Fly fishing casting clinic held at the Deer Valley Ponds

Photo: Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — At dusk, at the Deer Valley Ponds, the High Country Fly Fishers (HCFF) held a casting clinic, part of a three-day class for the 20 registrants of men, women, locals, and visitors on Wednesday.

On Tuesday there was an indoor component for a couple of hours, Wednesday they all met at the base of Deer Valley and on Thursday the group drove an hour East to the private, Heiner Ranch, to put their newly-learned skills to the test.

Their time at the Deer Valley ponds didn’t include hooks on the fly rods lent to participants, so the trout stayed put. At the Heiner Ranch lake, however, catch and release 15 – 20 inch rainbow trout fly fishing was on the agenda.

Trout Unlimited is the national organization under which this club operates for all the volunteer teachers. The Park City chapter’s two volunteer club co-vice presidents are Tom White and Kevin Parsons.

Parsons grew up fishing in Ohio and joined HCFF after moving to Park City, having vacationed in town for 25 years. He told me that they have partnered, prior to the pandemic, with the national veterans-with-disabilities organization, Project Healing Waters.

White grew up fishing in California and said, “This club has great camaraderie and the learning curve is dramatic, being able to fish with the volunteer teachers who’ve been fishing these Park City waters for years and years.”

Mona Stevens was one of the participants learning to fly fish at the Deer Valley Ponds. The Utah native was turned on to the HCFF by word of mouth and drove up from her home in Salt Lake City. New to this sport, she’s no stranger to sport in general as the former coach for the University of Utah, University of Massachusetts Amhurst, and Team USA Softball.

One of the few other women attending the three-day event was Robin Hauser, a California native who also traveled to Park City for decades on vacations before moving to town a year ago. She said, “Are you kidding? for only $95 you get to do all of this and have the lunch included out at the private ranch and get the local knowledge and wisdom of the volunteer teachers, it’s the best deal around.” 

She described her level of fishing experience in familiar skiing terminology as an advanced beginner/low intermediate although first-timers are more than welcome.

To sign up for their next available event, go to the High Country Fly Fishers website.