TECHNICAL

Texas Fly Fishing Events Piling On Again This Year

shannon | January 16, 2018

Let the good lines roll!

Announcements are flowing like sand through the hourglass now, and as is normal for the Texas Fly crowd, there is another scheduling overlap again this year. Now that they’ve shot themselves in THE OTHER foot, I can’t help but wonder how it is these things happen?

In the first place, the general events (non-trout related) occur at what is typically, and selfishly slow time of the fly fishing year – a slack tide of slow if you know what I mean? People around here may be talking fly, but they certainly aren’t throwing fly.

Here’s what I have so far, and if I miss your event, be sure to holler in my face as soon as possible. I am always glad to share information about this sport you live and love, and if you are so bold and focused as to want to ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT here, we can talk about that as well.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE

The first event on the 2018 fly fishing calendar is right around the proverbial corner. Whoever comes up with a descriptive name that isn’t “fest.” or “festival” gets a prize! First, we retired “Conclave,” and now we work to retire “festival,” and the word “ambassador” from all fly lexicon forever and ever amen.

Texas Fly Fishing Expo

Based on the dead website http://txflyfishexpo.com/ – it appears that event is now dead in the water. So long. We hardly knew ya’.

TroutFest 2018

February 16-18, 2018

http://www.grtu.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/GRTU_SDE_2018.pdf

Sometimes a “sleeper” event – one loaded with great stuff and great information. That speaker list looks a little worn thin, except for Chris Wood, who I have traveled with in the past. His perspective, and speaking ability, and knowledge make for a good lecture.

Texas Freshwater Fisheries – Fly Fish Texas

https://tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/visit/specialevents/flyfishtx/

February 24, 2018

This event was hurting for attendance and vendors last year – in my humble opinion. And without any kind of celebrity of note to draw crowds, it may be a little of an underdog this year as well. The February 24 date is questionable as well – with the winter we are having right now.

NOTE: Unfortunately, this event uses synthetic trout as their main attraction – setting up kids to fish for these little fish, and not really pairing up adults with walk-in kids to get their hands on fly rods. A lot more catching and hooking of kids would be accomplished with sunfish as the attraction, instead of those poor seasonal trout. This event feels like it is about ready for an overhaul.

Trinity River Water District – Flyfest 2018

March 10, 2018

http://trwdflyfest.com/

Along the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas.

This event has size and gearth to it. The location is eye-opening, and if you are local to North Texas, you are sure to run into someone you know.

Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Expo

March 10-11, 2018

http://txflyfishingfestival.org/

This event a couple of heavy hitters, and it costs heavy as well. I like that. I think in the microbrewery rich region of North Texas, they attracted three different beer makers last year. Pretty pathetic. But then, micro brews are so 2013 anyway, aren’t they? There are some speakers of note this year, and although I have never fished with any of them (you know who you are), I bet we can learn a little something new from some of these folks.

When it comes to talking, I would have expected to hear from Stephen Woodcock out of Fort Worth, but obviously he’s tied up at the TRWD Flyfest going on at the same time in Fort Worth.

NOTE: This goes on over two days, so you can do both this one and the Forth Worth event while you are not hanging out in Denton. You can bet the locals won’t be promoting ANYTHING local to local fly fishers.

Ladyfish 2018 Women’s Fly Fishing Festival

March 24, 2018

http://livingwatersflyfishing.com/ladyfish/

Round Rock Texas

Sponsored by City of Round Rock, and Living Waters Fly Fishing in Round Rock, Texas. This is the first ever of this particular event, and guess what? it’s calling itself a “festival” too.

It looks like your best contact is Living Waters Fly Fishing.

LATER THIS WEEK, I will publish the current rundown of fly fishing tournaments. It is always a short list, and with my working weekends, I won’t be the backbone of any Lake Ray Ray Roberts tournament anytime soon. Maybe in my next decade, I will have that freedom once again.

Or maybe I will just start an event called “Festival! Festival!” and retire now!

