What We Do
The Ottawa Fly Fishers Society operates on a hybrid model of online and in-person activities throughout the year. In the winter we feature zoom presentations from fly fishing experts around the world as well as online fly-tying sessions and in-person casting practice. In warmer months we have in-person meetings at the Champlain Field House in Ottawa. In the spring we organize a few club fishing trips to nearby fishing lodges and in the summer we have weekly evening fishing outings to local waters such as the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers.
Club Meetings
We meet in-person at the Champlain Field House in Ottawa. Our in-person meetings include activities such as gear swaps, casting classes and presentations from club members and local fishing experts. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with fellow fly fishing enthusiasts and hatch plans for future fly fishing outings.
Club meetings take place on the third Tuesday of April, May, September and October.
Zoom Presentations
We bring in fly fishing experts, guides, researchers and conservation biologists from the Ottawa area and around the world to deliver online presentations to club members. These presentations generally include a Q & A component. As a member you will have access to recordings of the presentations to watch if you are unable to attend live.
Zoom presentations take place on the third Tuesday of the month from December to March.
Fly Tying
Drop in to the Champlain Fieldhouse with your vise and materials and tie some flies alongside fellow OFS members. Resident fly tying expert Dan Lim will be on hand to lead people in tying specific patters or working on specific skills.
Fly tying takes place on the first Tuesday of the month in the fall, winter and spring months.
Summer Evening Fishing
In the summer, as soon as bass season opens, we host a weekly evening fishing outing somewhere in the Ottawa area. We generally focus on fishing locations within Ottawa city limits on the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers. This is a great opportunity to get out on the water with fellow OFS members.
Evening Fishing takes place in the summer. Exact dates and locations are determined based on fishing conditions.
Club Trips
We organize a couple of trips each year to fishing camps a short drive from Ottawa. These trips are limited in space and the cost of cottage rentals and boats is shared by the participants. This past year we organized trips to Baera Forest and Pin Rouge in Quebec.
Club trips are usually organized in the spring and fall.
Winter Casting
Fine tune your casting in the off-season to keep sharp for spring trout fishing. Each winter we rent a gymnasium for our weekly winter Casting events. It is a great opportunity to practice, try out new equipment and meet up with OFS members in-person in the winter when all other club events are taking place online.
Winter casting takes place in January, February and March.
Instructional classes
We host beginner fly tying and casting classes for all OFS members. These classes take place periodically throughout the year. These are a great opportunity for new fly fishers to learn some fundamental fly fishing skills.
In the spring we offer an intensive beginner fly fishing course that covers everything you need to know to get on the water. This is open to non-members as the price of the course includes a club membership.
Conservation
We foster relationships with local conservation organizations to help protect fish habitat in the Ottawa area. We work with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and their City Stream Watch program and every summer we assist with the South Nation Conservation Authority's Youth Fish Camp to introduce a new generation of anglers to fly fishing.
Our conservation work is ongoing with most volunteer opportunities coming in the summer months.