FishCamp Scholarships
A five-day summer adventure for 10-15 year old girls and boys, FishCamp teaches kids the art of fly-fishing, fish habitat, entomology, fly tying and other outdoor skills in a safe and friendly environment. The camp is conducted by The Fly Shop of Redding.
Again this year the Shasta Mayflies and the Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers co-hosted an essay contest for kids from Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity Counties. We had planned to award four full FishCamp scholarships, but because of all the wonderful essays, the Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers added two more scholarships for a total of six!
Here is the report from our FishCamp Committee:
The Fish Camp Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce that STFF and the Shasta Mayflies have awarded a total of six full scholarships to Fish Camp 2010, four of which were funded by STFF and two by the Shasta Mayflies. The committee had the tough task of picking from 17 excellent applications with well written essays on why the applicant wanted to go to Fish Camp and why they are interested in fly fishing. The following are excerpts from some of the essays:
From Will A., 11 years old, Redding:
“I want to go to Fish Camp because I love the outdoors … I have never fly fished before and I would love to learn. Fly fishing sounds challenging and I always like a good challenge! … It seems like something I could do my whole life. I really hope I get an opportunity to learn something new and meet new people.”
From Dakota A., 14 years old, Redding:
“I love to fish … fly fishing is more of a fight than just a regular rod and reel. When you are reeling a fish in on a fly rod, you can feel every single move the fish has, you can feel everywhere the fish goes … I have volunteered at Kids Fishing Days at the Mt. Shasta fish hatchery because I love to teach kids how to fish and watching young kids catch their first fish. I would love to go to fish camp this summer to perfect my fly fishing skills. I know this is an opportunity of a life time and I would love to get to be able to go.”
From Meagan B., 10 years old, Redding:
“Fly fishing interests me very much. I love to fish, and also hunt … I believe that when you fish or fly fish, you connect with nature and the outdoors. I think if I went to fish camp … I would be hardworking and helpful, for when I try, I do my best. I will do what needs to be done, no matter what the circumstances are, and try to give it all I’ve got.”
From Eric F., 13 years old, Yreka:
“There is nothing I would rather do than fish. Fly fishing isn’t just about catching the biggest fish; it is about meeting all of the people and seeing all of the places. I believe it is both an art and a skill … I also enjoy tying flies as much as I do fishing them. If I am not doing homework or chores, I am usually sitting trying flies or reading magazines to get ideas for new fly patterns … Thank you for this opportunity.”
From Garret B., 12 years old, Redding:
“I would like to go to Fish Camp this summer because I would like to learn how to fly fish … After using spinning rods for a long time, learning fly fishing is a new thing for me. I like the casting and the knot tying. Tying knots is not one of my specialties, but this camp can help me with that. I am also interested in how to use flies … and how to arrange the flies in your tackle box so the hooks don’t get tangled up … I believe that this camp will help me and give me a chance to experience one of the most fascinating types of fishing ever.”
From Alex H., 11 years old, Redding:
“… I admire fly fishing because I think it is more challenging than normal spinning rods. I think it is really exciting when you get a large fish on and your adrenalin builds up … When I do go out to fish, my pole always gets snagged in the rocks or in trees, and I want to learn how to prevent those mistakes. When I do come back from Fish Camp, I want to teach my family how to fly fish correctly.”
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The essay contest is typically held in February and March, so if you missed out this year, please try again next year!
For more information on the scholarship essay contest, email us at mayflies@shastamayflies.org.
For more information on FishCamp, visit The Fly Shop FishCamp website at www.flyfishcamp.com.
Casting For Recovery
Casting For Recovery provides fly-fishing retreats specifically tailored for women who have or have had breast cancer. The Shasta Mayflies support this program through contributions of both time and money. Shasta Mayflies are encouraged to volunteer at annual on-stream retreats held in northern California.
In 2010, these retreats are scheduled for August 20-22 at Clearwater Lodge in Fall River Mills, and September 17-19 at the Mount Shasta Resort in Mt Shasta. Volunteers are typically needed on the last day of the retreats.
For volunteer information, please contact Casting For Recovery at www.castingforrecovery.org.
The Return of the Salmon Festival
October 16, 2010
View salmon spawning operations, "salmon aquarium" natural resource information booths, recreational displays, sporting equipment, wildlife art, children's activities, food, salmon tagging, a salmon bake, and ... the Shasta Mayflies booth.
This is a great event for both children and adults, so you won't want to miss it. Come to a meeting or email us to volunteer --- this is a great opportunity for us to spread the word about our fun club!
For more info, visit the Coleman National Fish Hatchery website.
Anderson New Technology High
The Shasta Mayflies, along with other volunteers, assist with teaching high school students a wide range of fly fishing techniques including casting, fly tying and basic knots as part of their physical education curriculum.
For more information, email us at mayflies@shastamayflies.org.