“Scales and Tales” promotes communication among women flyfishers world wide in their native language.  Every woman flyfisher has the ability to publish small articles (of 500 words or less with maybe with a picture or two), poems, or drawings in your native language.  And if you have access to translate your article into another language that would be helpful, send them both.  Please send all translations to:  Kate Blubaugh, IWFF CLC Chair and IWFF CLC Goodwill Ambassador at  blubaughk@mindspring.com   

“Scales and Tales” publications will be displayed every four months; then new material will be displayed and the old material placed in the Archives.  CLC is eager to share your experiences with everyone and we encourage your members to send in articles for publication.

IWFF’s CLC has their "Best Entry" Contest going on!   The author who receives the most votes for their entry (Story/Poem/Drawing, etc.), will be the Winner!   All members are eligible to vote.  Vote for your favorite entry!  Only one entry per name. The Deadline is  March 31, 2009.  Email your "Best Entry" to:   Kate Blubaugh, IWFF CLC Chair and IWFF CLC Goodwill Ambassador at    blubaughk@mindspring.com  

The prize will go to the author who receives the most votes for their Entry

French Translation click here
Japanese translation, click here

Spanish translation, click here

The Netherlands February 9, 2009
By Donna van der Kuip
Club: The Women Dutch Fly Fishers Club; The Netherlands

Piking

Translation in English

Andre, my husband, and I decided last week that it was time that I caught a pike (put all the fears to rest etc etc) so we set out last week Sunday early to do some pike-ing in the local waters here.  When we left home, Andre asked me if I had my license with me...I said no...He said, we won't get caught today being Sunday and it being early...of course those were famous last words.  We just got settled fishing in a field into a body of water alongside the road, when what happened to come speeding over the bridge...a police car.  I caught it in the sight of my vision, and turned to Andre and said; ok, now we got trouble.  The car screeched to a stop, and a young officer got out and came running up to us, as if we were going to bolt across the field into nowhere ness...Andre actually had to tell him to stop as we were standing almost ankle deep in mud.  We wandered over to him and introduced ourselves, and he asked to see our papers.  Andre produced his and in the meantime my mind was racing as to where mine were, and in the nick of time I remembered they were in my fishing bag...phew...so we had a chat to them and they left a little disappointed that we were papered up, I am sure.  Anyways, we had no luck there and called it a day.

Yesterday we decided to go back to the Bosdijk.  We parked and decided to take a look at the water first, and lying face down at the waters edge was a pike of about 60cm...I went back to the car and got a net out...the fish was obviously dead and I had never seen a pike up close and personal before, so decided I may as well look at a dead one...only after netting it we discovered that it was still alive, barely.  One gill was barely moving and one of its eyes had already clouded over.  They certainly are magnificent fish to see up close.  There did not seem to be any reason for the fish to die, it had no cuts or outward injuries, so we quickly returned it to the water to avoid more stress, and after that it just lay there where we had replaced it and did not move in the 4 or so hours that we were there.  I think that did indeed help with the 'scared' feeling I had...so now it is onward and upward to catch one of my own.

This morning Andre found some interesting footage on Youtube.com, a series of film made by a Dutch diver on the behavior of pike under water...magnificent.
Dutch Translation click here
  

VICTORY
Ann Bounds

Dame Juliana Anglers, Arizona February 9, 2009
Translation:  English

To bask in Victory is such pleasure!!!  One time the Old Pueblo Trout Unlimited Club of Tucson, Arizona invited the Desert Fly Casters (another club I belong to) to camp and fish with them on Hurricane Lake one year. 

During this time, TU had a fishing contest:  One Fly, One Fish, One Hour Contest.  Everyone paid a small fee to enter, and everyone got on the Lake in their float tubes.  We were timed:  One Hour.  And we could only use One Fly.  If we lost that fly we were out of the contest.  And we had to measure and weigh the one fish we caught with the Official Scale Person.

There were several people on the lake, probably 100.  It looked like one huge flotilla.  With 3 of them being women!  I was using an Arizona Peacock Lady Fly, and of course, caught my fish on the other side of the Lake from the Scales.  I put my fish in my net and laboriously started kicking my float tube to the other side of the lake to the Scales.  Made it in time too!

My fish was weighed and measured.  I thought it was too small, but low and behold….I won the Contest!!!  I had taken the title of Winner away from last year’s Winner, the TU’s President.  All 3 women posed for pictures for the TU newsletter!!!  We were all smiles!

Women rock!

Here’s the Arizona Peacock Lady Fly pattern: click here
Japanese Translation click here
Submitted by Nica Prichard February 9, 2009
Club: Welsh Ladies Angling Development (WLAD); Wales
English:
Welch:
Lord grant me a fish so big that I need not lie! Arglwydd, gad i fe ddal pysgodyn mor fawr bydd ddim rhaid gweid celwydd!

Drawing submitted by Misako Ishimura February 9, 2009
Painted by Misako Ishimura Club: Japan Fly Fishers – Women　–　Tokyo, Japan Translated: Misako Ishimura Ayu fly, which is called “Ayu Kebari” in Japanese. “Ke” means feather and “bari” means hook in Japanese. This traditional Japanese fly is for fishing Ayu, which is an indigenous fish in Japan. The oldest book, in which you can see its origin, has been written in the beginning of 18th century.
Japanese Translation click here  

Maya and Me
by Kiki Galvin
Club: Chesapeake Women Anglers; USA

I grew up fishing on the Finger Lakes and caught my first fish at the age of 5. The memory of that time was, the lake, the dock, my Zebco rod, bobber and the..worm. On this vacation I felt the need to put away my fly rod and return to my younger days, to my roots if you will. Every morning, every evening it was once more the lake, the dock my rod, bobber and..worm, but this time I had my little dog Maya at my side. She was my fish spotter and remained diligent for hours as I cast to one spot after another. We both were excited when a fish was hooked and brought to the hand for our inspection, then tossed back to the depths. Maya could not wait to get out the door in the morning to run to the dock all the while looking back at me beckoning to come quickly to take our places. There we both were eyes glued to the green, dark mesmerizing water. I can't tell you how proud and thrilled I was that my little Maya loved to fish just like me!

The evening before we had to leave to go home we both ventured out to the point at dusk just as the moon was rising and Mars was gleaming to make our few lasts casts. We stood in ankle deep water with the moon's trail before us like a side walk. I was using a top water plug and the fishing was hot, every cast bam a Smallie; one after another. Maya would walk out to escort the fish back to me-what a team! Finally I said, Maya we have to go now it's time, she looked at me as if to say one more cast please? Then we pulled ourselves away and walked back to the cottage together, crickets and the lapping of the waves upon the stony slate beach sounded our farewell. I looked down at Maya with a smile on my face and Maya looked back at me wet from head to toe and wagged her tail. When the chance presents itself share your passion and take your 'little ones' fishing even if they are furry little creatures.

Post script to my story last Sunday morning with a broken heart but peaceful soul I said goodbye to my faithful fishing companion Maya, she was twelve years old.

Report from Menteith 2008

By Wendy (Miller) Patchett
Club: England Ladies Fly Fisher Association; UK 

 

I am so chuffed to have lifted the Graham Smith Trophy, in the year 2008.  Not only to have won this prestigious prize in it's self, but to have achieved this on a "foreign" water; in beautiful Scotland, Lake of Menteith. After Celebrating a "big number" birthday in January, the kind where you wonder if you are "over the hill" (enough said), I am to be married in September of this year. So much mega stuff going on. In the middle of all of this, was the small matter of representing my country.  I opted to arrive in Scotland in advance of the main England party ... not to gain extra practice, but merely to chill and try desperately to unwind.

 

My first day on Menteith was the official practice day on Tuesday of match week. Not a productive day for me, following team orders for area and method, I didn't catch a thing, despite being given a "hot spot" in the afternoon!  Second practice day I fared marginally better, boating only one, albeit having three other takes, the day for me was best spent looking at areas and drifts where my team mates had been producing fish to the boat.  

 

Match day then arrived, and I had a method and a couple of areas which were clear in my mind. My catch of the day that mattered was nine fish.  This was made possible on a “Cortland Blue”, fishing a team of three, very slow figure of eight ... yes I'll say that again, “ME” fishing very, very slow!  This is NOT my "cup of tea", however, needs must ... for England and St. George!!!  My cast then comprised of; top dropper, a cruncher, middle dropper, a pearly cormorant and on the point, the Woofta booby.  The match started at 9am, I had the first fish in the boat by 9.05am; a wonderful 3lb plus rainbow!  What a fantastic start to an International!  

 

The rules dictated that the bag limit was to be four fish, beyond this, we were to deploy catch and release tactics.  This meaning no booby's, no doubles, and all flies used were to be debarbed.  I then substituted the Woofta for a single Cat's Whisker for the point, and carried on with the task at hand.  My day's catch ended at nine.  I was thoroughly delighted with this, thinking that this was a great catch towards the England total.  As an individual, when you know you have had a good day, you always assume that there is someone else that has done better and good luck to them. But on this occasion, it was me!  

 

I should like to thank my boat partner Orla of Ireland and my boatman Greg, both of whom were absolutely lovely on the day.  Also to the England team for the great information and team camaraderie, without which, my victory would not have been possible.  Especially for my lovely man, who follows me and supports me every where that flyfishing takes me, even though he doesn't fish himself.  What more could I ask for?
 
 

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rev.02/09/2009

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