Sep 21, 2023 @ 6:30pm: Don Baylor
Don's presentation on Trout Stream Ecology discusses what trout need; what is detrimental to trout habitat; how trout feed; aquatic insect habitat; aquatic insect life cycles, movement and feeding strategies; longitudinal succession of species; and hatchery versus wild trout.
Yes.....this presentation is live and we absolutely encourage you to join us at GPCC but, in event you are unable to join us onsite, we are again providing a Zoom link to paid members, to allow remote attendance. (That link will be provided to paid members in the days leading up to the meeting). This is a service we are striving to continue but, do not wish to allow the opportunity to impede the social aspect of our group. Join us live.....please view the Zoom option as an opportunity to "attend" in extenuating circumstances where you just can't make it live.
Don Baylor has spoken to our club several times in the past. He is an expert on all the Pocono streams and all of the hatches that occur on those streams. Thursday 9/21 he will be giving a new presentation about behavior of trout in our streams. If you don't have it already, his book, Pocono and Upper Delaware Hatches, is a resource that all club members should have.
2023 - 2024 Meeting Schedule and Speakers
Dec 21, 2023: Annual Auction & Christmass Party
Our yearly Christmas Party and Auction will be held again this year at the Sandy Run Country Club. A buffet dinner will be served at 7pm. The facility will open for us at 6pm to setup for the auction and have time to mingle before the auction and dinner begin.
Try to bring your items in early (between 6 and 6:30) so that they can be arranged for viewing. Items can be auctioned either as donations to the club or as consignments. Consigned items will be auctioned with 90% going to the club member. The club takes a 10% commission on all auctioned items. All consignment items need to be clearly labeled for consignment with your name on the item. If you want to have a reserve minimum price on the item, be sure to state that on the label with the minimum you require.
Our yearly Christmas Party and Auction will be held again this year at the Sandy Run Country Club. A buffet dinner will be served at 7pm. The facility will open for us at 6pm to setup for the auction and have time to mingle before the auction and dinner begin.
All proceeds for a donated item go to the club. Those items do not have to be labeled. They should be placed on the donations table, separate from consignment items.
Payment for Auction Items - Check or Cash. Be sure to bring your cash and/or checks to pay for any items you buy. The club does not take credit cards, Venmo et
If you wish to partake of adult beverages there will be a cash bar for your enjoyment.
The location is:
The Sandy Run Country Club
200 Valley Green Road
Oreland, PA 1907
The Main Line Fly-Tyers are pleased to announce that live meetings will be held at the Greater Plymouth Community Center for the 2023-2024 season.
( Paid members will be notified via email with details, prior to each meeting, to allow viewing the meeting using Zoom. )
Join or pay your dues on-line:
Oct 19, 2023: Steve Wascher
Steven Wascher is a third generation fly tyer who has tied flies and fly fished for over 50 years. Steve was taught the craft at an early age by his father, who in turned learned from his mother. Their flies had to be spot on perfect to fool the wary browns and wild brook trout of the Pine Creek Valley in North Central Pennsylvania. Steve learned early on that perfection to detail, proportion, and the utilization of quality materials was of utmost importance in the production of every pattern.
In addition to be an accomplished tyer, Steve also guided for over 15 years. Also, Steve taught a variety of tying classes for over twenty years. His classes varied in depth from basic trout flies to spinning deer hair bass bugs as well as Steelhead flies and Tube Flies.
Professionally, Steve was a Special Education Teacher for over 30 years teaching a wide range of learning styles. Steve also taught for several summers at the New York State Department of Corrections - Shock Incarceration Camp in Brocton, New York. While in the education field, Steve coached Girls' Basketball for six years and taught a college level course entitled - Introduction to Fly Fishing at Jamestown Community College from 1998 - 2000. Prior to obtaining a Bachelors and Master's Degree, Steve served in the United States Army for three years as an Artillery Surveyor in West Germany.
Jan 25, 2024: < 4th Thursday! 4th Thursday!!
Mike Stewart - Master Fly-Tyer
This month at our January meeting as we offer another fantastic fly-tying demonstration. This month our tier is Mike Stewart. We are fortunate to have him provide this demonstration as he is "in the area" from Connecticut, as he will also be a featured tyer at the International Fly-Fishing Show in Edison this weekend! He will tie a range of flies.
Read more about Mike in the January Newsletter.
Of course, we will be there too, demonstrating our tying.
The Zoom option will be available, for those who can't join us live. (Zoom link will be emailed to members, closer to the event). For those at the Plymouth Center (this is the encouraged/preferred option), we will be projecting what Mike is tying, so all in the room can see!
Nov 09, 2023: Ed Jaworowski presents Rethinking Traditional fly-castng instruction
Special Notes: This meeting is the 2nd Thursday not the normal 3rd Thursday.
And at Ed's request there will not be a Zoom session or any recording of his presentation.
Focusing on select topics, this talk will question the wisdom of the way casting has been taught for generations. I shall analyze various types of casts, and address some of the most common problems all anglers face. I’ll reveal some of my new and revised concepts, and introduce surprising ideas about rod loading and casting strokes, all based on physics, that have never been addressed by writers or instructors. Anglers of every level should find useful material that will greatly enhance their fishing experiences.
