HFFA 44th Annual Fly Fishing Show -- March 2018 -- Bettendorf, Iowa

HFFA 2015 FLY FISHING SHOW ~ Dubuque, IA, Feb 20-22

Please copy and paste the link below to learn about this year's Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association show that is a celebration of the heart of the Driftless!

file:///C:/Users/Davis/Downloads/HFFA%202015%20Show%20handout%204%20pdf%20(2).pdf

2014 Spring Branch Creek Fishing Survey Conducted by Iowa DNR and HFFA Volunteers

      Iowa DNR staff and Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association members teamed up on Saturday, April 26, 2014, to conduct a fish survey on Iowa’s Spring Branch Creek, located in Delaware County.  A hog of an Iowa brown trout, 21.5" in length, was netted, its length and weight recorded, & it was then released.  Many browns, rainbows, brook trout, and other fish species were collected along ~.33 miles of stream via electrofishing, the required data was recorded, & the fish were safely released.

  

   Brian Comiskey,  HFFA Conservation Director, helped coordinate the work day with Iowa DNR staff Dan Kirby, Natural Resources Biologist, Mark Winn, Natural Resources Technician, and HFFA members.  Mr. Comiskey believes that the benefits are twofold when the DNR and HFFA work together.  He reported that, “More and more the DNR has relied on the HFFA and organizations like the HFFA to supplement labor shortages due to shortfalls in the annual (i.e. state) budgets.  The second benefit of working with the Iowa DNR is that of good exposure for HFFA and its members.”  

   Tools used for the day’s fish survey included a backpack electrofisher, nets, buckets, measuring board, scale, and a PIT tag reader.   On July 3, 2013, one hundred brown trout in this particular stream were implanted with PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags in the abdominal cavity.  The small, long-lasting tags allow fish to be individually identified.  During this year’s April survey, 27 of the 107 brown trout captured contained the previously-implanted PIT tags.  Mr. Kirby reported, “This is a high rate of return for fish left at large in an open stream system for an extended period of time.”

   During this year’s survey, 7 species of fish were collected (brown trout = 107; creek chub = 26; white sucker = 13; brook trout = 4; sculpin sp. = 3; rainbow trout = 1; brook stickleback = 1).  Mr. Kirby indicated this was a fairly low number of species for an Iowa stream.  However, he added that this was not surprising for an Iowa coldwater stream because brown trout are excellent predators & the stream for this region contains a moderately high density of brown trout.

  

   While no rare species were collected, Mr. Kirby noted that sculpins in Iowa are found only in quality coldwater streams within the Paleozoic Plateau.  In general, the stream’s 324 brown trout/mile calculated by DNR staff from the 2014 survey, is comparable to other surveys recorded yearly since 2010.  It was learned that natural reproduction of brown and brook trout was sparse during the 2013-2014 winter but Mr. Kirby reported this was not alarming because, “…natural populations will have fluctuations in population and recruitment of young fish.”  Data from past surveys indicated up to 165 young-of-year brown trout/mile.  During this year’s survey, just 2 young-of-year brook trout and 0 young-of-year brown trout were collected.

  

   Approximately 16 HFFA members, representing the 4 branches of the club, and DNR staff Dan Kirby and Mark Winn, participated in the workday.  Following the survey, workers were invited to a cook-out, which was provided in traditional fashion by the Mullins family and their ‘chuck wagon’, with food donated by the HFFA.  An HFFA board member meeting followed but a few lucky members elected to 'survey' another section of the stream – this time with fly rods in hand.

    I asked Mr. Kirby if he would provide readers with current, general information about

Spring Branch Creek.  The information provided in his response is a perfect example of why it is important that the community, whether it be organizations, businesses or individuals, work with the DNR to help protect and maintain our natural resources.  By participating in work days, through education about the benefits of good land use practices, by donating money or volunteering time, or simply by picking up trash & not littering, we can all make a difference & continue to enjoy the natural resources we are so lucky to have.

