Hello all.
Summer is winding down quickly and hopefully everyone has had a successful and productive year so far. My apologies for not getting this out in a timely manner. And sorry if some items may already be dated. That’s on me. Still felt the need to keep you informed.
To recap our events thus far, our partnership program on June 8th with the National Wild Turkey Federation and their Women in the Outdoors event was a big success. As you know Three Rivers Fly Fishers instructed two separate sessions for the program and both were very well received. We had 11 women participate in the fly tying session, and 8 for the fly fishing part of the program. All the ladies were very enthusiastic about the programs, and said they would definitely enjoy doing something like this again. There were many questions and much interest, especially on the fly tying portion. All the women caught fish and had a great time, and the ladies who came over from the tying event and caught fish on the flies they tied were just thrilled. Several of the ladies commented that even though they had never done anything like this before, they now understood how gratifying it was to create your own fly and then actually catch a fish with it. The impact these programs had on this group of women was just wonderful. The promoters and staff of the NWTF for this program were great to work with and most grateful and appreciative of our participation and help. They told us they would be very much interested in partnering with us for future community outreach events. I would like to personally thank all the 3RFF members who stepped up to give of their time and talents to mentor and instruct and to help make this program a huge success for both of our organizations. Don Privett, Bob Menefee, Tom Kline, Dave Hill, Johnnie Hanger, Kerry Shipman, and an honorable mention to Lynn Burry who stepped up to volunteer but was unable to attend at the last minute. You all certainly made a difference in someone else’s lives, and made Three Rivers Fly Fishers shine. Thank You!
Our June 15th outing at Bristol, IN on the St. Joe river was for the most part a hit, despite the somewhat low attendance. The weather could not have been more perfect. The river conditions were excellent. Both on the St. Joe, and on the Little Elkhart, where a few ventured over and had good luck. Everyone caught fish at both locations, and multiple species came to hand. A couple of us had a great breakfast to start off the day at the little sidewalk cafe downtown, and lunch was first rate in the afternoon with plenty of good food, conversation, stories and a few photos shared of the morning’s catch. A few passed around their fly boxes to admire each other’s work and share fly tying ideas.This was the first outing on the St. Joe for a few, so thanks go out to Johnnie Hanger and Don Williams for sharing a couple of phone apps with everyone, showing various put in and take out points and other important info. Kudos go out to Warren Howell for helping out on the grill and helping put together lunch and setting up. Things wrapped up around 2:00 with a few helping out with clean up and a couple hanging around after to get in a little more fishing before heading home. Thanks to everyone who attended and enjoyed the outing.
The July 13th outing at Pike Lake in Warsaw, IN was yet another good day of comradery and fellowship. We had a fair turnout of members and almost everyone brought some type of watercraft to the event. Some paired up with larger boats to work the shoreline weed beds and lily pads; while others worked the waters from kayaks or canoes. We had sunny skies and calm waters for this event, and while the catch count was down, everyone reported just having a relaxing time out on the lake. The Pike Lake facility was well suited and very accommodating for our outing. It features a very accessible concrete boat launch and a substantial paved and well marked parking area for vehicles and boat trailers. We had a great pavilion for our cookout at lunch time. It was part of a small park tucked in among pine trees and hardwoods, and close to the water’s edge with a great view of the lake and a nice breeze. Everyone enjoyed brats and hotdogs on the grill along with potato salad, chips, cookies, pop and water. There was much conversation around the tables of the day’s events and recent trips taken. A shout out to Ron Dixon for all his help in setting up and helping out on the grills and for always making these events enjoyable. I’d also like to thank Johnnie Hanger for his willingness to jump in and offer to help get the event off the ground and assist any where he could. Thanks to everyone who attended and made the day enjoyable.
Saturday, August 10th will be our annual 3RFF Membership appreciation day and cookout. We will again be gathering at the Southwest Conservation Club in Ft. Wayne, IN (Waynedale area) on Bluffton Road. There is a great clubhouse on the grounds to host this event. As always, bring your fly rods and a small watercraft if you’d like. There are small ponds on the property suitable for float tubes, kayaks and small canoes. Bring your fly tying gear if you’d like, as some have set up and tied during the outing in the past. Bring a favorite fly rod or box of flies for show and tell, or to share patterns and ideas. But most importantly, bring yourself and a lawn chair if you wish. Bring your handshakes and your smiles and your stories and memories, and prepare yourself for a great day of fellowship. This has become one of our most popular and well attended outings. And seems to grow in numbers each year. It’s the one event we have that’s just laid back, and where everyone can just get together and “hang out” and relax. We have the facility from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. Lunch will be around 12:30 pm. Please plan on coming out and enjoying a great day together and enjoying your club. Thanks go out to Kerry Shipman for coordinating this event and lining up the grounds for us.
Saturday, August 17th will be our final community outreach program for the year. We will be partnering with Eckhart Public Library in Auburn, IN and presenting an “Introduction to Fly Fishing” program. This will take place at Rieke Park in Auburn and will be from 10:00 am until Noon. We will be instructing and introducing participants ages 16 and older who have pre-registered through the Eckhart Public Library link. Please see the library website and link to this event to sign up or for more information. The event will be limited to 15 people. As always, volunteers are most welcome and appreciated for your club’s events. Thank you in advance for supporting these community outreach partnership programs. Thank you to Valerie Simmons for reaching out to us to sponsor this program with the library. Valerie is not only the Executive Director at Eckhart Public Library in Auburn, she also coordinates programs for the Casting for Recovery organization, she has set up a CFR booth at our Fly Show, and she was involved with the Cincinnati Fly Fishers club before relocating to the Auburn area. Please consider giving your full support to Valerie, Three Rivers Fly Fishers and the fly fishing community with this event. Thank you.
As we head toward September, mark your calendars for the annual White River outing at Daleville, IN. Once again, we will base this three (3) day event out of the Canoe Country canoe Livery right on the banks of the White River. This also is one of our most attended and popular outings and is a great venue for our club. Please check out our Three Rivers Fly Fishers website for details and directions, and stay tuned as we plan on bringing further updates, news and plans regarding this outing.
Also, September marks the start of our regular General Membership meetings on the third Thursday of the month. These normally feature a guest speaker, a short member meeting and announcements, and state of the club information, along with an evening of fellowship. Check the website for further information, times, dates, etc. Please plan on attending these meetings and giving support to your club. All of these events are planned and designed for you, the membership, and to make your club a great place to be.
I’d like to finish up by saying “Thank You” to all of you, the Membership, and to the Board of Directors for your tolerance, patience and understanding as we continue to transition, rebuild and move forward with restructuring our great organization. This first summer has not been without some challenges and setbacks, however, the positives we have seen so far outway the negatives and we are excited about the future thus far. As I mentioned in my first Update, I am absolutely positive we can get healthy again and do great things together. I am certain we are already on the way. Thanks again, enjoy the rest of your summer, and the approaching grandeur of the season we call Fall. Take care.
Most Respectfully, hope to see you on the water,
Kevin
Kevin Curtis – President
Three Rivers Fly Fishers (3RFF)
Fort Wayne, IN