Fredmo

A friend of mine who is a lobbyist thought there was also legislation proposed dealing with the Vermilion R. over by Danville. Anyone know if that's true? That's another nice place for smallmouth fishing, but I don't know exactly what part they may be talking about.

I will be coming down from Chicago and I am trying to bring some other buggers with me.

How about a cell phone number in case we get lost?

Thanks

Stan Z.

708-606-4148 cell

Lost? Where do you think you are going? This is not the big city and confusing suburbs!

Veteran's Parkway south to Rt 150, then S. to Hamilton Rd, turn left, you're there! I'd give you my cell #, but I'll be late, if there at all.

I sure intended to be there, but now have an afternoon church board meeting to attend. If it finishes in time, I will try to swing by to see what is happening, but it looks pretty "iffy" for me.

Lonestar does not own the property anymore.

Probably makes no difference who owns the plant, if we get legislation that declares it navigable waters, does it? If the landowner wants some indemnity, whoever they are will want it.

I along with at least three others will be there. Make sure you got your vise so you can teach me a new fly.

You mean I can't just borrow someone's fancy rotating vice? No problem, I actually loaded up my stuff last night in the car, since I have orchestra rehearsal from 4-5:30, then down to Heyworth. The fly I want to show is not really a smallie fly, probably more for crappie and bluegill, but an interesting and easy tie for me.

Will anyone be there? I plan to come, right after rehearsal, but no one provided me a stool.

O.K. I'll bite. What is it called? Gold flashy stuff?

Welcome new members. cant wait to meet all of you at the Feb meeting /breakfast. hope you can attend.

.....or maybe we could meet some of them at the Feb. meeting in Heyworth, on the 12th. Sure hope all of them aren't crowded up there in the NE corner of the state!

Any directions on how that is tied somewhere? Looks interesting.

I have mounted my vise to the table,but it is a thick table. Better play it safe.

So I should bring a chisel in case I need to carve out a space for my vice?

Fire station is o.k. by me.I'm assuming you are correct that there is plenty of room and good lighting. Now, is there a tabletop that I can mount my vise to, or do I need to bring a children's book and a heavy weight.

I found this video on how to make a cutter. Very simple and a whole lot cheaper than buying the tool made specifically for the job. think I'll make one Sunday!

 

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-make-your-own-zonker-strip-cutter-287262/

Nice site with lots of other tips. If you made the tool,I'd love to see it some time. I didn't even know what you use zonker strips for, but now I not only see how to make them, I see what to do with them!

Sounds as if this will come together quickly. If the Normal Public Library website is correct, they open at 1 p.m. on Sunday and close at 5.

I wonder if we could have a time, either at the start at 1 p.m., or some designated time, when 2 or 3 people could demonstrate a specific fly. I for one, would like to see BenL show us how he ties the crayfish that he does. I'm sure there are 2 or 3 others that several of us would like to see.

Sunday we did a little of that, but it tended to be with the guys sitting next to you. Maybe we could do it on an organized basis with a little more structure with a set time when all of us could look at one fly, and perhaps then try to tie it ourselves. I think that would be constructive and instructive. If Ben and others are willing, they might tell us the materials necessary, so we could either provide our own or make some arrangements to have the materials there we need for each fly.

Another thought...if we wanted more time, the library does stay open later than 4, so we could tie until near 5 pm. Or is that too late for folks traveling?

Now that's fasssst action. Sounds pretty good to me, but I did hear some discussion about trying for a Saturday, instead of Sunday. Maybe others can jump in with their thoughts before much time passes as to which day is better. I personally can probably do either, but a Saturday might be preferable.

Fred

I don't know, the way the weather is warming up, we may all wish we were out fishing on Sunday, instead of inside a library. Actually, they way things are shaping up, it sure looks like a great afternoon! And concluding with brew and good food ain't bad either.

Couldn't reply by email, but I assume this is the response mode you really intended. I plan to be there tonight. Not sure I have anything I could call a highlight to share, but I needed an excuse to get to Gander Mountain anyway. Does five amount to a quorum?

