THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON: April 5^th (see inside for details)

My thanks goes out to Capt. Ken Turco for that great show he put on for the benefit of Salty members. The next time you are getting ready to fish the Shinnecock and Montauk area on a charter, please remember to give Ken a call. You won't be sorry you did. Remember we get supported by those we support.

I'm pleased to announce that Ed Mitchell, Author of the best selling book, Flyrodding the Coast, will be our guest at the April 5th meeting. I've seen Ed's show in the past and you are in for a real treat. Bring a friend.

Just a reminder, don't forget that on April 8th The Fishing Line with Rich Johnson will present the 1st Annual Fly Fishing Seminar at the Knights of Columbus Catering Hall in Seaford Long Island, Featuring Lou Tabory and Steve Sloan. Rich will also be featured at the Campsite on April 24th. Stop by between 10am and 2pm for coffee, donuts, and a chance to smmooozzz with Long Island's top t.v. fishing personality.

Remember April 1st is the official start of the fishing season, so now is the time to get your gear in shape, flies tied or bought and make it a point not

to miss the upcoming events that your club will be presenting for your benefit. I mean that's why you joined, right? Information on the conclave is in this issue. Remember that when the time comes to reserve a spot at the conclave, do it quickly, as space will fill up before you know it. This will be an exciting year for us, lot's of things to do, and I hope lot's of people to do it with.

Thanx

Frank

Tom Cousins, past president and director, holding a Shinnecock striper caught last fall. The fish and the Saltys will miss Tom in our local waters this spring, as he retired to North Carolina this winter.

The year was 1949. It was during the Korean War and one of my stations was the Jones Beach Coast Guard Base. It was here that I learned about fishing the inlet from the old "coasties" at the base, of course we were using Penn Squiders and conventional tackle at that time. The fishing was great, especially at night on an outgoing tide. It has been 50 years now and I am still enamoured with the east side inlet and it's many pockets, bars and large bowls with their deep drop offs.

Take the Meadowbrook Parkway to Jones Beach. Just over the 3rd bridge bear right and follow the signs to West End Parking Lot. Keep to the right and go past the Coast Guard Station, keeping right, take the road on the right, going around the curve you will come to a large parking lot. Park immediately on your left (north side). Gear up and walk back on the same road until you see and opening on your left. Enter and follow the fishing signs through the dunes (a short walk). You will enter a beach area from between two dunes upon a beautiful view of many pockets and bowls to your right and left as well as Point Lookout acorss the inlet (Photo I).

On your right will be the first pocket just before a new rock jetty being built. This is my favorite spot. A sand bar runs out about 30-40 feet and the veers north. This creates a pocket between the beach and the bar. A backflow is created here on the outgoing tide. Bait fish are trapped; the fish are on the bar assaulting the bait (Photo II), low tide.

To your left are a number of pockets with deep dropoffs on high tide. Sandbars verticle to the beach separate these pockets. Pockets extend to the Radio Shack. The Radio Shack marks the beginning of the east jetty of the inlet. All the pictures were taken at low tide, so that you can visualize the deep dropoff that occurs on high tide. Mike Wolyniec took a 36" striper at one of the pockets just to tease his father.

The best time to fish these spots is at dawn or dusk especially if you can hit the first two hours of an outgoing tide.

Productive flies are deceivers , Clouser Minnows, (Chartreuse), sand eel patterns, bay anchovies, and in the fall crease flies. In the fall, small crabs are washed up all over the shore and small crab flies are worth a try.

All summer long, stripers in the 25-30" or more range are present, especially at dawn and dusk into darkness when boat traffic is down. Blue fish also frequent these areas. The fall is my favorite time. From late August until mid-December. Albies in late August into October will maraud the beaches. Then come the Atlantic herring and Hickory Shad. They are lots of fun

so scale down to 7 weight rods and line. I hit a mini blitz of stripers during Christmas week when it was still warm.

NORTHEAST WIND-

The first day of a north east wind, blowing 20-30 knots moves the fish to the beach. So fish the beach side (east) of the rocks, first pocket.

