Coming Events

DIRECTIONS TO OUR NEW MEETING PLACE, FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 621 College Ave., IN WOOSTER: Exit Route 30 at the Madison Avenue exit. Go north on Madison Avenue and continue straight as it becomes Bever Street. Turn right on E. Liberty Street at the Speedway shop and then turn left onto Beall Avenue. At the E. Bowman Street intersection, you will see Discount Drug Mart on the right and the church parking lot will be on the left. Signs will be on the church door indicating our meeting and location.

Bruch Hall, our new spacious meeting room at First Presbyterian Church in Wooster.

CFRTU Meeting and Activities

Event: Free Fly Fishing Clinic for Beginners.

When:  October 6, 13 & 16

Where:  Wildlife District Three Headquarters, Portage Lakes, Akron for the first two classes and Grosjean Park, Wooster for the final lessons.

The Clinic is a joint program sponsored and funded by the CFRTU Chapter and the Ohio Division of Wildlife.  For details and registration for the clinic see below

Learn to Fly-Fish Course (Northeast Ohio)

25 Participants

Individuals interested in learning the art of fly-fishing are invited to attend a free three-part “Learn to Fly-Fish” course according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Families are encouraged to participate. 

The Clear Fork River Chapter of Trout Unlimited is partnering with the Division of Wildlife to teach the basics of fly fishing, fly-tying and to provide participants opportunities to test their new tackle and fishing skills. 

Session #1: Intro to Fly-Fishing, Part 1

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 6 from 6-9 p.m.

Location: Wildlife District Three Headquarters, Akron

Session Description: Students will learn how to assemble fly fishing tackle, how to tie essential knots and how to recognize various fly patterns used to catch fish. This session will also include casting and some on the water fishing opportunity.

Session #2: Intro to Fly-Fishing, Part 2

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 13 from 6-9 p.m.

Location: Wildlife District Three Headquarters, Akron

Session Description: Casting and on water fishing opportunity will be the focus of the first part of this session. Students will learn how to tie flies and finish with a Q & A at the end. 

Session #3: Meet the Stream and Fly-Fishing

Date and Time: Saturday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Location: Apple Creek, Grosjean Park in Wooster

Session Description: Students will participate in releasing hatchery raised rainbow trout into Apple Creek.  A stream walk will also take place where students will learn how to recognize holding areas for trout and how to approach and fish the stream. A brief macroinvertebrate study will be conducted, along with a stream litter cleanup. Students will fly fish for trout with help from Trout Unlimited members.

Additional details will be provided to participants upon pre-registration and at Session #1. Nearly all fishing equipment and tying supplies will be provided (a limited number of waders are available). Be prepared to go outside even in inclement weather (the last two sessions will be cancelled if thunderstorms occur). Participants will be asked to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, water, insect repellant and other items to make the experience individually more comfortable. 

Applicants must be at least 12 years of age and youths must be accompanied by an adult. Questions can be directed to L.R. “Skip’ Nault, Clear Fork River Chapter of Trout Unlimited (email, bugmanosu@gmail.com).  Space is limited to the first 25 registered and participants must attend all three sessions. The workshop is for registered participants only; please no guests or walk-ins.

We ask that all participants wear face masks for indoor activities.  Masks for outdoor activities are optional. 

All anglers age 16 and older are required to have a valid Ohio fishing license. 

Funds generated from the sale of fishing licenses go towards conserving and restoring habitat, enforcement of fishing regulations, hatchery operations, fish stocking in public fishing areas and enhancement of research and educational outreach.

To register for the Clinic email Ken Fry at kenneth.fry@ohio.gov.

A fly those enrolled in the “Learn to Fly Fish” clinic  will learn how to tie.

Event:  October Chapter Meeting

When:  Monday, October 11.  Time: 7:15 p.m.

Where:  First Presbyterian Church in Wooster

Speaker Katy Johnstone and Jessica Suvak-Tran, co-founders, Ohio Women on the Fly

Title: A Look at Ohio Women on the Fly 

Presentation Summary:  Katie and Jess will share how their passion for fly fishing led them to create a group that brings female anglers in Ohio together and encourages more women to step into the water. They will provide insight on how the group came to be, how quickly it grew into something bigger than they could have imagined and how they will continue to grow through education, events and much more.

Event: November Chapter Meeting

When:  Monday, November 8.  Time:  7:15 p.m.

Where:  First Presbyterian Church in Wooster

Speaker, Bill Zawiski, Environmental Supervisor, Division of Surface Water, Ohio EPA North East District.

Topic: Dam Removal; Improving water quality in Ohio one dam project after another.

Trained as a biologist, Bill Zawiski has worked with Ohio EPA since 1989, and is currently the Water Quality Group Supervisor in Ohio EPA’s Northeast District. He has also taught Environmental Regulation and Water Resources at the University of Akron. The  OEPA Division of Surface Water  ensures compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act and works to increase the number of  bodies of water that can be safely used for swimming and fishing. Bill has taken an active role in the movement in this area to remove old dams from Ohio rivers to improve water quality and restore rivers to a free-flowing state.   Zawiski  says dams and the slow-moving pools they create are a serious problem for fish and the aquatic insects they feed on. He will discuss the concepts and methods of removing old dams, and the benefits that dam removal can bring to stream ecology and fisheries.

Bill Zawiski

Event: December Chapter Meeting

When:  Monday, December 13.  Time : 7:15-9:00 p.m.

Where:  First Presbyterian Church in Wooster

Speaker:  Scott Hale, ODNR/DOW

Topic: Fishing Participation Trends and Conservation Funding Considerations

Description:  Participation in fishing is reflected in license sales, and until the recent pandemic, Ohio’s annual resident fishing license sales had been declining an average of 1% per year during the past two decades. The 2020 pandemic shifted this trend with an upsurge in participation in outdoor activities, likely resulting in how people prioritize their leisure time. Long-term implications are uncertain, but values orientations of Americans interested in conservation and the outdoors are clear and provide insights into the potential future of conservation funding.

Event:  January Chapter Meeting

When:  Monday, January 10.  Time: 7:15-9:00 p.m.

Where:  First Presbyterian Church, Wooster

Speaker:  Mark Warman, Cleveland Metroparks.

Topic:  Aquatic Invasive Plants in Ohio

Program Description:  Join Mark Warman to learn about aquatic invasive plants in Ohio’s natural waterways.  Several water weed species are on the move and threaten or recreation, ecosystem and economic interests.  Identification, reporting, and notes from the field will be discussed.

Event:  February Chapter Meeting

When: Monday, February 14.  Time: 7:15-9:00 p.m.

Tom Doman, a guide fromCentral PA will present “Seasons on Penn Creek.” detail will follow.

Event:  March Chapter Meeting

When: Saturday, March 19  Time: Noon until 3 p.m.

Where: The Exploration Gateway (Sippo Lake Library), located at 5712 12th St. NW, Canton 44718

Speaker: Tim Camissa, central PA professional angler and fly tier.

Topic: Fly Fishing Success with Emergers

Description:  Tim will discuss mayflies and caddisflies, concentrating on the adult emergence stage when they are extremely vulnerable to fish. Tips and techniques will be discussed to identify this stage, fish it more successfully, and purchase or tie flies to effectively match the nuances of what’s going on. He will also lead the group in tying two emerger fly patterns.

This is a joint meeting with John Rochus’ Fly Tying Get-together.

The CFRTU Chapter is always looking for speakers for our monthly meetings. Please Contact Us for suggestions for speakers on fly fishing, conservation of aquatic resources and related topics.