Category: Event updates

Bob Burkard: We have two outings in April

(1)Hillsborough River and (2) Everglades Canals

We are having two official club outings this month. On Saturday, April 21 we are fly fishing the Hillsborough River from Trout Creek Conservation Park .  Then, we are having a second multi-day outing April 26-30, Thursday-Sunday where our members will be fly fishing for exotics and native fishes in the Everglades canals.

#1: Trout Creek Conservation Park on the Hillsborough River,  Saturday, April 22

It’s just a little north of Temple Terrace. You’ll Take I-4, then go north on I-75 and exit on Morris Bridge Road. Kayak and canoe fishers will find lots of fishy locations. There are a few places near the park where you can fly cast from shore.  Here’s a link to more park info.

Fly fish in the morning then meet up by noon for a picnic lunch at a park picnic table. You’ll see the Suncoast Fly Fishers sign.  A $10 gift certificate goes to the member catching the longest bass. Measure it and take a picture of it before you release it.

#2: Everglades Exotics Outing, April 26 to April 30

Fly fishing for bass, bream, and exotics in the Everglade canals has become a Suncoast Fly Fishers tradition. Since joining our club 10 years ago, I have heard many stories of hundreds of fish caught per day in these canals.  I am excited to be a part of this adventure this year.

Two groups of our SFF anglers will be heading to the Everglades in late April to catch hundreds of exotics—peacock bass, cichlids, oscars, jaguar guapotes – plus native fishes– snook, bass, bream. And, yeah, mudfish.  A $10 gift certificate awaits the member who catches the longest exotic. That’s probably going to be a peacock bass.

Bruce Evensen and Bill Scarola are leading one group which will be staying at Roland and Mary Ann Martin Marina & Resort in Clewiston, which is on the south side of Lake Okeechobee.  This group fishes on some especially productive waters off of the New River Canal that parallels Highway 27 south of Clewiston. Talk to Bruce or Bill at the meeting.

Alan Sewell is your go-to person for fishing canal waters farther south. This group will be staying at the La Quinta Inn in Sunrise near Fort Lauderdale. Talk to Alan at the meeting.

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P2/Bob Burkard: We have two outings in April

(1)Hillsborough River and (2) Everglades Canals

If you’re interested in either of these expeditions then attend Thursday’s meeting to get up to date information as well as what gear to bring and where the groups will be fishing. You can call the hotels to reserve a room (if available). Be sure to tell them you’re with the Suncoast Fly Fishers to get a discount. 

Club Picnic on Saturday, Alligator Alley (I75) Rest Area, Mile Marker 34

Both fly groups will meet up at noon on Saturday or a club-sponsored picnic lunch and to compare fishy stories.  Look for the SFF sign at one of the picnic tables.  This rest area is about 11 miles west of the Toll Plaza.  It has a boat ramp, too.  Here’s a link to more rest area info.

Saturday March 25, Hog Roast and Silent Auction

Featured speaker: Fly fishing legend Chico Fernandez

St. Jerome Catholic Church, 10895 Hamlin Blvd., Largo

• This year members of the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club will join members of the Suncoast Fly Fishers adding to the product donations and bidding for gear and trips.
• Our speaker is fly fishing legend Chico Fernandez of Miami. He was our popular speaker at the 2017 Hog Roast.

• This is our premier club event of the year.  It is our principal fundraiser and a must-attend event for every SFF member and guests interested in fly -fishing or a fun night out!
• There is a lot of work to do. Volunteer at the meeting.  Also donate your best flies. Bruce Evensen will be collecting member-tied flies for the Hog Roast.

• We have a special guest — Patrick Berry, President and CEO of Fly Fishers International.

January 21st

Weedon Island Preserve is one of our club’s favorite outing locations so it’s back on the schedule for January. It’s a good month for Weedon. Big spotted seatrout are on the flats and they are hungry.

The Suncoast Fly Fisher catching the longest speckled trout will earn a $10 gift certificate to a local fly shop. Measure it. Take a picture of it. Show it to one of the outing committee members at the picnic. The picnic is at the pavilion (the only one) on the north side of the main parking lot. Fat juicy burgers and hot dogs are on the menu. Hot coffee, too. And chips. And cookies. You know the thing.

Check out the visitor’s map and other details on the Weedon website. There’s a kayak launch and many places to wade in and start fishing from the preserve.
Wade fishers often meet up in the main parking lot at 7 to 7:30 am. Some will probably hike to and wade fish the Riviera Bay shoreline. Some like to wade in at the kayak launching area. And some will take the 10- 15 minute hike down Lookout Point Trail and wade into Tampa Bay. You can also rent a kayak at the Sweetwater Kayaks station on Weedon Drive. Master’s Bayou (Snug Harbor) also is a great spot to fish but you’ll need to launch a kayak at one of the access points on the south side of Gandy Boulevard.
It’s a negative low tide day. The tide bottoms out about 9:15 then starts to come in fast. Low tides like that force spotted seatrout into deeper holes.

Saturday, November 19th

Our November 19th outing and picnic is at Weedon Island Preserve, one of our club’s favorite outing locations.

