Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.
Today is Saturday, Aug. 19
WV man’s handmade rods bring back “a little bit of soul” to fly fishing…and, speaking of fishing, the WVDNR offers some handy tips for first-timers…and Marshall’s new cyber security center will be the only second of its kind in the country…on today’s daily304.
#1 – From WVPB – When Lee Orr goes fly fishing, he doesn’t haul his rod in one of those racks on the front bumper of his pickup. He doesn’t wedge it into the back seat. He doesn’t throw it in the bed to rattle around with his tackle box and cooler.
Orr keeps his fishing rods in a hard plastic case. Inside of that case, the pole is shrouded in a hand-sewn linen pouch. You understand why when he takes it out.
This isn’t just a fishing pole. It’s a work of art. It even has the artist’s signature right there on the shaft, written in black ink. Orr, who has been fly fishing since he was a boy, made this rod -- and 133 others like it -- by hand, with loving attention to detail. You can view his work at www.304rodcompany.com.
He says wants to preserve what his old-school rods represent: a link to a time when you put your catch in a wicker creel instead of a Yeti cooler. A time before sportsmen traded in their fedoras for baseball caps and canvas canoes for fiberglass bass boats.
“If I just wanted to go catch fish, I would fish a carbon rod and I’d fish live bait. And I’d catch more fish,” he admits.
All that stuff is readily available at any well-stocked Walmart. It’s fairly cheap. Orr says it would work “just fine.”
“But there’s a lot of things that are ‘just fine’ that lack a little bit of soul,” he said.
Read more:
https://wvpublic.org/bamboo-fly-rods-are-a-tie-to-tradition-made-with-hand-tools-and-time/
#2 – From WVDNR – Are you a first-time angler in West Virginia? Get started by purchasing your West Virginia fishing license. The easiest way to purchase your West Virginia fishing license is by simply purchasing it online. All anglers age 15 and older are required to have a fishing license and licenses are good for the calendar year. Get hooked by catching bass, catfish, trout, walleye, and much more.
Your list of fishing gear is always going to vary on the weather, time of year, and the destination. If you are traveling with friends or a local guide, it is always best to consult with them on specific gear needs before your trip. However, if you’re just looking for the basics, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources provides a helpful list that outlines gear almost every great angler needs, along with where to fish and the types of fish you can catch in the waters of Almost Heaven.
Read more:
https://wvdnr.gov/fishing/your-guide-to-fishing-for-the-first-time-in-almost-heaven/
#3 – From METRO NEWS – State lawmakers give the go-ahead for Marshall University to build a Cyber Security Center in Huntington that would serve as the second of its kind on a college campus in the United States.
The bill proposed by Gov. Jim Justice would direct $45 million to Marshall to build the center. The bill was passed by lawmakers recently during a special session and was sent on to the Governor’s desk for signing.
“There’s only one such center like this in the country [and] it’s at the University of Texas at San Antonio. We are trying to replicate that where we would be the East Coast hub,” said Toney Stroud, vice president of strategic initiatives at Marshall. “The Department of Defense is backing us and wanting us to build this other Center of Excellence in the United States so they can have one closer to D.C.”
Cabell County Delegate Daniel Linville touted the amount of job creation the center will spur in the district he represents and across the state.
“This proposal has zero percent unemployment, has an average starting salary of $100,000+ a year and has the opportunity for West Virginia to lead on something,” Linville said.
Stroud said he believes Marshall can attract up to 1,500 students in the new center, which is about five times what the university has now.
Marshall University was recently named a Center of Academic Excellence in cyber security by the National Security Agency.
Read more:
https://wvmetronews.com/2023/08/08/marshalls-new-cyber-security-center-would-serve-as-east-coast-hub-with-45-million-in-state-funding/
Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.
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That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.
