JACKSON, Wyo. — Budding anglers can learn the ways of fly fishing with free seminars by Jackson Hole Fly Fishing School (JHFFS) and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) this summer.
For three more Saturdays (July 29, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26), kids can learn the basics of casting, fly selection, entomology, trout facts and more from seasoned JHFFS instructors.
More than 50 kids attended last summer’s seminars, according to JHFFS Head Instructor Brian Shott. The program made its debut in Jackson last year as the IGFA looked to expand its youth program beyond its prior focus on saltwater fishing in locations like Florida.
“The main focus is to make it super fun, so when parents say, ‘Do you want to go fly fishing?,’ kids are excited about it,” Shott told Buckrail. “Make sure the fun is at the front and then trickle in the education.”
Shott said the program aims to create a love of fishing in kids, thus inspiring “the next stewards of our resources” to protect waterways.
Even if a young angler has attended one of the seminars before, they are welcome to come back and dig deeper. Shott says the JHFFS operates with the mantra that “fly fishing is the endless pursuit of unattainable perfection,” making it advantageous for kids to practice their cast with instructors multiple times.
Interested families must register in advance on the JHFFS website, or call 307-699-3440. The seminars will run from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., with pickup and dropoff available from the Stilson Lot.
