Events

Ron McAlpin - Fly Fishing for White Bass

Ron McAlpin Our March meeting will host a long time friend of many of our club members, Ron McAlpin from right here in the San Antonio area. Just in time for the annual spring run of White Bass in Texas rivers and the Alamo Fly Fishers annual David Young Memorial White Bass outing, Ron McAlpin will present an informative program on tips and tactics for successfully catching this exciting species. This is a meeting you will not want to miss. White Bass action can be fast and furious if you now where and how to fish for this abundant and aggressive fish. What better way to enhance your success than insight from a long time pro! For those who have been many times, this is a great way to take your “game” to the next level and catch even more white bass!

Ron could be considered an expert in many types of Texas fly fishing and white bass fishing is no exception. He has fly fished the creeks, rivers and lakes of the Hill Country for the last 35 years. His first fly rod was even purchased to target white bass! In fact, Ron still prefers to fish with some of his early gear (some 30 years old!). His passion for vintage fishing gear seems to stem from its functionality and his ability to feel more subtle strikes on the older rods. Currently living in Boerne, just outside of San Antonio, he continues to fish these pristine rivers as often as he can. Some of you may know Ron from his dedication to GRTU and his current service as a board member. Ron is extremely passionate about fly fishing, which I am certain you will see through his presentation.

Ron will present an all inclusive slideshow on fishing for white bass. He plans to cover the species in detail, including what and how they eat, spawning cycles and life cycles. He will provide great insight on what makes white bass run and the characteristics of the run. Once we understand the underlying fish and their patterns, Ron will give suggestions on what type of gear you will need and what flies you should throw to be most successful. Most importantly, he will provide some insight on where to fish and how to determine the best times to fish to ensure better success. Using his suggestions can help us to plan ahead to make sure we are able to be on the water just in time for the prime run of the season! After fishing for this species for several decades, Ron prides himself with being able to catch large numbers of white bass even after most of the anglers claim that the run has ended. In fact, his best season to date logged 170 fish in 15 hours of fishing!