PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
JOURNAL
May / June 2010
PAGE 2
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Vol. 07
Number 03, 2010
May / June 2010, Edition
Penticton Flyfishers Box 354, 113-437 Martin St., Penticton, B.C., V2A 5L1
Contents
Editor Bruce Turnbull Home Ph:250-493-7386 Work Ph:250-487-2000 Fax 250-487-2049 Email: bturnbul@telus.net (or) bruce.turnbull@raymondjames.ca
President Phil Rogers 250-403-8832 pjrogers@shaw.ca
Page 3— Presidents Report Page 4 & 5—Equipment Review— Anchors Page 6 – Environment Reporter Page 7 & 8— Annual Awards Page 9 & 10— Atlantic Plastic Garbage Patch Found Page 11 & 12— The Myth of a Power Starved BC
Vice President Peter Kruse p_skruse@shaw.ca
Page 13— Darke Lake Fishout Info
Treasurer Ken Baker kbbaker@telus.net
Page 15— 2010 Fish Out Schedule
Secretary Denis Currie denis@glenfoyleguesthouse.com 496-5499 Membership Director Tom Knight twknight@telus.net
The Penticton Flyfishers are members of
Page 14— Link Lake Fishout Info
Page 16— Giant Trevally Page 17—Photo Gallery—2010 Annual Dinner & Awards Page 18— Calendar and Classifieds Page 19—Tying and Fishing Techniques
Cover —by Bruce Turnbull
BC Federation of Fly Fishers (BCFFF) BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) Federation of Fly Fishers (International FFF) Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance (OSCA)
Penticton Flyfishers New Website is www.pentictonflyfishers.ca
PAGE 3
Presidents
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Report by Phil Rogers After several false starts it is beginning to look like spring is finally here, I hope. Like most of you I was itching to get my line in the water and try out some of the flies that I tied over the long winter. On Saturday, April 17 I decided to try Agur Lake. I loaded up my new pontoon boat and set out, thinking about which line type and what flies to try first. The main gravel road has just been graded and is in terrific condition, no washboard and no potholes at all. After reaching the 12 km turnoff my perfectly planned day took a nosedive as I found a large tree blocking the road. After considering my options; driving over it (too big and not enough vehicle clearance on my midsize SUV); pulling it off the road with my vehicle (again too big and wedged between several trees on the one side) I decided to chop through the 8 to 10 inch diameter tree. The only problem with this plan was that I left my axe and chainsaw at home. Not to be deterred I still had my trusty mattock with me. After about 20 minutes of cursing and swinging the less than sharp tool I finally chopped through the tree enough to break it apart and move the one section out of the way. This minor set back should been an omen of what was to come but I pressed onward. After driving thru, around and over numerous snow and ice covered obstacles on this now less than perfect road I finally came to the steep access road down to the lake only to find it totally impassible due to the sheet of shear ice which covered the entire road down to the lake. After climbing down the side embankment I found that the main section of the lake was still covered in ice. The section of the lake past the bull rushes was ice-free but there was no means of getting to it. I had a long and dejected ride home. The following day I was still determined
to try out my new boat so I decided to try Yellow Lake. I am happy to report that it was a successful day on the water with green Doc Spratleys and 52 Buicks the order of the day. There were numerous boats on the lake and most seemed to be into fish. The largest one I caught was just over a pound but I saw several that appeared to be 1½ pounds. I have heard that Link, Osprey and Chain Lakes have been ice-free for several weeks now and having been producing well. Courtney and Corbett Lakes are also ice-free and there were two boats on Courtney on Sunday. Be aware of the weather before heading up to the high lakes as I ran into snow on the Connector while heading down to the BCFFF AGM on April 22. Thanks to Tom Dellamater and George Graw for another great Dinner and Auction. We were able to raise over $1600 at the auction, which is absolutely great considering the tough economic times we are facing these days. I was at the BCFFF AGM Dinner and Auction this past weekend and found our function was every bit as good (and better in some respects) than the BCFFF. The BCFFF Raffle was again very successful and raised approximately $10,000. Unfortunately no one from our area won any of the prizes
2010 Executive Pres: Phil Rogers
Vice Pres: Peter Kruse Secretary: Denis Currie Treasurer: Ken Baker
this year. Monies from this raffle and from the Gilly Fund are available for any worthwhile fish related conservation, enhancement or fishing promotion project. If anyone has a project in mind please bring to the attention of the executive for consideration. I have been able to confirm our use of Salter’s pond for the Family Fish Day on June 19. Summerland Hatchery is doing some construction work at the Salter property this year but they will accommodate us. George Graw has organized a booth for the club at Cherry Lane Mall for the week of May 15 thru to May 22. Tom Knight and George will be organizing the schedule so please have some dates and times when you can help man the booth ready for the May General Meeting. If everyone pitches in we can have some fun promoting the club, the Family Fish Day and a successful fundraiser. Our first two Fishouts are fast approaching. Darke Lake is May 15 and Link Lake is May 28, 29 and 30. If you haven’t booked your spot at Link Lake yet please call Gail at 250 295-6898 asap. Don’t forget to renew your fishing license. It is very easy to do online at www.fishing.gov.bc.ca
Phil
PAGE 4
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Equipment Review-
ANCHORS
When dropped in the water, a plow lands on its side, then when pulled, buries itself. Its shape allows it to reset fairly easily should the wind or tide shift the boat position. Great in sand and on rocky bottoms,
