Usually you’ll find the gear and guides of Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor) at their shop in The Junction (4502 42nd SW) or out on the water somewhere. Today – until 3 pm – they’re in the park at Me-Kwa-Mooks, for the annual Fly Fest. You can try out gear and check out demos/classes – the day got going wth one geared for women:

You can also meet vendors:

And you can talk with volunteers from this year’s spotlight nonprofit, Casting for Recovery, which sends 14 breast-cancer survivors on a fly-fishing retreat every year Casting for Recovery reps tell us that women can apply for the retreat each year; so far they have 50 applicants for the fall spots, and a lottery will choose who goes. Also in the park, the biggest Guide Cookoff ever:

That’s EWA proprietor Dave McCoy explaining the rules – 11 guides had 30 minutes to prepare the kind of dish they’d cook for themselves and two clients.

This year, even a trophy! We’ll add the list of guides and dishes later (booking guided trips is something else you can do through EWA). But here’s one – salmon with strawberry cilantro salsa:

Me-Kwa-Mooks is at 4503 Beach Drive SW.