We have reached our enrollment limit on the Youth Education Event. Thanks to everyone for their interest. I look forward to seeing all our student on the 28th!

We’re pleased to announce that our 4th Annual Youth Education Day will be on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will take place at St John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook, CT on the banks of the Pootatuck River.

If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to teach a child about coldwater conservation, the sport of fishing or simply the love of the outdoors this is a great way to get started.

The day will include instruction on fly tying, casting with a fly rod, and river ecosystems and ecology. We’ll also get some hands on experience with trout!

Next generation casters

Lunch will be provided as will all equipment for the day. All you have to bring is you, your child and a desire to have some fun. Additional information will be provided once we’ve accepted your reservation. Please note that parents are required to stay for the event.

There is no charge but advance reservations are required.

We limit the day to 36 children and their parents so register early to ensure you have a spot. Registrations will close on April 14th so please be sure to register by then.

To reserve your spot you can:

• Fill out the web form, or THIS FORM IS NO LONGER ACTIVE. WE HAVE REACHED OUR ENROLLMENT LIMIT
• Email Steve Zakur: steve [dot] zakur [at] cvtu [dot] org
• Call Steve at 203.364.1336

Once your reservation is confirmed you will receive additional information about the day.

For additional information Download the Youth Education Day Flyer

Getting started: Equipment

Fly fishing is my favorite way to fish, but when you’re just getting started, the learning curve can sometimes be steep. If you’re just getting going I would recommend you start with a fairly basic spin fishing outfit that will get you on the water for minimal cost and won’t require too much skill beyond an average level of manual dexterity.

The type of fishing rig you need is determined by the type of fishing you’re going to do. As a beginner I recommend starting with some small pond fishing. The quarry will be either Bass or small panfish like Bluegills. These fish, especially Bluegills, are eager to take pretty much any kind of bait or artificial lure.

You can walk into your local tackle shop and probably get a recommendation for a spin outfit. Explain what type of fishing you’re going to be doing and your budget and they can help you out. You can also try any of the national, online retailers such as Cabelas or BassPro. Being new to the sport the array of equipment can be quite intimidating so again, speaking to someone for advice can be helpful.

This is an example of a starter rod and reel. Assuming you’re starting with a small pond or stream, you’ll need a five or six foot rod and reel combo for four or six pound test line. In a store, and sometimes when ordering online, you can get the line put on the reel.

WARNING: If you really get into fishing, you’re going to outgrow this equipment very fast. That said, resist the urge to spend too much on equipment when you’re first starting. Once you’ve mastered a $40 outfit you can always step up to something more expensive.

One item for which I highly recommend shopping locally is lures and bait. Visit a shop and the can recommend something that might be effective for what and when you’re fishing.  If worms are your thing, get them from your backyard. It’s a cheap source of environmentally friendly bait.

If you’re going to fish a river or stream you can fish from the banks. However, to open up your options for accessing water you will need waders. When fishing streams and rivers just wading out a bit, maybe knee deep, can open up lots of new water and make casting easier. For small streams and rivers you can get hip waders. This cover up to mid-thigh. Rubber soles are the way to go to prevent the spread of invasives. For bigger streams try a chest wader with a boot foot. You can also get these types of waders in youth sizes. You can find comparable models at local tackle or fly shops and you can also get them from big box retailers like Walmart.

You’re going to have to learn to tie knots. Fear not though, there’s plenty of resources to learn. If you’re spin fishing, the only know you really need to know is the one to tie a hook onto a line. For that purpose the only knot you need is the Improved Clinch Knot. If you’re fly fishing, you should probably add the Double Surgeon’s Knot to add tippet to your leader.

If you are interested in getting started with fly fishing there are plenty of start rod outfits that are reasonably priced. Cabelas has one. So does Orvis. So does Sports Authority. As you can see, you can spend as much or as little as you want. I think you generally get what you pay for, but as I said earlier, spend less to start. If you enjoy being on the water, casting and relaxing, then you can always spend more later to upgrade.

ANOTHER WARNING: If you’re fishing for trout or bass you need the cheapest reel you can find. For saltwater species a good reel can be helpful but for most inland fishing a reel just holds the line when you’re not using it. The reel should be the last piece of equipment you upgrade. A better rod is probably the first thing. A better line is the next. Then, if you must, get yourself a better reel.

Getting started: Where to fish.

One of the most frustrating things about starting out is figuring out where the fish are and what water you can fish without getting chased off by a landowner.

1. You can check out the Connecticut DEP Angler’s Guide. Also, this website has most of the Angler’s Guide locations indicated on a map so you can see what’s close to you.
2. Your town may have parks and open space where fishing is allowed. Check at your town hall for information.
3. Many old and ex-farms have small ponds that are fabulous panfish and bass waters. If you see a piece of property that you’d like to fish, knock on a person’s door and ask. If you get permission, make sure you respect their property.
4. Join TU and come to one of our meetings. There’s nothing like talking to people who fish to find great locations to fish. You also can easily pick up an invitation to fish with someone.

Getting Started: How to Fish

There are a bunch of great resources on the web to help you learn how to fish.

• Take Me Fishing.com
• Take Kids Fly Fishing
• Learning How to Fish

Books are also a great way to learn. For those interested in starting to fly fish you couldn’t ask for a better primer than Tom Rosenbauer’s book. Orvis also has a great line-up of podcasts that talk about every aspect of the sport.

Another great way to learn, if you can afford it, is to hire a fishing guide for either a day or half day of fishing. This generally runs around $200-$350 for a full day and can be very instructive. If you do hire a guide be very specific about what you want to do and ensure that they’re comfortable with that. Just cause someone knows how to fish doesn’t mean they know how to teach you to fish. There are tons of good guides out there and asking at a TU meeting is a great way to find one.

Finally, some fly shops offer Fly Fishing Schools. These are usually two-day events that teach you everything from casting to knots to reading water.

A word on litter

One of the main reasons private landowners cite for closing their land to fishing is all the litter that is left on their property. If you have a bait container or a drink bottle or anything else that you’ve brought in, bring it out!

A word on bait

Do not release bait into the wild. Most bait sold in shops is imported from someplace else and setting it free can have a negative impact on the environment. If you bought worms don’t set them free on land. Instead dump them in the water and give a fish a free lunch. If you’re fishing with live fish as bait, don’t set them free in the stream or river if you have some left at the end of the day. Leave them on land as a snack for a raccoon.

The Candlewood Valley Chapter has long has a strong conservation mindset completing many projects throughout our area to improve trout habitat. But we also recognize that a big part of this sport’s future and the future of trout will be dependent upon the next generation of fly fisher persons.

With that in mind, the chapter has recently focused its energies on increasing awareness of cold water conservation issues among young people as well as introducing them to the sport of fly fishing.

Fish Tanks and Kids – a Great Combination

Trout in the Classroom is our premier youth outreach program touching hundreds of students each year in eighteen schools in the western Connecticut area. Currently we have tanks in twenty-five classrooms.

Each classroom starts each fall with eggs and releases fingerling trout into local streams in the spring. The program includes a comprehensive curriculum that helps students learn about trout, cold water habitat, and the issues facing this important resource.

Many of the students and teachers who participate in the TIC program go on to get involved in our other youth and conservation efforts.

Youth Fly Fishing School

In September 2009, we ran our first fly fishing school for children. The one day event dove in to the particulars of the sport of fly fishing – teaching children and their parents all the skills needed to get on the water.

Next generation casters

We covered equipment, habitat, fly selection, knot tying, casting and all the other basics that one needs to get out on the water.

Youth Education Day

Begun in 2008, our Youth Education Day is an annual event that attracts over 30 children and their parents. The purpose of this day is to expose children to issues of cold water conservation as well as the sport of fly fishing.

Streamside Adventures

During the day we run three seminars teaching the kids about macro invertebrates – getting into the stream, sampling for "bugs" and then looking at the bugs streamside, fly tying – each child ties their own Wooley Bugger and similar simple patterns, and then a Casting Clinic where the fundamentals of casting are taught.

Hands-on Lessons on Conservation

We cap off the day with a trout stocking along the banks of a local river and invite the kids to stick around after to practice the skills they’ve developed during the day.

Contact Steve Zakur for more information about how to enroll, volunteer, or donate to Youth Education Day.