WEST WIND-

Fish the Inlet at Jones Beach.

STRONG SOUTH WIND-

Followed by a north west wind pushes bait into the inlet. Fish the pockets in the inlet.

The area is still uncrowded because many fishermen hit the jetties and the ocean side. The northern part of the jetty can be real good but dangerous, be careful.

Give it a try and have fun. One other word of warning; during the summer into early fall with no wind to speak of, bring plenty of Deet or wear mosquito netting.

GOOD FISHING!!

Wow! This Intenet thing is really a big help lately. Tides, fishing reports, tons of information, fishing gear and so on, it’s all there. The only thing missing is the first hand experience of fishing by you, the person fishing. Getting on the water and fishing is the only way to keep up with consistent patterns the fish take. Here is a good example of how being there improved my chances of catching some nice fish. Last year on vacation to Martha’s Vineyard the fishing pattern of the false albacore changed as the week progressed and being there was the only way to know what was happening as most of the anglers are tight lipped. I like fishing the Cape Poge "Gut" early in the morning down on the flats because the fish explode on the bait in shallow water and when hooked have no where to go but out. The fish enter the Gut where the first anglers positioned near the mouth of the inlet get the first shot at the fish. The fish move down the shoreline on their way to the flats and inside the pond where I wait with others anglers to get in on the action. But things began to change later in the week for some reason and the albies headed down the center of the channel after entering the inlet passing us by on their way back into the pond. Only the first set of anglers was hooking up near the inlet, also the anglers on the other side were catching hooking up more often. If they did come close enough to us down on the flats they were under our rods traveling at break-neck speeds, picking off bait and darting away. If I had not been there to learn this pattern I would have ended up going away without even having a chance at the fish. Learning the where and when to fish is important, even a first hand report over the Internet is no substitute for being on the water.

Heading to a fabled fishing area or recent hot spot is no guarantee of success. Being successful is hard work and takes a some trial and error. Just because the fish are hitting on the incoming morning tide on a particular day doesn’t mean the next day the same will be true, though it probably will if everything remains the same. Things may change to the afternoon incoming and only being there will give you the answers. Night fishing for bass is a good bet but after last year’s late November run it proved to be early morning at first light that was the only time that the fish came alive and that changed every couple of days. I fished all night without a hit but started taking fish just as the sky began to lighten up. I passed on this information to others hoping to save them time and making the most of their day on the water. You guessed it, not a fish at first light, they began hitting later in the day, around 2pm. Good thing they stayed for the whole day to find this out.

Having a fishing friend help you out is much better than the Internet. It is the personal experience that brings the little secrets to life. How the person tells the story is another plus. I love to hear a good fishing story, especially one with details of wind, water and wildlife. Pointing out what type of bait was around is a big help as it prepares me for the next time out. Spearing, sand eels, herring…….what was around means carrying the right selection of flys and lines. Hooked a fish on a slow retrieve with a Clouser…..this means they were deep or at least near the bottom. Found them with a popper…..this means the were really active or the popper was used as a searching fly. These are all clues on how to catch your quarry next time out.

Share your information, telling others of you good fortune does not mean that they will cash in on your success, especially if the adventure was a week ago or even a couple days ago. Tides and the wind could have changed and with that so does the fishing. I have found the members of the Salty Fly Rodders to be very free with their information and I hope this practice continues. It is good for the club and creates a closeness among members that translates into success for everyone.

John Schlowinski shows off a 15lb albacore taken from the waters off North Carolina in November. Guide Donny Hatcher put them into big fish for a week.

The April Meeting features Ed Mitchell, author of "Flyrodding the Coast" one of the premier guidebooks to the northeast flyrodder. Herman Abrams will warm up the crowd with a program on Setups of rod, reel, lines and knots starting at 7pm as a primer for novices and experts alike. Fly tying, featuring Mike Wolyniec and Rino Bratelli, and casting on the lawn if there's no snow begins at 7pm.

