The Hokendauqua Chapter of Trout Unlimited is offering a free "Fly Fishing Basics for Women" clinic

Photo caption: The Hokendauqua Chapter of Trout Unlimited will hold a “Fly Fishing Basics for Women” clinic on Sept. 21 at Egypt Fire Co. Contributed photo

Fly fishing is the ultimate fishing experience especially when a trout slurps a fly off the water and the tug on the line coming from a long and limber fly rod is unlike any sensation of a spinning or baitcasting rod. It’s a fish and angler battle that is second to none. 

And although most fly fishermen are males, there are a few women who opt to enjoy the sport. Not only is fly fishing an enjoyable experience, it requires finesse and patience. Traits women seem to have better than their male counterparts. 

As such, and for ladies who would like to give this life-long sport a try but don’t know where to start, the Hokendauqua Chapter of Trout Unlimited will host a “Fly Fishing Basics for Women” clinic that will provide expert training from experienced, veteran fly fishers. 

The clinic will take place on Saturday, September 21 in the Social Hall and on the lawn of Egypt Fire Company No. 1, located at 4099 Kuhn Lane, Whitehall. While the clinic is still two months away, it’s limited to 15 participants so as to insure each lady gets one-on-one instruction. So first come, first served. 

The clinic will run from 8 a.m. and will end at noon. It’s free and will offer bottled water, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and donuts for those in attendance. Covered will be a short introduction to fly fishing and will include  equipment needed, natural trout food, hand-tied flies, necessary knots and fly casting. And according to Dale Ott, long time TU member and instructor, all equipment will be provided. 

To register, contact Dave Abraham at 610-844-3459 or email him at [email protected]. Additional information can be found on the Hokendauqua Chapter’s website (Hokendauqua.tu.org/Hokendauqua/current-events. Or simply go to “Hokendauqua Trout.” 

Trout Unlimited is a national organization with 150,000 members and 400 chapters whose mission is to conserve, protect and restore North American’s cold-water fisheries and watersheds. Their goal is to ensure that robust populations of native and wild cold-water fish will once again thrive in their North American range so future generations can enjoy healthy fisheries in their home waters. 

The Hokendauqua Chapter was officially chartered in 1987 and their primary focus is on the Hokendauqua Creek and its tributaries in Northampton County, and this has expanded to the Coplay Creek in Lehigh County. 

One aspect of their work is local stream-bank stabilization and restoration. But that’s not all chapter members do. 

It has sponsored Eagle Scout and Girl Scout projects along the banks of the Hokey Creek, as it’s known, and sponsors at least one student per summer to the Rivers Conservation and Fly-Fishing Youth Camp at Boiling Springs, PA. The chapter has also been in schools with their First Cast program that instructs youths to pond fish during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Jakes Youth Field Day at Ontelaunee Rod & Gun Club each August. 

For adults, the chapters’ Project Healing Waters benefits disabled veterans through fly tying and fly-fishing instructions. This also includes first responders. 
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For the ladies, they are involved in the fishing segment for Women in the Outdoors program along with weekend fly fishing retreats for women who have had breast cancer. In addition, they hold refresher fly tying classes at Northampton Middle School on Saturday mornings in January and February. It’s an active chapter that promotes and perpetuates the sport of fishing, especially fly fishing. 

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