Member Survey Executive Summary.docx – this MS Word document was created by me after having reviewed your responses to all survey questions. It is my general impression of your responses and highlights key points for the BOD and officers to consider. The BOD and officers have reviewed and approved it
BVFF Member Survey Comments and BOD Responses Final.xlsx – this MS Excel document was generated by me and reviewed and refined by the BOD and officers. It takes all survey questions that had a written response from you and adds a comment or response from the BOD and officers for each. The BOD and officers have approved it

Next steps to be taken:

Each of our mission area directors will review the results and create a list of your comments and suggestions that pertain to their area
For suggestions that are easily implemented, they will begin doing so
For suggestions that need someone to develop and lead, they will communicate the need to me and together we will attempt to find someone to make them happen

Thank you again for your valuable feedback!

Tight Lines,

Brian Martin, BVFF president

Less Means More with Winter Fishing

Brian Martin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 02:33:06 GMT

Dave’s Strategy Session - December 2025

By Dave Shuldes

shuldesd@gmail.com

Less Means More with Winter Fishing

As fall winds down in Southwest Idaho, diminishing daylight means most everything else related to fly fishing begins to shrink as well (except the size of the fish). Tinier insects, smaller flies at the vice, and lower/slower flows in our local tailwaters (the river water below dams). Summer and Fall Caddis in size 14-16 give way to Blue-Winged Olives (BWO) size18-20 and Midges size 20 and smaller.

These are very positive developments for an experienced fly fisher! First of all, go ahead and sleep in. There is no rush to get to the river at dawn. Let the day and the river warm up. Lower flows mean improved access to wading and to fish. The fish are in more predictable locations. The experienced, larger fish will be present and often hungry.

I like to keep my patterns simple in the winter. Several years ago, I was browsing in a local fly shop, and a visiting tier introduced me to the “Old Guy Fly.” There are just 2 materials and a hook. The tapered body is made by wrapping UTC 70 thread very slim and flat at the abdomen. A small bundle of white snowshoe hare’s foot provides both a wing and some substance to the thorax as the narrow UTC thread wraps it in place. I like to use brown-olive thread for BWO’s (#18-20) and black thread for midges (#20-22). Some tiers will add a very tiny tag of midge flash as a tail. This fly is an apparently a local creation as I can’t find any on-line references to tying the pattern.

I also want all stages of the entomology life cycle covered - adults (dries), emergers and nymphs. My favorite for BWO’s is the Barr Emerger, another simple pattern that uses a combination of wood duck and Flashabou as a wing case & legs. There are great YouTube videos available to follow.

For nymphs, I have really found improved success with adding body segmentation. My favorite technique for the abdomen is a Houdini Weave with narrow diameter UTC wire in silver and black. These flies, generally size 18-20, have a 2mm tungsten bead head, a tiny amount of black peacock ice dub for the thorax, with sparse white Antron and midge flash combined for a wing. The Houdini Weave technique can be found on-line.

No matter which stage of the life cycle you are fishing, the location on the river I will look for are shelves below riffles where the water deepens and slows. I typically only use dry flies if surface feeding is seen. If using a dry pattern, cast quartering upstream and use a drag-free drift. I like to use powdered floatant like Frog’s Fanny on the white rabbit wing, which will provide a nice visual reference as it drifts through the run.

When searching blindly for fish, 90% of my time is spent with tight line nymphing. The Houdini weave nymph is typically my point fly (the fly at the far end of the line) and perhaps a Barr Emerger one size larger than the dropper (the fly closer to the rod). There is approximately 10-12 inches between the 2 flies as they tumble near the bottom through the rocks on the relatively tight line set-up.

I have caught nearly all of my largest rainbows on the Boise River in town and on the South Fork of the Boise when fishing sometime between November and March over the years. Barring a major snowstorm, the lower flows and improved access to the river and fish make for an exciting opportunity. Less is more!

Volunteer Opportunity - President

Brian Martin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:59:56 GMT

Position Title: President

Reports To: Board of Directors and BVFF Members

Type: Volunteer / Part-Time

________________________________________

Position Overview

The President serves as the chief executive officer of Boise Valley Fly Fishers (BVFF) and provides overall leadership and direction for the organization in accordance with its bylaws, mission, and strategic objectives. Acting under the authority of the Board of Directors, the President ensures that all orders and resolutions of the Board are implemented and that BVFF operations are carried out effectively, ethically, and in alignment with the organization’s goals.

________________________________________

Key Responsibilities

● Provide general supervision and oversight of all BVFF activities, programs, and operations, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.

● Ensure that all Board resolutions, policies, and directives are properly executed.

● Act as an authorized signatory, jointly with the Treasurer or Secretary for official BVFF Certificates of Membership and other authorized instruments.

● Sign, execute, and deliver deeds, contracts, bonds, and other legal instruments as authorized by the Board, except where such authority has been specifically delegated to another board member, officer or agent.

● Affix the BVFF seal to any document requiring it, as appropriate.

● Represent BVFF in all official capacities and serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization when interacting with external partners, members, and the public.

● Preside over meetings of the Board of Directors and general membership, ensuring efficient and productive governance.

● Collaborate with the Board and committees to advance the mission and strategic priorities of BVFF.

● Perform any additional duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors or defined in the BVFF Bylaws.

________________________________________

Qualifications

● Strong organizational, communication, and teamwork skills. Attention to detail and reliability.

● Proficiency in tools/software relevant to role.

● Prior nonprofit, organization, or association experience (preferred but not required).

● An interest in fly fishing, education, conservation, and outdoor recreation (a plus!).

________________________________________

Time and Term Commitment

● Attend monthly Board meetings (1st Thursday) and General Membership meetings (2nd Thursday).

● Estimated 10 hours per month, with additional time during events or special projects.

● The President serves for a term as defined by the BVFF Bylaws and is expected to devote the time necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the role, including presiding over meetings and representing BVFF at events and activities.

________________________________________

Benefits

● Opportunity to contribute to the fly-fishing community and conservation.

● Build leadership and organizational skills.

● Network with anglers, conservationists, and community leaders.

● Recognition as a valued leader in a respected non-profit.

● Salary commensurate with experience (to be 100% donated back to BVFF)

Volunteer Opportunity - Newsletter Editor – The Hackle Bender

Brian Martin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:52:19 GMT

Position Title: Newsletter Editor – The Hackle Bender

Reports To: Board of Directors

Position Type: Volunteer/Part-Time

________________________________________

Position Overview

The Editor of The Hackle Bender is responsible for planning, producing, and publishing the Boise Valley Fly Fishers’ quarterly newsletter. This role ensures that BVFF members and the wider community receive timely, engaging, and informative content that reflects the organization’s mission of promoting fly fishing education, conservation, access, and fellowship.

The Editor oversees all aspects of the newsletter—from content development and editing to layout and distribution—maintaining the publication’s quality, consistency, and alignment with BVFF’s goals and values.

________________________________________

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and produce four issues of The Hackle Bender annually, ensuring timely publication each quarter (January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1).

• Solicit, gather, and edit articles, photographs, and other content from BVFF members, officers, and contributors.

• Write or curate feature stories, event recaps, conservation updates, educational articles, and member spotlights relevant to the BVFF community.

• Ensure the newsletter maintains a consistent editorial tone, visual style, and accuracy aligned with BVFF’s mission and branding.

• Coordinate with the President and Board to include official announcements, policy updates, or reports as needed.

• Collaborate with committee chairs (such as Conservation, Education, Membership, and Events) to highlight club activities and promote engagement.

• Manage the layout, design, and proofreading process using appropriate desktop publishing or online tools.

• Oversee distribution of the newsletter to BVFF members—electronically or in print—as determined by the Board.

• Maintain an archive of past issues for historical and reference purposes.

________________________________________

Qualifications

• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills.

• Understanding of Mailchimp or ability to learn how to use Mailchimp to produce, edit, and publish the Hackle Bender.

• Experience with newsletter production, journalism, communications, or publishing (professional or volunteer).

• Ability to coordinate content from multiple contributors and meet publication deadlines.

________________________________________

Time Commitment

Approximately 16-24 hours during the month prior to newsletter production periods.

________________________________________

Benefits

● Opportunity to contribute to the fly-fishing community and build leadership and organizational skills.

● Network with anglers, conservationists, and community leaders.

● Recognition as a valued leader in a respected nonprofit.

Riparian Bliss - New Business Member

Brian Martin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 20:40:29 GMT

Welcome to our newest business member, Riparian Bliss!

Following is an introduction to their business.

Meet The New Members - The Riparian Bliss Crew.

I’m Karen. I grew up in Scotland, where breakfast often came with a side of feathers— my brothers tied flies at the kitchen table, so fluff and cornflakes were a regular combo. Looking back, I should’ve known I’d end up marrying a fly fisher.

Years later, after traveling halfway around the world, I met Chad. These days, we spend our spare time on a drift boat with our chocolate lab, chasing trout and quiet moments.

Chad’s been hooked since before he could hold a rod. His dad fished. His uncle fished. And Chad spent school holidays on the remote Abrolhos Islands off Australia’s west coast—casting by day, falling asleep to whale song by night.

He’s fished across the globe: New Zealand, Iceland, Scotland/Europe, the Pacific, South America, the U.S.—you name it. Over the last 20+ years, his obsession with fly fishing, tying, and drift boating deepened and he became a Montana-made Orvis Guide in 2017.

We like life slow. River-paced. The kind that lets you notice the heron on the bank, the magic of a mayfly hatch, the way light dances on water. Sometimes we even catch fish.

We started Riparian Bliss because waders don’t meet every dress code —and because we wanted to share our love of rivers, fly fishing, and terrible puns with folks who get it.

If that’s you, follow us on Instagram @RiparianBlissUSA and check out our online store https://www.etsy.com/shop/RiparianBlissUSA or scan the QR code below. Let’s drift together.

We believe that the joy of fly fishing shouldn’t end when you leave the water. The quiet thrill of casting into a glassy river, the camaraderie of fellow anglers, the stories that unfold on the drift boat—these moments define more than a hobby; they shape a way of life. We exist to keep that feeling alive, long after you’ve reeled in your last catch of the day.

