Fishing Outings, Activities and Trips, 2024
Southwood Pond, Robert Gillespie, Siouxland Fly Fishing
Saturday January 27 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. From 9-10 am Marlin Lessmann will lead members in tying the Red Tag. This is a dry fly, and the recipe can be found at page 36 of The Fly-Tying Bible. The meeting will begin at 10 am and will include a program by Chris Case on hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Saturday February 24 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. From 9-10 am Marlin Lessmann will lead members in tying the Flashback Pheasant Tail. This is a classic nymph pattern with many variations and renditions. The version Marlin will be tying can be found at page 96 of The Fly-Tying Bible.
Sunday March 24 -- Weather permitting the Club will fish Crystal Cove in South Sioux City, NE, targeting Rainbow Trout, fishing from 3 pm until the last person has had enough. This is a public fishery. A 2024 Nebraska fishing license is required. Click on the map below for more detail.
Saturday March 30 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. From 9-10 am Marlin Lessmann will lead members in tying the Diawl Bach. This is a wet fly of Welsh origin. The English translation of Diawl Bach is "Little Devil," and the recipe can be found at page 150 of The Fly-Tying Bible. The meeting will begin at 10 am. For our program we will view Short Bus Diaries, Part 3, a very entertaining video of real life trout bums fishing western waters.
Wednesday April 10 -- The Club will travel to Verdigre Creek, a natural spring fed small stream near Royal, NE. We will fish for Brown and Rainbow Trout. We will leave from the Sioux City Boat Ramp at 8 a.m., driving by car directly to the Creek. Most of the Creek runs through public land. A Nebraska fishing license is required. Bring a sack lunch and water.
Saturday April 27 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. From 9-10 am Marlin Lessmann will lead members in tying the Wooly Bugger. This may well be fly anglers' most popular streamer, and is considered by many to be the most effective all purpose fly. This rendition (as with the Flashback Pheasant Tail there are many variations) of the Wooly Bugger that Marlin will be tying can be found at page 190 of The Fly-Tying Bible. The regular meeting will begin at 10 am. Bob Gillespie will present the program "Fishing Connetquot State Park." This New York State park has a trout stream running through it which Bob had the fortunate opportunity to fish.
Wednesday May 1 -- Our first Pond Night. The Club will fish the pond located just south of C-80 between County Road K-22 and US Highway 75. This is a private pond and the Club has permission to fish it. An Iowa fishing license is required. Members can expect to catch bluegill, bass and crappies. Steve Packard will unlock the Gate at 5:30 pm. Fish until 8:00 pm. Click on the map and use the + symbol to see more detail.
Sunday May 5 -- Siouxland Fly Fishing's annual One Fly Contest. This year the Club will conduct its One Fly Contest from 3-5 pm this date at Hillview Recreation Area in Plymouth County, Iowa. Contest rules will be covered prior to the start of the event. Access to the pond at Hillview is on the north side of the park. An Iowa fishing license is required.
Saturday May 11 -- The Club will fish the ponds at Broken Kettle Grasslands located just east of Highway 12 about 22 minutes north of Sioux City. Click on the map below for directions. These ponds are owned by the Nature Conservancy and the Club is permitted to fish them once or twice a year. We will meet at the machine shed on the property at 8 am and caravan up to the ponds. Note: the Nature Conservancy maintains a large herd of buffalo on these grounds, so members need to avoid contact with these animals and make sure all gates are closed and secure. The fishing is usually excellent, and the Bass and Bluegill are good size and hungry. An Iowa fishing license is required.
Saturday May 25 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. From 9-10 am Marlin Lessmann will lead members in tying the Foam Wing Caddis. This is is a dry fly pattern using foam rather than traditional Elk Hair to create the wings and provide buoyancy. Use google to search the web for Savage Flies Foam Wing Caddis to see it tied. The regular meeting will begin at 10 am. A program has not been finalized.
