The BOJC - WordPress.com...Page 2 BOJC News 2016 By Will Allen Dromgoole An old man, going a lone...

Volume 22 NewsBOJCThe

The Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock Inc. Newsletter - Published by Maryland — the Parent Chapter

Winter 2016

A bright future? Brook trout, the fish depicted in the Jungle Cock emblem and Maryland’s only native member of the salmon family, are the focus of a restoration effort in the state. See Page 24.

By Larry EbyPresident

For those of you who pay attention and pick up on change (I’m gener-ally not one of those) you will notice

that the picture of our President and the name are a far cry from the individual in-

stalled in May of 2015. So why the change of leadership so soon?

I was installed as First Vice-Pres-ident during the May Campfire and was to be installed as President in 2016. However, in mid July I was diagnosed with Multiple Myleoma. This is a rare form of blood

cancer for which there is no cure or remis-sion. During the Haleutician Weekend in August, members of the Executive Board got their heads together (always a scary thought) and decided it would be a nice thing if I could serve my term as President

The President’s message

A time to spend time with the youth

Photo courtesy of Dr. Joseph W. Love, Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesRon Wheeler caught this brook trout in May 2015 in Garrett County. Brookies are native to Maryland, but have been introduced to other states, sometimes to harmful effect. Maryland DNR biologist Joseph W. Love reports on the positive and negative effects of introducing fish to places where nature never intended. See Page 6.

Continued on 4

BOJC News 2016

By Will Allen DromgooleAn old man, going a lone highwayCame in the evening, cold and grey,To a chasm, vast and deep and wide, Through which was running a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dimThat sullen stream had no fears for him,But he turned when he reached the other sideAnd built a bridge to span the tide.Old Man, said a fellow pilgrim nearWhy waste your strength in building here?

Your journey ends with the ending dayAnd you never again must pass this way,You’ve crossed the chasm deep and wideWhy build your bridge at eventide?The Builder lifted his old grey head, Good Friend, in the path I have come, he said,There followeth after me todayA youth whose feet must pass this way.The chasm which was nought to meTo this fair haired youth might a pitfall be,For he too must cross, in the twilight dimGood Friend, I’m building the bridge for him.

The Bridge Builder

BOJC News 2016

Transition from ‘Sponsored Youth’ to ‘BOJC Member’ is addressed

By Steve WeinsteinFirst Vice President

At the October 2015 BOJC Board of Trustees meeting, the Trustees deliberated, voted, and approved changes to the Member-ship section of our Policy Manual.

The goal was to modify, clarify and of-ficially document the transition period from a “Sponsored Youth” to a “BOJC Member.”

Here is a summary of what has changed and/or been officially clarified:

1. A boy is eligible to be sponsored by a “BOJC Member” as long as he is between the ages of 6 and 18, or until he has com-pleted high school.

2. A boy, meeting the aforementioned age requirements is still eligible to be spon-sored by a “BOJC Member” even if he has completed the “Fishing with the Masters” program, as long as he is either actively participating in, or assisting as a “Junior Instructor” in, the BOJC Educational Program.

3. Once the boy is no longer eligible to be a “Sponsored Youth” (as described in item 1) he will automatically be added to the roster as a “BOJC Member” and his initial mem-bership fee requirement – first year’s dues – will be waived.

4. These new “Young Members in good standing,” between the ages of 18 and 25, who are either actively assist-ing in camp duties delegated by the Campfire Committee, or assisting in the Education Pro-gram as instructors, may attend camp without being required to sponsor a boy.

If you have any questions, or need fur-ther clarification, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]

For those interested in the actual word-ing as it previously appeared and as it now appears in the Policy Manual, here it is:

Before the October 2015 change: MEMBERSHIPS

Privileges1. After having been accepted as a

new member in good standing, a member may be extended an invitation to the annual campfire. An invitation does not automati-cally allow for attendance. All members at-tending camp must sponsor a boy between the ages of 6 (or in first grade) and high school. College students only may attend as members without sponsoring a boy, but may not attend as a sponsored boy. Sponsored boys younger than 8 may not participate in the Instructional Program. They would be part of an Early Learner program which provides a structured and supervised envi-ronment designed to prepare them for the Instructional Program.With changes approved in October:

MEMBERSHIPSPrivileges

1. After having been accepted as a new member in good standing, a member may be extended an invitation to the annual camp-

fire. An invitation does not auto-matically allow for attendance. All members attending camp must sponsor a boy between the ages of 6 and 18, or until completing high school, with the following exception;

2. Young Members in good standing, between the ages of 18 and 25, who are either actively assisting in camp du-ties delegated by the Campfire Committee, or assisting in the Education Program as instruc-tors, may attend camp without sponsoring a boy, but may not

attend as a sponsored boy. The initial membership fee requirement

– first year’s dues – will be waived for this group of new Young Members.

3. Sponsored boys younger than 8 may not participate in the Instructional Program. They would be part of an Early Learner program which provides a structured and supervised environment designed to prepare them for the Instructional Program.

The answers

Fishing trivia quizby Ed ‘Tophat’ Freed

Ed ‘Tophat’ Freed has forgotten more about fishing than most of the rest of us know.

2009 photo by Christian Heurich

1. When was the first written request for fly fishing rights made?

A-1290B- 200 BCC-2 BC

2. The first written description of tying a fly dates to what year?

A-20 BCB-20 ADC-1450 AD

3. Who is credited with making commercially available bamboo fishing rods?

A-OrvisB-South BendC-H.L. LeonardD-Samuel Phillipe

4. What was the occupation of the first suc-cessful bamboo rod maker?

A-CarpenterB-Violin makerC-Dentist

5. What town had the first advertised fly fish-ing shop?

A-BostonB-New YorkC-Philadelphia

1. B-In 200 BC, a request for exclusive rights to a section of the Nile River for fly fishing was made in Egypt.

2. A-20 BC, a written account of tying a fly was found on a clay tablet at a site in present day Iran.

3. D-Samuel Phillippe of Easton, Pennsylvania is generally credited with making first com-mercially available bamboo rods in the U.S. (early 1800s).

4. B-Mr. Phillippe was a violin maker and also a gunsmith.

5. C-Philadelphia, shop of Edward Pole, 1742

BOJC News 2016

Cons

erva

tion Corner

By Steve Weinstein Camp Conservationist

Almost forty years ago, I received an invitation to spend a day on Maryland’s Big Hunting Creek with one of the “Old Masters.” Although excited by the

opportunity to fish with someone who had acquired the wis-dom of more than 60 years of pursuing trout with a fly, I was also a little apprehensive about what the day might bring. With the fragile self-confidence we sometimes associate with adolescence, I remember being concerned that my limited skills and lack of streamside knowledge would quickly be-come evident under the watchful eye of the Old Master. I was even worried that I would suffer embarrassment if unable to catch one of the many trout that my mentor seemed to know so well. (It should be noted that this particular Old Master had a reputation of legendary status. It was said that he had been formally introduced to every trout in that stream, and eventually got to know most of them on a first-name basis.)

As we approached the stream that day, even before tying on our first offering, we paused to admire the flora and fauna of the forest that surrounded us. Our conversa-tion was not about which nymph might prove most productive, or which size dry to use. Instead, we spent time identifying the many blossoming plants around us and discussed how the crisp morning air was slightly tainted by the fragrance of the skunk cabbage patch under foot.

Although my newfound friend and guide was quick to share advice regarding which fly pattern to use (his favorite was a Hornberg tied by Simeon Yaruta), or how to properly approach a rising fish, he also planted a seed for something of a much greater consequence.

As we changed out of our waders that day, our time-spent fishing coming to an end, he told me that our trip was not yet complete. He then pulled from his fishing vest a pair of trash bags and suggested we take time to fill them with debris that had been left behind by others using the stream. Even at that young age I think I understood what the pinnacle of a true outdoor sportsman represents.

Through the years our friendship grew and then he was gone. As men usually find it difficult to speak of such things, I doubt that I ever properly thanked him. In reflection, that first day spent with the Old Master was all that one could ask for. Fellowship and camaraderie were at its finest and the lessons learned that day are those I hope to never lose sight of. As stated before, almost 40 years have passed since I first got

to fish with the Old Master. Much has changed since then. Television, video games, and the Internet, are but a few of the modern day enticements that compete for a growing youth’s time. I guess I’ve changed as well because I can no longer tie on a small dry without first searching through the pockets of my vest for a pair of glasses. Luckily though, with increas-ing years we also gain a little wisdom. I now understand that the Old Master wasn’t solely concerned with helping me to become a better trout fisherman. Instead, he sought to nurture in me the beginning sparks of a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors through conservation and fly-fishing. He gave me a gift that I have enjoyed for a lifetime and shared with me the most valuable commodity that any man possesses—his time.

