Bill Sutton      Programs

I have been fly fishing since I was a boy when I discovered that flies out fished single salmon eggs on a small Sierra Nevada lake when there was a caddis hatch.  I have been tying flies since my wife gave me a fly tying kit when I was recovering from a fractured knee cap in my second year of medical school.  Fly fishing has been an important part of my life and has resulted in many long lasting friendships, a strong interest in nature and conservation and wonderful fishing traveling.  It was a great good fortune that BFF was active here when we moved to Naples.

BFF speakers and demonstrations are important attractions to our monthly meetings and further the purposes of our club to promote fly fishing, fellowship, conservation, and fly fishing education.  All the directors have agreed to arrange for a program.  My job is to assist that process and to make sure that we have speakers and demonstrators identified and scheduled well in advance.  Our objective is to have a rolling six month plan.  The host director is responsible for identifying the speaker and demonstration and making all arrangements.

As a group, the directors arrange for a balance of topics and speakers that are of interest to the members, ranging from local guides who provide information on local fishing to highly regarded fly fishing authorities.  Programs on conservation support the purposes of the club and those of our affiliation with the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) that seeks “conserving, restoring, and educating through fly fishing”.  Occasional programs on fly fishing destinations extend our dreams beyond Southwest Florida.

The demonstration portion of each program improves our skills and helps to meet the “how-to” expectations that our members expressed in the survey conducted two years ago.  Fly tying demonstrations are most favored, but knot tying, fly casting, rod building and hook removal have also been subjects.

Members are invited to suggest ideas and speakers for programs to any director or to me at the email address or phone number shown on this page.

Bill Sutton