We weave the essence of fly fishing into every item we design. Using insider jokes, familiar language, and references only a seasoned angler would recognize, we create gifts that connect, resonate, and spark a knowing smile.

From T-shirts to mugs, and other thoughtfully designed gifts, every item at Riparian Bliss carries the spirit of the river. Whether you’re buying for yourself or gifting a fellow fly fishers, our products bring a sense of belonging to a community that understands the magic of being on the water.

Riparian Bliss

**rip·ar·i·an bliss** /rɪˈpɛər·i·ən blɪs/ *n.*

1. A state of profound contentment, joy, or serenity experienced while in or near the banks of a river, stream, or other natural waterway.

2. The specific pleasure derived from activities conducted in riparian zones, such as fishing, swimming, picnicking, or merely contemplating the flowing water.

3. The unique tranquility found in the ecological transition areas between land and water bodies, characterized by the soothing sounds of flowing water, rich biodiversity, and cooling shade.

*Origin*: From Latin "riparius" (of a riverbank) + Old English "bliss" (joy, happiness)

*Usage*: "After months in the city, their weekend of riparian bliss beside the mountain stream restored their spirits completely."

Fall Is BWO Time

Troy Pearse — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:23:05 GMT

BWOs are one of my favorite hatches. They hatch in good numbers, get fish rising, and require you bring your A-game for success. Here are a few tips to help you target the BWO hatch this Fall.

THE RIGHT WATER

BWOs don’t hatch everywhere on the river. They are “swimmer” mayflys and like slow to moderate speed runs-- Bonus points if it has some rooted aquatic vegetation. My favorite water is where riffles turn into runs/pools, like this spot on the SF Boise River.

HATCH WINDOW

The BWO hatch window typically is from 11am – 4pm. Hatches are water temperature and weather dependent: BWOs like to hatch on dark days. Overcast is good. Lite precip is even better. On sunny days you can still find them hatching some in the canyon shade. Like most bugs, BWOs have a preferred water temperature for hatching. In the Fall, they will start hatching when the water drops into the low 50s and continue hatching down into the low 40s. The SF Boise and Owyhee rivers both have BWO hatches later into the fall than the local freestone rivers because of warmer water from the tailwater dams. Because of this, the hatch on the SF Boise goes well into December.

FISH THE FULL BUG LIFE-CYCLE

BWO hatches often occur in “waves”, and trout are most receptive to a fly during an “active hatch wave”. In between hatch waves, take advantage of the time to adjust your position so you are ready to cast to a specific rise location. Part of the fun of a BWO hatch is figuring out what stage of the insect each fish is eating. BWO emergences can be intermixed with spinner falls, and sometimes have 2 different sizes hatching-- making it difficult to identify what size or stage of the insect fish are keyed into. In general, I find that trout key in on emergers at the head of the run; on adult duns mid-run; and cripples or spinners in the tailout or eddies. BWOs spinnerfalls are often along the bank, so if you see a trout rising tight to the bank, serve him a spinner!

BWO FISHING TIPS

Come prepared to Match The Hatch – bring the full life-cycle of imitations. I like to fish a dun pattern with an emerger or spinner dropper.
Remember that not all trout are rising to the same life-cycle phase. Be prepared to switch flies when you target different fish (see the diagram above).
Bring your A-Game presentation. Avoid blind-casting. Station yourself to get the best drag-free drift and target specific fish.
Plan to fish a nymph 1-2 hours ahead of the hatch. Fish will move up to the head of the run to eat the nymphs.
On windy days, try a “knock-down” style pattern.
Take a minute to catch a bug sample and check the size and adjust your fly to match. Size matters on this hatch!

FLIES:

There are many good patterns out there--I think Dry Fly Innovations has some of the best. I particularly like their Colored Emerger and their Convertible pattern that you can make into a knock-down dun on the river. For nymphs you can't beat a Thread Frenchie or WD40. Check out Scott Blackhurst’s fly tying article for some more good patterns.

This Year's Steelhead Run: Good News / Bad News

Troy Pearse — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 20:00:23 GMT

Earlier this year, both Idaho Fish and Game (IDF&G) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) predicted poor steelhead returns in 2025. The good news is that this year's steelhead A-run is the largest in the last 10 years! The bad news is that if you compared it to the previous 10 years, this year would be the worst. A telling example of how much our steelhead returns have changed. Here is an article by Idaho Fish and Game about the early A-Run. Joe DuPont, from Lewiston IDF&G usually sends an in depth steelhead update around now, but it wasn't available when this article was written. Here is a link to his 2024 Fall update from last year. Keep a watch out on Idaho Fish and Game's website for this year's update.

One good thing about dams is they provide points to count fish passage, which is very helpful to track the size and progress of the steelhead run (once steelhead make it over Lower Granite, the last dam on the lower Snake River--below Lewiston--there are no in-river counting stations). It is worth learning to use the DART Adult Fish Passage webpage, which is where many of the graphs in this article were created. Here is a graph that shows steelhead over Bonneville Dam, the first dam on the Columbia River. It compares our current 2025 run (as of 8/23) to last year and the two decades before it. A few things to note:

The 2024 run was better than the last 10 year average--especially the B run. :-D
The 2025 A-Run is even better than 2024! :-)
Look at how much the 10 year average has dropped. :-(

But let's focus on the good news--there are lots of steelhead to go chase this Fall! Now for a little on the when, where, and how. In this article I’m going to give some background on the steelhead’s lifecycle, walk you through the migration of the A run to give you some good ideas about where to fish when, and then talk some about fly choice and presentation. The B run fish haven’t entered the Columbia in big numbers yet so it’s too early to know how that run will be, but these concepts all apply to B run fish as well. Again, keep an eye out for Joe DuPont's steelhead updates as they contain a wealth of information. Here is his B Run update from last year for reference.

STEELHEAD LIFECYCLE

Steelhead are anadromous: born in freshwater, migrate to sea as smolts, feed and grow (LARGE!), then return to spawn—and unlike salmon that die after spawning, steelhead can survive to return again the next year (keep this factoid in mind when you read the section on choosing a fly). Wild steelhead typically spend 2–3 years in freshwater before smolting and the annual wild smolt output varies with spawner abundance and freshwater conditions, compared to hatchery programs which rear fish to smolt size on a set schedule and release fairly consistent numbers each spring.

Steelhead have many life histories and spend different amounts of time in the ocean and migrate at different times. A-run steelhead typically spend 1 year in the ocean and enter the Columbia river first, typically starting in early June and going through the end of August. The B-run typically spends 2 years in the ocean and enters the Columbia river after the A-run, with some overlap, generally from mid-August to the end of October. While most of the steelhead runs each stay in ocean the same amount of time, there is a subset of each run that stays in the ocean an extra year, which makes for an even bigger fish! Last year, 2 ocean fish were an unusually large part of the A-run. This year early PIT tag data looks like a good third or more of the A-run is 2 ocean fish, so we will again have some bigger than normal steelhead. Here is a good article from IDF&G that talks more about the A vs B run steelhead.

TIMING THE RUN

To catch a steelhead you have to find where they are, which changes as the season progresses and steelhead migrate upstream to their natal areas to spawn. The river is their highway, and their journey up the Columbia river starts in June-August and they will spawn in May: That's nearly a year in fresh water! And for those steelhead that spawn upstream of Stanley, their migration will take them over 900 miles!

On their journey, steelhead swim around 4 dams on the Columbia river and 4 dams on the lower Snake river before they make it to a free flowing river at Lewiston. Travel up the Columbia goes pretty quickly as the historic big rapids are essentially gone—drowned by reservoirs.

Thermal Blocks

Two things will slow down or stop their migration. 1) A thermal block of water that is warmer than 72°F or colder than 40°F; and 2) Flows that are too low to safely move upstream. In July and August, high water temperatures are a real problem and keep fish from migrating up the Columbia and Snake river in large numbers. The slow backwaters behind all of those dams has extra time to warm up vs how a free-flowing river would behave. Thank goodness for Dworshak reservoir on the Clearwater river, which pumps out 10,000 CFS of COLD WATER during this time of year which (barely) keeps the Lower Snake and Columbia inhabitable for steelhead and salmon. Here is a graph of fish passage and water temperature at the John Day Dam (taken from a different year) that shows how fish passage stops when water gets too warm and how it resumes when the water temperatures drop.

The A-run is primarily headed up the Snake and Salmon rivers. Here is a map that shows where A-run steelhead are headed on the Snake and Salmon rivers (in Idaho). Once steelhead enter the free-flowing Main Snake river above Lewiston, the difficulty of travel increases significantly. River gradients get steeper and the rapids get harder for them to negotiate, which slows their progress. And as water temperatures drop, so does their metabolism which reduces their migration speed. While migrating, Steelhead try to take the easiest path up a river and like to travel up secondary seams of the river, often close to the bank. Sometimes you will see them rolling / porpoising along the surface, almost like they are visually using the bank as their guide. Studies have shown that steelhead will travel at night, but tend to hold up below navigational hazards, like a rapid, and resume moving when there is enough light for them to safely negotiate the hazard (remember this factoid, as it will come up later).

While traveling the highway they pause to rest. In July and August, water temperatures on much of the Columbia river are near the upper thermal limits for steelhead and can stall their upstream migration. Steelhead often seek thermal refuge at the mouths of cooler tributaries and frequently swim up a few miles into those tributaries to cool off (yet another factoid to remember.)

Other classic resting areas are: Below side tributaries; Below rapids (big and small) or even river-wide shallow gravel bars; Tailouts above those rapids; Large boulder fields and ledge-rock. Years ago a friend and I strapped a GoPro to some bait-divers and backed the camera down some runs on the Clearwater river. We rarely saw fish in the main parts of the run (where you would typically swing a fly) but when the camera went over a short section of ledge rock we would always see steelhead holding there! The lesson: STRUCTURE = HOLDING FISH. NO STRUCTURE = TRANSIENT FISH THAT ARE ON THE MOVE.