Just as boats come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so do anchors. Choosing an anchor is easy, choosing the right one for your boat can be very difficult. Your first task in choosing an anchor is to have an understanding of three things: Your Boat - Your boats' size, weight and design characteristics affect what kind of anchor you will need to use. For instance, a 30 foot 10,000 pound houseboat needs a larger anchor than a 30 foot 6000 pound speedboat. Where you're going - Where you plan to anchor often dictates what type of anchor you should use. Is the bottom rock, or is it soft mud? If you are not familiar with the area, ask around or look at a local chart. Local Conditions -Anchoring in a calm protected cove can be quite different than anchoring offshore or on a large open bay. And don't forget the weather-high winds, tides and waves can all make anchoring difficult, if not impossible. Anchors are rated by "holding power"-which is the ability of an anchor to hold a given weight. Keep in mind that a 10,000 pound boat may only require an anchor with a holding power of a few hundred pounds on a calm day, but may need 1,000 pounds of holding power or more on a stormy day. ANCHOR TYPES There are several types of anchors, and you should choose a style based on the bottom characteristics in the areas you will anchor most often. Then, choose a size based on the size and weight of your boat.
Lightweight type anchor with two long pivoting "flukes"; designed to reduce clogging with mud and grass; range from 2.5 pounds to nearly 200 pounds, and are generally made of cast galvanized metal, though some models are machined from a light-weight aluminum composite. When dropped, flukes dig the anchor into the bottom and the anchor buries itself and part of the anchor line. Commonly used on small recreational boats, as they are relatively light weight for the amount of holding power they provide, especially in comparison to other anchors. Best in hard sand or mud, where flukes can easily dig into the bottom. Not recommended for very soft or loose mud, which can ball up around the flukes; or on rocky bottoms where the flukes cannot penetrate. Also not recommended for grassy bottoms, which the flukes tend to slip off. The plow styles' good holding power over a wide variety of bottom types makes it a top choice of cruising boaters. Has either a fixed (Delta style) or a pivoting (CQR) shank.
weeds and grass. Does not do well in soft bottoms. Generally made of galvanized metal, though they are available in stainless steel. "Mushroom" anchors get their name
from, as you might imagine, their rounded, mushroom shape. Mushroom anchors are used extensively for moorings, and can weigh several thousand pounds for this use.
PAGE 5
The shape works best in soft bottoms, where it can create a suction that can be difficult to break. Decent for very small boats to use as a lunch hook, but not practical for larger boats. Depending upon the size and type of your boat, and where you anchor--your choices for an anchor line are either an all-rope anchor rode, a combination of rope and chain, or all chain.
Three-strand line can absorb shock and the constant tugging associated with anchoring much better than braided line or chain alone. Chain may also be used, especially in anchorages that are primarily rock or coral, which may cut a nylon line. A length of chain should be used between the anchor and a longer length of line. The chain will add weight to set your anchor without making it too heavy to lift manually, while serving to exert a horizontal pull on the anchor to set it. Nylon Three-Strand line is the leading choice for use as an anchoring line. Lines generally come in a "soft" or "medium" lie. Soft lines are generally softer to the touch, and loosely woven. These aren't as good as medium or hard lines for anchoring, as they are more prone to unraveling and chafing. Tightly wrapped lines are the best choice for anchoring. Lines that have been treated with a waxlike coating are available. These lines help the line resist water/salt absorption. To help keep your lines in good shape, clean them from time to time by soaking them in soapy water. Never use bleach, as it can break down the line.
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
SCOPE Scope = Length of the anchor line/ height of the deck cleat to the sea bed. Before leaving the dock, you will need to determine how much anchor line, or "rode", you will need. It is recommended that you use a scope of 7:1, meaning that for every foot of water depth, you should use 7 feet of rode. For example, to anchor in 10 feet of water, you would pay out 70 feet of line. Measure the scope as the ratio of the length of the anchor rode to the height of the bow above the bottom. If you're using a lightweight anchor on a small boat in good weather conditions, a shorter scope of 5:1 is sufficient and safe. A prudent boater always has extra line and chain on hand, just in case! Anchoring can be accomplished quickly and easily by following a few simple steps. Check your chart for bottom characteristics and to determine that you are anchoring in a safe and allowable place. If there are rocks, shoals, reefs or other boats to consider, give them all as wide a berth as possible. Remember that other boats will often have different requirements for anchor rode length--larger or taller boats frequently need a great deal of rode. Also, keep in mind a possible swing of 360 degrees about the anchor with wind shifts or current changes. If your crew is not already wearing PFDs, have them put one on before going forward to set or retrieve an anchor or mooring. Secure the bitter end of the anchor line to a bow cleat. Make sure the line is ready to run free once tossed overboard. Head into the wind or current. Reduce speed and reverse the engine. When
the boat starts to make a slight sternway through the water, lower - do not throw the anchor. After you've let about a third of your line out, tug the anchor line to see how
firmly it's set, and then continue to release the rode. Once you let out an appropriate amount of scope, make sure the line is properly tied off on the bow cleat. Even if anchoring only in designated anchoring areas, it is always prudent to have the appropriate signal such as an all -around white light on to notify other boats that you are anchored at night. During the day you must display a ball shape which is sized according to the size of your boat. STAYING PUT It's a good idea to take two immediate bearings. Select two items, one off each beam, that form a natural range and watch for any changes in their relationship. You can check these later to determine if you're boat is swinging as expected or if you're dragging anchor.
