2024 Courses

In addition to the history of fly fishing, watershed geology, stream structure, and river conservation are discussed in this course taught by Mike Winiski, Director of the Shi Center for Applied Sustainability Research. Students learn about trout biology and behavior, aquatic insects and other species. They also consider their roles in nature and how humans interact with their environment.

Trips to fishing spots, including the Saluda, Davidson, and Chattooga rivers, Jones Gap State Park and Pisgah National Forest are all part of the experience for students, many of whom are fly fishing for the first time. Students learn about the gestalt of fly fishing and supplement their outdoor experience with selected fly fishing literature from authors such as Ernest Hemingway, and Norman Maclean, who wrote the classic novel, A River Runs Through It.