December 2012
Once again, another year is coming to an end. I hope this year everyone had the opportunity to spend a little more time than last year on their favorite trout stream. Many folks hang up the fishing rod and pick up the shotgun this time of year. If your one of those people your missing out on some great fishing. Hunt or fish, it's great to have that kind of decision to make!
Last month our own John Wester participated in the 3rd Annual Fly Fisherman of the Year Competition. John represented the chapter well, entering the finals with a respectful lead. As it turns out, victory slipped away in the final moments of the competition. This is the third year in a row where this has happened to competitors from our chapter. John wants a second shot at it and has asked to represent the chapter again next year. To sweeten the pot he is putting up a $400.00 donation if he can't pull off a victory! Now that's dedication! You can check out a video clip of the event on our website.
The holidays are not the only thing right around the corner, it's show season! Late last month, the Fly Tying Symposium took place in Somerset, NJ. In January, two shows will be coming to the area. The Garden State Outdoor Sport Show will be in Edison, New Jersey, January 10-14. You can get information on the show and even buy your tickets online by visiting CJTU's website (www.cjtu.org) and clicking on their banner. Next up will be the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, NJ on January 25 - 27. Our chapter will have a presence at both shows so come out a say hello. While your at it support your chapter by picking up a raffle ticket or two. We will have some great prizes up for grabs.
Also in January CJTU members will be conducting fly tying demos on Saturdays at Efingers Sporting Goods in Boundbrook, NJ. This usually coincides with the some great sales on fly tying and fishing gear, so come on out and spend an afternoon with us. While we are on the subject of fly tying our fly tying classes will be starting up next month. You can find all the details in this month's Main Stream.
Our speaker this month is our very own Ozzy who will be giving a presentation on fishing for Atlantic Salmon. Ozzy always gives an excellent presentation this is one you will not want to miss. In addition, he will have his DVD's on sale for only $10.00 each. They would make a great gift for the fisherman on your Christmas list. Come out to the meeting a little early and take advantage of our Capsule Classroom. Bill Ninke will be covering a nail-less nail knot. This is turning out to be a very popular event, check it out. Finally, our meeting next month will be our annual fly tiers night out. Our chapter's most talented tiers will be on hand tying up their favorite flies and answering questions. Come out and join us and by all means bring your vise!
I would like to close by wishing every one a safe, happy and healthy holiday! Merry Christmas!
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
November 2012
I hope this newsletter reaches you with your home intact and your loved ones safe and sound. Mother Nature hit us with a one two punch over the last two weeks. Hurricane Sandy left many of us with battered homes and weeks with out electricity. There were also those that lost everything in this storm. To add insult to injury, the areas hit the hardest by Sandy were also were slammed by a Nor'easter that dumped up to 14" of heavy wet snow, that caused as much or as in my case, more damage than the hurricane. If there is any good news, it is the fact that our rivers and streams did not receive any where near the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene last fall.
If any of our members were adversely affected by the storm and need some assistance please reach out for me and I'll see if we can put a coordinated effort together to help out. Several T.U. members and friends lent a hand to me to assist with dealing with the damage caused to my property by the storm and I would be more than willing to return the favor.
As things begin to return to normal it will be time to start thinking about fishing and some of the activities coming up this fall. As I mentioned previously, most of our waterways are in pretty good shape and the fishing should be great over the next few weeks. The annual Fly Tying Symposium will be taking place this month on November 17 & 18.
Last month members from several TU chapters and other organizations participated in some restoration work along the banks of the Musconetcong River. We did some repair work to the riparian buffer by planting native trees and shrubs along the bank and flood plain. The following week a number of our chapter members were given a tour by Brian Cowden a member of the T.U. staff, of the active projects along the river. Some great work has been done to date and many more exciting projects are in the works.
Our monthly directors meeting was cancelled this month due to the storm and the fact that many of our members were dealing with damaged homes, clean ups and lost power. We will be holding a short Directors Meeting before our general meeting next Tuesday so any last minute announcement will be posted on our Facebook page as well as our website.
I will be attending the Annual New Jersey Fly Fisherman of the Year Competition on Saturday November 10th, as well as the State Council's banquet which follows the event. Both events are being held at the Raritan Inn in Califon, New Jersey. This year John Wester will be representing the chapter. We all wish him luck! I hope to see some of you out there.
