After many years (since 2014), the BVFF website has emerged from the darkness of a black background and is now much brighter. In the recent BVFF survey this was the number one complaint about the website. The white background will be easier to read. Additionally with the updated website theme, it should be more phone friendly for those viewing on the cell phone.

For those who have not spent much time using the website, here are some useful pages and some new capabilities:

Regional Water Information:

This has been available for quite a while, but one of the more useful pages. Here you can find the status of local rivers lows, or the fill height of reservoirs. Check this out on your next outing and know before you go.

Interest Event Calendars:

BVFF has many ongoing activities that now comprise a large number of events on the calendar. The BVFF HOME page shows a limited number of imminent events on the schedule. However, you can visit the Event Calendar page to see all upcoming scheduled events. To see only events of a specific interest, there are now interest calendars that show the events scheduled for that interest. For example, the Outings Calendar will show all the scheduled Outings for the year.

The Interest calendars can be selected from the menu at the top of the EVENTS CALENDAR page.

BVFF IT Help Page: COMING SOON

Members sometimes have difficulty navigating the BVFF website and using it to register for events, purchase items on the STORE, etc. A HELP page with FAQ will be added to hopefully provide assistance with these issues.

BVFF Member Phone App:

A recent addition is the Wild Apricot member phone app. With this app, you can access the BVFF Website and its information directly from your phone. You will need to download and install the appropriate app for your phone. The app is specifically designed for the phone and provides the friendliest access to BVFF.

What you can do:

The name of the App is Wild Apricot for Members and is available on your mobile phone App Store for download.

BVFF Meet-Up Phone App: SPOND COMING SOON

Another phone app is currently under investigation. Larry Fry and team are currently testing a phone app to be used during meetups and possibly other events for connecting with other participants. When the BOD is ready to launch this program, members will receive an email invitation to join. Useful for:

There is still work to do. If you see problems, or have suggestions, please send a note to BVFF_IT@BVFF.com.

by Dave Shuldes

shuldesd@gmail.com

Confidence Flies

Spring is a “shoulder” season here in southwest Idaho. Run-off is rising on the main stem Boise as well as in our mountain streams, and the South Fork Boise is closed for spawning. The “O” is still an option as well as Duck Valley and the Snake River, but if I just have a few hours to work with I often find myself at the vice this time of year. What am I tying?

After 4 decades of fly fishing in Idaho, below are my “Confidence Flies”. These are the patterns I expect to catch fish on! I’ll break them down by size, from midges to streamers, and add comments on application of use.

1. #18 and #16 Boise River Houdini Weave Midge. I tie these in 2 colors - silver/black (small) UTC wire abdomen with a silver tungsten bead head, and copper/black (small)) UTC wire abdomen with a gold tungsten bead head. Both versions use black peacock ice dub at the thorax, with a spare pearl midge flash/white Antron combination at the wing. Red UTC 70 thread with a prominent collar behind the bead to whip finish. Application - This is my most used point fly (tail end of the tippet) when nymphing the Boise River system in all its forks
2. #16 and #14 Reece’s Fusion Nymph. Gold tungsten bead head, pearl midge flash at the tail, palmered tan ostrich feather with copper (brassie) UTC wire wound through the ostrich at the abdomen, peacock ice dub at the thorax, UTC 70 thread with prominent collar to whip finish. Application - This is often my dropper fly (higher up on the tippet) throughout the Boise River system in all its forks
3. #16 and #14 Stimulators. Blond Elk Hair at both tail and wing. I like to use orange, yellow and/or olive dubbing at the abdomen, ribbed with small gold UTC wire, a palmered brown hackle up the abdomen and a palmered grizzly hackle at the thorax. A tag of red UTC thread at either the tail end of the abdomen or at the collar can help with visibility. Application - this is my favorite caddis imitation in alpine lakes fishing. A close favorite is the Elk Hair Caddis, especially on rivers
4. #12 and #14 chironomid imitations using chartreuse/black or red/black brassie UTC wire Houdini weave on the abdomen. Gold tungsten bead head to suit the hook. The thorax and wing are similar to the midges in pattern #1 - black peacock ice dub and the pearl midge flash/white Antron wing. The material used is less sparse at these larger sizes. Whip finish a red collar with UTC 70 thread. Application- these patterns are extremely valuable at Duck Valley, particularly at Billy Shaw in the spring
5. #10, #12 and #14 Prince Nymph. Gold tungsten bead head to suit the hook. A pair of small brown olive goose biots at the tail. Peacock abdomen in the classic version with gold or copper ribbing using UTC wire (brassie). I also really like to customize this pattern with an amber colored ice dub on the abdomen. I use a pair of medium white goose biots for the wing in the classic version, and a pair of medium brown olive goose biots for the wing in the amber version. Application - nymphing the Boise River in all its forks with the classic version. Use of the amber body/brown olive wing version of this fly on a slow sinking line in the alpine lakes has netted some of my best fish over the years
6. #10 Gartside Sparrow. 2X long hook. Red UTC 140 thread. 4mm tungsten bead head in copper, olive or blue. Wrap the front half of the hook with .025 lead-free round wire to add weight. Tie in dark brown pheasant rump feathers in a generous length mixed with sparse black Krystal Flash at the tail. Dubbing for abdomen/thorax is dyed squirrel body hair - a mix of olive (primary color), red, and orange (sparsely mixed in). The goal is a striped appearance. Black Krystal flash added as “legs” towards the hook point. Wrap one pheasant rump feather (the kind with long blue/green shiny barbs) around the hook behind the bead and tie the barbs back towards the tail as a 360-degree wing. Finish with a couple of pheasant after-shaft feathers (found underneath the rump feathers on the body) wrapped just behind the bead head over the top of the where the wing is tied in. Use the red thread to whip finish a distinct collar. Application - Use as a streamer to imitate a bait fish or leeches in almost any body of water in Idaho - rivers or lakes. This is my most trusted confidence fly at Duck Valley in the spring and in the alpine lakes in summer and fall.

