CANCELLED for 2021: Annual Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival

The below is a letter issued late last year (2020) informing of the cancellation of the 2021 event.  It is reposted below as a reminder:

Texas FlyFishers
November 17, 2020

I’m writing to announce that due to current COVID / social distancing restrictions and,
with no improvement in the immediate future, the Texas FlyFishers have elected to
postpone the 29th Annual Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival, originally scheduled for
Saturday, February 13th, 2021 in Houston, Texas, until Saturday, February 12th, 2022.
This decision was not made without exploring every avenue possible but, due to the
limits placed on spacing and occupancy, it was decided that we could not offer our tyers
and, the general public the quality of event that they have come to expect.
In the meantime, the festival committee will continue working and planning to make the
Fly Tying Festival a bigger and better event. We will also post updates on our progress
on the Texas FlyFishers website at http://www.texasflyfishers.org .
Since its beginning in April, 1993, the Festival has grown into one of the area’s premier
fly fishing events, consistently attracting the top fly tiers from all over the country. This
event could not have reached the level of notoriety it has without the support of tyers like
you. With your continued support, it is the hope of the Texas FlyFishers that the Annual
Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival will continue to grow. I hope you will make plans on
being of this great event.
Regards,

Chris Sumers
Dr. Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival Chairman
csumers (at) comcast (dot) net

 

Reel Recovery 2021 Fly Drive

Reel Recovery is once again requesting an effort from our TFF fly tiers to solicit flies for their upcoming retreats.

As you all know, Covid-19 has put our retreats in “suspense” for this year, at least until further notice. 

However we continue to hope and plan for retreats later this year.

In addition to Covid impact our ability to serve men with cancer, we are facing and additional challenge in that we must now supply ALL OUR OWN FLIES for both the retreat, and the gift boxes. ( in the past Reel Recovery has shipped us some flies)

So we are launching a 2021 Fly drive!

Of course, we have flies in our inventory but many are inappropriate for the freshwater ponds and species we target.

Unfortunately the need for retreat flies never ends! Here’s the flies that we typically need:

      • Squirmy wormy               • Mop fly                            • San Juan worm

      • Sam’s one bug                 • Yellow spiders                 • Black spiders

      • Wooly buggers olive        • Wooly buggers black       • Wooly worms

      • Clouser minnow              •  Small bluegill poppers    • Bead head nymphs

      Or

      Any flies that you have had success with in targeting largemouth bass and pan fish in small ponds!

Steve Tomlinson, Drew Cox, Steve Edwards, or Dave Steffek will accept the donations thru arrangements at the upcoming 2021 monthly meetings of the Texas Fly Fishers. 

Given the Pandemic restrictions, these men will be making arrangements for accepting the donations.

Thank you for your continued support in helping these brave gentlemen with their battle to defeat cancer!!

Gurgler style frog, 2020-03-25

Micheal S. gave me a larger version of this frog, and the bass completely destroyed it.

I tinkered with the pattern until I could get the tying down to less than 5 minutes, and here is the result:

Hook:  Size 6 Mustad 3366A
Thread: 240 denier thread to match under-body
Over-body: 3mm closed cell foam cut to 1/2″ wide
Legs: Flat rubber legs, 4 strand wide, and 1 strand
Under-body: Chenille, yarn, etc.
Eyes: 4mm dolls eyes
Glue:  Craft glue or CA
Markers for finishing touches.

Continue reading

Doing a little more tying, 2020-03-23

Distancing myself from the public in the hobby room, tying flies in anticipation of good weather coming.

I needed to replace the frogs that Mike S. gave me a few months ago.

Then again Scott F. convinced me to try tying some DB poppers.