Oct 15, 2020:
Charlie Collins - All You Want to Know about Hackle
Location: Curtis Hall Arboretum
Charlie Collins of Collins Hackle Farm is coming to present to us on all we could ever wish to know about hackle. Charlie has a lifetime of knowledge on all things related to this prized and essential material, rooster (and hen) hackle....so central to creating flies for catching trout (and other species)!
Club members have been using Charlie's hackle for years. He has a varied and unique collection of barred and specialty hackles not found anywhere! Members should come prepared with any questions they may have. The discussion will begin with a live bird presentation but is intended to be an open discussion, with Charlie suggesting you come ready to ask any and all questions you may have. We are also fortunate in that he will be bringing a wide selection of hackle available for purchase as well.
Check your collection and identify the gaps that need to be filled....be prepared with your wallet or checkbook! If you need it, he's sure to have it available to you. He also indicates that he intends to be there a little early so, if you are too, you may have first crack at what he has to offer.
Sep 17, 2020:
Tim Flagler - Introduction to Trout Spey Fishing
Trout Spey is nothing new, it’s just a more effective way to swing flies like streamers, soft-hackles and classic wets. Yes, you can use it for nymphing and dry fly fishing, but swinging and stripping is where trout spey works best. The real difference comes when you employ either single-hand or two-hand spey casting techniques. These make for no back casts to worry about, much longer casts, easy, fast changes of cast direction, more effective mending and generally more relaxing fishing. Presentation is largely video-based but includes an equipment show-and-tell at the end.
Tim has been flyfishing and tying for more than 30 years. He founded Tightline Productions in 1998, a video production company that specializes in promotional and instructional video. Don't miss his fabulous instructional videos at his Vimeo Channel, Tight Line Productions. He's known worldwide for these tying videos. These videos frankly represent the industry standard! He is also a presenter, featured tyer at many of the Fly Fishing and Tying shows, instructor and guide.
SPECIAL NOTICE !!!!
The meeting will be held at the Curtis Hall (an outdoor facility) at the Curtis Arboretum loacated at 1250 Church Road (RT 73), Wyncote PA om Cheltenmham Twp. DO NOT go to our normal loacatoin we will not be there!
Attendeess must briong your own lawn chair and will be encourage to space out to allow for socila distancing.
Face covers will be required for the duration of the meeting.
Google Maps showing location of the Artboretum
Dec 17, 2020:
Don Baylor - Hatches of the Upper Delaware
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link with a meeting code.
Please join us as we benefit from Don Baylor's immense knowledge base as he presents: HATCHES OF THE UPPER DELAWARE – This program focuses on the Upper Delaware – East and West Branches and Main Stem. This system is unique in the Northeast. A rich tailwater, it has a diverse fauna with many species of aquatic insects producing hatches which are uncommon in eastern trout waters. Included are the following:
A seasonal guide to the hatches
How the artificial temperature regime affects hatch times
Suggested patterns and techniques
Which species produce the “super hatches”
Little-known hatches
What to do during no-hatch periods
The Upper Delaware system is considered among the best trout destinations in the eastern US. We are fortunate to have it within easy striking distance with many of us fishing it at least several times a year! Better insight into the hatches encountered / anticipated will make you a better fisherman on this storied system.
2020 - 2021 Meeting Schedule and Speakers
Nov 19, 2020:
Henry Ramsey - A Walk on the Wild Side -
Fishing PA's Headwater Streams
Location: Curtis Hall Arboretum
(see 1st meeting announcement for directions)
Henry Ramsey is a fly fishing writer, custom fly tier, presenter and photographer. He is the author of "Matching Major Eastern Hatches, New Patterns for Selective Trout" and co-author of "Keystone Fly Fishing Guide, The Ultimate Guide to Pennsylvania’s Best Water”. He contributes to “Fly Fisherman” and “Eastern Fly Fishing” magazines and has appeared in a list of other books and publications.
His fly fishing career began more than 45 years ago on a stream in central Pennsylvania and his travels have taken him to many of the best streams and rivers across his home state of Pennsylvania, New York, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and other states. He conducts fly tying classes and presents at many shows, Trout Unlimited Chapters and clubs in the eastern U.S.
Henry is a contract fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants and is a member of the Pro Staffs for Daiichi Hooks and Regal Vise. His website is www.ramsayflies.com
Jan. 21, 2021: Jack Villwock
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link with a meeting code.
Jake Villwock, owner and Head Guide of Relentless Fly Fishing , has been an industry professional for over 13 years. Growing up in a commercial fishing family on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, fishing has been part of his life from day one - so it should come as no surprise that he has chosen a career in the fishing industry.
After graduating from High Point University with a business degree, Jake worked as a deck hand and fly fishing guide in Sitka, Alaska. He spent the winters dog sledding in both Fairbanks, AK and Deep Creek, MD. Moving back to the east coast in 2009, Jake worked for TCO Fly Shop at the Reading, PA, and Bryn Mawr, PA locations and helped open and manage their newest location in Boiling Springs, PA in March 2016. After 8 years at TCO, he started his own business, Relentless Fly Fishing, serving as TCO's contract guide service.
