My Fly Fishing Adventure on the Namekagon

We climb into a really sweet-looking McKenzie style drift boat--Wendy at the oars; me standing in the front, going on my first-ever guided fly fishing trip. A full-day trip that was generously donated to the Wild Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited by Chapter members Wendy Williamson and Larry Mann of the Hayward Fly Fishing Company for the Chapter’s fund-raising auction this past April. My husband won the bid and gave the trip to me.

I suspected you couldn’t have a better teacher than Wendy. The basis for my suspicion? I had met Wendy the summer before when she had donated her time to instruct at a free Women’s Fly Casting Clinic held by our TU Chapter. My lasting impressions from that clinic: She really knows her stuff and knows how to make women understand that fly fishing is a challenging, but an approachable, doable, fun-filled activity. Around Wendy, you would never think of fishing as being intimidating. The “i” word wouldn’t even cross your mind, except, perhaps, to think: “This is so not intimidating.” She has a way about her--competent and comfortable.

So, I was excited to be on the Namekagon with Wendy, who generously shares her knowledge: favorite knots (you only need a few, she says); a trick for handling new leader; line handling techniques; and, especially, her river savvy. You can tell the Namekagon is familiar and dear to her. Never boring; always changing. “There’s a drop off coming up along the left bank past that leaning tree.” “A log’s under the water over there.” “There’s an undercut bank along that grassy edge coming up on the right. It should be good.”

Thanks to the Hayward Fly Fishing Company for donating the trip to TU, thanks to my husband for buying it and giving it to me. And thanks to a smallmouth bass (we’re not on intimate enough terms yet to call it a “smallie”) for giving me a thrill.

Joyce