Derek Kaye,
Castlegar News contributor
A professional Fly Fishing Symposium is coming to Castlegar this weekend March 29 and 30 at the Castlegar Complex from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9-2 on Sunday. There will be a multitude of booths and seminars and demonstrations detailing the art of casting and hand tying flies.
This is the15th annual event which draws 1,500 to 2,000 visitors each year. It is put on by the West Kootenay Fly Club with Columbia Power its main sponsor. Other important sponsors include Teck and Interfor.
It is a free event with some of the biggest names in the sport coming to give hourly seminars and demonstrate the arts of fly casting and fly tying.
Fly Fishing Federation certified fly casters Ruben Breitkreutz and Paul Stone will be there along with Kerry Kilpatrick – a women’s casting instructor and expert on fly fishing steelhead in Northern BC. These masters along with others will be on hand to give one-on-one instruction on casting in the casting circle. Fly Fishing Federation certified fly tier John Newbury will be present along with other masters of this craft to give demonstrations and instruction. There will also be a special children’s junior fly tying table where kids can try their hand at tying flies.You will be able to get your hands on different fly rods and try your hand at different casting techniques. More than $4,500 in prizes will be given away all donated from the various booths involved in the show.
Last week the Castlegar News was on hand at the Castlegar Sports Centre and Fly Shop to witness Columbia Power Director of Environment Llewellyn Matthews and Stakeholder Relations and Communications Coordinator Kathleen Hart present to Rod Zavaduk the Fly Fishing Symposium coordinator a cheque for $1750. Rod Zavaduk who is a well known fly fishing guide, owner of the Castlegar Sports Centre and Fly Shop and president of the West Kootenay Fly Fishing Club. He is a an expert guide and certified master fly tier.
As coordinator of the Fly Fishing Symposium Zavaduk is passionate about this occasion and said, “This is a fantastic family event. If you want to learn anything about fly fishing we got the bases covered. The symposium teaches everybody how to conserve our natural resources how to fish properly and how to fly fish. It is a great event that brings together all those involved in the same sport.”