DEM Offering Fly Fishing Program in NK

Interested in learning the art of fly fishing? Or are you hoping to hone your fly-tying skills?

The state Department of Environmental Management is offering a program this fall for both beginning and intermediate fly-tiers.

Hosted by the Division’s Aquatic Resource Education program, the program will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on six consecutive Mondays beginning on Nov. 17 through Dec. 22. The sessions will take place at the North Kingstown Community Center located at 44 Beach Street.

Highly skilled fly-fishing instructors will teach the arts of knot-tying and fly-tying for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. All of the equipment and fly tying materials are included with the registration fee. The cost is $5 per class or $25 for all six sessions. Pre-registration is recommended, although walk-ins are accepted.

In addition to providing an opportunity for residents and visitors to engage in outdoor recreation, fishing contributes to the economic health of the state. According to the most recent statistics from the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (2011), residents and tourists spend $130 million annually in Rhode Island on freshwater and saltwater recreational fishing-related expenditures including food, lodging, transportation, and equipment. The survey also notes that a combined total of $360 million is spent annually in Rhode Island on trip and equipment-related expenditures for fishing, hunting, and wildlife-watching activities.

For additional information and for registration materials, contact Kimberly Sullivan in DEM’s Aquatic Resource Education program at 539-0019 or via e-mail at kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov.