We get a number of magazines, about four on fly fishing. One actually isn’t ‘just’ fly fishing, but they always manage to have something… it is the Fishing Tackle Retailer. It just happens to be one of those trade magazines sent to fly shops and media outlets where someone might actually give them a little space. Some are better than others, but the September issue had some really neat stuff.
I am happily involved with a program called Hooked on Tahosa which is a Fly Fishing Merit Badge program here in the Denver Area Council for the Boy Scouts. The only cost to the boys is for camp fees and meals. TFO provided 5 complete outfits and other manufacturers have provided supplies like tippet, leaders, etc. Some guys from the FFF provide casting instruction and fly tying instruction as well. Things were a bit slow this year with the economy, but a couple of classes of 16 each went home looking for TFO rods after tying a few flies and catching fish with those flies on the rods TFO supplied as well as a few old beater rods we have. I know where Sage could donate a few outfits if they were of a mind to, and their expertise would be welcome as well.
Sky Ranch, a Lutheran summer camp in northern Colorado, also has a course available that is headed up by one of the guys from Eagle Claw/Wright & McGill here in Denver. It is another one where the cost is minimal to cover camp fees and meals. A whole weekend of instruction and fishing in the Colorado high country, room and board included. What do some of these folks pay for that with a guide?
I have seen a lot of the “instruction for profit” you speak of, too. $125 for a 3 or 4 hour fly tying class. And that isn’t even semi private! That is with a group!
One of the local shops has free classes, and of course Bass Pro offers free classes. These folks understand the idea that if you help someone along the road to better casting or tying and you create customer loyalty and sell stuff.
I am sure there are other programs out there, but there could and should be more.
There are people on this board with connections to the folks at Sage, TFO, Albright, and more. Since the shops don’t seem to want to do it, why can’t we?
There are rec centers all across the country that would be happy to host something like this. State Parks might pick up on things like this, too.
Just some more food for thought.
My wife, VEE, and I am happily involved with a kids summer conservation and fly fishing camp. True, it costs the family money, but most week long live away camps do. The kids get great conservation classes that involve our west coast salmon, steelhead and trout populations, and fly fishing and tying. Every day the kids have a chance to fly fish with a mentor on a nearby lake or on one of several local rivers.
VEE and I both teach free fly tying classes at the local Wholesale Sports (used to be Sportsman’s Warehouse) and a member of our little club also teaches free casting classes there too.
When we tie at one of the local Fly Fishing Expos I’m always encouraged by the number of young people that watch us tie. Many, not only want to know the how of tying, but also want to know the why. That helps keep us old(er) people on our toes.
Doing the right thing doesn’t have to cost money, just a little time and energy.
I don’t know about that, Ron. It might cost me a weekend, but I think I come back with more energy than I left with. 
I don’t think it’s a “cost” It’s PRICELESS.
More in a bit, but right now tears of wonderful memories must subside first.
Excellent article, LF.
I do my teaching free of charge, through my local club, Flygirls of Michigan and local outdoor type shows. I also pass on what I know on the river, if anyone asks. I try to encourage our club members to do the same. In the last couple of years I’ve seen the face of our local club change…from mostly old timers, like myself, to a more diverse membership. We have kids, teens and young adults…and more women involved now.
My point is, that it can be done.
The one point LF made was that it’s very difficult, to get equipment for teaching. As a not for profit club with mostly blue collar membership, we have to aquire ours, one piece at a time at retail. We usually have to look at the lowest end product available. That’s ok for teaching the basics.
I would think that the companies that have given up offering this sort of thing to the shops for the reasons stated in the article, may think of approaching the fly fishing clubs and make the same offer. I know I wouldn’t turn that down.
FFF has an equipment loan program. GREAT…if you live in the USA. I can tell you that being in Canada…or at least Ontario is definatly a big disadvantage with regards to any company support of this sort. They just don’t exist for us here. 
The future of this activity and our water ways, is in our youth. It really starts with taking little boys AND GIRLS, fishing.
“I do know there are a few former tournament trail bass anglers that have taken up the long rod who are regulars here on FAOL. One who passed this past year was Harold Hattaway. Cancer finally got Harold, but he was a very vocal advocate of fly fishing and the companions we found in our sport. Those who attended the Florida Fish-In back in 2008 had the pleasure of meeting him in person. Fortunately for us he aimed former fishing friends in our direction. You never quite know who all is reading FAOL do you?”
No, you never do.
Harold was the epitome of sharing and caring, not only in fishing/fly fishing, and fly tying, but also in life. He loved people. He loved life. He shared his infectious zeal for all things living with every breath he took. His Spirit never failed. His body did … on May 5, 2007.
