Three words: fly. fishing. school.

I had the most amazing weekend!
On Friday afternoon, Brian and I hopped on our bikes to take Abbie out for a run. It was pretty warm outside, but we knew we wouldn’t be around as much this weekend, and we wanted her to get some exercise. We took her for a few miles, but when she started panting pretty hard, I scooped her up and put her in my basket.

She’s way too cute. 🙂
After our bike ride, we loaded our boats and headed over to lake Emily for a quick paddle. The weather was beautiful!

We paddled in, loaded up, and tossed on a second layer just in time to start the main weekend event: Fly Fishing School!!
We started on Friday night with knot tying. I learned the surgeon’s knot and loop, blood knot, cinch and improved cinch knot, and the handshake.

After a bunch of time with knots and some great stories, we headed home.
I woke up early on Saturday to go for a run with two strangers. Well, technically, they weren’t total strangers… I met them through my friend, Sarah Cooke. She graduated on Saturday (congratulations, girl!), and her family came to witness and celebrate her accomplishment. Enter the Cooke brothers- Andrew and Morgan. I took them out on the Green Circle for a relaxed 4.5 miler before school. Thanks for the run, guys! It was great to meet up in real life! 🙂

I made it home with exactly enough time to shower and head out to day two of fly fishing school. Brian may have shut my brand new rod in the door and broke both pieces. I may have cried on the way to school. I may have made him tell everyone what happened to the rod they gave me.
We learned about the gear…

Watched some fancy casting…

And learned to cast on our own!

I was having a lot of fun 🙂

The school is held at the Riverside Bible Camp, along the Tomorrow River in Amherst. It is a BEAUTIFUL location!

There was lots of wildlife, too!

They cooked us delicious meals (burgers, pasta, pizza, breakfast sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, lots of fruit…), and after dinner, we started fly tying. I forgot to take photos of my flies, but you bet your bottom dollar that mine have fancy pink tails, glittery bodies, and silvery segments. 🙂 I made up my own patterns with colors that I’m sure will grab the little fishes’ attention.

After a bonfire and the drive home, Brian and I crashed pretty hard. I peeled myself out of bed this morning, tired but very excited to actually go fishing today!
I ate breakfast at school, then did a half hour of yoga on the footbridge that crosses the river. It was a great practice the morning- I had fresh air blowing in my hair and the sound of running water in my ears. As soon as I rolled up my mat, we started a session that covers what TU does as far as stream restoration.

We followed the work project discussion with casting review and a few casting games.

I made a cameo in Brian’s sunglasses!

After lunch (with WATERMELON!!!), we got everyone together…

…then split up into fishing groups. Brian and I went with Wyatt to these secret little ponds, and I caught my first brook trout!

I didn’t want to touch him, he was so beautiful with these pink and orange polka dots and a pretty sorbet orange tummy. Don’t worry, I caught two more! They were practically little babies, but I didn’t care. They’re soooooo cute!

Wyatt stayed out with Brian and I for a few hours.

Special thanks to Wyatt for helping me with everything- from tying on my fly to untangling my line to helping me cast in the wind to correcting my casting form to taking the hook out of the cute fishes’ mouths.

We came home, searched for ticks, played with our pups, showered… And now I’m back to normal Heidi life, with a giant salad and Burn Notice.

We even stopped at Cellar 70 on the way home and picked up some Two Hearted to celebrate our accomplishments today!

Look at the little brookies on that case! 🙂
Brian is already snoring on the couch, so I better get us ready for bed.
Thanks, Frank Hornberg chapter guys- you’re a group of amazing men and I’m so blessed that you’re sharing your knowledge and experience with me!
Watch out, world… I’m a superb fly fisher-woman in the making! 🙂

Miles this year: 281.8