Weekly Meeting Schedule

It's a streamer. It's a nymph. It's THE STRYMPH! Join us as club member Bob Charles leads us on a tie of this unique pattern. The fly was developed by Harry Murray and is effective for both bass (sizes 4 & 8) and trout (sizes 8 & 10). The Strymph is quite versatile and can be used effectively when fished upstream, downstream or across stream in all types of water.

If you've never tied using a dubbing loop, this is a great pattern to learn the technique!

Russ has had a powerful influence on fly fishing in the Midwest, developing countless innovative fly patterns as well as fishing techniques. During his career, Russ has been in almost every major fly-fishing publication where his creativity and deep passion for this sport can be illustrated.

Russ hails from Traverse City, Michigan and currently fishes more than most can claim. The upper portion of the Manistee River is home for this die-hard passion, chasing big browns. He also guides on the Boardman, Betties, Here, Marquette and lower Manistee, focusing on all species including salmon and steelhead. He also dreams of big carp when he can sneak away from his other fisheries.

Here's a great quote about Russ from Kelly Galloup: "I don't think there's a time Russ doesn't think about fishing. It's pretty hard to go 24-7, but I'd say he does 22-7."

We will not be meeting this evening in celebration of the holidays

Club member Robert Conrad will be starting the new year  with some fireworks. He's not just leading us on a tie of the famous Renegade pattern. No, we're getting more bang for our buck with the Double Renegade! Join us for this tie-along on a pattern that will have you wishing that the upcoming trout season.

Dustan Harley was born less than a mile from the Saint Joseph River and can’t remember a time when he wasn’t on the river fishing. He grew up fishing on the rivers of Indiana and Michigan and is lucky enough today to spend most days on those same rivers. He founded Ripple Guide Service in 1999 to give fishermen an unforgettable experience. He guides the rivers of Indiana and Michigan for steelhead, salmon, trout, smallmouth bass, pike, and just about anything else that swims. Dustan has also spoken to fly fishing clubs from Tennessee to California. When not on the river, he can be found fishing with his children or designing new flies for the fish he loves to fool.

Visit Ripple Guide Service

Please join us for this very special meeting. DRiFT and The Tie-a-thon have formed a strong relationship over the past several years. We have tied thousands of flys each year for a worthy cause. For the first time, we will be presenting the thousands of flys tied by DRiFT members directly to Tim.

The Tie-a-thon was founded by Tim Scott of South Bend, IN and with Terry Wittorp of Dowagiac, MI in the fall of 2006 when Kalamazoo Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited (KVCTU) needed flies for their Youth Camp.  The Tie-a-thon concept asked tyers to produce 100 flies of one pattern and donated them so the kids could fish. When the first Tie-a-thon wrapped up, in the spring of 2007, tyers donated 2,500 flies to KVCTU. From that first event, tyers were interested in continuing the Tie-a-thon, and 13 years later, tyers have donated over 131,500 flies to 16 different non-profit organizations and good causes which use fly fishing for either therapy or education.

Tim Scott has been fly-fishing and tying for 26 years. He and his wife Karen are 26-year residents of South Bend, Indiana, where they live a block and a half from the St. Joseph River and where Tim chases smallmouth and steelhead. Fly fishing and fly tying has been the center of Tim’s spare time, when he is not working as the Director of Material Management for a Goshen Indiana Tier 1 automotive parts supplier. Tim is also a three term South Bend Common Council member and the President of the Council, but he still finds time to fish about 75 days out of the year and tie flies almost daily. He and his wife travel often to Colorado, Michigan and their home state of Missouri, where fly-fishing is always part of their trips. Tim has a photojournalism degree from Mizzou and has been published in the Drake and Catch magazines.

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