Most anglers dream of traveling the world to wet a line in new places. Lehi resident Lance Egan gets to do it while representing his country.
Egan will take some time off from his job in the fly fishing department at Cabela's later this month to travel to Scotland as a member of the Team USA Fly Fishing squad to compete in the 2009 World Fly Fishing Championships June 5-12.
Egan, who has been on the USA team since 2003 has competed in three previous world championships including Portugal, New Zealand and Finland. At the 2007 World Championships in Finland, Egan was the highest finishing American at 27th, leading the U.S. team to a sixth-place finish, its best showing ever at the World Fly Fishing Championships. During the 2008 championship in New Zealand, he placed 24th and Team USA finished in 8th place.
"It's been a lot of fun. I hope I can keep finding my way back on the team," Egan said.
That does not appear to be a problem.
At the recent National Fly Fishing Championship qualifier in Bend, Ore., Egan pulled off something that had never been done before by sweeping all four of his events. He caught 42 fish in the two days to complete the feat.
Egan had already qualified for the national championship being held in State College, Pa., this fall, but another Utahn fared well in Oregon. Kurt Finlayson of Wellsville took fourth and qualified for his third trip to the nationals.
Egan is no stranger to fly fishing competition success. He won the gold medal the only two times flyfishing was a part of the ESPN Outdoor Games.
You can track his success in Scotland on the Web at www.worldflyfishingchampionships2009.com.