We have a great speaker lined up for you this week. Aaron Jasper will be giving a presentation entitled European Nymphing: A Strategic Approach. Aaron is an expert in these techniques and this will be an excellent presentation. You don't want to miss this one!
As a new feature in our meetings, we will be holding short focused sessions right before our meetings (and repeated immediately after our meetings and maybe during the break depending upon circumstances). Each session will feature a presentation and demo by one of our Chapter members or Guest on a topic that will improve your skills in tackle management, fly tying, or casting. Launching this set of courses this month will be a discussion of knots used to tie a fly to a tippet. So show up at 7:30 to enjoy this pre-meeting feature.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
October 2012
I would like to start off by apologizing for the absence of a President's Letter in last month’s edition of MainStream. Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes and early last month was one of those times. Having not written to you since June means I have plenty to talk about so lets dive right in!
The fall is looking to be a pretty busy time for us. For starters we have our first work day coming up next week. This planting project on the Musconetcong River came up just a few days ago and we are scrambling to get volunteers. The project will be in Asbury, NJ on Musconetcong Wildlife Management Area lands just upstream from MWA’s River Resource Center (2 Maple Ave. Asbury (Franklin Township)), NJ 08802 on Sunday, October 14th at 9:00 AM. The State Council will be providing lunch for all that attend. Please consider coming out and lending a hand. Well be talking about the project at our meeting Tuesday night, but feel free to contact me if you need additional information, directions, etc.
Our partners at the Musconetcong Watershed Association will be hosting their 10th Annual Wine Tasting Event at the Warren County Rod and Gun Club 279 Asbury/BloomsburyRoad, Asbury, New Jersey on Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 2:00 – 5:00pm. Your invited to join them for a relaxing fall afternoon at the Pavilion at Warren County Rod and Gun Club in Asbury, New Jersey. Sample a variety of imported and domestic wines with an array of delicious finger foods and for the first time, beer, near the banks of the Wild and Scenic Musconetcong.
As we move into the fall we begin to gear up for show season. As always we will have a presence at several area shows. As we get closer, I will fill you in on all the important dates and times. We are also beginning to ramp up our fly tying classes. We are doing a few things different this year and I am looking forward to some of the exciting changes. The classes will begin in January. We will be releasing more information on the new program in the weeks to come. Stay tuned…
On November 10th the New Jersey State Council of Trout Unlimited will be holding the 3rd Annual Fly Fisherman of the Year Competition and their annual fund raising banquet. Both events will be held at the lovely Raritan Inn. The Raritan Inn is located on County Road 513, Califon, NJ. This will be an all day and evening full of activities. The Fly Fisherman of the Year contest starts at 8:30. There will be fly fishing vendors present throughout the day showing off their wares. A cook out lunch will be available and after the contest is decided there will be a Trout Olympics featuring fly tying, fly casting and more. At 4:00 pm the cocktail hour for the banquet begins and the banquet kicks off at 5:30. This has been a great event and one I encourage everyone to attend. This year Central Jersey Trout Unlimited will be represented by our own John Westor. I know he will represent the chapter well. Wish him luck!
CJTU maintains a shed on one of our member's property. The shed is used for storing all of our supplies. Years of weather are beginning to take its toll. Earlier this year a number of volunteers went to work on it repairing the roof , clearing encroaching vegetation and other tasks. The work is not completed and we still need to schedule one additional date to finish the work. We will be looking for volunteers to help out. If your interested keep an eye on your inbox and respond to the Action Alert when it is sent out.
Coming up in November we will be adding a new feature to our monthly meetings. We will be putting on mini classroom sessions during our breaks. These lessons will concentrate on various aspects of fly fishing and fly tying. Bill Ninke will be conducting the first three classes which will cover some very interesting knots for the fly fisherman.
We will be also looking to bring back our trip program this year. We will probably host a few trips in 2013 to nearby fisheries. If anyone is interested in helping out or has a suggestion for a destination grab myself or one of the directors at a meeting or feel free to drop me a line.
It would not be a president's letter without some mention of the fishing! It's time to start chasing trout again folks. The cooler temps now make it safe to fish for trout and many rivers and streams still have good populations of fish. Not to mention the State is beginning its fall stocking program next week. Fall is my favorite time of year to fish. The streams are not crowded, but the fishing can be a challenge at times. Skinny, clear water makes for nervous fish and falling leaves can present a challenge, but none the less it is a great time to be on the water. Get out there!
