Greetings and happy holidays to everyone! I hope this newsletter finds everyone in the midst of celebrating the holidays and the coming of the New Year. On a personal note I am back at work after spending some quality time experiencing first hand our medical system. Thank you to those who called and sent notes and emails, I appreciate your concern and am grateful to be back in the saddle. It was strange to go from constantly enjoying the outdoors and no issues to "So whatta think Doctor?"! All is well and I am truly blessed this holiday season, I will take health over wealth any day.

January is here....get ready for some great events over the next two months. The first one is a non-Trout Unlimited event on New Year's Day, Monday January 1, 2018. Some of you have attended over the last six years this event and it gets larger each year. That's right it is time for "BIG SUR'S NEW YEAR'S DAY KARMA TRADITION 2018"! We meet each year at Metcalf Bottoms picnic area just off Little River Rd about 8 miles from the park entrance in Townsend, TN, inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is the way to get your fishing karma on for the New Year and compete for the largest fish plaque. Mainly it is a group of people who gather to grill out, fish, tell lies and eat some more! We start at 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. on Monday January 1st, 2018, rain or shine unless the Park closes due to snow. In that case an alternate location on the Clinch River will be used, watch our Facebook page and Little River Outfitters Forum for updates. Here is a link to the LRO Forum message board and our Facebook page is above. LINK: http://littleriveroutfitters.com/forum/showthread.php?19006-Monday-January-1-2018-It-s-coming!-Bigsur-s-New-Year-s-Day-Karma-Tradition&p=120992#post120992

Are you ready? It's time. The "IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2018" is coming! The main event is back on Thursday January 18th, 2018 at 6 P.M. at our new host location TWIN PEAKS RESTAURANT in Knoxville. Grab your fly tying gear and compete for great gear or grab your friends and come out to laugh the night away as the tiers attempt to tie flies from nuts and bolts or blindfolded in a three round competition to see who really is the best tier around when the pressure is on. The most important part is the fly tiers entry fee helps sponsor a boy or girl to TROUT CAMP this summer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is free to attend and enjoy some of the coldest draft beer on the planet and food to satisfy any craving. See the article below for all the details on how to enter, this is limited to only 20 tiers so enter today. Please support our sponsors who make the prizes available to the winners. This is truly tying for a cause, do not miss the event of winter at the "IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2018"

The party rolls on February 2-3 2018 at the Atlanta Fly Fishing show at the Infinite Energy Center. It is returning for the second year and if you missed last year I highly reccomend you go this year. It is by far the largest in the Southeast and only one of seven put on across the country. Based on the show last year this one looks to be even larger and features the best of the world of fly fishing from the newest gear available, seminars by fly fishing celebrities, and of course the "LEGENDS of the FLY" Hall of Fame induction sponsored by Southern Trout Magazine. This year is special because we have quite a few people from Tennessee and North Carolina in the running for induction. I personally am humbled and honored because I have been asked back again this year to be the master of ceremonies. Last year a number of TU members in our area attended and I promise it was a two day total immersion of the fly fishing sport. Come for the day, even better spend the night as the evenings at the hotel are an event unto them selves.

We have a lot going on so break those "cabin fever blues" and come out and join us as we raise money to sponsor a child to "TROUT CAMP" on January 18th, 2018. Again, I want to thank everyone for helping make our chapter a success these last few years. Remember it is your chapter and it is through your participation that we can continue to grow and prosper.

John Reinhardt

President