Looking for something fun to do this summer? CU’s Fly Fishing Club might be it.
The club has about 35 active members of all skill levels and fishing backgrounds. Nick Camusi, the club’s vice president, is a junior majoring in English at CU Boulder. Growing up in Chico, California, Camusi spent much of his time hiking, boating and fishing around the state. Since then he has fished all over the United States and in many different countries pursuing trout and many other species "on the fly." He is also a fishing guide with Front Range Anglers in Boulder.
Camusi answered five questions about the club and the sport. For more information, visit the Fly Fishing Club Facebook page.
What activities does your club host?
We take trips to fish all around Colorado and Wyoming. We take a few trips every semester, and primarily choose locations based on where our members want to go. Some of our favorite rivers to fish are the Frying Pan, the Taylor, the South Platte, the North Platte up in Wyoming, and Boulder Creek, of course! Besides hosting our own trips, we also take an annual trip in the spring known as "The Rendezvous," hosted by Costa Sunglasses and Trout Unlimited, alongside many other college fly fishing clubs from all over the Western U.S. to a popular destination. Besides taking trips, we meet up weekly to tie flies and talk fishing, and will occasionally organize clinics and classes for beginning club members
What do you fish for?
We primarily fish for trout. There are many other species to catch around Boulder and Colorado in general like bass, carp and pike, but our trips are pretty focused on fishing for brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Is fly fishing hard to do?
Fly fishing can be a tough sport to learn on your own, but our main goals in the club are educating beginners and connecting them with more experienced anglers to help them get over that initial learning curve. Once you learn the basics of casting, knots and flies, you have the ability to catch fish and then the potential for learning is unlimited. I've been fly fishing for almost 10 years now and still learn something new every time I go fishing.
What equipment is needed?
We have basic equipment that we loan out to club members, including waders, boots, rods, reels and packs. Our members have the opportunity to come make their own flies every week at our tying nights to stock their fly boxes with, too.
Why do people like to fish?
I think everybody fly fishes for a different reason. It is calming and introspective, while also sometimes extremely technical and challenging. It can be an activity you do alone, or with a few friends, and you can always have a great time doing it. For me, it is a way to intellectually challenge myself while connecting with and appreciating nature and the world we live in, while disconnecting with our modern "plugged-in" lifestyle. It also brings people together; some of my strongest and fondest relationships have been fostered through fly fishing. It is a totally subjective question though, and every fisherman you asked would give you a different answer!
