Youth Education activities

Watershed-based environmental education and home-waters oriented fishing education are crucial to TU’s mission. To sustain our work, we must engage local communities, especially the youth, to help them understand what we have done, and why.

Five Rivers TU has actively worked to engage the next generation of conservationists. Our youth education programs are designed to acquaint young people with fly fishing and conservation ethics. We do this through education and outreach to youth across the area, providing hands-on opportunities that foster environmental awareness, outdoor skills, leadership development, and a whole lot of fun.

We currently have 30 fly rods/reels that are available to be loaned to local schools.

TU Youth Membership

Youth memberships are available at a discounted rate. Those 12 and under can become a member for only $12 a year. Teens (13-18) can join at a rate of $14 a year. Click below to go the TU membership page.

Examples of 5RTU Youth Education work

• Fund tuition for a youngster from the area to go to CTU Conservation and Fly Fishing camp

• Member assistance to Bayfield Middle School with their fishing program

• Fly tying session with Southern Ute Youngsters at the Academy and participation with the Southern Ute’s “Fishing is Fun”program

• Funding for new reels for the fly fishing program at Bayfield Middle School

• Purchased Rods and Reels for The Silverton School and assisted with a fly fishing program, including discussion of aquatic entomology, conservation principles, fly-casting and fly fishing.

• Assisted Animas Valley Elementary with their Mindful Angler Program, including loaning rods and reels, discussing conserving the resource and fly casting and fishing

• Presentations at Escalante Middle School on cold water conservation, fly fishing, aquatic etymology and fly tying

• Assisted Colorado Parks and Wildlife with Fly casting instruction for Durango Outdoor Understanding for Teachers Institute program

If you are interested in discussing a Youth Education opportunity, please fill out the form below and we will get in touch with you.

Youth Education Update

In October, we completed 3 one hour sessions at Tori Queen’s Middle School class of 18. The sessions included introducing the youngsters to Aquatic insects with a bit of history and a conservation message, a session on where and how trout live along with a fly tying demonstration and a session on fly casting using the TFO “Bug Launchers” the Chapter purchased several years ago. A big thank you to Cole Glenn of The San Juan Angler, Pauline Ellis and Tim Miller for helping with the fly casting.

In addition, Cole has done seven fly fishing sessions for the Silver Spruce Academy in Bayfield (8 to 12 youngsters ages 8-12) focusing on entomology, conservation, fish identification, fly selection, gear overview and, of course, fly casting.

All told this year we have introduced over 80 youngsters to fly fishing and cold water conservation through various Cub Scout groups, The Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County, the Montessori School middle school at the Smiley and Stacy Parr’s Outdoor Education class at Durango High School.

Next year we hope to expand on this and, perhaps, engage a Girl Scout Troup with the Stream Girls program developed by Colorado TU. Don’t hesitate to contact Buck Skillen (bskillen759@gmail.com) with suggestions and contacts.

Buck Skillen
Youth Education Chair.

PS: All you anglers out there, check out “Bugs Of The Underworld” You Tube videos; very educational. Simply put “bugs of the underworld” in your search bar. The individual videos of mayflies, caddis, stoneflies and midges will become available. Enjoy and learn!