It may surprise you to know that the original membership premise was for “Men Only”. AFC was started as an exclusive, men’s fly-fishing club and applicants had to be approved by the Executive Committee prior to being accepted. This restriction was removed in the early 1980’s. In 1984 after serving two terms as Club Secretary, Jo Watson was elected as Club Vice-President under the enlightened leadership of President Jack Miller, DVM. Jo was an avid fly-fisher and would stay out on the San Juan longer than most club participants. One year as it grew dark, she almost missed the last bus back on the last day of the outing because she lost track of time up-river. A search party was dispatched and when found she said, “No excuse. I was catching fish and thanks for thinking of me.”
In the 1990’s a few women came and went and the woman membership was sparse and remained static. In the spring of 2000, then President Dario Travaini made a concerted effort to increase membership and to encourage women applicants.
Dario made several appearances at the Desert Flycasters Club and Dame Juliana Anglers meetings and offered to welcome their members to join AFC and participate in the club’s broad menu of educational, conservation and fishing activities. AFC female membership has steadily increased as a result of this outreach, and the club’s participation in related efforts such as support of “Casting for Recovery” instituted by the Board in 2002 and supported by subsequent presidents.
Financially, the club has gone from an organization where the members donated $1.00 so a newsletter could be sent out to today’s status where the club has been able to endow a $10,000 scholarship program.
AFC has been a very active club throughout its life. It was one of the first fly fishing clubs to host a national Federation of Fly Fishers conclave in 1968. Twenty four members of the club went to Jackson Lake Lodge in Moran, WY and produced an excellent conclave that not only made expenses, but also made a profit. The “Limit Your Kill – Don’t Kill Your Limit” program was started and passed to Jack Miller. AFC carried on the program and many thousand patches, signs and decals were sold and shipped worldwide. A second FFF conclave was hosted by the AFC in 1971 in Aspen, CO.
In 1965 the club gave its first public casting class with 96 students. Since that time numerous other classes have been offered in fly tying, rod wrapping, landing net making, lanyards, personal flotation devises (PFD’s), wading and float tube safety.
In 1972, “Operation Antifreeze” was initiated. This project involved soliciting funds from concerned sportsmen, including AFC and FFF grants, and governmental and tribal funding partners. These efforts resulted in the purchase of ‘Pond Masters’, wind driven devices to keep water open and prevent winter-kill. The devices were used at Crescent Lake and later at Seneca Lake.