By the way, I finally figured out a proper way to thank the Old Master. I believe that all he would want is for me to “...take at least one boy a-fishing, instructing him, as best we know, in the responsibilities that are soon to be wholly his”

Authors Note: One only has to read our BOJC Creed (found on page 22 of this publication) to understand what is often referred to as passing along the Jungle Cock spirit. Lest we forget, the youth of today are the future stewards of our

natural resources. Help pass on the Jun-

gle Cock spirit by “tak-ing a boy a-fishing.” Help promote our organization by recruiting a new BOJC member (see membership application on page 8).

To all BOJC men and boys: Old Master Frank

Smoot’s tradition of a brief streamside cleanup at days end is a great idea. To that end, BOJC will have bags available for all those interested in carrying on the tradition. Pick one up when you check-in to camp, or get one from one of your classes lead instructors. Keep one in your vest in case you come across debris during any of your fishing adventures and empty it out at the end of the day. They are reusable.

Speaking of conservation...“The angler forgets most of the fish he catches, but he

does not forget the beauty and serenity of the streams and lakes in which they are caught.”

- Charles K. Fox

“Beginners may ask why one fishes if he is to release his catch. They fail to see that the live trout, sucking in the fly and fighting the rod is the entire point to our sport. Dead trout are just so much lifeless meat.”

- Ernest G. Schwiebert Jr.

Thankful for an Old Master’s guidance

BOJC News 2016

Saluting our boys Andreas & Forrest!!

Your commitment to BOJC, fishing & conservation is simply wicked awesome.

Thank you BOJC -‐ Maryland Men!! for your many years of dedication & service teaching all our boys invaluable life lessons.

-The Grazioso & Gagnon Crew

BOJC News 2016

Photo courtesy of Dr. Joseph W. Love, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Alien Invasion:

The northern snakehead, a ravenous predator introduced to Maryland’s waters from Asia, is among the most widely known of the invasive creatures that affect our outdoor spaces, but it is hardly the only one.

BOJC News 2016

Are all exotic species really bad? By Dr. Joseph W. LoveMaryland Department of Natural Resources

Have you ever gone fishing for brook trout? Brook trout have lived in Mary-

land’s streams for millions of years, making it one of Mary-land’s native fishes. About 150 years ago, people loved fishing for the brook trout so much that the fish was caught and released to streams of Arizona, Colorado and other western states. Those streams had never known brook trout. In those western streams that were filled with many cut-throat trout and bull trout, brook trout is an exotic species. An exotic species is a species that is not naturally found in the stream or ecosystem. The exot-ic brook trout made fishing get a lot more fun out west in the 1800s! Little did anyone known that danger lurked around the corner. Soon people had trouble catching other trout that had al-ways lived there, the cutthroat trout and bull trout. The people living out west began to become concerned. They soon learned that bull trout and cutthroat trout were not thriving, in part because brook trout out-com-peted them. Thanks to competi-tion and habitat loss, some cut-throat trout populations are now threatened with extinction.

Brook trout is the only native trout in Maryland. The story with other popular fishing targets, smallmouth and large-mouth bass, in Maryland is a little different. Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass are exotic fishes to Maryland. When smallmouth and largemouth bass were released into Maryland’s streams in the late 1800s, governments had hoped that the fish would feed local people who were recovering from the Civil War. Fish meat is a great source of protein and freshwater bass would be a year-round supply of fish meat.

In addition to being a favorite food fish for local people, these freshwater bass also became top predators in the food web. They ate smaller fishes and caused some pretty big problems for the other fishes living in Maryland at the time.

After over a century since smallmouth and large-mouth bass were introduced, people still love to catch them. Many people now just released them alive, though. Because people love to catch them, there are laws and rules that help pro-tect smallmouth and largemouth bass from being stolen or sold. In spite of the love of small-mouth and largemouth bass and the laws protecting them, people are more cautious than ever about releasing these exotic spe-cies to new places in Maryland because of the damage they can do to an ecosystem.

Sometimes people do not consider consequences when they release an exotic species. Pet owners across the United States have released their gold-fish into a lot of streams and lakes. Goldfish come from Asia and do not belong in the wa-ters of the United States. Luck-ily goldfish do not cause nearly the amount of damage done by their cousins the grass carp. Grass carp also come from Asia and were released in the United States to control aquatic grasses. Not only do grass carp control grass, they also uproot lots of vegetation, kill lots of plants, and muddy up the water. Even grass carp aren’t as bad as other

exotic fishes. Venomous lionfish from the Indo-Pacific now patrol reefs off South Carolina to the Caribbean because of an accidental release. Infamous snakeheads in Maryland have quickly spread out through the Chesapeake Bay watershed, bringing sharp teeth and hefty appetites with them. Though snakeheads won’t likely de-stroy Maryland as some horror movies suggest, snakeheads have forever altered Maryland’s ecosystems in yet unknown ways.

With grocery stores and restaurants everywhere, and lots of great fishing in Maryland, it isn’t necessary to release fish from other countries or waters. Maryland already has a tremendous bio-diversity of fish to treasure and learn about. While the list of spe-cies in Maryland has grown over time because exotic species were released, it’s now more important to appreciate what Maryland has to offer than risk misfortune by introducing new animals.

Steven Snyder, 14, caught this largemouth bass in the Northeast River in October 2015.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Joseph W. Love, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

BOJC News 2016

If you’ve been to the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock Camp-fire Weekend and you know someone you think would enjoy at-tending next year, it’s up to you to extend an invitation.

Too often the presumption is made that another mutual friend will send out an invitation. Maybe they will. Maybe they won’t.

If someone gets two or three invitations, that’s not a problem. If they get none, it’s a real shame. Keep in mind also that to an adult member, forgetting for a year or two or three to send out an invitation may not seem like a big deal. To a child, though, that kind of time might as well be measured in eons. Getting a boy involved in fishing at 6 or 7 or 10 helps establish a bond with the sport, and an overall appreciation of nature that’s much harder to establish after video games, TV and internet pursuits have become high priorities.

Our organization was founded by anglers who looked beyond their own lifetimes to a day when their enjoyment of angling would be felt in the living flesh of new generations of anglers yet unborn.

It’s up to those of us, many generations removed from the founders, to renew the tradition, and that renewal depends on continuing to invite new members. Photocopy the invitation on this page, sign it and give it to someone trustworthy you think would enjoy spending a weekend fishing with a son, nephew or family friend.

Photocopy this page and invite a friend!

If you had a good time with BOJC, don’t keep it to yourself

BOJC News 2016

Campfire is May 13 - 15, 2016The Maryland Chapter Campfire is May 13,

14 and 15, 2016 at Camp Airy off Route 550 just outside Thurmont, Maryland.

Events are planned from 9 a.m. Friday, May 13 until 1 p.m. Sunday May 15.

GPS coordinates: 39º 30’ 42.51’’ N

-77º 24’ 57.63’’ W; Street address:

14938 Old Camp Airy Rd.,Thurmont, MD 21788.

The cost associated with the Campfire does not cover fishing licenses and trout stamps, which are required in Maryland for anyone 16 or older. All streams will be open for fishing for the duration of the Campfire. Licenses and some fishing sup-plies can be purchased in nearby Thurmont. The Brotherhood maintains a free rod library, with fly and spinning equipment available on a first come, first served basis.

Remember, the camp will not supply blankets or any bed linens. Everyone who attends camp must bring blankets, or a sleeping bag. The weath-er is typically chilly with a good chance of rain.

Final arrangements for the use of Camp Airy make it necessary to have all reservations, together with remittances and questionnaires, as early as possible. While there is no cutoff date, we are lim-ited to 475 men and boys, first come-first served. Reservations received after the total is reached will have to be returned.

A good program of diversified activity has been planned for this year. The weekend will be packed full of things to do and see. Remember that attendance is by invitation only. ID badges will be issued to everyone in attendance and must be worn at all times. You will need your badge to get into the dining hall to eat.

CAMP RULESAt the time of the Revolution, the Continental Navy suffered from problems of discipline so

severe that commanders of squadrons sometimes found it impossible to maintain control. In an at-tempt to maintain order and discipline, it was not uncommon for Sailors to receive punishments such as flogging, tongue branding or confinement in irons for minor infractions such as spitting on the deck or wearing dirty clothes!

At Jungle Cock, we have lightened up a little and have not recently had to resort to such ac-tions. I would like to thank you for your continued support in maintaining Jungle Cock weekend as a special time for sponsors and boys to focus on fishing and spending quality time with one another free from such matters. I ask for your continued support in the following areas:

Z Being safety conscious especially with regard to fire prevention;

Y Helping out with policing of trash and camp cleanliness;

sCooperation and teamwork in enforcing lights out and quiet hours;

6 Assistance in oversight at the basketball court to ensure sporting behavior and kindness

towards fellow campers;

8 Discrete and responsible use of grog or similar beverages.

REGARDING SOCIAL HOURAND CABIN ASSIGNMENTS

On Friday and Saturday nights of the Camp-fire weekend, after lights-out for the boys, all sponsors are invited to the basement of Bentz Hall to swap fish stories, enjoy a snack and talk about the day’s highlights for an hour or so.

