Flying with The Fishes

Mother Mountain Anglers, from Encampment, hosted the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Platte Valley Community Center on Saturday, March 30. Community members attending the event took part in raffle ticket drawings. Free beer and drinks were also available to those who attended the event.

People were able to learn about the skill and craft of flying fishing. The film documentary also raises important awareness of the environment and how climate change can affect the future of fishing as well as how pollution and chemicals can harm fish.

MMA is now entering its 9th year, Josh Craig, MMA President, said the club is also heavily involved in helping out the entire Platte Valley community.

“We started by becoming a small organization,” Craig said. “We are a group of friends who love fishing and want to spend time together and while we are at it, we try to do good for the community.”

Craig also talked about the community activities MMA has to offer. He said they have different events and programs that can benefit the Platte Valley community.

“We have really been blowing up and growing,” Craig said. “We do things such as a kid’s ice fishing clinic and the Flying Fishing Film Tour. We also have a disc golf tournament over the summer and organize a poker run that contributes to the Carrie Craig Memorial Fund in which we give scholarships for athletics or any needs that can be filled with our community. We also light off fireworks in Encampment as a volunteer project and also do a fireball run that will be happening on May 11 that will help raise money and last year was the first time we did it. “

Craig said this organization has helped double the fireworks budget in Encampment. He said whatever is needed to help the Platte Valley, the MMA is there to fulfill the community’s needs.

“We jump on board anywhere we can be useful to the community,” Craig said. “Our organization gives out a $500 scholarship to students in the Platte Valley,”

MMA gives this $500 scholarship to graduating seniors from Encampment and Saratoga. This scholarship is not exclusive to college tuition but is also given to students who go into the military after graduating high school. For seniors to qualify for this scholarship, they must write an essay on what is the important issue facing our wild spaces. Judges from MMA will read each essay and will decide the winner.

Craig and members of MMA give credit to Mike “Hack” Patterson, former owner of Hack’s Tackle & Outfitters for his support and contribution in helping MMA organize. Craig said doing business with Hack’s Tackle & Outfitters helps keep all funding in Platte Valley each time they purchase rods or any type of fishing equipment. He said Patterson was always there with a helping hand and gave great fishing tips to everyone in his organization.

Ian McCreary, MMA secretary, said he discovered MMA when he lived in Walden, Colorado about six years ago. When he moved to Wyoming, he joined MMA and enjoyed each moment of being a part of this organization.

“ Over the last 2 years, I have been involved with this chapter and helped run many events with the club”. McCreary said. “One of the greatest things about our club is the ability to create community developments and help our community as well as giving back to them which is our main focus. Putting on an event like this for people who like fly fishing and being excited about it makes it all great for us.”