SCATTERSHOTS

From The Prez

Bill Heugel presented a very interesting and unique program at the May meeting. He demonstrated some ways to preserve and display our favorite flies by constructing shadow boxes. He showed both the materials and methods needed. I hope in the future we can pursue this by us actually making a shadow box ourselves. Thanks for a good job, Bill.

Royce Feaster and I went to Houston County Lake on Thursday May 3^rd., and camped in my travel trailer until Saturday. We fished Thursday, Friday and Saturday and caught several fish. Both of us caught extra large bream and each of us hung a large bass, although we both failed to land the bass. We fought the wind a lot, but we enjoyed the trip. We were joined Friday by Linda and Walter McLendon, and Pam and Jimmy Lee. They stayed in a cabin and came home Sunday. We had good fellowship and good food, thanks to Pam and Linda.

On Saturday, May 19^th , we had a very successful and fun filled tying class. It was organized and MC'ed by Bill Heugel. He got several club members to be in charge of teaching a specific fly. Jay Renken, Royce Feaster, and Myself taught in the morning. After lunch the teachers were Bill Heugel, Walter McLendon, and Hugh Bell. The tying materials were furnished by the club. There were 14 members present at different times of the day. It was held at St. Cyprian's Church and we thank Hugh Bell for the hospitality shown this class. We appreciate it very much. I hope we can schedule one again soon.

Our next function will be our tag team tournament on June 2^nd at Kurth Lake. We will meet at 7:00 A M , divide into teams and then begin fishing at 7:30. We will fish until 11:00 A M, at which time we will come in, determine the winning team, and award the trophies & paddle for the team catching the most fish. Afterwards we will meet around 12:30 P M at the "Lost In The Fifties" café for lunch. Any spouses who wish are asked to join us at lunch. This is always a fun outing and I hope you can be a part of it.

I know of a couple of members that have fished this month and I hope we can have some good reports at the June 5^th meeting. See you then. And remember.... A Bad Day Fishing Is Better Than A Good Day Working.

FLYLINES

From the V-Prez

This may be called personal instead of material for the V-P's column, but I am going to put it in anyway.

Bill Heugel won the fishing trip this year that I offered at the Open House. He chose as the second fisherman Walter McLendon. We got on the water at Lake Nacogdoches just after daylight, and just before sun-up. The lake was still muddy from the "turnover" it had gone thru. Even with the problem of very stained water, wind, and Walter "front ending" Bill, we all caught fish. Walter even lost a bream to a bass. He also lost a fly or two to bass because of a light tippet. We all caught fish, just no real big fish.

After a lake shore lunch, finished up by my wife's "Brownies", we fished until about 2:00 PM. By then we were all tired of fighting the wind. So we headed home. I enjoyed the trip and playing the "guide" part. You will have to ask them how they enjoyed it.

The next article is one that we all need to think about. I am one of those persons who ignore the possibility of fishing with our new members. I have tried to correct my attitude about this, but I still have a way to go to get things right.

Do you know of a small pond that you can take some new member to fish? Get permission and Take Them. You don't have to have a boat to take someone fishing.

Let's try a lot harder to help new people enjoy our club. Offer to pick them up and take them to one of our functions. Let's don't leave anyone out.

Good Luck & Tight Lines

I Hope Someone Calls To Go Fishing!

By W. McLendon

Have you seasoned club members ever wondered why so many new club members disappear after a few monthly meetings? Have you asked yourself what your club really stands for; what it has to offer? What does a new member expect of a club after he or she joins?

Well, several past presidents have asked these questions and it still seems that we have no answers. We list some club virtues. We site some club accomplishments and we might even think of a few ways to improve our club. Some have proposed good ideas for improvement to other members and maybe even at monthly meetings then time sort of washes everything away.

Some of the more hard nose members have rejected these ideas only to blame the new members for not stepping forward to join in on all club activities that are offered. Sure, we make invitations through our newsletter and in monthly meeting announcements, expecting that everyone will show up. Why would anyone join a club, hear the invitations and then just fade away? Why would they spend $20 to join and then we never hear from them again?

Now ask yourself how well you ever knew any new club member? Can you even remember their names? Did you ever find out what they really knew or felt about fly fishing? Then think back on the days when you joined the club. What made you continue to attend meetings? What made you interested in joining a fishing outing? Was there any particular club member that made you feel extra welcome? Did anyone call you to ask you to go fishing with them?

Well, I just went fishing with Scott Iguess. Do you remember that name? Scott joined the club in March 1999. I looked up our newsletter announcement introducing him. In essence, it only said "he had been a tyer for 6 years and was willing to teach. Call him and take him fishing." I just happened to connect to Scott by the Internet. He was searching with some fly fishing related information and I was referred to him. I asked Scott why he did not stay with the club and his first reply was that our club seemed to be only for retired people. After we fished today and were discussing several things, I saw Scott do a flashback as he remembered how he really felt when he joined the club and he said he told himself "I hope someone calls to go fishing."