I hope to see you at the general meeting on Tuesday as we have a great speaker lined up. Tom Gilmore will be giving a presentation entitled The Big Apple Sampler. This talk will take an in-depth look at, New Jersey’s Flatbrook, Pequest, Musconetcong, Pequannock, and South Branch of the Raritan River. Then tour the Catskill’s “Charmed Circle” which includes the Beaverkill, Willowemoc, Neversink., Esopus and the Schoharie as well as the lesser know wild trout gems, the Roundout, Rochester, Callicoon and Katterskill. Next you will move west to the “world class” Upper Delaware River System, the West Branch, East Branch and Main Stem of the Delaware. Then we are off to Pennsylvania’s Pocono and “Endless” Mountains, to fish the Brodhead, Big Bushkill, Pocono, McMichaels, and Bowman’s Creek. It will be a great introduction to some of the areas best trout streams! Come out and join us.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
June 2012
For many folks in New Jersey trout season is winding down. Unfortunately our state's trout waters are hit pretty hard during the warmer months. Yes, we do have some small, wild trout streams that can hold temperature enough to support year round fishing, but what they cannot support is fishing pressure. So those in the know do not speak these streams and hopefully they remain well guarded secrets. For the rest of us it's time to give the trout a well deserved rest, and turn our attention to other species.
Fortunately Mother Nature has provided us with some well needed moisture and cooler temperatures. Hopefully, the trend will continue. Low summertime flows and high water temperatures can put a lot of stress on trout. When fishing during this time of year please remember your thermometer. If the temperature is 70 degrees or higher give the trout a break and fish somewhere else or go play some golf!
Just a reminder, we do not have general meetings scheduled during the months of July and August. In addition, our June meeting occurs on the third Tuesday of the month instead of the second. This month the folks from Tightlines Fly Shop will be back to give a presentation on Spey Casting. We will be starting the meeting a little early so we can take advantage of the daylight and get some casting demonstrations in. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm outside of the meeting hall.
We are still waiting word on some of our restoration projects like Point Mountain. Since we do not have general meetings during the summer we will share information about these projects through the Action Alert e-mail system. If a work detail develops we will recruit volunteers via e-mail. Please consider lending a hand if the call for volunteers goes out.
New Jersey's Cold Water Conservation School starts up at the end of the month. This excellent program teaches children all about our cold water resources and what they can do to protect them. Volunteers from TU chapters across the state volunteer their time to teach children all about the ecosystem, the fish and how to catch them.
We have begun collecting items for next year's flea market at the Pequest Hatchery. If you have any used fishing, hunting or camping equipment you would like to donate tonthe chapter bring it to a general meeting. This year's flea market was a bit of an experiment, but it turned out to be profitable for us. We would like to build on that success for next year!
I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer season and I look forward to seeing everyone at our September meetings.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
May 2012
It looks like we may finally be getting some well needed water back in our rivers. Our dry mild winter and early spring has made for some great fishing conditions, but our rivers have been at summertime flows for months now. This may be great for catching fish, but not sustaining them through the warm summer months. Hopefully the wet trend will continue for a while and get things back to normal. I hope everyone has had the opportunity to get out and wet a line this spring. It has been a great season so far.
We are still waiting on information on some of our pending stream improvement projects. These projects are being held up by the permitting process. As soon as we are able to schedule some work will advise our membership through our Action Alert system.
As I previously mentioned the flea market at the Pequest Open House was a success for us. We are now beginning to collect donations for next year's event. We will except donations as well as items on consignment. If you have any unwanted or unused sporting equipment laying around please consider dropping it off at a regular meeting. We will be excepting these items at every meeting.
We are also considering offering a classified advertisement for members who have items/services they wish to sell. For a small fee, we will post your ad on our newsletters, website and Facebook page. Look for more information in the next month or so or reach out to me via email at president@cjtu.org.
I will be presenting a seminar on warm water fly fishing at the May general meeting. Many fly fisherman hang up their fly rods once trout season winds down. Why not keep those flies in the air by chasing warm water species of fish? Fish like Bluegills and Largemouth Bass are the perfect fly rod fish, especially if you like top water action. Warm water fisheries can offer a lot more, Smallmouth Bass, crappie, pickerel, pike, shad, carp even catfish can all be caught on a fly rod. Chances are you have a pond or lake in your neighborhood with fish just waiting to be caught. This presentation will provide information on the fish,the equipment and the tactics used to catch them.
