Awarding congratulations for completion of the Fly Fishing Fundamentals Class of 2019 after the “on stream” practical session is Kent McCammon…

But let’s digress for a minute.  How did we get here, in the middle of nowhere, five miles up a National Forest road next to a gorgeous gin clear stream? 

Well, our story begins with Kent and Rob organizing an on-stream day of final instruction before turning loose these new fly fishers on un-suspecting trout everywhere.  The target was Beaver Creek, an excellent early season small creek with very willing small trout, when the North Fork of the Stanislaus is ripping too fast with 800 cfs of cold snowmelt.  So off they go with six (Warren Wagner, Charles Brown, Charles Wortham, Joey Tchang, Mark Evans, and James Sprecher) accompanied by Alan Wyosnick for teaching advanced nymphing, Tom Vargas for teaching the fine art of streamers, and Rob Farris teaching “frustration with the dry fly”….

All was well on this little stream with 2-4 feet of depth for the trout, until this busload descends mid-morning.  “Wader up, boys” is the call as the group splits up with the three instructors for some seriously fun education. 

The group heard a repeat of the Flyfishing Fundamentals class about wading safety, reading a stream, approaching the fish without spooking, fly presentation techniques, prevention of ‘drag’, rigging and fishing a nymphing indicator rig, and once in a while even hooking and netting an un-suspecting little rainbow trout. 

Special congratulations are in order for Charles Brown for the loudest scream when a voracious small 5” rainbow rocketed up from the depths to attack his dry fly.  Condolences are also in order for missing the hookup on that one Charles!  Surprised you with the quickness of the take, eh?

The weather was great (72 degrees), the stream temperature was a brisk fifty degrees for those wet wading, the fish were cooperative with numerous caught, and the meandering free range cows serenaded us with their cowbells.   All topped off with cold drinks streamside after the event, and then early dinner at the Lube Room in Dorrington.  

Joey Tchang summed it up for everyone afterward in an email and commented, “Thank you very much to all of the instructors and to Kent for planning and teaching the stream trip yesterday. I learned so much more than I expected. The application of the information provided on the water was so beneficial. I can't wait to apply what I learned on my next trip. Thank you again for spending time with us novices!”  Joey, it was our pleasure…