Club History
Following in the tradition of some of the Academy’s most
distinguished graduates, the West Point Fly Fishing Club
offers cadets and faculty a wonderful opportunity to learn,
nurture, and share their knowledge and skills of the art of
fly fishing. This club
and its officer and civilian staff strive to provide cadets
an opportunity to get out of the barracks and onto the
streams and lakes of the region to enjoy the wonderful sport
of fly fishing.
As
far as we know, the club begin on an informal basis in the
early 1990's as local fly fisherman and some faculty here on
West Point rounded up cadets and headed out to the local
streams. Mr. Skip Storch of Nanuet was instrumental in
getting the club started during this time. The
military faculty have long since departed, but Mr. Storch
still remains active and dedicated to both cadets and the
wonderful sport of fly fishing.
Formally established
as a recognized non-competitive club here at USMA in
1996 by Major
Eric Conrad, the Fly Fishing Club has since grown both in
size and popularity.
When Major Conrad departed, Major Douglas Matty, of
the Math Department,
took over as the Officer in Charge(OIC).
Major Matty left in 2002 and transferred duties to
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Jaye.
Colonel Russ Forney took over in 2003, and passed OIC duties
to Captain Ron Hasz in 2004. As Captain Hasz departed,
Major Seth Norberg took over for 1 year and currently Maj's
Jeff Sheehan and Norberg serve as Co-OIC's of the club.
The club offers many opportunities to its members,
from fishing on post in the many lakes surrounding West
Point, to the bountiful rivers that New York offers.
These rivers include the famous Catskill streams and
the Connetquot River on Long Island.
Other great trips have included fishing the Salmon
River in Pulaski, NY for Coho and Steelhead, and venturing
over to Pennsylvania and fishing the famed Susquehanna River
for the hard fighting smallmouth bass.
With
the help of a growing network of friends and supporters, the
West Point Fly Fishing Club continues to expand its
membership and opportunities.
The club provides equipment, lessons, and a variety
of fishing experiences for all anglers alike to enjoy the
rewarding sport of fly fishing.
This club survives
and flourishes because of the outstanding support of friends
and supporters throughout the military and civilian
community. Another reason, and probably the main
reason why this club survives, is because of the legacy
of those that have gone before us. One individual who
has made a lasting impression on this club, the Academy, and
friends of the military is 1LT Mike Adams....the cadet in
the creek. Mike, unfortunately, passed away while on a
combat tour in Iraq. To learn more about this amazing
graduate and the legacy that he left behind, please click
here:
CADET IN THE CREEK
Mike Adams Eulogy at west-point.org