Tom Herrington has just updated his detailed document describing flies proven to be effective in Mississippi waters.  It was first created for the Introduction to Flyfishing seminar in April 2009. The update provides further information and new photographs.  Specific fly recommendations are provided according to the target species.  The document is available for downloading on the (members only) Documents and Downloads page of the HOSSFLY web site.  Note the distribution guidance at the top of the document:  "This document is for HOSSFly members only and is not meant for profit or further distribution."

We should consider creating an expanded reference section to include items such as this.  Any interest?  Volunteers? Suggestions for reference items to include?

Spring arrives and you're out fishing and something akin to a silvery rocket takes your fly.  Tarpon!  It's likely that the encounter will end with a broken leader and the sound of your racing pulse pounding in your ears.  Maybe it's a little tarpon and you land it but realize that it falls short of the 20-pound minimum to qualify for the 2010 Founder's Award and you release it.  Or maybe it's over 20-pounds and you bring it home to be documented as an entry. 

If you land a tarpon you can help advance the state of scientific knowledge on tarpon on the Mississippi Coast.  Jim Franks at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory would like to hear about any encounter with a tarpon in this area.   Jim recently received a grant from the Department of Marine Resources to work with tarpon.  HOSSFLY folks who catch a tarpon (of any size, released or sacrificed) or know of anyone who catches a tarpon can contact Jim at 228-369-4301 or 228-872-4202. 

To qualify for the Founder's Award the tarpon must weigh at least 20 pounds and it must be weighed by a qualified person to qualify for a state record.  That's almost certainly going to mean killing the fish. Jim Franks can act as weighmaster and biologist for your state tarpon record application.  And he'll have a valuable opportunity to examine the fish in detail and take tissue samples for research.  You'll still be able to have the fish mounted if you like.

1. The person must be a current HOSSFly member and as such for at least 28 days prior to landing and setting the record
2. To qualify for the award the tarpon must weigh at least 20 pounds when officially weighed.
   
3. The catch and equipment must be in accordance with IGFA rules for setting world record flyfishing line class records.
4. The catch must be certified official as the Mississippi flyfishing record for Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) by the Mississippi State Department of Marine Resources.
5. The catch and records and aforementioned conditions shall be reviewed and approved by the HOSSFly On-The-Water group (Jim Magee, Rod Fields, Don Abrams) before final approval by the Founder. Photographs and witness(es) may be necessary. (Note: The reel must still be in the possession of the Tom Herrington prior to the awarded catch. In other words if he doesn't have it for some reason then it cannot be awarded)

 

The February 6, 2010 issue of the Sun Herald ran a good story on Anita Arguelles' Angler of the Year award.  Read it here:  http://www.sunherald.com/outdoors/story/1927677.html

Congratulations to Anita Arguelles, HOSSFLY's 2009 Angler of the Year.  The following press release from Melanie Allen tells the story.

Press Release for Immediate Publication

(For more information please contact Melanie Allen 872.0846 or 251.648.5195)

The Historic Ocean Springs Saltwater Fly Fishing Club (HOSSFLY) held its annual banquet Saturday night, January 30 at the Rose Farm Manor, including the announcement of the organization’s annual awards. For the first time in the Club’s history a woman, Anita Arquelles, was honored with the top award, the prestigious “HOSSFLY Angler of the Year” trophy.

In presenting this honor, HOSSFLY Leader Syd Smith said, "It is my great pleasure to present the HOSSFLY annual award of “Angler of the Year” to the HOSSFLY member who best exemplifies the attributes we all find admirable in a fly fisher. This year's award goes to an individual who has been a leader for HOSSFLY for years during the hard times after Katrina and through the good times including guiding us through our event last April during which we doubled our membership. This individual is an avid and accomplished fly fisher and strong supporter of all activities of HOSSFLY as well as being active in the Gulf Coast Council of the Federation. It is my great pleasure to present this award to its most deserving recipient, Anita Arguelles."

Upon receiving the Club’s top honor, the shocked Arguelles said, “Eighteen years ago I started fly fishing in cold water streams and tail waters. In the shift of taking the knowledge obtained from fishing coldwater streams to the vast salt waters, I have been very fortunate to have received education along with support and encouragement from my HOSSFly fly fishing family of friends and mentors, male and female alike. Without them, I would still be whipping the saltwater, hoping for a bite. I owe them a debt of gratitude.” Among Arquelles accomplishments on the water this last year was the landing of a 30-pound drum on a fly rod out on one of the local barrier islands.

