RECREATION / IRENE GARCIA : Komatsu Does Business on the Fly When Clients Answer Casting Call

Those who like fishing, but find it can be a bit boring, should give fly fishing a try.

Regular old fishing may not be quite the exciting activity some people look for in a hobby. Perhaps it has too much of that couch-potato feeling, especially if the fish aren’t biting.

Once you launch the line into the water, all you really have to do is wait . . . quietly.

Fly fishing is a different story. It consists of constant casting, often in elaborate swirls, and usually in shallow bodies of water.

It can be a lot of work, actually.

“It’s so much more than just taking a reel with a worm or cheese and chucking it out there,” said Dennis Komatsu, who teaches beginning fly fishing courses at the Fisherman’s Spot in Burbank.

“When you’re fly fishing, you’re more of an active participant. It can be an art, but it can be very simple.”

Komatsu teaches the three-day course four times a year in the parking lot of the Burbank store. Each session lasts two hours and covers everything from fly fishing jargon to equipment to simple and fancy casting.

The classes are in demand because in the last five years fly fishing has increased in popularity, according to Komatsu, who has been doing it for 15 years.

“The classes I teach are for absolute beginners, who know nothing about it,” Komatsu said. “I take you through all the basic stuff and teach you about selecting equipment.”

Komatsu’s partner, Dave Shaffer, teaches the more advanced classes at various water sites. For example, he recently took a group to the Eastern Sierra, a fly fishing hotbed.

Among Komatsu’s favorite fly fishing spots are Montana and Idaho. He also likes the Eastern Sierra.

Locally, there are many streams within a 35-minute drive, but the better fly fishing begins north of Bishop.

“You have to drive at least two hours for the real good fly fishing,” Komatsu said. “But for beginners the local streams aren’t bad.”

Komatsu spends about 16 days a year fly fishing with his family in Idaho and Montana. And he always brings home plenty of rainbow and brown trout.

They don’t call it fly fishing for nothing. The bait used in this type of fishing is representative of the natural food base available to the fish.

That, of course, would be flies. All kinds of the transparent-winged insects.

“That’s exactly what the fish there eat,” Komatsu said.

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The rock-climbing bug has bitten a lot of folks lately, but one of the biggest complaints among novice climbers is how inaccessible many climbing sites are.

It’s kind of like an excuse often used for not exercising; many people claim it’s a hassle to drive all the way to the gym. Those folks can purchase exercise equipment and work out at home.

Rock climbing enthusiasts can build their own climbing wall. And however would one go about doing that?

The Adventure 16 store in Tarzana offers classes on how to do it.

Frank Cornelius, owner and manufacturer of San Diego-based VooDoo Climbing Holds, conducts the class. He is a 17-year climbing veteran who uses a detailed slide show in his clinic.

The session covers everything from hardware selection to choosing the right hold, layout, planning and training tips.

The next class offered at the Tarzana Adventure 16 location is Oct. 3. There are others at the West L.A., Orange County and Solana Beach stores.

For those who aren’t involved with rock climbing but are curious to see what all the hype is about, beginning classes are also offered in Tarzana. The next one is Sept. 23.

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A new service called “Your Personal Pro” is available for those willing to invest $2.99 a minute on golf tips. The creators say it was designed to provide specific, spontaneous instructional tips for golfers looking to improve their game immediately.

Phil Benson, PGA pro and head pro at Itasca Country Club in Itasca Ill., offers approximately 100 instructional tips for golfers of all levels.

The service can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere, even the golf course. The number is 1-900-988-TIPS. From a cellular or pay phone the number is 1-800-727-7292 and the call will be billed to a credit card.

Speaking of bills, each tip averages about two minutes so here’s a tip: If your golf game is really hurting it can be quite costly.