Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show follow up

The Derby City Fly Fishers hosted their 5th annual Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show. Snow and slick roads didn’t seem to hurt attendance and organizers were pleased with the show.

“I think it’s been great considering the weather,” said DCFF president Kenneth Kloeppel. “It was a steady stream of people throughout the day and all things considered, we really can’t complain.”

There was no shortage of things to do and see at yesterday’s show. Seminars drew good crowds and as always, people stood shoulder to shoulder when Macauley Lord did his casting demonstrations.

Plans are already underway for next year’s show. While some shows cater to the experienced angler, there is a lot at this show for the person just wanting to learn about fly fishing.

“We are trying to drum up support and interest in fly fishing in the community,” said Kloeppel. “We get a lot of people that show up and say they want to learn, but are not sure how to get started. We want to help this person, which in turn grows the sport.”

The Derby City Fly Fishers host regular club meetings and fly tying at the Louisville Nature Center. For more information about the club visit: http://www.derbycityflyfishers.com/

Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show is Saturday

The Sport Show season is officially upon us and for those who love fly fishing in the Kentuckiana area, there is a good opportunity to increase your knowledge of the sport, talk to guides and sample new products this weekend.

The Derby City Fly Fishers will be hosting their fifth annual Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show Saturday, Jan. 30th from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Fern Valley Holiday Inn and Conference Center.

The one day event is focused on introducing fly fishing to a beginner audience while offering expert instruction and information to the advanced fly fisher.

Attendees to the show will be able to learn fly tying and fly casting, attend seminars on various topics and talk with guides from across the region.

“What is different this year is the theme of our seminars,” said Kenneth Kloeppel, Derby City Fly Fishers president. “We have 5 excellent presentations centering on fishing destinations that are within a 1 day drive of Louisville, KY. With the economy in the pits we fishermen have to look for ways to maximize our money when it comes to trips. So these seminars are not only focused on teaching you fishing techniques, but each covers a unique location in our region.”

Legendary fly casting instructor Macauley Lord will give casting demonstrations. Lord, A Louisville native is an author and the lead casting instructor for L.L. Bean.

“Macauley has been with us for the past 4 years and draws a crowd showing how easy it is to cast a fly rod,” Kloeppel said. “For those who are just starting into fly fishing, be sure to check out Gerry McDaniel of Cumberland River Outfitters who will be doing two seminars on Saturday covering the basics of tackle, flies, and where to fish. Last, a new thing we're doing this year are featured fly tiers in addition to our fly tying booths. We have 4 amazing tiers who will be doing a 45 minute session each on tying deer hair bass bugs, tube flies, and how to tie with foam.”

The Beatty Buck

In 2000, a hunting trip in his home state of Ohio changed Mike Beatty’s life forever. He had been hunting hard for a long period of time but things were just not falling into place.

“I had hunted 28 days straight and had not really been on any good deer,” Beatty told me when we talked Sunday at the Louisville Boat, RV and Sport Show. “I decided I was going to take the evening off because I was getting a little burned out. My wife told me she would take care of the kids and for me to just go hunting and I did.”

While sitting on stand he went through two rattling sequences when a 160 class 8 pointer appeared, hung around for several minutes and then moved off without presenting a shot. Another rattling sequence minutes later brought in the life changing deer that presented a shot at 10 yards. The arrow found pay dirt and the deer fled.

Knowing the deer was mortally wounded; Beatty waited nearly an hour before he picked up a blood trail and began the arduous job of tracking him.

“I got on the blood trail and followed it for a while before running out of blood and then I heard a deer blow at me,” Beatty said. “I backed out and called it a night and went back the next morning and found him 29 yards from where I stopped looking the night before.”

The deer, which is one of only three deer over 300-inches to be taken by hunters and the largest ever taken with a bow, set Beatty’s life on a different course. It had 39 scoreable points and a net score of 304 6/8. The recognition from sponsors and opportunities led him to his role in the hunting industry and his company Tag’D Out.

“Tag’D Out was founded by myself last year and here we are a year later,” he said. “We had been treading water and motoring forward and now we have our first Tag’d Out DVD.”

The DVD has 12 whitetail hunts, four bear hunts and two elk hunts, along with Beatty telling the story of the famous Beatty Buck. The company has assembled nearly 20 sponsors and nine pro staffers. Their latest project Tag’D Out 2 is now in production and they have compiled 12 whitetail hunts, a mule deer and a bear hunt.

