Rendezvous
 

Rendezvous will be the weekend of Oct. 31 thru Nov 2 at North Toledo Bend State
Park near Zowlle, Louisiana. anyone is welcome to attend. Very little fishing
is done at Rendezvous, rather it's a progressive dinner and fly tying event
that is held at the group camp facility at the state park. Just tell them at
the entrance that you are one of those flyfishing nuts and they will let you in
for free and point you in the right direction. Bring sheets or sleeping bag and
towels. There are 5 bunk houses that could sleep about 150, but only 65 to 70
show up most years. Lots of Cajuns, so bring your appetites and some food to
share. We start eating Friday afternoon and the food and bull**** flows till
Sunday afternoon. It is kind of like a family reunion, but we are all friends,
so we don't have to fight. We let the kids and dogs run wild and there are no
rules...just kind of live and let live. It is a hell of a lot of fun. Costs $20
a head or $30 per family for the entire weekend. Be prepared to pack on about
another five pounds. You will learn new tying techniques from all. There are
about 20 tables set up in the room next to the commercial kitchen and they are
used for tying and food. You might check Walter's website
http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc/Rendez/indexR.html.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

bd - since reading your posts over the years about rendezvous and
roadkill roundtable, i have wondered how such a collection of folks
began to gather in non-trout venues for fly-tying "camaraderie". i know
tying has expanded beyond trout and salmon flies, but i assume y'all
still tie for the cold-water fish. i'd like to hear the story about the
beginnings and history of your gatherings. they sound great, and i hope
to drop in sometime...

jeff

Brimbum wrote:
Rendezvous will be the weekend of Oct. 31 thru Nov 2 at North Toledo Bend State
Park near Zowlle, Louisiana. anyone is welcome to attend. Very little fishing
is done at Rendezvous, rather it's a progressive dinner and fly tying event
that is held at the group camp facility at the state park. Just tell them at
the entrance that you are one of those flyfishing nuts and they will let you in
for free and point you in the right direction. Bring sheets or sleeping bag and
towels. There are 5 bunk houses that could sleep about 150, but only 65 to 70
show up most years. Lots of Cajuns, so bring your appetites and some food to
share. We start eating Friday afternoon and the food and bull**** flows till
Sunday afternoon. It is kind of like a family reunion, but we are all friends,
so we don't have to fight. We let the kids and dogs run wild and there are no
rules...just kind of live and let live. It is a hell of a lot of fun. Costs $20
a head or $30 per family for the entire weekend. Be prepared to pack on about
another five pounds. You will learn new tying techniques from all. There are
about 20 tables set up in the room next to the commercial kitchen and they are
used for tying and food. You might check Walter's website
http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc/Rendez/indexR.html.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

have a great time BD. It was good to see ya a couple of weeks
ago... time was too short.


wally

Brimbum wrote:
Rendezvous will be the weekend of Oct. 31 thru Nov 2 at North Toledo Bend State
Park near Zowlle, Louisiana. anyone is welcome to attend. Very little fishing
is done at Rendezvous, rather it's a progressive dinner and fly tying event
that is held at the group camp facility at the state park. Just tell them at
the entrance that you are one of those flyfishing nuts and they will let you in
for free and point you in the right direction. Bring sheets or sleeping bag and
towels. There are 5 bunk houses that could sleep about 150, but only 65 to 70
show up most years. Lots of Cajuns, so bring your appetites and some food to
share. We start eating Friday afternoon and the food and bull**** flows till
Sunday afternoon. It is kind of like a family reunion, but we are all friends,
so we don't have to fight. We let the kids and dogs run wild and there are no
rules...just kind of live and let live. It is a hell of a lot of fun. Costs $20
a head or $30 per family for the entire weekend. Be prepared to pack on about
another five pounds. You will learn new tying techniques from all. There are
about 20 tables set up in the room next to the commercial kitchen and they are
used for tying and food. You might check Walter's website
http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc/Rendez/indexR.html.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

