Black Hills Flyfishers
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Home >Newsletters > December 2006 > Under the Noses of the Presidents
| Under the Noses of the Presidents Three good meetings, let’s have a Parade! |
Merry Christmas!
Three old fly fishermen are hobbling down the path to their favorite part of the Rapid Creek.
The first one says, “Windy isn’t it?”
The second one says, “No, it’s Thursday!”
The third one says, “So am I. Let’s go get a beer.”
The activity level was certainly high last month with GF&P hosting two meeting right under my nose in the
Johnson Siding Community Hall. The first meeting was summed up by Bernie Roth when he said that’s the
best news I’ve heard in a long time concerning ‘Diddy’. It had organization. It had a plan for the future with a
hope for success. Jeff Schearer did a wonderful job of conducting the meeting and all the participants we’re
astonished by the progress made toward looking for possible solutions. Could the tests to be run next
spring reveal what Jeff is suspecting…low P? Stay tuned for more postings from the organization group of
Ev Hoyt, Mark Vickers and Jim Hawke (BHFF); Scott Kenner, (SDSM&T); Aaron Larsen, (DENER); and Jeff
Schearer, (GF&P).
For a very good handle on “Dealing with Diddymo”, please take time to seach out Leah Elwell’s recent
article page 24-27, Flyfisher Autumn 2006.
The second meeting was also conducted as an informational meeting by Ron Koth, (GF&P) and covered
utilizing a release of water made possible by the new Sheridan Lake dam valve which potentially could open
another 3.5 miles of dry stream bed to trout fishing under Sheridan Lake on Spring Creek.
The meeting was well attended by fly fishermen who rallied to the call. They joined other interested parties
in wanting a new fishery in the stream without compromising the Lake. The meeting went a long way to calm
the fears of others who are concerned that the concept might negatively impact them.
The third meeting conducted during GF&P Monthly Board Meeting in Spearfish allowed BHFF to present a
check for $10,000.00 to GF&P to be used in the Homestake Dam and Fish Ladder project on Spearfish
Creek.
Now with all that ‘energy’ being expended by BHFF club members in support of your Club’s activities, you
could just about light up the fly shop when it was mentioned that a last minute permit had been applied for
to enter BHFF as a PARADE of LIGHTS contestant. Once again the Champion of BHFF burst forth with
electrifying ideas which skirted the exhaustive regulations published for this popular parade. Operating on
only one week notice Ev Hoyt motivated his friends, his family Thanksgiving guests and his immediate family
to VENTURE WHERE NO OTHER would dare to go. (Photos inside)
The outcome was a sight to behold….a perfectly decorated Clackacraft adorned with 2 billion lights being
generated mysteriously without the aid of Black Hills Power & Light. The judges including Mayor Jim Shaw
stopped short to say: “Great Parade Title, fellas….Hooked on Fishing…Not on Drugs.” The BHFF Youths
were proud banner holders along with their mentor Jim Phoenix. But the Award which meant the most to all
who pasted on frozen grins and waved to the 5000 spectator was a little guy named Ty Bratten, dressed up
like a little bug. He made the four hour journey. He braved the cold without a peep or a pee stop. His
presence earned the BHFF FLOAT the prestigious ’Pollack Award’.
For those of us who have taken cold rides with Hoyt and to the little guy, Ty, who is his grandson, may we
say thank you Ty. You made the four hour voyage in better shape than we did.
May we also say that you have a great future in cold wheather fishing and this will not be the last time that
you will freeze your buns off riding in Hoyt’s Clackacraft.
From Under the Noses of the Presidents,
Jim Hawke
Three old fly fishermen are hobbling down the path to their favorite part of the Rapid Creek.
The first one says, “Windy isn’t it?”
The second one says, “No, it’s Thursday!”
The third one says, “So am I. Let’s go get a beer.”
The activity level was certainly high last month with GF&P hosting two meeting right under my nose in the
Johnson Siding Community Hall. The first meeting was summed up by Bernie Roth when he said that’s the
best news I’ve heard in a long time concerning ‘Diddy’. It had organization. It had a plan for the future with a
hope for success. Jeff Schearer did a wonderful job of conducting the meeting and all the participants we’re
astonished by the progress made toward looking for possible solutions. Could the tests to be run next
spring reveal what Jeff is suspecting…low P? Stay tuned for more postings from the organization group of
Ev Hoyt, Mark Vickers and Jim Hawke (BHFF); Scott Kenner, (SDSM&T); Aaron Larsen, (DENER); and Jeff
Schearer, (GF&P).
For a very good handle on “Dealing with Diddymo”, please take time to seach out Leah Elwell’s recent
article page 24-27, Flyfisher Autumn 2006.
The second meeting was also conducted as an informational meeting by Ron Koth, (GF&P) and covered
utilizing a release of water made possible by the new Sheridan Lake dam valve which potentially could open
another 3.5 miles of dry stream bed to trout fishing under Sheridan Lake on Spring Creek.
The meeting was well attended by fly fishermen who rallied to the call. They joined other interested parties
in wanting a new fishery in the stream without compromising the Lake. The meeting went a long way to calm
the fears of others who are concerned that the concept might negatively impact them.
The third meeting conducted during GF&P Monthly Board Meeting in Spearfish allowed BHFF to present a
check for $10,000.00 to GF&P to be used in the Homestake Dam and Fish Ladder project on Spearfish
Creek.
Now with all that ‘energy’ being expended by BHFF club members in support of your Club’s activities, you
could just about light up the fly shop when it was mentioned that a last minute permit had been applied for
to enter BHFF as a PARADE of LIGHTS contestant. Once again the Champion of BHFF burst forth with
electrifying ideas which skirted the exhaustive regulations published for this popular parade. Operating on
only one week notice Ev Hoyt motivated his friends, his family Thanksgiving guests and his immediate family
to VENTURE WHERE NO OTHER would dare to go. (Photos inside)
The outcome was a sight to behold….a perfectly decorated Clackacraft adorned with 2 billion lights being
generated mysteriously without the aid of Black Hills Power & Light. The judges including Mayor Jim Shaw
stopped short to say: “Great Parade Title, fellas….Hooked on Fishing…Not on Drugs.” The BHFF Youths
were proud banner holders along with their mentor Jim Phoenix. But the Award which meant the most to all
who pasted on frozen grins and waved to the 5000 spectator was a little guy named Ty Bratten, dressed up
like a little bug. He made the four hour journey. He braved the cold without a peep or a pee stop. His
presence earned the BHFF FLOAT the prestigious ’Pollack Award’.
For those of us who have taken cold rides with Hoyt and to the little guy, Ty, who is his grandson, may we
say thank you Ty. You made the four hour voyage in better shape than we did.
May we also say that you have a great future in cold wheather fishing and this will not be the last time that
you will freeze your buns off riding in Hoyt’s Clackacraft.
From Under the Noses of the Presidents,
Jim Hawke