You can wade fish from multiple wade-in locations. It has a kayak launch and it’s easy to reach from different boat ramps.

Wade fishers will meet up in the main parking lot at 7:30 am.  Some will wade fish Riviera Bay. Some will wade in at the kayak launch area and fly fish the spoil island backcountry water . Some will hike the Lookout Point Trail and wade-fish the open water flats.

The member who catches the longest ladyfish wins a $10 gift certificate. Measure your fish. Take a picture. If you catch a redfish, a seatrout, or a snook that appears longer than  anything on the 2022 Outing Tournament list (see below) then be sure to measure and take a picture of those fish, too.  

We’ll all meet up for a picnic lunch at 11:30 at the Weedon Island Picnic Pavilion which is on the north side of the main parking lot.  Your outings committee is bringing food. Come hungry. 

Thursday November 17th, 2022

Saturday, October 22nd

Carl Hanson Memorial Outing on the Hillsborough River is back on the calendar. It’s our almost-annual fishing event with the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club.
The fly fisher who catches the longest fish (bass or whatever) gets to keep the portrait of Carl Hanson for a year. The member catching the most fish (bluegills, anyone?) gets their name engraved on the Carl Hanson trophy.
Carl, who died in 1998, belonged to both clubs. He loved fishing fresh water and to honor his memory we have been meeting up and “competing” with TBFFC.
This is TBFFC’s year to host the event Here’s the plan from TBFFC President Walt Durkin:
• Meet up early at Rotary Riverfront Park in Temple Terrace.
• Best fishing is from a boat, kayak, or canoe but you can also fly fish from shore.
• Come early and fish until noon then meet up for drinks and conversation to remember Carl.

Also post them on our club’s Facebook. site….facebook.com/scff2020

Saturday, Sept 17 Outing

The September outing at Bay Vista Park at 7000 4th Street South in St. Pete is always one of our more popular outings. It’s a three-fer. You can launch a boat there, you can launch a kayak there, and you can wade-fish from there, too.
But you’re not limited to fishing there. At this outing you can fly fish Tampa Bay anywhere inside of the Sunshine Skyway all the way up to the St. Pete Pier.
Fishing should be pretty good. We’ll have a nice outgoing tide and moving water. Anglers, boating or wading, will be able to cast to seagrass or to the sandy potholes here and there. A $10 gift certificate will be awarded to the member catching the longest spotted seatrout. Take a picture. Measure it. Show the image to outings chair Bob Burkard back at the Bay Vista Park pavilion.
We’ll meet up at the pavilion at 11:45 for a hearty picnic lunch. Coffee and cold drinks will be ready before that.

Saturday, August 20 Outing

Fish in the morning. Meet up at noon at Pavilion #3 on North Beach for a Low Country Boil picnic.

Best Brisket in the Bay Outing, Saturday, August 20,
Fly fish then picnic at noon at Pavilion #3 on North Beach on Fort DeSoto Park (FDP opens at 7 am)
• Celebrate the things that make our club great: Food. Fun. Families. Friends. And fly-fishing.
• All are welcome: your spouse, children, grandchildren, and fishing friends, too.
• Fish in the morning then meet up at Pavilion 3 for lunch. President Rick Warfel and Outings Chairman Bob Burkard will be slow cooking and smoking big beef briskets on grills all night long.
• Everybody will get a free raffle ticket for a drawing for fun door prizes..
• Fish the waters in and around Fort DeSoto Park. $10 gift certificates will be awarded to the members catching the longest snook, longest redfish, and longest seatrout. Measure them. Take pictures. Arrive at Pavilion 3 by noon and show them to an Outings Committee member

The park opens at 7 am. There’s a $5 entrance fee per vehicle. Park diagram and other info is on the FDP website..

Outing, Saturday, July 23. Lower Tampa Bay
Picnic, 11:30 am, North Sunshine Skyway Rest Area
• Fish Gulf or Bay waters anywhere south of 54th Avenue South (Florida State Road 682) in St. Pete.
• Wade fishers can join outings chair Bob Burkard and Bill AuCoin at 7:30 am at the North Skyway Rest Area.
• Fishers and non-fishers alike should meet up at 11:30 am for the outing picnic at the North Sunshine Skyway rest area.
• The outing tournament ends at noon. $10 gift certificates will be awarded for the longest snook, redfish, and longest speckled trout. Measure, take a picture, and show it to Bob Burkard or Bill AuCoin at the picnic pavilion by 1 pm.
• Check the lengths on the annual outing tournament, too. Your longest fish could take the lead on one or more of those categories.

Don’t forget to submit any annual tournament!

Our June outing is our long-standing and much celebrated docklights
outing, and now it’s our Docklights AND Beaches outing.

JUNE OUTING, Friday-Saturday, June 17-18

• Fish from 6 PM Friday to 9 AM Saturday, then from 6 PM Saturday
to 9 AM Sunday.

• The outing prize goes to the fly fisher catching the longest snook.
Measure it and take a picture. Email it to Bob!

• Fish anywhere in Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, or Manatee
Counties.

Largest Snook wins!

Don’t forget to submit any annual tournament!