There’s the top half dozen! Almost all these patterns have YouTube videos available for tying instructions if you type in the key words found in the pattern descriptions. Happy tying and tight lines everyone!

The BOD and officers have reviewed the responses from our member survey. Your feedback and suggestions are appreciated. Currently we are working to implement the following suggestions:

• New Member Meeting Format – Reduce the length of the Member Business Meeting to allow attendees to get home earlier. This was implemented at our February meeting
• Monthly Member Update Email – BOD suggestion to provide timely communication to all of our members, partners, and friends. This issue begins that publication
• Fishing Meetup Platform – Provide a way for members to connect and get together for a day of fishing on local waters. The BOD is testing an App called “Spond” to determine if it will work for our needs. Click on the App name to take a look
• Fly Casting Events and Workshops – Provide more events and communicate them better. We began our fly casting program last year and it was well received. It will continue this year with additional workshops to help you develop specific skills that are part of the program. As to communicate it better, we’re not sure what more we can do. Your suggestions are welcome
• Fly Tying Meetups – Provide beginning fly tying classes. We have received comment from local fly tying instructors and businesses that this would take away from their for-profit business. As a non-profit, we don’t want to do that. Instead, what we will do is a monthly fly tying meetup that connects with an upcoming Fishing Outing. Bod Harder will head this up, and attendees will share and tie fly patterns that will they use on the waters where the Outing is being held
• Beginner Fly Fishing Education – Provide workshops pertaining to learning how to fly fish. At the Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo, we provide a beginner track of four (4) classes – equipment, knots, bugs, and how to put it all together on the water. We will look into to providing these classes this Spring
• Social Gatherings – Have more BBQ’s and social events. The monthly member meetings currently provide a social hour to begin. In March of this year, we are planning to have a Pizza Party Social gathering celebrating the volunteers who made the 2026 Expo a tremendous success

The results are in! Thank you to all who took a moment to complete the survey. Of the 321 surveys sent, 149 of you responded. Your answers and written responses to questions provided the BOD and officers with valuable information regarding how we are doing along with suggestions on how to improve.

Your responses generated a generous amount of data to process and synthesize into meaningful action items. In this post, you will find links to three documents that were generated by me to convey to the BOD and other officers what your thoughts are about the current state of BVFF.

For those of you who made a written comment or suggestion to a question, the BOD and officers provided a written comment or response. You provided some excellent suggestions that will improve the benefits of membership. Some suggestions are easily integrated into what we are already doing. Others will need someone to take the lead to make them happen.

The following are the documents with an explanation of what their source is and what they attempt to provide you with:

1. BVFF Member Survey Response Analysis As Of 30NOV2025.xlsx – this MS Excel document is generated by Survey Monkey and was downloaded directly from the database created on the Survey Monkey website. It shows each question from the survey with your responses displayed as a percentage and a bar graph
2. BVFF BOD Member Survey Executive Summary.docx – this MS Word document was created by me after having reviewed your responses to all survey questions. It is my general impression of your responses and highlights key points for the BOD and officers to consider. The BOD and officers have reviewed and approved it
3. BVFF Member Survey Comments and BOD Responses Final.xlsx – this MS Excel document was generated by me and reviewed and refined by the BOD and officers. It takes all survey questions that had a written response from you and adds a comment or response from the BOD and officers for each. The BOD and officers have approved it

Next steps to be taken:

1. Each of our mission area directors will review the results and create a list of your comments and suggestions that pertain to their area
2. For suggestions that are easily implemented, they will begin doing so
3. For suggestions that need someone to develop and lead, they will communicate the need to me and together we will attempt to find someone to make them happen

Thank you again for your valuable feedback!