Just a reminder, our June meeting is always held on the third Tuesday of the month instead of the second. In June Andrew Moy from Tight Lines Fly Shop will be giving a presentation on Spey casting. Our start time will be moved up an hour to allow for some outdoor casting demonstrations. So please remember an hour early and a week late for our June Meeting.
That's it for now. I hope everyone is out enjoying the fine fishing available this spring. Take a break form the water and come out and join us this Tuesday for our general meeting.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
April 2012
By the time you read this the opening day of trout season will be less then a week away. The traditional high,off colored water of spring will be noticeably absent this year. Unless we experience a few days of very heavy rain between now and Saturday expect low, gin clear water. Although the present water conditions allowed for the best winter fishing I ever experienced, there could be serious problems this summer if we don't get some more water in the systems. With water temps reaching 55 degrees in March, our trout could be facing some problems come late spring and summer.
Almost all of our insect hatches will be a few weeks earlier this year. I hear that many rivers are experiencing good Hendrickson hatches right now. Keep your fingers crossed that the bugs are still around come opening day. We had a bumper crop of little black stone flies this winter and though they are all but gone now, good numbers of caddis are on the water now. So expect some dry fly action on opening day if the weather holds. During the early morning hours when the water is cooler nymphing will be a little more successful in bringing fish to the net.
For those of you that pursue trout with spinning gear you should expect great fishing as well. You may want to consider lightening things up a bit in regards to line weight. As I mentioned earlier the water is at summertime flow levels and very clear. These conditions may cause the trout to spook a bit when the crowds descend on the streams on opening day, so you would be wise to seek out some water less trampled and make careful presentations to likely holding water. You'll find fish in places other than the normal stocking locations like bridges and roadside areas,
March was a busier than normal month for Central Jersey Trout Unlimited. We wrapped up our fly tying classes this month. Once again everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the classes. Consider signing up next fall if your interested in learning how to tie your own flies or want to brush up on your skills. We also conducted two beginner fly fishing seminars in conjunction with Efingers Sporting Goods. We had a great turnout and look forward to doing more of these classes in the future. We also attended the Pequest Open House event during the last weekend in March. Although the weather could have been a little more accommodating it was a good weekend for us. We managed to raise about $1,200.00 dollars by selling donated sporting equipment and flies. I want to thank everyone who donated gear and/or their time to make this weekend such a success. We definitely plan to build off of this next year.
We hope to be announcing some stream improvement projects this winter. We have a few projects in the works that are awaiting permits and final scheduling. When news of these work projects develop we will send out an Action Alert e-mail to everyone.
Thats all I have for now. I hope everyone enjoys the season opener. I know I will, this is the year I introduce my son to the traditions of opening day. The day will be more about teaching than fishing but I am looking forward all the same. Try and get off the water early enough to attend our general meetings this spring. We have some great programs lined up for you.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
March 2012
It looks like winter is fading fast. That being said, I really can't say for certain that winter actually ever got off the ground. The blizzard right before Halloween had a lot of us really worried that we were in for one hell a winter. The fact is, it never really happened,as far as I am concerned it was just one long autumn. I have managed to fish in only shirt sleeves at least one day every month since April of last year! I have actually logged as many days on the water this winter as I did last spring due to the fact last year's high water kept me off the water more days than I would have liked.
This winter has produced some of the best fishing I have ever experienced. There has been great dry fly fishing since the beginning of February. Our little black stones have been coming off steady for over a month now and they show no sign of slowing down. Any good imitation of these insects will bring trout to the surface. For those that prefer the nymphing game, stone flies as well as caddis and midge larva are working well. In addition, most of our area streams are now loaded with suckers. These early spring spawners will have trout reacting positively to small egg and sucker spawn patterns in the coming weeks as well. I landed my best fish this winter, a 26" brown trout, on a sucker spawn pattern last Tuesday! Unfortunately, the window on this great fishing is rapidly closing. Trout season will close next Sunday at midnight. All stocked waters (except for trout conservation areas) will remain closed until the season opener on April 7th. So get out there while you st can!
