2011 In Review in Colorado Springs

We continued our tradition of opening

the year with our booth in the Fly Fishing Show in Denver where we met many wonderful supporters and made great new contacts. We began our tenth fly tying class (the first of three for 2011) at Ft. Carson.

Three soldiers took advantage of our first rod building class. They were very painstaking in their work and justifiably proud of their finished rods.

In February, for the third year, Angler’‛s Covey hosted

the Fly Fishing Film Tour as a benefit for our program. We concluded our tenth fly tying class and began our eleventh in March. We also took advantage of the weather for our first fishing trip of the year to Maria Lake near Walsenberg.

April means caddis on the Arkansas River and we

returned to the Hillegas Ranch near Salida. We were also guests on the Big Thompson River and concluded our second and final fly tying session of the spring.

In May, we set the tone for the fishing season with return visits to Rainbow Falls, the Blue River near

Kremmling, Camp Alexander BSA, and the Cross D Bar Ranch.

June included a return trip to Leadville as guests of Colorado Mountain College, Home Stake Trout Club, and Mt. Massive Lakes. Sportsmen’‛s Paradise near Lake George hosted a one day return trip and we explored a new destination an the Wilder

Ranch on the Taylor River. We concluded the month with our annual joint trip to Durango with soldiers from Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Programs in Arizona. This trip included fishing small headwaters, riding the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to fish the Animas River, and floating the San Juan River below Navajo Dam.

We began July with another new destination, the

Sunshine Springs Angling Club near Hotchkiss. Soldiers on this trip were given a personal tour of Jeff Hatton’‛s collection of antique bamboo rods – some over 150 years old. We returned to the North Platte River in Wyoming for a two day float trip at Greys Reef.

Our soldiers enjoyed: 3 fly tying classes

of 7 weeks each 493 days fishing 10 multi-day trips 12 day trips building 3 fly rods

August was our busiest month with return visits to the Perfect Drift on the North Fork of the South Platte and Holmestead Ranch near Fairplay and a new venue on the Blue River hosted by the Gore Range Chapter of Trout Unlimited. We participated in the “Battle at Boxwood” which paired hockey players and fly fishers in a regional event.

In September, we were guests of Wason Ranch on the

Rio Grande near Creede for the fourth year. The hospitality and scenery were spectacular as always. In late September and early October we returned to the Blue River near Kremmling, where soldiers enjoyed fishing the river and ox bow lakes for large, colorful rainbow trout.

We concluded our fishing season in October with a

trip to the Cross D Bar Ranch and graduated our twelfth fly tying class in November.

Fly Fishing Film Tour Friday, February 17, 2012

Stargazer Theater & Event Center East Pikes Peak Ave. and South Parkside Drive

Colorado Springs Doors open 5:30 pm

Admission: $15 at the door, $12 prior purchase Proceeds to benefit PHWFF – Colorado Springs

Fly Tying Classes @ Ft. Carson March 15 – May 2, 2012

At the end of the year, Gary Spuhler was promoted to

Rocky Mountain Regional Coordinator. As is often the case, he will be replaced by two people. Jeff Stahnke (jeffstahnke1129@gmail.com) will be the new program lead and Sherryl Walck (sherrylmccartney@msn.com) will be the new fly tying lead. Congratulations Gary and welcome Jeff and Sherryl.

THANK YOU! - generous donors and supporters, - fishing trip hosts, - fishing mentors, - Pikes Peak Flyfishers, - Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited, - fly tying instructors who spend seven weeks per

session patiently teaching fly tying.

For Colorado Springs activities, contact Jeff Stahnke @ 719-393-3553 or jeffstahnke1129@gmail.com.