Tight Lines,

Brian Martin, BVFF president

Dave’s Strategy Session - December 2025

By Dave Shuldes

shuldesd@gmail.com

Less Means More with Winter Fishing

As fall winds down in Southwest Idaho, diminishing daylight means most everything else related to fly fishing begins to shrink as well (except the size of the fish). Tinier insects, smaller flies at the vice, and lower/slower flows in our local tailwaters (the river water below dams). Summer and Fall Caddis in size 14-16 give way to Blue-Winged Olives (BWO) size18-20 and Midges size 20 and smaller.

These are very positive developments for an experienced fly fisher! First of all, go ahead and sleep in. There is no rush to get to the river at dawn. Let the day and the river warm up. Lower flows mean improved access to wading and to fish. The fish are in more predictable locations. The experienced, larger fish will be present and often hungry.

I like to keep my patterns simple in the winter. Several years ago, I was browsing in a local fly shop, and a visiting tier introduced me to the “Old Guy Fly.” There are just 2 materials and a hook. The tapered body is made by wrapping UTC 70 thread very slim and flat at the abdomen. A small bundle of white snowshoe hare’s foot provides both a wing and some substance to the thorax as the narrow UTC thread wraps it in place. I like to use brown-olive thread for BWO’s (#18-20) and black thread for midges (#20-22). Some tiers will add a very tiny tag of midge flash as a tail. This fly is an apparently a local creation as I can’t find any on-line references to tying the pattern.

I also want all stages of the entomology life cycle covered - adults (dries), emergers and nymphs. My favorite for BWO’s is the Barr Emerger, another simple pattern that uses a combination of wood duck and Flashabou as a wing case & legs. There are great YouTube videos available to follow.

For nymphs, I have really found improved success with adding body segmentation. My favorite technique for the abdomen is a Houdini Weave with narrow diameter UTC wire in silver and black. These flies, generally size 18-20, have a 2mm tungsten bead head, a tiny amount of black peacock ice dub for the thorax, with sparse white Antron and midge flash combined for a wing. The Houdini Weave technique can be found on-line.

No matter which stage of the life cycle you are fishing, the location on the river I will look for are shelves below riffles where the water deepens and slows. I typically only use dry flies if surface feeding is seen. If using a dry pattern, cast quartering upstream and use a drag-free drift. I like to use powdered floatant like Frog’s Fanny on the white rabbit wing, which will provide a nice visual reference as it drifts through the run.

When searching blindly for fish, 90% of my time is spent with tight line nymphing. The Houdini weave nymph is typically my point fly (the fly at the far end of the line) and perhaps a Barr Emerger one size larger than the dropper (the fly closer to the rod). There is approximately 10-12 inches between the 2 flies as they tumble near the bottom through the rocks on the relatively tight line set-up.

I have caught nearly all of my largest rainbows on the Boise River in town and on the South Fork of the Boise when fishing sometime between November and March over the years. Barring a major snowstorm, the lower flows and improved access to the river and fish make for an exciting opportunity. Less is more!

Position Title: President

Reports To: Board of Directors and BVFF Members

Type: Volunteer / Part-Time

________________________________________

Position Overview

The President serves as the chief executive officer of Boise Valley Fly Fishers (BVFF) and provides overall leadership and direction for the organization in accordance with its bylaws, mission, and strategic objectives. Acting under the authority of the Board of Directors, the President ensures that all orders and resolutions of the Board are implemented and that BVFF operations are carried out effectively, ethically, and in alignment with the organization’s goals.

________________________________________

Key Responsibilities

● Provide general supervision and oversight of all BVFF activities, programs, and operations, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.

● Ensure that all Board resolutions, policies, and directives are properly executed.

● Act as an authorized signatory, jointly with the Treasurer or Secretary for official BVFF Certificates of Membership and other authorized instruments.

● Sign, execute, and deliver deeds, contracts, bonds, and other legal instruments as authorized by the Board, except where such authority has been specifically delegated to another board member, officer or agent.

