ARE WE MAKING FLY FISHING TOO DIFFICULT FOR BEGINNERS? - Readers Cast - Oct 10, 2011

[fishingnewsman]

Well said Warren.

I agree many make fly fishing sound to difficult. I have taught fly fishing in many school districts around our BC Fraser Valley. When I got my first post I was faced with the task of writing both an outline and curriculum. With no background as a teacher the prospect almost made me walk away.

With nothing as a guide, I had to ask myself "If I was to go back thirty years to when I was first introduced to fly fishing, knowing what I know now, what would I like to be taught to shorten the learning curve?

In short:

I teach my student to separate fly casting from fly fishing. While fly casting is the best method to present a fly, it is not the only way. Flies can be presented with spinning gear or a hand line just like bait, also trolled. The object is catch fish with your flies. Yes I do teach fly casting, but focus more on accuracy (with both hands) than distance.

I cover all the equipment and it's purpose to help students determine their own needs. I find beginners need information on what is available so they can accumulate what works for them without the influence of other people's biases.

I also cover food sources, which is more than just bugs, and explain the methods of determining what is on the menu for the day. At the same time I also explain all the factors that govern fish feeding behaviour; weather, temperature, light, and moon phase.

It is all complicated and I take ten hours in the classroom with another two hours in the field to teach it. Since it is large amount of information to absorb I break it all up into two hour segments taught over a five week period. I have been asked, at times, to teach a shorter class and have always refused, since I believe anything less would be short changing my students.

Knowing that there is much to be absorbed and retention is never what we wish it could be all my students are supplied notes and diagrams, as reference material. I always encourage my students to begin by trolling wet flies in a productive lake, so that they are able to catch fish while assimilating what has been cover in the classroom.

The whole purpose of the exercise is to catch fish; if the person you teach cannot do that then all the teaching in the world is worth nothing.

[PA Dave]

I'm one of the self-taught and though my bad habits are many, I still have fun and catch fish. I do wish I had learned the easy way sometimes, but then again, I'm not saddled with conventional thinking, either.

I agree with Warren completely, and I'd add that beginners need to understand that while an expensive rod is nice to work with, fly fishing can and is done with a lot of lower-end rods and reels, and is still very enjoyable. You don't need to break the bank to learn to do it. Once the pleasure turns to obsession...then you can get around to breaking the bank.

Also, start beginners on a good bluegill pond. Nothing is more fun for a beginner than catching fish and those fiesty little guys co-operate!

[bobbyg]

Now this is an excellent thread!
I'm thinking most folks who wish to fly fish today seek out proper instruction?
TU, etc. The proliferation of rods, reels, etc. can make it difficult for a beginner.
But with proper guidance they can figure it out.
It's really not that difficult if you have that fire burning in your belly to do it half-*** proficiently.
I know when I started I was totally consumed and taught myself by getting out on the water
as often as I could and reading anything and eveything that I thought might help me.

So, no, I don't believe whoever we is, are making it too difficult to learn to fish with the fly.
If you are truly dedicated and love it, you'll get it!! Once you get past the aura and bs.

[branhap]

Eh, I don't know about that. I was completely self taught. It was interesting too, because I thought I was at my limits. But then I put my "cheaper" fly line on my nicer 6wt for my wife, and next thing I know, I'm test casting into my neighbors driveway... LOL. Turns out that the cheapy fly line is perfect for loading up my nicer 6wt rod. SA Air Cel is better than BPS standard stuff. Mind, you I'm a lefty and my wife is a righty, hence the different reels for us.