O.K. I'm interested in any ISA Bug and Worms with chenille,bohemian or otherwise, but is there any other decision as to what we are doing as far as materials, etc? It's hard to believe we are into January, and the 17th isn't that far off!

The downstate snow on Saturday and Sunday finally persuaded me to put the snowblower on my Kubota tractor, and I put off watching the Bears by doing the driveways around the house. After a snow-blown hour, I was driving the tractor into the garage, and there it was. That sleek, lovely, green conveyance- my canoe. It was sitting there, high and dry, on top of my camper, waiting for next spring or summer to see if I've gotten the right rope for the anchor mount. Makes me think about going downstairs and tying some new fly. Now if I can find a copy of the issue of the Bulletin with Pat's bio feature....it had a fly I wanted to try, but I made the mistake of showing the issue to my wife, since Pat's folks and hers were friends in K3 and Florida. Don't know what she did with it!

I sort of had plans with an anniversary the 19th, and we had talked about going to "Too Hot to Handel", the gospel rock version of The Messiah, at the Auditorium in Chicago. But like BrianJ, I have a spouse who is understanding, and she says we can celebrate some other weekend, so I plan to visit Urbana on the 17th, and I don't really care about any football game that might be on.

Some of us know that the Heyworth Public Library has been the venue for fly tying classes (can you say, "Jim Z"?). That's where I learned enough to get sort of serious about it. And the Central Illinois group met there one time where the meeting topic was fly tying. It's not the most central place, but it does have some history, and good roads lead to the "Home of the Hornets."

I've got a hunch there's a bunch of guys, and maybe gals, who would be interested. I would, but the problem will be finding a time that works.

As we are about to turn the calendar to December 2009, it's time to begin thinking about the various fishing and outdoor shows in the greater Chicagoland area in the new year.

 

That said, I offer my services once again this year in manning the ISA booth at the Chicago Outdoor Show, the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo and the Deerfield Sport Show.

I sure hope we don't only think about the various fishing and outdoor shows in the greater Chicagoland area in the new year. I'm sure we won't. The rest of the state has people and shows.

Hi Fredmo,

Yes, as soon as I get it pulled together.

I'm still trying to figure out how to get the Central region more regularly involved in ISA sponsored fly tieing. What do you (and others) think about a Central region "Flies of the ISA" day or a "Deer Hair" fly tieing day? I'm sure we could get some Chicagoland ISA fly-tiers to take a road trip to collaborate on a joint fly tieing day.

I'm pretty sure we could get a group together. We've done it before, and now that Jonn Graham has come over from the dark side, we have even more support for it. JimZ teaches tying and has been a part of meetings like that. This past winter we had a meeting in Heyworth and tied some. When you look around guys come out of the woodwork with a vice in hand....or is it vise? Or both?

Big problem down here is finding a source of materials. Nothing like Joseph's shop around here that I know of, especially since Tom Yokum closed up in Springfield. Gander Mountain in Peoria is as close as we come.

Any chance that those of us downstate, too far to make the evening sessions, could get a copy of the instructions for the "Mouse" that you are going to distribute to those in attendance? I'd be glad to provide an email address.

Fred

Fished northern Wisconsin and the U.P. for a few days, mostly Musky. When I did fish for smallmouth I was on a small lake wading. The carolina rig gave me the distance to get out deeper and locate some fish on a small island or bar. In the U.P. I was on a big lake mostly sand bottom and again used the carolina rig to make long casts and quickly cover lots of water. When the sinker would hit rocks you'd get a bite. I'm headed out today and may try some carolina rigging in the river. I think that there maybe some good cold water applications for this method. Anybody carolina rigging? Nice fishing up north , tough to come back. No place to buy cheese curds around here.

Phil

Don't know what "around here" means, but the Ropps on White Oak Road, south of the west boat dock at lake Evergreen, north of Bloomington/Normal, sell cheese curds. They are dairy folks who also make cheese. Several of the area restaurants now sell their products or serve them.