President's Message - June 2010: New Territories

I sit writing this article overlooking Lake Livingston, taking a break from my usual Memorial Day weekend fishing adventure. By the sweat on my brow, I am quickly reminded that spring is over and summer has arrived. And with the weather, fishing seasons are changing.

One Fly WinnersThe Hill Country rivers are in full swing now as we saw at the Bud Priddy One Fly. For those who were unable to make it, the tournament turned out to be fantastic! Despite the rainy days on both sides of tournament, Saturday turned out to be sunny and comfortable along the Upper Nueces. We hosted 21 fishermen and women from four or five different clubs. The dinner was first rate thanks to Holy Smoke BBQ in downtown Camp Wood. The fishing turned out to be great for everyone, and we had several fish counts close to and over three digits that were turned in. Perch were hitting everything from poppers to small buggy patters and the bass seemed to prefer larger streamers. Congratulations to this year’s winners who were:
- Most Fish – Aaron Riggins (196 fish)
- Longest Bass – tied between Doug Slick and Brandon Dillard (17” Bass)
- Longest Perch – Brad Love (10 ½” Perch)
The water level was better than I had seen it in years with good flows and its usual crystal clear conditions. Overall it was a wonderful tournament and I can’t wait for next year’s.

Along the lines of tournaments, we have two more exciting activities coming up through the Alamo Fly Fishers. In another month and a half, on July 17th, we will be once again co-hosting the Lydia Ann Fly Master’s Tournament in Aransas Pass in support of Casting for Recovery. If anyone is interested in helping out with any of the many tasks the day of the tournament, please let me know. There is plenty to keep us busy and any help would be appreciated.

Another fun event is our club member “spot contest” that will be ongoing between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The goal is to catch a redfish that has the most spots on one side. It’s an easy tournament that only requires that you catch a fish and photograph it. Send the photos to me at robburlingame@yahoo.com and I will put them on the website and keep a running tally of who is in the lead. There will be a link on our home page with up to date results, so make sure you check it out. Last year’s winner, Lloyd Matthews, received bragging rights, but this year we will be sweetening the pot, with the winner receiving their choice of Cortland fly line from a selection we have on hand. There are five choices with floating and intermediate lines between 8 and 10 weight. So get out and catch some redfish and hopefully you will be the lucky winner this year!

Along with the elevated action of the Hill Country rivers, June marks the start of consistent fishing and consistent weather along the Gulf Coast. You can expect clear and sunny days and warm temperatures for the majority of the next two months. When the winds are light, be sure you make a trek to the coast to find lots of redfish on the flats. They should be at or near the end of their spring pattern, splitting into smaller pods and covering the flats. From my few trips already, expect this to be a fantastic year on the flats! Action is also starting at the jetties, with Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, Jack Crevalle and Tarpon beginning to show up in numbers. Don’t miss out on the action once it gets into full swing! But make sure you check your backing and replace it if needed since the larger fish on the jetties are known to show you a few hundred feet of it!

With all of the different types of fishing that are beginning to blossom, my challenge to you all is to get out and go fishing…sort of! I want all of you to go fishing somewhere you have never fished before. It may be a different set of flats or a different river crossing, but pick a new spot and try it out. Changing locations not only helps you to learn new stretches of water, but it may also help you to learn new techniques, break the monotony of favorite spots and you may even meet new people! A good way to start this adventure is to pick an outing you haven’t been on. You can also set up an impromptu adventure at one of our off Tuesday tying sessions at the church. Go fishing with a new friend and learn their favorite spots! (Just don’t give all of their secrets away!)

If you are new to the sport or have never tried fishing the coast or Hill Country, the outings are a great way to shorten the learning curve and get you catching fish quicker! Learn the techniques and flies to use to enhance your success. A recent change to our outings procedures will also help out members of all experience levels. Prior to each of our major outings, we will be holding clinics on non-meeting Tuesday nights at the church. Our first clinic will be the Tuesday after the June meeting (June 22nd) where we will be preparing for the upcoming overnight jetty trip. The clinic will cover what you need to know for this outing, including flies, knots for jetty and tarpon leaders, loading your jetty cart and much more. If you haven’t been on a jetty outing or just need a refresher, make sure you are there. It is much easier to learn the proper techniques now than late at night on the jetties.

Another great way to learn new spots for our members is to take advantage of our mentor program. The program is designed for all ages and experience levels to help you learn. This is not just a program for folks who are new to the sport…it is for those wanting to broaden their horizons and learn something new. I have two mentees at the moment who have fly fished for years, but had never successfully fished the saltwater. Getting on the water with someone who knows the area and the water can make your time spent much more enjoyable, successful and beneficial as you learn from their experiences as well build your own.

So, take a few minutes to sit down with your calendar and set aside some time this summer to head out in search of a new piece of water. Who knows, you may just find a new favorite spot! See you on the water!