1) Migration: June - September

During this time the A-run steelhead travel 325 miles up the Columbia, then 140 miles up the lower Snake river to Lewiston. They start arriving in good numbers at Lewiston by the end of August. Once steelhead make it to Lewiston, their migration gets stalled by the warmer (over 72°F) water temperatures of the Snake river coming through Hells Canyon. During this time, many steelhead move up into cooler water of the lower Clearwater river, which typically is running in the mid 50°s--thanks to the cold water coming out of Dworshak reservoir at Orofino. These few weeks while steelhead are holding over in the lower Clearwater can provide a good opportunity to go fishing.

2) Migration: September - November

In early September the Snake river cools enough for steelhead to resume their migration upstream, and it is GAME ON for the Snake! Once steelhead start up the Snake, they have many possible destinations up different tributaries. In this article I am talking about their journey to the furthest destination in the upper Salmon river, but many will take a different path and go up tributaries like the Grande Ronde, Imnaha, Little Salmon, the South Fork or Middle Fork of the Salmon rivers.

It is about 50 miles to get to the Salmon river, or 110 miles to get to Hells Canyon Dam. Historically steelhead swam up the Snake river much further including up the Boise river, but sadly, the Hells Canyon dam does not have a fish ladder. Once in the Salmon river, steelhead have another 85 miles to get to Riggins, and they typically show up in force there in early to mid-October. From Riggins they have another 150 miles to get to the upper Salmon river below North Fork Idaho where most of them will pause their migration until Spring as the main Salmon river above North Fork (after the middle fork and north fork flows are gone) is too shallow in the Fall for them to feel comfortable moving any further. This causes steelhead to accumulate in the 40 miles between the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Salmon river, which can make for good fishing until the water temps drop.

3) Migration: December - April

Over the winter, steelhead will hold in the deeper slower water section of the Salmon river below North Fork called "Deadwater". After ice-out in late winter, steelhead will resume their journey to their spawning grounds. From the North Fork it is 86 miles to Challis and another 55 miles to Stanley. Depending on the ice out date, steelhead typically make it to Stanley the last week of March.

One closing note on this migration example. As steelhead find the tributary of their natal water, if flows are low then they will often hold in the main-stem river above or below it and wait for increased flows in the spring to make their last mad-dash to their spawning grounds.

WATER FLOWS AND TEMPERATURE

Two things that can make or break your steelhead trip are water flows and water temperatures. I have had seasons when the run was below average but we have good migration conditions that made for excellent fishing. And there have been times when there were excellent runs but we had poor migration conditions and fishing wasn't very good.

Steelhead are cold blooded, and just like trout their behavior will change as water temperatures rise and fall. Steelhead are on a journey to their home waters and will continue moving until water temperatures drop below 40 degrees or they run into low water conditions. Steelhead are also influenced by increases in water flows after a rainstorm (which we call a Freshette). Freshettes cause steelhead's metabolism to rev-up and makes them want to move upstream and increases their interest in your fly! Conversely, extended periods of low flows causes their metabolism to drop, they tend to hold and can become "stale" and less interested in your fly.

One of the things to watch out for is the "dreaded drop" of water temperatures in late Fall--usually November--where we get a cold snap and water temperatures drop sharply below 40 degrees. This signals to steelhead it is time to prepare to over-winter, and they move to deeper, slower runs for the winter. It takes them a couple of weeks to acclimate to the colder water temperatures after which they are again more receptive to your fly. During this time of year, an increase of a degree or two of water temperature can increase the fish's metabolism enough to get them to take your fly. Thus, it can pay to fish later in the the day when water is the warmest.

For example, last year was the best B run in many years, but we had a dry October and the Clearwater ran low for much of the Fall and steelhead didn't move upstream very well. The BVFF Clearwater outing was 40 miles up the Clearwater by Orofino, and we had very slow fishing. The day after the outing, Brian Martin and Dave Asker went out with a guide who wisely took them to fish the river closer to Lewiston and Dave hooked into a BIG B RUN fish. Given the conditions (a low water Fall with no freshettes), I think we all would have been better off taking the time to drive downstream to find fish.

Later that season I was fishing on the upper Clearwater around Kamiah. Fishing was decent, but then we had a cold snap and fishing turned OFF. Jeff Jones and I decided to go downstream and fish below Orofino, as the water temperatures were warmer there (because of the influence of Dworashak outflow). And it paid off with this nice fish! Here is a graph that shows the "Dreaded Drop" last fall, and how water temperatures are warmer below Orofino/Dworshak.

CHOOSING AND PRESENTING YOUR FLY

There is much debate about why steelhead take a fly. A few years ago, steelhead guide Tom Larimer wrote the excellent article Why Steelhead Eat Flies in Fly Fisherman Magazine, which is worth reading. In it, Tom talks about the “Chase Response”, the “Curiosity Response” and the “Food and Nourishment Response”. Here are some of my thoughts on Why Steelhead Eat Flies and some important lessons I've learned about presentation.

1) The Food / Nourishment Response

I think the food/nourishment response is under-rated, as most anglers believe steelhead have stopped eating. As I mentioned earlier, Steelhead have a different lifecycle than salmon that allow them to return to the ocean after spawning vs dying like salmon. This makes them genetically programmed to eat along their long journey (this is more true of our Summer Steelhead, which spend a long time in fresh water vs the Winter Steelhead who have relatively short journeys up coastal rivers and enter the river "ready to spawn"). For fly fishermen, the food/nourishment response is something we can use to our advantage by using food-like flies. Especially if we target water where food items are available for steelhead to eat, such as below riffle heads and side streams.

One early experience that got me thinking about "food flies" for steelhead is fishing the Clearwater during the summer while I was going to school at UofI for my Masters in the mid 90s (which is when I really got bitten by the steelhead bug). I was out trout fishing with a friend, tumbling and swinging a woolly worm through riffles. We were catching good numbers of trout and then WHAM! I had a big grab that broke me off. I tied on heavier tippet and a fresh woolly worm and soon had a hot bright steelhead on!

I know many steelhead anglers who have a favorite fly and fish it all day long, all season long. This is an efficient strategy as it minimizes down-time, but I feel it is short sited. In order take the fly, the fish must see it. Underwater visibility varies throughout the day, and seasonally with rainstorm events. Purple works well in low light and is a great first and last light color to use, but it might not be the best color when the sun gets overhead or the water is off-colored. Trout guide and streamer expert Kelly Galloup has a great streamer searching strategy that varies colors to find what fish are going to react to. If he gets no action in 15 minutes, he changes flies. From bright to dull, flashy to natural, etc. While I think switching flies for steelhead every 15 minutes may not be appropriate, I do think that switching it up is worthwhile. As a reinforcing example, early in my steelhead fishing years, I spent a lot of time pulling plugs. We would run 4 plugs out of the driftboat, each a different color. When one color got bit, we would change out other plugs to that color and then BAM! The other plugs start getting some action. I had the same experience tossing spinners--matching the color to the light and water conditions was key to consistently hooking up.

A few food items to keep in mind as you choose your fly.

Minnows and small baitfish are common in riffles--a good case for a muddler minnow or a Green Butt Skunk.
If your river has stoneflies of any kind, FISH THEM! Dead drift or swing a Prince Nymph. Some rivers get a short-wing "mutant stone" that is primarily nocturnal Watch for their shucks on the cobble by riffles, and if you see them consider tying on a tan foam skater at last light.
October caddis are common on many steelhead streams and make a good skater--especially at last light.
If you happened to be fishing water that has spawning chinook salmon, on years when there are a lot of Chinook, steelhead can get keyed into Chinook eggs. It pays to fish an egg sucking leech during this time!
Several times in the spring I have had steelhead key in on a March Brown hatch. Be prepared with some olive-brown soft hackle flies.

2) Curiosity and Chase Response

In addition to the food/nourishment response, try to use the steelhead’s curiosity and chase instincts to your advantage. I feel like the Steelhead's curiosity response to attractor-style flies is similar to a cutthroat trout, which are notorious for liking colorful flies. The cutthroat's "wide search engine" for food stems from living in waters that often do not have prolific bug hatches, so they learn to investigate anything that looks like food. I think steelhead are similar because they are constantly swimming upstream into new watersheds with different conditions and have to be adaptable in what they eat.

I have talked to several steelhead guides who describe watching steelhead follow their client’s fly, almost like the fish are in a trance. If the client mends their line during this time and the fly pauses, then the steelhead stops following it. Steelhead guide Dennis Dickson described presenting your fly like pulling yarn across the carpet in front of a kitten, who would watch the yarn intently, but quickly lose interest if you stopped moving it. Dec Hogan described watching the reaction of steelhead in a holding pen as he flipped pennies into the tank. He said the first penny got a number of steelhead to come investigate. The second penny only a couple of fish came to look, and by the third penny, no steelhead reacted. These are a great examples to think about as you present your fly. You want the fish to see your fly and be curious.

I have been guided by Tom Larimer and he emphasized for me to think about 1) Where the fish might be (along a traveling seam, in front of a boulder, etc); 2) Where my fly was going to land; and 3) Work on activating my fly (bring it to life with motion) where the fish would see it. This is similar to the Leisenring Lift presentation where you let the current activate the fly and let it rise and escape from the trout, which triggers their chase instinct. Tom taught me to focus on actively presenting my fly to the fishy-zones vs just blindly bombing out long casts and letting them swing all the way across. I’ve used this strategy quite successfully at times working a traveling seam or by splatting down a big fly near boulders at the head of the run and then swinging the fly away. The SPLAT gets the steelhead’s attention (like a small fish that rose to the surface) and the fleeing motion triggers their chase response.

One other presentation aspect that Tom taught me is to think about where the sun is and to not present your fly such that the steelhead have to look into the sun to see or follow it. Look for runs to fish where you have some shade, or the sun is to the side or behind the fish. That will help them see and track the fly. Another good option when the sun is bright overhead is to fish choppy water that breaks the sun's intensity, or strap on a sink tip and fish deeper water.

3) Late Season

After ice out and steelhead resume their migration upstream, their behavior changes to be focused on finding a mate, fending off rival steelhead and procreating. At this time they are less likely to forage for food and more likely to react to an intruder invading their space. Swinging a larger profile bright pink fly in front of a ruddy buck can result in a smashing grab! Although they aren't actively feeding as they approach spawning time, they still will respond to an egg pattern drifted into their lie, as steelhead and salmon have a natural instinct to pick up that egg and remove it from their nesting area. And while they have the egg in their mouth… SET THE HOOK!!!

