I am a member of WFFC. Steve Raymond is also a member and a past president. For a good many years Steve has fished out of an aluminum pram which he calls his "office".
WFFC was founded in 1939 by a group of gentlemen that reads like the who's who of Pacific Northwest angling history. The first president of WFFC was Enos Bradner, noted writer and longtime columnist for the Seattle Times. Best way to find out more about WFFC would be to attend a meeting as a guest. Meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month. The annual Christmas Party is inviatation only for non-members.
Good Fishing,
Les Johnson

 

Hi Jason

I'm reading Raymond's "Blue Upright...the flies of a lifetime", about his favorite flies, short history, and how he has made them but more important how he tweaks with them and the results are amazing...especially on the local waters around here and Oregon. He has some interesting ideas on how to fish certain waters in this state and the flies he uses....30 fish landed days....if you ever get a chance give it a read. He writes somewhat like Gierach in that they poke fun at themselves a lot. I was not aware he waas a Seattle PI/Times guy for 30 years.

 

A while back I was in a flyshop downtown and there was a guy from WFFC trying to get some swag for a raffle or something. The guy starts telling us about the club, what it does, when it meets etc, then he goes on to mention that there are no women allowed in the club. I didn't know what to think of that.
Any insight Les?
DT

 

Hi Jason
I'm reading Raymond's "Blue Upright...the flies of a lifetime", about his favorite flies, short history, and how he has made them but more important how he tweaks with them and the results are amazing...especially on the local waters around here and Oregon. He has some interesting ideas on how to fish certain waters in this state and the flies he uses....30 fish landed days....if you ever get a chance give it a read. He writes somewhat like Gierach in that they poke fun at themselves a lot. I was not aware he waas a Seattle PI/Times guy for 30 years.

The first president of WFFC was Enos Bradner, noted writer and longtime columnist for the Seattle Times.

Enos Bradner was the Seattle PI Times columnist. Not Steve Raymond.

TC

 

I didn't say he was a columnist...but that he worked there...He was an editor and manager....but I can see by the way I wrote that .....where you got that impression. Those two may even have worked together?

 

Hi Jason,

To answer your last question, I am fairly new to the club of only being a member for about 2 years. My experience is pretty intermediate. You will learn a lot if you read and ask questions. People are pretty willing to help another WFF member about most anything.
I just wanted to send a quick Hello..............

 

Jason,

I haven't been a member of WFFC since 1975, so I'm not at all current on the club's status or activities. At that time I think it was the largest fly club in the state with over 200 members, ranging from hard core fly fishing bums to gentlemen anglers who didn't fish so much and were in it more for the perceived social status and connections. Since it was the first and largest for a long time, I agree with Les that it was a Puget Sound area who's who of fly fishing (even Ralph Wahl would come down from Bellingham for meetings until he became too old). As fly fishing took off in the 70s and 80s, more clubs became established, and I think the relative importance of the WFFC diminished by the degree that it no longer held a monopoly on fly fishing talent and knowledge. But first and largest always counts for something. The club formed around the goal of setting aside the NF Stilly and Pass Lake as the state's first fly fishing only waters.

Steve Raymond is retired and living on Whidbey when I saw him about a year ago. He used to be City Editor at the Seattle Times, but I think not while Enos was still working there. He fished from a pram back in the 70s; I have no idea what he's using now.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

 

Salmo G, why are you no longer a member? What experience did you have? What kind of activities did you participate in?

 

I am currently reading "Year of The Angler/ Year of The Trout" by Steve Raymond and I am enjoying it thus far. I have just started into the second book of the combo. I was wondering if any of you know him or have fished with him; and what kind of boat he uses. I am guessing it is either pontoon boat or a pram due to his descriptions of fishing Lenice and hauling it on his truck canopy. My second question is I would like to know more about the Washington Fly Fishing Club. I've looked at their website but I would like to know if any of your are or "were" members and of your experience.

Thank You,

Jason Decker

But what's the deal with the book's having repeated text? It's like the pages continue but there's these sections of text that repeat. It was bad enough that I put the book down and haven't gone back to it in a while.

 

WFFC is indeed a mens only club, just like Northwest Women Fly Fishers is a womens only club. There really is no "take" on it. Conversely Northwest Fly Anglers is a family club.
WFFC does receive donations an reduced price purchases for its annual holiday party and fund-raising auction. WFFC has since its inception in 1939 given generously to fund college student projects, completing projects such as the restoration of Griffin Creek an important spawning creek on the Snoqualmie River and supporting the Wild Steelhead Coalition in its mission to save wild steelhead (to name a scant few). It is all on the WFFC web page.
Anyone interested in finding out more about WFFC should look into attending a meeting. You need $23.00 for the dinner and a few bucks to toss into the bar kitty.
Good Fishing,
Les Johnson

 

But what's the deal with the book's having repeated text? It's like the pages continue but there's these sections of text that repeat. It was bad enough that I put the book down and haven't gone back to it in a while.

i just got to a part in Year of the Trout were there was a repeated page. That is a big typo. I am going to send my book back to the publisher for a better copy once I am through. The editor should have caught that.

Other than that, it is good reading so far!

Jason:thumb:

 

I love reading Steve Raymond's work. If you haven't read "Steelhead Country", I strongly recommend it. There is a chapter about hooking Steel in a Puget Sound estuary that is unbelievable. If this doesn't get you pumped up nothing will!

 

WFFC is indeed a mens only club, just like Northwest Women Fly Fishers is a womens only club. There really is no "take" on it. Conversely Northwest Fly Anglers is a family club.
WFFC does receive donations an reduced price purchases for its annual holiday party and fund-raising auction. WFFC has since its inception in 1939 given generously to fund college student projects, completing projects such as the restoration of Griffin Creek an important spawning creek on the Snoqualmie River and supporting the Wild Steelhead Coalition in its mission to save wild steelhead (to name a scant few). It is all on the WFFC web page.
Anyone interested in finding out more about WFFC should look into attending a meeting. You need $23.00 for the dinner and a few bucks to toss into the bar kitty.
Good Fishing,
Les Johnson

Thanks Les, that puts it into perspective.
DT

 

I received my Whidbey Island Fly Fishing Newletter Thursday and Steve appears to be very active with this group. Wish I was, but the meeting conflicts with my wife's PTA obligation. The January meeting has been pushed back a week, so I hope to attend.

One meeting I attended he gave a presentation on his Kamloops book with a slide show. Very interesting