Oklahoma Report: Blue River A Frozen Mystery

shannon | January 5, 2018

Fish Jumping on the Blue River This Weekend

Conditions & Flies That Surprise – The Tequeely

For those of you looking for a crack in this weekend weather, it’s here. I do have some new information on the Blue River and Beaver’s Bend Oklahoma.

I’m a writer and not mathematician, but I am okay at addition and subtraction. It looks like to me Beaver’s Bend is getting about half the trout stockings

that the Blue River is getting as of the last official numbers on the last stocking date. I never thought I would see that! Maybe it’s always that way during certain times of the season, and I will leave it to you to correct me if this is normal. If stocked fish are your illness, then a short trip to the Blue River seems to be your cure.

AND I have heard that the Blue River fish are eating big flies! So throw your 16’s and 18’s if you like, but word out is that small fish imitations are the ticket to paradise. This means a #6 white Clouser and better yet have a look at the TeQueely Streamer fly for your solution to these fish.

NOW THE BAD NEWS

The flies, and the stocking information is yours to do with as you see fit. The bad news is – reports say the Blue River is virtually frozen over.

So there’s that to deal with.

HERE IS THE LATEST PRESS RELEASE from Barry Shrader

Blue River Fly Classic 2018

General Information

Date Of Event: March 3rd, 2018

Place: Blue River Public Fishing And Hunting Area
Time Of Event: 7:30 a.m. till 12:30 p.m.
Starting Point: Main Parking Lot Campground Area Blue River
Blind Pairings Will Be Prior To Start Of Event
Entry Fee: $35.00 Per Contestant

Purpose:

The purpose of the Blue River Fly Classic is two-fold. First, the mission of this event is create a day of greater fellowship among the fly fishing community on Blue River. Secondly, this event is designed as a fund raising event with the totality of monies raised by entries fees going directly to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife in support of the Catch and Release section at Blue River. Funds will be monitored by and through the Blue River Association.

Rules:

*A same pattern will only be used. NOTE: Contestants will be given one fly. An additional fly can be purchased (see below).

*All contestants will receive the same pattern and the pattern will remain a mystery until the start of the event. When a contestant loses the fly (or flies) then that contestant is out. If the contestant loses the fly (or flies) and wishes to continue fishing for the sake of fishing, then that contestant must turn their score card over to the person they are paired with. One additional fly can be purchased and used for this event for $10.00.

*Contestants will be allowed to retie their fly, but must notify their partner they are doing so.

*Dry flies as strike indicators will not be allowed.

*Scored fish are fish brought to hand. Each contestant must alert their partner when a fish is brought to hand.

*Each contestant is responsible for keeping their own score card.

*Each contestant should devise a way for measuring fish that are caught. Length of each fish scores additional points.

*This entire event is based on the honor system.

*Deadline for entering is February 10th 2018.

A copy of the general information, rules, and entry form will be available January 1st, 2018. To obtain an entry form contact [email protected] An entry form will be sent to you as an attachment. Print the entry form, fill it out, include payment and mail both in. You will receive a confirmation email once your entry is received.

Prizes:

Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers. Prizes will be announced at a later date.

There will be a number of give-away prizes also in a random drawing.

Sun Sets on Winter Weather Wednesday

shannon | December 27, 2017

Weather Keeps Fly Fishing Talk Short and Sweet

Whoa. Now this is what we’ve been missing here in North Texas. We have some real, cold, wet and miserable weather upon us, and boy do we need it! This is the kind of weather that makes a fish believe things are nothing other than normal in their world, and it triggers the kinds of instincts that puts them in their proper seasons, thank God.

The idea of catching a temperate January day of fly fishing in Daingerfield, Texas, for chain pickerel, is now completely viable! We are all systems go for January – and watching closely – for a day, I hope two, to head over to Daingerfield and camp, and putz around the lake chasing chains.

WRAPPING UP 2017

Of course, life without some kind of pressure, is something I know almost nothing about. Those days are an ancient memory now, but with some help, I may relearn relaxation in 2018. After all, 2017 was only the second worst year of my adult life … but who’s counting?