In addition to the mild temperatures, one of the reasons the fishing has been so good has been the low water flows. Although it makes for great conditions to fish our winter stone fly hatches, we will be in trouble come late spring if we don't get more water in the system. Temperatures on the South Branch of the Raritan reached near 50 degrees on the day this letter was written. We need the water to help keep the temperature in check as we move into the warmer months. So pray for a wet spring, though not as wet as last year!
March will be a busy month for us here at Central Jersey Trout Unlimited. To start off the month, we are conducting two beginners fly fishing seminars in conjunction with Efingers Sporting Goods. On Saturday, March 10th and Saturday, March 17th we will be conducting these seminars in the vacant building next to Efingers Sporting Goods located on Route 28 in Bound Brook, NJ. The seminars will run from 10:00am until 12:30 or 1:00pm. We will be reviewing the all the basics of fly fishing including casting instruction. The programs are free and if you are interested in signing up for one you can contact Efingers, or get a hold of me at next week's meeting.
We will also be at Efingers tying flies from 5:00pm until closing on March 9th and during the day on Sunday on March 11. Come on by and say hello. Efingers has a lot going on in the store this weekend so it will be worth the trip.
Do you have any old fishing equipment lying around that you would like to get rid of? If so, why not donate it to the chapter. During the Pequest Hatchery Open House event on March 31st and April 1st we will selling old fishing gear to raise money for the chapter. Our members have donated everything from fly rods and reels, waders, flies and lures as well as spinning and casting gear both fresh and saltwater. In fact any unwanted outdoor equipment donated to the chapter can help us raise money. If you have any gear you would like to donate please bring it to the general meeting on Tuesday, March 13th. If you can't make it to the meeting but plan on coming up to the open house event you can bring it there as well.
We have a great program in store for you this month so be sure to come out for the general meeting on Tuesday. I'll see you there, as long as can get off the water in time!
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
February 2012
How about this "winter" we are having! There have been more opportunities to fish this winter than there was in the spring and fall combined! River levels are great and the temperature resembles spring and fall more than winter. On February 1st, I was on the water, and by noon I had to strip off my outer garments because I was getting too warm. I fished until sundown in shirt sleeves! The fishing was excellent by the way, with fish coming to the net all day long.
January was a very busy month for Central Jersey Trout Unlimited. We had a presence at two area shows and we kicked off our 2012 fly tying classes. All in all we had pretty good show season this year, bringing in around $1,500.00 that will be dedicated towards future conservation projects. My thanks go out to everyone who participated in these two events. It would take an entire page to mention everyone, but a few folks deserve mention. Dick Turse has worked tirelessly for the chapter for decades, organizing these events. Thanks to his organizing and planning skills these events go off with out a hitch. Many members donate flies to the chapter for sale at these types of events, but none contribute as much as Leon Cheeka. Leon donates hundreds of dozens of flies a year to our chapter to keep our display boxes full. While on the subject of flies, Barry Russo has set new goals in fly sales each year and continues to beat them. He doesn't do it alone as many of our volunteers help out with fly sales at the show, but his enthusiasm keeps keeps us all motivated. Finally I would like to thank all the folks who are part of the set up and take down crews. Again, there are too many to mention here but you know who you are. We could not participate in these events without your dedication to the chapter.
We have a few upcoming events in the months to come, especially in March. We are doing something new this year in conjunction with Efingers Sporting Goods. On Saturdays March 10th and 17th, we will be conducting a Fly Fishing 101 seminar in the building space next door to Efingers. We are still in the process of working out the details but what we do know at this point is that we will be offering instruction on all aspects of fly fishing. If you are new to the sport this will be a great opportunity to get some first rate instruction on everything from entomology, gear and fly selection, knots and leaders as well as hands on instruction on fly casting. In addition we will be giving fly tying demos at the store around the same time. Right know I know we will be there in the evening of March 9th, but there may be additional dates as well. As we have more information we will make it available.
Special thanks go out to Efingers for all they do for our chapter. The folks at Efingers have been long time supporters of our organization. Not only do they help us put on events like our fly tying demos and fishing clinics, but they also donate gear and equipment to the chapter to be used in our fund raising efforts. In addition to supplying a lot of the merchandise given away at our monthly meetings, this year they donated the fully stocked tackle box that we gave away at the Edison show. They also offer every TU member some pretty deep discounts on fishing equipment. Stop by their store and pay them a visit.
