News
The Tahoe Truckee Flyfishers held its annual Cliff Frazier youth program through the Truckee Donner Recreation and Parks July 21- 22. A class of seven eager students greeted the instructors on Saturday morning.
The program was started in 2006 in memory of one of the most active members of the local fly-fishing club who passed away. Cliff was such an integral part of the club. He would help many a novice at the inlet at Boca and would get many new members to join as a result of his helpfulness.
Money was donated in Cliff’s name to the club, and deciding what to do with it became an easy choice. Cliff loved helping people to learn to fly fish, and he had a passion for helping kids. Thus, the youth fly-fishing class.
The money was used to start up the local kids youth program to teach 11 to 15 year olds the basics of fly-fishing. Equipment, textbooks and other items were purchased to get the program underway. An additional grant from the Bay Delta Committee of the Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly-Fishers last year helps with the annual ongoing costs to put on this program.
Saturday began with a Powerpoint presentation on the basics including information about trout, bugs (entomology) and other topics. Then the kids were broken into groups of three and learned more about the equipment that is used, how to set up a balanced system and knot tying and fly-casting.
Sunday was spent on the water on the Truckee River off of Glenshire Road. The students got in more casting, learned about stream hydrology, learned more about the bugs and other food available to the trout by collecting samples and identifying them and finally, how to present a dry fly, nymph and streamer.
After the instruction part was over, each child was sent out with an instructor and allowed to fish the rest of the afternoon. Whether they realize it or not at this point, the skills that the children picked-up during this event will make them successful fly-fishermen. All that is needed now is more practice. Those that were involved as instructors for the first time this year were amazed at the progress of the students. By the time they went fishing, the skills that they had were very impressive.
Special acknowledgment should go to Rudy Knudsen, who organized the event the past three years. He works tirelessly on this event. Recognition should also go to the instructors who take a weekend to pass along their knowledge to the children. Many have been involved both years. This year the instructors and assistants who took part during the two day clinic were Keith Beeson, Elayna Hocking, Vickie Fenner, Bob Jajko, Rudy Knudsen, Dave Lass, John Lim, Stefan McLeod, Terry Schnepp, Peter Williamson and myself. Special recognition should also go to the owner, Dave Stanley, of the Reno Fly Shop for offering discounts on rod combinations for the kids that took the class. Mountain Hardware and Sports provided much of the terminal tackle this year at a discount for the event.
The goal of the local club is to get new fly-fishermen into the sport. Children these days do not always have someone that can get them started on the right path to fly- fish. This class fills the void, and perhaps years from now these future fly-fishers will be sharing their skills with the next generation.
Bruce Ajari is a Truckee fisherman who writes columns for the Bonanza, as well as other area publications.
The program was started in 2006 in memory of one of the most active members of the local fly-fishing club who passed away. Cliff was such an integral part of the club. He would help many a novice at the inlet at Boca and would get many new members to join as a result of his helpfulness.
Money was donated in Cliff’s name to the club, and deciding what to do with it became an easy choice. Cliff loved helping people to learn to fly fish, and he had a passion for helping kids. Thus, the youth fly-fishing class.
The money was used to start up the local kids youth program to teach 11 to 15 year olds the basics of fly-fishing. Equipment, textbooks and other items were purchased to get the program underway. An additional grant from the Bay Delta Committee of the Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly-Fishers last year helps with the annual ongoing costs to put on this program.
Saturday began with a Powerpoint presentation on the basics including information about trout, bugs (entomology) and other topics. Then the kids were broken into groups of three and learned more about the equipment that is used, how to set up a balanced system and knot tying and fly-casting.
Sunday was spent on the water on the Truckee River off of Glenshire Road. The students got in more casting, learned about stream hydrology, learned more about the bugs and other food available to the trout by collecting samples and identifying them and finally, how to present a dry fly, nymph and streamer.
After the instruction part was over, each child was sent out with an instructor and allowed to fish the rest of the afternoon. Whether they realize it or not at this point, the skills that the children picked-up during this event will make them successful fly-fishermen. All that is needed now is more practice. Those that were involved as instructors for the first time this year were amazed at the progress of the students. By the time they went fishing, the skills that they had were very impressive.
Special acknowledgment should go to Rudy Knudsen, who organized the event the past three years. He works tirelessly on this event. Recognition should also go to the instructors who take a weekend to pass along their knowledge to the children. Many have been involved both years. This year the instructors and assistants who took part during the two day clinic were Keith Beeson, Elayna Hocking, Vickie Fenner, Bob Jajko, Rudy Knudsen, Dave Lass, John Lim, Stefan McLeod, Terry Schnepp, Peter Williamson and myself. Special recognition should also go to the owner, Dave Stanley, of the Reno Fly Shop for offering discounts on rod combinations for the kids that took the class. Mountain Hardware and Sports provided much of the terminal tackle this year at a discount for the event.
The goal of the local club is to get new fly-fishermen into the sport. Children these days do not always have someone that can get them started on the right path to fly- fish. This class fills the void, and perhaps years from now these future fly-fishers will be sharing their skills with the next generation.
Bruce Ajari is a Truckee fisherman who writes columns for the Bonanza, as well as other area publications.
