Reflections 2001

December 2001: The year is coming to a close. Although it may be too cold to fish for some of us, this is the time to go over our equipment and our supply of flies and other material. Make sure your equipment is clean and, if applicable, lightly lubricated, and the drag on your reels loosened up. Take stock of your flies. The cold winter months are perfect for tying flies.

Don't forget the Somerset (NJ) and the Nassau Coliseum Fly Fishing shows next month. We can always use volunteers to man our booths. 

November 2001: Because of the efforts of Wayne Becker in planning and setting up the entire project, our Dinner Dance at Singleton's was  a great success.  Thank you Wayne for your many hours of work on this endeavor. Mort Schneiderman was presented with the Man of the Year Award which he deserves for his unselfish time and devotion sending the newsletter to Gian Padovani and then getting it back to Ed Conte for distribution.  A number of awards were presented to the following members; Henry (Hank) Patterson, John Menendez, Gordon Grimes and Gian Padovani for their work effort in order to make our club a better club.  Herman Abrams presented Lee Weil with the outgoing President plaque for the untold hours she devoted to the club as our President.  In addition Paul McCain presented Lee with an engraved fly reel.  Lee deserves every honor the club bestows on her since she is always ready and willing to do the job.

October 2001:  "A Day Away  From The Real World"

October 15^th was a good day to get out and enjoy the Indian summer weather, and what better way than to wet a line on a beautiful trout stream?  Being able to go fishing on a regular basis is a privilege that most of us take for granted.  We are physically and mentally able to participate whenever we want, barring work and family obligations.

Unfortunately there are those who are unable to do so many of the things we consider run-of-the mill activities.  Physical and mental challenges make a day on the stream a rare opportunity.  On October 15^th eight members of the Long Island Flyrodders graciously volunteered their time and helped to provide that opportunity for a group of special people.  Stu Minsky, our Fishing For The Handicapped Program Coordinator arranged for a visit from the folks from AHRC, also known as “Drew’s Gang”.  For a few hours we shared our rods and leisure time, giving back just a little of the pleasure we derive from fly fishing.  What I found even more wonderful was the fact that for that short time we were spared the presence of conversation concerning the sadness and tragedy of the events of September 11^th.  Instead we talked about Halloween costumes, orange and black nail polish and the amazing colors of the male brookies in their fall ensembles.

I believe it was a much appreciated respite for all of us.  On behalf of Drew and the folks from the AHRC  I would like to thank the following members who unselfishly offered their assistance, once again making for a successful outing, and also thank the participants themselves for reminding us of the beauty around us seen through the eyes of those who really “see” the wonder of it all. 

Paul Granger, Gordon Grimes, Stu Minsky, Jerry LeBoyer,  Wolfgang Porte’, Bob (The Bear) Stapf, Eileen Stapf  (Photographer), and Lee Weil. 

Click here to view the touching "Thank you" note we received from AHRC. 

August 2001: As in the past and thanks to Paul McCain, the camping/fishing trip to the Housatonic turned out to be a great get-together for the approximately 30 members who participated. Besides making all the arrangements, Paul did all the cooking and the after meals clean-ups. Thanks Paul for all your efforts.

Having said that, the fishing was not as productive as last year's when we were catching trout and bass galore. This year we were greeted by unusually high temperatures and, as a result,  the trout were uncomfortable to say the least. The sight of dead trout floating down the river was something that many of us will not forget.

The bass, however, cooperated well, blasting our flies as if there was no tomorrow. All in all, another great club trip!

July 2001: A group of the L.I. Flyrodders got together on Tuesday, July 10^th to explore the Peconic river in Riverhead in search of largemouth, pickerel, crappie and bluegills. The fleet consisted of canoes, johnboats, and two “sit-upon” kayaks, captained by Ken and Deb Cooperstein. We put in at 6:00 am at the DEC launch site, located across the street from the Snowflake ice cream shop on Route 25. On my second cast, not 20 yards from the launch, I was rewarded with a keeper largemouth on a blue/chartreuse popper.  Even on my 8 weight he was a handful as he made a determined run for the nearest lily pad bed, the line cutting a rooster tail through the water. 

When I got him to the canoe we took a quick picture and then paddled up to the Fisherman’s Deli to meet Jerry Berkson, Richard Froelich and son, who had rented boats there.  We stopped in and picked up sandwiches and provisions, then everyone departed, fanning out over the river, each going our separate ways. Throughout the morning we would pass each other, exchanging good natured jabs and reports of who caught what on which fly.  

Frank Chin and Tom Dimauro had several bass and pickerel, along with many bluegills, on white patterns.  Tom Baumann landed some large crappie on streamers, in addition to bass and pickerel.  Jeff Farrell managed to tease a 14” largemouth out from under a deadfall late in the morning, in spite of the sun and temperatures in the high 80’s. We had the whole river to ourselves and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. Deb Cooperstein glided by us in complete silence, looking like an explorer on the Amazon as she headed for new water. Finally Jeff and I met with Frank and Tom to anchor up and fish the pool below the falls at the dam, where the sandy bottom made for excellent wading.  

