Categories
Meetings

Monday April 17th, 2023 meeting

7 Fox Hill Dr., Wilbraham, MA. Contact # 413-579-199 wmffclub@gmail.com

It’s April and Spring is here. The days are getting longer, and warmer, Mass Wildlife has been stocking our streams, rivers ponds and lakes, it’s time to get out flex the muscles shake off the winter rust and throw a line.

We will conduct our April meeting at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-Tying Demo, at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA.

Guest Speaker

April’s guest speaker will be Karl Meyers, Society of Environmental Journalists. The topic will be “LIVING RIVERS FLOW DOWNSTREAM: A History of Fish Passage on New England’s Broken Rivers”

Fly Tying Demo:

Dan will be demonstrating how to tie the following fly’s at our meeting on Monday night before the meeting.

(7:00) Thanks Dan!

IRON MIKE STREAMER

HOOK – size 6 – 2 xl nymph/streamer

BEAD- silver tungsten 5/32

THREAD – 6/0 black UNI

TAIL – white marabou with mallard flank or teal feather

BODY- pearl wing & flash, or ice wing or secret stuff

WING- pearl wing & flash with mallard or teal feather

HEAD- med pearl mylar collar

LANDON MYER BLACK MINI LEECH

HOOK – Jig hook size 10

BEAD – black tungsten 1/8

TAIL- black pine squirrel

BODY_ red mylar tinsel

LT. HENDRICKSON  DRY (CATSKILL STYLE)

THREAD – 8/0 uni

HOOK – standard dry size 14

Tail – dun (gray) hackle fibers

BODY_ Hendrickson dubbing (pink/gray/tan mixture)

WING wood duck flank

HACKLE – Med. blue dun (gray)

Categories
Meetings

Fly Fishing Expo

The Western Mass Fly Fishermen club wants to thank everyone that came out to support our March Expo!

Tim Flagle with WMFF club president Harold Norman and vice president John LaFrancis
Tim Flagler observing Jaxon Flynn tying a fly.

The following images were provided by John Calhoun. Thanks John!

Tim Flagler and Dan Trela
John Wilks with the “casting for recovery” table.
A nice crowd showed up to listen to Tim’s talk on Patagonia.
Categories
Events Meetings

Monday March 20th, 2023

Categories
Classes

Fly tying class Thursday 3-9-2023

We will be holding our 8th and last fly tying class next week. I tip my hat to Manny DaSilva for his excellent instruction over the past 7 classes!

Lead Instructor Manny DaSilva

Students in the class

Jaxon Flynn working on his Gray Ghost
Evelyn Trela tying with Dan Trela observing
Students listening and tying along. Lisa Zajac in the foreground
Tim with Tony Ouimet
Helper Dennis Dube looking on Nora and Codi Ackley
WMFF President Harold Norman with Derek Darley
Helper George Dunham with Doug Mattoon
Categories
Meetings

Monday February 20th, 2023, Meeting Notice

I hope everyone survived the cold weekend we had at the beginning of the month without any frozen pipes or dead car batteries!

We will conduct our February meeting at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-Tying Demo, at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA.

Guest Speaker

We will not have a guest speaker at our February meeting due to the time required to discuss our March Expo plans and other club activities.

We will have representation at the Springfield Sportsman’s Show at the Big E February 24th – 26th. We are in need of volunteers to man the booth at this event. You can tie fly’s or just be there to talk about the club. We want to have coverage all three days so please sign up to help. A sign- up sheet will be at our next meeting. Here is a link to this event https://www.osegsportsmens.com/index.html

As a reminder we are rapidly approaching the time to renew our individual membership. For individuals that are looking to join the club the membership dues are $20.00 a year. The annual renewal date for the 2022-2023 season is March 31, 2023. I have included a mail in renewal form with this meeting announcement.

Hope to see many of you at this coming meeting.

January Meeting Minutes:

At this time of this publication we do not have the January meeting minutes.

John LaFrancis – Vice President

Fly Tying Demo:

Dan will be demonstrating how to tie the following fly’s at our meeting on Monday night before the meeting.

(7:00) Thanks Dan!


IRIS CADDIS

Hook – standard dry 18-14
Thread – Tan
Tail – tan z-Lon or  (antron)
Body – Lt. hare’s ear
Wing – loop of white z-Lon or antron

X CADDIS

Hook – standard dry 18-14
Thread – black uni
Tail – brown uni 6/0
Tail – brown antron
Body – tan superfine dubbing
Wing – nat deer hair-   short and fine by wapsi

ADAMS CRIPPLE

Hook – standard dry 18-10
Thread – black uni 8/0
Tail – brown antron
Body – gray superfine dubbing
Wing – white EP fibers or any white poly yarn
Hackle – brown and grizzly mixed  or 1 grizzly hackle, 1/2  of which is colored brown
Categories
Meetings

Monday January 16, 2023, Meeting Notice

7 Fox Hill Dr., Wilbraham, MA. 413 579 1994

Welcome to 2023 I hope everyone is well and have survived the Holiday’s. WMFF is ready to start the 2023 season.

We will conduct our January meeting at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-Tying Demo, at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA.

January’s guest speaker will be Brian Comfort of the Deerfield Fly Shop

As a reminder we are rapidly approaching the time to renew our individual membership. For individuals that are looking to join the club the membership dues are $20.00 a year. The annual renewal date for the 2022-2023 season is March 31, 2023.

Fly Tying Demo:

Dan Trela will be demonstrating how to tie the following fly’s at our meeting on Monday night before the scheduled meeting.

