“I have fished with Patrick Weaver many times, and I am always amazed at his knowledge of trout fishing. His ability to read the water and understand the relationship of trout feeding behavior to the hatches throughout the year is a skill I desire. Many anglers just want to know “What are they biting today,” and never fully understand that there is so much more to trout fishing than that. Patrick once told me that the difference between an average angler and a good angler involves going to the water and taking the time to look and assess each situation.

“From the time I first became one of Patrick’s students, I watched him on the stream.  A true naturalist, he had me stalk, and he had me observe. He equipped me with tools that made the difficult sport of fly fishing WNC streams easier. His writings on hatches helped me learn what to look for on and beneath the surface. He showed me the life stages to watch for.

Patrick, I want to thank you for traveling from Mills River to Fort Mill to speak to our group. Thinking back, I cut my fly fishing teeth on the South Mills River, catching my first trout there. Well, 37 years ago. I have been a TU member since that time.

 I have participated in fly fishing schools and heard many fishing presentations. Your talk exceeded all other talks I have ever experienced. In my view, your biology degrees and deep knowledge of entomology take your fishing and your presentation to a new level. Your understanding of seasons, temperature, color, and behavior elevates your game.

While I have been fishing for a while, I am a terrible novice by comparison. Having said that, I listened and learned a lot! 

I took Patrick’s Hatches and Fly Selection Class in April. Patrick did a great job discussing insect lifecycle, hatch timing, fly selection criteria, and trout behavior. The class was well designed and presented, and even included some “test your knowledge” group exercises to reinforce learning. The class includes a copy of Patrick’s well-researched book, “Hatches of Pisgah Forest,” as well as handouts that follow his presentation. Patrick offers top-quality fly fishing instruction at a great price. I highly recommend this course for anglers wanting to improve their results on local waters. Well done!

Regards,
JOHN C. ROBERTS