Campfire weekend organizers go to some pains to make sure a few boys of baby-sitting age are assigned to each cabin, so as to ensure the safety and peace of mind of the younger anglers assigned to the same cabin. For this reason, all are encouraged to set up in the cabins assigned to them and partake fully of other social opportunities.

President:Larry Eby

First Vice President: Steve Weinstein

Second Vice President: James ‘Buzz’ Mackley

Third Vice President: Steve Lewis

Fourth Vice President: John Zimmer

Fifth Vice President: George Lauderback

Executive Vice President: Bosley Wright

Treasurer: Craig Simms

Secretary: Edward Little

Education Director:John ZimmerCamp Marshal: John Adametz

Board of Trustees Chairman:

Robert Abraham Jr.Trustees

Ray Dailey IIIRalph Shires

Adam GeesamanJ.J. Moore

Frank Bentz IIIDave MackleyJim Kennedy

Tom O’ConnelJohn Flenner

Robert Keech Jr.Mike Thomson

Brian HeldGreg MarlowJeff WrobelBrett Hassel

Camp Conservationist:Steve WeinsteinCamp Historians:

Ed Little, Jim Kennedy

Published each year during fly tying season when the fishing is slow, The BOJC News seeks to up-date brother anglers. If you have a few words (or more), a picture or five, or an idea for a future edition, please send to:

[email protected] or by mail to BOJC News,

1877 Trudeau Drive, Forest Hill, MD 21050.

Comments, concerns and complaints can also be sent. Same contact for ads, and updates to

the through the ages page. Note also that much Brotherhood correspondence is through email. If you are a member and haven’t been receiv-ing a few email messages from us each year, or if your email contact information changes, or if you would like to change where messages are sent, please visit the BOJC website and send a message through the the “Contact Us” tab.:

brotherhoodofthejunglecock.com

~ Jim Kennedy, BOJC News editor

Stay in touch through the BOJC News and WEBSITE!

Brotherhoodofficers

BOJC News 2016

Documentary website: http://joebrooksdocumentary.com

BOJC News 2016

Dearest BOJC friends,Blessings to you all this New Year. “In the rush of

life, may you take the time for the people and the activities that refresh your soul,” and so I wanted to pause today and offer each of you an update regarding the Joe Brooks Documentary and the Joe Brooks Foundation for Conservation and Outdoor Education.

Before I launch into my brief update, I believe it is most important to share with each of you the THANKFUL-NESS that I, our family and all associated with this project na-tionwide, have for the welcoming and caring support extended to us by this exceptional and vital community.

The leadership of this fine enterprise has asked me to jot a note for the newsletter and give an update as to the status of the Joe Brooks Documentary project.

I will not bore you with what has been learned along the way by my brother Joe and myself about the “film busi-ness,” but suffice it to say, as we are not professionals in this industry, it has been quite the experience thus far. It’s a lot like picking up a fly rod for the first time and attempting your first cast. An awkward moment for us all. Now imagine the wind is blowing 50 knots; that should just about give you the picture. Just as in fly fishing, however, perseverance ultimately pays a dividend of an infinite measure.

As of this writing we have engaged many “Top” ex-perts in the field of film and documentary production, we have built a team of ambassadors who are donating their time and passion to the completion of this “field of dreams” type project and we are within months of launching our capital campaign through a “Crowd Source” service.

Our friend Lefty Kreh has been, as each of you already know, instrumental to our success thus far.

He has pushed our message to many within the fly fish-ing industry and for this Joe and I are so very thankful and blessed by our shared friendship.

To show our thanks to him, our team packaged up a Christmas Basket filled with cookies and sweets. Anyone who knows Lefty, knows that he loves both!

I can report as of this writing he has “destroyed” the basket of goodies! Good for him!

Among the next steps for the project is to hire our pro-ducer. We have interviewed several, ranging from Outdoor Channel to Independent. We expect to have the producer in place, crowd funding campaign underway and major sponsors engaged, by Campfire or so.

As Joe, I and everyone associated with this project are fly anglers, we are most sensitive to doing it “right” and achieve a piece of work that will stand the test of time and be a celebra-tion of Joe, of Love and our Legacy.

Finally, as you know we shot film at last years Camp-fire and the Joe Brooks Foundation for Outdoor Education and Conservation is producing a Brotherhood of The Jungle Cock legacy video as our gift to each and everyone of you. I have viewed the initial video and can report with great enthusiasm,

A movie in the making:The latest word on new film about Joe Brooks

that the final product will be remarkable and compelling. Many of the BOJC leadership have been engaged to share their wis-dom and ideas to the production.

I was so honored to share this dream with each of you at 2015 Campfire and I expect to do the same again this year! From all of us to each of you, our sincere blessings and expres-sions of goodwill and happiness this 2016 and always!

Tight Lines, Mike

Michael O. BrooksManaging Member

Joe Brooks Documentary, LLC

Mary and Joe Brooks

The great nephews of legendary angler Joe Brooks, Michael, right, and Joe Brooks, are work-ing on a documentary about their uncle

BOJC News 2016

A few years after the Brother-hood of the Jungle Cock was established, one of its founders, noted outdoors writ-er Joe Brooks, penned one of his many books, “Bass Bug Fishing.” In addition to providing instruction on a particularly exciting way of fishing for bass, the 1947 publication also included a section on the importance of conservation and how the newly formed and rapidly expanding Brotherhood figured into conservation efforts.

The following is from Mr. Brooks’ “Bass Bug Fishing,” pages 66-69. The particular copy of the book from which this passage was transcribed was one autographed by Mr. Brooks for Gur-ney Godfrey, a longtime Jungle Cock member and avid conservationist.

In 1940 a group of far-sight-ed sportsmen gathered in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland and organized the “Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock.” They realized that our eastern inland fishing waters were slipping away. They realized the need for proper education in the problems of both hunting and fishing. They realized that our youth should be trained to take over when the time came. They knew there was a definite need for better sportsmanship in these waters. Something needed to be done about it. Something was.

The Maryland State Game and Fish Protective Association teamed with the Outdoor Writers Association of America to sponsor the Jungle Cock. Ham Brown, one of the founders, asked Clarke Venable of Virginia to write a creed. The creed Clarke wrote will live because it has in it everything that is worth while from the viewpoint of a sportsman and a conservationist. Here it is:

The CreedWe who love angling, in order

that it may enjoy practice and reward in the later generations, mutually move to-

gether towards a common goal-the con-servation and restoration of American game fishes.

Towards this end we pledge that our creel limits shall always be less than the legal restrictions and always well within the bounty of nature herself.

Enjoying, as we do, only a life estate in the out-of-doors, and morally charged in our time with the responsi-bility of handing it down unspoiled to tomorrow’s inheritors, we individually undertake annually to take at least one boy a-fishing, instructing him, as best we know, in the responsibilities that are soon to be wholly his.

Holding that moral law tran-scends the legal statutes, always beyond the needs of any one man, and holding

that example alone is the one certain teacher, we pledge always to conduct ourselves in such fashion on the stream as to make safe for others the heritage which is ours and theirs.

All you do to become a member is to live up to the creed. There are no dues, no membership, no assessments. The true member wears an eyed feather of the Jungle Cock in his hat. It is more than an organization; it is a movement. It is most of all a philosophy of clean sportsmanship.

Since that first meeting in 1940 a “Campfire” has been held each year at that same spot in Maryland. The Main Campfire it is now called. Other states were quick to follow Maryland’s exam-

Reflections by founderJoe Brooks

FROM THE BROTHERHOOD’S EARLY DAYS ...

In his 1947 book on fly fishing for bass, Brotherhood founder Joe Brooks, shown here with a nice rockfish, expounded on the ideals behind the then-fledgeling organization.

BOJC News 2016

ple. Ohio,Tennessee, Maine, Georgia,

North Carolina and Florida. More states are making plans for Campfires this year. Interest in the Jungle Cock movement is widespread. England has sent an observer for the last three years.

* * *The Creed has been carried

not only across the United States but to the far corners of the world. Every-where that anglers gather the creed has been posted. Canada has creeds posted on many of her streams and lakes.

Charlie Gillham carried the creed up to the arctic. With impres-sive ceremonies he posted it on an Eskimo totem pole. He explained its meaning to the old man of the tribe. He thought it good and had it incor-porated into their way of government.

Jack Bell carried it fifteen hundred miles up the Amazon River to the Brazilian city of Manaus. He not only put up a creed, he started a chapter of the Jungle Cock there that is really going places.

Jack designed an emblem for them. A round shield with a single eyed feather of the Jungle Cock in the middle. Around the rim went the Bra-zilian equivalent of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock

“Sociedade do Galo da Sel-va.” The Brazilian boys liked it so much they had it made into shields to wear on their clothing. They had it made into stickers. They posted it on trees, docks, buildings. In fact, any place that it would stick. Jose S. Rodrigues was their first president. Each year when the annual or Main Campfire is held in Maryland a cable arrives from the Brazilian chapter, wishing us success in the work we are doing. We send them one back with the same greetings.