“We are still a small company with room to grow, but each of us works 40 hour a week jobs in addition to the company,” said Beatty, who works full time for AT&T. “A lot of our sponsors are interested in doing a TV show, but right now at this time it is just a little overwhelming to go in that arena.”

If you missed the Tag’D Out crew in Louisville, they will be make another stop in Kentucky at the Lewis County Sportsmen Expo March 6-7 in Vanceburg. For more information about that show go to: http://lewiscountysportsmensexpo.com/

To find out more about Beatty and his company Tag'D Out at their web site www.tagdout.com.

Today is the final day of the Louisville Boat, RV and Sport Show. If you are one of those who are interested in deer, particularly trophy bucks, you should make plans to attend.

There is a big buck contest on display including a trophy that currently qualifies as the largest typical taken in the U.S. this year. The deer was harvested in Lewis County, KY, and scored 197 2/8.

Also on display is Mike Beatty’s world record non-typical archery buck taken in Ohio. Beatty is there promoting his DVD’s under the banner of Tag’D Out. His bruiser buck, taken in Ohio in 2000, has 39 scoreable points and an official Boone and Crockett score of 304 6/8. It is one of only three 300-inch buck ever taken by a hunter.

On tomorrows blog I will have an interview with Beatty detailing the hunt as well as more information about the Lewis County brute.

Dock Dogs in the spotlight at Louisville Boat, RV and Sport Show

One of the more popular attractions at the Louisville Boat, RV and Sport Show is the Dock Dogs competition. Dogs are enticed by a retrieving object to leap as far as they can into a pool where the distance of their jump is measured. There is also a speed retrieve competition. If you have never seen a Dock Dogs competition you can watch a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEbM2svDsNU

Mark Filiatreau, his family and his dog Cooper where participating for the first time and were really enjoying themselves.

“We came out last year and watched and when we left the boys asked me if we could get a dock dog,” Filiatreau said. “We were out in Missouri and we found Cooper, so we picked him up and been playing with him. We brought him out just to see if he would jump. Now that we know he will jump, we’re going to go home and work with him and see if we can get some air out of him.”

The Filiatreau’s are not professional dog trainers, but that didn’t stop them from getting Cooper ready for the competition.

“We have a pond at our house with a dock on it,” Filiatreau said. “The boy’s (Elliot and Garrett) just got to throwing stuff off the dock for him and Cooper started jumping in after it. I said ‘well boys, there’s your Dock Dog.’”

Filiatreau has some advice for others who are interested in getting them and their dogs involved in the sport.

“I would tell anybody that was interested to give it a try,” he said. “You don’t have to have a high dollar dog or anything, just give it a try and go out and have some fun.”

If you are interested in learning more, you can find more information about Dock Dogs at www.dockdogs.com.

Louisville Boat, RV and Sports Show returns this week

The Louisville Boat, RV and Sports show returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center Jan.20-24 and the promoters have made some changes.

One of the biggest changes is the shortening of the show to five days in order to make it more accommodating for both visitors and vendors.

“We were one of the few 9-days shows left, most show are only 4 or 5 days,” said show manager Kim Muncy. “We have really good attendance on weekends and very slow the early part of the week. It has been proven that you get as many people through the show in 5 days as you do 9. We think it will bring a renewed energy and excitement to the show with more people in the aisles instead of spreading attendance out over a longer period.”


New for the show this year:
KDFWR Hunting Pavilion with laser shooting, and a 'big buck contest', Beatty Buck, etc.
FLW Boating/Fishing simulators which are a part of the Take Me Fishing Center sponsored by the RBFF.
Trout Fishing is FREE for kids this year.
Miss GEICO – Fastest offshore racing boat, capable of going 185 miles an hour.
The show hours are:

Wednesday, January 20……5pm – 9pm – Customer Appreciation Day, Admission $5 ($3 savings)

Thursday, January 21…..…12pm – 9pm

Friday, January 22………...12pm – 9pm – Ladies Day, Ladies Admission $5 ($3 savings)

Saturday, January 23……..10am – 9pm

Sunday, January 24………10am – 5pm

I will be there each night, and will have interviews with some of the guides and vendors to write about here in order give an overall feel for the show. If you happen to see me, please feel free to strike up a conversation.

If you want more details on the show you can visit their website at: http://www.louisvilleboatshow.com/