|
<<
back
Professional
teaches the art of fly-fishing
DAYMOND
STEER
Contributing Writer
Decades
ago, Bill Jones, 91, learned to fly fish with a bottle of
Scotch. Today, he teaches the art with blocks of wood.
The
blocks or the bottle of Scotch is placed under a
beginner’s elbow to keep it in the correct position for
casting.
Every
spring, Jones teaches fly-fishing classes through Summers
Backcountry Outfitters in
Keene. The classes are limited to three students so that
each gets individual attention. Jones first learned to
fish from a friend while he was living in
Idaho. He
was the project manager for the Electric Boat Company,
which built the prototype of the Nautilus, the first
nuclear submarine.
He
started to take it seriously after one particularly great
day when he hit a triple: He caught the first fish, the
biggest fish and filled his limit faster than his friends
did.
Jones
also caught his biggest fish in
Idaho
— a six-pound rainbow trout.
Jones
first takes students to the back of Summer’s store and
discusses the intricacies of fly fishing, buying the
proper rod, reel set-up techniques and tying flies to the
leader. He discusses the bottle of Scotch or block of wood
and why it works: The blocks or the bottle are placed
under a beginner’s elbow because, “It straightens them
right out.” The blocks of wood “make a difference right
off the bat,” he says.
Jones
suggests that students don’t let the reels touch the
ground when they set up the rods — they can get clogged
with dirt. Instead, they should sit in the open hatch of
the car. Jones also tells students they should store flies
on their hat rather than in a box because a hat is less
likely to fall into a river or lake. Flies can be
expensive because of they are crafted to look natural and
involve a lot of close work with small items. Losing them
could prove costly — and frustrating.
Jones
also believes that trout are sensitive fish and would
ignore a poorly presented fly.
After the
initial sit-down session at Summers, the students go out
to an empty parking lot and practice fly-casting into a
Hula Hoop. Jones said, “the beauty of fly fishing’’ is its
precision. “One must aim the fly in just the right spot,
unlike spin fishing where people cast more randomly.’’
Jones
stresses that an angler must keep his elbow tucked against
his ribs, cast with a smooth motion and not extension of
the arm. It’s not like throwing a baseball.
Jones
teaches a new class of three anglers every three weeks.
Each group of anglers gets three two-hour sessions with
Jones for $50. Jones has taught the class to roughly 150
anglers over the last few years.
Although
he has hooked some monster trout, Jones is a fisherman who
doesn’t need to catch fish to have fun. Spending the day
outside and enjoying the scenery — especially in his old
stomping grounds in the Grand Tetons — is what Jones
loves the most about fishing. The fresh air and scenery
supersedes catching a trout for him.
Jones can
be reached at 355-4341.
<<
back
|