I will quiz Walter McLendon of The Pineywoods Flyfishers, the local Lufkin FFF
club when we meet. He does most of the arranging for this event these days. In
the old days of the event it was just a gathering of folks from The Pinywoods
Club in Lufkin and the North Louisiana Flyfishers Club from Shreveport getting
together camping and fishing and tying flies and telling lies. One year they
spent the entire weekend in tents due to the rain and one of the employees of
the park let them know about the group camp facility and we have been there
ever since. Jeff Guerin was the president of the North Louisiana Flyfishers
Club at the time and he had a fly shop in Shreveport. He has now moved on and
is the only guide on the Little Missouri River in Arkansas, which is the closet
tailwater trout fishery to that area.WWW.LITTLEMISSOURIFLYFISHING.COM He has a
great web site and dispenses information about what is currently happening on
the river including everything except the names of the individual fish he and
his clients caught yesterday. He is also one hell of a creative fly tier.

We all fish for trout, but we have to drive farther. Our Dallas club has a club
outing scheduled next June on the San Juan.

We still have a hell of a lot of fun with our non-trout fishing and tying as
well. Mark Pinsel and Kyle Moppert of Hammond and Baton Rouge, Louisiana are
the co-founders of a group know as The Classic Atlantic Brim Fly Society, and
you should see Mark's box of brim flies tied in salmon style tied on size 8
Partridge Bartleet hooks.

This will be a sadder event this year as both Mike Verduin and Tom Nixon have
passed away during the last few months, but other kids will join us who will
start tying flies and fishing with them from age 5 up. This is how our
traditions are passed on. Mike willed his Able vise to Kyle's son Ian who is
now 12 but has been tying flies since age six. Life goes on.

If you go to the pineywoods web site you can click on Rendezvous and see some
pictures of the event taken in previous years.
http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc.

More in a couple of weeks.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

Jeff Guerin was the president of the North Louisiana Flyfishers
Club at the time and he had a fly shop in Shreveport. He has now moved on
and
is the only guide on the Little Missouri River in Arkansas, which is the
closet
tailwater trout fishery to that area.WWW.LITTLEMISSOURIFLYFISHING.COM He
has a
great web site and dispenses information about what is currently happening
on
the river including everything except the names of the individual fish he
and
his clients caught yesterday. He is also one hell of a creative fly tier.


Hey Big Dale:

I have been aware of Jeff's site (and the Little Missouri) for several
years, and have begun planning to go down there (up there for you) on two
occassions, once to meet up with my father-in-law in Poplarville, Miss., and
once to meet up with a fried who moved to Austin. What's your understanding
of how that tailwater is developing, troutwise? Has anyone planted any
brown trout (the one success story of Arkansas flyfishing) there? Have you
fished there?

Arkansas Game and Fish appears to still regard it as pretty experimental.

Memphis Jim

Rendezvous
 

Memphis Jim wrote:snipWhat's your understanding
of how that tailwater is developing, troutwise? Has anyone planted any
brown trout (the one success story of Arkansas flyfishing) there?

I have not fished the river for a couple of years, but Jeff knows it better
that anyone, Why not send him an e-mail?

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

"Brimbum" wrote in message
...
Memphis Jim wrote:snipWhat's your understanding
of how that tailwater is developing, troutwise? Has anyone planted any
brown trout (the one success story of Arkansas flyfishing) there?

I have not fished the river for a couple of years, but Jeff knows it
better
that anyone, Why not send him an e-mail?

Big Dale

That's not a bad idea, but I'm afraid I'll get the fishing guide, "It's the
greatest water ever" response. But I'm cynical.

Memphis Jim

How was it a couple of years ago?

Rendezvous
 

Jim wrote:That's not a bad idea, but I'm afraid I'll get the fishing guide,
"It's the
greatest water ever" response. But I'm cynical.

Memphis Jim

How was it a couple of years ago?

The fishing was fine if you like fishing for "factory trout". I caught 10 to 12
inch pale silver "rainbows" till I tired of it. I later went above the lake and
fished for my beloved little bluegill and caught a few smallmouth bass as
well.IIi don't particularly care to fish tailwaters, but the fishing was as I
expected it to be. I have known Jeff for about a decade now would expect him to
be a straight shooter with you as he is with everyone else that I know.

