As many of you know, our premier fly tying event, the Sowbug Roundup, is coming up. It will be held on March 26, 27 and 28 at the Baxter County Fairgrounds and is put on by the North Arkansas Fly Fishers, our local fly fishing club. Last year I joined the Sowbug Committee as the Chairman of the Fly Tying Contest. I have been involved with the Sowbug Roundup, since I moved here fifteen years ago. I started as a seminar presenter, became a fly tyer, then a vendor and now a Committee Member.
Being involved with the Committee has been a very rewarding experience for a number of reasons. First I have the opportunity to work with some great volunteers. These people are hardworking and committed to making the Sowbug Roundup the best fly tying show possible. They begin meeting monthly as soon as the Sowbug Roundup ends to prepare for the next one. Every aspect of the festival is carefully planned and managed. Most of the Committee members have been involved for several years and know their jobs well.
Next, I have the ability to add my input and help shape the future of the festival. Last year, when I joined the Committee, I was able to convince them to allow me to add the fly tying contest to the Sowbug Roundup. Now it is an integral part of the festival.
Finally, I am able to see firsthand the changes to the festival, as they happen. This year is a banner year for improvements to the Sowbug Roundup. The major big change is the Fridaynight fly tyers dinner. In the past this event was limited to the tyers, committee members and club members. Now they are opening this event to the public and renaming it the Sowbug Shindig. They are also adding adult beverages. In the past this was a sit down dinner. Now it will be a much more casual buffet featuring lighter fare and finger foods. This makes for a great place to mingle and meet the tyers, program presenters and other fly fishers with the same interests as you.
In the past, there was a live auction. It was held in the festival on the last afternoon. The problem was that most of the attendees were not present and did not get a chance to bid on some really great stuff. This is a three day festival and many attendees spend a day or more at the event and then go to the river to get in some fishing. It always seems that the Sowbug Roundup occurs during our most prolific caddis hatch of the year. By moving the live auction to the Sowbug Shindig on Friday night, the Committee makes it easy and pleasant for all of the Sowbug attendees to have a chance to bid on the great items in the live auction.
I have also tweaked the fly tying contest a bit. I have added a couple of new categories for the competitors to enter their flies in. There has always been a lot of interest for there to be a saltwater and salmon/steelhead flies. I know that Paul Little, English fly tyer who specializes in salmon flies will attend this year and I am hoping for an entry from him.
As you can see there are some subtle changes to an already great Sowbug Roundup happening this year. Come by and check them out. I am sure that you will be impressed.John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.
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