Instructional Guiding
FLY-FISHING/CASTING INSTRUCTION
While we don’t have a fancy lodge, drift boat or mountain in the background- we do have a passion for working with others and teaching them what we have learned over the years. We have paid to take quite a few workshops and we hire guides for ourselves, even to this day. These experiences are how we learn new waters, new patterns and especially new techniques. And this knowledge base is what we use to help beginners, intermediate and even advanced fly-fishers, who desire to improve their skills.
Our goal
Our goal is not necessarily simply for you to land a fish. Rather, our goal is to make sure you learn something and have a good experience. When we work with someone, we take an educative approach. It all falls back on the old saying “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day- teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. If you walk away from time spent with us with a deeper knowledge base, a broader set of skills and an interest to share with others- then we have met our goal.
What We Do
First, we gather information from you to determine your fly-fishing level and experience. Where have you fly-fished and what have you caught? What kind/style of fly-fishing have you done before? How is your casting? Do you tie your own flies and have some “bug” knowledge? Are you good with knots and gear setup? Do you own any gear? Etc.
Second, we help organize a session that best suits your main objective. Maybe a session focused on casting should be a good starting point. Maybe a day on the water is more fitting? Or perhaps a day split between learning some basics and spending some actual time on the water would work best? It all depends on what categories we actually need to help you with such as: gear setup; casting; reading & understanding water; fish tendencies; insects and food sources; presentation techniques; detecting a strike; hooking & landing fish; releasing fish safely…etc.
Third, we determine the best location for the session. It might be casting on grass with casting tools and various fly-rods. It could be a farm pond offering warm water species- which often is a great starting point for beginners and younger fly-fishers. Sometimes we try to actually fish for trout- using public streams in Ohio as well limited access to private waters for instructional purposes. Please note: We also partner with other professionals to help us when needed.
cost
Since most of our instructional sessions are customized to your individual needs- our pricing can vary. For our casting lessons, we encourage individuals to bring their own fly-rods. However, we supply several different rods for comparative purposes as well as a number of casting tools used for accuracy. For our full-day, fly-fishing sessions, we provide use of necessary gear, when needed, such as: fly-rod, reel, line, leader, tippet and flies.
As mentioned above, we do build and maintain relationships with guides in various locations- often as a result of our travels. We are happy to introduce you to:
Precision Fly and Tackle (South Central, PA & Maryland)
Tom Baltz (South Central, PA)
Brant Oswald (Livingston, MT)
Trophy Water Guide Service (Hampton, TN)
Mad River Outfitters (Central, OH)
Riverside Fly Fishing (Eugene, OR)
Please note: we do not add an extra fee when referring you to a guide that we endorse. Rather, we maintain relationships with these guides and refer business solely because of their ability level and dedication to “educating” others.