Area Youth Learn Fly Rod Casting

Right to left:
Front row: Logan McCracken, Cody Flory, Andy Genevro, and Dalton Granville
Back row: Zack Czap, Adam Picketts, Darren Schmoke, and Joe Humphreys

 

 

 A legend in the sport of fly fishing and members of the USA Youth fly fishing team combined their talents to teach several youth the basics of fly casting at the Annual Sportsmen's Health and Safety Expo at the Clearfield Driving Park on Sunday, August 26th. The free event in its 3rd year is sponsored by Clear-Care Corp. and the Clearfield Hospital.

Joe Humphreys, Adam Picketts, and Darren Schmoke were the special guest instructors for the event.

Joe Humphreys, a Curwensville native, is nationally known for being a veteran with over 60 years of fly-fishing experience, referred to as the "Angling Professor".  He has taught fly tying and fly-fishing for many years at the Penn State University and served as a private tutor for President Carter. He has authored a number of books and magazine articles, has created numerous videotapes on fly-fishing techniques and hosted the first national fly-fishing TV series. He also once caught the Pennsylvania fly rod state record brown trout (15 pounds) in 1978.

Adam Picketts of Reedsville and Darren Schmoke of Allport competed in the FIPS-Mouche Youth World Fly Fishing Championships representing the USA earlier this month in State College.  Adam took 8th place and Darren took 37th place overall competing against youth fly fishers from France, Czech Republic, England, Slovakia, Spain, Ireland, Canada, and Portugal.

The grass area along the Expo 2 building severed as a perfect place for the youth to learn the basics of fly-casting. After the lesson the youth competed in 2 contests: one was distance casting and the other was accuracy. In the distance competition Zack Czap took 1st place with Dalton Granville taking 2nd and Cody Flory taking 3rd.  In the accuracy competition Andy Genevro took 1st place with Dalton Granville taking 2nd and Logan McCracken taking 3rd.  Also competing and completing the seminar was: Corin Monoskey, Alex Dorman, Aaron DeWyer, Jordan Olivio, Jimmy Spencer, Nick Genevro, Brooke Campbell, Spencer Miller, Harrison Bloom, Steven Rusnak, Hunter Maines, and Josh Ireland.

Each youth participant received a personal autographed copy of a Joe Humphreys's Trout Tactics book.

The Sportsmen's Health and Safety Expo was assisted by a $5,000 grant from Camille "Bud" George D-74 Houtzdale, along with corporate sponsors: Glenn O. Hawbaker, Snappy's of Philipsburg, Appalachian Wood Products, D.C. Guelich Explosives, Wal-Mart and Reliant Energy-Shawville Power Plant.
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