Vic Ball – PWWTU’s Fly Pattern Innovator

By Joe Kline 

  Just as every writer dreams of becoming writing the next great American novel, every fly tier dreams of originating the next great American fly pattern. A dry fly more seductive than the venerable Adams, a nymph more productive than Al Troth’s Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear, or a pattern more universally successful than the Woolly Bugger.  

 Alas, the next great American fly pattern hasn’t been tied yet, but that hasn’t deterred the most compulsive fly tiers from trying. Some are getting pretty close. Among that group of fanatic fly pattern innovators is our own Vic Ball.

  A few years ago at a PWWTU banquet, Vic won a few sample packs of Daiichi 1273 hooks. They are 1x-strong, 3x-long curved nymph hooks that Daiichi calls the “chromide red” because they are formed on red wire. Vic said he had never used them before but was intrigued by their red color and decided to design some new experimental patterns just for the chromide red.  

  “The first pattern I used,” he said, “was so simple and so successful, I thought it worked like black magic. And that’s how it got its name. I almost always fish it as a dropper 8 to 24 inches below an indicator dry fly. It’s most effective on slow moving, quiet water and on ponds and lakes where there is no current. In addition to trout, it’s murder on bluegills and crappies.”
 

Here’s Vic Ball’s Black Magic nymph recipe:

  Hook: Daiichi 1273, sizes 22 to 16

  Thread: Black 8/0, (70 denier)

  Head: Small gold or copper bead

  Body: Black beaver dubbing

  Rib: Pearl Krystal Flash

  Optional Collar: Black Ice Dubbing

  It’s a straightforward, uncomplicated fly that requires only basic tying techniques. Even beginners can tie it perfectly on their first try. You can see Vic’s Black Magic nymph in the Autumn 2005 issue of “Fly Tyer” magazine, or come to the December general members meeting where he will bring along some samples to show you.

  Incidentally, don’t forget about the annual Great Fly Sale which will be held at our January 9 meeting. Come early and look carefully. There will be some of Vic’s Black Magic nymphs there, but they’re sure to sell out fast.

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Fishing News by Deborah Weisberg

  The Mountain Watershed Association is urging the state to reject the latest in a series of requests by a Bedford-based mining company to allow it to build a limestone quarry near the headwaters of Indian Creek, a high quality wild trout stream in Fayette County.
  The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is expected to decide within the next couple of months whether to issue a permit to New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company, which has been seeking a mining permit for seven years. The only comment DEP received during the public comment period that ended November 18 came from the watershed association, which expressed concerns about New Enterprise’s plan for disposing of sediment-laden storm water and other run-off in the Henderson quarry, near the headwaters of the stream.
  “The testing they’ve done is flawed,” said the group’s attorney Howard Wein, referring to DEP-ordered hydrological studies intended to show that water could be disposed of without harming the stream.
  The watershed association has spent millions of dollars, some of it from DEP, on acid mine drainage remediation and stream bank improvements on Indian Creek. Seven years ago, DEP approved New Enterprise’s first permit request that would have allowed it to discharge run-off directly into the stream, although tighter regulations around water management involving trout streams forced it to withdraw the permit. Since then, New Enterprise has pitched alternative plans. At a public meeting in early November, New Enterprise proposed an injection well method it said would release water into the aquifer, the natural underground rock layer that transmits water, without harming the stream.
  The watershed’s technical consultant, hydrogeologist David Perry, has objected to the plan out of concern that settling ponds through which the water would first pass to remove sediment would be too small to handle rain events. That could cause the filters to clog over time and fail to release partially strained water into the aquifer. Perry also is concerned that a six-inch crack in a settling pond would allow water to short circuit into the creek, affecting the temperatures which trout need to survive.
  The Indian Creek watershed includes 21 tributaries and 11 streams totaling 276 miles. Because wild trout are in the headwaters, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has classified the portion of the stream above the confluence with Champion Creek as a High Quality Coldwater Fishery, which is a notch below Class A status. The commission performs pre- and in-season trout stockings in the 1.6-mile Delayed Artificial Lures Only section from the T-916 Bridge downstream to the Route 381 Bridge in the town of Jones Mills, which gets average to heavy angling pressure. 
  Indian Creek is part of the gateway to the Laurel Highlands, adjacent to state forestland. It also is close to the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Donegal interchange, which carries traffic to Seven Springs and Ohiopyle State Park. That makes salt from winter de-icing of roads and litter from motorists ongoing problems. According to the watershed’s technical consultant Perry, the last thing Indian Creek needs is a mining operation.
  “Although I’m paid to review the technical stuff,” he said, “I’m also a member of the watershed association, and, personally, aesthetically, I think it’s a lousy place to locate a mine.”
  New Enterprise did not return phone calls. Copies of the New Enterprise plan can be reviewed at DEP’s Greensburg district mining office. To make an appointment, call 724-925-5500 or 724-925-5531.

