I hate to burst your bubble but that is a fall fish if you didnt know.

The off season is a great time to look at old books and to explore new ones as well. Some of the early books I read when I was getting started with fly fishing are still good reads and should not be overlooked. The more recent ones hold fresh insight to many of the locations and changes to many of streams in Pennsylvania.

Before you start striping any line or emptying your wallet you might want to take a look at The L.L. Bean Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing by Macauley Lord, **** Talleur and Dave Whitlock. It is one of the best all around general fly fishing books there is for any new angler to the sport. Their book provides essential information about flies, bugs, gear, concepts, traditions and everything from Atlantic Salmon to the zug bug.

A lot of good first hand information can be found in Flyfisher's Guide to Pennsylvania (Flyfisher's Guide Series) by Dave Wolf and Trout Streams and Hatches of Pennsylvania; A Complete Fly-Fishing Guide to 140 Rivers and Streams by Charles Meck. Both books are carried by seasoned anglers. They not only help in the where, but try to make sense of the what before you get into a stream.

Reading some of the Pennsylvania fly water type books is how I got...

Profile Overview: Chuck is an avid fly fisherman and fly tier. He is the sole director of the International Fly Tyers Symposium. He designs flies for Raineys Flies, and had developed a tying material made from leather called Bugskin.

Questions

1 - Dave: Please tell me how and when you got started into fly-fishing.
Chuck: I started in Fly Fishing seriously when I attended college, Penn State, and took the George Harvey fly fishing course in the physical education dept. It was the first Credited course offered at any University and it changed my life.

2 - Dave: Tell me what inspired you to create the International Fly Tying Symposium and The Fly Fishing Show.
Chuck: A fly fishing club of volunteers had a fly fishing show in Southfield, Michigan, that I attended. It was such a long drive I thought I could start one where I owned two retail stores at Seven Springs Mt. Resort. That was my first event that started it all for me. Now, after twenty years later, I’ve done many shows, none near by, so I’m traveling even further today.

Perkiomen Creek, the chapter's namesake is the main focus of the restoration efforts at the chapter, in an attempt to extend a growing wild trout population.

By working with landowners, state and local leaders, and other state organizations, Perkiomen Valley Trout Unlimited has had great of success in restoring key tributaries of the Perkiomen, through several miles of tree plantings, streambank restoration and structure, educating communities and landowners on best land management practices.

Now comprised of about 200 members the chapter is working hard to complete the major work of restoring stream banks and water quality. Water quality has already improved enough in the main branch that a noticeable difference has been recorded in the water quality of the Green Lane Reservoir.

The chapter has a fund raising raffle underway to support local Trout in the Class and stream restoration efforts. Details for the the raffle and prizes can be found on the Perkiomen Valley Trout Unlimited website.


Membership Meetings - Perkiomen Valley Trout Unlimited general Membership Meetings are held every 3rd Monday of the month between the months of September and May, starting at 7:30pm in the Upper Perkiomen Valley Free Library Community Room at the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library 350 Main Street Red Hill, PA 18076.

Photo by culmer