- Author: Robert J Keiffer
For about 15 years the UC Hopland Research & Extension Center has been "home base" for the Ukiah Shamrock's 4-H Fly-Tying project. Bob Keiffer, project leader, has instructed many 4-H youths the basic techniques of creating fishing flies to fish for trout in the western states.
Each year the group attempts a backpack trip to some remote region of California where the youths can fish for trout in pristine mountain streams or lakes. So far, leader Keiffer says, "There has been a 100% success-rate of each one of them catching at least one wild trout on a hand-made fly".
Here you see two beginner fly tyers learning how to make a "Wooly Bugger" fly pattern. The scary thing for project leader Keiffer, is realizing that the young man on the left has a high school math teacher who also went through the 4-H project years ago.