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Mount Your Trophy Fish Without Killing It
One of the things, if not the main thing, that keeps anglers going, casting and casting and casting, is the thought that the next cast might be the one that hooks that trophy fish. It doesn't happen often, maybe only once in a lifetime, and you never know when. It could be the next cast. When it finally happens, when you finally make the right cast in the right place with the right fly or lure, and hook the big one, be prepared for one of the most difficult decisions of your life. You've been waiting for this moment all your life, but in a span of less than a minute, you must decide whether to kill this marvelous fish and mount it above your fireplace or let it go to spawn thousands of its kind and make another angler's day. But now, thankfully, anglers have an option of having their trophy mounted without killing it.
Fly-fishing class back for a second year
Belleville's two resident fly-fishing experts -- Jim Laing and Brad Eilering -- are ready to dole out more knowledge about their passion to the general public. The pair will teach "Introduction to Casting a Fly Rod" beginning Sept. 16 at Southwestern Illinois College. Offered through SWIC's community education series, the class will benefit casters at all levels with lessons on equipment, casting, presentation and lore. It's the second year Laing and Eilering, who have fly-fished all across the United States since 1991, have taught the class. It was such a hit last year they decided to offer it again, this time with a beginners and advanced class. "I think what makes it successful is us being able to help people find the local waters here and get them started," Laing said.
West Michigan anglers win fly-tying titles
Chris Soule, Gerry Worden and Jim Reed have more than a little in common. Each loves fly-fishing and tying flies. Each is a member of the Grand River Fly Tyers, a two-year-old chapter of the national Federation of Fly Fishers. Most notable is that all three gained fame as world champion flytiers this summer. They won 39 of 96 medals given out at the first annual FFF International Fly Tyers competition. The event drew 156 competitors from countries such as Finland, Denmark, Canada, New Zealand and the Bahamas. "I was hoping I might get something, but I was not anticipating such a wonderful reaction from the judges who are my fly-tying heroes," said Christopher Soule, 36, of Grand Rapids. "Those guys are the best in the field.
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