We regret that the May FFV dinner meeting has been canceled due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

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.

Captain Matt Miles

Matt grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia and started fly fishing in 1993. In 1996, after graduating from high
school, he moved to Colorado to live out his dream of becoming a fly fishing guide. While in Colorado he met Pat Dorsey, an expert fly fishing guide for the Blue Quill Angler, author, and photographer. Matt started guiding with Pat at the Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, Colorado in 1997 where he guided over 700 trips. In 2003 Matt decided to move back to Lynchburg to guide his home waters. Matt’s passion is guiding, teaching, and being on the water. He also ties his own flies and is a fly designer for Umpqua Feather Merchants.

Our November 21st FFV dinner speaker is…

Montana guide – John McKennie

More info to come…

NOTE: The Annual Banquet is our most attended meeting of the year. Due to space considerations at Salisbury Country Club we will need to limit total reservations to 210. Please get your reservation in early!

Please note…we are unable to offer online purchases of raffle tickets at this time. Please bring cash to the Banquet to purchase tickets.

Our FFV September 21st, 2019 Annual Banquet speaker will be…

Please review her Bio here…

About / Press

Our Thursday, July 18th dinner speaker is…

ABOUT MATT REILLY

A passionate outdoorsman since birth, Matt grew up fishing and hunting the Blue Ridge Mountains and rolling piedmont of his native central Virginia. In 2012, he launched his outdoor career into professionalism as a freelance outdoor writer and photographer, and as the outdoor columnist for The Daily Progress’ The Rural Virginian. He has since won several awards as a writer and photographer and published dozens of magazine articles and over 300 newspaper columns.

After graduating high school, Matt took a short break from the academic grind, and explored the fisheries along the length of the East Coast, initiating an angling travel bug that has taken him everywhere from the roadless latitudes of Canada, the spring creeks and big rivers of the West, the carp flats of the Great Lakes, the intimate wilderness rivers of the north country, and the mangrove forests of south Florida—and nailing down the childhood revelation that “fishing guide” was the most true and natural vocation to his self.

Today, Matt is a leading fishing guide specializing in float trips for smallmouth bass and musky, and wade trips chasing wild trout in the mountain streams of southwest Virginia. He speaks regularly at a variety of venues on a range of topics relative to his fishing and guiding targets. His writing has appeared in several national and regional publications like Eastern Fly Fishing, American Angler, Fly Tyer, Southern Trout, Hatch Magazine, and Virginia Wild- life. He is also an ambassador for Reilly Rod Crafters, a producer of premium fly rods based in Virginia.

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