4) Look For Rest Stops

Steelhead are much less likely to take a fly when they are on the move. While they’re traveling they prioritize miles, not mouthfuls. I like to think about it like standing on the interstate, waving a free twinkie at a truck driver who is zooming by. They love twinkies, but they're not going to stop the truck for one. On the other hand, if you try to hand out free twinkies at a rest-stop you will have much better luck! Steelhead are the same way. Present your fly at a rest-stop where the fish has paused, and you're more likely to find a willing fish. Key spots to focus on are at riffle heads and tailouts—especially above and below a bit of a rapid at first or last light (I particularly like fishing the "armpit" inside seam, right below the riffle); Boulders and ledge-rock; and my favorite--below a side tributary. Side tributaries are a magic spot because they bring in cool, fresh water that steelhead want to stop and smell to determine if it's their natal water (there are numerous studies that document this behavior). And the water below tributaries tends to have a lot of natural food items, perfect for imitating with your fly!

5) First / Last Light

Time of day matters for a steelhead fly fisherman. While a gear fisherman can work a team of diving plugs along a traveling seam and get an aggressive response from the steelhead in the middle of the day, it is easy for them to ignore our fly. Traveling steelhead will accumulate through the night below a rapid and wait for morning to navigate it. Fishing these spots at first (and last) light means you have a better chance to present your fly to a resting fish-- And a resting fish is a much more willing target than a traveling fish. Once they are on the move you have to play the game of finding them and hoping they are resting and not moving.

This point has been driven home by my experiences fishing on the Grande Ronde in the fall, where setting up camp below a rapid has paid major dividends. Fishing is great at first light as the steelhead that have stacked up and rested below are ready for a quick breakfast before they resume their upstream journey. It has also been a very observable phenomenon in the Spring on the upper Salmon River by Stanley and the upper South Fork of the Clearwater river, as you spend a lot of time walking the banks and spotting steelhead to fish to. Early in the morning you can sit on a high bank above a rapid and watch the "targets" appear in the tail-out below.

GET OUT THERE!

I hope this article has motivated you to get out and chase some Steelhead this Fall. Consider joining BVFF’s Steelhead Outing on the Clearwater river, October 15-19.

When you go to tie on your fly, think about the water you are fishing, and Why a steelhead might take it. Do more than just "Huck and Hope"! Remember to target resting water; Cast deliberately and fish your fly. And make sure to check out Scott Blackhurst’s article on tying the Green Butt Skunk. It’s a confidence fly for myself and many other anglers. Tie some up and get out there! Remember to keep your hooks sharp, and keep your fish wet.

RESOURCES

Here are some good resources to help you prepare for going fishing.

Joe Dupont from the Lewiston Idaho Fish and Game office steelhead updates are excellent and insightful. His 2025 Fall Steelhead update was released on September 2nd.
The DART Adult Fish Passage website is a great place to check on the steelhead and salmon run status.
IDF&G has a nice summary graph of steelhead counts.
Idaho Fish and Game's steelhead harvest report. and hatchery return page .
IDF&G's Salmon river region has some great information about steelhead fishing on the upper Salmon river. Their Steelhead Pocket Guide is one of the best resources I have ever seen on the subject. . It is also worth following them on Facebook as they are good about posting updates
It helps to check water flows and temperatures before you go. BVFF has a good "Steelhead Waters" page that shows you current and forecast flows. Paying attention to river flows is one key to successful steelheading. Here is something I wrote about Hydrographs for Steelhead in a Hackle Bender many years ago.

Some books that will elevate your steelhead fishing game. Yes, some of them are focused at gear fishing. Ignore that aspect--they have key insights into steelhead fishing.

Dec Hogan's "A Passion For Steelhead". Read it cover to cover, then read it again!
John Larison's book, "The Complete Steelheader", will up your game! Some of the best information on advanced presentations you will find.
Lani Waller's "A Steelheader's Way". This is where it all started. Read it--it will take you back in time.
Boise's own (and friend of BVFF) Rick Williams' book "Managed Extinction" is a MUST READ to understand what has happened to Steelhead and Salmon in the Pacific Northwest. It's jaw-dropping and heart-breaking at times, but a rare look into the system that is failing our fish. Here is a short review of that book.
Bill Herzog's "Color Guide to Steelhead Drift Fishing". This book has one of the best descriptions of how steelhead behave in different water temperatures than anything else I've ever read.
Dan Magers' book "Striking Steelhead". This is a plugging book, but written about fishing the Clearwater river. There are some key lessons and a few secrets in here worth your time.

Fly Fishing Technique That Just Might Trigger A Strike

Brian Martin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:57:18 GMT

The Deadly Pause

By Ted Eisele

Think back: How many times have you paused while retrieving your nymph or streamer and then immediately had a fish hit? Or, had a hit the moment you resumed the retrieve?

It’s a technique that’s worth including in your fly retrieval repertoire. It’s what I call “the deadly pause,” and it pays off in both lakes and streams.”

(Reprinted with permission from Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine.)

Read the full article by opening the following attachment:

The Deadly Pause STS articlePDF.pdf

Angler Challenges Continue To Be Accomplished

Brian Martin — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:11:30 GMT

Dave’s Strategy Session

by Dave Shuldes, shuldesd@gmail.com

The Arctic Grayling Challenge

One of many challenges that Boise Valley Fly Fishers offers to our members each year is the Idaho Arctic Grayling club. Details are listed at this link: Idaho Arctic Grayling Challenge.

There are currently 9 BVFF Grayling Club members, including Mike Mclean, Tom Old, Tim Old and George Butts from 2019-2023. At our BVFF club meeting in March, Jim Kazakoff recognized the new 2024 additions including Patti Bantam, Jill Bradley, Greg Hitchcock, Johnny Rogers and Lisa Szentes. Congratulations to all!

In short, the challenge is to catch, photograph and release an Arctic Grayling in Idaho. These beautiful fish with their neon blue sail fins are planted by the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) in Alpine lakes throughout the state. Stocking locations and schedule can be found here:

Where have Arctic Grayling been stocked by IDF&G LINK
Where have Arctic Grayling been observed in SW Idaho LINK

A tip for our statewide members; the search linked above was set for SW Idaho. You will note that you can check off all the regions of the state you are interested in to expand the results for your area of interest.

During our planning for our annual backpacking trips, my hiking partners and I often research the stocking schedule for our destinations so we know what to expect. The Frank Church Wilderness, McCall area and Sawtooth Mountains are all good targets. These lakes are usually quite remote, so we often schedule an initial day to pack in and establish a base camp, then day hike to the lakes, which may contain Grayling and other uncommon species, such as Golden Trout and or Tiger Trout. Once established these species can over winter for years in the same high elevation lakes. Many of these lakes are unnamed and can only be referenced by their altitude.

Finding the location of Grayling is the key. Once you’ve found your target, the fishing strategy is similar to alpine lakes cutthroat and rainbows. I use a four or five weight rod, floating or sink tip line, a 9 foot leader and 4X or 5X tippet. My favorite fly patterns are a Gartside Sparrow pattern customized with black Krystal Flash in the tail and pointing toward the hook tip from the eye, or a customized Prince Nymph with olive brown goose biots. Hook size is #10, 2X long. I start with a 3 or 4mm tungsten bead head in bronze or olive, and finish with a subtle collar of red thread just behind the bead.

In the right conditions (generally low to no wind) Arctic Grayling will also feed readily on surface flies. A #14 or #16 Elk Hair Caddis, Renegade, or Flying Ant pattern will usually do the trick. When casting, I generally seek out deeper water. Underneath deep ledges and pockets behind boulders are common hangouts.

These Grayling, living in pristine water conditions, will live for many years if treated well. Use of barbless hooks and photographing the fish while they remain in the water are strongly recommended. Catching these relatively rare, colorful species in our Alpine lakes are one of the many delights of fishing in Idaho. There are relatively few places throughout the US and around the world where the right combination of wilderness preservation and wildlife management provide us with these fishing opportunities. We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful state!

Always bring the 10 essentials, travel with a partner, and be prepared for extreme changes in weather at these altitudes which often exceed 8,000 feet in elevation. Tight lines & good luck with the Grayling challenge!

Idaho Arctic Grayling Challenge

Learning to Fly Cast Can Be FUN!

Brian Martin — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:03:03 GMT

Fun and Games!
by Michael Elsden, Fly Casting Program Lead

March 22nd saw our first ‘Casting Social’ and I’m happy to report that it was very well received by hardy club members who bravely turned out on a windy afternoon. The purpose behind this first event was to have some fun with casting games, get to know each other better, and discuss upcoming casting related activities.

So what precisely is the point of Casting Games? At its most basic, it’s a way of practicing fundamentals with an added element of challenge and fun. Joan Wulff talks about ‘Picking Leaves’ where you select a leaf on a tree and cast until you hit it. Challenging and fun to do, but has the underlying purpose of developing loop control, accuracy, and hand/eye coordination. My own version of ‘tree oriented’ practice requires you to walk through a wooded area while keeping a fly in the air, sometimes casting sideways, always being aware of what’s in front and behind. For added fun, hold your favorite beverage in your line hand while walking/casting and if you make it through the trees without tangling or spilling, you can take a drink and start over.

The ‘Roll, Baby Roll’ game (pictured above) is one I learned from Australian master casting instructor, Peter Hayes. Fiendishly fun, the purpose is to throw tight roll cast loops that will gradually wrap around the planted pool noodle. As the noodle gets more and more wraps, you get close to the target which is where you reverse and start unwrapping (and backing up). This develops tight and focused roll cast loops on both left and right sides.

These are all examples of ‘task based learning’. There’s a challenge, or task, that requires building and honing particular skills in order to complete the game. Fun! One idea we are working on is Fly Casting Golf where we select a Frisbee Golf course and instead of flinging a plastic disc, we cast at each target. Sometimes it will be a distance cast, other times roll casting because you are up against a tree, or maybe curve casting around an obstacle…

How about creating your own fly casting games? We’d love to hear your ideas, bring them along to the next Casting Social.

