Special To McDonald County Press
Some of the kids attending a recent fly-tying seminar hosted by Young Outdoorsmen United in McDonald County may have had some doubts about holding a woolly bugger, scuds or even a bunny leach, but their apprehension rapidly disappeared when they were shown the colorful components to design some fishing flies they would be making to take with them and hopefully use to catch fish.
The assemblage of hooks, threads, feathers and chenille lying on the table -- waiting to be transformed into beautiful fishing lures -- was not as intimidating as the insect names the lures represented. The youth were instantly attracted to the process of using a fly-tying vice, thread bobbins, scissors and hackle pliers to make their replicas of mysteriously named river inhabitants.
After a brief time working on his fishing fly, D.J. Ryan, 10, said, "I think I'm doing pretty good. It's starting to look like something."
Indeed, it was.
Soon, with a little assistance from a volunteer instructor, the imitation insect was completed.
"I got it done," said a humble Ryan. "Wrapping the thread around the feathers was not as hard as I thought it would be."
Inside the Pineville Christian Church Life Center, the fly-tying lesson was integrated with instructional coaching on the fundamental techniques and methods of fly rod casting. In small groups of three, each youngster started with a practice rod spooled with soft yarn as their fishing line. After making practice casts, they advanced to a genuine, working fly rod. The building's high 25-foot ceiling was ideal for the activity.
While some kids required slightly more instruction than others, it was quickly apparent that 10-year-old Anna Clarkson found her niche. Her concentration on grip, wrist flicks and anchor point resulted in a smooth, back-and-forth overhand cast. The effect produced a true aim as the line shooting from the reel hit the center of a 10-inch pie plate at 20 yards every time.
When asked if she liked casting the fly rod, Clarkson, without interruption to her casting motion, simply stated, "Yes. I like it a lot."
The very next day, she was wading in Big Sugar Creek with a new fly rod her dad had purchased for her to actively pursue her newly discovered passion.
The event was held in cooperation with MAKO Fly-Fishers of Joplin and sponsored by Cornerstone Bank, McDonald County Telephone Company and O'Brien Farms.
To monitor the organization's monthly upcoming events, visit their website at www.youngoutdoorsmenunited.com or Like them on Facebook.
Community on 09/15/2016