The Surf Dart is a modification of a fly known as the Tres Generation . I tied this version as a slim profiled fly to be fished in turbulent and unruly water. The South shore environment is the perfect setting. This fly will zip through heavy water without the never ending drag that is placed on flies, by those rolling combers. This is an easy fly to track through your retrieve.

Materials Needed-

Thread- flat wax nylon in white

Hook- Tiemco 911s or equiv.

Tail- buck tail, hackle, krystal flash or flashabou

head- 3/4 or 1/2 inch masking tape

wing- x-tra large pearl tubing

eyes- size 21/2 prism eyes

you will also need 5min. epoxy

Step 1- With hook in vice, begin your tie in about 1/8 of an inch behind hook eye. Tie evenly to the bend of the hook. Take a sparse bunch of white buck tail and tie in. the buck tail should extend about the length of the shank of the hook.

step 2- Take about 2 or 3 strands of pearl k.f. and tie in. extending the k.f. just a bit past the buck tail.

step 3- Take 4 or 5 saddle hackles and tie in the round.

step 4- Tie in a half dozen or so strands of olive/peacock flashabou.

step 5- Take your pearl tubing and slip over eye of hook about 1/4 inch in and tie down securely, parking your tread right behind the hook eye. You should have about 3 to 4 inches of tubing extending beyond the outside of the hook eye. Tie off and clip thread.

step 6- Take about 10 inches of masking tape and begin wrapping about 1/8 of an inch behind hook eye. keep wrapping until the diameter is slightly smaller than the tubing diameter. brush on some flexament glue over the masking tape and let dry.

step7- Take the tubing between the thumb, index finger and middle finger and slide evenly and smoothly inside out. slide all the way to the bend of the hook.

step 8- Place your stick on eyes on the forward part of the masking tape.

step9- Epoxy lightly to the bend of the hook. As the epoxy dries pull the tubing taunt.

step 10- Let dry and go fishing.

"THE FISHING LINE"

1st Annual Fly Fishing Seminar

With Rich Johnson

&

Sponsored By:

7:30 to 10 p.m. (doors open 6:30)

Knights of Columbus Catering Hall

2183 Jackson Ave. Seaford, Long Island

Featured Guest Speaker

The Northeast's pioneer & acknowledged forefather of saltwater flyfishing

Author of "Inshore Fly Fishing" and "Lou Tabory's Baits and Their Imitations."

Federation of Flyfisher's Board of Governors, casting instructor and an Orvis endorsed Pro.

I'd like to thank Tom Baumann for the wonderful article in last month's newsletter, about our Fall trips. It brought back fond memories of last season.

The purpose of this article is to inform the membership about how I learned about the Clouser pattern which I've touted for the past few years.

I was introduced to the "SPS Flashtail Clouser", by my good friend Dan Blanton. As many of you recall, Dan was the Conclave guest a couple of years ago. Some of you may also remember that Dan Blanton was also a Conclave guest nearly 20 years ago, which was my first opportunity to meet and spend some time with him.

When Dan was our Conclave guest in 1996. His slide show centered on fishing the San Francisco Bay Delta. During this slide show, Dan introduced the Club to the concept of a "FlashTail", which he incorporated into his "Sar-Mul-Mac". For those of you who are not familiar with this pattern, it is a general imitation of a Sardina, a Mullet or a Mackerel, depending on the dressing used.

After the Conclave, we had the opportunity to do some fishing together. I was invited to join Dan on his annual Delta trip in October. We spent 10 days on a houseboat on the Delta, along with Dan's good friend, Ed Marcellac, who was also a fantastic chef during this adventure.

I learned a great deal while fishing with Dan. One of the things I brought back from my trip was the SPS FlashTail Clouser. When I first saw the fly, I thought it should be called a "fly-tying kit", because it is dressed much heavier than what we easterners are used to. The SPS refers to Shad-Perch-Simulator, and the flashtail refers to about 50 strands of Flashabou tied into the center of the fly, which extends approximately 1 to 1.5 inches beyond the tail of the fly. Dan taught me that the Saltwater Flashabou and the Holographic Flashabou are too thick to provide the swimming motion of the regular Flashabou.

During the Delta trip with Dan, we caught countless stripers on both the SPS Flashtail Sar-Mul-Mac, as well as the SPS Flashtail Clouser.

I returned with a few deadly patterns as well as fond memories to treasure. The next issue was whether these patterns would actually work on East Coast stripers. This issue was resolved the following season when I caught over 500 stripers on these flies, as well as my first Albacore on a White SPS Flashtail Whistler (almost forgot this pattern)! I then tried a black and red version for nighttime action...(color pattern inspired by Glenn Mikkleson)...BANG, another winner! Now you will always find these patterns in my fly books, and they rarely let me down.

I can appreciate that many of you may not have known the proper names for these patterns, so when you've spoken to others about them, you've simply referred to them as "Rino's Clousers". I'm also certain you equate these patterns with me because I fish them almost to the exclusion of all others, yet I had to set the record straight. I didn't invent them, but I know a good thing when I see it!

Dan...Keep those ideas coming...

Rino

By Alan Evelyn Conservation Chair

Several Salty's have contacted me about writing letters to voice their opposition to National Marine Fisheries Service plans regarding Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks and the Billfish Amendment (see March's newsletter) They suggested I provide a sample letter for the Club members to use. I thought it was an excellent idea. This is the letter that I sent to Senator Schumer. Please feel free to copy it word for word, just use some

of the language or ignore completely. The important thing is to write andvoice your opposition.

Dear ( Your Representative)

As a member of the recreational angling community, I oppose the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposed "Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks (HMS FMP) and Draft Amendment I to the Atlantic Bill Fishery Management Plan (Billfish Amendment). These actionsare favoring commercial fisherman over recreational anglers. The proposedchanges place additional restrictions on recreational anglers while allowing commercial longliners to continue with out new conservation measures. The NMFS has stated that "bycatch of Atlantic billfish by U.S. pelagic longline fisheries … is the major source of U.S. billfish mortality currently reported to ICCAT".

It is the pelagic longline fleet that annually discards thousands of dead swordfish, sharks, and sexually mature Atlantic bluefin tuna. We must convince Fishery Managers that if they are serious about rebuilding the highly migratory species fishery then they must get serious and restrict longlining in all US waters.

I urge you as my elected representative to contact Rolland Schmitten, Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service and let him know of our opposition to HMS FMP and the Billfish Amendment. I appreciate your efforts on this matter, and your continued support of fisheries conservation and the rights of the individual recreational angler.

Sincerely

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE NUMBER

Members from New York should write to:

The Honorable Charles Schumer

United States Senate

229 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Members from New Jersey should write to:

The Honorable James Saxton

339 Cannon House Office Building

1st Street & Independence Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20515

All members should write to :

Assistant Secretary Terry Garcia

US Department of Commerce, NOAA

14th & Constitution Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20230

It is imperative that as recreational anglers, we take an active and vocal role in protecting our fisheries. PLEASE WRITE TODAY.

The National Resources Protective Association (NRPA) is fighting against the Army Corp of Engineers plan to dump a hundred and fifty million cubic yards of contaminated toxic dredge material in Raritan Bay, Lower NY Bay, Flushing Bay, and in the NY Harbor. The NRPA is looking for help to defeat proposed Army Corp's plan. NRPA memberships are $10. For more information check out their website at www.nrpa.com or write them at PO Box050328, SINY, 10305-0328. NRPA secretary Kerry Sullivan is available at718-720-5951 or by email kerrysull@aol.com

A recently completed study conducted by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (the "DEC") concluded that, as a result of lowered levels of polychlorinated biphenyls ("PCBs") being found in the flesh of Hudson River striped bass, the 23-year ban on commercial fishing for bass in the Hudson could be lifted.  Coastal Conservation Association New York ("CCA NY") opposes ending the ban, both for health reasons and because of the threat a commercial fishery would pose to both the striped bass that spawn in the river and the economically important recreational fishery that has developed in the region.