Website Wonderings - Member Contact Information Search

Brian Martin — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 01:40:26 GMT

The BVFF website is filled with information about our Education, Conservation, and Access missions as well as our annual fishing Outings. Other information that you might find helpful includes contact information (email and telephone) for other members. You might wish to contact a BOD member or Officer, or someone you met at our member meeting to connect and have coffee or go fishing.

To learn how to access this information, follow this presentation:

BVFF Membership Hackle Bender Website Wonderings Member Contact Info.pptx

Only active BVFF members can access the contact information. Please be respectful of the privacy of our members and do not share this with anyone outside of BVFF.

Dave's Strategy Session

Brian Martin — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 03:13:39 GMT

For Publishing in the January 2025 BVFF Hackle Bender

Dave’s Strategy Session

by Dave Shuldes: shuldesd@gmail.com

The Back End of the Game

Among the many delights of fly fishing strategy are choosing where and when to fish, presentation of the fly, and landing a fish once hooked. Gear preparation is critical and it all starts with the front end – fly rod, line type, tippet selection, fly patterns, etc. The back end – reel, drag setting, and backing condition – is rarely on my priority list. Too often I consider the reel to mostly be a “line holder”, an oversight I recently came to regret.

On the front end I generally match the tippet to the size of fly – 6X for hook sizes 22 and smaller, 5X for sizes 16-20, 4X for sizes 10-14, 3X for size 8 or larger. I use nylon tippet for dries and fluorocarbon for nymphs and streamers. Anticipated size and weight of fish are another factor, but I rarely plan ahead on playing fish larger than 20 inches. A shout out to Cortland Ultra-Premium Fluorocarbon tippet as I find it has proven to have less risk of breaking off in smaller diameters – 5X and 4X in particular. I used to be big on use of 9-foot tapered leaders but these days the Airflo Polyleader in its various models, from the 6.5 and 8 ft. floating versions to the various sink rates, has allowed me to tie a single strand of tippet from the tippet ring to the fly. Less knots make for less potential weak points! This has improved my success in landing fish.

The “back end” has fewer nuances to it but it can become essential. As an example, I was fishing an alpine lake in the Pioneer mountains this past fall, targeting Arctic Grayling with good success. I was fishing a variation of a prince nymph pattern in size 10 with a red collar, 3mm olive tungsten bead, brown olive ice dub, olive goose biots and Krystal Flash in the tail. With this set up a floating line and leader was working well. The heavy beaded fly with 8 feet of 4X tippet was all I needed to gain plenty of depth. 16-18 inch grayling were finding it frequently and these fish were easy to play to the net.

Then, with my line already cast out, a long torpedo of a rainbow suddenly emerged into view, swimming directly toward me along the near shoreline. I carefully maneuvered my fly to be visible in front of the fish. Once it saw the fly there was no hesitation. Something I love about alpine lake’s clear water is we can often see it all happen right in front of us!

The initial run after the hook set took the fish a good 20 yards away where it leapt into the air. At that moment I had a memorable, spectacular look at the specimen. Next was a run toward the center of the relatively shallow lake like I have never experienced before. The line was quickly out into the backing and I started to tighten the drag. Here’s a tough decision… how much drag is too much? What setting will allow too much line to escape vs. creating too much torque, resulting in a broken knot or hook release? The tippet strength rating was definitely less than the fish weight, I thought, so I erred on the light side, relying on my backing length to hold out.

Then my lack of preparation came into play. With more than 50% of the backing off the reel, it reached a spot deep in the arbor where the backing had overlapped on itself. The increased resistance was just sudden enough and strong enough that the fish was able to pull itself away from the hook. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I was out of breath. I slowly reeled back in… leader, tippet, knots and fly were all still intact.

I later checked stocking records for that particular lake and learned that Troutlodge Triploid Rainbows had been stocked there 8 years prior in 2016. Whew… I’ll never forget this long-time resident who took advantage of my oversight in not checking my backing for a smooth release. Could I have salvaged a landing with a tighter drag setting? I’ll never know… but I’ve replayed it many times in my mind. That’s the experience of fly fishing. The fish that win the game can be the most memorable. In the meantime, I’ve been through my reels and re-wound the backing, and I’ll now be doing that with my main reel of intended use before each trip!

Michael Elsden to Lead Fly Casting Program

Brian Martin — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 02:05:52 GMT

For Inclusion in the Hackle Bender, Winter Issue, January 2025, Education Eddy

Casting Skills Development at Boise Valley Fly Fishers

I want to take this opportunity in the first edition of the new year to introduce myself. Brian asked me to step up when Don and Joy decided to take a well-deserved break from heading up Casting Skills Development at BVFF. Many thanks to them for everything they’ve contributed over the years. Big shoes for me to fill!

Some of you might recognize a slight accent as I’m from someplace east of here. I’m fairly new to Idaho, having moved here a year ago, so I’m definitely a novice when it comes to Idaho waters. Feel free to educate me! I do love fly casting, however… and I also love to teach. I passed my FFI Casting Instructor exam back in 2018 and the following year completed the Joan Wulff Casting Instructor School. I gotta tell you, Joan, despite being tiny and (now) late nineties, could strike fear into your very soul. Somehow, you can sense when she’s looking at your casts… then, when you turn around, she’s walking toward you (oh no)… and when she gets next to you and says, ‘what ARE you doing!?’ - boom! ---> crushed.

So, what do I see happening at BVFF in regard to casting skills development? We will continue to hold events for the excellent FFI casting skills program - foundation, bronze, silver, and gold. I’d love it if we got several through the gold level, as that expands our available team for future challenge events. In addition, Brian and I are thinking up some fun ‘casting socials’ for all skill levels where we can have informal casting ‘games’ aimed at building skills and camaraderie. We are open to suggestions too, so please let us know if you have any ideas. How about fly casting ‘golf’?

I wish you all a very happy and healthy 2025, and please stop by to say ‘hi’ at the expo later this month.

Michael Elsden

Leadership Roles In Need of Help

Brian Martin — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 18:02:27 GMT

Hackle Bender Editor and Publisher – Each January, April, July, and October 1, publishes the Hackle Bender using MailChimp or another Board approved platform, receives and edits articles from individuals to include in the publication, produces articles, stays abreast of BVFF activities by communicating with committee chairpersons and publishes noteworthy information, etc.

Access Committee Chairperson - oversees all activities/projects assigned by the Board, sets monthly(?) meeting dates, reports monthly to the Board on progress for each activity/project, directly manages or delegates projects, researches and determines all public fisheries in the Boise River watershed and assesses current access and access needs, etc.

Education Committee Chairperson - oversees all activities/programs for our Education mission and as assigned by the Board, sets monthly(?) meeting dates, reports monthly to the Board on progress for each activity/program, directly manages or delegates programs, researches educational topics and opportunities, and develops programs beneficial to our members and the public, etc.

Outings Committee Chairperson - oversees all monthly outings, the Yea Buddy/Member Meetup program, and any other outing assigned by the Board, sets monthly(?) meeting dates, reports monthly to the Board on progress for each outing and needs, directly manages or delegates outings, ensures that all outings are posted to the BVFF website in a timely manner, researches new fisheries for outings, plans outings well ahead of time (one year suggested), timely communicates the planned outings with the Monthly Membership Meeting Presentations/Demonstrations Lead to coordinate presenter topics with the upcoming outing, etc.

Communications Committee Chairperson – oversees IT/AV, Publications (Quarterly Hackle Bender and Monthly Member Update (except when Hackle Bender is published), Marketing (BVFF Website, Expo Website, Social Media Outreach/Postings) and any other related items assigned by the Board, sets monthly(?) meeting dates, reports monthly to the Board on progress and needs, directly produces content or delegates responsibilities, etc.

Individuals to participate on each established committee – participates in monthly committee meetings, manages/completes activities/projects assigned (they volunteer to do this rather than be assigned?) by chairperson, etc.

Substitute Instructors for Fundamentals of Fly Fishing Program Classes – teaches one of the four classes that have been developed for this program. Communicates with the class developer to obtain class syllabus and maintain consistency in materials/information presented. Primary instructors who developed a class and the classes are:

Brady Kallas – Equipment - Rods, Reels, Fly Line, Leaders, and Tippet

Troy Pearse – Entomology (and Imitative Flies)

Joy Knickrehm – Fishing Knots

Tom Governale? – How to Fly Fish (Now that I know all this stuff, what do I do with it? Where do I find the fish and how do I catch them?

Checking Fishing Conditions

Troy Pearse — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 22:22:44 GMT

When headed out fishing, it is helpful to understand the weather and water conditions, so you can be prepared as well as make smart and safe decisions.

For weather, I find NOAA’s forecasts the most accurate for our area and includes forecasts for the “Dreaded W”. I use the app “NOAA Weather Unofficial” which gives an hour-by-hour temperature, “W” and precipitation forecast that is very useful. Here is an example that shows when a recent storm is expected to stop raining. (Update: Looks like this is an Android only app--sorry. Here is a link to the app developer's page.)

Another handy tool for checking the weather is the Bureau of Reclamation’s Hydromet website which includes weather sites at many dams and rivers. For example, in the winter it’s nice to see when the air temperatures got above freezing the last few days, and it’s always good to see how much rain the Owyhee got before you head over, as larger rain events can cause a dry side canyon/creek to blowout.

One tip about fishing in “the W”: It can be difficult, but river canyons like the SF Boise and Owhyee have protected areas that make it easier to cast, depending on the direction of the wind. Make a “W Plan” by paying attention to how much grass and tree movement you see when you’re driving along the river and make notes of these areas.

Understanding water flows and water temperatures is also very important. Spring runoff can make rivers dangerously high to fish and rainstorms can bring flows up on freestone rivers. The NOAA River Forecast page will give you an idea of how the river might come up from forecast precipitation and how the current river flows compare to the average (median) flows. Upcoming changes in dam outflows are also shown in the river forecast, which will let you know when flows are expected to change. Here is an example that shows when the Middle Fork of the Boise River will drop after our recent heavy rainstorm.

