An Embarrassment of Riches

My fly fishing club's tattered and worn flies we have been using.

If you are a member of Frontline Fly Fishing and you had anything to do with the amazing gift that I received on Saturday morning, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  We will circle back to this is a moment, but I wanted to start this post off with a sincere thank you!

I try not to post about my job very much.  I see my professional and personal life as two separate entities but sometimes the two paths cross.  For those of you that don't know, I am a middle school science teacher.  I also sponsor an after-school fly fishing club.  We meet once a week after school and go on 6 small fishing trips per year.  Over the years, we have received many donations that has made the club self sufficient and requires almost no funding from the school district.  However, we had recently start to run short on flies and the ones we did have were not in very good shape.  

Club members primarily fish 1/80 ounce jigs under strike indicators on trips.  I have them use this technique because it is simple and effective.  With the club's first trout fishing trip coming up soon, I knew I had to address our inventory of flies.  I had hunch that a good bunch of folks with big hearts might just be able to help us out.

Frontline Fly Fishing is full of some of the nicest and most generous folks you will ever meet!  Club facilitators freely give of their time and skills.  Club members are either former members of our military, police, EMS, firefighters, or other frontline workers.  These folks have dedicated their lives to helping others so it's in their nature to land a hand when asked.  When I asked Greg Davison, the Frontline Fly Fishing Committee Chair, if the group might be able to tie up some 1/80 ounce jigs for the club, I had a feeling he would send out the call.  

Our new fly selection, compliments of Frontline Fly Fishing!

To say that the group members and facilitators met the call and helped my students and I out would be a gross understatement.  These thoughtful individuals have provided us with some amazing jigs that I know are going to help some young people catch more fish.  In my wildest dreams I never expected a gift of such quantity and quality.  If you are reading this and had anything to do with the tying of these flies or the donations of the materials, thank you very much!  You have helped me as well as my students and we are firmly indebted to you!