That area is one of the poorest that I know of in the state and I find it kind
of depressing. You don't find many towns that can't support a fast food
franchise. Still, I like that part of the state since when I was a kid our Boy
Scout Troop would camp near Shady Lake for each summer. That was pretty cool
except for all the damn copperheads...I don't do snakes but at least I can
smell copperheads.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

interesting...thanks!

jeff

Brimbum wrote:


If you go to the pineywoods web site you can click on Rendezvous and see some
pictures of the event taken in previous years.
http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc.

Rendezvous
 

I don't do snakes but at least I can smell copperheads.
Big Dale

They do have a distinctive smell, don't they. The Ozarks, where I went to
Scout Camps were chock full of them

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

slenon wrote:I don't do snakes but at least I can smell copperheads.
Big Dale

They do have a distinctive smell, don't they. The Ozarks, where I went to
Scout Camps were chock full of them

Most years there were about 50 scouts and in a week we would kill a couple
hundred of them. Those were just the ones that happened to get too close to us
for comfort. I doubt if much has changed in that respect since the 1950's.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

"Brimbum" wrote in message
...
slenon wrote:....copperheads.

Most years there were about 50 scouts and in a week we would kill a
couple
hundred of them. Those were just the ones that happened to get too
close to us
for comfort. I doubt if much has changed in that respect since the
1950's.

Big Dale

Despite dire warnings about poisonous snakes from the locals in every
place I've gone where they are known to exist in significant numbers,
there are exactly two places where I've encountered live ones. One
was on a trail at the 2000 Spring Fling clave....a copperhead. The
other place was a youth ranch on the Ozark plateau near Black, MO.
There, we would see about one a week on average.....also copperheads.
Don't know whether this indicates a decline in the population
throughout the region or some local peculiarity. We (well, some of
us, anyway) actively discouraged the kids from killing them.

Wolfgang

Rendezvous
 

Wolfgang wrote:

We (well, some of
us, anyway) actively discouraged the kids from killing them.


It appears you never lived in east, north, or central Texas as well as any
other state that surrounds it. The only snakes that ever bother me are
copperheads, water mocasins, rattlesnakes, oh, I almost the coral snakes that
lived in our back yard where I grew up as a kid. It is seldom when you get
around water that you can go for an hour without seeing a poisionus snake. I
once watched a kid in Lubbock bait fishing and the bait was baby rattlesnakes.
The damn things are everywhere, I saw a copperhead in the back yard yesterday.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

Most years there were about 50 scouts and in a week we would kill a couple
hundred of them. Those were just the ones that happened to get too close to
us
for comfort. I doubt if much has changed in that respect since the 1950's.
Big Dale

We ran about 200 campers per week. In an average week we probably saw a
similar number of copperheads. One of those camps is now under a new
highway. The other, that I helped carve out and construct, remains open but
is rarely used as it is considered too rough and unimproved for the program
today.

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

Despite dire warnings about poisonous snakes from the locals in every
place I've gone where they are known to exist in significant numbers,
there are exactly two places where I've encountered live ones.

The snakes will usually avoid contact if possible. The time of year and
amount or rainfall affect their concentration. So does the amount of human
activity involving food scraps that draw mice and other small rodents.
Clean campsites usually have less visits from snakes if they are not
situated near denning or sunning areas. Human encroachment into snake
habitat does lead to more encounters. New subdivisions in rocky and/or
wooded areas often experience large numbers of sightings.

Your failure to encounter the serpents in question may also involve your
vision and their protective camouflage. Copperheads in dead leaves are
damnably hard to see.

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

Ionce watched a kid in Lubbock bait fishing and the bait was baby
rattlesnakes.
The damn things are everywhere, I saw a copperhead in the back yard
yesterday.
Big Dale

Did the kid catch anything on the bellworms? And do you have a pattern for
the fly?

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

Steve wrote:snipWe ran about 200 campers per week. In an average week we
probably saw a
similar number of copperheads. One of those camps is now under a new
highway.

