SPRING FLY FISHING CLASS COMING UP

Wow, spring is here. On the way to Blue Ribbon Fly Shop this morning, I noticed that the redbuds and forsythia were in bloom. This got me thinking about fly fishing (everything gets me to thinking about fly fishing), so I quickly checked the generation on our rivers and noted that the Norfork was off. That means we finally have some wadable water! This is also the time of year, when we get our first and biggest caddis hatch. It is definitely fishing season and I am ready to be a part of it. 

 

Toward that end, my wife, Lori, and I have scheduled our spring fly fishing class for Arkansas State University Mountain Home on April 7, 14, 21 and 28. The classes run from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM on the ASU campus. If you have been thinking about taking up fly fishing or you just want to hone your skills for the coming fishing season, this class is the perfect opportunity for you. Lori and I have been teaching this class for several years and we both love to teach.

I always say that the hallmark of the class is our fly casting instruction. We devote half of our time to teach casting. Lori leads the fly casting portion of the class and has done so for years. I assist. It is difficult for me to say this but she is a better caster than I am and is a gifted instructor. She has a master’s degree in counseling and is able to get the information across to all of her students. Whenever we go to a fly fishing show, like the Sowbug Roundup, Lori is teaching casting or hanging out with the fly casters. At the same time, I am teaching seminars or hanging out with the fly tyers. We each have our separate areas of interest, which complement each other.

The other half of our time is devoted to a variety of subjects, equipment (what you need and what you don’t need), water safety, knots, rigging, fishing strategy, fly selection and reading the water, which I teach. All of this is based on my being a fly fisher for thirty plus years and working as a professional guide for over twenty years. I have learned by trial and error. Lori assists me in this. It is all done in a casual non-threatening atmosphere where questions are welcome and answers are forthcoming.

If this sounds like something that you might be interested in, why don’t you sign up for the course. There are several ways to register. The easiest way is to do it online. Go to the website  www.asumh.edu and find the community education section. You will find the course listed and you can sign up there. If you don’t have a computer, you can do it over the phone by calling Sarah Sikes at (870) 508-6280.  There is a nominal fee. 

Lori and I hope to see you there.