DVFF Donation Funds
DVFF Frank Harris Youth Scholarship
The annual DVFF Frank Harris Youth Fly Fishing Scholarship was established during 2019 in memory of member Frank Harris, who was passionate about the value of getting kids outdoors. Especially by having fun and gaining an appreciation of nature through learning fly fishing skills. Frank was one of the founders of the Bay Area Youth Fly Fishers program and was instrumental in its success. This is a fitting way to honor his legacy and his contributions to youth fly fishing.
Each year the DVFF board evaluates opportunities to fulfill Frank's vision and awards a scholarship or grant in his name to a worthy recipient.
Our scholarship regularly supports a week at The Fly Shop’s FishCamp™, located in the shadows of Mount Shasta near the town of Weed, Calif., on the shop’s Antelope Creek Ranch. At FishCamp™, boys and girls 10 to 15 years of age, learn the basic skills that could lead to a life-long enjoyment of fly fishing. A few short days, “FishCampers” can catch fish on a fly, met new friends, and experience the adventure of the outdoors. Three meals a day are plentiful and healthy.
Each day includes plenty of time for fishing, workshops on a variety of different aspects of fly fishing, fly tying in the evenings after dinner, and stories and S’Mores around the campfire each night. Lessons include:
- Fly Casting (Roll Cast, Overhead Fly Cast, False Casting, Shooting Line)
- Fly Tying (Many kids even catch fish on their own hand-tied flies!)
- Knot Tying (Improved Clinch, Double Surgeon’s, Perfection Loop)
- Basic Entomology and What Fish Eat
- Reading the Water
- Safe Wading Techniques
- Catch & Release of Rainbow & Brown Trout in the Ranch Stream and Lakes
- The Leave-No-Trace Philosophy
The 440-acre Antelope Creek Ranch is surrounded by tens of thousands of acres of pristine Klamath National Forest. The ranch is at an elevation of 5,000 feet, so even midsummer the days remain comfortable and the nights cool. Campers are housed in state-of-the-art walled tents with comfortable bunks. The ranch includes separate bathroom and shower facilities for boys and girls and a shaded outdoor grill and eating area.
Donate to the Frank Harris Youth Scholarship Fund
If you'd rather send a check by mail, please make it out to DVFF and send it to:
DVFF Youth Scholarship, P.O. Box 4988, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Gerry Ng Memorial Fund
In tribute to cherished member Gerry Ng (Member #1105), we established a donation fund to assist in the DVFF’s long-held mission of promoting fly fishing. Learning to fly fish is not difficult, but a large part of achieving this goal involves teaching and educating people who are genuinely interested in improving their fishing skills.
Gerry's journey with the DVFF began in 1987 and he quickly became a supporter of the DVFF’s efforts with Trout in Classroom and was involved in education efforts, sharing his knowledge of fly tying and assisting with our Fly Fishing Fundamentals seminars. He was awarded the Golden Trout Award in 1999 and was recognized for his commitment to the DVFF when in 2015 he was named Member of the Year, a title that recognized the impact he had on our community. Beyond the DVFF, Gerry served as a dedicated board member of the Northern California Fly Fishing International (NCCFFI). In the late 1990s, Gerry took the reins of the DVFF youth program.
Gerry specialized in tying fly patterns designed for stillwater trout, with his favorite stillwater fly being the balanced bruised leech. He generously shared his knowledge and was known to open his fly box and say, “Take as many as you need.”
Beyond the fly fishing world, Gerry was a long-time certified USA Swimming official and leader. His impact on the DVFF, the larger fly fishing community, and the lives he touched through his various endeavors, will be a lasting legacy. Gerry passed away on Dec. 26, 2023, at the age of 77. His absence will be deeply felt not only by his family but also within the DVFF community.
Donate to the Gerry Ng Memorial Fund
If you'd rather send a check by mail, please make it out to DVFF and send it to:
DVFF Gerry Ng Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 4988, Walnut Creek, CA 94596