Source: Internet, author unknown.
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
PAGE 6
ENVIRONMENT REPORTER
One of the most detailed investigations ever conducted in Canada into the fate of road salt has found that it is polluting groundwater and causing some streams during winter thaws to have salinity levels just under those found in the ocean. The elevated salt readings were detected in Pickering, where researchers from the University of Toronto have been studying how the salt spread on highways, such as the 401, and other roadways through suburban sprawl affects water quality. They found that so much salty water from the community is ending up in Frenchman's Bay, a scenic lagoon on the shores of Lake Ontario, that the small water body is being poisoned. "Our findings are pretty dramatic, and the effects are felt year-round," said Nick Eyles, a geology professor at the university and the lead researcher on the project. "We now know that 3,600 tonnes of road salt end up in that small lagoon every winter from direct runoff in creeks and effectively poison it for the rest of the year." He called the findings, which were published recently in the journal Sedimentary Geology, "a really bad-news story" involving a "relentless chemical assault on a watershed." The Pickering area provided researchers with an ideal place to study the effects of roadsalt spreading, because most of the city lies within a relatively compact 27-squarekilometre watershed, where it was easy for pollution monitors to track where salt spread on roads ended up. About 7,600 tonnes of salt is applied each
year to roads in the community. About half of this amount seeps into groundwater, which in turn flows into streams yearround, making the water courses more salty than they should be, according to the research. The rest drains into Frenchman's Bay, which is visible to commuters on the 401 and has a struggling fish population because salt levels are more than double the amounts typically found in the Great Lakes.
while maintaining highway safety. But with the vast amount used, huge quantities are still polluting soil and water, according to Dr. Eyles. "It's a toxic material and yet we continue to throw it with gay abandon on our roads," he said.
The salt water "knocks out fish," Dr. Eyles said, adding that in the most contaminated areas, only older fish can survive, while younger ones move to areas of the lagoon closer to Lake Ontario and its fresher water.
It noted that after winter thaws, there were spikes in the amount of salt in streams, with those taking runoff from the 401 having approximately double the concentration of the pollutant than watercourses nearby that don't take its storm water. Runoff from the highway, Canada's busiest, also contains benzene, toluene, and xylene, hydrocarbons associated with contamination from underground gasoline storage tanks. Environment Canada says it is currently reviewing whether the voluntary practices code has led to any reduction in the amount of salt being spread on roads. "If it is concluded, based on the review of progress, that other steps are needed for the management of road salts, Environment Canada will consider a range of possible options," the department said in reaction to the study.
The finding of major impacts on Pickering's ground and surface water suggests a far greater toll from the use of salt elsewhere across Canada, where an estimated five million tonnes, or approximately 150 kilograms per Canadian, is used on roads each year to make them safe for travel in winter. The vast majority is applied in Ontario and Quebec. "It's a general problem. ... There are lots of other areas like this," Dr. Eyles said, referring to the Pickering findings. Environment Canada has recognized that salt has adverse impacts on wildlife, plants, water and soil, and in 2001 considered adding it to the country's list of the most toxic substances. Instead, in 2004, the government instituted a voluntary code of practices to encourage municipalities and others to use the de-icer more sparingly,
The University of Toronto research was based on water monitoring between May, 2002, and March, 2003, before the code went into effect.
MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT From Friday's Globe and Mail Published on Friday, Mar. 05, 2010 12:00AM EST Last updated on Monday, Mar. 08, 2010 3:29AM EST
PAGE 7
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Annual Awards for 2009 The Annual Dinner, Awards, and Fundraiser went very well this year with lots of donations from many sources. Thanks to George Graw and Tom Dellamater for the hard work at putting on a great evening. Also thanks to all those other club members that also helped out with the set-up, ticket sales and raffles. Another great job by the Elk’s who presented a fantastic buffet meal to those that attended. THE GORDON MARCHANT MEMORIAL AWARD WAS PRESENTED THIS PAST YEAR TO PAST CLUB PRESIDENT Jon Pew. THE AWARD IS PRESENTED TO A MEMBER WHO OVER THE PAST YEAR BEST EXEMPLIFIED THE PURPOSES AND THE GOALS OF THE CLUB WITH CONSIDERATION TO CONSERVATION WORK UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
THE HARRY FEHILING VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD WAS AWARDED TO MEMBER Gary McLaughlin FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLUB MEETINGS BY PUTTING ON SLIDE PRESENTATIONS OF SOME OF THE VERY INTERESTING BACK COUNTRY TRIPS GARY HAS BEEN ON.