The 2017 FLY FISHING certainly wasn’t the worst. It was actually the second best year since[ppw id=”183910405″ description=”Wrapping it up for 2017″ price=”.25″]

I started sliding down this slippery slope. It’s funny how that works; some things can be so bad while at the same time, other things for a person can be so darn good. It is impossible to discount the addition of the skiff to the mix of the last two years being the best, but with these fluctuations in rainfall since October – 2018, I think, will be the truest test yet – for the superiority of fly fishing for carp from skiff. I would actually say 2018 IS THE YEAR that decides this debate (but I know it’s hardly debatable).

Take, for example the newest issue of Drake Magazine. By the grace of God, and with a little bit of biblical knowledge (so little I’m ashamed), I was able to get decent play for the article on Clyde going to the epicenter of landfall for Hurricane Harvey. It is reassuring to note that the vast majority of Texas news outlets (like the Texas Standard radio show) are still focused on Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath, even if the numbers still favor Houston’s lead coverage. I can say, with no hesitation, that this story is the best professional thing to happen for me in 2017. Will it lead to anything? Let us all hope so – because it (that story) really NEEDS TO lead to something more.

On the flip-side of the fly, two new fly fishing records came my way this year. One is from Lake Bridgeport, and I managed a decent gaspergou to put on the books for Ray Roberts as well. Those drum were certainly something in 2017! They were everywhere, and they chased and ate like a gamefish should. I am happy with both of those records, and will be happier when someone makes the effort to break them! That’s why I do it in the first place!

I always shotgun new ideas and make bold efforts to bring new information (and old information) in new ways — to those of you who are still interested in the relentless pursuit of fish on fly. As they say, I sometimes “get out in front of my skis” with these announced efforts. I am realizing with the deduction of about 40 waking hours a week from my life … it can be hard to cash the checks I am writing to you, the loyal readers and new readers with expectations. What I don’t get done for you, in the way of providing information in creative ways, wakes me up in the middle of the night.

For example, the assembly of “podcast style” audio interviews is proving to be a bigger time burner than the videos you find me doing for the Texas Fly Caster YouTube Channel – much bigger. I have a lot more faith in the popularity of the YouTube content, but I also realize a challenge when it comes to painting pictures with only voices and words. The intensity level of writing for that format is incredible. Anyone can create a Podcast, but hardly anyone can do a good job of it. I am not willing to lower my standards just to be in the format.

WHEN IT COMES TO FORMATS

When it comes to formats sweeping through fly fishing, have you seen the corruption of Instagram? Mark 2017 as the year fly folks finally flocked to Instagram, and then essentially destroyed it as an honest purveyor of information. As a professional photographer and someone who has been on that social media since its beginning, it is sad to see. I feel confident in saying YouTube will NEVER suffer the same fate from the fly fishing community.

So where do we go from here in 2018. After ten years, I wonder the same thing. The interest in written word seems to be at the lowest point ever, and my desire to deliver in writing is at its apex. This is a year to take the measure, and see if words are for profit, and videos and podcasts are for fun. Or, is there another combination? That’s what we’re about to find out going into 2018. I think we can safely call it a “make-or-break” year for the Texas Fly Caster website. No matter what, the archives are pretty fantastic, aren’t they???

ENDING WITH A BANG NOT A WIMPER

I had thought I would throw out a Top 10 Fly Fishing Music Countdown for 2017 via podcast, but I realized later that a lot of my music I am rating is music I have downloaded via my Itunes account, and is not playable for podcast purposes. You will also see that I no longer have any ads for Amazon purchases on the site – they discontinued the commission program (so what’s the point?). I still accept ads though! So I will be contacting you, if you have fly related products, about my ad rates, and why you’d be smart to get on board (if you’re interested in hitting your target market between the eyes!).

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When it comes to posting for profit, aka Pay-Per-View reading, this site will make a dramatic, inelegant shift to all Pay-Per-View reading in January — assuming I can get this terrible software to work properly. It will retroact all the way back to 2008. The rest of the good news? You can still watch YouTube videos for free, and all the social media is still free as well. This may sound strange, “free,” but with the net neutrality laws overturned / unenforced? You want to get ready to pay for a lot of things you though should / would always be free.

