Lee University Anglers host fly fishing shootout and premiere a new movie
"We had three competitors cast over 100 feet, which is unheard of," founder and director of Trail Ministries and coach of the Lee U Anglers Chachi Avirett said about the shoot out. "Noland won it with a 122-foot cast. His cast was 40 feet farther than the national champ from 2017.”
Courtesy of the Lee University Anglers
Lee’s fly fishing club, the Lee U Anglers, which started in the spring of 2014, hosted a Fly Shootout this past Saturday, March 24.
The Fly Shootout, a fly-casting tournament open to the public, reeled in over 20 people, who all competed in three different skill brackets.
Lee University’s own Noland Glenn, a junior business finance major and Lee U Anglers team captain, took home the top prize in the advanced bracket.
Founder and director of Trail Ministries and coach of the Lee U Anglers Chachi Avirett said Glenn's achievements stood out the most at the shootout.
“The distance casting portion was the most memorable,” Avirett said. “We had three competitors cast over 100 feet, which is unheard of. Noland won it with a 122-foot cast—40 feet further than the national champ from 2017.”
In addition to the competition, “Film, Fly, and Foam" was premiered to those in attendance. The movie, produced by Costa 5 Rivers, a division of Trout Unlimited, told the story of the art and practice of fly fishing worldwide.
The event kicked off at 11 a.m. and was held on the Lee lacrosse field, directly in front of the Forum. The fee for this tournament was $20, which included an event T-shirt and a ticket to the movie screening. But admission to the screening was only $5.
When asked what he learned from his sport, Glenn said his most important takeaway was the lesson he has received on lightening up.
“I learned to relax and have fun,” Glenn said, “even when I am trying to win.”
The tournament may be over, but it is not gone for good. Green said the team is considering making it an annual—or even a per-semester—event.
The competition was sponsored by organizations such as Cortland Line Company, Tacky Fly Fishing, Zac Brown's Southern Grind, Cold Water Anglers and Fellowship of Christian Athletes Outdoors.
For more information about the Lee University Anglers, attend their meetings in the School of Business every Tuesday or contact contact Glenn at nglenn00@leeu.edu.