Since the late 1970s, commercial fishing for Hudson River striped bass has been prohibited due to high levels of PCBs in the fish's flesh. In an ironic twist, PCB pollution proved to be the striped bass's salvation, since it shielded the Hudson River stock from commercial exploitation at a time when Chesapeake-spawned fish had all but disappeared. Strict regulations, including stringent controls on commercial harvest, helped the coastal stock recover. However, CCA NY points out that a new abundance of striped bass on the coast is no justification for putting the Hudson River population at risk.

CCA NY is also concerned that a reopened commercial fishery will threaten not only the striped bass, but uniformed consumers as well. Even if the commercial striped bass fishery in the Hudson is reopened, the state will continue to issue health advisories warning women of childbearing age to eat no fish from the river, and recommending that other people not to eat more than one meal per month of fish taken from the Hudson south of Catskill, NY, and no fish taken above that point.

In addition, CCA NY has learned that the state is planning to post 3,000 signs along the river warning of the hazards of eating Hudson River fish, and will supplement the signs with a corps of "health rangers" who will rove the Hudson's banks to reinforce the signs' message with the verbal warnings about eating fish caught in the river. With the state so obviously demonstrating its concern for the dangers posed to consumers of Hudson River fish, it makes no sense for the DEC to contemplate opening the striped bass fishery.

A number of important tournaments, drawing hundreds of participants, have also sprung up along the banks of the Hudson.

CCA NY, in a battle spearheaded by its Hudson Valley chapter, is asking conservation-minded legislators to introduce a bill that would prohibit the sale of striped bass taken in the inland waters of New York, including the Hudson River. CCA NY asks all concerned anglers to contact their local legislators, and ask them to support that legislation when it is presented to them.

For further information, contact John McMurray at 516-422-4162, send e-mail to director@ccany.org or write to CCA NY, PO Box 1118, West Babylon, NY.11704

This is the letter that I sent to my State Senator .

The important thing is to write and voice your opposition.

Dear ( Your Representative)

As a member of the recreational angling community, I oppose ending the23-year ban on commercial fishing for bass in the Hudson River, both for health reasons and because of the threat a commercial fishery would pose to

both the striped bass that spawn in the river and the economically important recreational fishery that has developed in the region.

These actions are favoring commercial fisherman over recreational anglers. I am concerned that a reopened commercial fishery will threaten not only the striped bass, but uniformed consumers as well. Even if the commercial striped bass fishery in the Hudson is reopened, the state will continue to issue health advisories warning women of childbearing age to eat no fish from the river, and recommending that other people not to eat more than one meal per month of fish taken from the Hudson south of Catskill, NY, and no fish taken above that point With the state so obviously demonstrating its concern for the dangers posed to consumers of Hudson River fish, it makes no sense for the DEC to contemplate opening the striped bass fishery.

Such an opening would also cause serious economic harm to businesses in the economically depressed Central Hudson Valley. In recent years, a substantial recreational fishery for striped bass has blossomed in the region. The fishery has attracted anglers to the area, and infused the local economy with badly needed tourist

offering little countervailing benefits to the local economy, since the value of the entire commercial fishery is worth a mere fraction of the income generated by recreational fisherman.

I urge you as my elected representative and a conservation-minded legislator to support legislation that would prohibit the sale of striped bass taken in the inland waters of New York, including the Hudson River.

I appreciate your efforts on this matter, and your continued support of fisheries conservation and the rights of the individual recreational angler.

Sincerely

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE NUMBER

Need to know where to write your NY State representative? These web sites can provide you with the information: State Board of Elections at www.elections.ny.us, New York State Assembly at www.assembly.state.ny.us or the New York State Senate at www.senate.state.ny.us By phone you can contact the State's Voter Information line at 1-800-367-8683.

On April 24th T.V. host of the Fishing Line Radio Show and Metro Learning Channel Fishing Show, will be at the Campsite to meet the customers, and answer those all important fishing questions. Rich will beat the store from 10am till 2pm

Lets all show our support for a shop that supports the Saltys.