Jack Nelson was skipper of an Army transport boat during the war and his duties carried him to the South Pacific. With him went some weather-proofed creeds. He nailed a creed on a palm tree on Thursday Island. He put another on Darnley Island in Tor-res Strait.

The one he put on a dock at Botany Bay, Sydney, Australia, rated an editorial in the local paper. It stated, “That since the advent of war many new

ideas had been brought to that country by America, but the Jungle Cock Creed was by far the most interesting and worth while of any noted so far.”

The annual campfire is conduct-ed as free from business as possible.

There are no speeches, business or other confining activities.

On the final night there is an

election of officers. The creed is read, with the entire group sitting around a rousing campfire.

The only planned activities are for the boys. Last year fifty boys were invited. A program of talks by leading explorers, conservationists and sportsmen kept them busy.

Wildlife movies were shown, John Alden Knight gave exhi-bitions of fly-casting. There was good fishing for them on nearby streams. Each boy was accompanied by a “fishing father,” who taught them the proper way to conduct themselves while astream, and a boy caught the biggest fish. Ernest Martin, age ten, sponsored by Walt Weber and Jack Nelson, using a dry fly, hooked and landed a four and a half pound Brown trout.

These boys went home with a knowledge of how good things can be in the outdoors. They knew about conservation. They knew about sportsmanship. They had a swell time, and they will always remember these things.

The list of those men pres-ent at the annual campfire reads like a Who’s Who of the outdoor world. World famous. anglers, explorers, big game hunters and leading conserva-tionists gather there.

Van Campen Heilner was the first president. Then came J. Ham-mond Brown, Lawrence Richey, Paul Kelly, Prew Savoy and the present leader, Frederic A. Walcott. Names known for their outdoor leadership all over America.

Each year at that annual campfire in Maryland the Jungle Cock members pay their respects to the members who have taken the long haul. A bronze tablet has been placed on a rock beside Cunning-ham Falls on Maryland’s famous Big Hunting Creek. On it are inscribed the names of those early members who did so much for conservation and sportsmanship: Paul Townsend,

Tommy Aitken, Ozark Ripley, T. Gilbert Pearson — these men taught well. They left us a great heritage.

The Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock will also teach the youth of the na-tion the things that will mean so much for better sportsmanship- better citizenship.

... A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A CHAPTER IN BRAZIL

Joe Brooks autographed a copy of his Bass Bug Fishing” for Gurney Godfrey, a stalwart of the early Brotherhood.

now. Steve Weinstein volunteered to step down as president and serve the 2016-2017 term instead.

To be in line as a future president is an honor not lightly taken; to be moved into that position as I have been has hum-bled me to tears. Yes, I ask for your prayers that I might see the year through. The phone calls, cards and visits by you folks means more than words can express.May God bless all and this wonderful organization known as “The Broth-erhood”. It is a name well deserved.

About 60 years ago, in the mid-1950s, I had my first encounter with the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock. A young man in Thurmont who was scheduled to attend contracted the measles. For whatever reason, I was tagged to go in his stead. I was 10 years old and fishing for me meant going out with a dollar steel rod and reel, 50 pound test black nylon line, a number six hook and a bank sinker.

I used homemade dough bait, Spam when I had a little money and worms, which were the norm for catfish, suckers and carp. Coming to the Campfire was like landing on an alien planet.

Back then, the fishing areas at the

Camp were Big Hunting Creek, Friends Creek and Owens Creek. There were no ponds stocked with trout. There were a few classes which provided minimal instruction on tying and casting. Over the several years I attended, I never caught a fish! I also don’t remember any encounter with my sponsor or any other adult.

No one stepped up to offer assis-tance or to teach me how to fish.

It’s not my intention to offend or say anything negative

about the organization. That’s just how it was.

As I look back, I am amazed at how much the organization

has evolved. It was a good experience then, but

I didn’t learn much. The food was better then, but fly fishing

was put on the back burner without a fire. Even so, my passion for fishing never waned.

Some years later, when I had a son of my own, Don Lewis asked if I was inter-ested in joining BOJC. I had mixed feelings because of my experiences as a youth. But I decided to give it a shot. Thus began many years of bringing youth to the camp, fam-ily members, sons and their friends, boys who wanted to come and learn to fish, and now four grandsons. My life has come full circle and I’ve never regretted my decision to return to BOJC.

The true friends I have made and the experiences I have shared with the youth will remain a part of me forever. These things are priceless. Cherish them while you are able.

As an organization, we have come a long way. Today, we have ponds and streams stocked with fish, instructional de-velopment, and our own building!

We could detail an impressive list of all we have accomplished and in this each member has played a part. Small ideas and donations combine to make the whole and betterment of all.

Continue to offer your time, ideas, and resources for these are the basis for growth and positive change.

There is one thing that hasn’t changed over the years. I continue to en-counter youth who are as lost as I was when I first attended.They are lost and flounder-ing, and sadly, unaware of who their spon-sors are. They haven’t caught a fish. My heart goes out to them.

I understand that we all get busy with our own agendas, teaching a class, sit-ting in meetings, or just kicking back with the guys. Take time to spend time with the boy you sponsored.

Be aware of those youth who need a hand. Offer your time as best you can to help them as well as your own child.

You are making memories and forming the future of our organization. Do it well.

BOJC News 2016

Spending time with youth vital to BOJCFrom Page 1

At left, Larry Eby listens during a gathering in 1995. Though it is hard to make out, he is donning an official BOJC wrist watch. Above, President Eby relaxes streamside; Inset: fishing the San Juan River.

BOJC News 2016

By Larry EbyPresident, Maryland

For many years BOJC has utilized the Good Friday holiday as a work day in preparation for the May Campfire weekend. There is always work to be done in the many areas we utilize.

Adults and youth are needed to assist with the many tasks. Over the past three years, we have made it a priority to clean along the banks of

the instruction streams.This is one time the youth

can return something to the Brother-hood and make a positive contribu-tion to the property owners who al-low us access to streams. It’s good for the environment, the Brother-hood, and the property owners and great for the youth to give something back. Consider involving your spon-sored youth in this worthwhile en-deavor come 2016. a little work for even greater rewards.

In Photo Greg Marlow, Eddie Freed and grandsons Joe Beasom, Charlie Sebilest; as well as Joel; Jared, and Josh Eby; not shown Larry Eby and Ed Freed.

Good Friday work party traditionA chance for young people to help set up for the Campfire

No major projects are slated for this year’s Good Friday work party, though there always are several projects that need to be tackled ranging from picking up litter to repairing post-winter damage to the ponds to taking inventory of items in Bentz Hall.

Day: March 25, 2016, Good Friday

Time: Between 8 and 8:30 a.m.

Meeting place: Mountain Gate restaurant, 133 Frederick Road, Thurmont, Maryland

If you’re new to the work party, the group usually goes Dutch for the buffet breakfast then heads up the hill to tackle the day’s chores

BOJC News 2016

By Tony Pistoria Pennsylvania Chapter President

First, a warm welcome from ev-eryone at the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock. My name is Tony Pistoria and I have the ex-treme honor to represent this great orga-nization as President of the Pennsylvania Chapter for 2016. Representing such a fine group of gentleman will be some-thing that I will cherish forever.

Rewind 20 years or so to the ear-ly 1990s; I am introduced to the Brother-hood by my good friend Ray Clowesley. He said to me, “Hey, would you like to go to Jungle Cock,” and my immediate reaction was, “What did you say?” Ray was a member and thought this may be something I would be interested in. He explained to me what the organization was and what it represented. I knew right away it was for me.

My oldest son was only 2 years old for our first Campfire and was too young to attend. I was fortunate enough to know a teenage boy who loved to fish, unfortunately his father was incarcerated. I inquired with his mother if it would be OK for him to attend camp with me, and she agreed. It was the first time at camp for both of us, and boy, what a time we had. To this day, I know that weekend we had together made a difference in his life, it may have been a short time, but made a big difference.

My oldest son, Anthony Jr., at-tended his first Campfire when he was 4 years old. It has been 18 years and he still can’t wait for spring. My youngest, Nicholas, started at age 5 and has been coming to camp for 10 years. Growing up with the BOJC, and the people who comprise it, have made both of them bet-ter young men.

The spirit of the Brotherhood, whether it was a sponsor, a trustee, an instructor or senior member, was always presented and handed down. Outgoing President for 2015 Mr. John Mc Crae is a prime example. His leadership and guid-ance is something that will shape our fu-ture Jungle Cockers. The young instruc-tors who have followed this guidance are teaching the next generation, as did the one before. We had 304 men and boys in camp with nine graduates completing the Master’s program under the watchful eye of Mr. Will Kasaab.

Fishing and conservation are the

Making BOJC memories in Pennsylvania

heart and soul of this organization. Hav-ing key people in certain rolls is para-mount. Our fish committee, headed by Mr. Ralph Mader and Mr. Jim Barker, do an outstanding job with ordering and stocking the fish for each year’s Camp-fire. Instructor classes are always full and the prizes and awards the boys receive seem to improve every year.

Fly tying, as we all know is an art in itself. Watching guys like John and Jeff Waldron work has inspired many a young fly fisherman. Coming up through the ranks has given me the opportunity to associate with some fine leadership. Mr. Don Mc Cue, Mr. Ron O’Brien, Mr. Tom O’Chuida, Mr. Frank Taylor and of course, Mr. Frank Smoot with countless others, have shaped this organization into what it is today.

Someone I would personally like to thank is Mr. Webbie Edwards. His tireless efforts and profound love for this organization are why it has been such a success.

Another group I would like to commend is our sponsors. Without them there would be no Campfire. I know what it can be like these days to find the time and resources to make a camp like this possible. Without the love and dedica-tion of fathers, grandfathers, uncles and friends, we would all be heading in dif-ferent directions. There are very few things in this world that really matter,

but spending time with loved ones is sure one of them!

The destination for our Camp-fire every year is Camp Saginaw in New London, Pennsylvania. We have all been coming here for many years and like Camp Airy for Maryland Chapter, Sagi-naw is like a second home. Every piece of stream, every hill, every tree means something different to each person. I can almost picture, every square foot in my head. I would like to thank owner-ship and staff at Camp Saginaw for many years of enjoyment.

Coming to Camp has given me the opportunity to meet and become friends with so many people. These re-lationships have stood the test of time. Many a young boy who were introduced to each other at Camp have become life-long friends. Nothing is more satisfying then seeing a young boy mature into a young man. Countless youth have had their lives changed forever as they grew through the BOJC.

Finally, I would like to thank the “Big Guy” upstairs for without him we would not have this great place we call home.

Nature is something that must be preserved, we must be good stewards of this gift so it can be handed to the next generation. I would like to wish every-one a safe and fantastic Campfire for 2016.

BOJC News 2016

BOJC News 2016

By Jeff PhelanNew York Chapter President

It has been six months since the New York State Broth-erhood of the Jungle Cock Campfire. In 2015 we had wonder-ful weather for our Campfire and we hope that continues.

As always, the weekend is an opportunity to see friends new and old.

Now that the holidays have come and gone, we are looking forward to our next Campfire, six months from now. With our 20th year upon us in 2016.

I would like to say that our Executive Director, John Waldron, is doing a fantastic job organizing our event.

He has made my job as well as the jobs of everyone on our team easy, and I would like to thank him for that. I would also like to thank all our volunteers who come back time and after time for their dedication.

As as for our instructors, I can’t thank them or praise them enough. I truly feel we have an outstanding staff and your tireless approach to the work goes a long way toward making our program successful.

Thank you is also extended to the fly shops that sup-port our program year after year. Catskill Flies and the Baxter House have been tremendous in helping with our efforts. Mike Canazon continues to donate a hand-crafted bamboo fly rod to our fund raising efforts and we are grateful.

Two decades laterchapter is strong,

BOJC News 2016

As a father of two daughters, I am pleased to say our co-ed program in New York has been successful. We see a great number of girls come through the program and have found some of our next group of instructors from their ranks. At our Campfire ceremony, Iris Gillingham, one of our fifth year students, read the Creed, again showing us the impact this program has on our kids.

Each year, we are pleased to see so many of our gradu-ates come back to give back and assist our efforts and remain a very impactful part of our instruction program.

We have some time while they are in college during which we don’t see them, but afterwards we get them back. That is a testament to what the BOJC has meant in their lives that they choose to come back and work with us as part of the instructor team. I am sure now that we are approaching 20 years strong we will see some third generations among our ranks. To that end, our Master Program is now in the fourth year of be-ing taught by a graduate Will Kassab. This should make us all proud.

I hope we all take the time to take the kids fishing when we are not at a BOJC Campfire. The best thing we can do is repeat what we teach. I would challenge each of us to follow our creed and take a child fishing throughout the year.

Enjoy your programs this year and I look forward to seeing you at our next Campfire

and the New York getting stronger

BOJC News 2016

By Todd StrykerPast President, 2014-2015

The 2015 Ohio campfire held again on Memorial Day weekend at Can-ters Cave was another wonderful week-end. I could not have wished for a better weekend for fishing and instructing the great group of kids we had at camp.

Our members did another great job this year of recruiting more great kids to come to our camp. We had nine first years, one tag-a-long, and in total we had 49 kids at camp.

We loaded the pond with over 250 trout as we always do, but we also knew we put quite a few catfish in last year. This year we wanted to take ad-vantage of the catfish in the pond, so we added a new night fishing class for our fourth and fifth year kids.

I think our members did a fan-tastic job coaching the kids on some key techniques for catching some really nice catfish. Over all, our kids caught every type of fish we put in that pond, then some.

Our spring was very busy as we again were in a position to help out the club, and Canters Cave, by acquiring a

used dock from our friends at the Buck-eye Boat Club. It is a steel boat dock that we turned into a square island for the kids to fish from. It took us a while to finish the plans, but we got everything down to camp and built in one day. Everything was great except the weather, as Mother Nature decided to fill the pond that day. I just want to say thank you to all who were involved for the helping us bring these great opportunities to life down at

Canters Cave.As always the best part of all

this was when all the kids went out onto the new docks and started catching fish!

Then, for the second year, our new President Tim Gifford came through with a fantastic meal to celebrate the camps success. We had smoked pork shoulder, and brisket for dinner, and this year I had the opportunity to partake in the feast!

Night fishing for catfish, square island add to funCats in Ohio:

BOJC News 2016

By Steve LambertMichigan Chapter President

Spring Adult Outing at Barothy’s Lodge

The infamous Den-nis Potter graced us with his fly tying expertise, giving the adults an education along with some good humor.

The outing also pro-vided club members time to reconnect, build friendships, enjoy delicious food, wet a line and raise money for our Fall Campfire.

Annual elections were held and the same ex-ecutive board was voted in for next year. Bear Andrews helped out as auctioneer and did a fine job auctioning off top-level prizes such as guide trips and rods. Chef Craig Newton prepared five-star quality lobsters, steak, and many more treats to the club members delight.

Dave Staley won a smallmouth bass fishing trip on the Muskegon River with guide Bill Haagsma. After realizing he would be unable to go this summer, instead of foregoing the trip, he contact-ed other club members and donated it for kids to enjoy. This is just one example our club’s generosity that contin-ues to grow year after year.

Summer Campoutat Brookhaven Lake

In June, Jeff Johnson sponsored a camping and fish-ing weekend for our club.

Kids and sponsors tested out their tenting, cook-ing, fire building, and fly-fish-ing skills. It was a very suc-cessful weekend as the brook trout and rainbows were sur-facing constantly!

There were many new experiences, as kids caught their first rainbow or brookie. Sponsers and kids enjoyed kayaking, along with

maneuvering drift/flat bottom boats on the pond.

Two graduates, Tim Lambert and Mary Wernet, taught kids the basics of fish-ing a pond and got a taste of a possible future as professional fishing guides!

Fall Club CampfireAugust was another

banner year for the BOJC-MI at Camp Harvest. The club adjusted dates of the campfire this year to host it before kids school started.

It allowed for even more to join us for our big-gest event of the year. Matt Zudweg a professional guide and fly tying expert was our keynote speaker giving kids a fun and informative presen-tation on his “Zudbugs,” fish handling, fly fishing, and the Muskegon River Fishing Sys-tem.

The “Zudbug” targets the small mouth bass and pike that inhabit the Muskegon River.

We had a fantastic

year and are looking forward to another fishing filled 2016!

Current Executive Board Members: Steve Lambert-President; Rob Siri-Vice Pres-ident, Ed Coe-Treasurer, and John McCarter-Secretary.

Website: www.bojcmi.org

Mailing address: BOJC-MI, 5859 West Saginaw High-way, 253, Lansing, Michigan 48917-2460.

Plenty of fishing and catching in Michigan

BOJC News 2016

WE WHO LOVE ANGLING, in order that it may enjoy practice and reward in the later generations, mutually move together towards a common goal - the conservation and restoration of American game fishes.

TOWARDS THIS END we pledge that our creel limits shall always be less that the legal restrictions and always well within the bounty of Nature herself.

ENJOYING, AS WE DO, only a life estate in the out of doors, and morally charged in our time with the re-sponsibility of handing it down unspoiled to tomorrow’s inheritors, we individually undertake annually to take at least one boy a-fishing, instructing him, as best we know, in the responsibilities that are soon to be wholly his.

HOLDING THAT MORAL LAW transcends the legal statutes, always beyond the needs of any one man, and holding that example alone is the one certain teacher, we pledge always to conduct ourselves in such a fashion on the stream as to make safe for others the heritage which is ours and theirs.

The Creed of the Brotherhood

“On Stream Help,” a Lefty Kreh photo from a past Jungle Cock Campfire week-end.