I like to believe his Spirit still roams the hallowed halls of FAOL, leaning us one way or the other; showing us little things to do to add joy to our purpose; sharing a laugh or two.
Harold, and so many others who have gone before us, have “Sponsored” us … to do the right thing.
Thank you, Deanna, for reminding us again.
You do have a source. Debbie, call Rick Pope at Temple Forks Outfitters in Texas - number is on their Sponsor page here. His company has dual ownership - his partner is in, gasp, Canada! I’m sure they will fix you up.
They are very special folks. Do mention my name please.:lol:
Temple Forks are some great folks. Don’t forget to take a look at the new rods being aimed at younger fly fishers with smaller hands. Nice casting sticks.
REE
I hate to be long-winded yet again, but I wrote this essay over a week ago for another website and it is very relavent to this…most important…discussion:
At the risk of getting crucified, I’m gonna step out front with some thoughts on this one…
I sort of see both sides.
On the one hand, It is easy for such a small niche within a larger industry to get “swallowed up” within the framework of these bigger shows. And the way I’ve heard it was presented for Salt Lake City didn’t sound good. And the tradition of the separate show is always a comfortable thing, too. From AFFTA’s perspective, they stand to lose everything by giving up the stand-alone show to Outdoor Retailer or ICAST. So I can see their point.
On the other hand, ICAST already draws quite a heavy representation from the fly fishing industry and has casting ponds and so forth. They have 4 or 5 regional shows, which keeps travel costs down and allows more scheduling flexibility for small businesses and journalists. This is a much better growth model than 1 show in a very expensive city like Denver. And the potential for cross-pollentation from a partnership with ICAST would be good for the future of fly fishing in general: affinity marketing, recruitment, capital investment, etc. In short, I think it would be a real win for fly fishing.
For the past several years, AFFTA has made somewhere between roughly 3/4 of a million and a million dollars per year off of the Denver show for the ostensible purpose of growing the fly fishing industry. In that time, the industry hasn’t grown. It has consolidated and contracted. In fact, the overall trend since the boom of the early 90’s has been downward. AFFTA says they’ve got positive feedback from Sage et al, Winston, Ross, and Smith. Well they always have the support of Sage, Winston, Ross, and Smith. But what about the smaller and the newer big companies? What about the retailers whom this trade show is supposed to be for in the first place? What about the world’s largest supplier to fly fishing retailers and one of the biggest mfgs in the industry, Wapsi? Where are they?
I suspect the answers to all of these questions…and the ultimate reason AFFTA decided to put on their own show in Denver…is found near the end of the statement quoted: it’s not in the best interest of AFFTA. It has nothing to do with what’s in the best interest of fly fishing retailers, distributors, or the vast majority of manufacturers. And it sure doesn’t have anything to do with growing the sport of fly fishing so that there is a bigger pie for all of them to share.
On background, AFFTA had just announced in a press release their intention to proceed with an independent, Denver-based trade show for the Fall of 2010. You can read that statement on their website.
My point is this: with AFFTA raking in all of this $$$ year after year as a non-profit with the charter of “growing the fly fishing industry,” why doesn’t the industry demand that AFFTA fund these programs and run them through local parks and recreation departments, etc. with the cooperation of local fly shops, clubs, and guides? Why can’t AFFTA pay the mfg’s wholesale for the rods, reels, lines, backing, leaders, tubes, tying kits, and all that jazz from that pile of cash they’ve been siphoning off of hard-working merchants and manufacturers instead of funding their own far-flung fly fishing adventures?
This isn’t rocket science. The way you grow the fly fishing industry is by creating new demand. And the way you create demand is by creating new customers. And the way you create new customers is by teaching people to use the stuff you sell.
So why are all the folks out there TEACHING fly fishing to newcomers for free these days volunteers who have little or no financial stake whatsoever in the future of fly fishing? The industry is slitting its own throat. I will not lament the passing of another fly fishing company until they turn things around.
in seeing an accounting of exactly what AFFTA did with the money. No really, I’m serious. Think it could possibly happen? Ya right.
Never in our lifetimes. We can’t even get that from our “of the people, by the people, and for the people” government nowadays. :lol:
I don’t think they know. :lol:
Finnegan’s Law: Murphy was an optimist, about this sooner of later stuff!
When I retired, I thought that I could interest some school age children with fly tying demonstrations at the local public library, in their conference room, that is used for public meeting, of a group reading poetry or other group events. Most of the time the room is not booked (no cost), that I could just set up a vise on a table in the room, and dress some hooks. If some child/young adult stuck their head in to see what I was doing, I would invite them to sit down at a spare vise, and dress a hook. Simple plan, no cost, and all the other paperwork rigamarole…Wrong!
The Liberians thought it was a wonderful idea, and said that it was okay for me to give it a try…
At first I had some that came in to see what I was doing…
And then one over protective mother caused all sorts of grief, a stranger talking with children in a public library…
I had to talk with the Police down at the Police Department, I was wise enough to bring my attorney along…
Police did a background check on me, and even with a clean slate, I was not out of the woods. There is now a folder on me, as a possible child molester. With not doing anything wrong, just dressing hooks, at a public library and maybe interest a young person in Fly Tying, and possibly Fly Fishing. I had to hire a lawyer, and now have a file on record, and never being charged.
27 years of service in the U.S. Army/Army Reserves Retired (Impeccable Military Record), 32 years with the U.S. Postal Service (Impeccable Record, with many letters of Commendation), 15 years of Stewardship Duties with my church, 10 years as a member of the L.I.O.N.S, doing charity work in the community…I was asked (polite words for being demaned to resign from all my charitable contributions in the community. I even had my lawyer fight a restraining order that I not be allowed at any public event where children would be present, filed by the mother of that child at the libray!
One over protective mother, and my good name has been destroyed, my reputation and honor stolen, and the damage can never be undone!
I quit being a L.I.O.N., I am no longer a member of the church where I was an elder, and I stay home and do not go to public events in the community.
What the heck has happened to our country…
I grew up in a time that children could be children, that elders were valued as great assets to the community to help mentor children in endeavorers they would never have a change to learn something new!
It still takes a communty to raise a child, but it only takes one paranoid and over protective mother, to destroy somebody’s life and reputation in the community…
I gave alway all the fly tying equipment to those that needed it, down-size my fly tying supplies to just what I need, giving away many fine capes and other materials and supplies.
Now I am just like everyone else in the community, spending all my time at home, when I am not fly fishing during the summer (weekdays when everyone else is at work), and not knowing the names of hardly anyone that lives around my house that I bought in 1983.
We are becoming a society of strangers, and you know that you should never talk to strangers!
~Parnelli
Parnelli that is a sad story for all to read ,when I became interested in the latest flyfishing scout merit badge the first thing they did was run a police and federal background check. I have to teach one scout with two adults or two scouts and myself. Never alone. When I was a scout leader 70 years ago I could camp with one scout and no one questioned it. Now you have to protect yourself. BILL
While it is indeed a sad state of affairs, the Youth Protection Training the Scouts require protects you from the over protective mothers that are all too prevalent these days.
You and one other non-related adult are required or the two scouts, but I would stick with the adult.
I married a woman with 6 kids a couple of years after her husband committed suicide. Folks think I’m joking when I say, “I don’t know if I was real brave or real stupid.” Little do they know it’s an honest statement. 4 girls and 2 boys.
Every time one of the boys was doing typical boy stuff and got a sprain or broke a bone, I would have to spend the night elsewhere while Social Services determined that I had not beat them. I was regularly threatened by the girls that if I didn’t let them do what they wanted to, the would report that I was “touching them.” I have no idea why I stayed those first ten years. Now, things are where they should be. We are a family and these kids are mine as much as if I was the biological father. It sure was he!! getting there, though.
My point is that those rules are there to protect you as much as the boys. Embrace the rules.
LADYFISHER now here is a subject dear to my heart. No one writes about teaching children!!!
I am the education equipment person for our local FFF afiliated ffishing club . If we need something I can find it. As a scout merit badge counselor I have taught over 150 boy scout to tie flys and cast. Its great to see a scout at camp tie his first fly and catch a 2 pound bass on the third cast.
The clubs big outing held each year is for Big Brother Big Sister–twenty inner city kids age 9 to 15 tie their first wollybugger learn to cast with two FFF certified casters,catch water bugs with an entomologist and then using the fly they tied catch the first live fish that they have seen. Our YMCA has the pond and the Indiana DNR stocked it with bluegills and bass for us. Club members are one on one with each child The city nature park has event for kids and a local college has a program for children of students and staff.
Equipment–isnt easy to optain unless you have the club background and stationary letterhead. .Everyone seams to be asking and they need proof to make sure it will be used for kids and not for personal use. I have tying equip for10 - vice tools hooks hackle thread,asked one rod company for two rods that they get on trade and they sent me ten. Five new rod combos from the FFF and Sierra Club. Grant money is also available.BILL:tieone::tieone: