George Abernathy
On Sept. 13, members of the Sun Lakes Fly Fishing Club (SLFFC) headed to New Mexico’s San Juan River for two days of fly-fishing, camaraderie and friendly competition. Elaine Drakulich took top honors with a 24½-inch brown trout, edging Gloria Mack by just half an inch. Gloria had won the competition twice before, but this time Elaine earned bragging rights. But the size of Elaine’s trout was only half the story.
After a five-to–six-minute fight, Elaine brought the big brown close enough for the guide, Galvin, from Fisheads Lodge, to net it. That’s when things went sideways. The trout made a hole in the net—and kept fighting!
Elaine still had the fish on the line, but now the line was running through the damaged net. Elaine and the guide had to maneuver the net while being extremely careful not to put too much tension on the line and break off the fish.
Meanwhile, with everyone focused on saving Elaine’s trout, nobody was on the oars. The boat was making its own way down the San Juan as they wrangled line, net and trout.
After several more minutes of this river rodeo, Elaine managed to bring the trout close enough for another attempt. This time, the guide wrapped the net completely around the fish and finally landed the winning 24½-inch brown.
It may have been the winning trout, but the story of how Elaine landed it might have been an even better prize.
And it wasn’t just about one wild trout. Stories like Elaine’s highlight something bigger—women are still a small part of the fly-fishing world, but their impact is impossible to miss.
According to the American Sportfishing Association, women account for just 13 percent of fly fishers. More women are discovering the challenges and rewards of fly-fishing, but they remain greatly outnumbered by their male counterparts. Judging by the results on the San Juan, though, the women of the SLFFC are certainly making their presence known.
The SLFFC welcomes anyone interested in fly-fishing a variety of fisheries, primarily throughout Arizona. The club’s philosophy is simple: bring together people who want to fly-fish. No red tape. No politics. Practice catch-and-release, wet your lines, and go hunting. Most of all, enjoy the Zen of fly fishing and the people you share it with.
In addition to enjoying the sport, the SLFFC has supported disabled veterans through Arizona Veterans Fly Fishing for the past 10 to 12 years. The club has provided financial support, fishing gear and a variety of fishing outings. It has been our honor and pleasure to support these veterans.
If you have fly-fishing gear sitting in your garage gathering dust, please give us a call. Donated equipment can be given directly to veterans or sold, with the proceeds used to help support our veterans and their fishing activities.
For more information about the SLFFC, visit SunLakesFlyFishingClub.com or contact me directly at 480-521-1060 or apachescout@gmail.com.