Warmer weather entices people to venture outdoors and also inspires them to think about starting new hobbies. The High Country Fly Fishers would like to feed that fire with its beginning fly fishing courses that run May 19-21 and June 16-18, said Larry Finch, High Country Fly Fishing board membe r, who oversees the classes. “I just like getting people outside and away from all the technology stuff that distracts our lives,” he said. “You don’t have to be a great caster to catch fish. You just have to get the line out there.” There is a waitlist for the May classes, but the June classes are still open, Finch said. Registration and waitlist information is available by visiting highcountryflyfishers.com. “These three-day clinics are introductions to fly fishing,” he said. “They’ll include classroom instruction, casting and on-the-water instruction, and we try to pair each student or a couple of students with an individual instructor, depending on how many sign up.” The schedules for both sessions are as follows: Day 1 — Class instruction from 6-8 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church that covers tackle, entomology, reading the water and other essential subjects. Attendees will also have an opportunity to place an order for a highly discounted fly fishing rod, a reel and fly-line combo.  Day 2 —  Casting clinic from 6-8 p.m. at the Deer Valley ponds. High Country Fly Fishers provide all the gear, but participants can bring their own.  Day 3 — Fishing at a private lake. High Country Fly Fishers will provide all the equipment and pair participants with experienced anglers. The group will leave in carpools form the Smith’s parking lot at Kimball Junction at 8 a.m. The group, after a day on the water, which will include a provided lunch, will return around 3 p.m.  “In addition to running the classes, I’m also in charge of making sure we have charcoal and plates for the lunch on the lake,” Finch said with a laugh. “We’ll mostly cook hamburgers and hot dogs.” Kris Clemmons instructs Kate Nelli about how to keep her fishing line a reasonable length during a past High Country Fly Fishers clinic at the Deer Valley Ponds. The clinics are designed to introduce the public to fly fishing. Credit: Park Record file photo by Tanzi Propst During the classes, attendees will learn the basics of fly fishing as well as the differences between throwing bait on a spinning rod or using the lure as weight with a fly rod where the line weights the rod, Finch said. “We’ll have some notable professionals there, like Pat Ronneburg and John Schultz, who have been inducted into the Utah Fly Fishing Hall of Fame,” he said. “And they will do some instructing.”  The registration fee is $250, and it includes a calendar-year’s membership to High Country Fly Fishing, the Park City chapter of the nonprofit environmental organization Trout Unlimited, Finch said. “After you pay for the clinic, you can provide your contact information so we can add you to our roster and keep you informed about all our activities and programs,” he said. “Any money left over from the fee will go directly to our conservation fund.” High Country Fly Fishing engages in various conservation projects throughout the year, Finch said. “This year we’ve got some grants from Trout Unlimited, and we used some of our club money to restore the soapstone drainage where the Yellow Lake Fire was,” he said. The Yellow Lake Wildfire burned over 33,000 acres across the Duchesne Ridge in the autumn of 2024, which affected the headwaters of both the Provo and Duchesne rivers, Finch said. “We go up there and build beaver dam analogs to bring the drainage back so the area can heal,” he said. “We’ve also done willow planting around where Strawberry River runs into the reservoir to remediate some of the damage that has been done to the forest over the years.” Finch joined High Country Fly Fishers nearly 30 years ago, when he moved from California to Utah. “I have fished all my life and used to fish the Eastern Sierras with light tackle and fly rods,” he said. “When I came to Park City, I took one of the fly fishing clinics to get tips because I always want to learn more.” High Country Fly Fishers also enjoys its partnership with St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Finch said. “Our club meets there on the first Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m., and it’s a great place to hold a meeting,” he said. “We are in the gym area, and it gives us a lot of room there. We cover club business and usually have a guest speaker, which is great because we’re learning new things all the time.” High Country Fly Fishers Beginning Fly Fishing Classes When: May 19-21 and June 16-18 Cost: $250 Registration: highcountryflyfishers.com/activities Email: [email protected] Web: highcountryflyfishers.com The post High Country Fly Fishers casts lines for beginning fishing clinics appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less