Dallas Safari Club Show 2012
It has been a couple of years since I attended the Dallas Safari Club annual show. It’s kind of like visiting New Orleans; every once-in-awhile will do just fine.
Things have changed immensely in the last couple of years though. They moved from the old Dallas Market Hall to the Dallas Convention Center, and it looks like they are about 150-percent larger than they once were. Amazing.
I had to run every row to find some local (continental) interests to Texas Fly Caster readers, and there seem to be fewer fishing outfitters as a percentage, than the last time I attended – way fewer Continental USA lodges and outfitters. However, it could be that the hunting outfitters numbers have grown much quicker than the fishing lodges, resorts, guides and deep sea boats.
Fisheads of the San Juan River Navajo Quality Waters.
Seeing the words “Navajo Quality Waters” on one booth was enough to get me to stop and talk. I am glad I did.
Chris Taylor, owner of Fisheads San Juan River Lodge was very informative. They are located across from Abe’s Fly Shop and he runs twenty guides through his place. There are also group deals that lead me to ask; Is anyone interested in a trip to the Quality Waters? Chris took plenty of time to show me how the reengineering of the flow in the upper reaches, from Texas Hole and above, have effected flow through the precious swimming pool full of fish that is the Navajo Quality Waters. The upshot of that project is better and more habitat for fish and fly fishers, something that was in short supply after years of pressure fishing.
I also came across a couple of publications, “Lone Star Outdoor News,” which I have written and done photography for in the past, and another magazine “Texas Outdoors” that is intriguing – mostly because I have never seen it before, but also because it’s pretty good and a definite challenger to the guide heavy, prose light Texas Saltwater Fishing magazine. Overall, the quality of everyone’s self promotional materials are much better and more professional since the last time I gathered free samples. It’s probably a sign of the times when more money and effort go into promoting something like African Safaris.
If you have a little time Sunday, and your team isn’t in the playoffs, round up about 35-dollars and head on over to the Dallas Safari Club show at the Dallas Convention Center. I was pretty enthralled by the fish replicas of gigantic proportions, and it seems the ice chest full of huge stripers from Texoma is missing in action?
A pink Jeep custom conversion by Denton’s own Lone Star Conversions.
Category: Culture on the Skids, Destination Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing World Destinations
