Sometimes the most gratifying outdoor activities don’t even take place in the outdoors. Sitting at home on a rainy or cold, wintery evening, tying your own flies for a future fishing trip definitely falls into this category.

For those who have never experienced the fun and satisfaction of tying your own flies and jigs, Mike Perry of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has the solution for you. Perry will host a Fly Tying Course at the MDC Offices on the Missouri Western campus later this month.

Perry, a veteran fly angler, has been tying flies for more than 45 years and uses them regularly to catch anything from local panfish to trout. He has successfully taught others the art of fly tying for many years and along with MDC, produced a DVD titled “Beginning Fly Tying,” which incorporates the very techniques he will teach throughout this course.

Mike’s fly tying instruction is centered on 15 basic skills he considers necessary for every fly angler.

“Once you learn and master these steps, you’ll be able to tie just about anything.” Perry said.

The class will include six evenings of instruction, two classes per week for a period of three weeks. Each class will last about 1 1/2 hours, with extra time provided before and after classes for participants to practice and ask questions.

Over the course of the three weeks, Perry will cover his 15 steps while tying many different flies such as; Renegades, Woolie Boogers, Scuds, Governors, Nymphs, Caddis, knats, jigs, and many more. As Perry teaches each step, he’ll walk participants through it as they practice the techniques tying their own flies.

The entire course is being offered completely free of charge and all materials and equipment needed for the class will be provided. For those who have their own equipment or have purchased a kit, Perry recommends bringing it along.

The course will be structured so participants need to attend all six sessions or miss out on a needed fundamental tying skill. At the end of the course, participants will be able to tie a high percentage of traditional flies.

While the course is geared around beginners, anyone who wishes to learn the fundamental steps of tying a great fly can attend. Participants must register in advance, and the course is limited to 15 people.