APRIL 2024
EXCEEDED OUR WILDEST EXPECTATIONS
Last September Chris Hortinela and Mike Pugh suggested to the Board of Directors that we consider hosting the Fly-Fishing Film Tour 2024. After careful consideration and deliberation, we opted to give it a shot.
Six months later we did it!
What an evening…
The joint, like fish in the films, were jumpin'
The Lobero Theatre's 600 seats were filled with eager anglers, non-anglers and wannabe anglers alike.
We saw outstanding fly fishing films featuring a variety of species from around the world. I've added the peacock bass to my list.
Attendees came from as far as Knoxville, TN, San Luis Obispo, Bakersfield and West Covina, maybe further than Knoxville?
We sold raffle tickets, awarded amazing prizes and raised money for Casting For Recovery, The Mayfly Project and The Merito Foundation. The prize Donors, mostly local businesses, who provided the merchandise, guided fishing, lodging, meals, beverages, experiences, services, gear, swag and more were more than generous. Please support our prize Donors, especially Casey Cloud, our fellow club member who donated two fishing trips!
We were privileged and grateful to have very generous support from the John C. Mithun Foundation of Santa Barbara.
Thanks to We Are Airstream of Santa Barbara for sponsoring and rolling in a touring rig and a trailer. Please support our sponsor.
Steelhead art by displayed by William and Nate Irwin was auctioned. Thanks for their generous support.
Mony's of SB provided delectable Mexican fare.
Orvis Pasadena was on hand to display the latest gear.
Our expert fly tiers, Sam Soga and Trey Pinner, were on hand to twist up a few.
Thanks to the Club volunteers, some of whom started at 2:30 that day, for set up, greeting and helping, signing up new members and generally, sharing in this first-time ever community event.
Check out the gallery online, you might see yourself and some friends!
https://viktoriiakontsedailo.pixieset.com/fish/highlights/
TEAMWORK MADE THE DREAM WORK!
Thanks to my fellow Committee and Board members for working countless hours and for positive support, especially Chris Hortinela, Mike Pugh, Larry Basham, John Grace and George Zengel. We learned many lessons, ate lots of donuts and worked like a team possessed.
We also learned that Santa Barbara was ready for a fly fishing themed event. If you were lucky enough to get a ticket, you saw the energy in the crowd on the Esplanade and in the Theatre. The oohs and ah's when a big one ate the fly or came to the net. The crowds around the tables, the line at Mony's truck, people touring the Airstreams, meeting old friends and making new ones, all made it a most special evening.
GENERAL MEETING IS ON APRIL 9
Our next General Meeting is on Tuesday, April 9.
The Speaker this month is Steph Albano. She'll share stories of the Henrys Fork and Silver Creek in Idaho. She's an accomplished world traveled fly angler and an entrepreneur. Her company Financial Flyfishing specializes in hosted travel for women as well as booking trips for couples and private or corporate groups.
We'll also have a short presentation by our Mark Rockwell on Hidden Springs Ranch. This is a private fishing operation for humongous trout located in Big Bend, just east of Redding. We're considering club outing next June and we want to share some of the highlights of the location.
Don't forget to bring some cookies.
LAST CAST…
Please take a look at our 2024 Outings list.
Our first of the year is to Lake Cachuma on April 14. Please sign up and be ready to attend a pre-outing zoom meeting on April 10 at 7:30PM via Zoom. Casey says the fishing is turning on at the lake now. Cachuma Lake fishing reports are now on our website under the "links" tab at: https://www.sbflyfishers.org/cachuma-lake-fishing-report
After Cachuma, we'll head to the Fall River. This trip is full with 12 member and there is a waiting list.
There's more to come as we'll head to the Sequoia Forest of Goldens in July.
It's that time and I know of some of you who are on the water now or will be later this month.
Tight lines!
Vince Narez
President, Santa Barbara Flyfishers
sbff.president@gmail.com
NOVEMBER 2023 | President’s Post
CLUB OUTINGS
Club outings proved to be a highlight of 2023. These outings provided a prime opportunity to fish new waters, enjoy nature and make new fishing friends.
This year the Club held six fly-fishing outings:
Cachuma Lake in April
Troy Meadows in Sequoia National Forest in July
Channel Islands in August
Rock Creek near Mammoth in September
Kern River in October
O'Neil Forebay in October
We also held monthly Second Salt Saturdays, now at Rincon Beach hosted by Joseph.
That's quite a bit of fly fishing (and some camping), but why not we're a fly-fishing club!
LET US KNOW!
We're in the middle of planning our 2024. We've been conducting surveys at the last two meetings and will get your final input at the November 7 meeting, or you can contact me, Larry or any board member with your ideas.
