Welcome to our Website

The Mid-Island Castaways Fly Fishing Club is a non-profit society formed in 1996 by a group of anglers located on beautiful British Columbia's Vancouver Island, in the Parksville / Qualicum area. All are welcome to the meetings whch are held the 3rd Wednesday of every month except July , August & December .

It is an art ...

Doors open 7 pm and meeting starts at 7:30 with timely topics and/or speakers . Meetings are held at Qualicum Civic Centre located at 737 Jones Street, Qualicum Beach, B.C. next to Ravensong Swimming Pool.

The purposes of the club are:

• To practice & promote the sport of fishing with artificial flies.
• To practice and promote the research, conservation and enhancement of all sport fish in British Columbia.
• To support and encourage the preservation and enhancement of lakes, streams and beaches and the access hereto for the practice of fishing with artificial flies.
• To encourage fellowship, ethics and sportsmanship amongst anglers.

I hope to see you there
Chris Lee, President

About Us

Executive 2008/09
President	Chris Lee cla@christopherlee.com 752-7358
Vice President Video library	Larry Kilby kilby72@shaw.ca 752-3780
Secretary	Jim Roik jroik@shaw.ca 752-0563
Treasurer , Membership	Bill Ratcliff billratcliff@shaw.ca 468-1750
Director Newsletter	Bill Kreibom b_kreibom@yahoo.ca 729-9412
Director BCFFF Representative	Rich Roynez 738-0477 vipcare@shaw.ca
Membership	Bill Ratcliff & Ernie Pallot
Clothing	Rick Ring
Lbrary	Larry Kilby
Gillie / Fishing Reports	Courtney Ogilvie
50/50 Draws	Ron Dodd , Bill Rattray , & Bill Burton
Coffee	Bill Rattray & Bill Burton
Fly Tying Co-ordinator	Vacant
Fishouts	John Leinweber
Education	Vacant
Fly Tying Coordinator	Vacant
We encourage each and every member to participate in one or more of these committees. Please - if you wish to assist please call any one of the executive.

Our Events Page

Date	Event	Location
June 25, 2008 - 6 PM Note: Date & Time Change	General Meeting	Casting Clinic - experienced members will be taking individuals on their own for a specific period of time, reviewing their rod set up and then reviewing their casting technique, etc. Suggestions, information and such would follow on a one on one basis. Members would then move over to supplier’s tables or casting games, etc. rotating between each. Should be great fun - remember we start at 6 PM so bring your rod(s) ... Change of venue - we will be holding the casting clinic activities a couple of blocks down from the Civic Centre, at the Qualicum Elementary School, south field located at 744 Primrose Street, Qualicum Beach, BC. Here is how you get there. Meeting will follow around 8 PM at usual place - Civic Centre, Qualicum Beach, BC after casting clinic. DON'T MISS THIS ONE!
July - August	General Meeting CANCELLED FOR SUMMER	See You In September
August 14, 2008	Castaway Annual BBQ	Rotary Park, Qualicum Beach, BC
September 10th, 2008	Fly Tying Night	Malaspina College facilities in Parksville Town Hall - upstairs
September 13, 2008	Tentative	Club tour of Fanny Bay Enhancement Society hatchery and enhancement projects on Wilfred, Rosewall, and Chef creeks.
October 8th, 2008	Fly Tying Night	Malaspina College facilities in Parksville Town Hall - upstairs

Note:

MEMBERSHIP GENERAL MEETINGS are held monthly, every third Wednesday of each month at Qualicum Civic Centre, Qualicum Beach, BC. They start at 7 pm and usually run to approx. 10 pm. All guests welcome so come out and enjoy our timely Speakers, + 50/50 Draw and other activities.

FLY TYING NIGHTS are held every 2nd Wednesday of each month from September to June held at - Malaspina College facilities in Parksville Town Hall - upstairs. Contact Directors for details.

The Art of Fly Fishing

Catch and Release Tips

• Use tackle appropriate for the size and strength of the fish being angled for and play fish as quickly as possible.

• A fish out of water is suffocating and can suffer permanent damage: leave fish in the water as much as possible.

