1996_04 Insight April 1996

              Sports
APRIL 17,1996
Students
flock to
fly fishing
hot spots
■ New equipment,
mystique of sport
draws new crowd
by Mike Spencer
Staff Writer
The water swirled around Mike
Monroe's legs as he steadied himself
against the river/, current. He began
casting his fly line. The line whistled
through the air with even, false cast,
extending farther and farther.
Bul il's not just the fish that draws
Monroe and other fly fishermen to the
water. It's the mystique of the sport
that breeds devotion in fly fishermen.
"I think fly fishing is one of the
purest outdoor activities there is," said
Monroe, a 25-year-old graduate student at California State University.
Fresno. "It's not just fishing bul understanding fish, iheir environment
and how we can lit into it."
Fly fishing islveonung more popular with mainstream and college-aged
Americans. One reason for the influx
into thc sport is the advancement of
equipment in the fly fishing industry.
Becoming more user-friendly
Bob Scharton. a fly fishing instructor al Herb Bauer's Sporting Goods
for the last 10 years, said ihe equipment on ihe market today makes ihe
sport easier for the beginner to learn.
"The new equipment lodav is so
much belter than when I started."
Scharton said. "New materials and
technology have made the sport more
user-friendly."
Tom Spencer, a lab technician at
Fresno Slate who has been fly fishing for 40 years, said thai things are
much easier for ihe beginner today
because of instructors and videos.
"I had to learn how to fly fish from
reading books." Spencer said. "It was
very difficult gelling started that way.
A book can (ell you how «i do il. but
it can't show you how. There's a big
difference."
Senior Jeff Sperling, a biology major, is loo young to know about the
way things were in the past, but new
equipment wasn't what got him
started in the sport.
"I was backpacking with some
friends about 2 years ago and one of
them fly fished." Sperling said. "I've
always liked to fish, so I asked him if
I could try. Now I won't fish any other
way. It's the greatest, and I try to get
out whenever 1 have time."
Fly fishing, a science
Spencer say s thai fly fishing is more
than fishing because it invol\es knowing about the ecology of Where you're
fishing.
"You can't clump some junk on a
hook, throw it in the water and sit on
your can until something eats it."
Spencer said. "You have to know what
the trout's natural diet is and understand how outside factors fit into the
equation."
Blanco barrels down on final season
■ Senior infielder exits
with admiration from
teammates, coach
by Michelle Barghi
Staff Writer   .
year or two. and then I'll probably
move out— down South or up
North. I'm sad about leaving soft-
ball, but on the other hand. I can't
wait to get out of school." Blanco
said.
All good things
.-ome lo
Erika Blanco is in her last season
as a 1 ad)  Bulldog soltball player.
After 4 years oi practice, travel and
dedication, it's almost tune to hang
up the cleats and venture on to new
"Now thai it's gelling closer lo ihe
end. il's really sad I just love playing
for ihe coach. And the stadium, our
new locker room I want to stay here
[playing softball) a couple more
Blanco relates tt
she hopes to leach.
"When I was lull
plav softball. I S<
come to the ga
forms, and they
okupK
the children
all the little kids
les in their uni-
she said.
Blai
.skills I
.Uthall e
'   Ulan
i said.
. plav s first and third base.
She has been slated to play in all games
(his season, a first in her career at Cali
Her longest hit streak is 11 games.
She also'had two-plus hits'in 10
games, turned 10 double plays and
has two game-w inning hits under her
belt, helping the Bulldogs move into
lirsi place in the Western Athletic
'Conference (WAC).
credits ihe e
in Ihev
■e hav ii
don't think we really have a best,
plaver. 1 think we have people
i are'all doine reallv well, bul it's
just a learn thing." she said    'Our
pitchers are doing v cry well right now.
We've goi great hitlers and great defensive'players So you can't really
say one person is the best. As a whole,
we gel together and pick each other
up here and there."
■Jlanco is a full-time student and
iniainsa 3.0GPA. She'll graduate
December with a degree in liberal
is the Valley after
pact on Bulldo
Margie Wright.
"I'll miss Krika. nol only on the
field. She's been a great friend. You
always have a player-coach relationship in that she knows her
boundaries, but she's been a very
good friend. She's someone I can
turn to for leadership." Wright
said.
She's currently second on ihe
team in RBI (301. doubles <f>). total bases (47) and hits (38).
"The nice part for me is I know
when Erika leaves here. I have no
concerns that she'll be able lo deal
with the real world. She's made it
a point to learn that in our program." Wright said.
Blanco's friends agree her hard
work and dedication have paid off.
Shelly Byrd. 29. has known
Blanco for 4 years. BvrJ and senior first baseman Jo Pini share an
apai
mpus
Photo courtesy Sports Information     '">• Pli,Ms "" having me valley alie
Senior Erika Blanco will end her softball career at Fresno State this season as part of the Bulldogs'    obtaining her teaching credential
top-ranked team. She is currently second on the softball team in RBIs, hits, total bases and doubles.       "'" probably staj here foranothe
"Erika has t
She's a hard worker and funny.
She's also very mature. She's prob-
ablv one of the most mature plav -
ers'out there." Byrd said
Coach Wright realizes the time
to say goodbye eventually comes
around with all players
"I miss every kid lhat conies in
the program, but some you miss
more than others because you
have, by the nature of who they
are. become a little closer to them.
Krika's one of those people."
Wright said.
Scharton said those outside factors
include time of day. time of year,
water temperature, flow rate and elevation.
"If the water is running too high,
or it's the middle of the day. it has an
effect on the fishes' feeding habits."
Schar*on said. "When you understand
how and why. you will become a very
successful fisherman."
Local spots commonly used
Spencer, who has fished in the Valley for more than 35 years, said the
spots most commonly fly fished by
Fresnans are close to town,
"Most people run up to the Lower
Kings River and fish the stretch of
river from the Pine Flat dam to Avocado Lake." Spencer said.
The cost of fly fishing can stop
people interested in try ing dead
If the cost of all the equipment is a
concern. Rod Gibson, a liberal arts
junior, said no! to worn
"Half the fun of fly fishing is all
the equipment ypU can buv." Gibson
said. "It'sJike they say. the older the
boy. the more expensive his toys."
But boys aren't the only ones enjoying the sport. According to an article published in the February 1994
issue of FlyRsher, ihe fastest-growing demographic group in fly fishing
is women.
"Women are really gelling it
sport." Scharton sail
...IN .
.lading lo come down "
Monroe says fly fishing is a sp
hai everyone can enjoy.
"It doesn't mailer if you're a n
>r a woman." said Monroe. "Fly fi
ing i:
.iciiv
\ thai a
ibout the v
being outdoors
in Ihei
KfcS
A basic set-up. which includes rod.
reel. line, leader. Hies, fly boxes, fishing vest, waders and wading boots can
start at S500.
"Five hundred dollars would be
cheap." Spencer said "I have probably over $10,000 invested in fly fishing equipment, and I don'l even have
a boat."
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■I—.	
j
 WSJ"
1
MUM    \
|    miinxi      1
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a group of students from your
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with advertising that will make a diff
erence in how
participation
These students
in the American
you see your
in the Red Cross,
are participating
Advertising
Federation's
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Student
Advertising
Competition.
We thank
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