Fly Fishing, Your Kids & FF Clubs

TMuncy @ Hosmer L. '98 (SwittersB)

From an early age, I attempted to teach my sons the in and outs of fly fishing. I have admitted here before that I erred over and over. Patience was critically short and hard come by, by someone use to focusing upon self. In time, I realized the critical balance necessary to teach and have a child that comes to love the sport years later. One of the best things I did, eventually, was to expose one of my sons to a fly fishing club. He was the only youth, surrounded by men and women that embraced his youth. He kept his place, watched, listened and absorbed. If you have a nearby fly fishing club that is youth tolerant and your child is not too shy…take them to club meetings, club outings (fishing, cleanups, picnics, fundraisers, classes). Your kid will blossom before your eyes. The experiences help your child learn the sport, but also to engage adults (club members, if interested will challenge your child to conversations and basic social graces). Give it some thought…take your son or daughter, but let them actually participate and grow. When you can actually photograph your kid playing a fish and not fret over the outcome, you and your child are in the right place in time. I now have three sons that are pretty darn good fishers….despite me and because of me. Patience.

TMuncy '99 Central Oregon (SwittersB)

TMuncy (SwittersB '08)

Fly Tying Tip: Clean Dubbing Pic/Needle

“The point of the dubbing needle can quickly become covered with a build-up of varnish, epoxy and head cement.  This can be scraped away with a blade, but I keep my needles clean with another method. I have a 35 mm film canister that I have filled with wire wool. All you need to do is push your built-up dubbing needle through the canister top down into the wire wool a few times and your needle is as new!” (Mustad Fly Tying Helpful Hints)