PAGE 8
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD WENT TO MARK AND MATT ATTRILL OF PENTICTON YAMAHA & MARINE FOR THEIR ONGOING KIND DONATIONS TO OUR CLUB FUNDRAISERS. MARK AND MATT HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS EACH YEAR IN PROVIDING A DONATION THAT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED. THE CLUBTHANKS THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
THE BIG BLOOPER AWARD THIS YEAR WENT TO GARY MCLAUGHLIN. GARY WAS STEELHEADING AND BLOCKING EVERYONE’S PATH TO MOVE UP THE RIVER, THINKING HE WAS INTO A FISH. AFTER ANGUS TALKED TO HIM HE REALIZED HE WAS CAUGHT ON A ROCK AND WAS TYRYING TO LAND IT. THE AWARD WAS BECAUSE HE FORGOT THAT ROCK SEASON HAD NOT OPENED.
THIS YEAR’S GOLDEN THRONE AWARD WENT TO BOB DAVIES. BOB LOST HIS GAS OUTBOARD MOTOR WHILE DRIVING TO SALMON LAKE THIS PAST YEAR. THE APPARENT BUMPY ROAD MANAGED TO GET HIS MOTOR TO FALL OUT OF A PRECARIOUS SPOT BOB HAD PICKED FOR IT ON HIS TRUCK.
PAGE 9
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Atlantic Plastic Garbage Patch Found The Associated Press
This photo from the conservation group 5 Gyres shows a coastal area of the Portugal's Azores Islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean littered with plastic garbage. (5 Gyres/Associated Press) Researchers are warning of a new blight at sea: a swirl of confetti-like plastic debris stretching over a remote expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The floating garbage — hard to spot from the surface and spun together by a vortex of currents — was documented by two groups of scientists who trawled the sea between scenic Bermuda and Portugal's mid-Atlantic Azores islands. The studies describe a soup of micro-particles similar to the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a phenomenon discovered a decade ago between Hawaii and California that researchers say is likely to exist in other places around the globe. "We found the great Atlantic garbage patch," said Anna Cummins, who collected plastic samples on a sailing voyage in February. The debris is harmful for fish, sea mammals — and at the top of the food chain, potentially humans — even though much of the plastic has broken into such tiny pieces they are nearly invisible. 'That plastic has the potential to impact our resources and impact our economy.'—Lisa DiPinto, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Since there is no realistic way of cleaning the oceans, advocates say the key is to keep more plastic out by raising awareness and, wherever possible, challenging a throwaway culture that uses non-biodegradable materials for disposable products. "Our job now is to let people know that plastic ocean pollution is a global problem — it unfortunately is not confined to a single patch," Cummins said. The research teams presented their findings in February at the 2010 Oceans Sciences Meeting in Portland, Ore. While scientists have reported finding plastic in parts of the Atlantic since the 1970s, the researchers say they have taken important steps toward mapping the extent of the pollution. Cummins and her husband, Marcus Eriksen, of Santa Monica, Calif., sailed across the Atlantic for their research project. They plan similar studies in the South Atlantic in November and the South Pacific next spring. On the voyage from Bermuda to the Azores,
PAGE 10 8
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
they crossed the Sargasso Sea, an area bounded by ocean currents including the Gulf Stream. They took samples every 160 kilometres with one interruption caused by a major storm. Each time they pulled up the trawl, it was full of plastic. A separate study by undergraduates with the Woods Hole, Mass.-based Sea Education Association collected more than 6,000 samples on trips between Canada and the Caribbean over two decades. The lead investigator, Kara Lavendar Law, said they found the highest concentrations of plastics between 22 and 38 degrees north latitude, an offshore patch equivalent to the area between roughly Cuba and Washington, D.C. Fish trapped inside bucket Long trails of seaweed, mixed with bottles, crates and other flotsam, drift in the still waters of the area, known as the North Atlantic Subtropical Convergence Zone. Cummins's team even netted a Trigger fish trapped alive inside a plastic bucket. But the most nettlesome trash is nearly invisible: countless specks of plastic, often smaller than pencil erasers, suspended near the surface of the deep blue Atlantic. "It's shocking to see it first-hand," Cummins said. "Nothing compares to being out there. We've managed to leave our footprint really everywhere." Still more data are needed to assess the dimensions of the North Atlantic patch. Charles Moore, an ocean researcher credited with discovering the Pacific garbage patch in 1997, said the Atlantic undoubtedly has comparable amounts of plastic. The East Coast of the United States has more people and more rivers to funnel garbage into the sea. But since the Atlantic is stormier, debris there likely is more diffuse, he said. Whatever the difference between the two regions, plastics are devastating the environment across the world, said Moore, whose Algalita Marine Research Foundation based in Long Beach, Calif., was among the sponsors for Cummins and Eriksen. "Humanity's plastic footprint is probably more dangerous than its carbon footprint," he said. Plastics have entangled birds and turned up in the bellies of fish: A paper cited by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says as many as 100,000 marine mammals could die trash-related deaths each year. Sponge up chemicals The plastic bits, which can be impossible for fish to distinguish from plankton, are dangerous in part because they sponge up potentially harmful chemicals that are also circulating in the ocean, said Jacqueline Savitz, a marine scientist at Oceana, an ocean conservation group based in Washington. As much as 80 per cent of marine debris comes from land, according to the United Nations Environmental Program. The U.S. government is concerned the pollution could hurt its vital interests. "That plastic has the potential to impact our resources and impact our economy," said Lisa DiPinto, acting director of NOAA's marine debris program. "It's great to raise awareness so the public can see the plastics we use can eventually land in the ocean." DiPinto said the federal agency is co-sponsoring a new voyage this summer by the Sea Education Association to measure plastic pollution southeast of Bermuda. NOAA is also involved in research on the Pacific patch. "Unfortunately, the kinds of things we use plastic for are the kinds of things we don't dispose of carefully," Savitz said. "We've got to use less of it, and if we're going to use it, we have to make sure we dispose of it well."