We will also be at the Pequest Hatchery Open House event March 31st though April 1st. We are still looking for a lot of help for this event. You can contribute in two ways. First we are looking to run our annual fishing flea market at this event. If you have any old gear you would like to get rid of to make room for all the latest and greatest equipment that came out this year please consider donating it to the chapter. We will have a table in the outdoor sales area at the open house this year. If it is a piece of equipment you would like to see a return on we can sell it on consignment for you, just let us know what you would like to donate to the chapter when it is sold. You will have two opportunities to drop off your gear at the February and March general meetings. If you can't make a meeting contact one of the directors or myself and we will see if we can make other arrangements to pick the stuff up. We are also looking for help for this event. We can use some assistance at the sales table, the inside tiers table and the children's fishing event. Grab ahold of one of the directors or reach out for me if you can donate a few hours your time.
We have a great speaker this month. You can read all about him in this news letter. Normally during this time of year I remind everyone that attending a general meeting is a great way to get rid of cabin fever. Maybe that is not the case this year, but if you can break away from fishing for the day come out and join us.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at
January 2012
Let me start off by wishing everyone a healthy and happy New Year. The holidays are now behind us and I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season. The weather has been very strange this year. The early season blizzard that affected most of our area made us think we were in for one hell of a winter, So far it has not materialized, but it is far from over. When I started writing this letter late Tuesday evening, after our board of directors meeting, the thermometer on my window, by my desk, read 12 degrees. Several days later, I'm walking around in shirt sleeves enjoying the 50 degree weather. The point I'm trying to make is that is premature to hang up your rods for the year, there is plenty of fishing to be had!
January is by far the busiest month of the year for Central Jersey Trout Unlimited. We will have a presence at two area shows; The Garden State Outdoor Sportsman Show and the Fly Fishing Show. The Garden State Outdoor Sportsman Show will take place at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, NJ. The dates of the show are January 12th though the 15th. We are still looking for help at this event. We need folks to help staff the booth. We will be conducting fly tying lessons for children, selling flies and offering tickets for our tackle box fund raiser to the public. At this year's show we will be giving away a fully loaded tackle box stuffed with spinning and casting tackle that should cover every freshwater need, I am very pleased to announce that the fine folks from Efingers Sporting Goods donated this prize worth almost $300,00. Stop by our booth and pick up a ticket or ten! If you are interested in helping out we will give you a free pass to get into the show. Just catch up with one of the directors at the next meeting. The Fly Fishing Show will take place January 27th through the 29th at the Garden State Convention Center in Somerset, New Jersey. I believe we are adequately staffed for this event, but feel free to stop by our booth which will be located in the lobby.
This weekend, on Saturday January 7th, we will be conducting a fly tying demonstration at Efingers Sporting Goods in Bound Brook, New Jersey. We will be there from 10:00am to 4:00pm, right in front of the big fish tank display as soon as you walk into the store. In addition, Efingers will be running a huge sale on fly tying supplies. It will be a great time to catch up with old friends, learn a few new tricks and pick up some needed fly tying materials at a great price.
On January 2nd a small, but dedicated group of CJTU volunteers set to work on repairing our storage shed. The building has been deteriorating over the years and was in desperate need of a new roof, doors and other repairs. I am happy to say that our shed is now weather tight and good for a few more years! My thanks go out to all that have participated in this project over the last few months.
Next Tuesday's meeting will be our second annual fly tying night. Some of the chapter's best fly tiers will be there tying up fly patterns for all types of fishing. We will be setting up a little early (around 7pm) so feel free to stop by. There will be a very short general meeting and the rest of the evening will be dedicated to fly tying. Feel free to bring out your own equipment and tie yourself. Its a great opportunity to get some free hands on instruction or pick up a few ideas for new patterns. Come out and spend the evening with us!
I want to wrap up by mentioning our fly tying lessons that begin this month. There is still time to sign up for these classes. You can do it at next week's meeting or use the contact information on our website. We are offering classes for tiers of all skill levels from beginner to advanced. This is a great way to master a new hobby, beat cabin fever and restock your fly boxes at the same time. The cost is $50.00 for six lessons that will take place over the next three months. We are even offering material selection this year at an additional cost that will ensure that you have everything you need to complete the course.
Tight Lines,
Bart Lombardo
You can contact Bart at