Western Massachusetts Fly Fishermen

Club Meeting Thursday September 17, 2020

6:30 at the Elks Club Ludlow

Message from our President Harold Norman:

We hope that all our members, their friends and families are in good health after all that has been experienced in our country and parts of the world for the past several months.  For those members who have friends and families that were taken ill or suffered a loss of a dear one, our hearts and prayers are with you and your loved ones.  Please know that this pandemic has impacted us all in some way shape or form.  As a minimum, I miss gathering at our meetings and the experience of sharing our passion for the fly tying/fly fishing hobby/profession.  If there is one lesson that this pandemic has taught us is; to NOT take things for granted as if we expect everything to happen the way we want, or because that is the way it’s always been, or we have always done things or expect things to take place.  Life is short, sometimes unfair, and definitely complicated!  Please stay safe, stay healthy, and stay tuned for information on our upcoming meeting in Sept.  (I hope).  Also, since our membership is comprised of many members with seniority, please take time out to touch base with a couple of our members/friends during this summer.  In fact, when you get the chance please give Manny DaSilva a telephone call at 413-283-2915, he could use a few encouraging words during his fight with cancer. 

Well it has been several weeks since this notice was initiated and now we are in Phase 2.5 of this crazy Corona Virus pandemic.  I hope we are moving toward some normalcy soon.  I will be contacting the Elks Club in the next few weeks to see when they plan on opening and based on that information, we will get the word out to you ASAP.  We hope that by the third Monday in September (21) we will hold our first meeting since January!

We will send out our usual Meeting Notice before the meeting with all the meeting info.  Until then, please stay safe and get out there and enjoy our summer.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email me at tiger66gd@verizon.net, call me at 603-305-5301, or snail mail at the address listed above.  My Face-Book and Messenger accounts are shut down due to a hacking problem so you won’t find me there.

Guest Speaker: Dan Trela Dan will be tying the Teco Bug

Field Notes From Our Local Fly Fishers:

The shutdown of our country has really impacted the activity on the Swift River!  I have never seen the Route 9 bridge area with so many cars that there were NO parking spots in the lot, the field across the street, route 9, the pumping station and the side trail to the Y-pool!  Poor trout don’t stand a chance!

Due to the affect and impact of the current Corona Virus epidemic, we along with many other groups and organizations cannot gather in large groups until the state revises their group meeting restrictions.  We will stay tuned for any changes to these restrictions and notify all the members when things begin to get back to normal.

Due to these circumstances, our April and May meetings and our cookout are all cancelled.  I will miss enjoying our outing and I miss our meetings as well.  Just another lesson for me NOT to take things for granted because we never know when they will be gone!

Membership status:  Normally we all renew our club memberships in March, usually at the March EXPO.  Due to the current situation, all memberships are in the GRACE period.  No one will lose their membership.  If you want to send your dues by mail, the address 146 Old Enfield Road, Belchertown, MA 01007.  If you want to wait until we meet again, that should be fine as well but the decision/agreement has to be made by the Board Of Directors.

Our President (Harold), wishes everyone a great summer, and looks forward to gathering together in September.

Please be careful and mindful of your environment whenever you are in a public place, and do stay safe.

He also recommends fly fishing as a great therapy for times of stress and anxiety!  I feel better just thinking about it!  Thanks Harold.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email me at tiger66gd@verizon.net, call me at 603-305-5301, or snail mail at the address listed above.  I have shut down my Face-Book and Messenger accounts due to a hacking problem so you won’t find me there.

Best regards,

Gil DaCosta