As the mercury rose the bite slowed, and by the time we retired after 6 hours of fishing the ice cream shop on the corner was sounding like a  plan. Feisty largemouth, big pickerel, beautiful surroundings and ice cream; all less than an hour from Central Nassau.  What more could you want? I’m eagerly looking forward to our next trip to the Peconic with the long wand in the near future. (Contributed by Lee Weil)

June 2001: This year's camping/fishing trip to the Farmington River in Connecticut was an event which even included the traditional rain. The outing was attended by 29 LIFR members and everyone had a great time catching fish. Some of the trout exceeded 17 inches and offered compensation to those who braved the faster and deeper water.

Allan Manz outdid himself, providing all with good meals and pertinent information on flies and areas to fish.

May 2001:  Project Access on the Willowemoc was, as always, a great success. Eighteen members participated in restoring the paths to the water edge hauling fresh gravel and dirt, raking and planting seedlings. Mike Friedland rented a stamper and this made the work go much faster and better. After completion of the project, we returned to the Fly Fishing Center for the dedication and unveiling of a plaque in honor of Joan Stoliar, the originator of Project Access. It was a very moving ceremony.

We also had an excellent turnout for our annual trip to the Ausable. As in the past, we stayed at the Hungry Trout Motor Inn and Restaurant where we enjoyed great accommodations,  first class food and access to the Dream Mile, a private stretch of the river available only to Hungry Trout guests. We had excellent weather and the fish responded by cooperating with us.

April 2001:  The Long Island Flyrodders' first club trip of the year was held on Saturday, April 7, on the nearby streams of the Croton Watershed.   This was the second year that this trip has been offered, and it is fast becoming one of the most popular ones. This year, 28 members joined with Paul McCain and myself to discover some excellent small streams in Westchester and Putnam Counties. These streams are close enough to Long Island to make perfect day trips.

The third stream to be visited was the Cross River in Ward-Pound Ridge Reservation. This small steam is located in a Westchester County park and there is a fee ($7) charged. Here Paul and Allan cooked our lunch, we fished next to the picnic area and a few members caught fish. There is a population of native brook trout above the picnic area and stocked fish below it. This was the only stream we went to that day that is not a tailwater.

The final stream, that the members were introduced to, was the Amawalk Outlet of the Muscoot River. This small stream flows for three miles between the Amawalk and Muscoot reservoirs. The parking is located in the middle of the stream and one can fish upstream in the morning, return to the car for lunch and then fish downstream in the afternoon. Many times I’ve seen deer along the stream, making you forget that you’re 10 minutes from the Interstate and less then an hour from the city.

There are many streams in the Croton Watershed that are great for fly fishing, they are close to Long Island and the scenery is great. The only thing you need to find and enjoy them is a local map, some research from magazine articles and/or local bait and tackle shops, a little time and a sense of adventure. (Contributed by Dan Van Buskirk)

March 2001:  You can tell that spring is finally here; the robins are back, the crocus is in bloom and we are all getting edgy waiting for trout season to open. This is also the time to think about the less fortunate.

As in the past, the LIFR will participate in Project Access, an endeavor conceived by the late Joan Stoliar to provide easier stream access to the handicapped. If you want to help, we will meet at the Catskills Fly Fishing Center at approximately 8:00AM on Saturday, April 28th. Bring shovels, rakes. pick-axes and, if possible, a stomper. We will work on the stream until noon and then we'll meet at the picnic grounds for our barbecue, flycasting and to have a good time.

February 2001: Without a doubt, these past two months had to be the most brutal winter months we had in five years. Hopefully, most of us put this time to good use getting our fly fishing gear in tip top shape, tying flies and planning trips for the forthcoming fishing season. Again, this year we have scheduled a plethora of great fishing outings, some of which are consistent club favorites. If you haven't signed up for any trip yet, we suggest you do it as soon as possible since some of these events have time or reservation limits.

Bob Molzahn, a long time LIFR member is also the president of our sister club in Pennsylvania, "The Dame Juliana League" as well as the Conservation VP for the Federation of Fly Fishers and Communication VP for the Mid-Atlantic Council of the FFF. Recently, Bob was awarded the  first "Frank Smoot Conservation Award" ever bestowed by the MAC-FFF. Congratulations, Bob..... we are all proud of you!

January 2001:  As we are busy preparing for the new year, we would be remiss if we didn't bestow KUDOS to Lee Weil, our 1999 and 2000 Club President for her commitment to make our organization the best there is. Thanks, Lee..... your act will be hard to follow!

As in the past, the fly fishing shows held in late January in Somerset NJ and at the Nassau Coliseum were a great success for LIFR. Many visitors stopped at our booths either to ask questions, apply for  membership or simply to buy raffle tickets. The lucky winner at the Somerset show received one thousand flies, most of which were tied by our members.