Thanks again to the

By Steve Lewis and Billy Pearsall

Virginia Chapter StalwartsThe Virginia Chapter of

the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock may have missed a beat in 2015, but plans are in the works for giving the annual gathering in the Old Do-minion State an upgrade in 2016. In years past, the Virginia BOJC event had been a single springtime day of fishing and instruction on a lake where the primary target fish were bass and sunnies. Moving forward, however, the game plan is to move the event to the autumn, put it in a location where trout fish-ing is the main attraction and hold it over a full weekend.

Moving the Virginia Chapter Campfire to the fall ac-complishes a number of things. In recent years, it has been held on Mothers Day weekend, which means the timing is less than ide-al for what is for many families a father and son outing. Moving the Virginia Campfire to another week-end in the springtime becomes dif-ficult if any consideration is given to the scheduling of other state chapter campfires.

Meanwhile, holding the campfire in the autumn has many advantages. Though not trout fish-ing season in the most strict sense, fall trout fishing in recent decades has become increasingly popular. This is reflected in Virginia, where trout streams are stocked not only in the springtime, but also each au-tumn, after October 1.

The current thinking is

that the Virginia Campfire Week-end will be in early October 2016 over a full weekend at a location in the Shenandoah Mountains. This would allow the Brotherhood group to take advantage of poten-tially nice fall weather and state trout stockings.

Moving the event to a lo-cation where trout fishing is avail-able also opens the possibility of a site being found where a high qual-ity Fishing with the Masters expe-rience featuring an abundance of large trout can be organized.

Care is being taken to plan the gathering so it doesn’t conflict with another Shenandoah tradi-tion, visiting the mountains to see the aurora that occurs when leaves change color. Avoiding leaf chang-ing season means not competing for possible Campfire locations and ensuring a measure of solitude at streamside for learning anglers.

It is hoped that the change will encourage a new generation of young anglers and their sponsors to partake of the Virginia Camp-fire Weekend. While the event has drawn as many as 130 people, in-cluding more than 60 young an-glers, in more recent years there have been plenty of instructors but not large numbers of young an-glers, with counts as low as in the 30s.

It is hoped plans for a newly reinvigorated Virginia Chapter autumn Campfire can be announced this spring on the eve of the traditional Campfire gatherings of the other five chapters.

The BOJC Officers and Directors from the 2015 Campfire wish to extend a special “Thank You!” Your work behind the scenes and “get it done” attitude is greatly appreciated. Won’t tell tales, or name names - you know who you are.

Thanks guys. ~El Jeffé

Virginia Brotherhoodplans to make a big move

BOJC News 2016

During its 75-year history, the spirit of the Jungle Cock has been passed on from generation to generation

and now three or more generations of some families have been involved. These are the ones we know of to date. Some of those named, however, remain with us in spirit only, in keeping with the Brotherhood’s founding notion of being able to fish in per-petuity each time a young angler makes a cast.

MARYLANDF Robert W . Abraham Sr., Robert Jr., Jonathan Gui-done and Hayden Spalding

F Frank Bentz Sr., Frank Jr., Frank III, Alex and Simon

F George Boas, sons Chris, Mark, Matthew, Michael, James and Britt; Mark’s sons Zachary and Robert; Chris’ son Otto; Matthew’s son Brendan; Michael’s son Kyle; James’ sons Bryce and Jack; and Britt bringing nephew Jim Hegerty, as well as nephew Billy Haviland

F Joe Brooks, his nephew Ray Brooks; Ray’s son, Michael, and Michael’s son, Jared

F Jim Bittner, son Aaron, Jim’s grandsons Michael Sin-clair, Calvin Bittner, Christopher Maichle, Sam Bittner and Robert Maichle, and Jim’s great grandson Isaac Mentzer, 4, who hopes to attend upon turning 6

F Donald F. Callahan, sons Matt and Chad Callahan; Matt’s son Connor Callahan; Chad Callahan’s sons Jesse Callahan and Chad Callahan Jr.; all planning to attend 2016 campfire along with Freddie Foster and his grandson.

F Gus Day, son Dan and Dan’s son Evan

F Larry Eby, Rob, Doug, Joshua, Owen, Jared and Joel Eby

F Ed "Tophat" Freed Sr., Ed “Top Hat” Freed Jr., Ed Jr.’s son Cameron Freed and Ed Jr.’s grandsons Charlie Sebilest and Joey Beasom

F Gurney Godfrey, son William “Billy” Andersen, grandson to Gurney and nephew to Billy, Andrew “Andy” Mader, along with Andy’s dad, Steve Mader

F Paul F. Guerin, son Joel Guerin; Joel’s sons James, Joshua, Jacob, Patrick and Stephen Guerin; and James’ son Xavier Guerin

F Bill Hampt, Bill III, Jere

F Paul Helm Sr., Paul Jr., Andrew Ingram;

F Gene Higdon, Keith, Robert, Bobby, Jonathan, Joe, Erik

F H. Lloyd Hoke, sons Ronald and John Hoke; sons-in-law Dr. Thomas Littlejohn, Philip Hahn and Stephen Turner; grandsons Daniel Steven and Michael Hoke as well as Dr. Jonathan Wilson, Christopher Hahn, and Ryan, Josh and Will Littlejohn; great grandsons Cullen

and Brett Bolton and Aiden Wilson

F William A Kirkpatrick, son William A. Kirkpatrick Jr., William’s son Ryan W. Kirkpatrick

F George Lauderback Jr., George Lauderback III, Brian and Alex

F Edward T. Little, Edward W ., Brian; Jake Little, Marc Little, and Cameron Jones

F J. Kenneth Manning Sr., sons Ken Jr. and Michael and sons-in-law Bob Keech Sr. and Terry Warner along with Ken Sr.’s nephew, Bob Murray and Bob’s son, Rob Jr.; followed by Michael Manning Jr., Bob Keech’s four sons, Bob Jr., Mike, John and Dan, and Terry Warner’s son, Sean. There’s also Terry Warner’s sons-in-law, Kevin Koerner and Tim Lenzsch, as well as their sons, Jake Koerner and Timmy and Sean Lenzsch. Next, Bob Keech Jr.’s son Bobby III, Mike Keech’s sons Connor, Tyler and Hunter as well as Sean Warner’s sons Riley, Colin and Jack. In addition, there’s Tom Keech, brother of Bob Keech Sr., his four sons, Brian, Andy, Colin and Sean as well as Brian Keech’s sons Cormack and Connor (the second Connor Keech to attend)

F Carl Miller, son Carl E. Miller, son-in-law Mark Mason, and grandsons Garrett and Zachary Mason and Sean McNutt.

F Al Moffat, sons Wayne and Brian Moffat, and Al’s grandsons Colin Elliott, Justin Elliott, Joseph Burroughs, Samuel Burroughs and Charles Moffat

F Enoch “Inky” Moore, Denny, Justin

F Sam Muher, son Frank Muher and Franks sons Ben and Jacob

F Jerome Offutt, Bill Offutt, Todd Offutt, John Bossle

F Jerry Rainey, sons-in-law Paul Kenny and Pat Burns and grandsons Brayden and Bryce Kenny and Finn Burns

F Norm Shires, Ralph Shires, Austin, Coby and Anthony Shires, Steve and Aidan Lusk

F Bill Simms, Craig and Dale Simms, Cole Simms

F Frank Smoot, Frank II, Charles Vanderpool

F Al Snider, Mike, Craig, Robert, Danny, Robbie and Ethan

F Jim Thomson, Mike Sr., Mike Jr. and Preston

F Taylor Fitz-Hugh Turner Jr. and sons Taylor F Turner III and John Penn Turner. Taylor Fitz-Hugh Turner Jr. then helped found the Virginia Chapter where his daughter, Robinnette Turner Wrobel, attended. Her sons, Jeffrey Wrobel Jr., William Wrobel and Benjamin Wrobel also attended the Maryland campfire with father Jeffrey Wrobel Sr.

F Wil Webster Sr.; Wil Webster Jr. and Gary Webster Sr.; Gary Webster Jr.; Brook Webster, John Webster and Bill Webster III; Matthew Webster

F Fred Wright, Bosley, Brad, Justin, Zachary

F Joe Zimmer, Joe III, John, Robert, Evan, Grayson, Jack, Gavin

F Stephen Zsedeny, son Chris Ciconte and grandsons Giovanni and Cyle Ciconte

PENNSYLVANIAF Robert J. Karpin, Robert N. Karpin, Robert J. Karpin II, Patrick P. Karpin, Jonathan Karpin

F Gary Rainey, Mike Rainey, Shawn Quinn

F William L. Caputo Jr., Michael A. Caputo, William Caputo, Raphael Caputo

F John Nice Sr., Chris Nice Sr. Chris Nice Jr.

F Karl N. Mandl, Karl N. Mandl Jr., Ryann N. Mandl

F John W. Gourdier Sr., Michael C. Gourdier, Michael C. Gourdier Jr., John W. Gourdier Jr., John A. Gourdier

F Robert Schwendner, Frank Schjwendner, Chris Schwendner

F Larry M. Fisher, Daniel Fisher, Shane and Jake Fisher

F Joseph L. Smith, Joseph L. Smith II, Benjamin and Henry Smith

F Nelson Dempsey Jr., Cliff Dempsey III, Jacob and Josh Demsey

F Kenneth R. Tjaden Sr., Kenneth R. Tjaden Jr., Tim R. Tjaden, Cameron N. Tjaden, Preston Henderson.

