Westy's first evening of fly fishing for bass and panfish in Florida.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Westly is 14 and is a serious local angler in my neighborhood here in Sebastian, Florida.

I took him out in the evening a few nights ago and gave him a one-hour fly-casting lesson.

He caught on very quickly, so we went out in the freshwater canal behind my home last evening.

He was using one of my 9' #6 weight fly fishing outfits, and he was casting a medium-sized popper.

He was casting from the front of my 14' Jon boat as I ran the electric motor.

He landed six large-mouth bass and three very large Bluegills, which made us both pretty excited.

Here he is with the largest topwater LMB:

[John H]

Quality outing. Good job on getting him out there. He won’t forget it.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Yes John.

Next, we will go out in the Sebastian River looking for those 5 to 10 pound Baby Tarpon with the fly rod.

[John H]

I have gone out doing bird photography with my nephew who is 19. He knows a lot of birds that I can’t even remember. He is like a fast recall encyclopedia. The young brain is impressive but he does not have a sense for how to creep up and position for a good picture or where to go. He wants to be a national park ranger. Hopefully that works out. He goes to college in Missoula now. I told him that he needs to work hard and can’t play video games while he does his homework. I don’t think he listened to me but he might make it.

[lee s.]

WTG Bill,
Best kind of spent time.....introduction for the "ANY" age. You have always been excellent at that.
.....lee s.

[Sonoman]

Westy is one fortunate young man to have you in his life, and he will remember you forever. You may change the trajectory of his life, for the better through your mentorship and encouragement. My father never fished, so decades later I fondly remember the guys who taught me to cast, to tie, about bugs, about presentation, and gave me some hand-me-downs. You are a great man indeed.