THE NORTH OLYMPIC Peninsula isn’t generally thought of as a fly-fishing mecca.
That particular title is probably more heavily associated with places like western Montana or Colorado.
But what we do have, according to Federation of Fly Fishers, is the best fly fishing club in the United States — the Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers (OPFF).
The Port Angeles-based club was awarded the McKenzie Cup — essentially recognizing it as the club of the year — at the National Fly Fishing Fair and Conclave in Montana two weeks ago.
Club president Dean Childs said it was a special recognition for his group, which has done many good deeds on the Peninsula.
“It means a lot,” Childs said.
“Quite frankly, the club deserves it. They are a great bunch of people, and they work really hard.”
In addition to its efforts to promote fly fishing to the Peninsula’s youth, the club earned the special honor in recognition of its special service to Project Healing Waters.
Healing Waters assists in the rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through fly fishing education and outings.
And despite being more than two hours away from a veteran’s hospital, Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers found ways to be active participants, taking part in eight different projects.
The most notable of those was the construction of a cedar strip boat by 30 OPFF members and eight wounded vets to be used by Healing Waters’ Northwest chapter.
On top of the that project, the club has also built more than 400 fly-tying tool sets and gathered hundreds of used fly fishing books to be distributed to VA hospitals.
“We’ve found a way to give pretty good service without living next door,” Childs said.
“And [the veterans] come up here. The ones that are mobile come up here all the time.”
Ironically, the cedar strip boat was damaged during a severe storm at the Federation of Fly Fishers’ last national conclave in 2010.
Fortunately, OPFF members were able to repair it in time to have it ready for its scheduled launch later that year.
Childs said that was something that stuck with the rest of the Federation of Fly Fishers, a group that includes approximately 300 clubs and 10,500 individual members.
“It was a very dramatic thing, and everybody who was at the conclave knew about it,” Childs said.
“When we got our [award], it was practically a standing ovation. It was really a neat deal. I think it made it special for everyone in the audience, basically.”
OPFF also has a stake in five community youth programs.
Each year the group sponsors and volunteers for the annual Kids Fishing Day at the Lincoln Park Ponds.
Members also award a $500 scholarship to at least one youth angler to attend the Northwest Youth Fly Fishing Academy in Lacey each summer.
“We put a tremendous amount of effort into a lot of those [projects], and a lot of love,” Childs said. “This is a really good payback.”
For more information on OPFF, visit www.opff.org.
Antler show
The Peninsula’s annual tribute to taxidermy is back.
The Quilcene Antler Show returns to East Jefferson County this Saturday and Sunday, bringing with it hordes of trophies and the hunting stories that come along with them.
Antlers, fish and fowl will all be on display at the show, set for noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday inside the Quilcene School gymnasium, 294715 U.S. Highway 101, in conjunction with the Quilcene Fair.
Seminars will also be held every half hour on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
Among the topics will be hide preparation, retriever training, bullet casting and elk calling.
Vendors will be on hand selling outdoor-related items as well.
Participants can find entry forms at quilceneantlershow.org or phone Mari Phillips at 360-765-0688.
Entries will be accepted between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors and sports columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column regularly appears on Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at matt.schubert@peninsuladailynews.com.