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PWWTU’S January Great Fly Sale 

  This annual Great Fly Sale is scheduled for our Jan. 9 general meeting. Hundreds of flies go on sale for only $5 per half dozen. That’s just 83 cents per fly! The success of the sale is due to the generous fly donations from PWWTU members, whose skill at the vise easily ranks them and their work at the professional level.

  As in past years, there will be a wide range of traditional and new patterns to choose from – nymphs, emergers and dry flies – some of which the trout around here have never seen. So come early and bring extra money, because invariably like the kid in the candy store, there will be more “goodies” there to tempt you than you planned to buy.
  Between now and then, with the dreary winter days and nights upon us, like most tiers, you are probably spending more time at the vise and beginning to re-stock your fly boxes for next year. While you’re at it, please consider tying up some extra half dozens for our January Great Fly Sale. It’s an important chapter fund raising event. You select the patterns and sizes, the chapter will package them a half-dozen per box and label them to give credit to the tier. Give your fly sale donations to Joe Kline at the December meeting, or if you can’t attend, call Joe at 412-761-9762 for mailing instructions. The chapter thanks you.

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PASS IT ON

  By Joe Kline

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General Membership Meeting

7 p.m., December 12

VFW on Rt. 51

Speaker: Chestnut Ridge TU chapter discusses its goals and achievements.

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Cabin Fever Update

  Well, there are only two vendor booths left unsold. All the rest, over 30 of them, have been spoken for. 

Chances are that before Cabin Fever 2006 opens on Sun., March 5, they too will be gone. Both Bill Hayes a

nd Vic Ball have again done a great job recruiting vendor participants, although they will also be the first to tell 

you that selling booth space is getting a little easier each year because among fly tackle dealers, the word is out 

that Cabin Fever is a “must” show for both sales and market exposure.

  Incidentally, the Cranberry Comfort Inn, located within easy walking distance to the Four Points 

Sheraton (North), has some rooms available at a special Cabin Fever rate of $62, plus tax. Book 

a room there for Saturday night and you can hop out of bed refreshed and relaxed, have a nice

 leisurely breakfast and be ready to do the show bright and early when the doors open at 9 a.m.. 

To reserve a room, call 724-772-2700 or 1-800-424-6423 before Feb. 10. Mention Cabin Fever 

to get the good rate.

Do You Have a Spare

Digital Projector?

  Many of our general meeting and Cabin Fever speakers have stopped using slides and started doing 

digital presentations, and they expect PWWTU to provide the projector. Hello! We don’t have a digital 

projector, but it sure would be nice to have one. Maybe you have an extra one that you never use and 

would be willing to donate to the chapter. If so, please call Bill Hayes at 412-741-5150. 

Thank you. It will be much appreciated.

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Family Tyes Patterns for Life

Steelhead Pattern:
Mysis Shrimp

By Charles McKinney

Family Tyes

  Mike Engelhardt, 21, a senior at California University of Pennsylvania, and Jarret Kasan, 20, a junior of the University of Pittsburgh, taught this year’s Steelhead Class for Family Tyes. They started in the Family Tyes group during their sophomore years at Baldwin High School and progressed through the membership program, student mentor program, and now are full fledge mentors, passing on the information they learned through this process. One of the flies they taught was the Mysis Shrimp. A steelhead pattern for those difficult times during clear water conditions often found in Erie streams.    

1. Attach the Mono Eyes using a figure “8” technique to the hook shank, 1/8” behind the eye of the hook.   (You can reverse this fly with the eyes at the bend of the hook and reverse the whole pattern.)
2. Create a thread base from the eye covering the shank to the bend of the hook.
3. Tie in the Z-lon or antron yarn at the top of the bend, extending this yarn ¼” beyond the bend of the hook forming a tail.   Anchor at the bend and pull the remainder back toward the tail to be used later to cover (forming the shellback) the dubbed shank.
4. Dub the body using white antron dubbing (Wapsi’s Pearl Sow Scud Dubbing if available) covering the shank.  Increase the taper slightly as you move to the eyes.
5. Anchor the dubbing, pull the antron or Z-lon shellback forward, and anchor this just behind and in front of the eyes.  Trim this yarn so it extends ¼” beyond the eyes.
6. Whip finish at the eyes and apply head cement.

 Mike and Jarret fish this pattern like any standard nymph. They feel it works well during those difficult times with suspended fish in clear pools. Mike feels it out-fishes his egg patterns 3 to 1. Family Tyes member John Ciak, on a recent trip with his son and another student, reported that this was the only fly that worked during clear water conditions. 

         Hook:  TMC 2457  No. 12-16

         Eyes:  Burned Monofilament or Mono Eyes

         Thread:  White 6/0

         Body:  Pearl Sow Scud Dubbing

            Shellback/Feelers:  Gray Antron

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