TVC fly fishing/tying classes garner national recognition

Submitted by Scott McCrea
Phone: x2857
07/21/05

The University of Alaska Fairbanks garnered honorable mention in an article in Fly Rod and Reel magazine’s July issue entitled "America’s Top Ten Fly-Fishing Colleges"?.

"I did a writer’s gig there (UAF) in 1998, and felt so good about Fairbanks and its people,"? said W.D. Wetherell, the article’s author. "It would be paradise for young people wanting to do some serious fly-fishing while they are in school."?

"I am absolutely thrilled that Mr. Wetherell mentioned UAF in the same breath as such hallowed institutions as Penn State,"? said Shann Jones, who teaches courses in fly-fishing and tying for the UAF Tanana Valley Campus recreation program, said he hopes the international recognition will help bolster enrollments in future classes.

"In the last two years, we’ve increased the number of fishing classes from one to four, while tripling our enrollments,"? said Jones. "I hope this leads to us developing and offering a wider variety of outdoor recreation classes and programs."?

Jones will be teaching both an introductory and advanced class in fly fishing and tying for TVC this fall. The class runs from Sep. 7 to Oct. 12 and is held on Monday and Wednesday nights from 5:30-8p.m. with a Saturday field trip from 11 a.m.-5p.m. For more information on the class contact Jones at 474-5382.