WEN: Liam Wood Fly Fishers & River Guardians Program

The Liam Wood Fly Fishers & River Guardians Program is a week-long collection of workshops for high school students featuring fly tying, river ecology, guided fly fishing, and field journaling. The program was created to honor fishing enthusiast and river steward Liam Wood who died in a tragic accident while fishing in Washington at the age of 18.

The 2009 program will be held in the local Missoula area from August 3rd through August 7th from 8:30 until 4:30 daily. A limited number of spaces are still open. Tuition is $300 per participant and partial scholarships are available. This year's program marks the third year in a row the Watershed Education Network has produced this event.

During the week, students will learn to tie flies, cast, fly fish, identify local fish and macroinvertebrates, assist with a river restoration project, and learn about and discuss concepts of river stewardship through the scientific and social lens of fly fishing. The week of fly fishing is taught by expert river guides and fly fishing gurus Chris Dombrowski and Josh Gubits.

Similar to the Liam Wood Flyfishing and River Guardian School at Western Washington University's Huxley College of the Environment, WEN's program teaches fly fishing with the goals of engendering respect for the natural world and its river ecosystems and compelling action toward conservation and stewardship.

This year's program has been made possible by the generous support of Liam's parents, Marlene Robinson and Bruce Brabec, and local fly fishing enthusiasts Rick and Vicki Montejano. Our generous community partners include West Slope Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Youth Homes, The Missoulian Angler, Kesel’s Four Rivers Fly Shop, and Steve and Kathy Hawley.