The May 2025 meeting will be our last meeting before we go on summer break. We had another great year and got through another meeting season and WMFF March Expo.
Our May 19th meeting will start at 5:00 PM and will be held at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA at the Pavilion for our close of the season cookout. The meeting will commence after the cookout outside in the Pavilion area. Anyone wanting to help with the cookout please see Dan Trela at 4:00 PM to assist him with preparations and cooking.
We will be starting back up in September on Monday the 15th. Our regular September Meeting will be held at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA. I will be sending out a September meeting announcement the end of August. Also please check the WMFF’s website (https://wmffclub.org) throughout the summer for news and events, and new fly fishing and tying related information.
See you in September. May you all have an enjoyable and safe summer.
It’s April and we have gotten through another WMFF March Expo. Hopefully the weather will change for the better and those of us that have been hibernating through the winter well get an opportunity to get out and wet a line. I would like to thank everyone that volunteered to assist with the Expo. Thank you. Without your help the Expo could never be a success.
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.
April’s guest speaker will be:
James Garner
PhD Candidate
UMass Amherst
Environmental Conservation Department (ECO)
James will be speaking on the shortnose sturgeon project that has been in the news recently.
As a Membership Reminder March 2025 was the time to renew your membership for the 2026 season. Please find the mail in renewal form with this meeting announcement. You can fill this form out and mail your renewal directly to me and I will mail your Membership Card to you or you can bring the completed form to the April meeting to renew in person. Alternatively, you can complete the Membership Form on the WMFF website, and bring the payment with you to the next meeting. I would like to thank those of you that have taken the time to renew your membership.
Hope to see many of you at this coming meeting.
– John Lawor
Fly Tying Demo
Dan Trela will be tying one fly called the Empie’s Goldie, but Dan will tie it twice. Dan said “This is a fly you will want in your fly box if you fish a river or pond that was recently stocked. Not every fly shop carries Bill’s bodi braid, it is usually found in saltwater fly shops. I sell the material alone as well as a kit to tie the Goldie.”
Thanks Dan!
Empie’s Goldie Thread: UTC 140 D hot orange Hook: Size 8 or 6 1XL nymph hook Bead: 5/32 gold tungsten bead Tail: Several strands red crystal flash, 2 strands Bill bodi braid pearl, 2 strands Bill’s bodi braid gold Body: Silver mylar tinsel Wing: 4 strands pearl bodi braid and 4 strands gold bodi braid Collar: Hot orange thread
I would like to thank all of you who volunteered to work the WMFF Booth at the Springfield Sportsman Show in West Springfield last month. Your hard work and dedication to the club made our presents at the show a success.
As a Membership Reminder March 2025 is the time to renew your membership for the 2025-2026 season. For those of you that have not renewed please find the mail in renewal form with this meeting announcement. You can fill this form out and mail your renewal directly to me and I will mail your Membership Card to you. Or you can bring the completed form to the March EXPO meeting to renew in person.
Hope to see many of you at the EXPO
Our March 2025 Meeting will be our 2025 WMFF EXPO. For March Expo information please visit the WMFF web site at the WMFF’s website.
As we move into the new year, we have a number of Club events coming up in February and March. We have the Springfield Sportsman’s Show at the Big E in February and we will be in need of volunteers to representative the club, we will also be preparing for the WMFF EXPO and we will also need club member participation and volunteers.
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.
Our guest speaker at our February meeting will be Reece McDowell. Reece runs the graphite department at T&T Fly Rods in Greenfield, MA. He also works at the Deerfield fly shop part time and has been fly fishing for close to a decade. Reece’s passion is fly fishing for Carp and his presentation will be Carp 101. He will be going over gear, habits, habitat, flies and everything to get started fly fishing for Carp.
Once again, we have been invited back to the Springfield Sportsman’s Show at the Big E, February 21, 22, and 23. 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 fly fishing, fly-tying and the WMFF club. We want to have coverage all three days so please sign up to help. A sign- up sheet will be available at our meeting. Here is a link to this event http://www.osegsportsmens.com
As a reminder we are rapidly approaching the time to renew our individual 2026 membership. Renewals are due by the end of March 2025. Please note that attached to this meeting announcement you will find a Renew by Mail Form. Please follow the directions on the form to renew by mail or if you prefer to renew in person fill out the form and bring it to the next meeting. Dues are still $20.00. I will be available to renew your membership during the meeting.
