A line of people stood on a grassy embankment in Darien Saturday morning, casting fishing lines into the distance. Only they weren't standing on the edge of some crisp, clear water. They were casting out into the black asphalt of a parking lot. That's because they were taking "Fly Fishing 101" with Orvis' Ed Fowler.
The fishing gear store on the Post Road runs classes each week to bring people out to the store and help the uninitiated learn the ins-and-outs of the sport. For "Fly Fishing 101," Fowler and Will Heher took classes of five to 15 people and taught them the basics: casting lines, tying knots and reeling in fish. Next month, Fowler said they plan to have shorter seminars on Sunday mornings that will cover individual aspects. In October, to tie in with chain's Orvis Days sales, they'll put on full-day classes that will head out to local waters for the full fishing experience.
This part of the job comes naturally to Heher, who teaches at Middlesex Middle School. But both he and Fowler, avid fishermen whose "knowledge is extensive of the entire shoreline," get a kick out of teaching others about their hobby. "I love it," Fowler said. "It's probably one of the most satisfying parts of my job."
The classes attract fishermen of all skill levels, from those who've never held a rod to weekend warriors who just never tries fly fishing before. David Richter and his son Jack just moved to Darien from San Francisco. They learned a little more about this particular type of fishing, but mostly they came to grill Heher about the best spots near their new home. "I think it was great, especially for a dad, with his son or daughter, " David said. "It's free, and they get exposed to fishing. It's a great program."
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