This is THE family friendly event of the year!

Join us for our annual fun family fishing event and lunch on Saturday, 15th of April, at Damon Seven Lakes. If you’re lucky, you can earn the chance to capture the John Scarborough Sunfish Spectacular Trophy!

Fishing from the shore, but kickboat, canoe, and/or kayak are quite successful.

Contrary to the name there are now nine different, unique lakes of good size that hold largemouth bass, tiger bass, catfish, black crappie, and bluegill. Catching bass in the three to five pound range is a normal occurrence. Twelve pound bass, decent channel cats, and twelve inch bream have been caught in the last four years.

You may camp out the night before arriving on 4/14 but no earlier than 5 pm to stay the night.  On 4/15, people may arrive and register no earlier than 7 am. The event will close by 10 pm CDT.

When: April 15th, 2023 (2023-04-15-0700) Add this to your calendar:

Where:
Damon 7 Lakes
3533 CR 4
(Old Damon W. Columbia Road)
Damon, Texas 77430
N29.2524671 – W95.7412050

Start :  0700
End Time: 1600 for the event, but diehards can stay until TDTF (Too Dark to Fish)
Trip Leader:   David D.
Phone: 7I3(dash)8I6(minus)3259
e-mail:

Trip Description:   Join us for our annual fun family fishing event and lunch on Saturday, 15th of April, at Damon Seven Lakes. Fish from the shore or bring your kickboat, canoe, and/or kayak to fish or relax.  Camping the night (4/14) before is available and encouraged (we have permission from the owner) starting no earlier than 5 pm. Please park near the restrooms or pool area, and make sure other cars can get by.

Lunch will be a combination of hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips. For those that prefer non-meat items, Impossible Burgers will be grilled (please let leader know before trip). Drinks supplied will be sodas, Gatorade, and water. If you require a “diet” style drink, you may have to bring it if you would like something besides the water on hand.

TFF members will be on hand to provide casting lessons by certified TFF members. These lessons are typically between 20 to 30 minute long. Please let Trip Leader know ahead of time (preferred) or during the event if you are interested in improving your casting skills.

Buddy System: Want to fish with a seasoned TFF member?  Please let the Trip Leader know your name and cell phone number. Once at the event, please go to the registration table to be introduced to your buddy.

How to sign up:

1. Evite here
2. On the signup sheet distributed at the monthly meeting
3. Or e-mail the trip leader.

Waiver forms:  You must have a day waiver for Damon 7 Lakes to enter the property Friday night, or Saturday (link here).  Required Texas FlyFishers’ Waiver of Liability, (link here) filled out and signed, along with emergency contact information.

Cost:

• $10  for Texas FlyFishers members with paid up dues that have signed up ahead of time. 
• $15 for those that do not sign up early but are in good standing with the club.
• Special pricing for family members 16 and younger, students, and non-fishing spouses who will not be fishing during the event.  They may take free casting lessons.  Contact “Trip Leader” for details.’ 
• We will be using a list from the membership secretary to verify up-to-date membership. The list may be a week or 2 old by the event is held.
• Cost for non-club members fishing at Damon 7 Lakes is currently $90/person/day, (but can be reduced from $90 to $45 by joining Texas FlyFishers at the event [$15 event fee + $30 dues] )

Directions:  http://www.mjacompany.com/directions.html

Our volunteers will be set up with a sign-in station at the roll-up doors at the shop just through the large swing gates from 0700-0900.  If you come in after 0900, chase down a club member to get signed in and squared away. There will probably have at least one of us hanging out at the picnic area.

About the area: http://www.mjacompany.com/7lakes.html  “Damon’s Seven Lakes is a beautiful one-of-a-kind private fishing club located in Damon, Texas just west of Highway 36 between Rosenburg and West Columbia. Contrary to the name there are now nine different, unique lakes of good size that hold largemouth bass (LMB), tiger bass (a LMB variety), catfish, black crappie, and bluegill. Catching bass in the three to five pound range is a normal occurrence. Twelve pound bass, large channel cats and twelve inch bream have been caught in the last six years.”

Important items:
• Member dues are current!  Or you can pay your dues at this time.
• Waiver of Liability, filled out and signed, along with emergency contact information. See above.
• Extra change of dry clothes
• Wind and/or water proof jacket
• Water, snacks
• Sunscreen and Mosquito Repellent
• Hat, Polarized Glasses, and a Folding Chair(s) for lunch
• First Aid Kit

Recommended Flies:
Yellow spider, size 6-12
Miss Prissy or similar small popper
BBB
PGPP, size 8-12
S1B, size 6-10
Hare-E, size 10
Squirrelly, size 12
Dark Wooly bugger size 6-12
And I’m sure the list will grow when a few folks read this and make their own recommendations.

Recommended guidelines for participants:
• Notify the trip leader if you have any potential concerns
• If inexperienced, buddy up.
• Have proper safety equipment
• If you are boating or kayaking, inform the trip leader of your float plan if planning to fish alone or longer then the designated times.
• Sign-in/out: After entering through the the double-gate entrance, stop by the roll up doors at the garage to sign-in with the registrars. After 9 am, the registrars will relocate to the covered picnic area near the pool.  Sign-out will be at the covered picnic area.

Volunteer 0portunities.  These volunteers will have their fees waived for the day. Please contact the Trip Leader about volunteering.

• People to man the sign in table from 0645-0900  Q’s, Chris S, and others
• 2 people as Cooks from 1100-1215
  Cook 1 = ?
  Cook 2 = ?
• 2 people as Cleanup crew from 1200-1330
  KP1 = ?
  KP2 = ?

New trophy in hand.  Remember, “No pictures = no proof” The object of the John Scarborough Sunfish Spectacular trophy is to catch, and document, the longest sunfish before 1600 that day. And before we get creative, again, LMB are not one of the accepted species for the win.

We again have permission to camp the night before (1700).  I highly recommend it.

https://vimeo.com/508589125
Tracy Q’s LMB