Lucy Lee & Melody Xu
staff reporter
Gleneagle’s fly-fishing course has returned to Gleneagle, but this time in the form of a club. Every Thursday in portable three, students will be able to meet and learn the basics of fly fishing.
“The idea this year is to have a club, so people get interested. And then hopefully next year we have a course again,” said Lorenzo Cirillo, student service teacher and club sponsor.
Members of the fly-fishing club will learn how to cast a fly rod and how to tie flies and learn important fishing knots. Students will also learn about the rules and regulations around fishing, and how to identify different species of fish. “You can’t just go fishing. There’s a set of regulations that you have to understand,” added Cirillo.
Students who are interested can view the club’s social media profile, @gleneagleflyfishing on Instagram, to see photos and videos of the club’s various activities. “The door is still open [for] new people coming along,” said Cirillo. “it’s never too late to join.”
“Everyone seems pretty positive and excited to learn a new thing,” said Matthew Bailey, grade 12. “There are a lot of people that seem like if it weren’t for the Gleneagle club, they wouldn’t be able to do fly fishing,” he added. “It’s really cool to be able to include everybody in this club.”
Once students have learned the skills of how to cast and tie flies, the club plans to go on field trips and test their skills on real fish. “We’ll see how they progress and learn and maybe go fishing in November for some salmon. If we go, Lafarge Lake is a possibility. Also, some of the local rivers may be like the Coquitlam River or Stave River.”
As a final word, Cirillo says, “[Fly-fishing] will change your life.” He states that it’s unlike the sports students take up in high school because eventually, as the body gets older, people may be unable to take part in those sports. “Fly fishing is something that you can do from the youngest of ages right up until you die. And you never ever stop learning. So, it will be something that will enrich your life forever,” Cirillo concluded.