Anglers: How to Beat the Winter Doldrums

Local fly fishing enthusiasts welcomed a chance to attend a free seminar at District Angling to share a couple of hours of tying flies and sharing stories on February 2.

During the class, a screen on the wall above Dammeyer shows a close-up view of the fly in progress.

Winter months can be tough for fishing enthusiasts who dream of casting their lines on spring rivers, so a free seminar at District Angling was the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning. District Angling is an independently owned company that opened in Arlington, Virginia, in December 2017. The owner of District Angling, Richard Farino, designed his dream shop literally from floor to ceiling, with the goal of being not only a well-stocked fly fishing store, but also a haven for the local fly fishing population. He is passionate about building a customer base, but he is also passionate about building a sense of community amongst his customers.

Part of that plan is to hold events that can bring anglers together, so every other Saturday, Farino offers free seminars that provide educational opportunities on various topics. One of the purposes of these events, he said, is to create “a customer bonding experience.”

Throughout the class, Dammeyer walked around to help students as they tied. Richard Farino, District Angling’s owner, standing, made sure everyone had the supplies they needed.

This event was led by Micah Dammeyer, a casting and fly tying instructor as well as a local fly fishing guide, who demonstrated how to tie a pattern called the Winter Stonefly. This pattern was chosen because Winter Stoneflies are one of the first flies to hatch in late winter/early spring in this area. Farino said that makes this “a timely and relevant event for this time of year.”

Even though it is still too early to be out fishing, Farino said conducting events like this one can help keep customers “motivated and interested in learning and expanding their knowledge base.”

“It gives them a creative outlet for their passions and interest, and helps them keep occupied during the winter doldrums when weather conditions keep them from fishing,” he said.

Attendees appreciated both the learning opportunity as well as the chance to connect with other anglers. They had several motivations for attending. Mark Sofman from Rockville, Maryland, is a volunteer for Project Healing Waters who teaches fly tying to veterans. He enjoys the sense of community at these events. He said you “get to see some people you see maybe only once a month or so, and, you know, have something in common to talk about.”

Jim Moffett, a retired Marine from Woodbridge, Virginia, is in his mid-60s, said he appreciated the opportunity this seminar allowed for anyone to learn, regardless of age.

Brian Mackey, a resident of Alexandria, VA, appreciated the opportunity to learn as well as the chance to meet new people, share ideas, and have some laughs.

The event did provide some laughs, too. Dammeyer learned that wearing a black t-shirt meant that nobody could see what he was doing during his demonstration. Fortunately, a white napkin made for a visible background as well as a handy bib for lunch.

Micah Dammeyer, the instructor, wore a black t-shirt. His students convinced him to don a white bib so they could more easily see what he was doing. This was Dammeyer’s first time teaching a class. Per advice from his class, next time he will wear a light blue shirt.

Even in the winter, anglers are eager for a chance to gather. Farino said “although this is a slow time for our business regarding large ticket sales, we try hard to give our customers a positive service experience and use the event as a marketing tool to continue to build trust with the fishing community.”