Monday Evening Sidewalk

shannon | December 18, 2017

Rio Grande Valley and Back

Welcome to a late afternoon Monday Morning Sidewalk. That’s the rub, nailing a regular column down to Monday morning sometimes, just sometimes, goes over deadline. You’re probably out of your cubicles, cars, offices, and limos and home by now, but I wanted to take a second to bring those of you – who read – up to speed.

It has been a whirlwind week out of town, starting with the loss, and Heaven’s gain of my 98-year-old Grandmother in the Rio Grande Valley. At 98, you can guess that she was ready and willing to go on home, [ppw id=”183910689″ description=”Holiday Update” price=”.25″]

and there was no pain or suffering. It was one of those kinds of dying, the kind we would be more than willing to receive on a dark night with clouds and stars above.

Of course, that breaks my last human bond to the Borderland where I grew up, and that is the strange bitterness that goes with the sweetness. There’s no grand reason to go home anymore, and that is strange to me.

So with a little more than a thousand miles under my feet since last Tuesday, I am back where I began – in a cold, wet and foggy North Texas. If there’s anything going on besides dinky TPWD stocker trout around here? I don’t know about it.

The Pop Up Shop here in Denton is going great guns, and merchandise is running very low. This is the last week of course, so be sure and visit the shop at 301 South Locust St. in Denton – if you are looking to support local artists, and provide a boost to the local economy (instead of the invisible stockholders of Amazon). For a look at merchandise, go to the Texas Fly Caster Instagram feed!

I am going to be manning the Pop Up Shop for the next few days, so I will bring the Texas fly fishing community up to speed, or MORE LIKELY, catch up with the Texas fly fishing community in coming days. I certainly need to close out the year with one final Texas Fly Fishing Report (yes, the original on YouTube), and a Christmas list for fly fishers, and BEFORE YEAR’S END, another Top Ten Fly Fishing Music Countdown (probably an audio broadcast).

There’s probably another trip to Houston to see family for ACTUAL Christmas in a few days, so you have to believe I will be almost as busy as you this holiday season. The schedule is about to clear though, and that starts in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I am looking for someone who wants to hit Dangerfield for chain pickerel during the holiday break, and if anyone in the Galveston area wants to show me to their fish? All you have to do is give me a text or call at the number you know, and I will give you the potential dates. Our cold North Central and Northeast Texas weather has probably given us the break that we need for both flounder in Galveston and those chain pickerel in Daingerfield.

There’s going to be a very rough cut to free/paid reading in January, and that is because the part of this site that separates paid/free content is a POS that is more expensive than you can probably believe – you’d laugh at me if you knew. I will try and bring you up-to-speed before end of year, but essentially everything that is “Paid Content” will be rough cut as far as the “teaser” opening content.c

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Friday Texas Fly Fishing Report

shannon | October 20, 2017 | 0 Comments

Texas Fly Fishing Report

Enjoy this report, it may be awhile. You will see that I have gutted it – to include only saltwater information until it makes sense (or you report) to do otherwise. So the end scroll is short. If you want something to look forward to in Texas freshwater fly fishing this winter, I suggest you backtrack to the article on Texas Power Plant Lakes, and pick a lake – AND GO AFTER IT. I suggest you hit those power plant lakes soon. At the rate wind power is growing in Texas, we may not need cooling lakes in five years (yes I said five).

I am headed 560 miles south on Monday for a couple days, and they routing back through Houston to North Texas. Basically, next week is a thousand mile week related to family needs. This pushes back the Oklahoma adventures into November in all likelihood, but I hear it is still warm there anyway. I think it’s safe to say it needs to cool considerably before we can get a clear line on the fly fishing at BendBow. I am certainly not seeing much in the way of information coming from that direction, although stocking by Oklahoma’s Department of Wildlife Conservation continues to stock BendBow as usual, and we can anticipate stocking to start on the Blue River as usual. Read their southwest region report – Oklahoma Southwest, and let me know where you’re going in the week ahead!

Well, I will take my communication devices with me on this odyssey next week, an emotional odyssey at that. So close to water, but so much more important things needing attention on this roundabout.