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Students in RPTA Associate Professor Rob Porter's class took a May trip to Minnesota to learn how to incorporate stream ecology into the practice of fly fishing.
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WIU student Garrett Goodwin practices his fly fishing techniques.
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Fly Fishing Trip Wraps Up Unique WIU Stream Ecology Course

June 9, 2017

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – A unique fly fishing trip by students of Western Illinois University Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration Associate Professor Rob Porter in May was the culmination of a semester of classroom learning about incorporating stream ecology into the practice of fly fishing.

Porter's class, RPTA/ZOOL 485G – Resource Management for Fly Fisheries, also teaches students about stream geomorphology, aquatic invertebrates (focusing on insects) and trout biology. Porter said during the trip, students learned the "art of fly angling" while using what they studied throughout the semester.

The class of 14 students visited the Lanesboro Fish Hatchery of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the National Trout Center in Preston, MN. As part of the class, students were given access to private streams and worked with instructors from major corporations who joined the class throughout the trip to teach them fly fishing techniques. The class is a unique combination of generous people who come together to make the class unique.

"The really powerful part of this course are the people who volunteer time, money, product and stream access," said Porter.

One of those donors is Marlin Roush, a guest instructor and director of operations for Rio Products, the largest fly-line manufacturer in the world. Roush, who has been working with WIU students for seven years, provides fly fishing gear to students at a discount.

"As an industry leader, Rio is concerned about the growth of fly fishing, particularly with our youth," Roush said. "This is my small part to introduce youth to the out-of-doors and one of the many activities with which they can participate."

Porter said Roush is crucial to the class instruction, as is Kevin Eliseo, also a guest instructor and a supply chain manager for the Intel Corporation. The Intel Corporation continues to pay Eliseo's salary while he is instructing the WIU students on fly fishing and donates $10 per hour to the RPTA program for every hour he volunteers.

"I support WIU and Rob Porter's RPTA classes on an annual basis for multiple reasons. Most notably, I enjoy sharing my passion for fly fishing with other people who have a desire to learn and connect with our environment in a way that only fly fishing can provide," said Eliseo. "More specifically, it is my pleasure to volunteer my time as an Intel employee and representative of Intel Corporation through the Intel Involved Matching Grant Program, where we engage in outreach and volunteerism to make our communities a better place to live, work and play."

The success of the class also depends on generous landowners who give students and instructors access to streams where they can practice what they learn. Porter said retired Northwest Airlines pilot Neil Cebell and his wife, Kathy, allowed Western's students access to one mile of pristine stream west of Preston, MN, which contains wild Brown Trout.

"I happened to be driving by the confluence of Camp Creek and the South Branch of the Root River, and I noticed all of the people fishing at one location," said Cebell. "It was a bit unusual to see that many there, especially on a Monday. I noticed one person who seemed to be giving instruction to another, so I guessed it may be some kind of school."

A fellow landowner later told Cebell more about Porter's class.

"It was then I decided to offer my property as a fishing location for the group, if they so desired," he said

Cebell gave Porter, Roush and Eliseo a tour of his property, and the following day the WIU class fished from the site.

"I have been a fly fisherman for quite a few years, so it was a pleasure seeing a group not only interested in the sport, but wanting to learn about the habitat and environment along a stream," Cebell said. "I'm glad to see the students who share this enthusiasm, and I'm happy to be able to offer a location where they can learn and enjoy themselves. I told Rob he is always welcome here, and I look forward to seeing him and his class again in future years."

Other landowners who provided stream access to the students were John and Doris Palmer, owners of a private campground, and Mike and Cindy Tomashek, owners of Camp Creek Park.

"We are stewards of the land and want to expose the students and others who share the same passion for fly fishing and the outdoors to the great assets of southeast Minnesota, hoping they will also be inspired to improve and respect the waters and land," said Mike Tomashek.

Another group of volunteers came together to show the students the educational side of the trip. Vaughn Snook, of the Minnesota DNR, lectured about local stream ecology, insects and a number of other trout-related subjects.

"My participation was a spontaneous event," said Snook. "The group went to the Lanesboro State Fish Hatchery for a tour, and the supervisor there (Pat Schmidt) came up to this office to see if I could give a quick presentation on stream ecology (my profession and education) and fly fishing (my hobby) in southeast Minnesota. We met on the bridge over Duschee Creek and I provided some information unique to southeast Minnesota. (The students asked) lots of good questions, and I think the class will be back."

Another trip tour came from Ron Benjamin, the manager of the Lanesboro Fish Hatchery, who taught students about how trout are reared from eggs to be stocked in the streams. University of Minnesota Professor Emeritus George Spangler, of the National Trout Center, also talked with students about trout streams and karst geology in the Driftless Area of southeast Minnesota.

In addition to being an academic experience as part of their class, students found learning the proper way to fly fish interesting.

"This trip was an absolute blast," said WIU sophomore RPTA major Abigail Kull, of Morrison, IL. "I may not have caught a ton of trout, but I learned the proper techniques in which to correctly catch and handle them. The generosity through the guest instructors, Marlin Roush and Kevin Eliseo, as well as the courteous land owners in Preston, Minnesota, was overwhelming, and I cannot thank them enough. The art of fly fishing isn't just about catching fish; it has a lot to do with learning about yourself and your limits, mostly patience, as well as the area surrounding you. It was a rather humbling experience, and I'm very glad I could have been a part of it."  

Madeline Kull, a junior RPTA major from Moline, IL, said the class' visit to Minnesota offered some "wonderful surprises" for students.

"The area we were in is called the Driftless Area because, unlike here in Illinois where glaciers from thousands of years ago flattened everything, the glaciers never made it to that part of Minnesota leaving big beautiful limestone bluffs and winding flowing streams perfect for trout to live in and perfect for trout fishing. My favorite part of the trip was taking a huge hike to a special cave where fresh spring water flows out creating a continuously flowing stream."

For more information about WIU's RPTA program, visit wiu.edu/rpta.




Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing