President’s Letter
Welcome!
Greetings,
With the holidays behind us, January and February are great times to get out on the water and enjoy our mostly mild Texas winters. Your club has a lot of activities planned over the winter, and we are looking forward to a great lineup of meeting speakers, outings and festivals.
On Saturday, Jan. 18, Fort Worth Fly Fishers will host the annual Flyfishing 101 event at the Texas 16 bridge below Possum Kingdom Dam. Both FWFF members and non-members are welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring a guest interested in learning about fly fishing using nymph or streamer techniques in hopes of landing one of many species below the dam, including stocked Rainbow Trout.
Please plan on meeting off the roadway on the east side of the bridge (2112 Texas 16 in Graford) at 8 a.m. From noon to 12:45 p.m. the club will provide a streamside lunch using a designated pavilion near the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s hatchery nearby. After lunch all are encouraged to attend the hatchery tour that will begin at 1 p.m. For more information, see the article in this issue. Or, contact Chris Patnode, Outings Director, at chrispatnode@benekeith.com , or Jacob Sherwood, Education Director, at jacobrs7@outlook.com.
Save the date! The Tarrant Regional Water District Flyfest 2020 will be held on March 14 on the banks of the Trinity River in Fort Worth. Whether you are an experienced angler or have never touched a fly rod, this fun day in and along the Trinity River has something to hook everyone in the whole family. FWFF is seeking volunteers to assist in this event and will have sign-up sheets available at the January meeting. There’s an article in this issue, and additional information will be posted on the FWFF website and Facebook page as it becomes available.
Mark your calendar for the February outing to be held at Lower Mountain Fork River (Beavers Bend) on Feb 21-23. This is always a fun event and a great opportunity to fish some nice waters with fellow club members. Updates on costs and logistics will be made available soon.
If you have not already paid your 2020 Membership dues, please get those in as soon as possible. Dues can be accepted in person at the January meeting, mailed in or paid by credit card on the FWFF website using the instructions in this newsletter If you have already paid, thank you.
In closing, I would like to recognize the outgoing board members who are rotating off the board Jan. 1: Harold Hilley, Treasurer; Kay Jackson, Director-at-Large; and Vince Turley, Education Director. Their contributions of time and talent have been an integral part of the growth of our association. I would also like to express my personal appreciation to Bryce Bezant, who has served as president over the past two years. Bryce’s many contributions to the programs and services provided to the membership have been instrumental in making the Fort Worth Fly Fishers one of the largest fly-fishing associations in the U.S. His leadership and commitment to continuous improvement of the member experience will leave a lasting legacy. If you see these individuals, please take a moment to thank them for their dedication and service
Happy New Year,
David Hooper
President
Fort Worth Fly Fishers