Our March dinner speaker was to be Jason Randall. The dinner meeting had to be canceled due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
We will work with Jason in the future and get him to Richmond for a dinner meeting!
NOTE: The dinner meeting is the fourth Thursday of March and not our usual third Thursday!
All PayPal dinner reservations must be made by March 18th.
Jason Randall has been an outdoor writer for the last twelve years with feature articles appearing regularly in American Angler, as well as Fly Fisherman, Eastern Fly Fishing, Northwest Fly Fishing and many other outdoor magazines. He is a veterinarian certified in fish health and medicine. He is also a member of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association and the Society for Freshwater Science.
His first book, ‘Moving Water: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Currents’ was released in 2012 by Stackpole/Headwater books. It studies the effect of current on trout, their prey species and presentation, where vertical layers of current create drag and requires adjustments to improve nymph fishing success.
His second book ‘Feeding Time: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What, Where and When Trout Eat’, was released in August of 2013. It focuses on matching your fishing strategies to the trout’s feeding strategies, especially when targeting large trout.
In 2014, the third book in the ‘Fly Fisher’s Guide’ trilogy was released- ‘Trout Sense; A Fly Fisher’s Guide to What Trout See, Hear and Smell’, which offers anglers an opportunity to know more about the quarry they seek.
In April, 2017, Jason’s forth book, Nymph Masters: Fly Fishing Secrets from Expert Anglers, was released from Stackpole/ Headwaters Books. Combining secrets, tips and hints from some of the top nymph fishermen in the sport, Nymph Masters thoroughly studies all aspects of nymph fishing.
Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO) named Jason to their National Advisory Team to develop a new and innovative nymph fishing rod. In October, 2017 the ‘Drift Rod’ was released to wide acclaim as the first truly convertible rod, changing in length from 9, 10, 11 or 12 feet. Each year, Jason appears and presents at shows and events throughout the North America including; Arkansas, Denver, Seattle, Allenberry, Pa, Somerset, NJ, Lancaster, Pa, Memphis, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Winston Salem, NC, Philadelphia, PA, California, Michigan, Massachusetts and Illinois.
Jason’s Afternoon Session Topics:
When all Else Fails: Catching Fish When Fishing’s Tough
We all like to fish when clouds of insects fill the air and trout rise to our flies, but those days are less common than days when we have to work hard for every fish. We need tips and tactics to put fish in the net when the fishing is tough. Identify go-to flies and make adjustments for leader shy fish. This program covers searching flies, prospecting methods and strategies for pressured trout that can turn fish-less days into a good day on the river.
What Trout See
What trout see and the way they see it impacts to only fly design and construction but also tactics for presenting those flies to trout. Trout are visual predators, relying primarily on their sense of sight to choose food items and the angler who knows how trout decide what to eat will catch more fish. Using the concept of a search image, which is an imprinted template reinforced by repeated food encounters, trout compare our offering against a set of four criteria. Learn to interpret close and far range refusals and make adjustments to catch refusing fish. Is UV important to trout? Come by and find out.
Jason’s Evening Dinner Topic:
Finding Trout: Beyond Reading the Water
Just like we go to the dinner table at meal times, trout go to feeding lies to eat. With an understanding of food distribution and feeding lanes in the river, you can predict where the table is set for trout. Then pick out high confidence lies where trout are more approachable and prime lies to target the largest fish. But take it one step further- reading the water also suggests the best method for fishing for the greatest success. Reading the Water is an essential skill for all anglers and will put more fish in the net.