A (short) History of the Mid-South Fly Fishers
History
Awards & Recognitions
Logos, Patches and Headers
Past Presidents

MId-South fly fishers was founded on August 31, 1977. The first officers and directors were: C. B. Nance, President; Kent Ingram,Vice President; Bill Martin, Secretary & Information Office; Merritt Hale, Treasurer; Lloyd McCuiston, Ghiliie; and C. E. Bretherick, Roy Gorrlson and Jim Keeton, Board Members.

Since the majority of the early members lived in West Memphis the club's charter is in Arkansas so we're a member of the Southern Council (AR, KS, western LA, MO, OK and TX) instead of the South Eastern Council (AL, FL, GA, KY, eastern LA, MS, NC, SC, and TN) of the Federation of Fly Fishers.

The MSFF along with the Arkansas Fly Fishers of Little Rock in May 1988 raised funds to purchase a public access at Cow Shoals on the Red River. Each club raised $2,000 each and the Little Rock Club had a member that donated $1,000 on his own. AGF Foundation matched our donations on a two to one basis to reach the purchase price.

In 1993 Mid-South Fly Fishers published "Home Waters: Guide to Fishing Northern Arkansas, Western Tennessee, and Southern Missouri".

1994 saw the beginning of a long association with the Ducks Unlimited "Great Outdoors Festival". The Mid-South Fly Fisher's has consistently supplied one of the largest groups of volunteers for this event. We are always there in the fishing village, teaching casting, demonstrating fly tying and put on seminars

EstablisedW.E.T. (Water Education Teams), a water monitoring program that involves high schools located near a selected river or stream. The selected schools collect samples and perform as many as 25 experiments including dissolved oxygen, nutrients, heavy metals, and study aquatic life.

Established the Mid-South Fly Fishers Scholarship Foundation

In 2003 we participated in the first "Hooked on a Cure" event in Mountain Home, AR to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. “Reel Divas” Organized by the Women of MSFF in 2003 (Women’s Outreach).

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Awards and Recognitions
1983
Paul Pettit FFF Southern Council Award of Excellence
1985
Paul Pettit FFF Southern Council President’s Award (Co-Award)
1986
Paul Pettit FFF Southern Council President’s Award (Co-Award)
1987
Peggy Pettit FFF Southern Council Woman of the Year
1987
George Harmeling FFF Southern Council President’s Award
1988
Paul Pettit FFF Southern Council President’s Award (Co-Award)
1988
George Harmeling

FFF Southern Council Man of the Year

1988
George Harmeling

FFF Southern Council Award of Excellence

1988
MSFF FFF Southern Council Conservation Award (Co-Award)
1990
C. B. Nance FFF Southern Council President’s Award (Co-Award)
1990
George Harmeling FFF Southern Council President’s Award (Co-Award)
1990
George Harmeling

FFF Southern Council Award of Excellence

1991
Peggy Pettit FFF Southern Council Woman of the Year
1993
MSFF FFF Southern Council Club of the Year
1994
George Harmeling FFF Southern Council President’s Award (Co-Award)
1995
MSFF FFF Southern Council Club of the Year
1996
Tracey Maler FFF Southern Council Woman of the Year
1996
MSFF FFF McKenzie Cup
A rotating award, given annually to that FFF Club which has made an outstanding contribution on behalf of the FFF.
1996
Jim Cowan FFF Southern Council Tall Tale Teller Award
1997
MSFF FFF Southern Council Club of the Year
1997
Bill Pickens FFF Southern Council Conservation Award
1997
John Visor FFF Southern Council Tall Tale Teller Award
1999
Judy Boston FFF Southern Council Woman of the Year
1999
Bill Pickens FFF Southern Council Conservation Award
2000
MSFF FFF Southern Council Club of the Year
2000
Tracie Maler FFF Woman of the Year
2000
MSFF Stanley LLoyd Conservation Award
A financial grant for an FFF Club working on a current or future project related to fishery conservation enhancement and preservation. Matching funds required and may be on an in-kind basis.
2001
Judy Boston FFF Southern Council Conservation Award
2001
Brittany Truitt FFF Southern Council Junior Fly Tyer of the Year
2004
John Berry FFF Southern Council Tall Tale Teller Award
2004
Roger Maler FFF Southern Council Federator of the Year
2004
Judy Boston Arnold Gingrich Literary Memorial Award
The Memorial Life Membership Award program provides an FFF life membership in the name of an individual who has contributed significantly to fly fishing.
2004
"Home Waters" The Roderick Haig-Brown Award
The award recognizes a fly fishing author whose work embodies the philosophy and spirit of Roderick Haig-Brown, particularly, a respect for the ethics and traditions of fly fishing and an understanding of rivers, the inhabitants and their environments.
2005
Mike Stark FFF Southern Council Tall Tale Teller Award
2005
Tom Burkett FFF Southern Council Federator of the Year
2005
Dan Berry FFF Southern Council Teacher of the Year
2005
Reel Divas FFF Southern Council Women of the Year
2006
Roger Maler FFF Man of the Year
2006
John Berry FFF Charles E. Brooks Memorial Award
2006
MSFF FFF Membership Award of Merit
2006
Knotheads FFF Southern Council Tall Tale Teller Award
2006
Mac Caradine &
Mike Isom
FFF Southern Council Teacher(s) of the Year
2006
Roger Maler FFF Southern Council Man of the Year
2006
Lori Sloas FFF Southern Council Woman of the Year
2006
MSFF FFF Southern Council Club of the Year
2007
Leon Alexander Arkansas Wildlife Federation 2007 Water Conservationist of the Year
2007
Judy Boston FFF Woman of the year
2007
Mac Caradine FFF Lew Jewett Memorial Award
2007
Leslie Allen FFF Southern Council Woman of the Year
2007
Leon Alexander FFF Southern Council Conservationist of the Year
2009
Chris "Bubba Gravy" Allen FFF Southern Council Tall Tale Teller Award

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Club Logos, Patches and Newsletter Headers

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Past Presidents
C.B. Nance
1977-8

Kent Ingram
1978-9

Paul Petit
1979-80
Fred Brown
1980-1
Burr Hughes
1981-2
Ben Troughton
1982-3
George Harmeling
1983-4
Jack Lewis
1984-5
C. B. Nance
1985-6
Indie Cockerham
1986-7
Chuck Orvis
1987-8
Wayne Longo
1988-9
Mike Pollard
1989-90
John Berry
1990-1
Jim Cowan
1991-2
Jim Bailey
1992-3
Monte Stark
1993-4
Jennifer Jenkins
1994-5
Michael Pachis
1995-6
John Berry
1996-7
Roger Maler
President
1997-8
Donald Dunn
1998-9
Denis Dunderdale
1999-2000
Dan Brown
2000-1
Roger Maler
2001-2
Mike Stark
2002-3
Mac Caradine
2003-4
Don Branson
2004-5
Kathy Post
2005-6
Mike Isom
2006-7
Education
     
Mike Wilhelm
2007-8
Tom Burkett
2008-9
     

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