Fly-tying classes to begin; TU banquet set
If you are already tired of winter and feeling the effects of cabin fever, the gang at Dunbar Sportsmen’s Club has a way to get you thinking about spring by starting to think trout. It’s time to at least think about getting ready for the start of trout season, and there is no better way to do that than by tying a few flies.
Don’t know how! That’s no problem.
Dunbar Sportsmen’s Club will hold its annual fly-tying classes, beginning Feb. 7 at the clubhouse.
President John Maddas announced that the classes would be held every Monday for several weeks. Classes usually run six to eight weeks, depending on the weather.
Materials will be included in the modest class fee, and some loaner tools will be available for beginners.
Class fees are kept to a minimum, based on required materials.
Master fly tier Mark Defranks of Uniontown who captured first place in the Pennsylvania State Fly Tying Championship Open Division last February at the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, will again be the course instructor.
Last year Defranks also took third place out of 360-plus entries in Fly Tyer magazine’s 30th Anniversary International Fly-Tying Championships.
He will teach classes for beginners, novice and intermediate tyers at 5, 6 and 7 p.m., respectively.
Classes are on a pay-as-you go basis, and all materials are provided.
The beginners’ classes are a great and inexpensive way to introduce interested youngsters and adults to the hobby with a professional teaching the proper basic techniques.
All interested men, women and youngsters are invited to attend and learn the art of fly tying.
For more information on the classes, contact Maddas at 724-277-4258.
TU banquet
The Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s annual fundraising banquet is scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at the Uniontown Holiday Inn.
The evening of food, fellowship and fun begins at 5:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the banquet go to the Chapter’s many projects, including home-raised trout from its cage culture nursery in the Youghiogheny Reservoir Tailraces for stocking in local streams.
Tree key ongoing projects involve construction and maintenance of three acid mine drainage remediation projects. Glade, Jonathan and Morgan Run are all part of the Youghiogheny watershed so each improvement in the individual streams also accrues downstream to the entire river system as well. Also, all are primarily on public lands, which would provide more fishing opportunities.
The chapter also has placed 26 ton of gravel suitable for spawning in the outflow area of the Youghiogheny Tailraces. It was determined that the trout that were released down river from the nursery tended to migrate back to the nursery in the fall. The hatchery managers felt that the only thing that stopped the trout from reproducing was adequate gravel.
These are just a few of the many projects the chapter has undertaken.
By attending the banquet you can help these various projects move ahead, while spending an enjoyable evening, where you also have a chance to win some great prizes.
Besides door prizes sportsmen also have a chance to participate in various raffles.
Most prizes are geared to the great outdoors with a particular emphasis on trout fishing.
Throughout the course of the evening, many high-end fly rods are awarded as prizes, along with other fishing equipment, hunting gear wildlife art prints and more.
Tickets are $35 per person. Seating is limited, so reserve your place now. March 4 in the deadline for reservations.
For tickets or more information, contact Banquet Chairman Eugene Gordon at 724-277-8688.
Herald-Standard Outdoors Editor Rod Schoener can be reached online at rschoener@heraldstandard.com.