Fly Fishers Heading To Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

Feb. 7, 2005 ATHENS, Texas — The sixth annual Fly Fish Texas is scheduled for March 5 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center here. TFFC has hosted the event each year since 2001.

Expert fly fishers from all over Texas will converge to share tips and techniques during seminars and hands-on demonstrations. Participants can tie flies, practice casting and fish for bass, sunfish and rainbow trout in TFFC’s ponds and streams.

Seminars will cover fly fishing for bass and carp, fly fishing the Texas coast, kayak fishing, urban fly fishing and fishing small streams in Texas and Colorado. Dutch oven cooks will serve up breads and desserts hot off the coals.

Many of the speakers are well known in Texas fly fishing circles. Colby ("Pops") Sorrells will speak about "Bass Buggin"Texas Style." Mark Marmon will reveal the secrets to "Urban Fly Fishing," while Steve Rawls, Marty Cecil and Ronnie Ray will tell how and where to fish streams in Texas and Colorado. Steve Robbins’ session about "Bream Bustin’ with a Fly Rod" spotlights a fishing opportunity that offers fast-paced action on almost any body of water.

Young people make up a large part of the thousand attendees each year, and basic and intermediate fly-fishing classes are the reason. Kids ages 12 and older learn what makes good fish habitat and get to collect and identify bugs from TFFC streams and ponds. Then they learn how to tie flies that mimic those bugs and use them to catch fish using fly-fishing gear provided on-site.

Admission to the day-long event is included with regular admission to TFFC: $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and $3.50 for children ages 4-12. TFFC is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 5550 F.M. 2495, three miles east of Athens. Athens is 75 miles southeast of Dallas.

Sponsors and vendors for the event include the Sabine River Authority, Orvis, Texas Department of Agriculture, Dwight Cooley Foods, Post Oak Master Naturalists, Jimmie’s Fishing Jewelry, Boy Scout Troop 1299, Temple Fork Outfitters, Steve Robbins Backcountry Fly Shop, Steve Rawls Fly Fishing Guide Service, Marty Cecil Elk Trout Lodge, Deborah Wade Dame Julia Fly Tying, Chris Dukeminier Mariner Sails, Jim Partin ArkAnglers and Brooke’s Seasonings.

For more information and a schedule of events and seminars call (903) 676-2277 or (903) 670-2222.LH 02/07/2005

NEWS
January 31 - Four ShareLunkers From Lake Alan Henry
January 18 - Learn to Manage Private Impoundments for Better Fishing
January 10 - Free Access for Guadalupe River Trout Anglers

Texans are invited to nominate their favorite fishing icons for induction into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Previous honorees include legendary anglers, media personalities, government agencies and boat builders. This year's submission deadline is February 28. See details and nomination forms.
Media Contact for This Release: Larry Hodge, (903) 676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.state.tx.us

Frequently Asked Questions About PCBs
Short Reports on Coastal-related Topic
Various documents about Commercial Fisheries
Summary of 2004-2005 Recreational Fishing Regulations
Fishing Licenses and Packages
Fishing Stamp Endorsements and Tags
License Requirements for Border Waters
General Fishing Rules for Fresh and Salt Waters
Reservoir Boundaries
Freshwater/Coastal Water Boundary
Fishing Requirements and Restrictions
Definitions
Legal Freshwater and Saltwater Devices and Restrictions
Freshwater Fishing Harvest Regulations
Exceptions to Freshwater Harvest Regulations
Measuring, Tagging, and Releasing Fish
Identification of Yellow, White, Striped, and Hybrid Striped Bass Identification of Smallmouth, Guadalupe & Spotted, and Largemouth Bass Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Recreational Fishing: Shrimp Regulations
Recreational Fishing: Crab and Ghost Shrimp Regulations
Oyster Regulations; Other Aquatic Life (Fresh and Salt Waters)
Fish Consumption Bans and Advisories
Boating Regulations and Safe Boating Tips
Major lakes and saltwater bays
DSHS News Release
Fish Consumption Bans and Advisories
 

Government Organizations

• Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (http://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/)
• State of Texas (http://info.texas.gov/)
• Texas Coastal Natural Resources Inventory Program (http://www.nri.state.tx.us/nri/)
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (http://www.tceq.state.tx.us)
• Texas Sea Grant (http://texas-sea-grant.tamu.edu/)

• Other States' Natural Resource, Parks and Wildlife Sites (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/admin/hot/stdepts.htm)

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)
• U.S. Geological Survey (http://info.er.usgs.gov/)
• U.S. National Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/)
• U.S. Forest Service (http://www.southernregion.fs.fed.us/texas/)

Non-Profit Organizations

• Coastal Conservation Association - Texas (http://ccatexas.org/)
• International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (http://www.sso.org/iafwa/)
• Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (http://www.sdafs.org/seafwa/seafwa1.htm)
• Texas Bighorn Society (http://texasbighornsociety.org/)
• Katy Prairie Conservancy (http://www.katyprairie.org/)
• Texas Ducks Unlimited (http://www.texasducks.org/)
• Texas Organization of Wildlife Management Associations (http://www.towma.org/)
• Texas Outdoors Woman Network (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/edu/baow/town.phtml)
• Texas State Aquarium (http://www.texasstateaquarium.org)
• Texas Wildlife Association (http://www.texas-wildlife.org/)
• Quail Unlimited (http://www.qu.org/)
• Dove Sportsman's Society (http://www.qu.org/)