F John C. Wiltsie, George S. Wiltsey, Cody V. Hol-lenbach

F Ronald F. O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Max O’Brien

F Anthony Renzi Sr., Anthony Renzi Jr., Anthony Renzi III and Michael Renzi

F Thomas O’Chuida,Tom O’Chuida Jr., Tom O’Chuida III, Connor O’Chuida, Matthew O’Chuida, Matthew O’Chuida

F Ed “Tophat” Freed Sr., Ed “Tophat” Freed Jr., Cam-eron Freed and Charlie Sebilest

F Don McCue Sr., Donnie McCue, Owen Oreilly

F Jim Neubert, James Turek-Neubert, Zack Costa

F James Davis, Zack Davis, Dylan Davis

F Howard Urbine Jr., Howard Urbine III, Wyatt Urbine

F Robert Arnot Sr., Robert Arnot Jr., James Arnot, Nick Arnot, JT Arnot, Caleb Arnot

If you have an addition, please send it to [email protected], or by mail to

1877 Trudeau Drive, Forest Hill, MD 21050.

Generations of Jungle Cock

BOJC News 2016

Looking closely at the fish that is part of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock emblem reveals the creature is marked with both spots and squiggly lines.

The squiggly lines give away that, while the fish in the emblem is red with only white markings, it can be positively identified as a brook trout.

The brook trout, the only member of the salmon family found in Maryland prior Colonial times, is distinctive among the salmons because it has these squiggly lines that resemble worm trails along its grayish to green back. Indeed, the wormlike markings are called vermiculations, a word that means ornamentation resembling worm holes or worm tracks.

The brook trout’s being the only in-digenous trout to the Atlantic coast south of the Mason Dixon Line made it a natural choice to be paired with the jungle cock feather when the Brotherhood emblem was designed.

Other trout indeed were common in Maryland by late 1930s when the idea of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock was gestat-

ing, but they were hatchery fish. Brown trout had been introduced from Germany and Scotland starting after 1883 and rainbow trout were introduced from California in the 1870s. Indeed, rainbow trout were ini-tially referred to as California brook trout. (Curiously, Chinook or king salmon were also brought to Maryland in the late 1800s in an effort to establish a run of these giant pacific salmon in Maryland tributaries to the Susquehanna River.)

Officially, Maryland began keeping track of its increasingly dwindling fish stocks in 1874 with the appointment that year of a state commissioner of fisheries.

Not surprisingly, the efforts to supple-ment the wild populations of brook trout with fish from Europe and California came about because the local brook trout popula-tions were in rapid decline as early as the late 1800s.

Scientific studies conducted in modern times, a century after the decline of the brook trout in Maryland and elsewhere resulted in the importation of other trout varieties from elsewhere, would reveal a simple

reason behind the decline of brook trout. In watersheds where human activity (including farming) affects more than 18 percent of the land’s surface area, brook trout will die off. If that human activity includes half a percent of the watershed’s land being covered with impervious surfaces (buildings and parking lots), likewise brook trout will die off.

Brown trout, by contrast, are substan-tially more tolerant of human disturbances of their environments. Indeed wild populations have become established in many seemingly unlikely places in Maryland, notably parts of Jones Falls within the highly urbanized areas of suburban Baltimore.

It is widely known that brook trout are more sensitive to temperature than brown and rainbow trout, but their relative intoler-ance to having the land where their streams originate is less widely known.

The sensitivity of the brook trout to environmental changes brought about by human activity means they are greatly af-fected in places like Maryland where human activity has been substantial for hundreds of years.

Plotting a return for the

brook trout

Strictly speaking, brook trout aren’t trout at all, rather they are members of the salmon related group of fish known as charr. Other members of the group are lake trout, bull trout and, of course, Arctic char. The easy way to tell a trout from a char is trout have dark spots on a light background whereas char have light spots on a dark background. This brook trout was caught in Pennsylvania’s Big Spring Creek, a stream managed as a wild brook trout sanctuary.

BOJC News 2016

From the simple building of houses in Colonial times, to the clear cutting of many forests in the late 1800s to the discharge of acidic wastewater from coal mines, brook trout across the state have seen the number of places where people have affected 18 percent or less of the land area in the vicinity of a particular stream decrease substantially over the past few hundred years.

According to a detailed brook trout management plan adopted by Maryland in 2006 (the plan is the source for most of the information in this story), there were an estimated 3 million brook trout in the state’s streams prior to the arrival of colonists from Europe. By 1999, that number had been reduced by 90 percent to 300,000.

Though loss of brook trout populations as a result of many human activities – the plowing of fields, the construction of houses, mills, factories and parking lots and the like — was gradual and hard to notice, there were instances when they were killed off overnight. The 2006 brook trout manage-ment plan tells of how outdoors enthusiast Meshack Browning wrote of having fished the streams that feed into the Youghiogheny River in Garrett County in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He reports having caught brook trout up to about 20 inches by the dozens.

Flash forward a few decades and, though the Youghiogheny River’s waters had been warmed as a result of land being cleared for farming — a change believed to

have resulted in smallmouth bass moving into the river in large numbers from lower in the Ohio River drainage — brook trout remained. In addition, brown and rainbow trout had been introduced in the late 1800s.

The 2006 report describes what hap-pened next: “A good trout fishery for these species existed until September 1929, when a sudden low pH spike related to activities at the Crellin Mine, wiped out virtually all fish life in the downstream section of the river in a single day. Poor water quality continued for several decades until the Crellin Mine ceased operations around 1950.”

The worm-like markings that distinguish the brook trout from other members of the group of salmons known as char can be seen on the back of the small trout caught in Yellow Breeches Creek in Pennsylvania, as well as in exaggerated form on the back of the Brotherhood of the Jungle Cock emblem trout.

Continued on Page 26

BOJC News 2016

The early reaction to loss of trout, for whatever reason, was to try to replenish them through stocking programs.

In the early days after the appointment of the state commissioner for fisheries, there was a public demand to replace brook trout populations that had been eliminated from or reduced in the state’s eastern streams. In 1877, brook trout eggs were secured from Maine and Rhode Island and subsequently 50,480 yearling brook trout were distrib-uted to the public for stocking in Maryland creeks. The popularity of this program grew steadily and brook trout were raised statewide for a century until the early 1970s when their propagation was phased in favor of rainbow trout.

During the first part of that century, brook trout eggs were procured from a variety of sources until 1949 when the state secured eggs from New Jersey that were used to establish a Maryland brood stock of brook trout. Securing fish from other states to supplement Maryland’s particular strain of brook trout is something that was warned against as early as 1897, when the state commissioner of fisheries warned that eggs used in stocking program should be obtained from Maryland fish.

Though ignored, decades later it turns out the 1897 warning was probably good advice.

Historically brook trout were native to waters in Maryland as varied as the Yough-iogheny River, a large stream that is within the drainage of the Mississippi River, and Severn Run a small, sandy-bottomed creek northwest of Annapolis that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.

Different traits, it would seem, provide survival advantages in one type of stream but not necessarily the other.

In the early 1990s, a genetics survey of Maryland’s various brook trout populations was conducted. Among the findings:F There was a substantial genetic dif-

ference between the Youghiogheny (Ohio-Mississippi drainage) strain of brook trout and those that remained in the Chesapeake Bay drainage. Youghiogheny brook trout are regarded as showing what is referred to as the type D haplotype (a haplotype being a grouping of genetic markers).F The brook trout found in the Gun-

powder and Patapsco river drainage, as well as in Cecil County’s Principio Creek and Dry Run in Virginia appeared to be related to a variety associated with the Edray Trout Hatchery in West Virginia. (Brook trout of this genetic grouping, type B, are regarded as dominant in much of the northeastern U.S.)F Another genetic grouping of brook

trout, known as type A, is found in other Chesapeake drainages, notably the Mono-cacy, Savage, and North Branch Potomac rivers.F Brook trout with genetic group-

ing types C, E and F are associated with the West Virginia and Tennessee tributaries of the Ohio River drainage.F Types C, E and F, the study sur-

mised, are the brook trout varieties believed to be most closely related to the original wild strains of brook trout.

The long and short of all this (and the version in the Maryland brook trout manage-ment plan is a good deal longer) is that the wild populations of brook trout that remain in Maryland likely aren’t the descendants of the wild brook trout in the state at the time of colonization.

Evidence for this conclusion, however, is not necessarily solid, as the study notes. While there were substantial stockings of non-native strains of brook trout in Maryland waters from the late 1800s until the 1980s, headwaters of streams were generally not stocked and it is believed that most of the stocked fish were taken by anglers or died. Meanwhile, fish for the study were taken primarily from headwater streams so it is possible they were unaffected by the stock-ing programs.