Source: Internet , National Geographic Daily Richard A. Lovett
PAGE 11
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
The Myth of a Power-Starved BC 'Run of river' energy plus Site C? Does BC really need so much electricity or have our politicians gone dam crazy? Four of five.
By Max Fawcett, 8 Apr 2010, TheTyee.ca "This government can't seem to think outside of hydro. They want to dam everything and exploit every river valley, and I can't for the life of me understand it." When Peace River farmer Ken Forrest confessed his exasperation with BC Hydro's seemingly insatiable hunger for energy to me, it was clear he had spent very little time in the boardrooms of a renewable power sector taking shape in British Columbia under the BC Liberals led by Premier Gordon Campbell. The push to develop new sources of hydroelectric capacity, whether through privately operated and owned run-of-theriver projects or the development of the Site C Dam, is being driven by a desire to turn British Columbia into the green economy's answer to Saudi Arabia, a hydro-state whose economy is supported by energy exports. If approved, Site C would join the slough of new -- and controversial -- run-of-river IPPs in delivering a surplus of electricity that the government could export to the energystarved American market to the south. The provincial government's commitment to this vision of British Columbia as an energy exporting powerhouse was underscored by the recent appointment of Robin Junger, the former head of the provincial environmental office, as the new deputy minister of energy and clean technology in the office of the premier. As the Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer wrote in a March 12 column, his job will be to enforce the message that Premier Gordon Campbell believes isn't being
heard by the various government ministries and agencies with overlapping jurisdiction for developing and approving green power. That message, Palmer writes, is "his determination to make the province self-sufficient in electricity, to develop new sources of emissions-free generation, and to prepare the way for building power to export." If British Columbia's economic future is to be tied so intimately to the exporting of energy, the exploitation of the Peace River's remaining hydroelectric asset seems inevitable. This strategy also marks a dangerous step backwards from any serious effort to promote a greater awareness about the full cost of energy use and the need for greater conservation in the province of British Columbia. Yes, BC Hydro has committed to satisfying 70 per cent of future energy needs through conservation, but for the people who stand to be affected by Site C, that figure isn't nearly high enough. More importantly, the construction of another major hydroelectric project postpones the inevitable reckoning that will have to take place between the average citizen and their detached approach to energy consumption. 'Nothing will voluntarily restrict its growth' Gwen Johansson knows a thing or two about these issues. As an advocate for the Peace River, a former representative on her community's district council, and a one-time member of BC Hy-
dro's board of directors, she's seen every side of the issue. Sitting in the dining room of her home, one that sits just 20 feet from the Peace River on a modest property a few kilometres northeast of Hudson's Hope, Johansson says that creating more capacity will simply encourage people to use it. "I used to have this argument with my neighbor all the time," Johansson said, "and he used to argue that nothing that is alive will ever voluntarily restrict its own growth. I used to argue that we were smarter than that, and that we would realize that we were going to destroy ourselves if we continued to place these demands on the planet. This was years ago, and he's dead now, but he was right. I never told him that." The problem, she believes, is one of distance. "As long as it's coming from somewhere else, it's easy to just use it because you're not seeing the consequences of your own consumption. You have to be able to look out the window and see that if you leave the lights on more smoke gets produced by the local natural gas plant. You need to be able to see the consequences of your own consumption, I think." The solution, she believes, isn't the installation of more generating capacity or the construction of another dam, but instead the creation of linkages between people and the power that they use. "In North America, we always seem to go for the big projects," she said. "We don't
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
PAGE 12
seem to trust our population. It seems to me that if you were to come out with more robust programs for doing renovations, you could get a lot of energy. We have families around here that are going with geothermal and rooftop sun collectors for hot water, and they're looking at doing wind, and they can get close to self-sufficiency. That's one individual, but on a bigger scale, if there were incentives to do that kind of thing, I think there's a lot of potential for that distributed generation." BC Hydro's true power balance sheet Johannson's holistic view isn't shared by the organization that she used to work for, though. BC Hydro remains steadfast in its assertion that the Site C Dam is a necessary addition to an electrical generation grid starved for new sources of production. The province, it has argued, has slipped from being a regular exporter of energy to becoming a habitual importer, a situation that can only be remedied by introducing a significant new source of power. "For much of the last decade, we have been a net importer of electricity, depending on other jurisdictions to supply between ten and 15 per cent of our electricity needs," BC Hydro's Site C informational website says. "By planning now, BC Hydro is working so that British Columbians will continue to enjoy the benefits of a secure, reliable and affordable electricity supply." But BC Hydro's critics note that this is a deliberate misrepresentation of the state of energy consumption and distribution in British Columbia, as the crown corporation and the province are not interchangeable entities when it comes to power production. As University of British Columbia professors George Hoberg and Christopher Mallon noted in a 2009 paper, "BC Hydro electricity trade is not the same thing as BC electricity trade." Fortis BC, a private energy utility, operates in the Kootenays, and large industrial generators also provide power to the grid from Alcan's operations in Kitimat and Teck Cominco's in Trail. In 2008 these industrial producers contributed 20 per cent of the province's total electrical generation, and that figure has only fluctuated between 19 and 22 per cent over the last five years.