Mike & Anita with her 30.5-lb black drum

The Historic Ocean Springs Saltwater Fly Fishing Club is dedicated to enjoying and promoting fly fishing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Monthly HOSSFLY meetings are dedicated to camaraderie, learning and improving skills. The group organizes local and national fishing trips, classes for fly tying, casting clinics, and a variety of other activities. Annual dues are only $15.00 for an individual or family. Guests are always welcome at the regular monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at the Ocean Springs Yacht Club on Front Beach near the bay bridge in Ocean Springs. There's an informal happy hour that begins at about 5:00 pm and the meeting kicks off at 6:00.

The 2010 HOSSFLY Officers, introduced at the banquet, are President Mike Sharpe, Vice President Keith Thompson, Secretary Spence Boyd and Treasurer Dennis Craig. Don Abrams serves as Conservation and Science Officer, with input from Tom Herrington, and Duke Sutherland edits the monthly newsletter, the Tippet. Other honors presented at the banquet were the “Founder’s Award” to Ellen Miller, the “Leader’s Gratitude Award” to Helen & Bob Effinger, and a special “Appreciation Award” to Helen Effinger. For more information on HOSSFLY, access the Club’s web-site at www.hossfly.org.

What a year 2009 was! It’s in the books now, but it’s worth a look back at all we were involved in as a club.

After literally several months of planning, the club held and April 18th event at the Gulf Coast Research Lab aimed at expanding our club and offering the public a chance to try fly fishing HOSSFLY style. Just about everybody in the club was involved in putting this on and worked tirelessly and with great enthusiasm to bring it off. As always General Arguelles and the Ladyfish had the timeline and job descriptions finely tuned, but we couldn’t have done it without the invaluable help of Dr. Bill Hawkins and his staff at GCRL who adapted to a nearly overwhelming response on extremely short notice.

But bring it off we did, with the addition of eventually over 100 new members to HOSSFLY. Throughout the spring and summer the folk involved in the “Mentoring Program” worked to teach our new members the basic nuts and bolts of fly fishing teaching fly casting, fly tying and on the water techniques. Reed and I with the help of Bob, Keith, Mike and Jim worked on casting and Mike and Bob held the tiller in tying while Jim, Rod, Don, Tom and Curtis leant their expertise on the water. Bob Effinger lined up multiple on the water programs nearly every week or so for all our members to ply their developing skills.

We learned about lines and leaders and tied some mono leaders as well as some furled leaders with Mike. Curtis continued to teach us how to tie knots (he’s still working on Rod), and we were graced with wonderful speakers from outside our membership to spice up our meetings. We (Bob Effinger, et. al.) held a fish fry to help the Ocean Springs Yacht Club meet its obligations and hopefully continue to host HOSSFLY.

In June, Don Gaddy offered HOSSFLY the use of his wonderful camp on Cat Island (the “Cat House”). We had a fine turnout and a fantastic time was had by all, fishing, eating, with a lot of “etc.” HOSSFLY style. Our continuing thanks to Don G.

The Ladyfish held their annual event, this time in Arkansas, and it was another great success. I missed a chance to go and cook the only thing I can cook, steaks – won’t let that happen again.

Something we had not tried in the past also came about. With the tireless work of Don Abrams, we managed to gussie up our web site into a functioning facility. We still have a ways to go, but its utility is obvious and if we keep after it we should be able to continue to communicate with each other most effectively from now on. Let’s remember to use our web site. Lots of good stuff there now, and there will continue to be valuable additions.

For years, and continuing, we have published the Tippet each month. I say “we” although it is Duke who makes it all happen. We have had some great issues this year largely the work of Don Abrams and Tom Herrington who regularly offered us their expertise and perspective. We need to remember that there is not a single HOSSFLY member who does not have something valuable to contribute, so let’s keep it going in 2010!

So there it is, 2009 over and done. It has been my great honor to be your Leader for 2009. I know I have learned a lot from all of you. This is a club of almost unlimited talent and opportunity – I can’t think of anything HOSSFLY couldn’t tackle successfully.

My thanks to you ALL.

Syd Smith, Leader HOSSFLY 2009

The data collection and reporting functions for Buoy 42007 , a.k.a. the Southeast Biloxi, are out of service.  As of 12/12/09 NOAA's National Data Buoy Center reports that the buoy is not yet in the maintenance schedule, so it may be a while before service is restored.  The maintenance schedule is posted here: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/ops.shtml

 42007 is located a few miles NE of the northern end of the Chandeleur Islands.   The next closest station is GPOM6 on a range mark near the west end of West Ship Island.  Unlike 42007, GPOM6 does not provide wave data.