2006 Oktoberfisch Outing Report

October Outing Report:

2006 Oktoberfisch – A Fly Fishing Festival
October 20-22, 2006

Fishing the LlanoLast month we were invited by the Fredericksburg Fly Fishers to join them on the Llano River at their fly fishing festival called “Oktoberfisch”. WOW! We had a great time! Bruce Ward and the guys from Fredericksburg worked their butts off so the rest of us could have fun trying out new gear, learning to think like a fish, or just floating and fishing the river. There were about twelve of us from the Alamo Fly Fishers that made the trip to the hill country for the weekend. Some of us camped out along the river’s edge, and others found shelter in town or in local B&B’s. As usual, the Tentcot served us well, and attracted the attention of many of the other campers. The weather was fabulous – clear, cool, and crisp at night, and warming sunshine beamed down during the day. There had been some rain earlier in the week, but this was a great weekend to be outdoors.

The festival ran from noon on Friday through Sunday morning. Dan Dockery and I didn’t arrive until after dark Friday night. Doug Slick met us as we came through the gate – he had arrived earlier, set up camp, and had a nice warming fire going when we arrived. We enjoyed an adult beverage by the fire under the stars, before climbing into bed. The next morning, we spotted the Yantis brothers during breakfast – they were camping upscale in a travel trailer at the RV Park nearby.

Oktoberfisch FestivalSaturday was full of activities, demonstrations, and lots of hands on learning opportunities. Stacy Trimble, one of the featured speakers, had made the trek from Rockport to share her knowledge of fly fishing with sinking lines, fishing seasons in Texas, and saltwater fly fishing basics. Billy Trimble, her husband and prominent fly fishing guide, was scheduled to be there too, but wasn’t able to attend – he was hardly missed; Stacy covered all the bases, and is much easier on the eyes. Stacy shared many Trimble guiding tips, including a handy fly release from rod guide to water without touching the fly. We learned many things to be more successful fly fishermen, and things that will make fly fishing more enjoyable.

Where's the food?Saturday evening was capped off with a wonderful candle light steak dinner outdoors. They served 130 plates, handed out awards from the day, and pulled raffle tickets for prizes until late into the night. It was a very satisfying evening, and weekend. There were really just too many things to do in one weekend – or one festival. This was the third annual Oktoberfisch - I’m already planning to attend the fourth annual meeting next year. You should put this on your calendar also. Go to www.fredericksburgflyfishers.org for more details. It is a wonderful gathering if fly fishing talent and knowledge from around the state. My advice, be sure to catch it when it comes around next year!

Todd Fleming
Alamo Fly Fishers