The genetic study of brook trout in Maryland mirrors genetic sleuthing about brook trout being undertaken in several states in an effort to find what are regarded as “heritage strains.” Such strains would be both genetically the same or very similar to pre-Colonial strains and genetically diverse enough so as to have not succumbed to the perils of close inbreeding.

The goal of many of these genetic search efforts is to restore the wild strains to areas where they once dominated on the theory that fish genetically suited to a par-ticular area will be best able to repopulate that area. To date, nine heritage strains have been found in New York State, according to a report by Cornell University.

The goals of the management plan in Maryland, meanwhile, are more modest, as they seek to preserve the brook trout that exist, devise a comprehensive management strategy for the state’s largest remaining wild brook trout habitat and figure out ways to restore wild brook trout, where practical, to places where they are no longer found.

In short, the plan seeks to “restore and maintain healthy brook trout populations in Maryland’s freshwater streams and provide long-term social and economic benefits from a recreational fishery.”

The Maryland goals for brook trout face a swim against a stiff current.

Statewide, brook trout were found in 151 streams with a total length of about 377 miles as of the autumn of 2005, and in 109 of those streams, the were the only trout pres-ent. Among the challenges brook trout face is the reality that they have trouble compet-ing with brown trout, which have established wild populations in many Maryland streams. Browns grow faster, have a higher tolerance for human activity and pollution, and, as browns and brooks are both autumn spawn-ers, there is competition for suitable breed-ing grounds. Indeed, in streams that support wild brown and brook trout populations, the occasional wild brook-brown hybrid turns up, the tiger trout.

Once the only member of the salmon family in Maryland, brook trout are now rare

in the state, confined to but a few small streams and a stronghold in the Savage River

From Page 25

BOJC News 2016

Of the 42 streams where brook trout are found along with other trout, 33 sup-port brook and brown and six support brook brown and rainbow.

The most complete brook trout habitat in Maryland can be found in Garrett County on the Savage River upstream from the Sav-age River Reservoir.

Of the 377 miles of brook trout stream in Maryland, 90 miles are the Savage River and 18 of its tributaries above the reservoir. In other words, the upper Savage River and reservoir constitute 90 percent of the remain-ing wild brook trout waters in Maryland. The Savage waterways are interconnected and a fish in one part could, at least in theory, swim to any other part.

The second place drainage, in terms of miles of wild brook streams is that of the Gunpowder River, but the brook trout streams in this drainage are separated by large sections of waterway not suitable for brook trout or, in some cases, any kind of trout.

Outside Garrett County, 82 percent of the remaining wild brook trout populations are classified as “greatly reduced,” meaning that within the subwatersheds where they oc-cur they occupy only 1 to 10 percent of the area that was historically inhabited.

Brook trout, being sensitive not only to factors that directly affect water quality, but also to things that change the look of the land

Though rare in the wild, tiger trout, a brook-brown hybrid, do turn up in Maryland from time to time. This one was reported caught in Big Gunpowder Falls, a stream not stocked for may years with anything but rain-bow trout, though home to wild brook and brown trout. The photo was posted on the web-site of the Monkton area tackle shop Backwater Angler.

and the relative health of other creatures, are considered a “biological indicator species.”

The disappearance of brook trout from a stream indicates negative changes to the overall habitat.

To put it another way, brook trout are canaries in coal mines. When the canary dies, the miners are well advised to evacuate or take other precautions.

That brook trout persist, however, is reason for hope, and there is also reason to believe effective management efforts can counteract negative human impacts and lead to increases in brook trout populations.

Case in point: Jabez Branch, a tiny, sandy-bottomed tributary to Severn Run in the densely populated suburbs of Annapolis

Anne Arundel County’s website gives the following account:

Brook trout were first discovered in the Jabez Branch in 1977 upstream of Route 32. Since then Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologists have conducted pe-riodic electro-fishing surveys of the entire length of the stream and have discovered brook trout population throughout nearly the entire Jabez Branch stream network. The highest density of brook trout has been consistently recorded in the Left Fork.

In 1987, routine surveys by DNR fish-eries personnel discovered that a severe decline in trout population had occurred. Further investigation revealed that con-struction of I-97 had created a basin in the median of north bound/south bound Route 3 lanes which were being used as a sedi-ment and storm water management basin. As runoff collected in the one acre basin and warmed up, this solar heated water was being continuously discharged directly into the Left Fork. When the State Highway Administration was notified of the situation, the basin discharge source was permanently sealed. In hindsight it can be said, that was

the beginning of demise of the Jabez Branch as a result of man induced activity.

Between July and October 1988 two continuously recording thermographs were placed in the Jabez Branch to monitor sum-mer water temperatures. The gathered data indicated the stream experienced sharp temperature rises during periods of rain. The sharpest rise occurred in August when temperatures in the Left Fork rose from 63.5 to 73.4 degrees F within a 60-minute period following a one inch rainfall.

The brook trout population continued to decline and in December 1990, Department of Natural Resources biologists declared the trout extinct. Nevertheless, in 1991, DNR biologists attempted the first of three trans-plants of wild brook trout from other Mary-land streams with introduction of 328 fish. By 1995, electo-fishing surveys indicated the brook trout population and reproduction rate to be back to close to previous numbers.

In 1991 the Jabez Branch was recog-nized by DNR as a Non-tidal Wetland of Special State Concern.

In 1997, 1,475 feet of dry stream chan-nel in the headwaters of the Left Fork was restored... The purpose of the restoration was to reduce sediment loading as a result of stream channel erosion.

While the restoration of brook trout to Jabez Branch is but a small victory, and those brook trout remain in harm’s way, it shows that a concerted conservation effort can have positive and meaningful results.

The complete 2006 Maryland Brook Trout Fisheries Management Plan can be found at http://1.usa.gov/1R8BnvV. An overview of the Maryland brook trout program can be found at http://1.usa.gov/1QZCSOq, and the Jabez Branch story can be found at http://bit.ly/1QYWnXN

—Jim Kennedy

BOJC News 2016

A fine few days on the

waters of the Susquehanna

Report and photos by Bob Keech

BOJC News 2016

This past summer, we had another great Haleuti-cian weekend on the river in Halifax, Pennsyl-vania. There were approximately 60 guests that

camped and enjoyed great fellowship, good food, and camaraderie. The group consisted of outdoor-loving people of all ages. The water conditions were perfect for wade fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Trips were made daily with a kayak trailer to the Halifax boat ramp to drop off anyone that wanted to float back to the Waltz property. Veda Waltz organized and guided a float trip from Halifax back to the house for the ladies on Friday, but all were welcome! The trip was such a success, that it is planned again for this year! You may see eagles, many different types of ducks and even deer on the islands you pass while floating back to Bill and Veda’s house.

After a rain and windstorm passed through on Wednesday afternoon, nice weather moved in and stayed for the weekend. We had a pavilion set up with tables and chairs for three meals a day and a separate cooking area where the meals were prepared. An outside bathhouse is onsite for the convenience of the guests. Haleutician weekend is always nice because everyone contributes to make it a great time for all.

I would like to thank Bill Waltz and Ed “Top Hat” Freed among many others, without their hard work, this weekend would not be possible.

If you are interested in attending Haleutician weekend in 2016, scheduled for August 24-28, con-tact Ed “Top Hat” Freed at 1-717-763-0265 for an invitation to the event. The event starts Wednesday after noon and wraps up Sunday after noon, but feel free to join us whenever you’d like!

BOJC News 2016

BOJC News 2016

Bits and pieces of fur and feather

Editor’s note: The following correspondence and accompanying photograph were sent to us through the Brotherhood web page. Also, the website of the Beaver Fly Fishers is well worth taking a look at, if for no other reason than its humor tab. Good stuff, suitable for all ages.

Go to: beaverflyfishers.com

Hello,I just finished the book ,

“Tie A Fly, Catch A Trout,” and read about your organization. I found it on the net, read your creed, and am pleased to know you are work-

ing to protect the game fisheries of America. I’m from the Ozark Moun-tains of Arkansas and have been a fly fisherman/tyer for thirty years. We have a club called the Beaver Fly Fishers named after the Beaver Dam tail waters where we sometimes fish. Beaver Dam was created from White River which is known for its trout populace. Please keep up the good work you’re doing. Continued suc-cess.

Yours truly sometimes always, Arkansas Red-Ozark Troubadour

Eureka Springs, Ozark Mountains, Arkansas

Kindred fishing spirit offers encouragement

A friend of Jungle Cock member Jerry Rainey, of New Jersey, made him a display featuring the six state quar-ters with active Brotherhood chapters in a six sided wooden plaque reminiscent of the six sided brotherhood logo. A color photograph of the plaque has been put on display in the library of Bentz Hall at Camp Airy in Thurmont, Maryland. The six active chapters are in Maryland, the parent chapter, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

The states of the Jungle Cock

Sharing the sentiment of a unique gift

The BOJC News1877 Trudeau DriveForest Hill, Maryland 21050

Dakota Bittner shows how to properly hold a large fish for the camera, one of the finer points of angling learned during Fishing With the Masters.

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