Chapter Banquet has been rescheduled to March 12, 2010!

Presidents Line for Janurary:

Happy new year to all the members and friends of Art Flick Trout Unlimited! I was happy to see so many of you at last months meeting and party, and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. I was a little concerned that we weren’t going to have enough food, but was I ever wrong about that! Thank you to all of the members who generously donated refreshments!

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays, and took a needed break from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. Now that 2010 is here, we will soon find ourselves with plenty to do.

First and foremost, I want to remind all of our members that the chapter banquet will be held on Friday, March 12th. I know that sounds like a long way off, but believe me it isn’t. Several of our chapter leaders have been working very diligently behind the scenes to make this event a success. But, as I have said in the past, we cannot succeed without the participation of our members. As you’ve heard at chapter meetings, our funds are tight right now, and the banquet is the most important fundraising event on our calendar.

Our first chapter meeting of the new year will be held on Monday, January 11th. We will be showing the movie, “The Lost World of Mr. Hardy”, a documentary about the famous fly fishing company.

On Wednesday, January 20th, our friends at LITU will be holding their January meeting, with A.K. Best as a guest speaker. AFTU has extended a warm invitation to all of us in Art Flick, and I know I am going to be there. LITU meets at the VFW Hall in Hicksville, and you can find a link to their website on our AFTU page.

Another very exciting event will be the annual Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, NJ. This years show runs from January 22nd through January 24th. You can find additional information about the show at www.flyfishingshow.com

In February, there will be two very important events for AFTU, both on the same weekend. From Friday, February 26th through Sunday, February 28th, Suffolk Community College’s Brentwood campus will host the Long Island Sportsman’s Show. Also, on Saturday, February 27th, the Long Island Decoy Collectors Association will hold their annual decoy show at Patchogue Manor. AFTU will have booths at both of these events, and we are looking for volunteers to staff them. What I never realized before I became a chapter leader was how important these events are to our success. First, we use these opportunities to get our name out and recruit new members. Secondly, we sell raffle and banquet tickets, which are important fundraisers.

Lastly, hang in there! I know it’s cold and snowy outside, and I usually get a bad case of cabin fever at this time of the year. For the fly tiers, stock up on those patterns, but don’t forget to donate some to the AFTU fly board. For the rest, keep looking at those magazines and books full of pictures of beautiful streams full of trout. Spring will be here before you know it!

Tight Lines,

Mike