Central Oregon Project Healing Waters had an outing at Lake in the Dunes last week. What a wonderful event and turnout. Had just shy of 20 Vets out fly fishing. Oh the joy on their faces.
This happens to be one of the volunteer efforts taking up my time when I’m not fly fishing myself. I serve on the Board of Central Oregon Project Healing Waters. Have for a few years. Our Vets get together every Friday at the Vet Center in Bend. I show up every once in awhile and teach some fly tying. We’re still working on creating smaller dubbed bodies, aren’t we guys?
My wife and I help with some of the outings as Mentors. It’s a pleasure to help out. And a joy to see them catch their first fish! We usually team up with Vets that haven’t fly fished much, teaching them to cast and hook & land a fish or two. Hopefully, we can provide helpful tips that make their day enjoyable. We try to teach them about our fly fishing ZEN.
Here are a few of our Vets I’m proud to know…did I mention the JOY on their faces?
We were successful again this week. Helped a few hook up on some beautiful trout.
Flies de jour were Parachute Adams, Buggers, Doc Spratly and the good ‘ole Braided Butt Damsel. You gotta love the take on an adult damsel. More on damsels in another upcoming post.
Claret Bugger
Doc Spratley
I appreciate the sacrifice our Vets made for our country. If you get a chance, thank a Vet!
Enjoy…go fish!
Good on you and Karen your sharing is above and beyond!? Max
Wade,
Thanks for the thoughtful comments. You bring JOY to my life! Enjoy the Zen.
John
This is just one of the great things Karen and John do for our C.O. Community. This years event marks the two year anniversary of my fly fishing anniversary. Karen and John taught myself as well as my lovely wife Julie how to fly fish but I think more importantly how to enjoy fly fishing. An understanding of “Zen” fly fishing was a gift from both of them which everything was to built on for the next two years. With that base my gauge of success has never been just about catching, but about learning and passing it along. So pass it along and share Johns blog. People will know you keep good company and you fish great flies.
Wade M. Ruch