Wednesday June 5 -- Pond Night. The Club will fish the pond located just south of C-80 between County Road K-22 and US Highway 75. An Iowa fishing license is required. Members can expect to catch bluegill, bass and crappies. The Gate will be open at 5:30 pm. Fish until 8:00 pm.
Thursday June 13 -- Our second outing of the year to Verdigre Creek near Royal Nebraska. As with our first trip, we will meet at the Sioux City boat ramp at 8 am and head over to the creek. Its advisable to bring a sack lunch and plenty of water and remember you Nebraska fishing license
Saturday June 29 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. From 9-10 am Marlin Lessmann will lead members in tying the Clouser Minnow. This fly pattern is categorized as a Hairwing or Bucktail style fly, because it typically uses fur from deer or other furbearers -- in this case to create a bait fish imitation. The recipe can be found at page 214 of The Fly-Tying Bible. The meeting will begin at 10 am. A program has not been finalized.
Wednesday July 3 -- Pond Night. The Club will fish the pond located just south of C-80 between County Road K-22 and US Highway 75. An Iowa fishing license is required. Members can expect to catch bluegill, bass and crappies. The Gate will be open at 5:30 pm. Fish until 8:00 pm.
Saturday July 27 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. Fly tying from 9-10 am. Marlin Lessman will lead members in tying the Polywinged Midge, a fairly simple but effective dry fly pattern which can be tied on hooks ranging from sizes 14-24. The recipe is found on pages 38 and 39 of the Fly-Tying Bible. Our regular monthly meeting will begin at 10 am. The program is not finalized, but once it is it will be added to this page.
Wednesday August 7 -- Pond Night. The Club will fish the pond located just south of C-80 between County Road K-22 and US Highway 75. An Iowa fishing license is required. Members can expect to catch bluegill, bass and crappies. The Gate will be open at 5:30 pm. Fish until 8:00 pm.
Saturday August 31 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. Fly tying from 9-10 am. Marlin Lessman will lead the members in tying the Brassie, a nymph pattern meant to imitate a wide range of midge pupae to be fished deep. Like the top water Polywinged Midge tyed in July, the Brassie is a simple fly that can be tied on a wide spectrum of hooks (sizes 12-20). It is found on pages 102-103 of the Fly-tying Bible.
Our regular monthly meeting will begin at 10 am. The program is not finalized. Once it is it will be added to this page.
Wednesday September 4 -- Our last Pond Night of the year. The Club will fish the pond located just south of C-80 between County Road K-22 and US Highway 75. An Iowa fishing license is required. Members can expect to catch Blue Gill, Bass and Crappies. The Gate will be open at 5:30 pm. Fish until 8:00 pm.
Saturday September 28 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. Fly tying from 9-10 am. Marlin Lessman will lead members in tying the Soft Hackle. This is a wet fly that can be fished from the throughout the water column. You will find it at pages152-153 of the Bible. Tye it on hook sizes 12-16.
Our regular monthly meeting will begin at 10 am. The program is not finalized. Once it is it will be added to this page.
Thursday October 17 -- Our last official outing of the year. We will fish Crystal Cove in South Sioux, targeting Rainbows. Fishing 2 pm to 5 pm. Remember your Nebraska fishing license.
Saturday October 26 -- Fly tying and our regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. Fly tying from 9-10 am. Marlin Lessman will lead us in tying the Black Tadpole, a streamer tied on hooks ranging from sizes 6-10. The long marabou tail provides enough action to fish this effectively in ponds as well as moving water. The pattern can be found at pages 188-189 of the Bible.
Our regular monthly meeting will begin at 10 am. The program is not finalized.
Saturday November 30 -- Regular monthly meeting at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. There will be no fly tying. The meeting will begin at 10 am. The program is Show and Tell (bring fly fishing equipment, materials and ideas for discussion).
Saturday December 7 --Our Holiday Party in lieu of regular monthly meeting, 10 am to noon. Coffee and treats will be provided by the Club.