North Todelo Bend Rendezvous - Nov 5-7, A great gathering of fly tyers for 21 years!!
This year's 21st gathering of fly tyers known as The North Toledo Bend Rendezvous will be held Nov. 5-7 at the Group Lodge of North Toledo Bend State Park, near Zwolle, LA. You are welcome to attend.
For each fall for 21 years, fly tyers, fly fishers, and their families from several states have met at this beautiful star of the Louisiana Park System. Situated on the shores of Toledo Bend Lake, this facility has a lodge with a large stone fireplace on one end and a full commercial kitchen and serving facilities on the other, 5 sleeping dormitories, and a centrally located (clean) bath house with hot showers! Yes, once we found this place, we've made it an annual event for 21 years!!!
Rendezvous is an opportunity to spend a full weekend tying with a group of excellent tyers that is unrivaled. Unlike a FFF Conclave, where you sit and watch other tyers "demonstrate" their skills and abilities, this event was designed for tyers to "tie with" their friends and to do "hands-on teaching" of beginners and novice tyers.
Who attends? Well, the many of "regular" attendees are well-known FFF Conclave tyers from the Gulf Coast, Southern and South Eastern Councils of the FFF. Actually, we never know exactly who will turn up, but beginner to expert tyers from at least four states will be there.
If the weather's good, we'll be fishing on the lake and doing casting on the lawn, 'cuz ya' never know who'll show up with a new "sweet little stick" (we've got a whole bunch of bream lovin' fly fishers at Rendezvous). If the weather's little chilly or wet, we'll stoke up the big stone fireplace in the lodge and just tie more flies: saltwater, warm water, nymphs and drys. It's a chance to just sit and tie with feathers, furs, deerhair, epoxies, cements, threads, the latest synthetics, techniques, or to discuss waders, watercraft, rods, reels, rivers or other fly fishing stuff.
If you want to sit down and 'tie with" a bunch of excellent tyers, then come on down and join us. You don't have to be a "great tyer" or even a "good" tyer. This event is where many beginners, including several who started their tying at Rendezvous and now are invited tyers at FFF Conclave, learned to tie. This is where tyers sit and tie with and teach each other.
Just remember that event was founded "by tyers for tyers" and that the primary "Rule of Rendezvous" is, "There are no rules at Rendezvous", which means that there are no programs, no set schedules, no responsibilities, or timetables. You don't even have to tie a fly! You can just settle in on one the large wooden rockers in front of the big fireplace and read a book; or grab a rocker out on the Lodge's large front porch, with a big stogie and/or your favorite "adult beverage" and enjoy the company of friends; or you can be one of the hard core crew that "ties all night"....
You can come alone, or you can bring your family. As there is no traffic, no tv's, no video games, or other electronic gear, the kids tend to play games, chase balls, run through the woods or over to the park's playground, fish and play down by the lake (it's shallow along the lake), tie flies, and "flow thru" you know like kids are supposed to do. Therefore, the kids have fun, and Mom gets a break.
Actually, the ladies have a good time. The non-tying wives and children are integral to this gathering. It wouldn't be the same without them! So, for nice relaxed weekend in the big pines on the shores of the lake, then meet us there.
While I realize that it may be too far for many of y'all to make it, for others of you that within a day's drive, even with gas being what it is, it is still an inexpensive and fun weekend!
How inexpensive? The family fee is $40 for the weekend or $20 for a day or night. Single's fee is $30 for the weekend or $15 for the day or night. What a bargain!! That covers all your meals, desserts, coffee, ice, and lodging from when you arrive on Friday afternoon until we head out at about noon on Sunday! You don't even have to pay to enter the park or launch a boat! But be sure to bring your own bedding, towels, drinks and at least one "cover dish" type entree...
Oh, and come hungry, as the food alone is more than worth the trip! Piping hot Dutch oven cobblers, chili, briskets, Pinsel's Famous Spaghetti, and lot and lots and lots of other good stuff!!! (I understand that they'll be some great grilled fish on this year's menu?)
Walter & Linda McLendon, 936-875-3726, waltermcl@suddenlink.net; Pineywoods Fly Fishers; or check out Walter McLendon's Rendezvous article and map at the Piney Woods Fly Fishers' site:
http://pages.suddenlink.net/w/Rendez/indexR.html
Let this be the year that you and your family decide to give Rendezvous a try. If you ever make it once - I bet that you, and your entire family, will become regulars at Rendezvous.
Bowfin47
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Co-Founder Classic Atlantic Bream Fly Society
Federation of Fly Fishers - Member Since '84
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