Well that day never came. After several months, Scott, in my mind, ultimately felt rejection. I know I rejected him, did you? I can now think back over the many new members who quickly disappeared after they joined. It would be embarrassing to try to list the names but it might be important to make my point.

We say so little about new members today as we announce their membership in the club that they are initially only a name. We ask them to fill out a lengthy application so we can gather the personal information that tells us something about them, then we neatly file it away with all the others. We say welcome but do we really mean it?

We have all been tossing around ideas for spending some of our excess club funds lately but no one has suggested we do anything for the new member. I think it is time to gather and discuss this matter and formulate a program of welcoming and making our new members feel good about joining our club before we spend a penny on anything else. I once suggested we have a buddy system where each old member adopts each new member to take him or her fishing. I also suggested we have a special outing for each new member as they come onboard. Do you have any better suggestions?

Today, I found that we have missed two years with Scott Iguess. I enjoyed my time with him at Kurth Lake. Did you know that he has caught a 7.3 pound bass at Ellen Trout Lake? He followed that with a 6 pounder and can tell you where several more lay each day just waiting for you. Scott ties flies every day and will only fish with flies he has tied. He concocts new patterns to improve his fishing results. He studies insects related to our East Texas fishing. He has fly fished in Germany so there is no need to worry about teaching him, maybe we can learn from him. He is between jobs right now and said he would like to try the club again. His phone number is 637-4740. Is this your opportunity to make amends and take a new member fishing?

An Open Invitation To The Clubs Of The Southern Council Federation Of Fly Fishers

As we enter the new millennium it seems befitting for each of us to enjoin our fishing and FFF membership with new vigor. To this end we invite everyone to join Flyfishing's 2001 Odyssey, by coming to Mountain Home, Arkansas, October 5th and

6th. Old or young, practiced or novice, come one and all to join the party. What a joy it will be to enter this new age with each club actively involved in our celebration.

First and foremost we want each of you to attend the Conclave.

Secondly, we request each alliance send a representative program. Our goal is to have all clubs of the Southern Council deliver a presentation from within their ranks about fly fishing in home areas, casting, knots, fly tying, pursuing unusual species in particular ways, whatever energizes the fishers in your neighborhood. We suggest that every club has a program to share. We know that every group is organized around quality fishing and people who have stories to be told.

Thirdly, for this occasion, we implore that every club donate items to the Conclave's auction. Again, we are particularly interested in items which represent your place in the world. The money raised goes to support the education and conservation programs of the Southern Council which benefit us and the sport overall. In this, the Odyssey of the coming millennium, we seek the pleasure of your company and good spirits.

Sodie

Fly Tying Event

The Texas Women Fly Fishers cordially invite you to be present at their first annual fly-tying seminar to be held in Crockett, Texas, Aug. 10th, 11th, & 12th.

1. Where:

Crockett Family Resort, Crockett Texas on the Houston County Lake

2. When:

Friday, August 10, 11, & 12th

Fly-tying Saturday, from 11-3

3. What type of facilities

3 types of cabins: Rustic-no bathroom, but toilet and showers nearby $30/night

Regular-privacy bathroom $40/night

Kitchettes-privacy bathroom, kitchenette $60/night

Pull thrus for RVs-full hook-up

Tent sites-full restroom facilities (it will be Aug.)

June Program

Don't Be Afraid To Get Wet!

By Linda McLendon

This is the title of our next monthly meeting program to be presented by Walt Wilson. Walt is an ex club member who has become really a full time volleyball officiator all over the state it seems. Walt has been working on this program for a couple of years now and warns that it will run a little over an hour so it will be chocked full of useful information and tips to make your fishing better and more successful. It is actually a combination of programs designed to give you everything you ever wanted to know about nymph and wet fly fishing (midge, larva, pupa, scuds, etc) extensively and how to fish them successfully. Walt described a little of the program "Everything from tips on casting, determining which, when, and where to fish these little guys, determining depth and drag, proper retrieval, subsurface flies and "the Magic Inch". We will discuss the proper use of leaders and tippets, fly lines for subsurface, weight, strike indicators, all the pros and cons of fishing with wet flies. All to improve Your Cast to Catch Ratio!"

Walt will have some handouts "full of goodies that cover the subject matter", so you should put this educational and interesting program on your calendar. He has done excellent programs in the past and we look forward to this special one. If you all like it, we can ask Walt back to give us an extensive warm water program as well. Hope to see you all there.

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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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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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September 8^th PWFF Zoo Breakfast This year the breakfast will be held at Kurth Lake.

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September 19^th - 23^rd Texas Forest Festival at the Expo Center

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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 3^rd - 4^th Rendezvous... This year it is being held at Lake Bistineau State Park in La.

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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