● Affix the BVFF seal to any document requiring it, as appropriate.

● Represent BVFF in all official capacities and serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization when interacting with external partners, members, and the public.

● Preside over meetings of the Board of Directors and general membership, ensuring efficient and productive governance.

● Collaborate with the Board and committees to advance the mission and strategic priorities of BVFF.

● Perform any additional duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors or defined in the BVFF Bylaws.

________________________________________

Qualifications

● Strong organizational, communication, and teamwork skills. Attention to detail and reliability.

● Proficiency in tools/software relevant to role.

● Prior nonprofit, organization, or association experience (preferred but not required).

● An interest in fly fishing, education, conservation, and outdoor recreation (a plus!).

________________________________________

Time and Term Commitment

● Attend monthly Board meetings (1st Thursday) and General Membership meetings (2nd Thursday).

● Estimated 10 hours per month, with additional time during events or special projects.

● The President serves for a term as defined by the BVFF Bylaws and is expected to devote the time necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the role, including presiding over meetings and representing BVFF at events and activities.

________________________________________

Benefits

● Opportunity to contribute to the fly-fishing community and conservation.

● Build leadership and organizational skills.

● Network with anglers, conservationists, and community leaders.

● Recognition as a valued leader in a respected non-profit.

● Salary commensurate with experience (to be 100% donated back to BVFF)

Position Title: Newsletter Editor – The Hackle Bender

Reports To: Board of Directors

Position Type: Volunteer/Part-Time

________________________________________

Position Overview

The Editor of The Hackle Bender is responsible for planning, producing, and publishing the Boise Valley Fly Fishers’ quarterly newsletter. This role ensures that BVFF members and the wider community receive timely, engaging, and informative content that reflects the organization’s mission of promoting fly fishing education, conservation, access, and fellowship.

The Editor oversees all aspects of the newsletter—from content development and editing to layout and distribution—maintaining the publication’s quality, consistency, and alignment with BVFF’s goals and values.

________________________________________

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and produce four issues of The Hackle Bender annually, ensuring timely publication each quarter (January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1).

• Solicit, gather, and edit articles, photographs, and other content from BVFF members, officers, and contributors.

• Write or curate feature stories, event recaps, conservation updates, educational articles, and member spotlights relevant to the BVFF community.

• Ensure the newsletter maintains a consistent editorial tone, visual style, and accuracy aligned with BVFF’s mission and branding.

• Coordinate with the President and Board to include official announcements, policy updates, or reports as needed.

• Collaborate with committee chairs (such as Conservation, Education, Membership, and Events) to highlight club activities and promote engagement.

• Manage the layout, design, and proofreading process using appropriate desktop publishing or online tools.

• Oversee distribution of the newsletter to BVFF members—electronically or in print—as determined by the Board.

• Maintain an archive of past issues for historical and reference purposes.

________________________________________

Qualifications

• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills.

• Understanding of Mailchimp or ability to learn how to use Mailchimp to produce, edit, and publish the Hackle Bender.

• Experience with newsletter production, journalism, communications, or publishing (professional or volunteer).

• Ability to coordinate content from multiple contributors and meet publication deadlines.

________________________________________

Time Commitment

Approximately 16-24 hours during the month prior to newsletter production periods.

________________________________________

Benefits

● Opportunity to contribute to the fly-fishing community and build leadership and organizational skills.

● Network with anglers, conservationists, and community leaders.

● Recognition as a valued leader in a respected nonprofit.

Welcome to our newest business member, Riparian Bliss!

Following is an introduction to their business.

Meet The New Members - The Riparian Bliss Crew.

I’m Karen. I grew up in Scotland, where breakfast often came with a side of feathers— my brothers tied flies at the kitchen table, so fluff and cornflakes were a regular combo. Looking back, I should’ve known I’d end up marrying a fly fisher.

Years later, after traveling halfway around the world, I met Chad. These days, we spend our spare time on a drift boat with our chocolate lab, chasing trout and quiet moments.

Chad’s been hooked since before he could hold a rod. His dad fished. His uncle fished. And Chad spent school holidays on the remote Abrolhos Islands off Australia’s west coast—casting by day, falling asleep to whale song by night.

He’s fished across the globe: New Zealand, Iceland, Scotland/Europe, the Pacific, South America, the U.S.—you name it. Over the last 20+ years, his obsession with fly fishing, tying, and drift boating deepened and he became a Montana-made Orvis Guide in 2017.

We like life slow. River-paced. The kind that lets you notice the heron on the bank, the magic of a mayfly hatch, the way light dances on water. Sometimes we even catch fish.

