Let’s Go Clubbing!
Texas Fly Fishing Clubs Back in Session
Yeah, I know. Texas fly fishing clubs, most of them I know of, are a double-edged butter knife. Heck, I am currently a member of one! (Lower) Laguna Madre Fly Fishing is the banner I fly under, and for good measure? I live 550-miles from their meetings. That’s probably a little too far, but it works for me.
Closer to Home
No matter where you are in this huge State, there’s a fly fishing club nearby. Of course when I say, “nearby,” I mean it in a Texas sense of the word.
Clubs have always had their place in the fly fishing world. And it probably goes way back to the times when people felt a need for a gathering that was protected from certain things, where they could talk freely about bait chuckers and then San Juan Shufflers and then maybe glittery bass boaters. Looking further in, the (some would say) “elite” nature of these clubs spawned the more elites within – certified casting gods, and fly tying lords. All this politicking and and stroking whilst I made one simple observation, twenty-years-ago and now: You will have a hard time finding an organization (speaking of Texas) that has a more homogenous demographic profile. Clubs around Texas that I have lectured for and visited, appeared (I don’t get invited any more… strange right?) as I looked out over the heads of the folks in attendance, to be grey haired, and caucasian males. Now, realize that now describes me too! But in twenty-years, it has always been that way.
As a member of a local club, I told the powers-that-be, ten or more years ago, “You guys are headed for a demographic brick wall!” I implored them to “go live” and live stream their meetings – to draw and hold a younger crowd. The response? “We like to see each other, visit and shoot the s&%t, and show fish pictures to each other on our phones.” Once that fell on deaf ears, I realized I was not a classical clubber, and I would never know the secret handshake. The COVID pandemic took care of those clubs, reshaping the clubbing landscape forever.
Maybe I’m Amazed
What does amaze me is how clubs spend a lot of time making plans to leave Texas to fly fish once a year. Think about it. I understand the need to escape the Texas furnace in summer, but that one thing is virtually the most important destination that ever seems to appear on their agendas. Texas has a lot to offer, but I know, I know, dope is legal in Colorado, yada yada yada.
Club Upsides
There is a ton of upside to being in a club, even your local old geezer fly fishing club though. While the industry struggles to find its next Lefty Kreh, I can say I met him at club events a couple of times (along with hundreds of other “members”), and the fantastic luck of being able to hear him talk and share jokes and stories – those are priceless memories. Information. Information is a huge upside to fly fishing clubs, and if for nothing else – join a club and suck the marrow of information from those old guys. Knowledge. Knowledge is more than information, and has much more value. Knowledge is not so transitory as information tends to be. Knowledge crystalizes. And the last thing you can possibly glean is friendships. Friendships are in short supply these days, and I am talking about myself – first person. Some of the friendships you make at clubs are really people seeking information or, I would hope, knowledge. And once they have it, they’re actually gone. But, if you are more “friendly” than me, perhaps a little less cut-and-dried, maybe some of those friends will make it through for the long haul. NOTE: A handful of these clubbers always inquire, every time I see them, “How are you doing?” in regard to my past bout with cancer. I appreciate cha! That is genuine caring.
Beware though: Building a club of your own, from scratch, and thinking you can reinvent the wheel? Good luck with that. I have seen some of these inventors that have been overwhelmed, over time, by their own egos and perceived power (power and control lacking in other areas of their lives). It takes a certain kind of person to start one of these fly fishing clubs from scratch – TODAY. It takes a person willing to not just talk, but more importantly listen. Put an ear to the track, and hear the rumble of changes coming, and accept even welcome them. If they aren’t willing to listen for real, these club inventors soon start to believe it is their club. Folks that is your sign: It is time for you to go. If the inventor suddenly experience enlightenment, they will realize that’s when it’s time for them to go too!
CLUB LISTINGS I AM AWARE OF SEPTEMBER 2024
- Texas Fly Fishers of Houston – Greater Houston
- Dallas Fly Fishers – Dallas
- GOLDEN SPREAD FLYFISHERS – Amarillo
- AUSTIN FLY FISHERS – Austin
- TEXAS WOMEN FLY FISHERS
- GUADALUPE RIVER CHAPTER TROUT UNLIMITED
- COASTAL BEND FLYFISHERS – Corpus Christi
- FORT WORTH FLY FISHERS – Fort Worth & Surrounding
- HILL COUNTRY FLY FISHERS – Kerrville
- EAST TEXAS FLY FISHERS – Longview
- PINEYWOODS FLY FISHERS – Lufkin
- ALAMO FLY FISHERS – San Antonio
- CENTRAL TEXAS FLY FISHERS – San Marcos
- RED RIVER FLY FISHERS – Sherman Denison Red River Area
- MONTGOMERY COUNTY FLYRODDERS – The Woodlands
- LONE STAR FLY FISHERS – Tyler
- GULF COAST FLYRODDERS – Victoria
- CENTRAL TEXAS FLYRODDERS – Waco
- Lower Laguna Madre Fly Fishers Association – Rio Grande Valley
You won’t find any website beauty contest winners when it comes to photography or design, but hey, maybe that’s not what anyone but ME is after! In fact most are terrible, but you be the judge – just click on the club that interests you and have a look! You could always have some luck, like we need in fly fishing.
Category: Events