• Use soft, knotless nets or, better yet, no net at all. If the fish must be handled, wetted bare hands under its belly, the other at the tail.

• Needle-nose pliers or hemostats are valuable tools for effective hook removal. Never force a hook out. If the fish is deeply hooked, or the hook can't easily be removed, leave it in the fish to rust away.

• To release fish, hold upright in the water, or point it into the current. Gently move the fish back and forth until its gills are functioning normally and it maintains balance. Once the fish recovers adequately, allow it to swim from your hands.

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The Do and Don't of Lake Fishing

• Do not motor up onto a shoal-cut the motor well short of the shoal and either drift or row in.

• Do leave at least 200 feet between boats - this allows each angler to cast 100 feet in any direction without tangling lines.

• Do not motor, or row directly through moving fish - anchor on the periphery and cast into them.

• Do show others your fellow angler some courtesy, often one will be rewarded for the consideration with helpful advice.

• Do help others when you're having success and they are not - there will be days when the reverse is true.

• Do not cut in between an angler (who is working the shallows) and the shoreline.

• Do keep noise to a minimum - ship oars and deploy anchors quietly.

• Do not carry on loud conversations.

• Do not tie up a launch site if others are waiting.

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 Rotational Angling

The Basic Rules are:

• Avoid entering the water downstream of another angler who is already fishing, unless invited to do so.

• Leave adequate room between the angler and yourself, but do not remain stationary unless no one is following you.

• After catching a fish, step out of the line and return to the head of the pool, or start of the line.

• If you are not sure about local etiquette, avoid problems by first inquiring about procedures from anglers already on the water.

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   Code of Conduct

   For Recreational Fishing in B.C.

   Responsible anglers respect the environment.
   As ethical anglers:

• We do not spill or dump gasoline, oil, or other pollutants on land or into the water.

• When fishing, we never leave trash behind, including worn or discarded line, old hooks and bait.

• We leave our fishing our fishing site as clean or cleaner than we found it.

• We report environmental damage and pollution to the relevant authorities.

• When boating or anchoring, we take care to avoid damaging sensitive areas.

• We do our best to prevent the spread of exotic plants and animals.

• We never use, as live  bait, fish that do not normally reside in the waters we are fishing, nor do we introduce exotic species that may survive and reproduce into fishing waters. (Tidal waters ONLY)

• We use only legal tackle, attend to our gear and value our catch.

• We keep no more fish than needed for consumption and legally allowed and we never wastefully discard fish that are retained.

• We practice conservation and use proper release methods for fish not retained.

• We use tackle and techniques that avoid the capture of, or minimize the harm to, unwanted fish or fish prohibited from retention.

• We learn and comply with all angling regulations.

• We report any illegal fishing activities we observe to the proper authorities.

• We treat other anglers, boaters and other people we might meet in the field with courtesy and respect.

• We obtain permission from landowners and never trespass on private lands or waters.

• We respect the space of other anglers when fishing from the shore or in a boat and give room to all anglers playing a fish.

• We observe all operator and safety regulations.

• We watch our speed and our wash and  keep a safe distance from shore-based anglers, jetties and other boats.

• We promote ethical behavior in the use of aquatic resources through education and example.

• We maintain and promote public awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding responsible fishing.

• We promote public awareness of the measures taken by anglers to conserve the resources and protect the environment.

BC Federation of Fly Fishers - For more information go to: www.bcfff.bc.ca

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Fly Tying

Fly Tying instruction and demonstrations are held on the following dates:

Teddy's Tackle Fly Tying Night is on the 2nd Monday of each month at the Shelly Road Hall in Parksville BC.

The Castaways Fly Tying night is on every 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Malaspina College facilities in Parksville Town Hall (upstairs), BC.

For a schedule of fly tying nights go to our Events Page.

We hope to see you there.

Fly Tying Examples

Membership Page

Would you like to become a member of the Mid-Island Castaways Fly Fishing Club? We welcome all interested members to attend any of our general meetings - please return to our events page to view our meeting dates.