BC Hydro's claim that it has had to deal with a structural production deficit over the last decade is further complicated by the terms of British Columbia's Columbia River Treaty with the United States, which provides the province with "Canadian entitlements to downstream benefits." Because B.C. agreed to build dams on the Canadian portion of the Columbia River to assist the United States with flood control measures downstream, and because those dams also increase the amount of power the United States can get from their dams, the province receives an entitlement of approximately 1,200 MW, more than ten per cent of BC Hydro's total capacity of about 11,280 MW. "While the U.S. officially delivers this power to B.C.," Hoberg and Mallon observe, "we don't take it as power to be used in the province. Instead, Powerex, the BC Hydro subsidiary that handles cross-border trades, sells it in the U.S. market, and B.C. gets revenue without ever importing the power." In fact, Professors Hoberg and Mallon argue, British Columbia is almost always a net exporter of energy. Over the last 32 years, they note, there have only been five in which B.C. has brought more power into the province than it has sent out. And if the Canadian Entitlement from the Columbia Treaty were to be included in the calculations, the most recent five years that they studied would have been transformed from a 1.5 per cent deficit to a 5.1 per cent surplus. Given that BC Hydro believes that 72 per cent of future demand growth can be offset through conservation, the province could ensure energy self-sufficiency well into the future with only a nine per cent increase in new sources of electricity. "Including the downstream benefits of the Columbia River Treaty doesn't eliminate the forecasted gap in B.C. electricity supply," they write, "but it does narrow it." An addiction without end Marvin Shaffer, a consulting economist and adjunct professor in the Public Policy Program at Simon Fraser
University, thinks that last year's unexpected ruling by the British Columbia Utilities Commission represented a rebuke of the belief that BC Hydro needs more production capacity in the system. "The recent BC Utility Commission decision not to endorse BC Hydro's plan to purchase more private power was a simple one," Shaffer wrote in a piece for the Vancouver Sun. "The Commission concluded, based on the evidence presented and thoroughly examined in public hearings, that BC Hydro did not need additional power at this time." The notion that the Site C Dam is needed to prevent the power from going off is, then, at best a misrepresentation by BC Hydro and at worst a deliberate smokescreen. If the government is truly interested in transforming the province's rivers and streams from public assets into mediums for profit-oriented enterprise, it's highly unlikely that its efforts will end with Site C. It isn't a choice between a publicly owned Site C Dam or privately operated run-of-the-river projects, Sandra Hoffman argues, but instead a philosophical question of whether we ought to generate enough energy to suit our needs or as much as we possibly can. If it's the latter, the construction of the Site C Dam may do more to encourage the development of new run-of-river projects than prevent them from being built. "Part of the problem with down south is that some people unfortunately believe that it's a matter of run-of-river or Site C," Hoffman said. "What they don't realize, and what they need to realize, is that it's run-of-the-river and Site C, that they're going to exploit all of the rivers. It's not like they can do Site C and stop there, and that will save their rivers. No, they're going to do it all, and they have to realize that." Max Fawcett is a freelance journalist and the former editor of the Chetwynd Echo. To see more of his work, visit www.maxfawcett.com.
PAGE 13
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
DARKE LAKE FISHOUT MAY 15&16
Off the beaten track and surrounded by fir and pine-clad hills, this cool, quiet retreat is a great getaway for those who love to fish. Local people call this the "Fish Lake" for the
great rainbow and eastern brook trout. When the weather is warm, hikers will enjoy this remote spot as much as anglers. Located northwest of Summerland off Hwy 97 onto ap-
proximately 16 km of gravel road. Follow Fish Lake Road through Meadow Valley to the park. The closest community, town or city is Summerland. Darke Lake is a very popular fishing spot. It is stocked by
the Summerland Trout Hatchery with both rainbow trout and brook trout. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. Darke Lake is very popular with local residents for ice fish-
ing. It is small enough to freeze but large enough that it doesn't freeze solid allowing fish to be active in the winter for ice fishing opportunities. Another bonus is the close proximity to Summerland and easy access.
