Article: Let 'Er Fly Area men know Illinois fly fishing is doable, lucrative

BLOOMINGTON - Jim Zoerb is a rare breed of Illinois fisherman.

In a state where most anglers cast heavy lures on bait-casting gear for largemouth bass, or live bait on lighter spinning gear for panfish, walleyes and catfish, Zoerb uses a technique more common to mountain streams.

Zoerb is a fly fisher. He uses long, limber rods and weighted fishing line to cast tiny, nearly weightless flies that resemble insects or sometimes, he casts nothing at all.

"Its a fun challenge. Its a nice challenge," said Zoerb, 60, a programmer analyst at State Farm Insurance Cos. who teaches classes on fly fishing and tying flies in his spare time.

Stereotypes about fly fishing depict the sport as hard to ...

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