Ours was a little more basic. We hired a flatbed truck to haul us up to the
woods in Arkansas and they threw us off the truck and we camped for a week. Not
much organization, but we had a hell of a lot of fun. Once every few years we
got away without blasting as fast as we could on gravel roads the 30 miles to
the nearest hospital. That old 57 Dodge the scoutmaster had could haul ass on
those roads.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

Stev wrote:Did the kid catch anything on the bellworms? And do you have a
pattern for
the fly?


He had about a 3.5 pound bass in a bucket and no I don't have a pattern for the
fly. You would have to spin a hell of a lot of deer hair for that one.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

Ours was a little more basic. We hired a flatbed truck to haul us up to the
woods in Arkansas and they threw us off the truck and we camped for a week.
Not
much organization, but we had a hell of a lot of fun. snipThat old 57
Dodge the scoutmaster had could haul ass on
those roads.
Big Dale

The program was a lot more fun in those days. I can recall lashing together
towers that were 30-40 feet high and all sorts of things that are no longer
politically correct or legally advisable. I stayed in the program until 18
then did another ten years as an adult volunteer in the '80's. By that time
insurance restrictions and lowered recruiting ages had substantially changed
the program.

Are you talking about NW AR?

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

He had about a 3.5 pound bass in a bucket and no I don't have a pattern for
the
fly. You would have to spin a hell of a lot of deer hair for that one.
Big Dale

Well, those bucketmouths will eat damned near anything. Who knows if
they're affected by rattler venom?

As for pattern, maybe one of those long sal****er eels with several fly
rattles at the end. Something to conjecture with. I don't have a rod that
will throw that.
----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

Stev wrote:Are you talking about NW AR?

No. Take a look at an Arkansas state highway map and look for Mena in the
southwest part of the state. Then look southeast of Mena, and the map will
indicate a campsite at Shady Lake. It is a very pretty part of the state, but
there is nothing there but the outdoors. I still like it, but everytime I go
there I have to have the front end of the truck alignment checked again. I
don't think the growers are as much of a problem as they are southwest of Mena.
It is still kinda chancy form what I hear if you wander too far from the water
in parts of southeast Oklahoma.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

Stev wrote:snipAs for pattern, maybe one of those long sal****er eels with
several fly
rattles at the end. Something to conjecture with. I don't have a rod that
will throw that.

Think Loomis IMX Mega-taper 8.5 foot 10 weight. If that won't do the trick use
a spinning rig.

Big Dale

Rendezvous
 

I don't think the growers are as much of a problem as they are southwest of
Mena.
It is still kinda chancy form what I hear if you wander too far from the
water
in parts of southeast Oklahoma.
Big Dale

I've never been quite that far south in AR. Lived in NE corner for four
years and have camped and fished along the White River basin. The Ozarks
are beautiful hill in some areas and sadly deforested in others.

When I last lived in MO the growers were still a problem in the southern
forests.

----
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm

Rendezvous
 

When I last lived in MO the growers were still a problem in the southern
forests.

----

There are still interesting problems in the Ozarks, even when "growers" are
not involved (I think the term belongs in quotes, they're not growing
cabbages).

I remember reading a couple of years ago that there were reports of a tiger
being seen in the forests in Cleburne County, Arkansas, which is the county
that the Greer Ferry Tailwater of the Little Red River runs.

The local authorities took a few days to decide that the reports were real,
and ultimately decided on a sporting solution to the problem. They opened
up a one day tiger hunting season in the county. The tiger was quickly
brought down, creating a new record category for hunting: Arkansas Tiger.

Memphis Jim

Rendezvous
 

Memphis Jim:
There are still interesting problems in the Ozarks, even when "growers" are
not involved (I think the term belongs in quotes, they're not growing
cabbages).

Hadn't heard the tiger story. Makes good reading.

At the intersection of US 71 and I-44 (old US 66) there was ( is still ?) a
farm that specializes in wintering circus elephants. On bright sunny winter
days one could sometimes see them outside the buildings. You had to plan on
cars and trucks slowing down rapidly and erratically.

Diagonally across the intersection was a large machine works plant with a
sign proclaiming "FAG Bearings." That one caused a few swerves too.
--
Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69
Drowning flies to Darkstar

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/i...age92kword.htm