Spring Break
Fly fishing: sport, hobby, lifestyle
World renowned fishing guide Michael Gorman calls Oregon his home, teaches fly fishing to Oregon State students
Keegan Warrington
Issue date: 6/2/09 Section: Sports
By Keegan Warrington
The Daily Barometer
As quick as lightning, the silver flash of a 30-plus-inch steelhead soars out of the water engulfing the fly; your heart jumps, and out of reflex or instinct, you set the hook. The sound of your line spooling from the fly rod foot by foot fills the air, and right when you think you have done everything right and the fish is yours, it turns a 180 and comes flying back toward you, throwing the hook and setting itself free.
Welcome to the world of fly fishing.
Fly fishing is the most challenging type of fishing in which even the most skilled anglers lose more fish then they catch. In many ways, it is symbolic of life: You work hard and try your best, only to fail more then you succeed. But when that moment comes when all your hard work pays off, it is truly unforgettable.
Fly fishing offers an individual a lifelong hobby, builds bonds between families and friends and is healthy way to connect with nature. Fortunately, the state of Oregon offers some of the most pristine environments in the nation that can be fished year-round.
"Oregon has year-round fishing - we have a very mild climate and, while other places further east are snow-covered and frozen, we have the opportunities to fish year-round," said local fisherman and Oregon State PAC instructor Michael Gorman. "On some rivers, you have chance to catch a fish on a dry fly any day of the year, not to mention being on the coast we have steelhead and salmon."
Gorman teaches a variety of fishing classes at OSU, from fly tying to steelhead fishing. Gorman's classes offer even the newest of fisherman valuable information that few around the world can match. He has fished areas across the globe, from New Zealand to Argentina, and has been featured in multiple publications, such as the Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing and Hunting News and Salt Water Fly Fishing.
"As a kid, I caught so many fish that I wanted a new challenge, and fly fishing offered me that challenge." Gorman said
The Daily Barometer
As quick as lightning, the silver flash of a 30-plus-inch steelhead soars out of the water engulfing the fly; your heart jumps, and out of reflex or instinct, you set the hook. The sound of your line spooling from the fly rod foot by foot fills the air, and right when you think you have done everything right and the fish is yours, it turns a 180 and comes flying back toward you, throwing the hook and setting itself free.
Welcome to the world of fly fishing.
Fly fishing is the most challenging type of fishing in which even the most skilled anglers lose more fish then they catch. In many ways, it is symbolic of life: You work hard and try your best, only to fail more then you succeed. But when that moment comes when all your hard work pays off, it is truly unforgettable.
Fly fishing offers an individual a lifelong hobby, builds bonds between families and friends and is healthy way to connect with nature. Fortunately, the state of Oregon offers some of the most pristine environments in the nation that can be fished year-round.
"Oregon has year-round fishing - we have a very mild climate and, while other places further east are snow-covered and frozen, we have the opportunities to fish year-round," said local fisherman and Oregon State PAC instructor Michael Gorman. "On some rivers, you have chance to catch a fish on a dry fly any day of the year, not to mention being on the coast we have steelhead and salmon."
Gorman teaches a variety of fishing classes at OSU, from fly tying to steelhead fishing. Gorman's classes offer even the newest of fisherman valuable information that few around the world can match. He has fished areas across the globe, from New Zealand to Argentina, and has been featured in multiple publications, such as the Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing and Hunting News and Salt Water Fly Fishing.
"As a kid, I caught so many fish that I wanted a new challenge, and fly fishing offered me that challenge." Gorman said
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