Youth Fly Fishing Cast as A Great Life Sport

Youth fly fishing outing in Missouri.

Mountain Home, Arkansas - On October 7th, the Wayne E and Catherine Moore Youth Conclave will be conducted as part of the Southern Council Conclave. The Wayne E and Catherine Moore Youth Conclave is being produced by a team of members from the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) and their corporate sponsors. Hard work and special emphasis is being made this year to highlight fly fishing as a life sport for youth. “Our desire is to create an appreciation in our youth for fly fishing as a great life sport.” says Allen Crise, VP of Education.

Any young person under 16 years of age is invited to learn the skills of fly casting, fishing and tying. FFF membership is not a requirement to attend the Wayne E and Catherine Moore Youth Conclave. It is open to youth, local and remote, who want to learn to take a fish on a fly. Activities of this life sport do not require strength or power. The only major requirements are a little bit of interest and some determination as a participant. If a you have a hat with a bill, sunglasses or other eye protection (required), waders & wading boots, fly rod & reel and parental consent (required – forms available at registration), then bring them along to the Wayne E and Catherine Moore Youth Conclave. If you do not have fly fishing equipment, we plan to share our education equipment for the event. If any young person has special needs or health concerns, please advise us ahead of time.

Youth working on their rollcast skills.

Learning to tie a fly, what fly to use, how to cast that fly, fighting the fish, and releasing the fish unharmed are all aspects to be covered in the Wayne E and Catherine Moore Youth Conclave. Classes will be set-up for Saturday morning at the fairgrounds location. Other topics to be covered there include what fish eat, how to tie a fly that will take a fish, knot tying, and equipment basics. A casting class will cover pickup and lay down casts, roll casting and nymphing.

After a nourishing lunch (provided) youth, leaders and sponsors will drive or ride to Dry Run Creek. The destination is a “youth-only” fishing area, limited to anyone under 16 years of age. It is located just below the Norfork Dam where the Rainbows are BIG and the fish are hungry. The youth will experience a “little bit of fun” taking the biggest fish that most will ever see. Plan to bring your camera for some pictures of a lifetime. Since this is designed for the youth of the Southern Council’s coverage area, bring a young friend and introduce them to fly fishing in a most excellent environment.

Youth working on their overhead casting skills.

If as an adult, you feel left out, do no despair for we need adult mentors. We invite any adult with the same desires as ours to join the “Youth Conclave Team” and lend a helping hand. You are an important component in this Southern Council effort. Beside valuable information and techniques, we want share other items with our youth participants. As an individual or corporate sponsor, if you are inclined to tie or donate flies for the youth to use we would gladly accept them. If you would prefer to donate fly fishing equipment or provide accessories to be distributed, you can count on our gratitude. All of these donated fly fishing items will be given to the youth participants to help them recall the memories of the day at this great Youth Camp. We openly welcome your donations and/or effort, small or large.

Questions or donations can be directed to Allen Crise, VP of Education, FFF Master Casting Instructor, Hawk Ridge Flycasting School, 2508A County Road 1011, Glen Rose TX 76043 in writing, (254) 897-2045 by phone, or flysoup@itexas.net by email; OR to Pat Smith, Managing Director,Southern Council-Federation of Fly Fishers, 2603 Buford Spur Road, Mountain Home, AR 72653 in writing, (870) 425-1755 by phone, or mngdir@southerncouncilfff.org by email. Donations should be shipped directly to Pat Smith in Mountain Home. Please mark your donations as being designated for Wayne E and Catherine Moore Youth Conclave.

Photo credit to Larry Murphy, Long Casts Editor. Photograph subjects are youth and leader participants of the Hooked on Fly Fishing Not on Drugs Program at an outing recently held near Mokane, Missouri in Callaway County.

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