Hello everyone,
As we put 2024 behind us and move forward into another year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Happy New Year and I am hopeful that you, your families, friends and loved ones were able to have a wonderful and blessed Holiday Season.
I am going to be brief as possible and cover a few topics of importance as timely as I can for now. I will have more in depth information that may answer any questions you may have, and cover some topics I feel are necessary for the good of the order in a forthcoming email.
For now, please be reminded that the General Membership Meetings will be held on the third WEDNESDAY of the month for calendar year 2025. Your first meeting then will be Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 at 7:00 pm at the Classic Cafe Exhibition Hall on Hillegas Rd. in Ft. Wayne. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
We will be set up again this year at the War Memorial Coliseum here in Ft. Wayne for the All American Outdoor Expo. This coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 10th, 11th and 12th. Check local media outlets, social media platforms and the Expo website for times and a list of ongoing events. Please consider coming out and stopping by the booth and casting pond and showing your support for your club during this event. We have the volunteer list now complete and have submitted that information to Expo staff. I will be reaching out to those individuals, you know who you are, in short order with the information you will need for the weekend. Thank You for all your support in advance.
The official Three Rivers Fly Fishers Tuesday Night Fly Tying event will resume this coming Tuesday, January 7th, 2025 at the Coyote Creek Bar and Grill (Coyote Creek Golf Club) on Hillegas Rd. in Ft. Wayne. Tying, fellowship and great food and drink will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This event will continue every Tuesday night until the last Tuesday in March. Please consider stopping out for a laid back evening and good times.
Also the Wabash tyers group is meeting every Monday night through the winter months as well. If you are close to the Wabash area, consider stopping in for a night of fly tying and fellowship with those folks as well. For times, location and details please contact Bob Hester at glassmanbob1989@yahoo.com
It is Fly Show Season! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our own 2025 Fort Wayne Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Show. Saturday, February 8th, 2025. 9:00 am until 4:30 pm at the Classic Cafe Exhibition Hall, Ft. Wayne, IN. Volunteers for set up, tear down and to work the show are always welcome and needed. Reach out to a Board member if you are willing to help your club out. Thanks in advance. Other shows that may be of interest to members are the Heartland Fly Fishing Festival, Lebanon, IN. The Kentuckiana / Derby City Fly Show, Louisville, KY. Both on January 18th. The Greater Cincinnati Fly Show, Cincinnati,OH on February 1st. And the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo in Warren, MI, March 8th and 9th. Check their websites and social media for details.
Our guest speaker for January is Mark Karaba, and Gary Krebbs for February. More details and bios in an upcoming email. Mark your calendars accordingly and please come out and support these speakers and your club. Thank you.
Two community outreach programs I want to make you aware of will be held in March. We will again be partnering with Eckhart Public Library and Valarie Simmons in Auburn, IN. The first event will be a fly fishing, fly casting clinic event on Saturday, during the day, March 15th. The second event will be a fly tying demonstration and hands on learning/tying program on Thursday night, March 20th. Both of these events are the Basics – 101 type programs, so if you have an interest in learning more about fly fishing or tying, feel free to sign up for these public forums. More details to follow, but for now refer to the Eckhart Public Library website, or reach out to member Brent Walchuk if interested in learning more about these programs or helping out. Thanks.
The last topic of importance is membership. This will probably be the hot button moving forward this year, and it will be a topic of priority for the Board of Directors very soon. The Board has discussed this in the past, and we feel that leadership, and those members who do pay their dues in a timely manner, have been more than gracious, more than tolerant and more than fair with those who continue to be non-compliant. Moving forward, we simply cannot keep individuals on the membership roster who are continually delinquent with their dues payment. Should you wish to continue on as part of this organization and benefit from what it has to offer, then your 2025 annual membership dues are now due. Thank you.
Hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying the start up of this new year. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and for being a part of Three Rivers Fly Fishers. Take care and have a great week. Until next time, get out there, get involved and enjoy your club.
Most Respectfully – and Tight Lines,
Kevin Curtis – President
Three Rivers Fly Fishers – 3RFF
Ft. Wayne, IN