North Todelo Bend Rendezvous Oct. 31-Nov. 2

The North Todelo Bend Rendezvous begins Friday at 3PM, October 31st at North Toledo Bend State Park, just outside Zwolle, LA.

http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc/Rendez/indexR.html

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About 20 years ago, a group of fly fishers from Louisiana and Texas were fishing and "conclaving" together in early October at the Southern Council Conclave in Mt. Home, Arkansas. While there, we realized that it was ridiculous for such good friends to only gather once a year in northern Arkansas, when we all lived "relatively close" to each other in Louisiana and Texas.

So, we agreed to meet at a "central point" several weeks later. The site agreed to was the North Toledo Bend State Park outside of Zwolle, Louisiana.

Early that November, members of three FFF clubs: The North Louisiana Fly Fishers (Shreveport, LA), The Piney Woods Fly Fishers (Lufkin, TX) and the Acadiana Fly Rodders (Lafayette, LA), all met on the shores of Toledo Bend Reservoir. Some of us rented cabins, some camped, and several brought travel trailers. There were several wives and even a girlfriend or two in tow. (Yes - as I said, this was a while back!) We tied flies, cast rods, played in boats, and even caught a few fish?

Yeah, we had a great time!! We had such a good time that we decided to make it an annual affair.

While exploring this Louisiana State Park, we found that it had a Group Facility with a lodge, with a commercial kitchen, 5 bunkhouses, and a central bath/shower facility that could be rented at a very reasonable cost. So, we made reservations for the group camp for a weekend that next fall and every fall ever since.

We decided to call this annual event the "North Toledo Bend Rendezvous" or just "Rendezvous", and members of Federation clubs from throughout the mid-South (TX. LA, OK, AR, MO, TN and MS) have been attending this fall gathering for fly tyers and fly fishers for all these years.

This annual gathering has become one of the top tying events in the mid-South for fly tyers and would be fly tyers. If you like to tie or just think that you'd like to learn to tie, this is the best opportunity that you'll ever get to improve your skills or learn the basics. Actually, over time, a very high percentage of the regular attendees have become invited tyers at FFF conclaves.

At Rendezvous, you don't just watch others tie, you sit next to, or across the table with your vise, and "tie with" whichever tyer that you'd like to sit and tie with. Beginner or experienced, it doesn't matter, sit down and tie. Rendezvous is where tiers share many of their favorite patterns and collaborate on and work out new ones. If you want your tying to improve, there is no better venue in the country to learn at than at Rendezvous!

The family fee is $40 for the weekend or $20 for a day or night, while the single's fee is $30 for the weekend or $15 for the day or night - plus a covered dish. We each bring a covered dish or two to share with the group. That includes all your food and lodging from Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning! What a bargain! (No, you're not expected to feed everyone with your dish... for a more detailed explanation on this see the web site listed below)

While North Toledo Bend Rendezvous has always been a low key event with a very heavy emphasis on "hands on" teaching and learning fly tying. Other than gathering for food, there are no scheduled events, no fund raising, no awards, i.e. no pressure. Just do what you want:

tie when you want;
fish when you want;
try out that new "stick" on the lawn;
get one of the FFF certified casting instructors to work on your cast;
or just sit on the porch, light-up a stoggie and/or enjoy an adult beverage and join in the 'discussions".
It's up to you.

Don?t worry if you don't know anyone when you arrive, as if you ever attended any S.E.C., SOC or GCC Conclaves, then I?m sure that you'll recognizes some of us. Actually, Rendezvous was the first event for the GCC and all GCC members are invited to attend, as are members of any of the other FFF clubs. Heck, if you like to tie, come on. You don't have to be a club member to attend.

A number of years ago, Walter McClendon and the Piney Woods Fly Fishers agreed to head up this gathering (and he/they've done a great job!). Walter and the Piney Woods FF maintain a website on Rendezvous which can be viewed at:

http://home.sprynet.com/~waltermc/Rendez/indexR.html

Oh and this is a family oriented even. Bring the spouse and kids. There are always a number of "kids" and non-tying spouses who attend and have a ball.

As usual, I plan on being there with at least one my kids in tow. Actually, just yesterday, my son, Ian, stated that this year he's definitively going to Rendezvous. While he hasn't tying a fly in over a year, he's ready to go!

If you have any questions about Rendezvous or think that you'd like to attend, please feel free to contact me at the email address listed below.

Hope to see ya' there.

Tight lines,

Kyle Moppert
bowfin47@bellsouth.net