Galdolf,

I've done a lot of teaching of fly tying from university courses for credit to free classes through shops and clubs for kids. I've found a way to increase that retention % to over 50% at 1 year and 30% at 3 years. I can only verify the 30% at 3 years due to a loss in contact with former students by then. That number might still be higher. But it costs an addition $20-25 per student. It's simple. Give them a fly tying kit to use throughout the class and keep for their own when it is over and provide them with a catalog, on-line source for supplies, and take them to their closest fly shop for a good tour (if available).

Now, if you teach 100 students per year that adds up to $2000-2500 per year. So it has to be funded somehow. But fly tying retailers, distributors, and manufacturers should wake up and realize that this is an investment in their future! And if they make these investments through a 501(c)(3) non-profit like the Federation of Fly Fishers or the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute (just 2 examples), those investments are tax deductible. And an increase of 30-40% in new customers is nothing to sneeze at!