NORRIS — On Tuesday and Wednesday, May 20-21, veterans from the Knoxville chapter of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) are hosting veterans from the Wounded Warrior Project in what for many of the warriors will be their first fly fishing outing.
The visitors are coming from as far away as northern Kentucky and western Tennessee to fish the Clinch, listed by Trout Unlimited as one of the top 100 fishing rivers in the U.S.
The warriors will be staying at Rabbit Run Retreat, 2862 Highway 441, Norris, where activities will start Tuesday afternoon with a river safety class taught by Buzz Buffington of the Clinch River Chapter, Trout Unlimited, and instruction in fly casting by PHWFF member Josh Callihan. Dan Moneymaker, another veteran from PHWFF, will teach fly tying Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, all the veterans will fish along the Clinch above the TVA Weir Dam on Highway 441, guided by volunteers from the Clinch River Chapter TU. Lunch will be served on the river about 11:30, and after the day’s fishing the group will return to Rabbit Run for dinner.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is dedicated to the emotional and physical rehabilitation of wounded and disabled veterans and active military members through fly fishing (for more information, visit http://www.projecthealingwaters.org/). Wounded Warrior Project helps honor and empower wounded warriors (for more information, visit http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/).