This park offers a rustic camping experience for those interested mainly in fishing. There are no designated sites and the area is best suited to truck and camper units as opposed to trailers or motor homes. There are no picnic tables or
taps. Campfires are only allowed in the designated fire pits in the campground. The camping area is in mature Douglas fir forest with some old growth cottonwood a short distance from the lake. The campsite is open year round and is usermaintained.
PAGE 14
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
LINK LAKE FISHOUT MAY 28,29 & 30 Location: Located approximately 40 km. (25 mi.) northeast of the town of Princeton. From Princeton travel east on the Crowsnest Hwy. #3 for a very short distance and then turn north (left) on the secondary road leading to the town of Summerland. Stay on this road (it followes Hayes Creek) until you get to Chain Lake which will be on your right. By staying on this road past Chain you will reach Link Lake, and then Osprey and Thirsk Lakes and eventually end up in the town of Summerland.
Link Lake, 19 ha. (47 ac.) in size is found a few kilometers to the east of Chain. Another high use lake, however, it is stocked every year with 10,000 Pennask Rainbow and provides an excellent fishery for trout up to 2 lbs. Link has a small BCFS campsite with cartop boat launch and a very comfortable resort and rv area.
The club will be staying at the Link Lake Resort and if you are planning to attend you need to let the resort know by dropping Gail Dickson an email at gldickson @xplornet.com or call her at 250-2956898.
PAGE 15
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
2010 FISHOUTS Members we need fishout ideas and dates for 2010
Link Lake May 28, 29& 30
? Idelback Lake June 26 & 27
Darke Lake May 15
?
Fish Out Ideas are Required for 2010
Columbia River in August
Kettle River July every weekend
Leighton Lake and Tunkwa Lake Sept 10-12
PAGE 16
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Giant Trevally The giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis (also known as the giant kingfish, lowly trevally, barrier trevally, ulua or GT), is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack family, Carangidae. The giant trevally is distributed throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, with a range stretching from South Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east, including Japan in the north and Australia in the south. The giant trevally is distinguished by its steep head profile, strong tail scutes and a variety of other more detailed anatomical features. It is normally a silvery colour with occasional dark spots, however males may be black once they mature. It is the largest fish in the genus Caranx, growing to a maximum known size of 170 cm and a weight of 80 kg. The giant trevally inhabits a wide range of marine environments, from estuaries, shallow bays and lagoons as a juvenile to deeper reefs, offshore atolls and large embayments as an adult. Juveniles of the species are known to live in waters of very low salinity such as coastal lakes and upper reaches of rivers, and tend prefer turbid waters. The giant trevally is a powerful apex predator in most of its habitats, and is known to hunt individually and in schools. The species predominantly takes various fish as prey, although crustaceans, cephalopods and molluscs make up a considerable part of the diet in some regions. The species has some quite novel hunting strategies including following monk seals and stealing prey
that is stirred up, as well as using sharks to ambush prey. The species reproduces in the warmer months, with peaks differing by region. Spawning occurs at specific stages of the lunar cycle, when large schools of giant trevally congregate to spawn over reefs and bays, with reproductive behaviour observed in the wild. The fish grows relatively fast, reaching sexual maturity at a length of around 60 cm at 3 years of age. The giant trevally is both an important species to commercial fisheries and a recognised gamefish, with the species taken by nets and lines by professionals and by bait and lures by anglers. Catch statistics in the Asian region show hauls of 4000-10 000 tonnes, while around 10 000 lbs of the species is taken in Hawaii each year. The species is considered poor to excellent table fare by different authors, although ciguatera poisoning is common in the fish. Dwindling numbers around the main Hawaiian Islands have also led to several proposals to reduce the catch of fish in this region.
