What's the best way to learn fly fishing?

[Shane Barker]

I bought essentially the full gear package a few years ago while dating a girl who knew how to fly fish, but it's all just been collecting dust!  

I just need to get out there and learn but I need a strategy.  Do I pay for one of these week-long courses?  I had another fly fishing friend who lived in DC but is now in Texas... so that doesn't help.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Shane

[Jeffrey Silvan]

Orvis runs free Fly Fishing 101 classes. They'll give you a great kick start. Several people here also help put on (free) "Casting Church" on the weekends at Fletchers to help people with casting.

That'll get you started on casting. I don't know how much fishing background you have in general, but if you also need to learn how to fish (not just cast), a couple days with a guide will give you a great base. Then just keep experimenting. Trial and error is awesome for fishing.

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[Terry C]

+1 on the free Orvis classes.  

[TurbineBlade]

Jeff alluded to it, but there is a distinction between casting and fishing proficiency.  Also, the type of casts that cut wind and deliver larger flies over a SW flat with the leader fully-extended for the first strip can be night-and-day different from the types of casts you want to make at short distance, over various types of moving water to deliver a drag-free drift. 

My suggestion is to spend some 1-on-1 with a good instructor to learn about tight loops and how to create them consistently and with ease.  Everything else is basically is an add-on or adjustment from the basic loop. 

If you have experience using other fishing gear to work lures to interest fish, then you'll still catch things just fine with fly gear even when your casts are still not very pretty.  Fish are fish. 

[Yambag Nelson]

The best way to learn how to fish is to get out and do it. Alot.

A casting lesson or two isn't a bad idea to start. I am a self taught caster and still carry some bad habits that I have never been able to correct.

[Yambag Nelson]

[Terry C]

On Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 11:23:34 AM UTC-4, Shane Barker wrote:

Good fly casting is bases on sound mechanics. You tube the 5 essentials of fly casting, this will give you the how, but time practicing is the only way to perfect it. I' Ve been fly fishing for close to 40 yrs. and I spend lots of time practicing my casting. Just like a golfer would go to the driving range. When you practice use a piece of yarn instead of a fly. Never try and practice casting and fish at the same time when starting out.

[alan burrows]

Check with your local Trout Unlimited Chapter.  Ours offers a mentor program.  When I joined I ended up with 2 days of free 1 on 1 instruction.

On Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 11:23:34 AM UTC-4, Shane Barker wrote:

[John Mathews]

Shane,

First, join the local club.  Second, unless you're well healed with plenty of money, seek out the low to no cost, affordable casting instructions and clinics that are available.  If you have money to spend and burn find a good instructor but most of all, get well grounded in the basics.  Practice the basics as often as possible.  I practice in my back yard on an almost daily basis mostly for accuracy as that is a very important aspect of the fishery I fish. All else stems from the basics including the enjoyment of the sport.
Don't get caught up in the trap of casting 90 feet.  Most of fishing is inside of 60 feet with the majority of fish being caught inside of 30 feet.  
Between fresh and salt water there is a wide range of fisheries and within those fisheries there are very unique fisheries.  Find a fishery you enjoy, that is readily accessible and inexpensive.  Example; I live in a saltwater environment.  I have a boat, I never put it in the water.  Instead, I drive to a salt marsh 5 minutes from the house, park the car, grab my gear and I'm fishing for the tailing redfish on the flood tide.  In the winter, when the reds are not tailing in the marsh, I have several spots that I can walk into that are productive and most of all, enjoyable.  It's taken a couple of years to find and learn both so find a few that you enjoy and stay at it.
Good luck to you,

John

On Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 11:23:34 AM UTC-4, Shane Barker wrote: