| July 2024 |
By Joyce Blumenshine and Robert Rowe
June 29th and 30th were two days of clean water awareness and new fishing skills at the Wildlife Prairie Park Outdoor Fun Extravaganza. The Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club coordinated with the Oakbook Chapter of Trout Unlimited to provide fly fishing basic instruction and the use of equipment to learn the basics of fly fishing and casting a fly line. A steady stream of people showed up for the opportunity to learn about fly fishing and get some practice at casting into the park's Horseshoe Lake. After some practice, participants tempted the local fish with flies selected for fishing in Central Illinois. Instruction was provided by Keven Graham of the Oakbrook Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Jim Zoerb of the Prairieland Anglers Association, and HOI Group chair, Robert Rowe.
It was pointed out that the flies used in fly fishing are made to imitate the insects in their various larva and adult stages, as well as aquatic worms and other invertebrates that fish like to eat and which depend on clean water and healthy aquatic habitat to thrive. To select the right imitation and to fish it well requires some knowledge of the life cycle and behavior of these creatures. Both the Sierra Club and Trout Unlimited share common cause in promoting clean water and high quality outdoor experiences.
Fly fishing is being taken up by a growing number of adherents, attracted by its closer connection to the ecology and aquatic environment as well as by the grace and precision of a well-executed cast.