There are some good apps to track river flows. I like “Rivercast” and “Riverflows”. BVFF’s “Local Waters” web page is extremely helpful as it includes links to river flows, forecasts and water temperatures. As well as reservoir levels and Bureau of Reclamation’s Boat Ramp page that lets you know if you’ll be able to launch at your favorite boat ramp. Bookmark it and make a habit of checking it before you head out on your fishing trip.

You can also sign up for USGS “Water Alerts” and get notifications for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose. For example, I have a water alert set for the SF Boise to let me know when flows have gone above or below 600cfs (note, to avoid duplicate notifications I set it for flows that are greater than 400 and less than 500 ft^3/s – daily). Similarly, I have an alert set on the Owyhee river for “Discharge is greater than 75 and less than 100 ft^3/s – daily”.

Knowing water temperatures can help you anticipate what bugs are hatching and help you choose where you want to fish. For example, in the early summer fishing the lower end of the MF Boise will have warmer water temperatures and better fishing. But by mid summer the lower MF Boise can get too warm for fishing and you’ll have better luck moving upstream to cooler waters. For more details on how to use water temperatures to improve your fishing, see this previous blog article .

Showing up at a river when it’s not in prime condition can ruin your fishing day. Spending a few minutes checking the river flows and forecasts will make you a more effective fisherman.

EXAMPLE FISHING CONDITION QUESTIONS

What are the flows on the Boise River in town ?
How will the MF Boise River respond to the rainstorm?
Is the boat ramp in the water?
What were air temperatures on the S.F. Boise yesterday?
How much rain did the Owyhee river get last night?
What are water temps in the Boise River in town?
What will "The W" be like on the SFB today?

Dave’s Strategy Session - The Flow of Fly Fishing

Brian Martin — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:47:30 GMT

Dave’s Strategy Session

The Flow of Fly Fishing

By Dave Shuldes

shuldesd@gmail.com

“The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I thought I knew, I’m learning again.”

Don Henley, The Heart of the Matter

The other day I nearly lost out on a memorable fish by giving up too soon. I was standing in a familiar drift on the Boise in town, tight line nymphing with a reliable #18 midge pattern. The technique and fly I was using had results for me in this run at this time of year countless times. I worked the run hard, several dozen drifts, and my busy mind told me it was time to move on.

Fortunately, I needed to add some tippet. While digging around in my sling, a fly sitting on my foam pad stood out to me. It was a #14 caddis pupae pattern. Chartreuse and black “Houdini weave” abdomen with a green Ice Dub thorax.

I paused and relaxed for a minute. My first thought was “March… it’s still too early for caddis”…. (Pick up the story here) But then my intuition drifted to the recent weather pattern – a lot warmer than normal for this time of year. Well, it seems futile but why not? The first drift through the exact some run was just as the previous dozen casts… BAM! A heavy fish took me deep into the reel, almost to the backing. A delightful battle on what would never have happened had I acted on my habitual thought.

Whether it’s fly fishing, or nature in general, often what I think I know stands between an impatient move and allowing the flow of the situation – the river, the weather, the season, what I’m seeing and hearing – to guide the next decision. Being in a hurry to make things happen is all too frequently my frame of mind. I’m learning slowly in fishing (and in life) that slowing down can have good results.

Regarding strategy, I’ll always start my plan with my past experience and instincts. But flexibility is paramount – especially in shoulder seasons where entomology cycles are evolving. Weather changes and transitions in time of day also can change the game. As I write, runoff time is almost here, and the river flows are coming up. Other than our freestone streams, it’s time to gear up for spring stillwater season. Hope you enjoy the warming weather and all the options that Southwest Idaho fishing has to offer!

Angler Etiquette and Ethics

Brian Martin — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:58:05 GMT

That time of the year is coming. You know what I'm talking about. The fish are getting more active and eating regularly and often. So too are the anglers (well, at least the getting more active part).

You arrived early at your favorite spot on the Owyhee and... someone else is already there. So you move on to your second choice and... same thing. Third choice... more of the same!

What a conundrum. You've driven all this way to fish and the fish are rising everywhere you look. There's also an angler behind every rock and in every good drift. What do you do?

The simple answer is to either fish less desirable water, wait for another angler to be done fishing, or head home with the plan to return another day (arrive at dark thirty to get your spot or wait until the afternoon/evening after others have gone home).

Following is information from BVFF's Conservation mission:

Boise Valley Fly Fishers Creed

Take care of the fish.
Respect other anglers.
Leave it better than you found it.

Find more information regarding Angling Etiquette and Ethics HERE.

Be safe out there and please avoid confrontation with another angler. A fish isn't worth getting hurt over!

Expo 2024 - Huge Success Due to Volunteer Efforts!

Brian Martin — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 17:21:16 GMT

The Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo (WIFFE) was held on Friday, January 5th, and Saturday, January 6th. This is BVFF's largest fly fishing educational public event and is considered the kick-off expo of each new year. Fly fishing experts and fly tyers from the Rocky Mountain Northwest converge on Boise to educate, demonstrate, and present their knowledge, skills, and techniques.

WIFFE is wholly supported by volunteers. All proceeds, less operating expenses, are used to fulfill our 3 core missions of fly fishing Education, Conservation, and Access. Without the dedication and generosity of our volunteers, this event wouldn’t have happened. We are so blessed and grateful for each of their efforts.

The attendance was 2,582 outside attendees (paid adults, children, and VIP tickets) and an additional 270 each day counting presenters, exhibitors, volunteers, fly tyers, etc. Our net profit was $21,163, which is well above our goal and the highest on record! We know this would not be possible without the volunteer help we receive, so thank you again for being a part of our success.

Planning for WIFFE 2025 has already begun and Bert Williams will chair the committee. As we reflect on the 2024 show and are planning for 2025, we’d welcome your suggestions, thoughts or comments. Also, please consider volunteering on the organizing committee.

If you’d like to share comments or your talents with the Expo 2025 committee, contact Bert Williams at bswilliams63@gmail.com. Collectively, we strive to improve each year, so feedback really helps.

We are planning a volunteer thank you party in conjunction with the club’s July 11 member picnic, so put that on your calendar. In the meantime, we wish you a healthy and prosperous year, with many days on the water included!

Kind Regards,

2024 WIFFE Volunteer Committee

Casting Coaches' Assessment Clinic

Brian Martin — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:06:44 GMT

Our first casting clinic in quite a while was held in Ann Morrison park on Friday the 13th (what were we thinking?). Thankfully, it went very well. Joy and Don Knickrehm are leading our Education mission and this is the beginning of what we plan to be a benefit to our members as well as public educational opportunities regarding fly fishing. The weather was terrific aside from the slight breeze that was blowing leaves off of the trees.

The clinic's purpose was to indetify individuals interested in helping others develop their fly casting skills. We are using a newly developed program by Fly Fishers International (FFI) that allows fly casters to test their skills at 4 different levels - Foundation, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each level gets progressively more challenging and the skills called for segue nicely onto the rivers and stillwaters.

We had 19 individuals cast the Foundation and Bronze level courses. All did exceedingly well and their feedback was much welcomed and appreciated.

Future casting clinics are in the works. Keep an eye on https://www.bvff.com/ for upcoming dates. Aslo, our 2024 Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo will have 2 FFI certified casting instructors presenting this program and demonstrating the casting skills. Go to the EXPO 2024 website at https://www.idahoflyfishingexpo.com/ for more.

Education Program To Begin With Fly Casting and Fly Tying

Brian Martin — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:30:06 GMT

Joy and Don have proposed to the Board of Directors two areas of fly fishing education to begin our journey toward providing additional member benefits to you. As these are established, more will be added based on input from you as to what you would like to learn. The two areas are:

Beginner Fly Casting Skills Development
Fly Tying Techniques and Skills

These two areas will add to our existing educational opportunities that include the Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo; monthly member meeting guest speaker presentations and fly tying/fly fishing related demonstrations; the quarterly Hackle Bender; monthly Member Update; and seasonal classes such as nymph fishing techniques.

Excerpts from Joy and Don to the board,

“We are very excited to be leading the BVFF Education mission, and view this as a tremendous opportunity to give our knowledge and experience to the members of the club. Understand that we believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. To accomplish this endeavor, we will need help from others within and outside of the club, and it will take time.”

“We have learned that BVFF has added many new members, many (if not most) of whom are enthusiastic, but inexperienced. Our proposal is to initially focus our BVFF education programs on those newer members, and their need for coaching (education).”

“We are suggesting this focus as a first step. If we try to address all issues at once, we will fail. We must be focused on our purpose, and we must proceed with patience. There will be other programs for more experienced fly anglers as we develop the entire program.”

The Beginner Fly Casting Skills Development will be based on the Fly Fishers International Fly Casting Skills Development Program (click Here to view the program). This program has four levels: Foundation, Bronze, Silver, and Gold and can be completed at your own pace; however, if you’d like to turbo charge your learning curve, our educational opportunity will help.

To accomplish the fly casting education, Joy and Don will need help from members who would like to become casting coaches. In either August or September an event will be held to introduce you to the FFI casting skills program. We have a list from May of this year of members who are interested, and we will be reaching out to you. For all of our members, keep an eye out for an announcement for this event.

The Fly Tying Techniques and Skills will likely begin this Fall/Winter and include beginner as well as advanced classes. Joy and Don will need volunteers to lead these classes.

If you have an interest in helping with either casting or tying programs, please email president@bvff.com

Joy and Don Knickrehm to Lead BVFF Education Programs

Brian Martin — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 01:32:59 GMT

Long-time BVFF members, Joy and Don Knickrehm, have decided to accept the role of leads in further developing and growing the educational opportunities available to BVFF members and the general public. We are excited and blessed to have them bring their decades of fly fishing knowledge, experience, mentoring, and teaching to BVFF.

(Don and Joy pictured after an enjoyable day fly fishing the Owyhee River in Oregon)

We asked Joy and Don to tell us a little about themselves and their deep connection to fly fishing. Following, they tell us in their own words:

Joy

I learned to fly fish over 37 years ago. Since then, my husband Don and I have traveled many parts of the U.S. and the world in search of fly fishing adventures. In 1993 we founded the Idaho Anglers Fly Shop in Boise, Idaho with partner Ken Pursley. We are proud of the Shop’s support of fly fishing and conservation.

I was FFF (Federation of Fly Fishermen) certified as a casting instructor by Doug Swisher in 1995 in Livingston, Montana. I was also certified as a casting instructor by the Joan Wulff School for fly casting instructors, by Joan herself in 1996.

I have served on the Board of Directors of the Boise Valley Fly Fisher’s Club and was their first woman President; and served on the Board of Directors of the industry organization American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA).

Over the years, with the help of my gracious fly fishing women friends and generous business and club support, I have conducted many shop sponsored “Women Only” programs, including beginning fly fishing and casting seminars; fly fishing outings and a “Tying Bee” (twice-monthly fly tying sessions which continued through the winter months every year for over 25 years).

Don

Don graduated from Idaho State University in 1967 with a B.A. degree, and then attended and graduated from the University of California, Berkley Law School in 1970 with a Juris Doctor degree. He returned to Idaho and worked as a law clerk for the Idaho Supreme Court and then a Deputy District Attorney General for the State of Idaho, before entering into private practice. He continued to practice until he retired at the end of 2015, specializing in real estate, finance, and business law.

Early on, Don met John F. Croner (an avid and skilled fly fisher and tier, now deceased), who some of you knew. John taught Don to cast and tie, and a life-long friendship and passion for fly fishing began.

Don has taught fly casting (beginning to advanced) and fly fishing classes since his 1995 FFF certification. He also led the effort (ably assisted by Rick Williams and Tim Mansell), to bring the Fly Fishing International (formerly FFF) annual “conclave” to Boise, Idaho in 2018 (for the first and only time it was held in Boise).

Don continues to support many conservation organizations and efforts, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Henry’s Fork Foundation. He has also served as Counsel for AFFTA.

THANK YOU! Joy and Don for your dedication to the art of fly fishing and to BVFF.

Hand Tied Leader Construction- Jon Fishback

Jim Kazakoff — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:43:59 GMT

Jon's presentation (in PDF format) from April 2023 meeting is posted HERE

Fishing by the (Temperature) Numbers

Jim Kazakoff — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 17:12:58 GMT

Attention to water temperature is both important to your angling success, and to the health and safety of the fish you are catching. Trout and the insects they are eating, are both responsive to the water temperature of their environment.

Fly Fishing Magazine has published a nice temperature chart that gives some guidance on water temperatures and strategies for fishing those conditions.

The chart can be found HERE

A Tale of Two Tailwaters

Troy Pearse — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 21:34:53 GMT

Tailwaters are rivers below dams that release water from the bottom of the reservoir. Releasing water from the bottom vs the top helps keep the outflows cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter—this is called the Tailwater Effect. But not all Tailwater Dams are built and managed the same which can impact the Tailwater Effect and influence outflow water temperatures. Lucky Peak Dam, which feeds the Lower Boise River is built and managed differently than the Anderson Ranch Dam, which feeds the S.F. of the Boise River. Understanding how tailwater-dams impact water temperature will help you find more productive water and improve your fishing throughout the year

FUN FACT

Do you know why ice floats, or why ice forms on the top of a lake, and not on the bottom? It is because water has a unique property that makes the solid form less dense than the liquid. This is important to fisherman because 39 degree (F) water is the most dense, which means it sinks to the bottom of the reservoir where water is released.

WINTER

Anderson Ranch Dam

On the S.F. of the Boise the Tailwater Effect is your friend in late fall and early winter because that large blanket of water results in water temps staying 40 – 50 degrees in November and December compared to the freestone section above dropping down into the 30’s. The warmer water coming out of Anderson Ranch dam results in longer hatches, active fish, and awesome fishing! Figure-1 shows how water temperatures coming out of the dam stay elevated into December while water temperatures drop into the 30’s on the freestone section of river above the dam at Featherville. But the warming from the Tailwater Effect is limited to the first 5-10 miles of the river, after that the influence of cold days, freezing nights and side streams drop water temperatures, as shown by the temperature at Neal Bridge 26 miles below the dam.

Lucky Peak Dam

The Lower Boise River doesn’t experience the same winter Tailwater Effect as the South Fork because Lucky Peak is drawn down for irrigation each year and the outflows from Lucky Peak come from a higher elevation in the reservoir. This draw-down and outflow location means the water released is influenced by the surface water temperature which causes water temperatures to drop quicker and get colder on the Lower Boise River in the winter than the S.F. of the Boise. Figure 2 shows water temperatures released from Lucky Peak Dam from fall through winter and Figure-3 shows Lucky Peak winter water elevation and where outflows originate. You can see that the reservoir level drops into the outflow-zone starting in October and stays there through February, driving outflow water temperatures down into the mid 30’s all winter. Winter water temperatures on the Lower Boise River will warm a bit on sunny days as you go downstream which can make fishing better in the afternoon between Glenwood and Star.

SPRING

As winter turns into spring and the sun gets higher in the sky, water starts warming. The greater the sun exposure and the more solar cycles, the more it warms which results in water getting warmer the further downstream you go. This pre-runoff time can be some of the best fishing of the year as the warmer water gets the hatches going and makes the fish HUNGRY! However, while water is warming downstream the water temperature being released from Anderson Ranch and Lucky Peak dams gets stuck in the upper 30’s, which makes it advantageous in the spring to fish further downstream where water has time to warm up. Figure 4 shows how the water temperature increases as you go downstream on the Lower Boise River. While water temperatures at Lucky Peak stay cold all day the river below warms up enough to see some hatches and more active trout.

SUMMER

In the heat of summer, freestone rivers can get too warm for good trout fishing, but the temperature of water below a tailwater dam is usually cooler because of the deep blanket of water insulating outflows from the summer heat. On a tailwater river you can often escape higher water temperatures by fishing closer to the dam that is releasing cooler waters. On a freestone river one way to combat the heat of summer is to fish further upstream where the river has seen fewer “solar cycles” of warming.

Anderson Ranch Dam outflows into the S.F. of the Boise remain cool all summer long running around 55 degrees. However, water temperatures on the Main Boise River are again impacted by the irrigation draw-down of Lucky Peak, causing outflow temperatures to rise into the mid 60’s by the end of August, and even higher in low-water years. Trout have a range of preferred water temperatures and stop biting when the temperatures get into the upper 60s, so it is best to seek out cooler waters when these conditions exist. Fishing in overly warm water also increases the mortality rate of trout caught and released.

A recent Idaho Fish and Game study on water temperatures found that:

The study found that mortality was 69% higher for trout landed at 73°F water temperatures than for those landed when waters were less than 66°F. These results suggest that higher water temperatures were indeed decreasing the survival of caught-and-released trout. However, catch rates were much lower (77% lower!) at the higher water temperatures above 73°F, and much better when temperatures were below 66°F. So while mortality was higher at the hottest temperatures, the number of trout caught was much lower because it was much harder to catch fish at those warmer temperatures. This phenomenon is well known to trout anglers, who often stop fishing in the heat of the day because catch rates are poor compared to cooler times of the day.

THE THEMOMETER IS YOUR FRIEND

Checking water temperatures can help you find the most productive water and anticipate what bugs will hatch. Checking water temperatures online using BVFF’s Local Waters web page can help you plan your trip and carrying a quality stream thermometer (FishPond and Orvis have good ones) can help you adjust your fishing plans on the river. For more information on how to use a thermometer to improve your fishing, see my article Using A Thermometer To Improve Your Fishing.

REFERENCES

• BVFF’s Local Waters web page.

• Water flow and temperature information can be found on USGS and BofR Hydromet websites .

• Water temperatures on the Main Boise River were obtained from the City of Boise through a public records request of water quality data.

• BVFF Conservation Blog

• Using A Thermometer To Improve Your Fishing

• Idaho Fish and Game Water Temperature Study

Chasing Mr Whitey

Troy Pearse — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:08:43 GMT

It's February, and time to chase some mountain whitefish! Mountain Whitefish are native to our local rivers and an indicator of water quality. The Boise River in town has a healthy population of Whitefish and the S. F. of the Boise has some of the biggest whitefish in the area.

Whitefish are more tolerant of the cold winter water and are more eager to take a fly than their trout cousins. One key to catching whitefish and trout in the winter is to get the fly down to the bottom where fish are holding. A drop-shot rig is a great way to do this and can be fished with or without an indicator. Here is how to build a drop-shot leader. Additional information on Euro-Nymphing rods and techniques can be found on the BVFF Euro-Nymphing page.

Whitefish have small mouths so it helps to use smaller nymphs. Some good patterns to try are:

#16 Black or Red Zebra Midge
#16 Olive Thread Frenchie
#18 Rainbow Warrior
#16 Frenchie
#18 Red Brassie
#14 Blowtorch
#12 Prince Nymph

Additional Information.

BVFF Whitefish Derby (VIRTUAL) and (IN-PERSON)

Finding Warmer Water Temps In Winter

Troy Pearse — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:00:55 GMT

Boise has seen a few warmer days with nights above freezing, which is a pattern that can help warm rivers and improve fishing. In late Fall and early winter you can find warmer water by fishing up close to a tailwater dam, but this time of year when you have a string of warmer days and nights the opposite can be true.

Winter outflows from the dam are locked into a constant temperature coming out of the bottom, which is usually around 39 degrees below Anderson Dam and 36-37 degrees below Lucky Peak Dam. Warmer days and nights will allow that water to warm up as you go downstream.

Here is a look at water temps on the Lower Boise River at Glenwood bridge and at Caldwell so far this month. You can see the Boise River at Glenwood is warming a couple of degrees and getting into the upper 30s while the river down at Caldwell is up into the lower 40s.

Just a degree or two of warming during the day can make a big difference. Fishing downstream sections closer to Star can pay off this time of year and focusing on the last few hours of the day can be productive as water temps are at their maximum. This trout was caught on January 2nd between Eagle and Star, the last hour of the day.

Paying attention to water temperature can really improve your fishing. Checking BVFF's Local Waters page for water temperatures on local rivers is a good way to plan your winter fishing. For more information on how water temperature impacts fishing, see our article Using A Thermometer To Improve Your Fishing.

