President's Message

Craig Mernitz, AFC President

An Arizona Flycaster's Equation

Engagement + Involvement = Increased Enjoyment

AFC's primary goal is to add value to people's lives. We love to share what we love and want to help you expand your knowledge and enjoyment of the sport of fly fishing. A great way to elevate your knowledge, skills, and more importantly your enjoyment is through involvement. Your return on investment will be worth the effort.

However, times are changing. Our society is currently going through a culture shift. And this is affecting small clubs as well. AFC needs to expand and diversify its committee membership in order to effectively respond to the changing world. With this in mind, we are asking our members to reflect on how they have benefited from AFC and act on how they can give back. This is how most of us made the choice to become more involved in the club.

We are encouraging all our members to please help by joining a committee. By spreading the tasks to include more members, the experience becomes more enjoyable for all of us. As the old adage goes: “Many hands lighten the load.” Get involved in your particular comfort zone or skill set. A few examples are:

social technical outings marketing

advocacy environment organization conservation

education charity events membership

Attend a board meeting, and test the water. Committee membership is not a job, there are no performance appraisals or criticism. It's very low-key, enjoyable and most of all, rewarding.

Chris Rich

AZ Flyshop's Chris Rich will present at our next education class on December 7th. Please register by clicking the link to the right.

Chris has presented several times in the past and each time he has delivered a unique and educational class. And usually, a few of AFC's more experienced members add to the presentation. Unlike a YouTube video, you will be able to ask questions.

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Education Opportunities

Fly casting and fly tying classes are provided to all, whether beginning or experienced. FFI certified instructors and experienced coaches are available to work with your casting or fly tying. AFC can provide all equipment and materials. Please bring a 5 or 6 weight 9 foot fly rod with floating line and a 7 1/2 foot tapered leader to the casting class if you have one. For your safety bring a hat, sunglasses and water.

Casting classes are usually held at Roadrunner Park, Northeast corner, and start at 9 AM. Check the UPCOMMING EVENTS sidebar to the right for any changes.

Fly-tying classes are held at the Arizona American Italian Club in the game room behind the bar. Classes start at 7 PM.

Additional classes are offered on knots, rigging, entomology, still water, moving water, how to play the fish, equipment, etc. Everything that you need to improve your fishing enjoyment.

Monthly Meetings

meeting

Arizona Flycasters Club holds monthly meetings the second Tuesday of the month. The meetings are held at the American-Italian Club located at 7509 N 12th St, Phoenix, AZ. We start at 6:00 PM with a social hour and raffle offerings. This is followed by a club update and then a speaker. Meetings usually end at 8:30 or 9:00.

About once a quarter AFC will hold a new member orientation which starts at 6:00 and coincides with the monthly meeting. Occasionally we will just have a Happy Hour at a different location. These events are announced in advance in the Newsletter and on our web site.

Meeting Map

Let's Go FISHING

We are currently creating the 2024 Outings Calendar and seeking suggestions from all of our members. Please email any ideas to "info@azflycasters.org"

Salt River Saturdays

During the winter, the Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited conducts their "Salt River Saturdays". These are held at the Blue Point Recreation area. This is in the Tonto National Forest so you will need a recreation pass in order to park. The flyfishers usually begin to gather there around 9:00, and clean up a landing net worth of trash prior to descending onto the river. The dates are; December 2, January 6 and 20, and February 3 and 17. AFC is sponsoring the events on January 20 and February 3, so some expert coaching will be available on those two dates.

Arizona Flycasters Club is proud to present to AVFF (Arizona Veterans Fly Fishing) a check for $1000 to further benefit the veterans on their fly fishing program. Pictured representing AVFF is Fleger Robinson. Receiving the appreciation plaque is Bill Larson from AFC. Arizona Flycasters Club is celebrating its 60th year as a non-profit organization. Giving back to the community by promoting fly fishing, offering programs, education, outings, conservation and community service.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

New Zealand Mud Snails have now been found in Tonto Creek, Canyon Creek, Oak Creek and Lee's Ferry.

The New Zealand mud snail is an invasive snail that is ovoviviparous (live bearing) and parthenogenetic (reproduces asexually). Therefore, it only takes one snail to start a new population. The snails are very small and can easily be tracked to other areas with waders and shoes.
New Zealand mud snails are a concern because they compete with native invertebrates for food, posing potential harm to Arizona’s native and sportfish populations, as well as native mollusks. AZGFD reminds anglers and recreationists to “clean, drain and dry” – and especially decontaminate — their equipment or watercraft before exiting waters designated as having AIS.
The following link will take you to a report prepared by the California Department of Game and Fish on the best practices to clean NZ mud snails from your gear:
NZ_MudSnailCA_Report
It is imperative that you do not fish different waterways without this cleaning process.
These little devils are nasty. They have a thick shell and a opercula (trap door the can cover the opening). This allows them to survive most decontaminates and pass through the digestive system of fish. They can survive for weeks out of water. There have no known predators or diseases beyond New Zealand. Most of the cleaning methods in the report are harmful to our waders.

The best method is Copper Sulfate (504 mg/L Cu). Five minutes of contact immersion, spray or shaken in a plastic sack. The Copper Sulfate reportedly will not harm your waders.

Click this link to purchase; https://azsfwc.org/truck-raffle/

Business Partners

Community Affiliations