Flygirls Winter Retreat 2013
Now that the hectic holiday season is behind you, are you looking for a way to relax, get-away, and regroup? If so, the Flygirls Winter Retreat on February 1-3, 2013 is for you.
We will be staying at the Sherman Lake YMCA in Augusta Michigan, conveniently located between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek in southwest Michigan. Just minutes north of I-94, this location helps provide a setting for the change of place necessary for a relaxing retreat from it all.
Our agenda is full of interesting fly-fishing related classes, as well as some fun activities (like rock climbing), to make for a full weekend. We are also continuing the tradition of the much loved Flygirls Garage Sale and the Flygirls Raffle. We’re also adding a BYOB/W wine discussion with Sherman Lake’s Sommelier (Wine Expert) on Friday night. (See the attached agenda for additional details.) You will also have an opportunity to learn about Michigan’s fish stocking program from Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery’s manager Martha Wolgamood.
$160 ($170 if rock climbing) will get you bunk style accommodations in the radiant heated cabins on Friday and Saturday nights, delicious meals on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday, and fantastic classes to relax you and get you prepped for fishing. Plan on bringing your own bedding/pillow & towels for the overnight accommodations. Pack comfortable clothes or stay in your pajamas all weekend! Schedule a massage (new this year)!
Whether you are an expert or a beginner, or just wanting to learn a little about Flygirls and flyfishing, this event can’t be missed.
Please email Sarah (VanDelfzjil) Ehinger at svandelfzijl@gmail.com for additional information or send your registration with name, address, email and check made payable to Flygirls of Michigan to Sarah Ehinger at 1425 W AB Avenue, Plainwell, Michigan 49080. The cost of the retreat is $160 or $170 if you intend to participate in the rock climbing class. Make sure to include your email with the registration or email Sarah separately because email will be the primary means of communication for information related to this retreat.
Friday
5:00pm – 9:00pm Arrive & Settle In
5:00pm – 7:00pm Crafts & Snacks – Bring an appetizer or snack to share as the women start to arrive and settle in. We’ll have some fun crafts to work on while we greet the arrivals.
7:00pm – 8:00ish pm Would you like cheese with that wine? BYOB – Bring your favorite wine or beer and have a fireside chat with Alan, a Sommelier (Wine Expert) with Sherman Lake YMCA. Alan will share his vast knowledge of wines with you and will give some pairing suggestions for various wines for your next get together
8:00ish pm – Bedtime Social Time – Once Alan has finished his talk we’ll continue to get to know each other until bedtime.
Saturday
8:00am – 9:00am Breakfast
9:00 am – 4:00 pm Personal Massage – Join Flygirl Mary Pearce for a one hour massage on a heated table for $50/hour (cash). Please contact Mary in advance for scheduling if you are interested in this: mgpmassage@gmail.com.
9:00am – 11:00am Tie One On – Beginner and Advanced Fly Tying, an arts and crafts project that will leave you hooked. If you haven’t tied much or have never tied at all, join the Beginner Class. If you have your own vise, can tie a hackle, and whip finish, then the Advanced Class is right for you. When you register, please let me know which class you will be attending, or if you will need equipment.
11:00am – 12:00pm Ugly Fly Contest – We’re bringing back an old favorite. With your tying skills just developed, we’ll test your creativity and design with the Ugly Fly Contest.
12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch
1:00pm – 3:00pm The System is Rigged – how to select the right rod, reel, line, leader, tippet, and fly set-up for the water and scenario you are fishing.
3:00pm – 3:15pm Break & Garage Sale – bring your fishing related items for the garage sale. If you have items that didn’t fit or didn’t end up working out for how you fish, bring them to the sale. The person bringing the item is responsible for pricing and will be collecting any proceeds.
3:15pm – 5:30pm Rock Climbing – Join the YMCA staff as they teach you how to climb their rock wall. Get a chance to try something you’ve never done before. (This is an extra $10/person)
5:30pm – 6:30pm Dinner
6:30pm – 7:30pm Michigan’s Fish Hatchery Program – Learn about Michigan’s fish hatchery and stocking programs from hatchery manager and Martha Wolgamood.
7:30pm – 8:30pm Raffle – Bring a prize of a value at least $10 and join in the fun as we raffle off prizes from Flygirls supporters. We always have great prizes and we’ll have a fly rod up for grabs.
8:30pm – Bedtime – Social Time
Sunday
8:00am – 9:00am Breakfast
9:00am – 11:00am Menu Selection – Matching the Hatch, how to select the fly that will give you the best chance at catching fish.
11:00am – 11:30am Up-Stream Rises – selecting your next Flygirls Outing
11:30am – 12:00pm Departure
Important Note: This event is meant to be relaxing. You don’t have to attend every class unless you want to. If you see a class on the agenda that you aren’t really interested in, here are some other options that may be appealing to you:
Bring a book and read by the fire – Bring snow shoes or cross country skis and take advantage of the great trails and beautiful scenery (or just hike if we don’t get snow)
Practice your fishing knots with our practice kits and instruction books
Use the free YMCA pass to get your exercise in
Go for a walk on the scenic trails
Take a nap
Practice the flies you learned to tie
Work on the craft projects we started on Friday
Bring your own sewing or favorite craft to work on
Sneak over to the casino in Marshall for an hour or two
We hope you join us for a relaxing weekend of friends, fishing, and fun!