The Big Idea .......how this all came about.

    The Baghdad Angler's Club and School of Fly Fishing began as the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing, an endeavor I started in response to questions I got while fly fishing in Baghdad.  How I got started fishing in Iraq is covered in the blog I kept while I was in country - you can still read it here.

I founded the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing in in the fall of 2005. I had joined an online bulletin board and the members of that board (now found at www.flyanglers.org) jumped at the opportunity to make me idea a reality. They rounded up corporate sponsors as well as dozens of private contributors and sent me thousands of dollars worth of supplies to get things going. Soon I was teaching folks the fundamentals of fly fishing and getting them hooked up with fish, some for the first time in their lives. For all it was a welcome opportunity to try something new for recreation and to fish where few would think to fish.

When my time to leave Iraq came, I was fortunate enough to find a replace in LTC Bill Jones, also a Montana man who loved to fly fish. Bill ran the school for a year and then passed the reigns to MAJ Chris Curtis. When Chris' time was up, he passed the lead to LTC Brian Almquist who turned over with CW04 Scott Henry the current club president, who will soon be looking for a replacement.

The current club is an out growth of the school - during the 2007 tournament held on Camp Victory and found many service members had heard of the school but since they don't fly fish didn't look into it.  So, in an effort to afford the opportunity to as many men and women as possible, we formed the Baghdad Anglers Club.  I combine updates on the school with the club and host the photo gallery for anyone who wants their Iraqi fish shared.

Recently the I have expanded efforts to support the club to include an online store.  All proceeds from sales are used to support the club and Project Healing Waters. 

As for me, I am no longer deployed though I am still on active duty with the U.S. Navy.  I am back in San Diego with my family but manage the website and e-mails for those still on the ground.