International Sportsman's Exposition

Deep Blue Poison Tung (Craven)
Hook: Tiemco 2488H #18-#22
Bead: 2mm silver tungsten

Thread: Ultrathread Blue Dun 70

Rib: Gunmetal Blue Ultrawire

Body: Tying thread

Head: Ice Dub, UV Gray

SPlatte Baetis

Email sgunkel@ggclub.com for material list and tying instructions.

Growing up in Colorado has given me the opportunity to enjoy all of its' outdoor beauty and I feel very fortunate to live the golf course life, it's a good one. Beyond the time it takes maintaining Kissing Camels, I enjoy the tranquil vibe of fishing for trout in moving waters. With less fishing pressure and stable flows, winter fly fishing can provide some of the best conditions of the year. Once the irrigation system is blown out and the golf course is covered with snow, my nights are largely consumed with tying flies to match the aquatic life of the local watersheds. This last Friday I had the opportunity to represent Anglers Covey at the ISE in the Fly Tying Theater. My presentation was about an hour long, in which time, I tied up a few local patterns such as the Black Beauty and Deep Blue Poison Tung to get warmed up. While these patterns are ridiculously easy to tie, they do an incredible job mimicking small aquatic midges found in the South Platte and the fish are very receptive to eating them. I finished the presentation demonstrating my own pattern tied to represent mayfly nymphs that have caught fish in our local rivers 12 months out of the year, Gunkel's SPlatte Baetis. I mainly tie this pattern to represent the spring and fall Blue Winged Olives, but have recently changed a few things and have an awesome Pale Morning Dun imitation that will slay this summer before and during the hatch. Like being on the golf course, fly fishing gives me a connection to nature that can't be duplicated. Fly tying, however, fills the void until the next time on the water. I'd like to personally thank Steve Gossage, and all the guys at Anglers Covey for the opportunity to show off my talents.

Audubon International

Today we received our first Certificate of Achievement from the Audubon International in Environmental Planning. Although the name of the club is botched a little bit, I'm proud to be part of the movement that Garden of the Gods Club/Kissing Camels is making towards environmental sustainability and look foreword to the continued support from our members. As we continue to work towards certification, special notice will be sent out to our owners and members as to inform you all of the projects and case studies to be performed in the field. I would like to send out a special thanks to Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, Steven Blais for all the hard work he has put into this project. Way to go, team!

58 Degrees in January

It's about this time of year when my thoughts of Christmas and celebration tend to turn towards Crown Hydration Injury, Desiccation, and Ice damage. Quite a mental swing to say the least. With the weather taking on a bit of a change, the golf course will be open this weekend for the first time since Thanksgiving. To combat this weather trend, the crew has been hand watering all of the exposed greens and tees this week to hydrate the crown (growing point), of the plant. Although the turf is in a dormant state, its requirements for water and gas exchange is still vital to the survival of each plant. For all our members and guests who winter in Colorado Springs, I would strongly encourage you to get out and water your lawns during these breaks in the weather. Because the ground is, and has been frozen, this application is not meant to be taken up systemically as the root system will not accept the water. Instead, a light syringing of the turf will suffice with the goal being to hydrate the crown of the plant. By doing this, you're dramatically increasing the avoidance of turf casualty from extreme dehydration. Although wind events haven't been as intense compared to recent years, the light breezes on the mesa further compound this drying out condition. I expect to see you all on the golf course this weekend, but if I don't, be sure to get out there and water the lawn.

SIMMS G4-Pro

Because Golf Course Maintenance is a full contact sport, much of our time is spent in the harsh Colorado elements. Without the proper equipment, weather conditions on the mesa can quickly lead to a miserable situation. Having tested it in rain/snow events, not to mention consistant wind events, I can honestly say that the G4-Pro is BOMBPROOF! This jacket features Windstopper technology, breathability, tons of practical pockets, and is totally waterproof. Beyond these features, this jacket offers waterproof zippered pockets to protect cell phones, cameras, and handheld irrigation/GPS devices from the weather. Coupled with a pair of Dry Joy rain pants, I can easily see this combo being uniform staples from October to late May and look forward to putting future SIMMS products to the test. The G4-Pro and other SIMMS gear is locally available at Anglers Covey, while all Foot Joy products are available in the Kissing Camels Pro Shop. Be sure to do your spring shopping early as to keep you and you golfing partners out on the golf course while everyone else is scrambling to the 19th hole.