Anyone who fly fishes or wants to learn how to fly fish has the opportunity to join a fly fishing club that is being organized by three members of the Allen County Sportsmen and Farmers Association.
An organizational meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the club’s 1001 S. Kemp Road location in Elida.
“Anyone with an interest in fly fishing, fly tying or rod building is welcome to attend,” said Brad Sherrick, president of the sportsmen and farmers association. “We are hoping to hold monthly meetings throughout the winter months. I guess public interest will drive that decision as we have our first meetings.”
Actually Sherrick along with Bill Musselman and Doug Roser, talked of a need for a fly fishing club in the Lima area more than a year ago.
“We tried to get it off the ground last year and the COVID lockdown prevented that from happening,” Sherrick said.
The club will be composed of people who have never held a fly rod to those who occasionally fish such a rod and those who have been fly fishing for decades.
Sherrick, who first began fly fishing at the age of 12, said he didn’t fish for trout until he was 50 years old. He has been been warm water fishing most of his life and a lot of it with the fly rod.
“We will be geared to all types of fishing — warm water, cold water and salt water. As long as it has fins, we will try and catch it on the fly rod. The number of people I meet that think you can only catch trout on a fly rod is staggering,” he said.
For more information, contact Sherrick at 419-233-6448 or Musselman at 419-648-3847 or Doug Roser at 419-236-3363
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The sportsmen and farmers association has scheduled three turkey shoots at the club grounds. The shoots begin at 11:30 a.m. with breakfast being served at 10 a.m. before each shoot. Cost is $6 per person.
Shoot dates are Oct 17, Nov. 21 and Dec. 19.
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With one tournament remaining on the Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) schedule, seven Lima area bass anglers are among the top 45 that would qualify for regional competition and two are within striking distance.
Area bassers were busy Aug. 14-15 on the Ohio River during tourneys presented by T-H Marine and TINCUP Whiskey at Tanners Creek in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Gary Ginter of Bellefountaine sits third in the points standings among boaters while Kyle Weisenburger of Columbus Grove is 12th. Bob Logan of Waynesfield is 21st with Brandon Good of Fort Jennings 34th. Dick Shaffer of Rockford is easily within regional qualifying distance in 46th place while Jay Ellis of Celina is still capable of making the top 45 as he is 59th.
On the co-angler side, Ron Weisenburger of Continental is 25th, John Lane of Findlay is 28th and Carter Mox of Delphos is 34th.
Ron Weisenburger had the best finish during the weekend by placing third in the Aug. 14 tourney. He caught a limit of five bass that weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces. He failed to catch a keeper Aug. 15.
Shaffer was eighth in the Aug. 14 event and caught a limit that weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces. He did not fish the Aug. 15 tourney.
Ginter was eighth in the Aug. 15 event and had a limit that weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces. He was 50th Aug. 14 with three bass that weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces.
Kyle Weisenburger was the most consistent of the group and finished 25th Aug. 14 with a limit of five bass that weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce. He was 27th Aug. 15 with three bass that weighed 4 pounds, 6 ounces.
Logan was 46th Aug. 14 with three bass that weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces and finished 51st Aug. 15 with a pair of bass that weighed 2 pounds, 9 ounces.
Lane was 17th Aug. 14 with three fish that weighed 3 pounds, 6 ounces. Good was 38th Aug. 14 with three bass that weighed 4 pounds. Mox was 49th Aug. 15 with one bass that weighed 1 pounds, 8 ounces and was 51st Aug. 14 with one bass that weighed 1 pound, 11 ounces.
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Nearly 125 years after she became the first female conservation officer in the United States, Huldah Neal was honored by the Michigan Environmental Hall of Fame.
She was honored Tuesday at Grand Valley State University as a legacy award recipient for her work protecting natural resources. She became a conservation officer in 1897. She lived from 1855-1931.
According to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources press release, Neal, who hailed from Grand Traverse County, had a love for the outdoors and little tolerance for the fish and game poaching occurring in Grand Traverse County. Neal’s knowledge of the outdoors and her shooting and fishing skills made her an excellent fit for the job. She quickly demonstrated that by bringing a well-known gang of poaching violators to justice.
“This is an important milestone in history to recognize not only for our state, but for our country,” said Gary Hagler, chief of the MDNR law enforcement division. “Huldah Neal established a career path for many successful women who uphold her legacy today by protecting natural resources.”
Al Smith is a freelance outdoor writer. You may contact him at flyfishman7@hotmail.com and follow him on Twitter @alsmithFL
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