Paul

[ohiotuber]

Warren,
Well said. We have a board here in Ohio & one recent post was pertaining to "How far do you cast?". After reading a number of posts generally intended to impress readers with 1) physics lessons or 2) brags about casting the full line PLUS 20', etc, I got sick of it & posted that I don't KNOW how far I cast but stating that I have fun & catch some very nice fish. To me, that's what it's all about. Threads like that can discourage beginners as they will feel as if they're being watched & sometimes ridiculed by folks like that. The sad thing is, I don't recall those "experts" ever posting pics or offering to fish with or help a beginner.
Seems to me there used to be a fair to middlin' dry fly fisherman around here who never imposed his preferences on others, helped EVERYBODY (including me) & could lay out an entire line with an $80.00 SA combo from Walmart. He kept it simple ("stop, stop, the rest is personal style"), positive, friendly, & one day I'll see the late Jim Birkholm (aka Castwell) in a better place. God keep him well.
Mike

[The Chronicler]

Ohiotuber,
I presume that you know that Castwell is no longer casting fly lines on 'this side of the pond.' If you see him please let me know.

[ohiotuber]

Ohiotuber,
I presume that you know that Castwell is no longer casting fly lines on 'this side of the pond.' If you see him please let me know.

Yes, I am aware of his passing. I apologize if my post was unclear about that. I am editing my previous post to so reflect.
Mike

[Steve Molcsan]

Who are the "we" who are making fly fishing difficult?

Learning fly fishing without proper instruction is difficult. It is d*amn hard to teach yourself to fly cast. I know because I tried it. But with proper instruction, it is much, much easier.

I don't see myself as making fly fishing more difficult. Not at all. I see myself as making it easier by teaching beginners how to cast and teaching them what is important and what is not.

I had occasion to post on another BB on why a roll cast collapsed. Some of the replies said that a roll cast was identical to the forward half of a standard in-the-air cast. Well........ yes in some ways but no in others.


Some of you are familiar with the Casting Analyzer.


Explanation of the casting analyzer graph is below:



Jason's Borger posted the difference between a standard overhead cast and a roll cast in terms of rod "butt" rotation. Take a look at his blog for other casting articles. Jason's Blog:


http://fishfliesandwater.com/2011/10...casting-geeks/


Graph from Jason's Blog, the top graph is the stardard cast and the bottom is the roll cast.:





The difference between the two graphs is that the final (accelertion) rod loading for a roll cast must occur over a shorter time and have a higher peak. It requires more energy to make a roll cast because part of the energy is used to both elevate the line and to break the line free of surface tension.


The standard casting instruction for the roll cast has been that it is just the same as the a regular forward cast. We can see that that is not quite correct. If you look at the white side of the graph, the initial front part of the curve (from about 37 to 55 ms) is identical UNTIL the final steep acceleration from 55 to 58 ms. So the final application of power is more sudden and forceful than an in the air cast.


The other thing to notice is that even though the final acceleration is more sudden and rapid, it is still SMOOTH. There are no dips in the acceleration line.


So a roll cast requires a faster rod rotation over a shorter time.

Not at all.... lol


ps: Just ribbing you a bit silver, I have nothing but respect for your input and thoughtfulness here.... you know that brother....

[Uncle Jesse]

I enjoyed Warren's article very much. Learning to fly fish should be easier than ever. There are better rods, lines and reels available to beginning fly anglers at a reasonable price than ever. There are videos to give instruction to the beginner who does not have a someone to give them personal instruction. If flyfishing is being made more difficult it is because there is too much available information in written word and available video resources, all of which are meant to be helpful.

Around 1969 I bought my first flyrod, a $7 Heddon, a $2 stamped metal reel and a level Cortland flyline. A good instructor could probably help me as with my casting as much as a good golf pro helps a duffer with a golf club. Watching Lefty at a fly fishing show helped me greatly, but I fished for years before that and caught a boat load full of bream and bass. I learn from many of you on a regular basis picking up little tips that make me a better fisherman, I appreciate the assistance. I cannot cast a 100 ft., but I don't need to, there have been plenty of fish within 30 - 40 ft. of me so far. I guess that is one think I like about my tubes, they allow me to make up for my casting short comings.

[bobbymojo]

I have fished with Warren a few times and each time he really tries to teach me how to catch fish. It is not about this or that but how to catch fish. My casting is one point of focus for me, there ARE many others, but while he is teaching me it is always with the catch in mind.

Great article Warren.

Bob