Fly Fishing Club is back for its second year on campus, reeling in new students and welcoming them to their relaxing, fun environment.
The club was created in 2021 by junior environmental engineering major, Jacob Smith and sophomore undeclared major, Randall Zack who also serve as club president and treasurer respectively. Fishing all the time as a kid, Smith grew up with a river in his front yard. His love for the sport continued into his formative years, leading him to fish all throughout high school as well, frequently competitively. Zack and Smith had met and fished during this time together and eventually, both ended up at Wilkes.
“I said, ‘well we don’t have one here, would you want to do it with me?’ and then we found some other interest and went from there,” said Smith.
Fly fishing differentiates from regular fishing, or spin fishing, in that instead of using something weighted to throw when casting, fly fishing lines are bigger and weighted, serving as the weight itself.
The club hosts many events and outings, the most recent being a trash clean-up at Seven Tubs Nature Area in Luzerne County. During this event, they were able to pick up a truckload of trash and finished by fishing in the stream. They also fish in various locations, some being Scranton, Lackawanna and Keystone College as they frequently collaborate with their club.
Beyond going out and fishing together, members of the club are interested in the conservation of streams. In the past, they have written letters to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission on proposed regulations, either in support or against it.
They are also currently working on bringing in speakers, one being a man who builds rods from scratch and another to talk about his career in Fish and Boat.
One important aspect of the club is that you do not have to know how to fly fish to join.
“The best part about the club is the opportunity to teach other people how to fly fish,” said Zack. “The hope is that at least one person will discover a passion for the outdoors. Fly fishing is more than fishing, it’s about taking a step back from your busy life and appreciating nature.”
For those who may be nervous about joining, Smith defines the club as “super laid back.” New ideas or critiques are welcomed. The club also has all the necessary gear for members and is working on gaining Student Government funding to pay for fishing licenses for those who do not have one.
The club saw great success on club day, having 35 students sign up to join. For others wanting to get involved, the club holds scheduled meeting times usually on the second Thursday of every month in Cohen 119. Their next meeting will be Sept. 15 at 12p.m.