More commonly called just GT's by most anglers, Giant Trevally are marauding brutes right up there with the best. Commonly caught by both lure and bait fisherman, specimens range from the smaller 2-3lb school trevally commonly caught in the estuary environment, right up to the 50lb thugs. Caught in the rivers, estuaries, rocky headlands, the real brutes are usually found around the reef structure and current lines, and these magnificent fighting fish probably offer (pound for pound) one of the hardest fishing contests in the tropics. They will repeatedly crash surface poppers and fizzers with great gusto until hooked, ambush deep diving lures around any structure and pick off a live baitfish or prawn fished along sand bar drop offs and estuary channels. Fish to 25kg (50lb) are prime targets but will require the best of quality tackle, many big fish being lost to the razor coral edges, barnacle encrusted rocks, and snags. Good quality 6kg tackle is the minimum required. There is a growing sector of the sport where GT'’s alone are targeted on the Barrier Reef. Japanese visitors in particular undertake specialized charters for these fish, which they regard more highly than black marlin. Now that says something for their fighting qualities! Fly fishing techniques are also proving very successful on GT'’s but it's not for the faint hearted. Source: Internet. Wikipedia
PAGE 17
Picture Gallery
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
Annual Dinner Awards & Auction 2010
PAGE 18
PENTICTON FLYFISHERS
CLASSIFIEDS
CALENDAR of EVENTS May 6—General Meeting. Guest Speakers are Agur Lake Society. Club fish outs begin this month so come to the meeting and see what is planned for the month. Time 7 pm. Old CPR Station of Hastings St.,
For Sale—15 ft Sage graphite Spey rod, line weight 10, 8 3/4 oz, 4 piece, used only ten times. Call Ken Cochrane 250-8609128 or email at kencochrane@shaw.ca
For Sale—Sharps "SCOTTIE", a 4" Perfect style Salmon reel. Has almost all of original lead finish, Bronze line guard, slightly filed foot $400.00
May 13—Fly tying night. Usually club member George Graw will delight you with a lesson on how to tie a certain pattern. He tends to get help with these lessons so if interested come out to the Old CPR Station on Hastings St at 7 pm.
3 1/2" Hardy Perfect, no line guard, long alloy foot, Ivorine handle, with a Hardy drawstring bag. An early model which, unfortunately, has been refinished. 2 small cracks, one on a pillar the other close by on the frame. They should not affect the reel for fishing. $550.00
May 19—Executivce meeting at Phil Rogers home. Time 7 pm.
Hardy Marquis Salmon #1 Saltwater with twin handles, slight paint loss around rim only, Hardy case $400.00
June 3—Last General Meeting before the summer break
Hardy Salmon #1 spare spool (Not a saltwater spool) $100.00 Hardy St. John Some paint loss around rim. $250.00
www.bcfff.bc.ca
Hardy Marquis 8/9 spare spool all grey model $65.00 Hardy "Wathne Collection" #8 Numbered edition #248 & spare spool Basically same reel as a Golden Prince except for finish, Grey frame, Silver spool. Cases for both. Reel and spool are in as new" condition. I do not think they have ever been fished. $330.00
www.pentictonflyfishers.ca
Hardy Perfect 3 7/8" leaded finish straight line writing no line guard. $330.00 Call Ken Baker 250-493-2926 or email to kbbaker@telus.net
FOR SALE -10’ fiberglass boat, with trailer and electric 28 lb thrust motor for $600.00 obo. If interested please call Tom at (250) 493-8183.
www.bcwf.bc.ca
www.troutwaters.ca
Tying and Fishing Techniques
Muddler Minnow The Muddler Minnow was spawned, so to speak, by Don Gapen of Anoka, Minnesota in 1937, to imitate the slimy sculpin. Gapen developed this fly to catch Nipigon strain brook trout in Ontario, Canada. The Muddler, as it is informally known by anglers, was popularized by Montana, USA fisherman and fly tier Dan Bailey. It is now a popular pattern worldwide and is likely found in nearly every angler's fly box, in one form or another. Due to its universal appeal to game fish, the muddler minnow will remain as an integral tool in sport fishing. The versatility of the Muddler Minnow stems from this pattern's ability to mimic a variety of aquatic and terrestrial forage, ranging from sculpins, to leeches, to grasshoppers, crickets, spent mayflies, emerging green drakes, stonefly nymphs, mice, tadpoles, dace, shiners, chubs, and other "minnows," along with a host of other creatures.
There are limitless material and colour variations, however the essence of the Muddler Minnow is a spun deer hair head. While each Muddler may differ in colour or profile, all true Muddlers have a fore-end or body of spun deer hair that is clipped close to the shank to provide a buoyant head. Typically there is an underwing of squirrel hair and a wing of mottled secondary turkey feather. Often the fly body is made of gold/silver Mylar or tinsel wrapped around the hook shank. Marabou may be tied in as a substitute wing for colour and life-like movement through the water. The head may be weighted or unweighted, according to the style of fishing, the target species and the intended imitation. A Muddler Minnow fishing tip that works when fishing slower currents or lake fishing: Cast out to a spot. As soon as the fly hits the water, twitch the fly a couple of times while strip-
ping in about 2 feet of line, and then let it sit for 5 seconds, then twitch and strip in again working the fly back to you. Make another cast to a different spot about 6 feet from the first spot. Try not to fish over the same place over and over.
Bruce Turnbull Bruce Turnbull
The Penticton Flyfishers meet the first Thursday of every month except July and August when we meet at nearby fishouts. Club meetings begin at 7 pm at the “OLD CPR� Train Station on Hastings St., and everyone is welcome. Membership costs $40 per year (Junior membership is free) and includes membership in the B.C. Federation of Fly Fishers, the B.C. Wildlife Federation, The Federation of Fly Fishers (International), and the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance (OSCA). The club is registered as a society and its function is to promote the sport of fly fishing, to educate, and to conserve and protect the environment. The club is actively involved in conservation projects throughout the Okanagan and surrounding areas. If you would like more information about the club, its membership, projects and programs, please call any member of the Executive (see inside front cover).