2008 IWFF Festival in Branson … Something for Everyone!

Article by Gina Leitle; pictures by Bobbi Hulett, Louisa Runnalls, Rebecca Blair, Pudge Kleinhauf,
Ursula Kreskey, and Peggy Carl

Blue skies and the autumn rust and orange colors of the Ozark Mountains provided the backdrop for the 2008 International Women Fly Fishers Festival held October 16-19 in Branson, Missouri. Forty ladies from nineteen states, from New York to Alaska and from Wisconsin to Texas, gathered at Pointe Royale Resort on the banks of Lake Taneycomo to “Make the Connection.” Fishing, shopping, music shows, arts and crafts, down home
hospitality--all Branson has to offer--awaited us! We were greeted with a warm Ozark “Howdy” from IWFF
board member and Festival chairperson,
Carolyn Parker.
Thursday evening’s
reception set the tone for the weeken. Standing in for President Fanny Krieger, Vice President Judith Brown welcomed the attendees. Most of us were strangers to one another, but because of our common passion for fly fishing, it took less time than putting on a pair of waders or opening another bottle of wine to get into fish stories and start new
friendships. Once the talking, sharing, and laughing began, so did the Festival, in the truest sense of the word.

Mornings were for Instruction
Friday and Saturday mornings we had the opportunity to attend classes to learn something new and enhance our skills. IWFF is fortunate to have numerous members who really “know their stuff” and are willing to share that information. Here’s a brief run down of what was available and a little bit about the instructors.

Roxanne Wilson led sessions on Warm Water Fishing for blue gill and smallmouth bass; she talked about locating the fish, fish habitat, and flies. Roxanne has co-authored with her husband many articles for national fly fishing magazines and several books including Bluegill Fly Fishing and Flies.

Advanced Fly Casting was led by Misako Ishimura, FFF Certified Casting Instructor and member of Team Japan in the FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championship. Misako helped us smooth out our casts, correct those faults, and get distance and accuracy.
Ginger Koziatek (Pro Staff with Winston rods, Ross, and Royal
Wulff and graduate of the Joan Wulff Fly Casting Instructors Course), and Maria Bodkin (winner of FFF fly casting competitions who is currently working toward her FFF casting certification), led the Beginning

At lunch on Friday, Pudge Kleinkauf gave a presentation (including some video footage) about the Pebble Mine project in the Bristol Bay area of Alaska. Pebble Mine is a proposed strip mine for gold in the watershed of the pristine Alaskan rivers where Pudge fishes and where many of us hope to fish. The Pebble Mine poses an environmental threat to the fish, wildlife, and way of life that exists in Alaska. Pudge encouraged us to get involved politically by writing to our government representatives at the federal level to prevent the Pebble Mine from going forward.

Let the Fishing Begin!
After the classes in the morning, it was time for fishing! Although walk-in wading access to Lake Taneycomo was available at Pointe Royale, many of the usual spots could not be waded due to the generation of high water levels from the dam. Throughout the week several ladies hired guides and fished from a boat to get to the trout. Defiant of the difficult conditions, others took to scouting the banks for opportunities. Friday afternoon found several of us at Moonshine Beach on the shores of Table Rock Lake fly fishing for blue gill and giggling like a bunch of school children as we collectively “hauled” in hundreds of eager blue gill and a few little smallmouth bass. Most of these “little un’s” were landed on a unique Ozark fly, a pre-emerger designed by Oklahoma IWFF member Valley Branscum. Karen Kukolich, who typically catches thirty pound stripers on Cape Cod, reportedly boasted about landing a hundred inch bluegill (i.e. a hundred inches of bluegill lined up from head to tail!).

Saturday afternoon, the IWFF crowd caught a break, as reduced power generation and lower water levels made it possible to wade and catch some trout. Carolyn Parker and Gina Leitle ran ferries in their drift boats to an island across from the Pointe Royale access. We lined both sides of the bank and had us a very fine fly fishing party. One of our newest members, Cathy Pearman, landed her first trout on a fly, and we got to share the happy moment. When it was time to reel in, folks had to admit IWFF girls know how to have fun and . . . catch fish on a fly rod!

Saturday Night—Wrap up and Auction Saturday night’s banquet and auction brought the 2008 Festival to a close. Judith Brown presented acknowledgment gifts to the outgoing Board members and introduced the newly elected Board members. Carolyn Parker received a special “Appreciation Award for Dedication to IWFF” for her years of service on the IWWF Board of Directors and for her work in chairing this year’s Festival. Rebecca Blair also received an appreciation award for all of her work as IWFF Membership Chair and co-organizer of this year’s Mt. Shasta Rendezvous. Mary Kay Jenkins, the chair of the Tennessee CFR, took the opportunity to encourage IWFF members to continue supporting Casting for Recovery.

After dinner, Pudge Kleinkauf presided over the IWFF fundraising auction. Gear from many major fly fishing equipment manufacturers went on the block--a Fish Pond vest; Sage, Loomis, Wright & McGill, and Composite Developments Diva Fly Rods; a Pink CFR Ross Rhythm reel, Patagonia waders, boots, and jacket; Loon and William Joseph fishing packs; a float tube; certificates for guided fishing with River Run Outfitters and Fly Fish Scotland; and (the highlight of the auction, in my opinion, if you can imagine it) the collapsible stripping basket modeled by IWFF Board Member Sandra Arnold. The bidding was lively, competitive and fun.

The final evening ended just as Thursday night had begun, with friendship and laughter. For many of us the Branson festival was our first; the IWFF veterans did an exceptional job of making us feel welcome and organizing a memorable festival. The venue was beautiful, the classes were informative, and the company was awesome. Young and old, beginners and pros, all bonded by our desire to meet other women who love fly fishing, we certainly made the “connection.” The Branson IWFF Festival was such a good time that it may have left a permanent grin on all our faces! That can happen in the Ozarks, you know.

Gina Leitle