Ed, an original member of Main Line Fly-Tyers(!), is an international flyfishing authority, writer, photographer, and editorial consultant. He has authored five books, contributed to several others, and published more than 300 articles. His writings and photographs have been published in the USA, UK, Norway, Spain, Italy, and Japan. He is most noted as a casting coach.
Lefty Kreh called him "the best teacher of fly casting that I have ever known". One magazine editor dubbed him “The Butch Harmon [America’s top golf instructor] of fly fishing”. He serves as a casting and tackle consultant on the National Advisory Team of Temple Fork Outfitters (Springbrook Trading Ltd.) in Dallas, TX, and in recent years teamed with Lefty to produce a comprehensive instructional DVD, The Complete Cast, for TFO. Ed, who’s been fly fishing and fly tying since the 1950’s, has given hundreds of classes and demonstrations around the country and abroad.
He has extensive experience in fresh and saltwater venues throughout the western hemisphere, pursuing sunfish to sailfish in 14 countries, 29 states, 7 Canadian provinces, 3 Mexican states. He has been honored by several TU chapters, and was inducted into the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Museum in Carlisle, PA.
He received the first "Izaak Walton Award" presented by the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, Vermont, and was awarded the FFI Casting Board of Governors Award for "Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Fly Casting".
Fly Fisherman magazine listed him among the 50 most influential fly fishermen of the past 50 years. Having taught at Villanova University for 40 years, Ed is a retired professor of Latin language and literature, Roman history and law. He resides with his wife, Michele in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Feb 15, 2024:
Lenny Gliva - Fishing Cayo Romana in Cuba
Gliva of TCO will lead a trip to Cayo Romano to fish for the many types of salt water species that inhabit those waters. These waters have tremendous protential for large fish. For many years Americans were forebiden by the U. S. government from traveling to Cuba. This meant these waters were relatively unfished compared to other parts of the Caribbean. Lenny will discuss the trip and the fishing possibilities. 2024
Apr 18, 2024:
This month's meeting will be an 'In-House' meeting. We will have multiple tables setup with fly-tyers as well as others where you ask questions about gear, where to fish, hatches, etc. This is your chance to socialize with other members and get any questions you have answered.
Mar 21, 2024:
Mike Rosa - Small Mouth BassPresentation
Join us for the Main Line Fly-Tyers March 2024 Monthly Meeting on 21 March 2024! Mike Rosa will be doing a smallmouth bass presentation, covering fish movement throughout the seasons, fly choice, fishing methods and river systems such as the Susquehanna, Juniata, schuylkill and their tributaries. Mike Rosa grew up in Southeastern Pennsylvania spending countless hours as a child partaking in the family tradition of the outdoors and fly fishing.
Now, at age 35, not much has changed as you’ll find him pulling a raft or driftboat in search of fish. Mike has honed his knowledge and skills through years of floating and wading rivers in PA and across the country fishing for smallmouth bass, brown trout, carp and musky.
Mike is a licensed and insured guide in the state of Pennsylvania with a particular interest in the Susquehanna, Juniata, Lehigh and Schuylkill river systems.
Mike also enjoys teaching fly tying, casting and rowing lessons. When he’s not on the water he enjoys spending time with his wife Jessica and their dog Molly.
May 16, 2024:
Joe Calcavecchia - Saltwater Fly Tying
Joe Calcavecchia is a production tier, a saltwater master fly tier, and the creator of many well-renowned fly patterns such as the Striper Dragon, Mojo Squid, and the Bonita Bear. He has been tying commercially for the past Thirty years for fly shops in the New England region. He is also a fly designer for Pacific Fly Group, on the Solarez Pro Team, Pro staff member of Ewing Feathers and on the Regal Vise Pro Staff. He is a master teacher in fly tying and instructs students with a jovial manner that is always infectious to everyone in attendance. Joe takes part in many fishing expos where he is able to talk and engage with visitors and showcase his style of tying. Ask him to tie a Clouser on the Regal Revolution and watch the vice smoke! Link to Joe's website: Salt Water Custom Flies
Jun 20, 2024:
Tim Commisa - Rising to the Occasion: Mastering Dry Flies and Emergers
During this presentation, Tim takes you through mayflies and caddisflies, concentrating on the reasons they're vulnerable to trout. Tips, techniques, and gear will be discussed to identify the stages, fish them more successfully, and purchase or tie flies to effectively match the nuances of each. Tim also shares current flies and techniques to imitate the stages, helping you to catch more trout.
Tim Cammisa, the force behind "Trout and Feather," has dedicated over a decade to producing educational fly-tying and fly-fishing videos, enriching enthusiasts worldwide. With a background as a seasoned fly-fishing guide and teacher, Tim is a sought-after presenter and tier at prestigious events like The Fly Fishing Show and International Fly Tying Symposium, as well as club gatherings nationwide.
His passion for angling transcends borders, leading fly fishing trips to coveted destinations like Iceland and Alaska. Tim’s first book, Fly Tying for Everyone, covers a wide range of topics essential for mastering the art of fly tying, including materials, tools, techniques, and patterns. Tim resides in Harmony, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Heather, and their children, Angelo and Fina.