We started Riparian Bliss because waders don’t meet every dress code —and because we wanted to share our love of rivers, fly fishing, and terrible puns with folks who get it.

If that’s you, follow us on Instagram @RiparianBlissUSA and check out our online store https://www.etsy.com/shop/RiparianBlissUSA or scan the QR code below. Let’s drift together.

We believe that the joy of fly fishing shouldn’t end when you leave the water. The quiet thrill of casting into a glassy river, the camaraderie of fellow anglers, the stories that unfold on the drift boat—these moments define more than a hobby; they shape a way of life. We exist to keep that feeling alive, long after you’ve reeled in your last catch of the day.

We weave the essence of fly fishing into every item we design. Using insider jokes, familiar language, and references only a seasoned angler would recognize, we create gifts that connect, resonate, and spark a knowing smile.

From T-shirts to mugs, and other thoughtfully designed gifts, every item at Riparian Bliss carries the spirit of the river. Whether you’re buying for yourself or gifting a fellow fly fishers, our products bring a sense of belonging to a community that understands the magic of being on the water.

 

Riparian Bliss

**rip·ar·i·an bliss** /rɪˈpɛər·i·ən blɪs/ *n.*

1. A state of profound contentment, joy, or serenity experienced while in or near the banks of a river, stream, or other natural waterway.

2. The specific pleasure derived from activities conducted in riparian zones, such as fishing, swimming, picnicking, or merely contemplating the flowing water.

3. The unique tranquility found in the ecological transition areas between land and water bodies, characterized by the soothing sounds of flowing water, rich biodiversity, and cooling shade.

*Origin*: From Latin "riparius" (of a riverbank) + Old English "bliss" (joy, happiness)

*Usage*: "After months in the city, their weekend of riparian bliss beside the mountain stream restored their spirits completely."

BWOs are one of my favorite hatches. They hatch in good numbers, get fish rising, and require you bring your A-game for success. Here are a few tips to help you target the BWO hatch this Fall.

THE RIGHT WATER

BWOs don’t hatch everywhere on the river. They are “swimmer” mayflys and like slow to moderate speed runs-- Bonus points if it has some rooted aquatic vegetation. My favorite water is where riffles turn into runs/pools, like this spot on the SF Boise River.

HATCH WINDOW

The BWO hatch window typically is from 11am – 4pm. Hatches are water temperature and weather dependent: BWOs like to hatch on dark days. Overcast is good. Lite precip is even better. On sunny days you can still find them hatching some in the canyon shade. Like most bugs, BWOs have a preferred water temperature for hatching. In the Fall, they will start hatching when the water drops into the low 50s and continue hatching down into the low 40s. The SF Boise and Owyhee rivers both have BWO hatches later into the fall than the local freestone rivers because of warmer water from the tailwater dams.  Because of this, the hatch on the SF Boise goes well into December.

FISH THE FULL BUG LIFE-CYCLE

BWO hatches often occur in “waves”, and trout are most receptive to a fly during an “active hatch wave”.  In between hatch waves, take advantage of the time to adjust your position so you are ready to cast to a specific rise location. Part of the fun of a BWO hatch is figuring out what stage of the insect each fish is eating. BWO emergences  can be intermixed with spinner falls, and sometimes have 2 different sizes hatching-- making it difficult to identify what size or stage of the insect fish are keyed into. In general, I find that trout key in on emergers at the head of the run; on adult duns mid-run; and cripples or spinners in the tailout or eddies. BWOs spinnerfalls are often along the bank, so if you see a trout rising tight to the bank, serve him a spinner!

BWO FISHING TIPS

1. Come prepared to Match The Hatch – bring the full life-cycle of imitations. I like to fish a dun pattern with an emerger or spinner dropper.
2. Remember that not all trout are rising to the same life-cycle phase. Be prepared to switch flies when you target different fish (see the diagram above).
3. Bring your A-Game presentation. Avoid blind-casting. Station yourself to get the best drag-free drift and target specific fish.
4. Plan to fish a nymph 1-2 hours ahead of the hatch. Fish will move up to the head of the run to eat the nymphs.
5. On windy days, try a “knock-down” style pattern.
6. Take a minute to catch a bug sample and check the size and adjust your fly to match. Size matters on this hatch!

FLIES:

There are many good patterns out there--I think Dry Fly Innovations has some of the best. I particularly like their Colored Emerger and their Convertible pattern that you can make into a knock-down dun on the river. For nymphs you can't beat a Thread Frenchie or WD40. Check out Scott Blackhurst’s fly tying article for some more good patterns.