Retired BIO-WEST founder Paul Holden and BIO-WEST employee Chadd VanZanten recently participated as volunteers at a kid’s fly fishing camp. The camp was hosted by local nature conservatory Stokes Nature Center, which is located in Logan Canyon in Cache Vally, Utah. Expertise and educational presentations were provided by Holden, VanZanten, and other members Cache Anglers, a chapter of national conservation organization Trout Unlimited. Local businesses provided support in the form of useful fly fishing accessories, such as fly boxes, sunglasses, tackle, and hats.
The three-day camp is an annual event designed for kids 9-11 years old. Classes during the include natural resource conservation, stream ecology, fish biology, fly tying, and fly fishing. The camp and classes culminate in a day fly-fishing on a private fishing reserve, where the young students put their class time and casting practice to practical use. Holden said the objective of the kid’s fly fishing camp is to introduce young people to the sport of fly fishing, but also to encourage a love of the outdoors and an awareness of responsible natural resource conservation.
