This months speaker is Jim Gray, past president of the Austin Fly Fishers and current president of the International Fly Fishers Texas Council. Jim has been fly fishing, rod building and fly tying for 35 years. This will be the 1st presentation that Jim has given to the Texas Fly Fishers, but he regularly gives presentations to fly fishing clubs in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. His job has given him the opportunity to fly fish all over the world, but his favorite places to fish are the Texas Hill Country and his native South Florida.

It’s this South Florida connection that Jim will talk about at this month’s meeting. For the past 20 years, Jim has been hunting for exotics in the canals that crisscross Florida. Everyone knows about peacock bass, but there are over 40 species of exotic fish that have a breeding population, and many of these are viable fly fishing targets. Jim’s presentation will cover the tactics, flies and techniques for 10 exotic species. He will even give you directions to local hot spots. According to Jim, “there aren’t many places where you can hit a local canal and catch fish from North America, South America, Asia and Africa, and the list is constantly growing. Just this month, three new species were caught on fly – arowana, red-tailed catfish and flower-head cichlid. South Florida really does offer something special for anglers looking for a new challenge.”

Before the meeting, Jim will be tying his favorite fly for exotics, a reverse craft fur bait fish in peacock colors.

So, come to the July 2017 we would be glad to see you there.

Our speaker for the June 27, 2017 monthly meeting will be Phil Shook who will be making a presentation titled: “Tarpon and Bonefish and Permit! Oh Maya! – Flyfishing the Yucatan from a Lodge or On Your Own”.

Phil is a nationally known flyfishing writer and instructor whose stories have appeared in Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Flyfishing in Saltwaters, Saltwater Sportsman, Fly Fisherman, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Texas Sporting Journal and other magazines.  His outdoor writing, angling and travel assignments have taken him from Cape Cod, MA to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and from Hudson Bay Manitoba to Caracas, Venezuela.  He is the author of Flyfisher’s Guide to Mexico, Flyfisher’s Guide to Texas, Flyfisher’s Guide to the Northeast Coast and co-author, with Chuck Scates and David Sams, of Flyfishing the Texas Coast: Backcountry Flats to Blue Water.  He has received the Arnold Gingrich Memorial Award and the Silver King Award from the International Federation of Flyfishers for contributions to the literature of fly fishing.  He and his wife, Kit, live in Houston.

So, if you are interested in fly fishing opportunities in the Yucatan, want to watch some fly tying before the meeting or just want to hang out with some friendly fly fisherman and women come on out to the June 27, 2017 meeting- we would be glad to have you.  As an additional incentive to making this monthly meeting, you will want to note that Phil will be donating a copy of the Mexico guidebook and a boxed selection of his favorite Yucatan fly patterns to the club. See you at the meeting!

Our speaker for the May 30, 2017 meeting will be Shannon Branham.  Shannon guides on numerous Colorado waters including the Crystal River, Elk Trout and 3 Rivers Ranch in addition to guiding float trips on the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers.  Shannon also ties flies and is credited with designing the fly named the “Trash Can” which is an articulated streamer pattern available from Orvis.  So, if you are interested in fly fishing for brown, cutthroat and/or rainbow trout or are just interested in watching some fly tying before the meeting and socializing with some friendly fly fishermen and women come to the May 30, 2017 meeting, we would be glad to have you.

Our speaker for the February 28, 2017 monthly meeting will be Mike Lembke from Wollaston Lake Lodge located in Canada approximately 100 miles from the Northwest Territories http://www.wollastonlakelodge.com/ .  Mike will be telling us about the trophy Northern Pike, Lake Trout, Grayling and Walleye to be found at Wollaston Lake along with the spectacular scenery and relaxed atmosphere found in the Canadian wilderness.  So, if you are interested in hearing about the fine fishing opportunities to be found in northern Canada, watching some fly tying before the meeting or just socializing with some friendly fly anglers, come to the February 2017 monthly meeting, we would be glad to have you.

Our Monthly speaker for January 31, 2017 will be Louisiana resident Jeff Ferguson who will be talking with us about the fine fly fishing to be found on Lake Calcasieu located near theTexas Louisiana border.  Jeff is an experienced fly angler, is very knowledgeable about the Lake and is also a Certified  Master Casting Instructor so you will not want to miss his presentation.  The meeting, as always, will start at 7 pm and will be preceded with a great opportunity to socialize with a very friendly group of men and women who are interested fly fishing.  So, come to the meeting we would be glad to have you in attendance.

The Christmas party held December 10th will serve as our monthly meeting for December so there will be no meeting the last Tuesday of December, 2016. Regular monthly meetings will resume on the last Tuesday of January 2017 as usual.

Our Monthly Speaker for the November 29, 2016 will be club member, Joe Nicklo who will be telling us about fly fishing the Green River, Flaming Gorge, Utah. Joe has fished the Flaming Gorge and is familiar with the fly fishing techniques and strategies which are available to the angler who chooses to fish those waters. So, if you are interested in what the Flaming Gorge in the state of Utah has to offer for the fly fishing angler or just want to mingle and socialize with others who are interested in fly fishing, come to the November 2016 meeting we would be glad to have you.

 Our Speaker for the October 25,2016 monthly meeting will be Filippo Invernizzi.  Filippo is the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Avalon Outdoor, a specialized tourism enterprise founded in 1992 and located in Cuba. Originally from Italy, Filippo has dedicated most of his life to managing and promoting sustainable fly fishing. In Cuba, he was among the first to make the business case for conservation with the marine protected area of Gardens of the Queen and 5 more Marine parks.  So if you are interested in learning about fly fishing opportunities in Cuba or just want to socialize with some friendly fly fishermen and women, come on out to the October, 2016 monthly meeting.  We would be glad to have you.