Next year we're going on club-sanctioned outings and we're going to let you know when a member is going fishing and they're wanting you to join in the adventure. We'll communicate through the newsletter, email, and General Meetings.
I'm aware that Chuck and Mary are organizing a trip to Alaska. A few of us are trying to get in on Gary Bulla's Baja action. Contact me if you're interested in sharing your outing.
GENERAL MEETING - NOVEMBER 7
I'm looking forward to seeing you at the meeting on the first Tuesday of November when we'll host Gary Scott and Rick Ferrante. Their presentation is about fly-fishing trips in the Sierra Nevada via horse pack. These Southern Californians have spent the last part of a decade getting high in the Sierras camping and catching trout in lakes and streams.
Be sure to order your Cub swag. Shirts and hats are available for purchase.
Last meeting, we started the 2024 Club Outings survey. Outings are an important activity of the Club. We need to know what outings interest you. Please be sure to complete the survey at the next meeting. If you are unable to attend, contact me or Larry with your preferences.
NOTE: This is our last General Meeting of the year and our first of 2024 will be January 9
FLY CASTING CLINIC UPDATE
Our Fly-Casting Clinics are held the third Saturday of each month at Berkeley Park in Goleta from 9-11 and are led by Doc. We'll be putting the clinic on hiatus from December through February. Doc is available for private sessions.
You can reach him via text/phone at (707)330-9135.
FLY FISHING FILM TOUR 2024 (IT3)
We are hosting the Fly-Fishing Film Tour on Tuesday evening March 19, 2024, at the Lobero Theater in downtown Santa Barbara. This will be an evening of fly-fishing films, raffles for gear from Simms, Costa, Yeti, and others, food and beverages, like-minded people, and more, all at one of the most iconic venues in Santa Barbara.
We are hosting this event to increase community awareness of the Club and to provide financial benefit to selected local non-profit groups that share our common interest in fly fishing and conservation.
Tickets will be available soon.
Oh yeah, we'll need volunteers and are seeking corporate sponsors, so contact me or Chris Hortinela to help.
Check out www.flyfilmtour.com
LAST CAST
Mark Rockwell recently received the 2023 Fly Fishers International Conservation Award. This prestigious award is presented to a person, group, or organization that has made extraordinary contributions to the conservation of our fisheries resources in the past year.
Our Conservation Committee chaired by Mark is rising with its first meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 15 at 5:30 via Zoom.
Conservation is a foundational pillar of our Club and its mission. A healthy environment is essential for fish and other flora and fauna to thrive. It is also essential that our Club play an active part.
Vince Narez
President, Santa Barbara Flyfishers
sbff.president@gmail.com
October 2023 | President’s Post
Can you feel it? I can!
The mornings are starting crisp, and I started using my fleece again. Autumn is here.
We couldn't see it happening yet in the Eastern Sierra at Rock Creek a couple of weekends ago, but I encourage anyone who hasn't visited there in a while to get over to the Eastern Sierra to see the colors change.
Speaking of Rock Creek, the trout were very cooperative in the creek, not so in the lakes, although Lew Riffle had some good days at Virginia before and after he met up with us. It was great to have Russ Redmond with us on that trip because he is an expert on that side of the Sierras, having been born and raised up there. We're learning that Club camping outings are the way to go!
GENERAL MEETING | OCTOBER 10
I'm looking forward to seeing you at the meeting next week. We'll have Kesley Gallagher sharing her quest for the IGFA Royal Slam. Then we'll depart from the usual opening format to share some important information about plans for 2024.
Be sure to order your club swag. Shirts and hats are available for purchase at Club cost.
Last meeting, we started the 2024 Club Outings survey. Outings are an important activity of the Club. We need to know what outings interest you. Please be sure to complete the survey at the next meeting. If you are unable to attend, contact me or Larry with your preferences.
** OUR FINAL GENERAL MEETING OF 2023 WILL BE HELD NOVEMBER 7, 2023.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
Fly Fishing Film Tour 2024The Board of Directors has approved a plan for our Club to host the Fly-Fishing Film Tour ("F3T") on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Lobero Theater in downtown Santa Barbara.
At a board meeting a few months ago the Board agreed to explore the possibility of hosting a film tour showing. After research, we determined that the F3T would be our best option. This event will be an evening of fly-fishing films, raffles for gear from Simms, Costa, Yeti, and others, food and beverages, and more, all at one of the most iconic venues in Santa Barbara.
The primary goal of hosting this event is to increase awareness of the Club. We are confident that the films and the venue will be a foundation to achieve this goal.
Some of the proceeds of this event will go to local community non-profit groups.