Membership is open to all persons who are prepared to accept and practice the ethics implied in our Society's Constitution and Bylaws. Annual membership dues are collected to assist the club in meeting it's mandate and goals. Such membership dues provide you immediate membership into the British Columbia Federation of Fly Fishers - such membership provides insurance coverage to you when you are engaged in club and/or fly fishing activities.

Download a copy of our membership application (pdf) ....

 Meet our newest members ...

Ron Stothers Born in Calgary. Almost retired nearly 3 years ago in Qualicum Beach.  I was a master blender and still sell Whisky and Vodka. Married Yvonne 45 years ago, and have 2 sons, and 4 Grandchildren. We love the outdoors including fishing, hunting, skiing, biking, and spending time in our motorhome. My passion is Salmon and Fly fishing, which is why I joined Castaways for fishing fellowship and local knowledge.   Ken Curdie My wife and I retired here last October, having worked 37 years at Rogers Sugar in Vancouver. I did most of my fly fishing in the interior, around Merritt, and between 100 Mile and Little Fort. That was whenever I could get up there, which wasn't often enough! Now I have a lot more time to discover the fishing of the North Island, both fresh and saltwater. I decided the best way to find out about the local waters was to join the Castaways. I have met a lot of new friends and have already learned about some new places to go, and what gear to use. I am really looking forward to trying some fly fishing for coastal cutthroat and salmon.   Glenn Rogers Age: 58 Born: Vancouver,B.C. Resides in Parksville. Currently: Retired Work history: Human Resource consultant, Parks Manager, Municipal Gov't. Married to Wendy Rogers - two sons - Chris and Corey Interests: Flyfishing and tying, Running; Biking, Hiking/Trekking- Mtns., Camping, Theatre- Acting; oenology-wine tasting, travel Beer- making, diving. Glad to be a part of the Castaways with so many experienced and talented Flyfishers and Tiers to learn from. Looking for fishing partners to enjoy and day out fishing or exploring new water and fishing locations.   John Beaton John was raised on the banks of the River Beauly in the north of Scotland and, as a boy, fished it every waking hour for Atlantic salmon and “sea-trout” (sea-run brown trout). In his student days, he ghillied on the Beaufort Castle waters of that river and wrote occasional articles for Trout and Salmon magazine. He emigrated to Canada in 1979 and, drawn by the Bow River, spent 10 years in Calgary. Drawn further by winter steelhead, he then moved to Qualicum Beach where he has lived for the last 18 years. He is married with five children. An actuary by profession, he worked as Canadian retirement practice leader for a multinational consulting firm. To make more time for fishing, he retired at the end of 2007. His wife, Joyce,   Doug Arbo I was born in Vancouver and started fishing at age 4. Mostly in the salt chuck. Took up fly fishing in Alberta in 1977 without great success. Moved back to BC in 1980 and got serious about fresh waster in l997 with pals going to Egan Lake area west of Little Fort. Trying to retire from my sales agency and use my belly boat around here. I am also looking for a pram so I can get my butt out of the water. I hope to join in with the Castaways to learn where to go. I also want to go on some charters for salmon.

Would you like more information ? Please contact us at info@midislandcastaways.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.  We look forward to meeting you.

Latest News

Title: President's Message - June, 2008
Date: Sun, Jun 8th, 2008 4:32:31 pm
Author: Chris Lee
Content:

Welcome to June, 2008 ...

Well ok it has not really been all that great weather wise but let's face it - we are on our way to a great summer.  With that we will have one final general meeting on June 25^th, 2008 - 6PM  at the Civic Centre, Qualicum Beach, BC and then we will take a break until September.  We will be going ahead with the annual BBQ in August so stay tuned for that.

It would be my hope that in the fall we, as a club, focus on things that are important and of interest for each of us, no matter if we are a beginner fly fisher or a master at the art.  To me the strength of the club lies in the mix of knowledge and experience.  But that also presents a significant challenge.  How do you plan meetings and activities which would complement the knowledge and experience of each member?  Think about that during the summer because the answer to that question should guide the Castaways in a specific direction.

