George Abernathy
In December last year, the Sun Lakes Fly Fishing Club (SLFFC) held a very successful fundraiser for disabled veterans in partnership with Arizona Veteran Fly Fishing (AVFF). With donations and contributions from several organizations and individuals, we were able to take six disabled veterans on a fly-fishing trip to Crowley Lake at Mammoth Mountain in June this year. The veterans enjoyed an outstanding time of two full days of guided fly fishing from boats for some spectacular fishing for Cutthroat, Brown trout, measuring up to 23.”
All of their expenses, including meals, transportation, and state licensing, were covered, and of course, at dinners, the fishing stories were abundant, with some bragging rights. I still get a smile on my face thinking back to some of the smack talk that went on between Marine, Navy, Air Force, and Army veterans who went on this trip. It was great bonding for all of us, and an honor for us to spend time with them. Having flown over 600 combat hours in Vietnam, I know what being on the water and wetting your line means to them, especially on a trip like this, and the trip meant a lot to them. The following short YouTube link will give you some insight into the trip: https://youtu.be/p7UKZqzdBhU.
We’ve planned another all-expense-paid trip for additional veterans to the South Platte River in Colorado, and I look forward to sharing the trip in the next Splash publication. When you donate money or merchandise, it’s nice to know how it was used and how others benefited. I am deeply grateful for everything provided by those who make it possible.
The SLFFC is open to anyone interested in fly fishing in different fisheries, primarily throughout Arizona. The Club’s philosophy is to bring people together who want to fly fish; no red tape, no politics, “catch and release,” just wet your lines and go hunting. Whether you’re an experienced caster or new to fly fishing, you’re welcome to our club. If you enjoy fly fishing and want to meet others who share the same passion, then our club is what you are looking for. For additional information, please get in touch with me at apachescout@gmail.com or visit sunlakesflyfishing.com.
Lastly, if you have fly-fishing gear that’s just gathering dust and no longer in use, we would appreciate it if you donated it to our club. Depending upon what’s donated, they are either given directly to AVFF or sold with all proceeds used to support AVFF.