Sowbug 2025 / asking for travel tips

[Rene Zillmann]

Folks,

maybe I do it again. Son is just talking me into going to the sowbug
2025 with him, and spend also some time for serious fishing. It is a
father and son trip, not so much father and child. And my 4th visit at
the event.

We are in an very early phase of investigation, so the outcome is not
clear, and we also might do something very different.

Anyway: Current plan is to fly in one week before the Sowbug, fish a
very nice area for trout or warmwater, go the Sowbug. We need to return
on Saturday, so we could only spend 2 days at the sowbug.

Currently we are looking for an area for this initial fishery, as it is
early in the year we are looking somehow South. One Idea is: Fly to
Memphis, drive to Great Smokey Mountains (Near Knoxville) Do some
Fishing, drive to the Sowbug, Attend Sowbug and return to Germany via
Memphis. A bit of driving, though.

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Thanks a lot

Rene from Germany

[Rene Zillmann]

Gang,

not sure who is still reading the list, but anyway.

This plan became reality, we will enter the airplane in less than 2
weeks, stay 2 days in Mempohis and than drive to Mnt.home to do some
serious fishing and than be at the sowbug.

Who else will be there? I know from Peggy, Bruce Whittle. and Jeff
Hines. Anyone else?

Best

Rene´ Zillmann

[Neville Gosling]

Have a good time at the Sowbug Rene and enjoy fishing in Arkansas! I was there in 2011 and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately the original VFB members like Tony Spezio, Alan Fish and others have passed away, but the sowbug itself should still be very good and enjoyable.

Unfortunately, with Trump in power and his plan to annex Canada, I likely will never visit USA again and I will move back to England if Trump is successful.

Best wishes…….Neville Gosling, Greater Vancouver, BC Canada.

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[Rene Zillmann]

Hi Nev,

you are right, we lost a lot of members from the list and even the
Facebook group is rather quite, even if Rick tries to keep it alive.

I'm really looking forward to the trip. Everything is setup, flights,
car, lodging. Hopefully we will not get ill in advance of the travel.

Best wishes

Rene´

[Neville Gosling]

I agree, Rick Ziger has done an exemplary job of keeping the facebook group alive but it is not doing particularly well. Why? I think that there are so many other groups and diversions online and new people coming online will never have what we had when VFB was very popular when Byard Miller started it.

Thank you Rick………

Neville (Nev) Gosling

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[Rick Zieger]

I will not make SowBug this year. 

Rick 

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[Byard Miller]

I see my name has been mentioned. The memories of VFB and Fkyfish@ are fondly and often in my mind. Sadly a scenario not to be repeated. By those of us involved I presume. We’ve lost many so close to our hearts. I hope we meet up with them all again when our time comes. 

On a personal update I’ve recently left behind snow shoveling and grass mowing for the south east climes of Arizona. Sadly no nearby trout or any fishing opportunities. But other interests fill in those voids and I can always venture into other near or far waters. I would like to seek out an Apache Trout sometime soon. 

It’s nice to see there are some still monitoring the ancient VFB list. 

Regards to all my special friends!

Keep tyin’ … Byard

Sent from Byard's iPhone

On Mar 8, 2025, at 2:31 PM, 'Rick Zieger' via VFB Mail <vfb-...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[Jack Harford]

This is Jack Harford, friend of Al Fish who introduced me to this group. I will not be able to make Sowbug this year as we are planning an out of country trip.  Have fun, tie some flies, and land some pretty trout.

Peace and Tight LInes,

Jack

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[jba...@betadigm.com]

I haven't been very active here since I was talked out of retirement, & it's been a while since I went to Sowbug. The last time was the year before Tony passed. I stayed @ a resort just down the road from Tony's house, caught a bunch of nice browns just outside the cabin.

J

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[Gary L Webb]

My wife and I would love to get back again. On our only trip there Tony tied us one of his Froggies. But she  is in a wheelchair these days.  So we don't do many long trips.   

[Michael Bliss]

I miss all those folks and with fondness.  Tony and Alan Fish were (are) the best of the best.  Nice to see Byard lurking.  I was just reviewing my hackle the other day and still have hackle from the hackle swaps we used to do.  I wish I could come this year but we have so much going on this year that it will have to wait.  I miss the early time with this group and as Byard mentioned with the old flyfish@ group.  Hope all of you stay healthy and well. 

Mike Bliss

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Mike Bliss

[Rick Zieger]

Good to see some names I have not seen for a long time.  Hope you will post some flies that you have been tying. 

Rick 

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[Bruce Whittle]

I agree with everyone’s sentiments.  I miss so many people that used to participate in the list.  I was so lucky to see Allan Fish a couple years ago when I was speaking at a conference in Indianapolis.  I still have the CD that Mark from Louisiana did - music for Fly Tying and Feather Plucking, I believe.  I enjoy watching tying videos made by Tony and Don and reading the books Jimmy wrote.  I too still have a bunch of the feathers from the hackle swaps.  I also have a mouse tied by Don that I won in his first rope dub contest.  I live within a couple of hours of Rick but somehow we have still never seen each other outside of Sowbug many years ago.  Time marches on but I have many fond memories of the Virtual FlyBox list and am glad Byard started that family.  Best regards to all!  I look forward to seeing Rene again in a few weeks!  (And anyone else who happens to be in Mountain Home at the time)

Sincerely,

Bruce

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[Neville Gosling]

Well said Bruce!

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[Pete Gramp]

Just a quick note to say that I am still around. Can’t wade or fly on planes or go on boats of any kind, after the brain surgery, but bank/shore fishing is still an option. I’ve been tying loads of north country spiders lately in the style of TE Pritt, and just donated 30-dozen flies to the local chapter of Project Healing Waters. My tying of spiders has earned me the nickname of “Spider-Man” amongst some of the groups (trout unlimited, etc.) I am active in, and I don’t know how I feel about that yet. Anyhow… Great to see so many familiar names from VFB days still here. 

Catch some fish for me ;)

-Pete

[Neville Gosling]

Hi Pete:

Sorry to learn of your health issues. Although not as bad as your issues, advancing age and severe diabetes means that I cannot fish alone any more. Several of the friends who I used to fish with have passed away and I don’t have anyone near me to fish with so I am reducing my collection of rods, reels, other tackle and must also reduce the excessive amount of fly tying materials that I have. My son is quote a competent fly fisher, but does not have the fishing bug like I do. 

Neville (Nev) Gosling

Greater Vancouver

BC  Canada

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