If you have not filled out the club questioner yet, please do. The club is sending out this questionnaire to all members so we can get your input and ideas for making the club better, to find out from the membership what they think will enhance the club, what we are currently doing and what other programs you as members would like to see put into place. I will also be attaching a copy of the questionnaire to this announcement.
We will also be discussing preparation and planning for the 2025 WMFF March EXPO.
Thank you. – John D Lawor, Secretary WMFF
Fly Tying Demo:
Dan will be demonstrating how to tie the following fly’s at our meeting on Monday night before the scheduled meeting. (6:30). Thanks Dan
Little Black Stone Fly Dry
Hook – Standard dry size 16, 14
Thread – Black uni 8/0
Body – Black superfine dubbing
Wing – mallard primary slip sprayed with clear lacquer
Happy New and welcome to 2025. I expect that everyone is well and has had an enjoyable Holiday. WMFF is ready to start the 2025 season. We have some great things coming up in 2025. The 2025 WMFF Fly-tying classes starting on January 9th. 7:00pm to 9:00pm continuing for eight weeks ending on February 27, we have been asked back once again to represent the club, fly fishing and fly-tying at the Springfield Sportsman Show at the Big E in West Springfield. February 21-23, we will also be holding our March Expo, along with having some great guest speakers in 2025. We will be looking forward to another successful year
We will conduct our January meeting at the Ludlow Elks Club, 69 Chapin Street in Ludlow MA on Monday the 20th. at 7:00 pm right after the Fly-Tying Demo.
January Guest speaker TBA
Fly Tying Demo:
Dan Trela will be demonstrating how to tie the following flies at our meeting on Monday night. Thank you Dan.
MARLA BLAIR’S JAILBIRD
Hook – standard curved scud hook 14-16-18
Thread – 8/0 uni olive
Rib – Red wire
Body – Blue wing olive synthetic dubbing
Wing case – 2 mm white foam
BRONZE BACK PHEASANT TAIL
Hook – standard nymph 10-16
Thread – black uni 8/0
Tail – natural pheasant tail fibers
Body – natural pheasant tail with bronze flashabou
It’s December and Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas is only weeks away. It is time to rejoice and to enjoy the company of family and friends.
Our 2025 office’s elections were successfully held at our November meeting. The current club officers were voted in for another term and will be resuming their duties in 2025. We would also like to welcome Codi Ackley who was voted into the open Board of Directors spot vacated by Manny DeSilva.
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.
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.
TOM BALTZ para nymph
Hook – standard dry fly size 10 -20
Thread – uni black 8/0
Tail – brown antron or zelon (tri-global fibers)
Body – hare’s mask Wing – yellow calf body hair Hackle – grizzly
TOM BALTZ Iron x caddis
Hook – standard dry fly 12-20
Thread – uni brown 8/0
Tail – brown/olive antron or zelon
Body – hare’s mask
Wing – short & fine deer body hair
Sighter -hot pink antron fibers
Frenchie
Hook – Jig hook 12-18
Bead – slotted gold to match hook size
Thread – 70 D UTC red
Tail – coc de leon fibers or substitute wood duck fibers
November the gateway to winter, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder. The leaves are off the trees and most of us have put away our rods and reels for the season as we move into holiday mode with Thanksgiving right around the corner.
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 2024 officers. We will also be voting on a Board Member position this year.
Tom Ricardi will be our guest speaker for November’s meeting, Presenting Birds of Prey. Local raptor rehabilitator, Tom Ricardi, has been rescuing birds of prey for more than 50 years. He has saved thousands of owls, hawks, falcons, eagles, and many more during the course of those 50 years. MA Birds of Prey Rehab is a non-profit organization and most of its costs are paid for out of Tom’s own pocket. Please bring a friend to this meeting and enjoy Tom’s talk!
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!
Purple Para Ant Hook- standard dry fly 12-14-16 Thread – black Wing- white para post Body – antron purple sparkle dubbing Hackle – Grizzly
Alexandra wet fly Hook – standard wet fly 10-12 Thread- black Tail – red hackle fibers Body – silver tinsel Wing – peacock sword Throat- black hackle
Partridge and peacock
Hook- standard wet fly 12-14-16 Thread – UTC Fl.fire orange Tag – fire orange thread Body – peacock herl Hackle – partridge or speckled hen neck Head – fire orange thread
