BEMIDJI, Minn. – Every fall, about the time most outdoors enthusiasts across the Northland put away their rods and reels and set their sights on hunting, Steve Young gets serious about fly fishing.

The first time I wandered into a fly shop on my own, I had no idea where to begin. I had been fly fishing before, but always on a boat and with the help of a partner or friends. Being alone—and ...