Thanks Dan!

BUNNY MIDGE
Hook – gamagatshu c12 BM 26.28,30
Thread -8/0 black uni
Tail- midge pearl krystal flash
Body – black uni thread
Wing – natural snowshoe rabbit
AMY’S ANT
Thread – tan mono-cord or any heavy tying thread like UTC 140
Hook- 2 xl nymph hook 10 or 8
Body- 2 mm tan foam  and 2 mm brown foam Cut width to hook gap.
Wing -white macrame yarn
Legs – speckled sili legs
RAY CHARLES BEADED
Thread- hot orange 8/0 uni
Hook- standard nymph hook size 16
Bead;- 1/16 fl. orange bead
Covert – med pearl tinsel
Body- dun (grey)  ostrich herl
Categories
Classes Meetings

Fly Tying Classes – 2023

We had 21 students at our class last week. It is not too late to come to this weeks class! If you are interested you are more than welcome to join the group!

Categories
Meetings

Monday December 19th meeting

7 Fox Hill Dr., Wilbraham, MA. Contact # 413-579-199 wmffclub@gmail.com

Our November meeting was once again another great meeting where we successfully held our 2023 office’s election. The current club officers were voted in for another term and will be resuming their duties in 2023.

The December meeting will be held at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-tying Demo, at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA.

Our December guest speaker will be Jennifer Lapis Visitor Services Manager at the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

Fly Tying Demo:

Dan Trela will be demonstrating how to tie the following fly’s at our meeting on Monday night before the scheduled meeting.

Thank You Dan!

JOHN BARR VIS A DUN
Hook  -Lightning strike  DF3 18-20  or any dry fly straight eye hook
Thread – Grey uni 8/0
Tail – Dun grey hackle fibers 
Body – Olive superfine dubbing 
Wing – Dun hi vis or grey poly yarn
Hackle – Dun grey 
JOHN BARR COPPER JOHN
HOOK – Any 1XL nymph hook  size14
THREAD – Blk 6/0 uni
GOLD BEAD – to match hook 5/32
Tail _ Brown goose boots
Body – Copper wire brassie size
Thorax – Peacock herl
Wing Cover – Pearl tinsel / Black Thin Skin)
Legs – Brown hen hackle
DAN’S BLACK  RS2
HOOK- TIEMCO 2488 SIZE 22
THREAD – black un i8/0
Tail – grey  organza (wedding veil material)
BODY – black uni thread
WING – pearl krystal flash 
Categories
Meetings

Monday November 21st meeting

7 Fox Hill Dr., Wilbraham, MA. Contact # 413-579-1994

Monday November 21, 2022 Meeting Notice

We have successfully completed our first two meetings of the last quarter of the 2022 season.

Our November meeting will be held at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-tying Demo, at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA.

November is Club Officers election month. Be prepared to submit your nominees for Club President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer we will be voting for our 2023 officers.

James Conleyour newest memberwill be our guest speaker for the November meeting. James will be sharing his fly fishing experiences fishing Pyramid Lake in California.

Thank you, James,

Fly Tying Demo:

Dan will be demonstrating how to tie the following flys at our meeting on Monday night before the scheduled meeting.


PURPLE HAZE PARACHUTE
Hook- standard dry size 12
Thread- black uni 8/0
Post- White poly yarn,/ white calf body hair
Tail – brown /grizzly hackle fibers
Body – purple antron dubbing
Hackle – brown /grizzly hackle

BILL RICARDI’S INCH WORM
Hook – size 10 1 x long dry fly
Thread- chartreuse 8/0 uni
Body – 3/16 chartreuse foam cylinder

E SMOKE JUMPER
Hook- standard dry 22 or 24
Body -black 8/0 uni thread
Rib-  x-fine silver wire
Wing – Nat, CDC feather
Thorax – black superfine dubbing
Categories
Meetings

Monday October 17th meeting notice

7 Fox Hill Dr., Wilbraham, MA. Contact # 413-579-1994

We are back and we have successfully completed our first meeting after our return from summer break.

We will be conducting our October meeting at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-Tying Demo, at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA.

The Pandemic is over at least according to President Biden, however please feel free to use what ever virus protocols you feel comfortable with.

Sean Rose will be our guest speaker for the October meeting. Sean will be sharing some of his living and fly fishing experiences out west.

Fly Tying Demo:

Dan Trela will be demonstrating how to tie the following fly’s at our meeting on Monday night before the scheduled meeting.

Thanks Dan!

FUZZY WOZZY SULFUR
(ONE FEATHER MAYFLY)

1. HOOK STANDARD DRY FLY 16-18-20
2. Thread 8/0 uni yellow
3. Wing, Body 1 CDC feather (trout hinter or Swiss CDC)
SWI ADAMS PARACHUTE

1. HOOK STANDARD DRY SIZE 20
2. Thread black uni 8/0
3 Tail grizzly/ brown hackles
4. Wing -White poly or calf tail
5. Body – grey superfine dubbing
6. Hackle brown and grizzly
EGG PATTERN

1. Curved hook 
2. Thread orange monochord
3. Egg yarn various colors (most popular yellow, orange)




Just a reminder for anyone interested in attending.

The Bill Rose Memorial Fly-Fishing Clinic, co-sponsored by the Westfield River Watershed Association and the Western Mass Fly Fishermen Club, will be held this year on October 15th across from the Huntington Health Center in Huntington, MA. from 9 AM – 12 Noon

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