The North Sound Program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHW) is up and running! Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHW)  is a nation-wide 501c(3) dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing, fly tying, rod building, and associated fly fishing activities including education and outings.  PHW uses the restorative activities of fly fishing to provide participants with pathways toward resiliency through connectedness and community.  We offer a very special kind of rehabilitative experience: healing based not only on the fly rod and fly-tying vise, but also the incredible curative power of camaraderie among fellow veterans and the mentoring and friendship provided by strong caring volunteers. One of our historic challenges has been the lack of an active program north of Seattle.  In 2024, I started working with PHW’s Northwest Regional Coordinator to establish a program in the North Sound.  We officially launched our PHW North Sound Program in October 2024 and have approximately two dozen participants and volunteers across Island, Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.  While most of our participants are on Whidbey Island, we are actively working on outreach along the I-5 corridor and plan to have active sub-programs in both the Everett and Bellingham areas by the summer/fall 2025. Along with bi-weekly meetings to tie flies or conduct fly fishing education, we also have regular, local, monthly fly fishing outings.  Our actively engage participants are elgible to participate in larger multi-day events with the Northwest Region and across the country.  Our local participants have taken part in PHW programs in Olympic National Park, the Yakima River, and in Northern Michigan. Recent Local Events have included two floats on the Skagit River and a Black Friday outing at Pass Lake.  Further afield, we've participated and/or volunteered at Beaver Lake in Sammamish, a National Parks Trust program in Olympic National Park, the annual Northwest Region 2Fly Competition on the Yakima River, and a three-day guided trip for King Salmon in Northern Michigan at Project Healing Water's Oak Heart Lodge. If you’re a veteran with a VA disability rating (0-100%) or an active-duty service member receiving care for a service-related injury, you’re probably eligible to participate in PHW.  If you’re interested but don’t meet either of these criteria, we can still use your help as a volunteer in our program.  So please reach out! If you would like to donate to Project Healing Waters, please contact me or use this link.  Thank you!

The North Sound Program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing kicked off 2025 with two recent events: Fishing Pass Lake and our First Thursday Open Tie event the American Legion Post in Oak Harbor. New Years Day We had nine anglers meet-up at the Pass Lake Boat Launch on New Years Day. After wadering up, launching our boats, and enjoying some coffee and donuts, everyone headed out on the water to look for some fish. It was your typical winter day on the lake, but almost everyone managed to find at least one fish, with a couple people catching multiples. All fish were fat and healthy in the 17+ inch range. Open Tie The first Thursday of each month we meet at the American Legion George Morris Post in Oak Harbor at 6:30pm. We had eleven folks show up to tie flies and enjoy each other's company. Two of our novice tier participants made the trek up from Bellevue and club member Steve Egge spent time teaching them to tie a fairly respectable Woolly Bugger. Paul Messner also made a post-Christmas appearance and shared some wisdom with one of our US Army Vets. Our next event is at the Freeland Library on Saturday, January 18th at 2:30pm. We'll be tying flies and discussing the basics of lake fishing. Our events are open to all club members and we will always need assistance helping out at the monthly tying or fishing events. Let me know if you're interested.

Since I'll be on The Island for the club meeting this Wednesday, I'm planning on arriving by 11 AM or noon to see what might be biting at Ala Spit. I'll stay over after the meeting and try my luck on Lone Lake Thursday. I'd love company either time.