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terrain July/August 2021
"On Saturday mornings, when things get back to normal [from the COVID pandemic], we'll start up our free fly-tying classes again," Story said. "The lessons are usually about five people and Gary, who is our best instructor, takes people through our three different classes. Each class teaches different flies: dry flies, wet flies, the Wooly Bugger Soft Hackle. "Basically, we cover nine or 10 patterns," he added. "Once you can tie those nine or 10 patterns, you can tie about 80 percent of all the flies you'd want for fishing in Missouri, just from taking our three-step course. After that, we teach private, advanced courses, which are also free. "During non-COVID times, we have fly-fishing celebrities come in to talk about guiding in their area and do fly-tying demonstrations and slide- show seminars. Again, all free of charge," Story continued. "We try to do a lot of educating. That's always been my dad's thing, and it's always been my thing. That's why we keep it free of charge." "Pre-pandemic, we were doing fly-tying classes every Tuesday evening, from 7 to 9 p.m.," T. Hargrove's Stephens said. "We would try to get through two flies a night. That had become very popular. We had a lot of people who would show up who were very good fly tiers who just would come and tie with us, and we'd usually have someone show up who has never put a hook in a vice before. It was a good combination of beginners and veteran tiers. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to do that in some time. As soon as I feel comfortable shoving 25 people in this room, we'll start those again." Where the Bite Is When I asked about favorite fishing spots, Story told me, "If I had to pick one, it would be the Current River below Montauk State Park. It's about a two-hour drive from St. Louis, so it can be done in a day." For a more local fishing spot, Hargrove and Stephens escape to the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles. "There are two local fly- fishing clubs in St. Louis: The Ozark Fly Fishers, which is affiliated with the Federation of Fly Fishers, a national fly-fishing organization, and Gateway Trout Unlimited, which is affiliated with the national Trout Unlimited," Stephens explained. "Gateway Trout Unlimited conserves, protects, and restores North America's cold-water fisheries and their watersheds. "We also do some work with a local/national veterans organization called Project Healing Waters," he continued. "We help rehab veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or physical incapabilities through fly fishing and fly tying."
RIGHT:
Tom Hargrove with a lunker.
RIGHT:
Fly fishing can take you to beautiful places. ( GAVIN VAN WAGON )
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