I will see you at the June meeting which should be a lot of fun.  While still in the planning stage we are looking to include show case tables/areas for our suppliers to demo/present new products, etc. for the information of members when they are not being involved in fly casting demo/instruction.  We are trying to get club into an information mode with members leaving the meetings feeling they have received something of value both novice and experienced - not an easy task. Anyway if this is run right we should be able to educate as well as entertain, making it a fun meeting.

Regarding casting instruction ... experienced members will be taking individuals on their own for a specific period of time, reviewing their rod set up and then reviewing their casting technique, etc. Suggestions, information and such would follow on a one on one basis.   Members would then move over to supplier's tables or casting games, etc. rotating between each.  A short business meeting with coffee would follow.

So bring your rod(s) and participate in this educational and fun meeting.  See you there.

IMPORTANT #1: Several members have been asking about fish outs for June, July and August. If you are interested in a club arranged fish out please email me or give me a call. In the past we have had many requests for club fish outs but very little participation when they are arranged, rather disappointing ... so let's see how much interest is out there - let us know.

IMPORTANT #3: A number of committee vacancies exist within this club which places additional responsibilities on your executive. Think about taking on one of these committees - a great way to meet club members and become involved - call me anytime.

Chris ... 752-6461

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Title: April Update
Date: Fri, Apr 11th, 2008 9:35:06 am
Author: Chris Lee
Content:

There are many exciting things going on within the Mid-Island Castaways Fly Fishing Club right now.  Of significance is the over 24 members club attendance  at  the  British Columbia Federation of Fly Fishers annual general meeting dinner hosted by the Island Waters Fly Fishing Club, Nanaimo, BC during the weekend of April 26 - 27, 2008. This show of support for the BCFFF and our friends and neighbors in Nanaimo speaks well of our club and is much appreciated by those involved in organizing this event.  We have arranged for an interesting and informative speaker series for the next three meetings and our fly tying sessions have continued to attracted many new and experienced fly tying individuals, both from within and outside the club.  Your website located at http://midislandcastaways.com has been re-designed and is in the process of being updated and expanded.  This website is now completely available for updating by different club members through an easy to use "Content Management System".  This should improve our ability to keep you informed in all aspects of club activities and events.

 We need a few good people to come forward and take over certain activities within the club.  These are not huge responsibilities simply individual areas that require someone to assume responsibility for.  Please let me know if you have an hour or two a month to help your club realize its potential.

Thanks,

Chris

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Our Newsletter

On this page you will be able to view our latest news letter and review previous newsletters.  Click on the newsletter which you are interested in - please note that these documents are saved in .pdf format so you will need the latest Adobe Acrobat Reader.

 Our Newsletters (click to download): 

April, 2008  Newsletter
May, 2008 Newsletter

Our Links

Here are some links to web sites you may find of value:

FISHING CLUBS

http://www.iwff.ca
http://www.bcfff.bc.ca
http://www.kalflyfishers.ca
http://www.freewebs.com/shawnigancreek/gallery3.htm

FISHING STORES

http://www.screamingfishfly.com ( NANAIMO )
http://www.agmoutdoors.com ( PARKSVILLE )
http://teddystackle.com/ ( CHEMANUIS )
http://www.ogilvieoutfitting.ca

RELATED ARTICLES OF INTEREST

http://www.islandfishermanmagazine.com
http://www.salmonfarmers.org
http://www.anglingbc.com
http://www.bcfishingreports .com
http://www.gov.bc.ca/env/
http://www.gofishbc.com/reg_note.htm#access
http://www.hardyusa.com/
http://www.beckfisher.co.uk/

Contacting Us Page

Address: Mid-Island Castaways Fly Fishing Club
P.O. Box 1386
Parksville, B.C.
V9P-2H3
Phone: (250) 752-6461
Email Address: info@midislandcastaways.com

Please feel free to contact the following club representatives:

General Inquiries:  info@midislandcastaways.com

President: Chris Lee cla@christopherlee.com - Phone: 752-6461

Membership:  billratcliff@shaw.ca - Phone : 468-1750

We look forward to hearing from you.