Casting for Recovery
This is one of those great programs that everyone should support, every chance available. Recently, Chuck Furimsky, founder of The fly Fishing Show, had an opportunity to help his local club with an outing for the Casting for Recovery Program. Here’s his report.
As a founding member of the South Jersey Coastal Anglers I always try to join the club members when we sponsor the Casting for Recovery weekend. There are usually around fifteen women and plenty of volunteers that spend Saturday teaching casting, knots, and even fly tying. Rick Pope, the force behind TFO Flyrods, donated complete fly outfits for all the gals to use. We all meet at a beautiful campground lake where they all get waders, a box of flies, a loaded landyard, and a wading staff. Then everyone meets their guide from our club. I was teamed up with Viktoria, an artist living in New York after moving here from Hungary. She was the perfect partner, listening to all my suggestions, casting beautifully, and using the fly patterns she tied the day before. Her first cast, using her first-tied fly, caught her first fish, a nice 8 inch bluegill. That’s three firsts if you’re counting. We struggled to quit fishing and heed the lunch call. After about 15 fish, and one of the largest bluegills I’ve ever seen–I estimated it at 11-12 inches, and nearly two lbs.– it was hard to wade out for lunch. After a great buffet, a fund raising auction, and Viktoria winning a complete fly rod outfit for catching the biggest fish, another memorable Casting for Recovery weekend ended with smiles and tears.
Chuck and Viktoria ready to roll.
Now that’s one huge bluegill! It deserves a full fishing outfit award!