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REMEMBER FEBRUARY 3^RD

Fly Fishing Festival in Houston

Sponsored by the

Texas Fly Fishers of Houston

see article in the newsletter

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MARK MARCH 3^RD

Fly Fishing 2001

Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

Athens, Texas

Bring the whole family and make a full day of it.

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SCATTERSHOTS

From The Prez

As we did not have a formal program at the January meeting, we used the time to discuss some coming events for the club. I believe it was a very fruitful meeting.

In our club drawings Jay Renken won the flies and Jimmy Lee wont the door prize. As Jimmy left without selecting his prize, we will allow him to do so later.

One thing we decided to do was allot $300 expense money for programs for this year. This will mainly be used for people we invite in programs.

We also discussed the club calendar. Several dates are now set. I intend to meet with Jimmy Lee and finish the calendar, but as there is some question as to when the rendevous will be held this year, and since this could effect a couple of functions, I decided to wait at least until February.

Our Open House will be April 21^th and I have reserved the Chamber Of Commerce building. Our guest tier and speaker will be Brian Gambill of the G & W Guide Service of Little Elm, Texas. To get acquainted with him, go to web site www.flyfishbass.com and take a look at what he has to offer.

I have asked Jay Renken to be responsible for making a club rod to be auctioned off at the Open House dinner. He will also be responsible for the casting contest again, and I believe it is going to be a challenge. Just a hint, you need to begin practicing casting with your other hand (left or right).

We also need items for our raffle, so please be thinking of some of your favorite flies to raffle. They were great last year and I know you will do as well this year. Other items we have auctioned in the past and will be good again this year are fly plates, shadow boxes, fishing trips, etc. So start working on your donations to the auction now.

We also have an invitation to Bill Heugel's house on Toledo Bend for what has become one of our top notch outings. It will be Saturday, April 7^th. We always have fun at this outing with good food and fellowship. We have even caught several fish. More will be said later but I hope you will mark your calendar and plan to attend.

We will be discussing an outing to Broken Bow this meeting. So come prepared to voice your desires and opinions on a trip, maybe even in February. I hope you will be able to go.

Our Tag Team Tournament at Kurth Lake will be Saturday, June 2^nd. I hope you will plan now to attend and try your best to win the coveted "Paddle Award" for a year.

Also on the calendar is Fly Fish 2001 to be held in Athens on March 3^rd . Several of our members will be helping by demonstrating tying flies, helping young people learn to tie flies, and helping with casting demonstrations and instruction. Last year was great and I know this year will be just as good, if not better.

Not on the calendar yet is the Houston County Lake outing. I will get together with Jimmy Lee soon and try to finalize that date,... maybe in July?

We also have a tentative date of August 11 - 12 for the Garage sale at the Expo Center. This date could change. I urge you to start stockpiling your sale items, and once again I urge you to try to collect all the fishing gear items you can. We had a good bunch of these items and they sold fast.

The Southern Council Conclave at Mt. Home, Ark will be October 5 & 6. More on that later.

Other pending items are the Forest Festival and an outing to Lake Nacogdoches (with possible cookout), an Angelina River outing, and our annual Breakfast Outing. These dates will be announced as soon as they can be confirmed.

Just prior to our February 6^th meeting will be the Fly Tying Festival in Houston on February 3^rd . See article further on in this newsletter) I hope you can attend this year. A number of us go each year. If you would like to go with other members, call Walter at 875-3726, or Ken Baker at 632-1022, or Royce Feaster at 875-3465 and we will get together to attend.

We will probably have an opportunity to assist the Texas Forest Service for Forest Awareness Day. I also hope we can have some fly tying classes soon.

At the last meeting, we made available an article giving the trout stocking dates in some of the lakes in this area. I have not had a chance to go, but I hope some of you have. Maybe you can give us a report on it at the meeting.

Once again, I want to say that this is your club. Please let us know what you want to do. We have a good club. Let's work to make it even better.

I hope to see you at the next meeting, and as always remember; "A Bad Day Fishing Is Better Than A Good Day Working".

FLYLINES

From the V-Prez

My wife and Mother went to Houston International Airport to pick up my son January 24^th. We were early, so we drove down to Houston Lake State Park to look it over and check out the fishing facilities for future reference. I went into the Headquarters and asked where the lake was.

The young man behind the desk said, "I don't know... I've never seen the lake". It turns out that the park is between the East San Jacinto River and Caney Creek just where they join in the top of Lake Houston. I talked to another person there who told me where to go to launch a boat into the San Jac River because the sand bass were running up that river and Caney Creek both. The fish were so thick that the fishermen that were reporting the run were catching their limit within an hour. The staff member at the Headquarters had gone up there in a canoe and had limited out also. If anyone is interested, the ramps are just north of Huffman of road 1485 (or 2100 as it is named there).

If you have been watching the weather reports on our local TV channel, you know that Toledo Bend and Rayburn are both less than � a foot below normal water level, and Livingston is slightly over normal level. This should mean that lots of new feeding and spawning areas are now ready for the fish. As soon as the water temperatures rise just a little more, the white bass and crappie should be running; followed soon by the black bass. So get your gear ready.

2001 Fly Tying Festival

Texas Fly Fishers of Houston

Fly tying for everyone!...expert, novice or beginner! Mark your calendars for February 3, 2001. The 9th annual Fly-Tying Festival hosted by the Texas Fly Fishers of Houston presents a unique opportunity to sit beside, and learn from, some of the best fly tiers in the nation. Bring along your youngsters and introduce them to a lifelong, fulfilling, pastime, fly fishing and fly tying.

30+ Fly tiers from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oregon and New Mexico. Simultaneous fly tying demonstrations: warm water, cold water and salt water patterns. Programs: with closed circuit video for viewing tying skills up close. Beginners' Corner: Hands on instruction. Learn to tie one of the easiest and most productive flies ever devised - the Wooly Bugger! Vendor Booths: with the latest in products and services.

WHEN

Saturday, February 3, 2001, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eight hours of continuous fly tying demonstrations. Drop in and browse or stay the whole day.

WHERE

Holiday Inn, 7787 Katy Freeway, (I-10 and Antoine) 713/681-5000. Special rate for out of town guests.

COST

$10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 under 18 or $14 entire family.

The Texas Fly Fishers is an active member club of the Federation of Fly Fishers and is dedicated to education, conservation and fun. Visitors are welcome to attend meetings held at 7:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month (January through November) at the Holiday Inn (North of US 59 between Kirby & Buffalo Speedway).

Texas Fly Fishers

P.O. Box 571134

Houston, Texas 77257-

Some more news on the festival. We will have Angler's Edge there selling materials and supplies at 40% off and we will have Barkley Souders, an area sales manager for a number of quality tackle and supply manufacturers, selling off a large supply of goods at very considerable discounts.

You won't be able to match the deals we will have until next year's festival!

Houston County Lake

"No Wake Zones" Set At Lake

Donations Asked for Buoys, Etc.

Two coves on either side of the dam at Houston County Lake have been designated as "No Wake Zones" by the Houston County Water District in the interest of boater/swimmer safety.

Game Warden Roy Johnson announced this week that due to increased boating traffic on the lake, the boat ramp cove and the cove at the east end of the dam next to Tejas Shores have been designated "no wake zones". These two areas are highly used by both boaters and swimmers.

Within the "no wake zone" area, a boat or personal watercraft has to travel at idle speed so as not to cause a wake.

"This will hopefully make a safer place for swimming and loading and unloading boats," said Warden Johnson.

The Grapeland Police Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Houston County Water Control District are taking donations toward the purchase of four "No Wake Zone" buoys and materials needed to anchor the buoys. Citizens are asked to cooperate in this effort and donations can be made at the Houston County Court House Annex at 110 East Houston Street, Crockett; the Grapeland Police Department at 126 South Oak; or the Houston County Water District on Pipeline Road in Latexo. Game Warden Roy Johnson can be contacted at 936-546-5628 with questions or donations. Checks should be made payable to the "Houston County Water Control District".

"Your donations will be greatly appreciated", said Johnson.

TPWD Proposes Changes in Fishing

Regulations

(April 5, 2001 is Comment Deadline)

AUSTIN, Texas -- Several proposals by TPWD relating to fisheries resources are being advanced for public comment, including

revisions to largemouth bass limits on three reservoirs and a new smallmouth bass limit on seven lakes.

TPW is recommending a return to the statewide standard for smallmouth bass of a 14-inch minimum length and a five-fish daily bag limit on the following reservoirs: Belton, Cisco, Greenbelt, Oak Creek, Stillhouse Hollow, White River and Whitney. Currently, these lakes restrict smallmouth harvest to a three-fish daily bag limit with an 18-inch minimum length.

On O.H. Ivie Reservoir, fisheries biologists are proposing to eliminate the minimum length (currently 18 inches) and modify the five-fish daily bag limit. Anglers would be allowed to harvest no more than two largemouth bass of less than 18 inches per day.

On Lake Sweetwater, TPW is looking at implementing a 14- to 18-inch slot length limit and five-fish daily bag limit for largemouth bass.

On Pinkston Reservoir, the proposed change would create a 14- to 21-inch slot length limit and five-fish daily bag, with only one fish greater than 21 inches.

TPW is also proposing a prohibition of trotlines, juglines and throw lines on Coffee Mill and Davy Crockett lakes.

The public may comment on any of these proposals during upcoming public meetings to be scheduled statewide or by writing TPW,

Hunting and Fishing Proclamation Public Comment, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or on the Web (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/)

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Remember!

Mark your calender for our club meetings, Every First Tuesday of each Month,

7:00 P M in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall.

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Calender

Outings and Events

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February 3^rd Fly Fishing Festival Houston, Texas 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

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February 6^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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March 3^rd Fly Fish 2001 Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

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March 6^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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April 3^rd PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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April 7^th Heugel Haus Outing. Toledo Bend at Bill Heugel's home.

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April 21^th PWFF Open House at the Chamber of Commerce Building 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

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May 1^st PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in

the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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June 2^nd Tag Team Tournament at Kurth Lake

7:00 AM to Noon

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June 5^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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July 3^rd PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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August 7^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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August 11-12 Tentative date for the Expo Garage Sale (More later)

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September 4^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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October 2^nd PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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October 5-6 Southern Council Conclave in Mt. Home , Arkansas

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November 6^th PWFF Meeting in the Lufkin Room in the Lufkin Mall. 7:00 PM sharp

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December 8^th ???? Christmas Meeting

Chamber of Commerce Building 6:00 PM.

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More Club Calendar to follow as dates confirmed

(Check your calender, There have been several dates that have been changed)

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Outings: Jimmy Lee

Library: Jay Renken

Conservation: Gene Sullivan

Programs: Linda McLendon

Membership: Walter McLendon

Editor: Royce Feaster

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Art work used by permission of Dave and Emily Whitlock