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High Country Fly Fishers want to catch participants

Mark Raisler, co-owner of Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig, Montana, will give a presentation about fishing on the Missouri River at the next High Country Fly Fishers meeting on March 7. The event is free and open to the public.
Courtesy of High Country Fly Fishers |

High Country Fly Fishers wants to spread the joy of fishing for every angle, cast and tie.

The Park City Branch of the environmental nonprofit Trout Unlimited does this with monthly meetings and free fly-tying clinics.

The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7, at Red Rock Junction, 1640 W. Redstone Center Drive at Kimball Junction, said High Country Fly Fishers President Dave Allison.



“Our speaker that night will be Mark Raisler, co-owner of Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig, Montana,” Allison said. “He will give a talk called ‘Four Seasons of the Missouri,’ will be about his experiences fly fishing on the Missouri River.”

You don’t need as much back cast, because you can throw a lot of line…” Dave Allison, High Country Fly Fishers president

Allison knows Raisler from his participation in the annual Wasatch Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Expo, which is presented in part by High Country Fly Fishers.



Prior to the talk, the club will participate in some fly tying and hear a few announcements, according to Allison.

“Then Mark will also show his best flies he uses when he fishes the Missouri at any time of the year,” he said.

Raisler will also discuss the use of a spey rod, which is a two-handed fly rod.

“You use a different casting technique with a spey,” Allison said. “It’s called a two-handed rod because you use two hands to cast. You don’t need as much back cast, because you can throw a lot of line.”

Back cast, which many fly fishers feel is the foundation of a good cast, is that portion of any fly cast that extends behind the caster, according to Allison.

“People that fish steelhead in big rivers use the spey rod,” he said.

The night will also feature an opportunity drawing. Drawing tickets are $20 each.

“Mark donated a full-day guided trip with lunch for two on the Missouri for the drawing,” Allison said.

In addition to Raisler’s presentation, High Country Fly Fishers will host its advanced fly tying classes starting Wednesday, Feb. 28, at Red Rock Junction.

“We invite some big-time tyers and the class does it along with them,” Allison said.

The class format has changed since the last class, he said.

“We usually hold the class in the morning over four consecutive Saturdays, but this year we will alternate Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings,” Allison said.

The sessions will start in the evening at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

The instructor that night will be Curtis Fry, from FlyFishFood.com, a fly fishing resource that offers equipment, fishing guides and tutorials.

“He’ll do three or four patterns, and since it’s an advanced class, all the participants will tie along with him,” Allison said.

The next session will be at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 10 with Paul “Paulie” Shurtleff.

“He’s a pro-staff tyer for Moonlit and Semper Fli,” Allison said. “We’ll tie for a few hours and then have lunch.”

The advanced fly-tying class continues at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14.

Sam Swink will lead the class, Allison said.

“Sam is an incredible tyer and has had his flies featured at Rainy’s Premium Flies and other places,” he said.

The last session will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 24, with fly-tyer Larry Croft, who has appeared at various fly-fishing expos in the Intermountain West.

“Fly tyers who want to participate should bring their own tying gear, but people who just want to come and watch can do so as well,” Allison said.

To RSVP for the upcoming High Country Fly Fishers events, email jdogdave@gmail.com. For information, visit http://www.highcountryflyfishers.com or hcff.net.


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