Please join the discussion on fishing the James river for the annual Spring shad spawning run. We will cover equipment, techniques, location and flies.

There will be a fly tying demonstration too.

The Meeting’s Zoom link will be sent out via e-mail.

‘Ye Olde Fly Shack’ special offering!

(All proceeds go to the FFV Conservation funds)

Purchase custom James River Shad Flies below…

Number of flies

6 Flies $15.00 USD 12 Flies $30.00 USD 18 Flies $45.00 USD 24 Flies $60.00 USD

Here is a link to the FFV YouTube channel that has a partial video capture of the Shad Meeting.

FlyFishers, Because of all the prohibitions associated with the ongoing pandemic it has been decided that the FFV would try something different to alleviate the rampant “Cabin Fever” that we are all experiencing. An Online “Zoom” meeting has been setup for Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 7:30pm. If you have used Zoom before you are all set. If not just go to the Zoom website and get registered. If you experience any difficulty just let us know and one of our resident Zoom experts will walk you through the process. Our presenter for this meeting will be the internationally known flyfisherman Jeff Currier—www.JeffCurrier.comJeff has been fly fishing the world for over forty years. Jeff’s adventures to more than sixty countries on six continents and more than  400 fly caught species and counting; make him one of the foremost authorities in fly fishing. Wherever he goes, Jeff brings a sense of humor, enthusiasm, approachability and plenty of experience. Jeff has been in the fly fishing industry for over thirty years. He began behind the counter at a fly shop in Jackson, Wyoming then went on to manage the shop for twenty years. He has taught the basics of fly fishing and guided anglers all over the Yellowstone area and throughout the world in both fresh and saltwater. He is presently on the Professional Advisory Staff for  R.L Winston Rod Co.,  Bauer Reels,  Simms Fishing Products,  Scientific Anglers,  Fly Fishers International,  Costa,  Yeti,  Kate’s Real Food, and  Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures. Jeff has met thousands of anglers from novice to advanced. His greatest joy is to help folks catch fish by supplying simple advice. On his site you can view and order Jeff’s books, “Currier’s Quick and Easy Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing” &  “Currier’s Quick and Easy Guide to Warmwater Fly Fishing”. You can also order the DVD’s  Evolution,  Carpland,  Connect,  Waypoints,  Soulfish 2,  Kendjam, and  Atlanticus where Jeff appeared fly fishing for the entertaining segments in Canada, Tanzania, India, Mongolia, Egypt, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Gabon. Not only does Jeff fish, but he is also a recognized artist.  Click through his fish watercolors and place an order for an original piece. It doesn’t matter if it’s a brook trout, tarpon or a carp, Jeff can bring any species to life. Get one of Jeff’s fish on a coffee mug, frosted beer mug, or shirt from his  Shop. We will be sending out reminders for this meeting and will email a link to the meeting the day of.  There will be a short business meeting right before Jeff’s presentation and he will take questions at the end. So mark the date on your calendar. 

FFV Members – Please click here to pay your FFV 2021 Membership Dues.

Dues must be payed by October 31st in order to retain club membership.

We regret that the July, September and November FFV dinner meetings have been canceled due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Here are our July and September Singing Reel Newsletters.

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.