A person new to fly fishing should never start out by fly fishing. It will often become so frustrating for them that they will go back (OMG) to gear fishing.

First they need to learn to cast. Period. You bet wear eye protection, even if they are only casting yarn at the end of their leader while casting on grass. Learning the proper timing for casting 35 to 45 feet will make their first experience at fly fishing far more enjoyable.

Many years ago I had a friend that I invited to go fishing with me at a private lake, fishing from the bank. I knew he had been fly fishing for a while so I never considered watching him cast. As I was rigging up my rod, he was 'casting'. He asked me if I could help him learn to double haul so he could get his fly out on the water farther. That was when I watched him 'casting'. He had almost no line out and was waving they fly rod around like it was a fly swatter. So I told him we would not worry about double hauling, first he needed to learn how to cast. I put my rod down and started him on the right approach to casting.

So, teach them the timing and technique needed to actually cast a fly then worry about the fishing part.

Larry ---sagefisher---