Happy New and welcome to 2026. I expect that everyone is well and has had an enjoyable Holiday. It’s the New Year 2026 and time for making resolutions, and WMFF is ready to start the 2026 season. We have some great things coming up in 2026, and we will be looking forward to another successful year.
- The 2026 WMFF Fly-tying classes starting on Thursday, January 8th, 7:00pm to 9:00pm, and continuing for eight weeks ending on Thursday, February 26.
- We have also been invited back once again to represent the club at the Springfield Sportsman Show at the Big E in West Springfield on the weekend of February 20-22.
- We will also be holding our March Expo, along with having some great guest speakers in 2026.
Springfield Sportsmen’s Show
The club will be needing volunteers to man our booth at the Springfield Sportsmen’s Show in February. The show will run Friday Feb. 20 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Saturday Feb. 21 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Sunday Feb. 22 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We will be needing volunteers to fill all the time slots. Please contact me to schedule a time slot and also to let me know if you will be able to be a demo fly tyer. You can contact me at JLawor@wmffclub.org, by phone at 413-579-1994, or at our next meeting on January 19th.
Thank you.
John D Lawor
WMFF Secretary
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.
Our January Guest speaker will be: Chris Parisi
Chris Parisi has been in the fishing industry for the last 23 years. A former shop manager, shop owner, and guide, Chris cut his teeth on the small streams of Connecticut and in Long Island Sound before opening his first tackle shop in Cape Cod, MA. Chris’ new store, The Local Fly Company is finishing up year one in Bristol, CT and you will see him at the Marlboro and Edison Fly Shows as well. His winters are spent behind the vice, on the ice, and speaking to clubs and at fishing shows across the country. But once Spring comes around you will find him looking for the first of our larger mayflies in the area…The Hendrickson. Chris will take us through patterns and life cycle, what type of water to focus on, and his best nymph, emerger, and dry choices for this boutique hatch. Chris’ shop also offers hosted trips to Montana each summer and he will discuss the options for 2026. Each member at attendance will also get a 15% discount code for use at the shop or online at www.localflyco.com
Fly Tying Demo
Dan Trela will be demonstrating how to tie the following flies at our meeting on Monday night before the scheduled meeting.
FOAM WING CADDIS
HOOK- standard dry 14-16-18
Thread – black uni 8/0
Body – black superfine dubbing
Hackle – nat. grizzly
FLASH BACK HARE’S EAR NYMPH
Hook -curved shape hook 14-167-18B
Thread -black uni 8/0
Tail – hare’s ear
Body lt. hare’s ear dubbing
Wing case – black thin skin with a strip of pearl flat tinsel over
FOAM BACK EMERGER
Hook – dry fly curved shape 18-20-26-28-30
Body – black uni 6/0 can also be tied olive, brown etc.
Rib – x-small silver wire
Wing – white 2 mm foam
