Hey, y’all, hope everyone had a Happy Easter or Happy Passover (or happy whatever-you-celebrate-or-don’t-celebrate) …
This past weekend was the first Sisters on the Fly event for me and my (biological) sister Christine. The same day we signed up as SOTF Sisters, we also decided we’d jump feet-first into the Sisterhood and do the Fly Fishing 101 class in Bennett Springs State Park, Missouri. Bennett Springs is about 11 miles outside of Lebanon, Missouri, one of the most sad and depressing towns I’ve ever driven through. Shacks as houses. More mobile homes WITH WOODEN DECKS ATTACHED than I ever thought possible. It was a “Sad Business” as Christine and I would say.
The State Park itself was nice – plenty of tent and RV sites, cabins, hotel-type rooms, a church, a Nature Center, a dining room, and a camp store. There looked to be a lot of nice hiking trails, which would’ve been a nice change from FREEZING OUR ASSES OFF outside learning how to cast a fly rod. The Missouri weather this year has SUCKED more than normal, and not only was it cold this past weekend, it rained. AGAIN.
The actual lessons took place at Hidden Valley Outfitters, 10 miles further down the road from Bennett Springs. Most of the Sisters had parked their campers there.
Here’s Christine showing wonderful form! And using a broken rod as well …
Bestie-girl fisher-chick!
Me and the sistah ❤
Me and my “too wristy” form. And a borrowed reel — my brand new reel arrived broken, so Carolyn, the instructor, allowed me to use one of her reels. I also won a prize for being the first Sister to get something caught in a tree!
Even though we froze our asses, the casting lessons, as well as those on general safety, gear, and fly-tying, were invaluable. I KNOW we will be certain to include our fly rods and reels along with our spin-casting equipment on our next outing. Many thanks to Carolyn Hellmuth, Sister # 875, for the great learning opportunity! And Happy Birthday!
Photo courtesy of Suzie Mann, SOTF
