Outings Update - May 2009
by Todd Fleming - AFF Outings Director 2009
Have you ever planned a party, picked a location, sent out invitations, baked the cake, and no one bothered to show up? Outings so far this year have been a little bit like that. Attendance at outings has been paltry at best. I scratch my head and wonder why we have such a lack of interest in outings – even by the experienced veteran members of this club.
There has always been a gap between interest in fly fishing, and actual application. For the beginner, their interest in fly fishing was probably sparked by a movie or a magazine article or a fishing show, but they lack the confidence to actually take that interest outdoors. This is understandable, and to be expected from beginners. They will always need prodding to build confidence in a new sport. Some assistance from our experienced members would be helpful in making their transition – bridging that gap between interest and application. Your participation in club outings will help fan that spark into a flame that grows and spreads.
April was full of outing possibilities that were ignored by all but a few. On the 18th & 19th we floated the S. Llano River near Junction. We made long leisurely float trips on both days, and fished numerous spots along the way. Camping in the state park was also very comfortable under a clear, star-filled night sky. The weather and water were ideal for this hill country outing.
On the 22nd we made an evening road trip to Austin to attend the Fly Fishing Film Tour. Attendance by the central Texas fly fishing community was spectacular. If you are in to fly fishing, this was the place to be. We watched fourteen short films on fly fishing from Texas, the United States, Alaska, and around the world. They were well done with professional cinematography and music, for some high energy, action packed, fly fishing sequences. When the evening was over, I realized that the people in the audience and the people in the films were no different. It could have been any of us in those pictures. The joy and excitement illustrated on the big screen is identical to moments we have in our local outings.
On the 25th we were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the saltwater hatchery at Sea Center Texas (Lake Jackson) where they raise redfish, speckled trout, and flounder to stock our coastal waters. This hatchery is the premier prototype for hatcheries across the country. Their success and productivity is amazing. All Texas fishermen should be thankful for the work our hatcheries do to maintain such lofty fish populations. After the hatchery tour, Rob and Anna Burlingame hosted our group at their family beach house near East Matagorda Bay. Night fishing on their lighted pier was reminiscent of being at the Land Cut. We enjoyed fresh fillets and boiled crab that night for dinner.
Our first outing in May will probably occur prior to the publication of this newsletter. On May 2nd will be the Bud Priddy Memorial One Fly Contest on the Nueces River at Camp Wood, Texas. It is an interesting contest where catches of over 200 fish on a single fly are sometimes required to win the “Most Fish” category. The Nueces River is very productive, and extremely accessible. This makes the One Fly a popular traditional outing that dates back to the beginning of our club.
Remember Mother’s Day is May 10th – no club outing that weekend. Then May 15 thru 17 is the Gulf Coast FFF Expo in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This is a fly fishing educational opportunity to learn from the best. The celebrity guests lined up for this event are Stu Apte, Bob Popovics, Wanda Taylor, Nic Curcione, and our very own Steve Flanagan. The Expo features seminars, workshops, fly tying, and fly casting instruction – more than you can possibly attend in one Expo. It all begins with a crawfish dinner Friday evening followed by a non-stop schedule of activities at multiple venue locations. For more Gulf Coast Expo information and registration, go to http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?page=conclave-2009 .
In June, please consider joining us for an outing to the coastal bend and some overnight jetty action at Port Aransas on Saturday June 6th. For more information on this outing and a summary handout, come to the club meeting on May 19th.
There is a limited number of spots remaining for a kayak fishing trip to Fence Lake on June 20th. If you are interested in this outing, let me know as soon as possible. Also, if an overnight trip to Fence Lake is of interest to you, let me know. We may work on something for the hard core fly fishermen addicted to saltwater flats fishing.
If you have an idea for an outing you want to make, please let me know. If you are fishing an alternative outing schedule, let me know. I’ll be glad to attend your party. I’m looking for other fly fishing gun slingers who relate to the phrase, “Have fly rod; will travel”. I can use your help to resuscitate our outing apathy.
Now get outside, and go fishing! Good luck and I look forward to seeing you on the water!