Al & Gretchen Beatty- receive 2022 FFI Award of Distinction

Jim Kazakoff — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 19:29:20 GMT

BVFF members Al & Gretchen Beatty were recently awarded the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFI) Award of Distinction for their years of service and contributions to FFI and promotion of fly fishing.

Al and Gretchen and their achievements are highlighted in the recent FFI magazine publication FlyFisher (Winter 2022).

The criteria for the FFI award is described by FFI as follows:

FFI Award of Distinction (formerly Lapis Lazuli Award)

The ultimate award of Fly Fishers International. Thus, the consideration for individual achievement is extremely strict. Services and contribution to FFI must be prominent and extraordinary, and above all, they must be long term (at least 8 years). They must be significantly above the criteria that would merit consideration for any other award.highest level of recognition bestowed on an individual who has demonstrated.

The criteria are as follows:

Eight years of service to FFI is required.

Service should be voluntary. Time as a paid employee of the Federation, although not totally discounted, would merit minor consideration.

Individual should not have previously won the award.

To preserve the integrity of this award, it is recommended that it be awarded judiciously and infrequently, but it is not intended that the frequency stipulation deprive a truly deserving individual.

This award is the ultimate award of the Federation. Thus, the consideration for individual achievement must be extremely strict. Services and contributions to the Federation must be prominent and extraordinary, and, above all, they must be long term. They must be significantly above the criteria that would merit consideration for any other award.

Election shall be by the Executive Committee. The vote shall require a 2/3 majority. The Chair of the Awards Committee shall be notified prior to the meeting of the Committee to avoid conflict or duplication. Nominations for this award should be made directly to any member of the executive Board.

DIY Alaska-- Reference Sheet

Jim Kazakoff — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 19:57:40 GMT

Tom Old and George Butts presented DIY Alaska at the November general membership meeting. Tom and George described the planning and true costs of organizing a Do-It-Yourself trip to Alaska and comparison with a trip with a lodge / outfitter. Tom and trip members spent a year planning and organizing their recent fall trip.

A reference sheet has been posted with information, references, and knowledge learned in their planning and experience with this trip. You can find the document HERE.

It's Time to Wash Your Waders!

Troy Pearse — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 16:21:20 GMT

Did you know that your Gore Tex waders will perform better and last longer if you wash them? The same goes for your Gore Tex (and other waterproof fabric) rain jackets. In fact, hanging your Gore Tex raincoat up while it is dirty is a recipe for disaster as the accumulated body oils will break down the Gore Tex membrane and cause it to fail.

Fall is a good time to wash off the summer load of sweat, sunscreen, bug spray and gink. It's easy--here is how I do it. I've listed links below to specific wader manufacturer recommendations. Note that Simms cautions about using old agitator-style washers. As an alternative you can hand wash your waders with a little rub-a-dub-dub in the bath tub.

WASHER INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Examine your waders for damage, like seam-seal tape that is coming off. If you find that, then you should repair it with some Aquaseal first before washing them.

Step 2: Look at your waders to see if they have a tag with washing instructions and follow the recommendations.

Step 3: Empty all the pockets! If you have a zipper, then zip it up! If you can, take off the suspenders.

Step 4: Use a small amount of a mild detergent without any bleach or fabric softener. Even better, use some Nikwax Tech Wash which is designed for breathable materials and will help revive the DWR.

Step 5: Set the washer to a hand-wash or delicate setting, and turn OFF the spin cycle. It helps to set the washer to a "full load" to make sure you get the waders fully immersed and I like to put a cotton towel on top of the load, to help keep the waders submerged.

Step 6: When you go to pull the waders out, be prepared for them to have some water trapped in the booties. Turn them inside-out to flush out excess water and hang them upside-down outside to dry (avoid using the dryer as the heat can do damage). After a few hours turn them right-side out to finish drying.

Oh, and it's a good idea to check inside your washer for any tidbits left over. Even though I carefully check my pockets there is usually a piece of monofilament or a split shot that I missed.

SIMMS Wader Care:

PATAGONIA Wader Care:

Handle with Care While Capturing Memories for Life

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:56:31 GMT

By Dave Shuldes

As I write this I have just put the finishing touches on flies for my annual trip above 8,000 feet in Central Idaho. I love the staging of gear nearly as much as the trip itself. There’s only one shot at getting the kit right for a week in the wilderness, so every detail is double-checked. My fishing won’t be measured by numbers. A few photos of some exceptional fish along with the adventure and the camaraderie of a safe backpacking trip with friends will be all I need.

In addition to taking care of my gear and my friends, one of my goals will be to appreciate and take care of the fish found in these alpine lakes. Just like my camping list, this involves details. When a beautiful alpine lakes’ brookie, cutthroat, golden, grayling or rainbow comes to hand, I’ll show my appreciation for the fish by using these guidelines:

I’ll use barbless hooks.
I’ll keep my hands wet while handling the fish and will cradle it rather than squeezing it.
I won’t touch the fish and will keep it from touching dry surfaces like rocks and grass.
I’ll keep the fish in the water as long as possible, minimizing air exposure and handling time.

“Take only photos, leave only footprints” as backpackers say. Photos are a key part of my passion for fly fishing and the wilderness. But I won’t appear in any of those fish pictures… I’ll save that for a group shot at the camp. The fish itself is the main event. I don’t stress every fish with the photo process - I will limit that to the memorable ones. Some fish are extraordinary, not only by size but also by vibrancy and markings. I’m looking for colors, spots and details to appear in the frame. Flared fins and a submerged head are a bonus. Ideally the fish will be swimming in the water on the end of the line (to me it’s worth the risk of losing the fish before the photo is taken). I’ll have everything set up on my camera long before the fish is hooked. Holding the fish by the line with the hook still in its mouth in shallow water, I’ll shoot a rapid succession of random shots. I can crop, discard and edit later on. I’ll minimize the photo session time with any one fish and release it quickly after one series of shots.

For river fishing, I’ll add use of a net to my fish handling and take special care to release quickly when water temps are warm. Using the net as a “live well” to hold the fish while it’s reviving is a great opportunity to frame a vibrant swimming photo.

A fish mortality study by R.A. Ferguson and B.L. Tufts considered time a trout was held out of the water. Their findings showed that fish released and kept in the water had a mortality rate of 12%. Fish lifted from the water for 30 seconds had a 38% mortality rate. 72% of the fish held out of water for a full minute died. All research has its flaws, but holding fish out of the water can be harmful if not lethal. I would like to think that most fish handled in the manner above can potentially spawn and be available to another angler in the future. Taking care of the fish in this way is a great fit with our BVFF Angling Code.

I absolutely love what wilderness fly fishing adds to my enjoyment of life. I am so grateful for the wildlife resources we have to enjoy in Idaho. In return I want to appreciate the life involved and treat it well. Tight lines everyone!

Fall Is Ant Time!

Troy Pearse — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 21:48:25 GMT

It was a peaceful morning at 7,000 feet. The air was cool from the night before and the hot cup of coffee hit the spot. While enjoying the view over the lake something kept dropping on my head. At first I thought it was pine needles from the tree next to me, but then I saw black ants crawling on the bill of my hat. I shook them off and sat back down to finish my coffee, but more ants rained down and I decided to move further from the tree to avoid having to fish them out of my cuppa joe.

That afternoon while fishing the outlet of the lake I had Yellowstone Cutts come up and look at my flys (hoppers, caddis, and misc attractors) but no takers. Remembering the ant rain-storm from the morning I added a #16 black ant as a dropper to my hopper and BAM! First cast a cutthroat took the ant. I fished back through the water I had previously fish and had 6 more cutts come to the ant.

A good reminder, that it is that time of year when an ant pattern should be your go-to fly. Here is a “Bug Corner” article that ran in last year’s Hackle Bender newsletter.

FALL ANTS

When I look back at my September fishing logs I can’t help but notice how many fish have been caught on ants. Usually the ant was a dropper to a bigger fly like a hopper or an October caddis but instead of trout going for those BIG MAC MEALS they wanted the itty-bitty ant—and they often moved a long way to get them!

Ants are terrestrials so it is productive to fish them close to shore and especially near downed trees. Ant patterns are small and not very visible so they work well as a dropper to a larger fly. And it’s OK if they sink a bit because ants often get drowned and trout are on the lookout for them subsurface. In fact, sometimes a sunken ant will out-fish one on the surface.

I usually fish a black or cinnamon color ant in size #16 or #18 but some people swear by a size #20 ant. For years I used a traditional dubbed body ant with black hackle for legs but the last few years I’ve been using a foam-cylinder ant. They are easy to tie, float well and have a bright indicator built in that make them much more visible on the water. It’s also good to have some flying ants in your box as you never know when that hatch is going to happen, and Egan’s Bionic Ant is worth adding to your box.

Fly Patterns

Foam Cylinder Ant

Bionic Ant

2023 Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 20:47:21 GMT

January 6-7, 2023

For 18 years, Boise Valley Fly Fishers has proudly presented this two-day event. Over 2500 fly fishers from throughout the western region of the United States attend. Proceeds are used to support fly fishing education and conservation programs throughout Idaho and Eastern Oregon.

Exhibitors will showcase all the latest gear including the latest rods, reels, fly tying equipment, guide services, artwork and more.

Fly tyers from all over the west will demonstrate their skills in small group settings where attendees can ask questions and learn.

Experts from around the country will give demonstrate the latest fishing techniques for different fish species, where to fish, and much more.

More information: https://www.idahoflyfishingexpo.com

BVFF Helps w/ IDF&G Lets Go Fishing Day

Jim Kazakoff — Sun, 29 May 2022 00:04:21 GMT

ID F&G recently held "Lets Go Fishing" day at Eagle Island State Park on May 28, 2022 as part of its Trailer Education program. The agency partnered with local radio stations for a ‘free fishing fiesta’ Memorial Day weekend to kick off the fishing season in Idaho. BVFF members Troy Pearse and Jon Fishback were there to provide casting instruction and information about BVFF.

Memorial Day marks the unofficial opener to fishing season in Idaho. This was a community event to introduce English and Spanish-speaking residents of southwest Idaho to fishing and recreational opportunities at the area’s state parks.