Photos by Ron Pozzer, the Hamilton Spectator

Pat Robinson, founder of Reel Women Fly Fishing Club of Ontario, demonstrates casting. 'When you become adept at it, it's a sport which has grace and creativity to it.'

Ron Pozzer

A tray of handmade flies highlights the craftsmanship needed to recreate nature on a fish hook.

Ron Pozzer

Bill Spicer, one of two internationally certified Federation of Fly Fishers' MasterCasters in Ontario, gives some pointers to Stacy Mitro.

To some, fly fishing is art quite literally imitating life. To others, it is about rebirth. And to many, it is both those elements married in three feet of pristine river as the whip of rod, the rainbow cast and the study of insects are pitted against a few pounds of fish.

"To me, it's almost spiritual," says Pat Robinson of the Burlington-based group, Reel Women.

For Hamilton's Henri Lemieux, "It's defying nature, knowing the right kind of fly for the fish and the situation and the time of year and then fooling the fish."

And, says Bruce Wainman of the Hamilton Area Fly Fishers and Tyers, the reward is in the doing and the passing along of expertise.

"You get rich from what you give away when you teach school children to tie flies, interest them in fishing and spend time helping clean up creeks and rivers."

Wainman and Lemieux will do the former Monday at a special night at Sherwood Library.

Then there is the conservation side, the drive by the fly guys and gals to remedy what others have trashed.

So there you go, a politically correct form of recreation that honours nature. Unlike many outdoor stories, that end in death, the tie-and-fly culture generally spares the object of the pursuit. The barbs of hooks are flattened so as to not injure fish, and, in most cases, fish are released.

The 1992 Robert Redford movie, A River Runs Through It, starring Brad Pitt, helped attract many, some mere fly-by-nighter executive types more interested in gadgetry than sport. But the more interesting development was the number of women who broke down some old-boy barriers to win spots in creeks and streams.

While a Canada Fisheries and Oceans survey shows the number of people fishing in Canada dropped 600,000 between 1995 and 2000, fly fishing held its numbers, says Italo Labignan, the host of the TV show Canadian Sportfishing. He also points out that fly fishers represent about 12 per cent of all people in the sport in Canada.

Burlington's Robinson was a bit of a pioneer in 1997 when, her life still spinning over the death of younger sister Cathy Varlow from cancer, she took up the sport and formed Reel Women Fly Fishing Club of Ontario.

"Mortality hit me in the face," says Robinson. "There were lots of things I wanted to do. I took stock and made a couple of lists, things to do and places to see. Fly fishing was near the top of the to-do list."

Reel Women began attracting members and now has about 50 in Ontario ranging from 35 to 65 years.

A couple of new recruits were at Robinson's home recently to learn fundamentals from Hamilton's Bill Spicer, one of just two internationally certified Federation of Fly Fishers' MasterCasters in Ontario.

He taught Janice Marshall of Toronto and Stacy Mitro of Burlington some knot tying and provided a back yard casting demonstration.

"You can learn to cast for fish in 20 minutes," he says. "But to learn all about insects, fly tying and casting for distance and accuracy takes years."

Spicer is co-host of The New Fly Fisher, a nature show featured on CBC's Country Canada and 117 U.S. public broadcasting stations.

Newcomer Marshall said she was impressed that Robinson geared the organization to work with the Breast Cancer Support Services of Halton and Hamilton, in honour of her sister.

Reel Women can be reached at 905-336-9061 or by e-mail at mailto:reelwomenfishers@hotmail.com

Henri Lemieux, 78, also finds his 30-year passion has a therapeutic side.

He has a small room in his east-end condo devoted to fly tying, the minute and demanding art of duplicating nature on a fish hook.

Lemieux says researching the world of insects helps keep his mind active. And the hours of concentration bent over a small vise constructing flies is rewarding.

He shows off tray after tray of his small and exquisite creations. He's one of the best in Canada at what he does, says fellow Hamilton fly-tyer club member Wainman.

"The pleasure is in doing it and working with others, especially children, to teach them," says Lemieux.

jkernaghan@thespec.com

905-526-3422

Learn the art of tying flies

The Hamilton Area Fly Fishers and Tyers want to help you tie one on.

The group marks its 10th anniversary of fly tying instruction Monday, April 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Sherwood Library. Knot tying and other essential skills for the fly fisher will be taught.

The organization was started by Harold Becker and Ted Knott in 1992 to promote conservation, clean up area streams and provide a network to learn fly fishing.

"But the true joy for the members is the opportunity and privilege to teach legions of young people the rudiments of tying flies," says member Bruce Wainman.

The session Monday is free and will feature indoor fly casting instructions as well. For more information on the organization, check its website at http://www.hafft.ca/