Jake guides in PA and NY for trout, smallmouth, steelhead, and musky. He knows a network of guides with connections in Ohio, Montana, Michigan, New York, and Alaska should you wish to explore fishing in those regions.
In addition, he is an Orvis Signature tier, blog-writer, author, fly contributor to Eastern Fly Fishing magazine and serves on various pro-staffs of leading industry companies such as, Hatch Reels, Scientific Anglers, Simms Fishing, Regal Vises, and Partridge of Redditch.
Jake will be speaking to us about some of the well known spring creeks in southeast pa. He will discuss the seasons of spring creeks and the changes that take place, tactics to be successful, and general need to know information about the make up of a spring creek. He will finish up with a discussion of the food and flies we use to imitate them.
Feb. 17, 2021:
Matt Grobert - New Jersey Trout streams
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link a meeting code.
Matt is a life long resident of New Jersey. He has been fly fishing and fly tying for 50+ years, having started both at ten years of age. The first flies Matt tied were the brightly flies shown in the fly plates of Ray Bergman's classic book, Trout. Those flies took trout, small bass and sunfish, but it was trout that inspired him to learn more about the Catskill tradition of fly tying and fly presentation to lure trout to fur and feathers.
In the years that followed, Matt has traveled the country extensively in search of trout and a better understanding of the rivers and the insects that live in them. Most recently, he is the featured fly tier in dozens of instructional videos produced by Tightline Productions. These can be viewed on Youtube and Vimeo. Matt published his first book in 2008 on Fly Fishing New Jersey Trout Streams. He previously wrote the weekly New Jersey Fly Fishing column for The Star Ledger. He has been teaching all disciplines of fly fishing for over 30 years.
Mar. 18, 2021:
Greg Hoover - Methusa of the Insect World
Periodic Cicadas
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link with a meeting code.
Greg Hoover is widely acknowledged as North America’s most knowledgeable fly fishing entomologist. We are looking forward to his presentation.
Brood X of the periodical cicadas (known as the "Big Eastern Brood") will emerge this year in Pennsylvania counties that comprise the southeastern and southcentral 2/3’s of our state. After their 17-year underground existence, nymphs will provision their escape routes from the soil during mid- to late May. Adults will emerge and be active starting in late May. Adult activity will end in early July in many states in the eastern United States.
Learn about the natural history, biology, and folk lore associated with these insects. If you like to fly fish during this emergence, Greg will discuss tying an effective pattern to imitate the adult stage of these insects and will make suggestions for fly fishing during this true wonder of nature. Greg’s program is designed to be informative as well as entertaining for both the beginning fly fisher as well as for those with many years on the water.
(Read more about Greg's backgroud on our Facebook Page)
Apr. 15, 2021:
Dave Rothrock - Diversified Nymphing
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link a meeting code.
Ninety percent of the time nymphing is the most effective way to catch trout. While we all dream of an excellent hatch and rising trout, most of the time when we are on the water the hatching is limited and the trout are not on the surface. In that condition nymphs and nymphing is the usually the most effective method.
Euro nymphing is the craze of the day; however, it is important to understand that any nymphing technique has it's limits. Dave will take us on an in-depth look at various techniques to address a variety of conditions. We'll also discuss tackle, flies and applications which, when coupled with these techniques, can increase the “effectiveness quotient” of any angler.
P.S. "Effectiveness quotient" is trout speak for actually catching a few fish.
(Read more about Dave's backgroud on our Facebook Page)
May 20, 2021:
Jeff Currier, Introduction to Saltwater Fly Fishing
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link a meeting code.
Jeff will give a full on introduction to saltwater fly fishing that will inspire the curious first timers to organize a trip and refresh the intermediate to advanced salt anglers no matter how much experience they have. In this show Jeff reviews equipment, shows you what to expect and also suggests where to go.
If you’re extremely experienced in saltwater fly fishing don’t worry, you won’t be bored. Jeff gets his points across with stunning photography. Much of this show covers the saltwaters of the USA from the striped bass estuaries of New England to the surf perch and halibut beaches of California. He also talks about the monster redfish of Louisiana and the flats of Florida where you can catch bonefish, tarpon and permit. And none of Jeff’s shows go without at least one teaser piece from an off the grid destination.
(Read more about Jeff's backgroud on our Facebook Page)
June 17, 2021:
Rick Nyles - Tactical Dry Fly Fishing
Location: Zoom meeting for members only. Members will be sent a link a meeting code.
Join us for this brand new presentation provided by Rick Nyles (a long time friend of Main Line Fly-Tyers) of Sky Blue Outfitters . Tactical Dry Fly Fishing. It seems that all the recent rage in fly fishing has been about tactical nymphing, to increase numbers of fish in the net.
Rick will provide for us his insights into a more tactical approach to Dry Fly Fishing, seeking the same results! Details covered will include Equipment, Rigging, Flies, Casting and Approach, all contributing to optimizing presentation in this, everyone's favorite means to catch fish,....hunting heads!
(C'mon, don't claim otherwise! I don't care how much you like catching fish on a nymph, when they start to rise.....admit it, you switch away from your Euro-rig for some real excitement!!
