Pretentious Snobby Bastard Fly Fishing!

Fly Fishing Group Activities => Trout Unlimited => Topic started by: Al on September 25, 2005, 16:10:58 PM

Title: Looking for Lake Rim Fly Fishing Clinic Volunteers (2006)
Post by: Al on September 25, 2005, 16:10:58 PM
I sent the following letter to all of last years Lake Rim Fly Fishing Clinic Volunteers. We are changing the format a bit and could use some more help.

In return for your help the Wildlife folks have agreed to allow volunteers who are on a list, (provided by me), access to the ponds during normal open hours. (The ponds are real ponds and not your normal hatchery cement raceway. They are about 1/2  acre each. It will be like having your own private delayed harvest pond)

If you did not already receive a regular email from me on this subject and would like to volunteer please let me know - I will add your name to the pond access list after you show up to help for the first time.




Hello to all 2005 Lake Rim Fly Fishing Clinic Volunteers;

On September 22, 2005 two other volunteers and myself attended a 2006 Fly Fishing Clinics planning meeting at the John Pechmann Fishing & Education Center (Lake Rim). Kris Smith the center Wildlife Information Specialist, chaired the meeting. Also in attendance were Marshal Ray, the center "do it all guy" and Ranger Rebecca Hildebrand, from  Lake Rim Parks & Recreation. The following plan was developed;

    1. The trout will be brought from the mountain hatchery in late December 2005 or at the latest the first week of January 2006

    2. There will be a total of 6 fly fishing clinics in 2006. Dates are:

        1st Clinic. Jan 14, 2006. Introduction to basic fly fishing

        2nd Clinic Jan 28, 2006. Introduction to basic fly fishing

         3rd Clinic. Feb 11, 2006. Introduction to basic fly fishing

        4th Clinic. Mar 4, 2006. Advanced fly fishing (Advanced casting, dropper rigs, streamers, sinktip lines, etc)

         5th Clinic. 25 Mar, 2006.  Boy Scouts merit badge fly fishing requirements

        6th Clinic. Jun 10, 2006. Warm water fly fishing clinic. (Stripers, bream and bass will be in ponds)

    If any of the above dates are cancelled because of extreme weather (ice on ponds, ice storm, heavy rainfall), they will be held the following Saturday.

    3. The format for the Introduction classes will follow pretty much what we did for the Boy Scouts in 2005. There will be approximately 2 1/2 hours of classes, followed by 3 1/2 hours of fishing at the trout ponds. Clinics will open at 9am and      conclude at 3pm.  Registration cut off at 30 with exceptions thereafter - Maximum of 40 students per class.

        5 min - Welcome - for all (Wildlife)

        45 min - Overview of fly fishing - for all (1-2 volunteers)

         15 min break - Reassemble in 4 groups - Groups will rotate through 4 stations which will run 15 minutes each with 5 minutes downtime between rotations.

                Station 1 - Habitat, environmental issues, fly fishing ethics (NC Wildlife & 1 volunteer)

                Station 2 - NC laws which relate to trout fishing (NC Wildlife)

                Station 3 - Rod assembly and basic fly fishing knots (2 volunteers)

                Station 4 - Casting instruction. (5 volunteers)

        3 1/2 hours of fishing on the ponds (all available volunteers)

4. Every effort will be made to insure the first four clinics are "catch and release" clinics. Safe fish handling will be a main ingredient of the instruction. Any fish killed due to deep hooking or other reasons will be placed in a cooler and one of the volunteers will conduct a fish cleaning demonstration at the conclusion of the clinic.  Safe fish handling will also be taught at the Boy Scouts clinic, however the scouts will be allowed to kill their catch because cleaning and cooking of their catch is a part of the fly fishing merit badge requirement.

5. NC Wildlife will order sufficient flies, leaders and tippet material for the clinics. Volunteers are not expected to provide these items from their own vest. All items not used will be turned back in at the conclusion of each clinic.

6. For those of you who volunteer in 2006 I will place your names on a list at the John Pechmann Fishing & Education Center and you will be allowed access to the trout ponds during the centers normal open hours to hone your fly fishing skills and test fly patterns which you think the fish might like. Obviously this will be on a catch and release basis. You must check in with Marshal Ray at the center and be on the volunteer list - no guests please. You can also fish prior to the start of each clinic and after most of the students depart at the end of each clinic. Volunteers should refrain from fishing during the clinic because your expertise is needed helping the students.

7. These clinics would not be possible without the help of volunteers. We had a great group of volunteers in 2005 and I hope that you will consider once again devoting some of your precious time to this very worthwhile endeavor. Because we have already locked in the clinic dates, it is important that we get a good feel for who can volunteer and when they are available to volunteer. Ideally you will be able to help with all 6 clinics but I know that is probably not a realistic assumption. Please look at the dates and let me know ASAP if you're available for at least two of the events. Based on your response I will know if I need to look elsewhere for new volunteers.

Once again, thanks for your help in 2005. I look forward to working with you again in 2006 to further participation in the great sport of fly fishing.


Al Kittredge
Volunteer Coordinator
Fly Fishing Clinics

Email aakitt@earthlink.net

Tele (910)868-6235



Title: Re: Looking for Lake Rim Fly Fishing Clinic Volunteers (2006)
Post by: Al on November 11, 2005, 09:14:59 AM
The trout are scheduled for delivery to the John Pechmann Fishing Education Center (Lake Rim Hatchery) on Wednesday, December 14th. The first fly fishing clinic is scheduled one month later on Saturday, January 14th.

I could use some help right after the first of the year making sure the rods and and other gear are ready for the first clinic.

I'll post more as details firm up. Fishing season must be right around the corner. ;D