   This is Mr. Kirby’s response in its entirety:   “The coldwater segment of Spring Branch (from the upper springs to the Maquoketa River) is about 3 miles long and about 1.4 miles of that length is in public ownership or in a permanent public angling access easement.  Spring Branch is recognized within Iowa Code as an Outstanding Iowa Water and it certainly deserves that status.  The springs that supply cold water to Spring Branch are among the highest quality spring sources in Iowa.  These quality waters have long been recognized—a trout hatchery has been located near Spring Branch since the 1880’s.  Temperatures within Spring Branch will typically fall between 40 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit on a year round basis, with temperatures outside that range occurring in stream segments far isolated from the primary spring sources during extremely cold or hot days.

 

   We discontinued stocking brown trout into Spring Branch during 2008 and the population seems to be maintaining good trout density and size structure in the absence of stocking.  We currently stock about 200 advanced fingerling (8-inch) rainbow trout and 200 advanced fingerling brook trout into Spring Branch.  The lower end of Spring Branch (Baileys Ford Park) receives a stocking of about 12,000 catchable (10 – 12 inch long) rainbow trout and 3,000 catchable brook trout during a year.

   As is the case for all Iowa streams and rivers, water quality is central to the quality of Spring Branch Creek and the fishery in Spring Branch.  Watershed quality and land-use will ultimately determine fishery quality in Spring Branch now and in the future.”

A Heap o Thanks for Making the 2013 HFFA Fly Fishing Show a Success

   The 39th annual Hawkeye Fly Fishing Show, held March 1-3, 2013, was evidently a darn good success!  I didn't get to our branch's Sunday meeting since fishing trumps meetings, but rumor has it that we were successful in generating a fair amount of funds for stream restoration in NE Iowa.  I also heard that the number of 'walk-ins' at the show was greater than expected and that the speakers were well-received.
  
   A public thanks goes out to fellow club members who put forth so much time and effort to make the show a success, as well as those people and businesses who donated items and services for the raffles and silent auction.  If you were one of the the lucky winners, please thank the merchants for their donations and tell them why you appreciated using their products or services!  Heck, even if you didn't win, if you know a particular business donated, tell them thanks the next time you visit the store.

   Thanks also to the tiers who donate their time, gas money, and lodging to share their knowledge with others.  As usual I spent money with the vendors and am always glad to see them.  They were also a very helpful and friendly bunch. Thanks!

   A club member had the bright idea of taping the presentations so other members who worked the show and didn't see the presentations could watch them at a later date.  I'm looking forward to a few hours in the near future of fly fishing tales, popcorn and beer.
 
   When I learn where some of the generated funds will go, I'll update this post.  Thanks also, to those who attended and filled the silent auction lists and the buckets with their tickets/contributions.  There would be very little funds for conservation efforts without your help.  Next year's 40th anniversary show is in Cedar Rapids.  I think it is going to be a primo show!!

HFFA 39th Annual Fly Fishing Show Mar 1-3, 2013

   The Quad Cities branch of our fly fishing club, Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association, is hosting the annual fly fishing show, March 1-3, 2013, held at the Isle Casino Hotel, Bettendorf, IA.

   Presenters will include John Graham, Joe Cornwall, Kip Vieth, and our own, well-loved and respected Mike Jacobs.  Of course there will also be conservation topics presented.  Please visit the website www.hawkeyeflyfishing.com for more information about the show!

   Readers, I'm doing a little 'recon' by assisting other members with garnering cool items for our silent auctions and bucket raffles.  Any ideas?  Would you like to contribute?  This year's grand prize is a Sage rod outfit valued over $1000!  Want to buy a ticket or four?  Let me know!  Donated items in the past have included: rods, reels, fly line, tackle, flies, fly fishing books, and yes - Cheryl's locally famous toffee. This year we also have more room available and we will feature a 'Cast off with targets'.  Prizes will be available.