This will require all hands on deck. We will need you to help in various areas including event planning, marketing and community development. We'll need you to buy tickets. We'll need you to show up and show our community who we are.
I will share more detailed information about this at our meeting.
Check out www.flyfilmtour.com
LAST CAST
We coming to the end of our outings schedule for the year, with just a couple more this month.
CALIFORNIA FLY FISHING OPEN 2023 / KERNVILLE, CA
The California Fly Fishing Open will be held in Kernville on Saturday, October 14. We're a couple of anglers short of a full team. Not only is this a fun fishing tournament format, but the events that day will include a BBQ, live music, and great prizes. As an added bonus, the Club will pay half of the entry fee.
The Kern River is in prime condition and the trout are hungry. Please join our team!
O'NEIL FOREBAY / SANTA NELLA, CA
Finally, San Luis Creek campground at the O'Neil Forebay near Santa Nella, where Interstate 5 intersects with Highway 152, will be the site of our final outing of the year. This will be the first time many of us will fish this water that is home to the California record 67 pound 8 ounce striped bass.
We'll float and cast baitfish patterns. The weather is looking great.
We're planning to meet with Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club members to share tips, tactics, and maybe a beverage or two.
It's not too late to join us for a chance to throw big meat at a voracious predator!
Vince Narez
President, Santa Barbara Flyfishers
sbff.president@gmail.com
Presidents Post August 2023
SPECIAL EVENT!!
No General Meeting scheduled for August! Instead… please join us at our Summer BBQ on Saturday, August 12 at Rancho Embarcadero in Goleta from 1:00 to 5:00PM.
This event is always fun and a great time to visit with old friends and a time to make new ones. We have plenty of new members to get to know. We'll be grilling burgers (beef and veggie) and hotdogs. We'll provide all the utensils and condiments. Please bring your partner, favorite beverage and something to share. There's going to be a free raffle and a fly casting for great prizes!
Please RSVP to me via phone, text or email by August 7.
CLUB CAMPING & FISHING REPORT
Twelve of us just returned from our first camping outing in quite some time. This time we made camp at Troy Meadow campground in the Sequoia National Forest. We targeted the Kern River Golden trout. Fish Creek did not disappoint.
I'll admit, that while I enjoy catching trout, the highlight of the trip was the time spent with club members, seasoned and new during our communal meals or around the campfire. It was a fantastic opportunity to get to know like-minded anglers. Read the full report by Larry in this issue: click here.
UPCOMING OUTINGS
CHANNEL ISLANDS | August 31
There are a couple spots open on August 31 for the Channel Islands. This day trip will take us to the closest islands. The cost $300 plus a tip for the charter crew. Please contact Larry ASAP to get your spot at: DrBuzz2@aol.com
E. SIERRA FALL OUTING | September 14-17
The date has been changed for the Eastern Sierra outing to September 14-17. This will be a combo camping/lodging trip. We're going to camp at French Camp on Rock Creek close to Toms Place. For those seeking lodging, your best bets could be Toms Place, which rents rooms and cabins or numerous options in Mammoth Lakes. We'll fish Lake Crowley, Rock, Hot and McGee creeks, the Upper and Middle Owens and much more. You're not going to want to miss this trip as I'm sure memories will be made on the water, around the campfire and under the stars. Please contact Larry or Vince to get on the list.
Kernville CA Fly Fishing Open | October 14
Hosted by the Southern Sierra Fly Fishers in Kernville. Stay tuned for more information.
O’Neill Forebay | October 19-22
We've set October 19-22 for O'Neill Forebay, off Highway 5 near Los Banos, and below San Luis Reservoir in western Merced County. This forebay holds water from the California Aqueduct where it is used to fill the reservoir. We'll target striped bass from float tubes. Contact Vince Narez: sbff.president@gmail.com
LAST CAST
When the club began its rejuvenation last year after Covid, members wanted the opportunity to spend time with fellow fly fishers. If you came to the general meeting like last month, over 40 were in attendance. If you've attended a meeting recently, you've seen that no less than an hour is spent sharing time and conversation with fellow members.
MEMBERS WANTED TO GO FISHING TOGETHER
If you were fortunate to be able to make to the Golden Trout trip you saw the fish were eating our bugs. We have several more fishing trips planned for the next half of the year.
MEMBERS WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FLY FISHING
We started third Saturday of the month Fly Casting clinics. Second Salt Saturdays is a great way to learn about fly casting in the surf, our home waters. Our monthly meetings are full of information from professional anglers sharing their experience.
Please take the opportunity to participate and join in!
Contact me if you want more info or want to help in our progress.
Vince Narez,
Santa Barbara Flyfishers' President
sbff.president@gmail.com
www.sbflyfishers.org